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Taishō no. 220
Fascicle 576

Translated by Imperial Decree by Tripiṭakācārya Xuanzang

Translated into English by Shaku Shingan (1.8.2025)

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Bhagavān was in Śrāvasti, at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, proclaiming the True Dharma to the great assembly.

At that time, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, in the first part of the day, put on his robes and took up his alms bowl, and gradually prepared to enter the city of Śrāvastī.

Then, there was a bodhisattva named Nāgaśrī, who, having seen him, questioned him, asking: “Where is the Venerable Sir going?”

Mañjuśrī said: “I intend to enter this city of Śrāvastī to go on an alms round, intending to benefit and delight a great many beings, out of compassion for the world’s great multitude of beings, and for the benefit and happiness of all devas and humans.”

Nāgaśrī said: “Indeed! O venerable sir! Even now, have you not yet broken through the thought of food?”

Mañjuśrī said: “Regarding the thought of food, I do not see that there is anything, so how can one know what to break through? Why is that so? Because all dharmas are empty in their original nature, just like space, without decay or interruption, how can I break through anything? All the devas, māras, brahmās, and this world with its śrāmaṇas and brāhmaṇas also cannot break through it. Why is that so? Because the self-existence of all dharmas is equal to the realm of space. Ultimately, all are empty, imperturbable, and no one can break through them. Moreover, all dharmas are like the vastness of space. There are no devas, māras, brahmās, śrāmaṇas, or any other kind of sentient beings who can apprehend and take them up. Why is that so? Because the nature of all dharmas is isolated, none are apprehended or taken up.”

Nāgaśrī said: “If it is as you have explained, then why do bodhisattvas engage in conflict with māras?”

Mañjuśrī said: “Bodhisattvas never engage in conflict with the armies of māras beating large drums. At that time, bodhisattvas do not see dharmas as having even a little bit of reality, and so they can enter into samādhi. Why is that so? Bodhisattvas see that although the [māras] beat drums and so forth, they have no fear. Just as a conjurer might create an illusion of an enemy, although it may appear to torment one, one does not give rise to fear; likewise, bodhisattvas know the nature of dharmas is empty, just like illusions, and so forth, so they are completely without fear. If, at any time, bodhisattvas have fear, then they are not worthy of offerings by devas, humans, and so forth. But as all bodhisattvas understand emptiness and are without fear, they are worthy of being true and pure fields of merit.”

Nāgaśrī said: “Might there be anyone who can realise awakening?”

Mañjuśrī said: “There are those who can realise it.”

Nāgaśrī said: “Who realises it?”

Mañjuśrī said: “If one is without names, designations, or language, that one can realise it.”

Nāgaśrī said: “That being so, how can it be realised?”

Mañjuśrī said: “That thought is unarisen, it does not recollect bodhi or the site of bodhi, nor does it consider, with compassion, all sentient beings; it is an unexpressed thought, it is a thought without views, and it is that by which one can realise unexcelled perfect bodhi.”

Nāgaśrī said: “If that is so, will the venerable sir attain bodhi by that thought?”

Mañjuśrī said: “I have no destination nor am I able to go anywhere; I have absolutely nothing to learn. It is not that I will come to reach the bodhi tree, sit on the vajra seat, realise great bodhi, and turn the wheel of the sublime Dharma to rescue beings from saṃsāra. Why is that so? All dharmas are unmoving; they cannot be broken through, they cannot be apprehended, and they are absolutely empty and tranquil. It is with such a destinationless thought that I shall attain bodhi.”

Nāgaśrī said: “What the venerable sir says all depends on the meaning of ultimate truth; but to enable sentient beings to have faith and understanding in this Dharma is to be liberated from afflictions. If sentient beings are liberated from afflictions, then they can ultimately break through Māra’s snare.”

Mañjuśrī said: “Māra’s snare cannot be broken through. Why is that so? Māra is no different from the designation ‘bodhi.’ Why is it so? Māra and the army of Māra are by nature non-existent and altogether inapprehensible. Therefore, I say that Māra is no different from the designation ‘bodhi.’ “

Nāgaśrī said: “What is ‘bodhi’ then?”

Mañjuśrī said: “Bodhi pervades all times, places, and is within all dharmas. Just as empty space is entirely without obstruction and is in all times, places, and dharmas, bodhi is also like that; because it is without obstruction, it is present in all times, places, and dharmas. Thus, bodhi is the most supreme. What kind of bodhi do you now wish to realise?”

Nāgaśrī said: “I wish to realise that which is unsurpassed.”

Mañjuśrī said: “You should stop now! Unsurpassed bodhi is not a dharma that can be realised. If you wish to realise it, you are engaging in conceptual elaboration. Why is it so? Unsurpassed bodhi is isolated from characteristics and is tranquil. You now wish to grasp it, thus it becomes a conceptual elaboration. Just as someone might say: ‘I will make an illusory person sit at the bodhimaṇḍa and realise an illusory unsurpassed and perfect bodhi.’

