10th Imperishable, Insight

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra addressed himself to the bodhisattva Akṣayamati: – Well spoken by you, son of good family, was this imperishability of the bodhisattvas’ meditation. May you be inspired, son of good family, on the subject of the imperishability of the bodhisattvas’ insight, as to how the insight of the bodhisattvas becomes imperishable.

Akṣayamati said: – The bodhisattvas’ insight, reverend Śāradvatīputra, is also imperishable. What is the form [or essence (svabhāva) ] of that insight, what is the entrance into it [or, rather, the understanding of the essential character of moments of existence (dharmalakṣaṇa) through that insight]?

Learning is the form, and thorough mental effort is the entrance to it.

So, of what kind then is the form [of insight] consisting in learning, what is the entrance to it,

a) [The essence (svabhāva), form (ākāra) or cause (hetu) of insight (prajñā):] What is the form of learning of the bodhisattvas? It has eighty-four, namely, 1) the form of eagerness; 2) the form of intention; 3) the form of determination; 4) the form of practice; 5) the form of spiritual friends; 6) the form of no pride; 7) the form of no carelessness; 8) the form of respect; 9) the form of accordance with instruction; 10) the form of good speech; 11) the form of serving; 12) the form of attentive hearing; 13) the form of mental effort; 14) the form of no divertedness; 15) the form of stability; 16) the form of having the concept of [learning (śruta), or hearing the true religion (saddharma), as] a jewel; 17) the form of having the concept of [learning (śruta) as] a medicine [since learning takes away the three kinds of poison (= rāga, dveṣa, moha) ]; 18) [and thus it is] the form of appeasement of the sickness of vices; 19) the form of vessel of remembrance; 20) the form of comprehension through understanding; 21) the form of desire for intelligence; 22) the form of entering into consciousness; 23) the form of never getting tired of listening to the religion of the Buddha; 24) the form of increasing renunciation; 25) the form of being disciplined and well trained; 26) the form of serving those with great learning; 27) the form of feeling joy when paying respect; 28) the form of feeling well in body; 29) the form of happiness in thought; 30) the form of indefatigable listening; 31) the form of listening to the meaning [which is extinction (nirvāṇa), the fruit of the holy path (āryamārga) ]; 32) the form of listening to the religious teachings; 33) the form of listening to the way of progress [the holy eightfold path (āryâṣṭâṅgamārga), etc.]; 34) the form of listening to the teachings of others [giving up holding on to one’s own views (svadṛṣṭiparāmarṣa), being thus without conceitedness (nirmāṇa) ]; 35) the form of listening to what has not been heard before; 36) the form of listening to [the teachings on] supernormal powers; 37) the form of having no wish for other religious ways; 38) the form of listening to [the teachings on] the perfections; 39) the form of listening to the collected teachings of the bodhisattvas; 40) the form of listening to the [teachings on] ways of attracting beings; 41) the form of listening to [teachings on] skill in expedient means; 42) the form of listening to [teachings on] pure behaviour; 43) the form of listening to [the teachings on] recollection and awareness; 44) the form of listening to skill concerning origination; 45) the form of listening to skill concerning the unoriginated; 46) the form of [meditation on] the ugly; 47) the form of friendliness; 48) the form of dependent origination [the antidotes of cupidity, aversion and bewilderment (rāgadveṣamohapratipakṣa), which originate from learning (śruta) ]; 49) the form of impermanence [in the way that all conditioned things are momentary (kṣaṇikaṃ sarve saṃskārāḥ) ]; 50) the form of suffering; 51) the form of egolessness; 52) the form of peace; 53) the form of emptiness; 54) the form of no distinguishing marks; 55) the form of nothing to be longed for; 56) the form of the unconditioned; 57) the form of bringing the good about; 58) the form of the magical power of truth; 59) the form of non-disappearance [of action and its maturing fruit (karmaphalavipāka) ]; 60) the form of being self-contained; 61) the form of protecting one’s own thoughts [by not doing things not to be done]; 62) the form of not losing vigour; 63) the form of introspection into the moments of existence; 64) the form of contrast to vices; 65) the form of protecting one’s own position [the position of the bodhisattva, to wit, the pure moments of existence (vaiyavadānikadharma) and the beings belonging to his retinue; (tatparivāraparyāpanna); protecting the position so it will not be attacked by others in the way that it will get into the power of the vices (kleśavaśa) ]; 66) the form of suppressing the vices and the other positions [of the Evil Ones and the heretics, etc. (māratīrthikâdi) ]; 67) the form of attaining the seven kinds of [religious] riches; 68) [and thus] the form of abolition of all poverty; 69) the form of being praised by all the learned; 70) the form of being a joy to the wise; (p. 63) 71) the form of being approved by the holy; 72) the form of giving faith to the unholy; 73) the form of seeing the truth; 74) the form of avoiding the imperfections in the parts of the personality; 75) the form of considering the imperfections of the conditioned; 76) the form of reliance on the meaning; 77) the form of reliance on religion; 78) the form of reliance on knowledge; 79) the form of reliance on explicit meaning; 80) the form of not doing any sin; 81) the form of doing good both to oneself and the others; 82) the form of a good deed [since learning itself is the essence of the good (śrutam eva kuśalasvabhāvaḥ) and thus], also no regret; 83) the form of being [gradually] distinguished; [and to conclude] 84) the form of attaining all the qualities of a buddha [as they are all based upon learning (śruta) ].

