Overall Teaching

The Tathāgata, suchness, and all dharmas are identical and non-dual—knowing this is buddhahood. One is born after the image of the Tathāgata/suchness. If bodhisattvas fall to the level of the other two vehicles, without PW that cannot rise up again to the buddha-path. It is hard to win awakening because there is no one to win it, and there are no three vehicles—knowing this without trembling is knowing one’s destiny as being full awakening. Bodhisattva practice in the six perfections and training others is the path—longing for it and practicing it is how all is uncovered.

Summary

1.     Tathāgata-Suchness

a.  Subhūti declares this Dharma to be the non-observation of all dharmas, and without obstruction, trace, counterpart, opponent, production, or path.

b.     Śakra declares Subhūti as being born after the image of the Buddha, for he always starts from emptiness.

c.    Subhūti explains that this is because he is not born, and thus he is born after the Tathāgata’s suchness—that suchness is the same as all dharmas (non-dual), which is also no suchness, and immutable, unchangeable, undiscriminated, undifferentiated and unmade. [307]

d.   Even though it appears that there is a duality when we identify Subhūti as being from the suchness of the Tathāgata, “nothing real has been lopped off that Suchness, which remains unbroken, because one cannot apprehend an actually real agent that could break it apart.”

e.     This conformity/identity is so with the suchness of the three times. [308]

f.      This suchness is that through which one has won full awakening and is known as a Tathāgata.

2.     The Earth Shakes, and Many are Saved

a.     The earth shook in six ways, when Subhūti declared the way in which he is born after the Tathāgata’s image, just as when a tathāgata is born into the world.

b.     He is not born in the image of the skandhas, or any other kind of being.

c.   The Lord declares that when this was expounded, the minds of three hundred monks were freed from the outflows, and five hundred nuns obtained the dharma-eye. [309] Five thousand gods also attained the acceptance of unproduced dharmas and six thousand Bodhisattvas were also freed from outflows.

3.     Perfect Wisdom and Skill in Means

a.     Śāriputra asks why the bodhisattvas were freed.

b.    The Buddha explains that while they aspired to buddhahood, they weren’t upheld by perfect wisdom, and so settled onto the level of the śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. [310]

i.     This is like a bird who cannot fly, who going down to a lower level, cannot fly back up to a higher one. [311]

ii.     If a bodhisattva settled down on a lower level, practicing in signs, they cannot get back up to the buddha-path unless he relies on perfect wisdom and skilful means. [312]

c.     The devas declare that perfect wisdom is hard to win if one is weak in wisdom, without vigour and resolve, unskilled, and serves bad friends.

4.     Enlightenment and Emptiness

a.     Subhūti asks how it can be hard to win awakening if there is no one who can win it.

b.     This is because of the emptiness of all dharmas (emptiness of own-being, signs, etc), [313] including the dharma of awakening.

c.     The Buddha says it is hard to win because it cannot possibly come about and has a false appearance.

d.     Śāriputra points out that it is also because of its emptiness, and if it were not hard to win, countless bodhisattvas would not turn away from it. [314]

e.     Also, no skandhas turn away from awakening and none other than suchness turns away from awakening and none of these are known in full awakening and yet no suchness, etc., is turned away. [315-318]

i.     But this also means that there are not truly three grades of people seeking awakening.

f.      Pūrṇa asks Śāriputra to ask Subhūti to ask whether he admits of any being who uses the three vehicles. [319]

i.     Subhūti asks whether Śāriputra sees any the heart of any being in the suchness of suchness which is set on full awakening. He does not.

ii.     Subhūti asks, therefore, how one can talk of beings on the three vehicles.

iii.     He declares that if one can hear of the absence of differentiation between the three grades of being and not tremble or turn back, then one will know they’re destined for awakening. [320]

5.     Requisites of Going Forth to Enlightenment

a.     A bodhisattva wishing to train for full and supreme awakening should have an even, helpful mind, treating beings as they are one’s own mother, father, son or daughter. [321]

b.     One should act as a saviour towards all beings.

c.     One should abstain from evil, give gifts, guard morality, perfect patience, exert vigour, enter the dhyānas, and master wisdom (6 perfections) surveying dependent origination both forwards and in reverse.

d.     One should instigate and encourage others to do the same.

e.     After longing for and training in all this, then everything will be uncovered. [322]