“Such a statement is an extreme conceptual elaboration, because even an illusory person could not be apprehended, so how could they attain an illusory great bodhi? An illusion for an illusory dharma neither has union nor separation, neither grasping nor relinquishing, and it is empty of self-existence. All buddha bhagavāns teach that all dharmas cannot be discriminated, and that all are just like illusions. You now wish to realise unsurpassed bodhi, so how is this not creating a discrimination about an illusory dharma? However, all dharmas are neither graspable nor relinquishable, neither created nor destroyed. A non-dharma cannot create or destroy a dharma. A non-dharma cannot unite with or separate from a dharma. Why is that so? Because all dharmas are neither united nor separate, they are entirely empty of self-existence, free from me, mine, and the realm of space; there is nothing taught nor revealed; nothing praised nor blamed; nothing high nor low; nothing lost and nothing profited; they cannot be imagined and cannot be conceptually elaborated; their original nature is void and tranquil, and all are ultimately empty, like an illusion, like a dream, without opposition, without comparison, so how could one give rise to discriminating thoughts about them?”

Nāgaśrī said: “Sādhu! O venerable sir! Because of this, I am uncertain whether I will attain bodhi. Why is it so? Because the venerable one has explained the profound Dharma to me.”

Mañjuśrī said: “Now, I have not yet explained anything to you, whether exoteric or esoteric,  whether profound or shallow, so how could that enable you to attain bodhi? Why is that so? The self-existence of all dharmas is entirely unspeakable. If you think I have spoken the profound Dharma, you are engaging in conceptual elaboration. In reality, I am not someone who can explain the Dharma, and the self-existence of all dharmas is also entirely unspeakable. It is as if someone were to say: ‘I can eloquently explain the cognised characteristics of an illusory person, explaining that the illusory person is cognised like this or like that.’ 

“By speaking in this way, one harms the truthfulness of one’s own words. Why is that so? Even an illusory person is not something that can be cognised, how much more so regarding cognising his marks! You now think that I have spoken the profound Dharma, enabling you to realise unsurpassed bodhi. But this is also like that. Because all dharmas are illusions, and their nature is absolutely empty, it cannot be known, how much more so can they be taught!”

At that time, Ajita[1] Bodhisattva Mahāsattva had come to that place, he heard that teaching, and praised it, saying: “Sādhu! Sādhu! O good man! O great being! You have both eloquently explained this deeply profound Dharma teaching.”

Then, Mañjuśrī said to Ajita: “O good man, O great being, what Dharma do you think we are expounding? A bodhisattva should not think: ‘I am a bodhisattva, a good man, a great being, who can expound a deeply profound Dharma to sentient beings.’ 

“If you think that way, you are engaging in conceptual elaboration. But, O Ajita, might there be, in a valley’s echo, a self-existence which truly can give rise to speech, or which can enable a listener to cognise dharmas?”

Then, Ajita answered: “No!”

Mañjuśrī said: “Thus, dharmas all have no reality. They are all like a valley’s echo; they are nameless, signless, and should not be grasped at, for if there is attachment, then one engages in conceptual elaboration, and if one engages in conceptual elaboration, one transmigrates in saṃsāra. Those who thus truly do not know that all dharmas are like echoes, give rise to disputes, and because disputes arise, the mind wavers, and when the mind wavers, there are many delusions, and when delusions increase, then they transmigrate in all the realms. 

“Therefore, the Bhagavān personally taught and instructed the bhikṣus, day and night, saying: ‘You bhikṣus should not engage in conceptual elaboration! In the Dharma of tranquil cessation that I have taught, you should constantly contemplate, evaluate, and investigate, and diligently cultivate patience at the non-attainment of dharmas.’ 

“Thus, the great Dharma King, who can be tranquil, taught the emptiness of all dharmas, whose original nature is tranquil, undefiled, unobtainable, and without any support. Being able to understand liberation from saṃsāra in accord with reality, one will certainly attain bodhi and nirvāṇa.”

Then, Nāgaśrī, having heard these words, immediately inquired of Mañjuśrī, saying: “Venerable sir, from what saṃsāra is one liberated?”

Mañjuśrī said: “Good sir, from what saṃsāra do you say the Tathāgata attains liberation? The ten-powered Bhagavān always speaks of the past, present, and future as the dharmas of saṃsāra.”

Nāgaśrī said: “Was it not the Bhagavān who said that all dharmas are like illusions? If that is so, then sentient beings should have already realised unsurpassed bodhi from the beginning. So, why is there saṃsāra? Why is this so? The venerable one also says that all dharmas are unreal and all like illusions.”

Mañjuśrī said: “Since long ago, I have never declared the nature and characteristics of dharmas, nor have I discriminated them, nor have I grasped them, nor created them. Why is that so? The nature and characteristics of dharmas cannot be indicated, cannot be discriminated, cannot be grasped, and cannot be created.