Those are called the eighty-four forms of learning of the bodhisattvas.

b) [The entrance into insight (prajñāpraveśa), or, rather, how to understand the essential character of moments of existence (dharmalakṣaṇa) through that insight:] And, reverend Śāradvatīputra, the entrances [into the meaning of things as they are (tattvârtha) ] by thorough mental effort are thirty-two.

What thirty-two?

1) The entrance of the state of peaceful meditation; 2) the entrance of discernment of expanded vision; 3) [peaceful meditation and expanded vision is] the entrance of fitness of thought [being the ability to stay according to one’s wish (yathā kāmatayā) with any object concerned (adhyālambanârtha) ]; 4) the entrance of aloofness of the body [staying in a place conducive to renunciation like a mountain cave (śailaguhā) or in a forest (vana) ]; and 5) the entrance of aloofness of thought [without the thought-constructions of cupidity, etc. (rāgābhilāṣākalpanā) ] [the two items designating the practice of cultivating peaceful meditation and expanded vision (śamathavipaśyanābhāvanāprayogadeśanā) ]; 6) the entrance of dependent origination; 7) the entrance of accordance with truth; 8) the entrance of no discontinuity; 9) the entrance of no permanence; 10) the entrance of causes and conditions; 11) the entrance of no self, no animated being, no life-principle, no personality; 12) the entrance of no going, coming or remaining; 13) the entrance of the non-perishing of [the connection between] causes and effects [that is, actions and their fruits], though there is no transmigration [of any moment of existence whatsoever]; 14) the entrance of making oneself acquainted with emptiness, no distinguishing marks and absence of anything to long for, but 15) the entrance of not realizing emptiness, absence of distinguishing marks and absence of something to long for; 16) the entrance of the way of producing [through insight (prajñā) ] meditation, concentration and states of concentration, but 17) the entrance of not being born by the power of meditation, concentration and states of concentration [but by the power of compassion (karuṇā), having the beings in the sphere of passion (kāmadhātu) in view]; 18) the entrance into knowledge of supernatural powers [through insight (prajñā) ], but 19) the entrance into not realizing the cessation of the sullied states [through compassion (karuṇā) ]; 20) the entrance of reflection on inner things, but 21) the entrance of not going into the secure [that is, extinction (nirvāṇa) ]; 22) the entrance of considering the imperfections of the conditioned, but 23) the entrance of not realizing the unconditioned; (p. 64) 24) the entrance of reflecting on the egolessness of all beings, but 25) the entrance of never giving up great compassion; 26) the entrance of looking with fear upon any birth, but 27) the entrance of always assuming any form of being in accordance with intention; 28) the entrance of disgust and no cupidity, but 29) the entrance of not realizing the moment of existence which is absence of cupidity [namely extinction (nirvāṇa) ]; 30) the entrance of equanimity when confronted with the qualities of joy in pleasure, but 31) the entrance of not giving up the joy in true religion; 32) [to summarize the way of insight and compassion (prajñākaruṇāmārga) it is taught:] the entrance of appeasement of all discursive thinking and thought-constructions, but 33) the entrance of no appeasement of discursive thinking and thought-constructions as expedient means.

