Overall Teaching

A successful practitioner of PW will be reborn among humans, and in the past, could have lived in a buddha-field. Not understanding PW now, one may have failed to ask questions in the past. Not relying on PW and skilful means, a bodhisattva can fall back to the prior two vehicles.

Summary

1.     Future and Past Rebirths

a.     Subhūti asks: Where is the successful practitioner of PW reborn?

b.     The Buddha answers: If they continue to pursue PW, following the reciter of the sūtra as a cow who doesn’t abandon her calf, they’ll be reborn among humans. [284]

c.     It is also possible that in a previous life, a successful practitioner of PW, in a past life, studied in a Buddha-field, including Tuṣita with Maitreya.

2.     Past Deeds of a Bodhisattva who Fails in Perfect Wisdom

a.     However, if one didn’t ask questions about PW, then in this life they may now hesitate, be stupefied, and cowed. [285]

b.     If one had faith, but gradually withdrew from interest, then their faith may wane, they may become disheartened, and have unsteady intelligence, like cotton wool. [285-6]

c.     Such a person may be expected to move onto either the śrāvaka’s level or the pratyekabuddha’s level.

3.     Four Similes

a.     If a ship sinks, those who cannot grab onto support will drown and those who can will be able to float to the other shore. Thus is PW: if one does not grab onto its support, one will fall to the level of a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha [286], but a bodhisattva does have that support in their interest and confidence and will stand in all knowledge.

b.     A badly-baked jar for carrying water will fall to pieces. Thus is PW: even if one has faith and desire to attain awakening, if one does not rely on PW and skilful means, one will fall to the level of a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha. [287] But a bodhisattva who relies upon PW is like carrying water in a well-baked jar and will stand in all knowledge.

c.     A stupid man who does not caulk and repair his ship before overloading it with goods will be doomed to sink along with his fortune. [288] Similarly, if a bodhisattva has good qualities on the path but not PW, they lose their fortune because they lose all knowledge, and sink to the level of the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha. But one who upholds PW well is like a merchant who maintains his ship. [289]

d. A very old person who may fall ill would have difficulty rising from his bed, and even if in bed, will eventually waste away. Similarly, a bodhisattva without PW or skilful means is bound to collapse and fall on the path to the level of the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha. [290] However, PW and skilful means are like two strong men who support and take care of that old person. [291]