“If all sentient beings were able to understand that all dharmas are truly illusory, then they should have already realised unsurpassed bodhi from the beginning; however, because sentient beings cannot penetrate the fact that all dharmas are like illusions, they transmigrate in the realms of saṃsāra. Just as a master conjurer, using various objects, creates various illusory transformations, and the world with its devas, māras, Brahmā, Śakra, śrāmaṇas, brāhmaṇas, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, and other humans and non-humans, and all deluded beings, mistakenly grasp them as really existent. But learned illusionists know that they are without real existence, and that they are merely the appearance of many various deceptive signs. These dharmas, although they are like illusions, are not understood by sentient beings, who are foolish and deluded, say that the non-existent is existent, calculate the impermanent to be permanent, and make various discriminations of dharmas, either discriminating forms or discriminating thoughts, the conditioned and unconditioned, that with effluents and without effluents—all these categories are various kinds of discriminations. Based on these discriminations, amidst dharmas, they really do not understand that all of them are like illusions. Due to this lack of understanding, they transmigrate in saṃsāra. If sentient beings understood, in accordance with reality, that all dharmas are like illusions, then they would not grow in the dharmas of a buddha. Why is that so? All sentient beings, from the beginning, already possess all of the sublime dharmas of buddhas, because they already possess non-retrogressing buddha-knowledge.

“All sentient beings can be established in the Buddha’s sublime Dharma, which is unmoving understanding, knowing the emptiness of dharma-nature, without name, without characteristics, without basis, non-abiding, without grasping, without clinging, unobstructed, without attachment, just like space, without the ālaya, without nyanti,[2] supreme tranquillity, most extremely tranquillity, neither arising nor ceasing, neither defiled nor pure, neither created nor destroyed, neither existent nor non-existent. Based on this, profound patience is achieved therein, never separating from the Buddhas’ sublime Dharma. Why is that so? The Buddhas’ sublime Dharma is by nature isolated and free from characteristics, cannot be designated, cannot be explained, cannot be indicated, pervading sentient beings just as if it were empty space.”

Then, Nāgaśrī, hearing this profound Dharma teaching, rose and danced with joy, and praised Mañjuśrī: “Sādhu! Sādhu! What the venerable one has spoken is incredibly profound, subtle, and inconceivable, explaining that all sentient beings are never separated from the Buddhas’ sublime Dharma. Who can have faith in and understand this?”

Mañjuśrī said: “All true children of the buddhas can have faith in and understand this. That is to say, practitioners in accordance with faith, practitioners in accordance with the Dharma, the eighth, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas who have already attained non-retrogression—regarding all white dharmas, they are immovable and undeviating. They are already well-established in the Dharma of absolute emptiness and the Dharma of inapprehensibility, and can have deep faith and understanding. Why is that so? Because the excellent seat of awakening is already manifest before those bodhisattvas, and they are able, for the world, with its devas, māras, Brahmā, Śakra, śrāmaṇas, brāhmaṇa, asuras, and other humans and non-humans, to roar the great lion’s roar: ‘I shall sit on this seat in the lotus position, and until I attain unsurpassed bodhi, I shall not leave this seat, even temporarily.’

“Why is that so? Because these bodhisattvas are already well established in the Dharma of absolute emptiness and the Dharma of inapprehensibility, and are therefore unmovable. Just like Indra’s stake, which is extremely well and firmly placed—even the king of bulls is unable to dislodge it—likewise, these bodhisattvas are already well established in the Dharma of absolute emptiness and the Dharma of inapprehensibility, and no sentient being can disturb them. Thus, they cause others to be free from perceiver and perceived, as well as the site of the seat of bodhi.”

Nāgaśrī said: “What is meant by perceiver and perceived and the site of the seat of bodhi?”

Mañjuśrī questioned him in return, saying: “What is meant by the Tathāgata’s transformation? What is the site of the Tathāgata’s transformation? What is the basis of the Tathāgata’s transformation? What is the Dharma realised through the Tathāgata’s transformation? Based on this, is it said that the Tathāgata’s transformation teaches the Dharma, instructing and guiding?”

Nāgaśrī said: “I do not see a real Tathāgata, how much less will I see the Tathāgata’s transformations, the site of his transformations, the basis of his transformations, or the Dharma realised by his transformations, so based on what can it be said that the Tathāgata’s transformation teaches the Dharma, instructing and guiding?”

Mañjuśrī said: “Sādhu! Sādhu! What you have said is very much in accordance with the truth. You have already realised patience at the non-apprehension of all dharmas; therefore, you can say this. The perceiver and perceived should also be known as like this.”

Nāgaśrī said: “Patience at the non-apprehension of all dharmas cannot arise or decay. Why is that so? Because all dharmas are empty of self-existence, they are also empty of their own-characteristics. Thus, all dharmas are signless, without opposition, formless, invisible, and equal to space. How can patience at the non-apprehension of all dharmas arise? If patience at the non-apprehension of all dharmas is meant to arise, then patience at a valley’s echo, patience at a reflection, patience at a mass of foam, patience at a floating bubble, patience at a mirage, patience at a plantain tree, patience at an illusion, patience at a dream, patience at a transformation, patience at an image in a mirror, patience at a gandharva’s city, or patience at the realm of empty space would be meant to arise. Why is that so? It is decidedly impossible for patience at empty space to be meant to arise. If a bodhisattva mahāsattva hears such a Dharma teaching, and is neither frightened, nor afraid, nor confused, nor doubtful, and their mind does not sink, then that bodhisattva has attained unsurpassed patience at dharmas.”

Mañjuśrī said: “What distinctions are there in the patience at the non-apprehension of dharmas by the assemblies of bodhisattvas?”