Those are called, reverend Śāradvatīputra, the bodhisattvas’ thirty-two entrances of thorough mental effort.

c) [The entrance of insight (prajñāpraveśa) is called “thorough” (yoni), and now its meaning (artha) is explained, its “etymology” (nirukti):] Further, reverend Śāradvatīputra, thorough, this is a word for reasoning, a word for reasonable [the true essence (aviparītasvabhāva) of moments of existence, or, as explained in the preceding paragraph, the holy way or extinction (āryamārganirvāṇa) ], a word for gate into [the meditations (dhyāna), supernormal knowledges (abhijñā), powers (bala) and intrepidities (vaiśāradya) and so on, endless qualities], a word for door into, a word for causes, a word for conditions [by which two the qualities of a Buddha are attained], a word for no cessation, a word for no conflict, a word for equanimity, a word for no grasping, a word for no rejection, a word for no conditions, a word for not leaning on, a word for not being established anywhere, a word for being unchangeable, a word for being unperturbed, a word for being beyond attribution, a word for sameness, a word for never not the same, a word for truth, a word for right, a word for unchanging, a word for not having to be repeated, a word for peaceful, a word for absolutely peaceful, a word for calm, a word for no discursive thinking, [and thus also] a word for not doing away with [the adventitious vices (āgantukakleśa) ], a word for not adding [anything to the originally pure thought (prakṛtiprabhāsvaracitta) because of thorough (yoniśaḥ) understanding], a word for the unimpaired, a word for having no superior, a word for no getting out of, a word for having no contrary, a word for the highest, a word for the real, a word for things being such as they are, a word for not being apart from things such as they are, a word for things being nothing else but what they are, (p. 65) a word for being qua being, a word for never breaking the contact [with awakening (bodhi) ], a word for the limit of being, a word for sameness of the three times, a word for not breaking up into [categories of] three times, a word for consciousness not being attached to forms [which are imagined (parikalpita) by ordinary people (pṛthagjana) ], a word for consciousness not being attached to feeling, perception, formative factors or consciousness, a word for consciousness not being attached to the element of earth, and thus a word for consciousness not being attached to the element of water, the element of fire or the element of wind, a word for not being attached to the sphere of eye, form or eye-consciousness, and thus a word for not being attached to the sphere of ear, sound or ear-consciousness, the sphere of nose, smell or nose-consciousness, the sphere of tongue, taste or tongue-consciousness, the sphere of body, tangibles or body consciousness or to the sphere of mind, moments of existence or mind-consciousness, a word for reliance on meaning, a word for reliance on religion, a word for reliance on knowledge, a word for reliance on the explicit meaning.

d) Further, reverend Śāradvatīputra, “thorough” is [concerned with] all moments of existence.

[To teach the causes of insight (prajñāhetu), and the fruit which is insight (prajñāphala), it is said:] Why?

As one looks upon selflessness in oneself [that is, in one’s own parts of personality (svôpādānaskandha) ], one should look upon all moments of existence in accordance with reason, as one looks upon selflessness in living beings one should look upon all moments of existence in accordance with reason. Seeing that way is the thorough way of seeing.

“That which is thorough [namely the nature (prakṛti) ] of the sphere of existence is also what is thorough [namely the nature (prakṛti) ] of the sphere of extinction”, as one sees in this way according to sameness and no distinction it is called thorough practice; as one sees the essence of impurity and the essence of purity in this way according to sameness and no distinction it is called thorough practice; as one does not see things in the way of reason and non-reason it is thorough practice.

In short, reverend Śāradvatīputra, the place [or object] of all thorough efforts of the bodhisattvas is living beings. He should not give up [being born in] the places of living beings, nor [think that he by that will] disturb the place [or state] of the [totality of] moments of existence [even though making living beings the object of his great compasssion]. That is called the bodhisattvas’ effort of thorough entrance.

[Then, to summarize the above-mentioned form of insight (prajñâkāra), etc., to demonstrate that the fruit of the above-mentioned moments of existence is insight, it is said:] Thus, reverend Śāradvatīputra, the outcome for him [the bodhisattva trained in the above-mentioned imperishabilities] of those forms of religion, forms of learning and efforts of thorough entrance is called insight.

(p. 66)e) [The essence of insight (prajñāsvabhāva), the fact that insight is not polluted by the contraries of insight (prajñāvipakṣa):] Insight, then, does not stay with these sixteen things. What sixteen?

1) It does not stay in the company of ignorance, nor does it stay in the company of formative factors, consciousness, name and form, the six fields of sense-perception, touch, feeling, thirst, grasping, existence, birth, old age and death.

2) It does not stay in the company of cessation of ignorance, nor does it stay in the company of cessation of formative factors, consciousness, name and form, the six fields of sense-perception, touch, feeling, thirst, grasping, existence, birth, old age and death.

3) It does not stay in the company of the view that a true substance [a self] is found [which is the root of all views], nor does it stay in the company of the sixty-two view-points which originate from the root view that a true substance is found.

4) It does not stay in the company of [thinking in categories of] high and low [the result (phala) of the ways of the world mentioned in the following], nor does it stay in the company of the ways of the world, gain and loss, fame and absence of fame, disgrace and praise, pleasure and pain [being the cause (hetu) ].

5) It does not stay in the company of anger, subsequent annoyance, concealing [wrongdoings though reprehended with good will], vexation, grudging [because of others’ good qualities], enviously wishing [something without yielding anything], deception, guile, shamelessness, indecency, swagger, quarreling, infatuation, intoxication [with vices], conceit, pride, arrogance, self-conceit, pride of modesty, conceitedness and pride of being wrong [about one’s own qualities], as it does not stay in the company of any of the mental impurities.

6) It does not stay in the company of the manifestation of subtle or coarse, trifling, average or significant cupidity, aversion or delusion, as it does not stay in the company of any vices.

7) It does not stay in the company of the hindrances and obstructions, darkness of delusion [as basis of all vices], obscurations of clear sight, as it does not stay in the company of any manifestation of moments of existence to be done away with.

8) It does not stay with the impurities of cupidity, quarreling and the Evil Ones consisting in the parts of personality, the vices, in death or in sons of gods, as it does not stay with any actions of the Evil One.

9) It does not stay with attachment of grasping for a self, an animated being, a life-principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit, personality, a man or human, as it does not stay with attachment to any grasping.

10) It does not stay with the hindrances of actions [that is, obstacles to seeing truth (satyadarśanântarāya) in one life caused by bad actions in another life], the hindrances to [obtain] religion, the hindrances of vices, the hindrances of viewpoints, the hindrances to [seeing truth because born in bad] states of existence, the hindrances [to seeing truth when born in good states of existence, that because] of maturation [of previous bad actions] or the hindrances to knowledge, as it does not stay with any connections to rebirth caused by bad habits.

11) It does not stay with thought-constructions, fictions, imaginations, distinguishing marks, objects, whatever is seen, heard, thought or known, as it does not stay with any ties [the three first mentioned] or imputations [the rest].

(p. 67) 12) It does not stay with self, permanence, purity or happiness, as it does not stay with any wrong understanding.

13) It does not stay with the eighty-four thousand kinds of mental behaviour in living beings [the contrary (vipakṣa) ], as it does not stay [with the antidote (pratipakṣa), namely] the eighty-four thousand multitudes of religious teachings.

14) It does not stay with stinginess or generosity, bad or good morality, malice or tolerance, laziness or vigour, distraction or meditation, wrong or right insight, as it does not stay with either the side of perfections, or the contrary of mental activity.

15) It does not stay with the decided or the undecided [when it concerns religious development], nor with the true or false, good or bad, blameworthy or blameless, sullied or unsullied, conditioned or unconditioned, worldly or unworldly, excellent or insignificant, pure or impure, existence or extinction, as it does not stay with contraries or antidotes to any moments of existence.

16) It does not stay with difference in religious ways, difference of living beings, difference of buddha-lands, difference of Buddhas, difference of teachings or difference of congregations, as it does not stay with difference of anything.

17) It does not stay with ignorance or knowledge, consciousness, concealed truth or the highest truth, as it does not stay with mental effort concerned with any distinguishing marks.

Insight is beyond roaming about [among the objects of perception], it has no body [as basis], no characteristics, no distinguishing marks, it is unconditioned, [and, to summarize what is the essence of insight (prajñāsvabhāva), after having explained it extensively: That insight giving up all distinguishing marks (nimitta) being beyond thought-constructions (nirvikalpa) ] does not stay with either mental effort concerned with distinguishing marks, or with thought, mind or consciousness, with bases [or sense-organs (indriya) ], names or distinguishing marks, or with oneness or plurality; insight, reverend Śāradvatīputra, does not stay in the company of those sixteen things.

(p. 68)f) [Thus the essence of insight (prajñāsvabhāva) has been explained, then comes the range of its action:] What then is the range of insight [viz. the objects (ālambana) of, or things (vastu) to be understood by insight]? Skills with eight things. What then are the skills with eight things?