Nāgaśrī said: “If an assembly of bodhisattvas has attachment to even a small portion of a dharma, then that is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can completely understand the deeply profound.’ That is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I am one who has attained profound patience.’ That is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can have complete faith in the deeply profound.’ That is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can completely understand all meanings.’ That is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can be thoroughly awakened to all dharmas.’ That is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can completely understand the original nature of all dharmas.’ That is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can cultivate the practice of all the bodhisattva paths.’ That is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can adorn the various types of buddha-lands.’ That is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can bring all sentient beings to maturity.’ That is called practising with apprehension. 

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I will certainly realise bodhi.’ That is called practising with apprehension.

“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can definitely turn the unsurpassed Wheel of the Dharma.’ That is called practising with apprehension.
“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can relieve all sentient beings.’ That is called practising with apprehension.
“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I have a practice, I have a realisation.’ That is called practising with apprehension.
“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can cultivate the practice of the pāramitas of generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, dhyāna, and Prajñā.’ That is called practising with apprehension.
“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can cultivate the practice of the thirty-seven factors of awakening, beginning with the four bases of mindfulness.’ That is called practising with apprehension.
“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can cultivate the practice of dhyāna, the immeasurables, concentration, equipoises, and dhāraṇī doors.’ That is called practising with apprehension.
“If these bodhisattvas think: ‘I can reach the realisation of the Tathāgata’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of unhindered understanding, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity, and the eighteen unshared dharmas of a buddha, as well as the innumerable and limitless sublime Dharma teachings of the buddhas.’ That is called practising with apprehension.
“Because a bodhisattva does not practise with apprehension, their patience at the non-apprehension of dharmas is without distinctions.”

Mañjuśrī said: “If that is so, how should a bodhisattva train in the practice leading to bodhi?”

Nāgaśrī said: “If an assembly of bodhisattvas has no attachment to any dharmas, this is called training in the practice leading to bodhi. If an assembly of bodhisattvas relies on nothing amidst dharmas, this is called training in the practice leading to bodhi. If an assembly of bodhisattvas clearly observes the reality that all dharmas are dependent upon various conditions, are empty of self-existence, free from me, and mine, this is called training in the practice leading to bodhi. If an assembly of bodhisattvas, even though there is nothing practised, has no perception of a practice, this is called training in the practice leading to bodhi.”

Mañjuśrī said: “Thus it is! Thus it is! It is truly just as you have said. Like a person who, in a dream, though seeming to wander and stop in various directions and places, actually has no going, coming, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, or any real place where he wanders or stops. The bodhisattva is also like that; though abiding in a waking state, he cultivates a practice, but without a perception of practice; he contemplates that the original nature of that which is practised is entirely empty, and concerning all dharma, there is nothing to cling to, realising that all phenomena are insubstantial, signlessness, without the ālaya, without nyanti, and that their original nature is empty and tranquil, equal to space. If bodhisattvas can practise like this, with nothing to attach to and free from conceptual elaborations, then for devas and humans they are a truly pure field of merit, capable of receiving reverence and offerings from the world.”

At that time, Nāgaśrī Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, having heard these words, was overjoyed and danced for joy. He spoke these words: “Indeed! O venerable sir! Now I wish to go to the city of Śrāvastī, and go on an alms round for the sake of sentient beings.”

Mañjuśrī said: “Go as you wish. However, as you walk, do not raise your foot, do not lower your foot; do not bend, do not stretch; do not give rise to thoughts, do not stir up conceptual elaborations, do not give rise to conceptions of the road, do not give rise to conceptions of cities and towns, do not give rise to conceptions of small or large things, of men or women, of streets and alleys, gardens, houses, doors, or windows. Why is that so? Bodhi is free from all such conceptions—there is nothing high or low; no folding or unfolding; the mind is free from agitation; words are free from conceptual elaboration; and it is beyond measure. This is the path by which a bodhisattva proceeds toward bodhi. If you, O good sir, can walk in this manner, then you may go on alms rounds wherever you wish.”

Then, Nāgaśrī, empowered by the force of this instruction and exhortation, entered into the Ocean-like Samādhi. It is like the great ocean—its waters vast and deep, full and still, abounding in precious treasures, and nurturing a multitude of aquatic life. So too, this samādhi is vast and profound in its power, its supernormal functioning is inconceivable, and all three actions[3] are tranquillised therein. It contains the treasure of merit and nourishes sentient beings endowed with consciousness.

Then, a bodhisattva named Sumati, wishing to swiftly draw Nāgaśrī out from samādhi, engaged in great effort and touched his body. Even though the mountains and great earth of the cosmos of three thousand great thousand worlds shook six times, Nāgaśrī’s body and mind remained serene, firm, and unmoving, like the wondrous Mount Sumeru. Why is that so? Because through this samādhi, his body, speech, and mind abided in imperturbability. Then, arising from samādhi, he caused a rain of fragrant flowers to fall, and turning toward the grove of Jetavana, he respectfully bowed with palms joined and said with utmost sincerity: “I pay homage to the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-saṃbuddha. That which he has realised and taught is utterly profound. All dharmas are empty of self-existence, without defilement or attainment. Hearing this Dharma enables one to obtain this superior samādhi.”