1) Skill with the parts of personality; 2) skill with spheres; 3) skill with fields; 4) skill with truth; 5) skill with dependent origination; 6) skill with the three times; 7) skill with all ways of religious development; 8) skill with all moments of existence.

1) What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with the parts of personality [that is, understanding their essential characteristics (lakṣaṇa) and essence (svabhāva) ]?

Pointing them out with allegories; pointing them out with [the allegory of] lumps of foam; pointing them out with bubbles; pointing them out with a mirage; pointing them out with the trunk of the plantain tree; pointing them out with illusion; pointing them out with a dream; pointing them out with an echo; pointing them out with a shadow figure; pointing them out with a reflected image; pointing them out with a magical creation.

Why?

Form is like a lump of foam, and what is like a lump of foam cannot be a self, an animated being, a life-principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit or personality; the essence of a lump of foam is also the essence of form. Skill in this is skill with the parts of personality.

Feelings are like bubbles, perception like a mirage, formative factors like the plantain tree, consciousness like an illusion, and an illusion cannot be a self, an animated being, a life-principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit or personality; the essence of an illusion is also the essence of consciousness. Skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the parts of personality. The parts of personality are like a dream, and a dream cannot be a self, an animated being, a life-principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit or personality; the essence of a dream is also the essence of the parts of personality. Skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the parts of personality.

The parts of personality are like an echo, and an echo is not a self, an animated being, a life-principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit or personality; the essence of an echo is also the essence of the parts of personality. Skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the parts of personality.

The parts of personality are like shadow figures, and a shadow figure is not a self, an animated being, a life-principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit or personality; the essence of a shadow figure is also the essence of the parts of personality. Skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the parts of personality.

The parts of personality are like a reflected image, and a reflected image is not a self, an animated being, a life-principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit or personality; the essence of a reflected image is also the essence of the parts of personality. Skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the parts of personality.

The parts of personality are like a magical creation, and a magical creation is not a self, an animated being, (p. 69) a life-principle, a life-sustaining principle, a spirit or personality; the essence of a magical creation is also the essence of the parts of personality. Skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the parts of personality [understanding the essential characteristics (lakṣaṇa) of the parts of personality according to the mentioned similes].

The parts of personality are the world, and the world has the essential characteristic of destruction [as related to the root luj-, the world is characterized by destruction in each moment (kṣaṇa) ], [and thus] the essence [namely the essential characteristic (lakṣaṇa)] of the world is essentially impermanent, essentially suffering, essentially empty, essentially selfless, essentially in peace. Skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the parts of personality.

2) What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with the spheres?

The knowledge [beyond thought-constructions (nirvikalpajñāna) ] of entering the sphere of total reality [which is the cause that produces the qualities (dharma) of disciples, isolated buddhas and Buddhas, the powers and intrepidities, etc., having the essential characteristic of being the highest meaning (paramārthalakṣaṇa) ].

Even though the sphere of total reality is [the same as] the element of earth [since the element of earth is not different from total reality because it is, in the highest meaning (paramārthatas), essentially empty], the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of hardness [as this only exists in the wrong (viparīta) understanding of the naive (pṛthagjana) ]; even though the sphere of total reality is the element of water, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of moistness; even though the sphere of total reality is the element of fire, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of ripening; even though the sphere of total reality is the element of wind, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of motility.

Even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of the eye, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of seeing; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of the ear, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of hearing; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of the nose, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of smelling; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of tongue, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of tasting; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of body, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of touch; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of mind, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of cognition.

Even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of eye-consciousness, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of recognition of form; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of ear-consciousness, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of recognition of sound; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of nose-consciousness, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of recognition of smell; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of tongue-consciousness, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of recognition of taste; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of body-consciousness, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of recognition of tangibles; even (p. 70) though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of mind-consciousness, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of recognition of moments of existence.

Even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of form, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by eye-consciousness; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of sound, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by ear-consciousness; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of smell, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by nose-consciousness; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of taste, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by tongue-consciousness; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of tangibles, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by body-consciousness; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of moments of existence, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by mind-consciousness. Even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of form, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of what is cognized as form; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of sound, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of what is cognized as sound; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of smell, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of what is cognized as smell; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of taste, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of what is cognized as taste; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of tangibles, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of what is cognized as tangibles; even though the sphere of total reality is the sphere of moments of existence, the sphere of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of what is cognized as moments of existence. The sphere of total reality and the sphere of the self are the same; the sphere of total reality and the world of passion, the world of form and the world of no form are the same; the sphere of total reality and the sphere of existence and the sphere of extinction are the same; the sphere of total reality, the sphere of beings, the sphere of space and the sphere of all moments of existence are the same.

Why are they the same?

They are the same because of their same emptiness, because of their same absence of distinguishing marks, because of their same absence of longing, because of their same absence of formative factors, because of their same absence of birth, because of their same absence of origination, because of their same absence of existence, because of their same homogeneity of all moments of existence, because of their same absence of obscurations, because of their sameness with the sphere of empty space, because of their sameness with the sphere of extinction they are the same.

[To summarize:] Immeasurable is the entrance into the sphere of the conditioned, and also the entrance into the sphere of the unconditioned; entering that teaching through the gate that is the state [or essence, pure and all-pervading] of the sphere of total reality is the bodhisattva’s skill with the spheres.

3) What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with the fields?

The knowledge of entering the field of total reality.

Even though the field of total reality is [the same as] the field of the eye [in that they are both empty, or, the empty essence (śūnyasvabhāva) of the field of the eye is the sphere of total reality (dharmadhātu) ], the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of seeing [since, as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, this exists only in the wrong understanding of the naive]; even though the field of total reality is the field of the ear, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of hearing; even though the field of total reality is the field of the nose, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of smelling; even though the field of total reality is the field of the tongue, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of tasting; even though the field of total reality is the field of the body, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of touch; even though the field of total reality is the field of mind, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of cognition of moments of existence. Even though the field of total reality is the field of form, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by eye-consciousness; even though the field of total reality is the field of sound, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by ear-consciousness; even though the field of total reality is the field of smell, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by nose-consciousness; even though the field of total reality is the field of taste, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by tongue-consciousness; even though the field of total reality is the field of tangibles, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by body-consciousness; even though the field of total reality is the field of moments of existence, the field of total reality does not have the essential characteristic of being something to be known by mind-consciousness.

This is the bodhisattva’s skill with the fields.

Further concerning skill with the fields:

The field of the eye is empty of self and of anything belonging to a self, thus with the field of the ear, the field of the nose, the field of the tongue, the field of the body, the field of mind, the field of forms, the field of sound, the field of smell, the field of taste, the field of tangibles, the field of moments of existence is empty of self and of anything belonging to a self.

[Not only has the noble Akṣayamati examined this emptiness with reasoning (yukti), but also] as the Lord [who really has understood it (adhigamya) ] has said: “The eye is empty of self and anything belonging to a self, that is its essence; and thus with the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind is empty of self and anything belonging to a self, that is its essence; thus with forms, sound, smell, taste, tangibles, a moment of existence is empty of self and anything belonging to a self, that is its essence”.

Thus, he does not bring about any decrease of the fields, neither making the bad moments of existence increase nor the good moments of existence decrease he does not fall into conflicting concepts of good and bad, this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the fields.

Further concerning skill with the fields:

The basis and support of greed in the eye-field is the field of form; whenever the eye sees without greed for form, and one does not realize the moment of existence without greed, this is called the bodhisattva’s skill with the fields. Thus [the basis and support of greed] in the ear-field (p. 72) is the field of sound, in the nose-field the field of smell, in the tongue-field the field of taste, in the body-field the field of tangibles. The basis and support of greed in the mind-field is the field of moments of existence; whenever the mind sees without greed for moments of existence and one does not realize the moment of existence without greed, this is called the bodhisattva’s skill with the fields.

Fields are the fields of the holy and the fields of the unholy. There, the field of the holy is right progress on the way; the field of the unholy is what is in opposition to the way.

Established on the way of the bodhisattvas he produces great compassion towards beings practising things in opposition to the way, and yet he does not give up the field of the way; this is called the bodhisattva’s skill with the fields.

4) What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with truths?

The bodhisattva’s skill with truths consists in four entrances [of understanding or knowledge]. Which four entrances?

Knowledge of suffering, knowledge of origin, knowledge of cessation and knowledge of the way. There, knowledge of suffering is the knowledge that the parts of personality are unborn, knowledge of origin is the knowledge that thirst has been vanquished, knowledge of cessation is the non-activity of ignorance and propensities, while knowledge of the way is when one does not impute anything to any moments of existence in that they are the same, that is the bodhisattva’s knowledge of the truths.

When, even though he understands those four truths with that kind of insight and knowledge, he does not realize them – for the sake of living beings – but matures living beings, it is called the bodhisattva’s skill with truths [including both insight and expedient means (prajñopāyaparigṛhīta) ].