Sumati Bodhisattva then asked him: “Were you aware of the earth shaking while in samādhi?”

Nāgaśrī said: “O Sumati, you should know that if the body and mind experience movement, then one perceives the shaking of the great earth and so on. But the buddha bhagavāns, the irreversible bodhisattvas, the great pratyekabuddhas, and the great arhats, with their bodies and minds peaceful and far removed from agitation, among all dharmas, neither see nor perceive movement, turning, tilting, or shaking. Why is that so? Because they always abide in the dharmas that are imperturbable, unshifting, and unshakable—namely emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, tranquillity—and they realise that characteristics are originally empty and that dharmas are far removed from existence. By abiding in this Dharma teaching, the body and mind remain imperturbable.”

Then, Mañjuśrī, having seen and heard this, joyfully praised Nāgaśrī, saying: “Sādhu! Sādhu! You have accomplished this. Now you may enter the city and go on alms rounds as you wish.”

Nāgaśrī said: “I have now realised the supreme Dharma nourishment of the Ocean-like Samādhi. Thus, I no longer seek material food. What I now seek are the pāramitās of generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, dhyāna, prajñā, skillful means, sublime vows, powers, and knowledge, and the countless other exalted bodhisattva practices, and quickly realise unexcelled perfect bodhi, to turn the wheel of sublime Dharma, and to liberate beings from the great suffering of saṃsāra, bringing them to abide in the complete and pure nirvāṇa. Now, I rejoice in renunciation and the abandonment of all conditioned things; I no longer wish to sustain a defiled body and mind. By the compassionate power of this noble, pure, true spiritual friend, I have now attained this supreme samādhi. I now bow in reverence to Mañjuśrī, the one of infinite auspiciousness, heroic auspiciousness, vast auspiciousness, the auspiciousness of the sublime Dharma, the auspiciousness of superior wisdom, inconceivable auspiciousness, the great sage and good friend, the true and pure good friend.”

Mañjuśrī said: “Sādhu! O good sir! Being able to attain this Ocean-like Samādhi, you understand that all dharmas are like echoes, like an image, like a dream, illusory, like a mirage, like a reflection, like a transformation, and like a gandharvas’ city. You should now seek the Tathāgata’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of unhindered understanding, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, the eighteen uncommon dharmas of a Buddha, and the measureless, boundless, unsurpassed Dharma nourishment, using it to nourish and sustain your Dharma body of liberation. All the tathāgata, arhat, samyak-saṃbuddhas are sustained by this nourishment. By it, they abide through innumerable, uncountable, boundless, inconceivable numbers of asaṃkhyeya kalpas. Why is that so? Because this Dharma nourishment is without effluents, without bondage, it can eternally free one from attachment to worldly, non-liberating dharmas, and can forever extinguish all pride. It is without the ālaya, without nyanti, without conceptual elaborations; its essential nature is empty and tranquil. All bodhisattva mahāsattvas aspire to this nourishment, and you too should seek it. Do not seek the inferior worldly nourishment of conditioned dharmas.”

Nāgaśrī said: “Having now heard the venerable one’s praise of such unsurpassed Dharma nourishment, I already feel fulfilled; how much more so if I were actually to receive it! If in the future I attain this Dharma nourishment, then even without taking food, I will skilfully employ this, and having filled myself, I shall then nourish and fill all sentient beings.”

Mañjuśrī said: “Are you able to fill the realm of empty space?”

He answered: “I am not able!”

Mañjuśrī said: “Are you able to fill an echo, an image, a dream, an illusion, a mirage, a reflection, a magical transformation, or the city of the gandharvas?”

He answered: “I am not able!”

Mañjuśrī said: “Are you able to fill all the great oceans with flowing streams?”

He answered: “I am not able!”

Mañjuśrī said: “Dharmas are just like that. So how could you wish to fill all beings? If you wish to fill all beings, then it is as if you wish to fill the vast realm of empty space, or to fill an echo, an image, a dream, and so forth; or to fill all the great oceans; or to fill all the empty dharmas, which are signless, wishless, uncreated, unproduced, non-arising, non-ceasing, or to fill isolation, tranquillity, non-defilement, nirvāṇa, ultimate reality, liberations, or to fill the formless, invisible, without opposition, that with one characteristic, space, and so forth—that which is inapprehensible, thusness, and the dharma-realm.”

Nāgaśrī said: “If, as the venerable sir has said, both nourishment and the one who takes nourishment are empty, then sentient beings should not rely on nourishment at all.”

Mañjuśrī said: “Thus it is! Thus it is! All sentient beings do not rely on nourishment. Even if the Buddha were to manifest as a number of sentient beings as numerous as the grains of the Ganges River, none of them would have any need for food. So, for whom would you produce that nourishment?”

Nāgaśrī said: “If transformations are not nourished, then what use is creating [the nourishment]?”