Further, the bodhisattva’s truth is of three kinds.

What three? Concealed truth, the highest truth and the truth of essential characteristics.

(p. 73) What is concealed truth? Worldly conventions, all that is expressed with syllables, words and designations. The highest truth is where there is no activity even of thoughts, so how can one speak of that of syllables? The truth of characteristics [which really is the same as the highest truth, a way to understand the highest truth] is that all characteristics have one characteristic, and that one characteristic is the absence of characteristics.

There the bodhisattva does not get tired of teachings of concealed truth [understanding things by insight (prajñā) to be non-existent (abhāva) like an illusion, a dream or a reflection], does not fall into realizing the highest truth [not being concerned, like the disciples, only with the peace of extinction and suchness (tathatā) ]; even though understanding the one truth by means of the truth of characteristics he matures living beings; this called the bodhisattva’s skill with truths [including both insight and expedient means (prajñopāyaparigṛhīta) ].

Further, truth is of two kinds. What two? Truth of conventions [to teach the holy way (āryamārga), or things known through worldly knowledge (laukikajñāna) ], and the highest truth [to teach the fruit of the way, (mārgaphala), or things known through supramundane knowledge (lokottarajñāna) ].

[Non-confused (abhrānta) and pure worldly knowledge attained after the experience (pṛṣṭhalabdhaṃ laukikaṃ jñānam):] The truth of conventions is speaking the truth at the time [one comes back from concentration beyond thought-constructions (nirvikalpasamādhi), explaining the truths as experienced to mature those to be educated], the truth of suffering, the truth of origin, the truth of cessation and the truth of the way; [and confused (bhrānta) worldly knowledge:] the conventions of the world, all that is expressed with syllables, sounds and designations. The highest truth is the moment of existence never lost, extinction. Why? Because it is always the state of things such as they are, because the essence of that [state of things] is always there.

[Including both insight and expedient means (prajñopāyaparigṛhīta):] There the bodhisattva does not get tired of conventional truth, and does not fall into realizing the highest truth, but matures living beings; this is called the bodhisattva’s skill with truths.

Further, truth is one, there is no second. The one truth is not to impute anything to any moment of existence, but to bring living beings who have fallen into such imputation to truth.

[Insight and expedient means (prajñopāya):] There the bodhisattva does not get tired of teachings imputed [with existence and non-existence], and does not realize the one truth of non-imputation, but matures living beings; this is called the bodhisattva’s skill with truths.

Further [to elucidate the four truths mentioned above], the five parts of personality are filled with suffering; the essential character of the five parts of personality is suffering. When one understands that essential character of suffering to be empty [and not like a substance (sadbhāva) as the disciples believe], this is the holy truth of knowledge of suffering as suffering.

The proclivity of thirst as a cause and view-points as a cause for the five parts of personality is the origin in question. When one does not grasp, impute [existence or non-existence] to, or touch the cause of thirst and the cause of view-points, this is the holy truth of knowledge of origin as origin.

That the five parts of personality have completely perished and ceased, not being born in the beginning, not dying in the end and not possible to reach in the present, this is the holy truth of cessation. When one knows it in this way, this is the holy truth of knowledge of cessation as cessation.

The way relying on which one touches the knowledge of suffering, the knowledge of origin and the knowledge of cessation [that is, one does not see suffering and origin as the negative side (kṛṣṇapakṣa) and cessation as the positive side (śuklapakṣa) ], but cultivates knowledge without conflicts, this is (p. 74) the holy truth of the way to cessation of suffering. Knowledge of emptiness in this is the holy truth of knowledge of the way as the way.

[To summarize:] When he sees the four holy truths with such knowledge, and does not see them through thought-constructions regarding truths, this is called the bodhisattva’s skill with truths.

Further, [to teach the four truths in other aspects:] all feelings are suffering, this is the suffering in question. One discerns feeling and knows it through knowledge, this is the holy truth of knowledge of suffering as suffering. The cause by which that feeling arises is called origin, and that [insight (prajñā) ] by which this cause is known as it is, this is the holy truth of knowledge of origin as origin. When one interrupts every feeling and experiences non-feeling, and, though regarding the cessation of feeling, one does not realize the cessation of feeling, for the sake of living beings, this is the holy truth of knowledge of cessation as cessation. The feeling by which the way is realized is like a raft, while desire for feeling is not desire for the way. This is the holy truth of knowledge of the way as the way.