Mañjuśrī said: “Dharmas and sentient beings are both like illusions. Therefore, none rely on nourishment. If sentient beings cannot truly understand that all dharmas are like illusions, then they will transmigrate in saṃsāra across the various realms, clinging falsely to the idea that they are sustained by nourishment, yet that very sustenance is completely inapprehensible. If one observes dharmas and sentient beings in accordance with reality, they will be seen as empty of self-existence, lacking even the slightest reality. Then, concerning nourishment, there is nothing that can truly sustain or be sustained.”

Nāgaśrī said: “I now wish to abide in the cutting off of hunger and thirst.”

Mañjuśrī said: “Hunger and thirst do not exist, so what is there to cut off? It is like an illusory man saying: ‘I now wish to seek water in a mirage to cut off my hunger and thirst.’

“You are the same. Why is that so? Because all dharmas are like a mirage, and all sentient beings are like illusory persons. How can one wish to abide in cutting off hunger and thirst? In dharmas fabricated by false discrimination, both the one who cuts off and that which is to be cut off are inapprehensible. Since there is no hunger or thirst, who is there to cut them off? All dharmas are originally complete in their self-existence and entirely without hunger or thirst; what could there be to cut off? The foolish do not know this in accordance with reality, and say, ‘I am hungry and thirsty, and wish to cut them off.’ 

“But the wise know in accordance with reality that hunger and thirst do not originally exist, and thus they do not seek to cut them off. Having thoroughly realised the emptiness of the nature of all dharmas, they no longer transmigrate through the various realms of saṃsāra. They are far removed from conceptual elaboration and free of discrimination. Among all dharmas, they abide without abiding, without support, without defilement, without entering, without leaving, and are ultimately liberated with discrimination forever ceased.”

Nāgaśrī said: “As the venerable one has explained the essentials of the Dharma, so too does the dharma-realm appear.”

Mañjuśrī said: “The true dharma-realm has no arising, no ceasing, no bending, and no extending. Why is that so? The true dharma-realm is apart from characteristics and utterly tranquil, without arising, without ceasing, it cannot be discriminated, and cannot be conceptually elaborated; without support, without abiding, without grasping, without relinquishing, without movement, without transformation, it is not defiled, and is not pure. Just like the realm of space, it is without movement, without transformation, without grasping, without relinquishing, without support, without abiding, and cannot be conceptually elaborated; it cannot be discriminated, is without arising, and without ceasing. So also all dharmas are originally empty of their own-characteristics; their nature is also not existent; their characteristics are inapprehensible. If the characteristics of dharmas could be apprehended, then even a Buddha who has entered nirvāṇa should be apprehensible.

“All dharmas are without ālaya, without nyanti, formless, invisible, without opposition, signlessness, and originally tranquil. Therefore, even if the number of Buddhas were as countless as the grains of the Ganges, and they had all entered parinirvāṇa, not a single dharma would have ceased. 

“There is no cessation of the form aggregate, nor cessation of the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. There is no cessation of the eye sense-range, nor cessation of the sense-ranges of ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind. There is no cessation of the form sense-base, nor cessation of the sense-bases of sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. There is no cessation of the eye sphere, nor cessation of the spheres of ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind. There is no cessation of the form sphere, nor cessation of the spheres of sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. There is no cessation of the sphere of eye consciousness, nor cessation of the spheres of ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind consciousness. There is no cessation of eye contact, nor cessation of the contacts of ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind. There is no cessation of the feeling arising in dependence on eye contact, nor cessation of the feelings arising in dependence on the contacts of ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind. There is no cessation of the earth element, nor cessation of the elements of water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness. 

“Thus, although buddhas have entered parinirvāṇa, not a single dharma has entered parinirvāṇa. Those who wish for the position of nirvāṇa in which dharmas are extinguished are, in effect, wishing for the extinction of the vast realm of empty space. Why is that so? Because the nature of all dharmas is originally tranquil, its self-existence is tranquillity, the most extreme tranquillity, and cannot be extinguished further.

“The foolish do not know this in accordance with reality and, at the time of nirvāṇa, generate the thought of extinction, thinking: ‘I and what is mine are now extinguished.’ 

“Because they are attached to the existence of a self and of sentient beings, and broadly speaking to one who knows and one who sees, and because they are attached to the existence or non-existence of the self-existence of dharmas, they think that at the time of nirvāṇa everything is permanently annihilated. I say that such beings are not capable of liberation from the sufferings of birth, ageing, sickness, sorrow, lamentation, and despair. Why is that so? These foolish ones neither know nor realise the original nature of dharmas. Because they do not know or realise the original nature of dharmas, they come into conflict even with the buddha bhagavān, the great disciples, and the irreversible bodhisattvas, who have deep faith and understanding in the deeply profound Dharma, always delighting taking it up and practising, engaging in the practice of non-apprehension, who have cultivated abundant wholesome roots under past buddhas, who possess great supernormal powers and immense strength, and who are true, pure caravan leaders and supreme divine sages. 

“But [fools] always have conceptual disputation, and because of conceptual disputation, these foolish ones remain for a long time submerged in foul impurity. All noble ones and sages keep their distance from them, as the wise denounce and abhor saṃsāra. Just like being close to a town or village filled with dung, with humans and animals passing through day and night, increasing the filth, vileness, and stench with excrement and filth; so too do foolish beings, unable to realise the true nature of dharmas, increase the extreme evil, the foul stench, the rottenness, and the impurity of saṃsāra. The sages denounce them, the wise keep far away. I say that such beings are not capable of liberation from the many afflictions of birth, ageing, sickness, and so on.”

Then, Nāgaśrī asked: “O venerable sir! How may one come to know dharmas in accordance with reality?”

Mañjuśrī said: “Whoever, with a mind free from discrimination, accords with detachment, tends toward detachment, and approaches detachment: such a person comes to know dharmas in accordance with reality.”

Nāgaśrī said: “Who is it that can become detached from illusory phenomena?”

Mañjuśrī said: “It is precisely this one here who can be detached from illusory phenomena.”

At that time, Subhūti arrived at that place and said: “What are the two great beings discussing?”

Then, Mañjuśrī said: “O venerable sir! Now, tell me: what is referred to by a ‘great being’? We do not perceive even the slightest reality of a dharma that could be called a ‘great being’ or which could be the subject of discussion. Even the great sagely Dharma King has never said that there is the slightest reality of a dharma called a ‘great being.’ All dharmas are like echoes and are not truly real. Can an echo discuss anything?”

When the Venerable Subhūti heard these words, he entered the samādhi of non-apprehension. After a short while, he arose from samādhi, joined his palms respectfully toward Jetavana, and said: “I now take refuge in the Buddha, in what he has realised and taught, all of which is profoundly, subtle, tranquil, hard to see and difficult to realise, beyond conceptual thought, transcending the range of thought, completely severing attachment forever, cutting through all fetters and bonds. Such a sublime Dharma is inconceivable and brings benefit and happiness to sentient beings who hear it. And the bodhisattvas who have already attained non-retrogression, with Mañjuśrī at their head, and even those bodhisattvas who have just begun to arouse the aspiration for great bodhi, all gather together within this deeply profound Dharma, engaging in friendly mutual interpretation and discussion.”

Mañjuśrī said: “O venerable sir! You should know that within this, there is no friendship and no estrangement, no delusion and no non-delusion, and no mutual interpretation and discussion at all. Why is that so? Because there is not even the slightest dharma that can relate to even the slightest dharma as friend or foe. Why is that so? Because all dharmas do not exist.”

The Venerable Subhūti said again: “Just now, I saw the two great beings discussing the profound Dharma. How then can it be said that there is no discussion?”

Mañjuśrī said: “O venerable sir! Have you ever heard of illusory persons, dreams, echoes, images, mirages, reflections, transformations, or gandharvas’ cities mutually discussing and interpreting the profound Dharma?”

He replied: “No!”

Mañjuśrī said: “All dharmas are like illusions, dreams, echoes, and so forth. How then can it be said that there is discussion among them? Would an illusory person ever hear a magically manifested buddha expounding the profound Dharma, have faith in it, take up and bear it, reflect on its characteristics, and think of it as having a self or body?”

At that time, upon hearing these words, Subhūti entered the samādhi of cessation.

Then, Śāriputra came to that place and asked Mañjuśrī: “O great being! Do you know what kind of samādhi Subhūti has just entered?”

Mañjuśrī said: “Indeed! O Śāriputra! The Venerable Subhūti does not oppose even the slightest dharma. Therefore, he constantly enters the samādhi of non-strife in regard to dharmas, the samādhi of non-abiding, the samādhi of non-reliance on dharmas, the samādhi of the treasury of non-attachment, and the samādhi of the treasury of severing attachment. While abiding therein, there is no speech or words, no coming or going, no standing or lying down. Why is it so? Because the Venerable Subhūti has faith and understanding that the self-existence of all dharmas is empty and inapprehensible.”

Then, Śāriputra asked again: “What is the nature of all dharmas?”

Mañjuśrī said: “All dharmas have the nature of non-nature. And even this non-nature is inapprehensible.”

At that time, Subhūti arose from samādhi.

Mañjuśrī said: “Mealtime is drawing near. You should quickly enter the city and go on your alms round.”

Subhūti replied, saying: “O great being, you should know that I shall no longer go into the city for alms. Why is that so? I have already gone beyond all conceptions of cities, towns, and villages, and I have also gone beyond conceptions of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas.”

Mañjuśrī said: “O Venerable Subhūti! If you have gone beyond all conceptions, how is it that you still appear to walk about and come and go?”

Subhūti asked in turn: “If a Tathāgata manifests as a transformation, then how is it that he appears to have the dharmas of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and how is it that he appears to walk about, come and go, bend and extend, and look around?”

Mañjuśrī said: “Sādhu! Sādhu!” O Venerable Subhūti! You are truly a child of the Buddha. Therefore, the Tathāgata always says: ‘Among those who dwell in non-strife, Subhūti is the foremost.’”

He further said: “O venerable sir! Let us now set this matter aside. I wish to enter the city to go on my alms round. After taking my meal, I will go to the Tathāgata. I will then invite the venerable ones and offer rare food so that they may gain great benefit.”

Śāriputra said: “O great being! What kind of food do you wish to offer us now?”

Mañjuśrī said: “O venerable sir! The food I shall now offer cannot be measured in portions, cannot be chewed or swallowed; it is neither fragrant, flavourful, nor tangible; it is not included within the three realms, yet it is not separate from them. O venerable sir! You should know that such sublime nourishment is the nourishment of the Tathāgata and no other kind of food!”

Śāriputra said: “Now that we have heard the great being speak of such rare nourishment, we already feel completely full, how much more so if we were actually to partake of it!”

Mañjuśrī said: “This food of mine cannot be seen with the fleshly, divine, or wisdom eye.”

At that time, Subhūti and Śāriputra, upon hearing these words, both entered the samādhi of cessation.

Then, Sumati Bodhisattva asked Mañjuśrī: “What kind of nourishment have these two elders taken, and into what samādhi have they entered?”

Mañjuśrī said: “These two venerable ones have taken the nourishment that is free from effluents, and have entered the samādhi of non-reliance and non-defilement. Those who partake of this nourishment and abide in this samādhi will never again take the nourishment of the three realms.”

At that time, Subhūti and Śāriputra both arose from samādhi, and together with Mañjuśrī and the assembly of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas, they congratulated one another and each entered the city, going on their alms round wherever they wished.

The venerable Subhūti entered a certain quiet and empty house and sat silently. A laywoman saw him and asked: “O venerable sir! What is your intention in staying here?”

Subhūti replied: “O sister! You should know that for the sake of alms, I am dwelling here.”

The laywoman said: “O noble Subhūti! Do you not yet have complete knowledge of the conception of food?”

Subhūti replied: “From the very beginning, I have had complete knowledge of the conception of food. Why is that so? The conception of all food—whether of the past, present, or future—is naturally empty.”

The laywoman said: “Indeed! O noble one! Please extend your hand, and I will offer food.”

The Venerable Subhūti extended his hand.

The laywoman said: “O noble Subhūti! Is this truly the hand of an arhat?”

Subhūti replied: “The hand of an arhat cannot be seen, nor can it be extended. It is like an illusory man asking another illusory man: ‘Which is the hand of an illusory person? I wish to see it. Please extend it.’

“O sister! You should know this: can the hand of an illusory man be seen or extended?”

The laywoman said: “No! O venerable sir!”

Subhūti replied: “Thus it is! O sister! The Buddha has taught that all things are like illusions and are empty. Therefore, it cannot be said that the arhat’s hand is truly visible or capable of being extended.”

Then, upon hearing this, the laywoman could no longer see Subhūti’s hand. Even after a long time, she could not offer food. When she tried to place it in the bowl, the bowl did not appear. She circled Subhūti seeking his hand but could not find it. In an instant, even his body disappeared. She then reverently praised him, saying: “Sādhu! Sādhu! O noble one! O noble one! You are one whose body does not abide, whose marks do not appear! This is truly rare indeed. Therefore, the Tathāgata always says: ‘Among those who dwell in non-strife, Subhūti is the foremost.’”

Then, right there in that very place, the laywoman forever severed her view of self and attained the fruit of stream-entry.

The venerable Subhūti then made his body appear again and said: “Sādhu! Sādhu! O sister! You have thus accomplished the deed of a brave hero.”

At that time, the woman leapt for joy. She offered the food she had brought to Subhūti. Subhūti received it and, having received it, returned to eat it.

Then, Mañjuśrī, together with the assembly of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas, having all taken their meals, went to the Buddha. They bowed at his feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, and sat to one side. They reported all that had occurred to the Bhagavān in full detail.

At that time, the Tathāgata, having heard their account, praised them, saying: “Sādhu! Sādhu! You have accomplished this most excellent act. Know that it was entirely due to the Buddha’s supernormal power.”

The Venerable Subhūti also reported to the Buddha how the laywoman had been transformed and attained the first fruit. At that time, the Bhagavān also praised this as a display of skilful means.

Then, Mañjuśrī said to Subhūti: “The view of self that the laywoman has severed is a non-view of a self. The Tathāgata speakes of ‘self-view’ in this way. Thus it is, O venerable sir! Those who have set out on the Bodhisattva-yāna should know, see, have deep faith in and understand all dharmas. 

“What does it mean to have faith and understanding? It means that one does not abide in conceptions regarding dharmas. Why is that so? O Venerable Subhūti! A conception of a dharma is a non-conception of a dharma. The Tathāgata speaks of a ‘conception of a dharma’ in this way. 

“O venerable sir! You should know that if a bodhisattva mahāsattva were to fill countless worlds with the seven treasures and use them for giving offerings, and if a son of good family or daughter of good family were, regarding this Prajñā Pāramitā, to take it up and bear it, even down to a single four line gāthā, and were to explain it to others without the conception of explanation, then this son of good family or daughter of good family would obtain a heap of merit profoundly greater than that of the former.”

At that time, the Bhagavān uttered a gāthā, saying:

“Like the stars, darkness, a lamp, an illusion,　　
Dew, a bubble, a dream, lightning, and a cloud,
All conditioned things are
To be thus observed.”

Then, after the Bhagavān had spoken this sūtra, all the bodhisattvas, bhikṣus, and this world with its devas, humans, and asuras—the entire assembly—having heard what the Buddha had taught, greatly rejoiced, believed, took up, and sincerely practised it.