[To summarize:] When he sees the four holy truths in this way and sees them as the same because of purity, it is called the bodhisattva’s skill with truths.

Further, [to teach yet another repetition of the four truths, to teach in brief what is the essence (svabhāva) of suffering, etc.:] In short, birth is suffering, this is the suffering in question, while knowledge of seeing non-birth is the holy truth of knowledge of suffering as suffering. Because of the condition of existence, there is birth, existence is the origin; knowledge of the inexistence of existence is the holy truth of knowledge of the origin as the origin. All birth is without birth, non-birth is cessation, but in what is unborn there is no cessation; knowledge of no cessation is the holy truth of disappearance and cessation. The knowledge which consists in that kind of calculating, considering, seeking, penetrating and entering, this is the holy truth of knowledge of the way as the way.

[To summarize:] When he enters this knowledge of truths, but does not remain in the knowledge of truths, it is called the bodhisattva’s skill with truths.

(p. 75) 5) What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with dependent origination?

[Dependent origination in the regular way (anuloma), to teach the bewilderment (moha) in entering existence; (saṃsāra); it should be known through the character of its division into members (aṅgavibhāgalakṣaṇatas):] From the origin of being superficial [having concepts of permanence with regard to the impermanent (anitye nityasaṃjñā), pleasure with regard to suffering (duḥkhe sukhasaṃjñā), purity with regard to the impure (aśubhe śubhasaṃjñā), self with regard to the selfless (anātmīye ātmasaṃjñā) ] ignorance originates, from the origin of ignorance formative factors originate, from the origin of formative factors consciousness originates, from the origin of consciousness name and form originate, from the origin of name and form the six senses originate, from the origin of the six senses touch originates, from the origin of touch feeling originates, from the origin of feeling thirst originates, from the origin of thirst grasping originates, from the origin of grasping existence originates, from the origin of existence birth originates, from the origin of birth ageing, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, depression and despair originate. thus this great mass of utter suffering originates.

[Teaching it according to the character of being without a self but arising from conditions (anātmapratyayotpannalakṣaṇatas):] The moments of existence originate in their proper places without movement, inactive, without an owner, not as something to be owned. Knowledge concerning this is the bodhisattva’s skill with dependent origination.

Further, what is caused by the good [such as birth as a god or human being in the sphere of passion (kāmadhātu) ], caused by the bad [such as birth in the three evil destinies (apāya) of the sphere of passion (kāmadhātu) ], caused by the neutral [or immovable actions of meditation (dhyāna) and states of concentration (samāpatti), causing birth in the worlds of form and the formless worlds, (rūpârūpyaloka), not being moved by the wind of thought-constructions (vikalpa), etc.], what is causing existence, what is causing extinction [namely, the holy ways (āryamārga) ], all of that the bodhisattva knows as it is: “The being that makes into his authority an understanding caused by [the mentioned] abilities [good, bad, etc.], he has those abilities as cause, (p. 76) and having his actions as cause he effects completion [of the actions] in accordance with the fruit as [a final] cause.” Thus skill with birth as having the origin in causes among moments of existence acquired or not yet acquired is called the bodhisattva’s skill with dependent origination.

Further, skill with dependent origination is:

[Dependent origination in the reverse way (pratiloma), to teach going out of existence, namely extinction (nirvāṇa):] From cessation of being superficial comes cessation of ignorance, from cessation of ignorance comes cessation of formative factors, from cessation of formative factors comes cessation of consciousness, from cessation of consciousness comes cessation of name and form, from cessation of name and form comes cessation of the six senses, from cessation of the six senses comes cessation of touch, from cessation of touch comes cessation of feeling, from cessation of feeling comes cessation of thirst, from cessation of thirst comes cessation of grasping, from cessation of grasping comes cessation of existence, from cessation of existence comes cessation of birth, from cessation of birth ageing, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, depression and despair cease, thus this great mass of utter suffering ceases.

The moments of existence cease in their proper places without movement, inactive, without an owner, not as something to be owned. Skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with dependent origination.

Further, all moments of existence are dependent on causes, dependent on conditions, dependent on combinations of these. And the moments of existence that are dependent on causes, conditions and their combinations are not dependent on a self, a being, a soul or a person. What is not dependent on a self, a being, a soul or a person, no calculation like “here”, “before” or “other place” belongs to that. When he considers things in this way it is the bodhisattva’s skill with dependent origination.

Further, [to teach knowledge of dependent origination avoiding the two extremes (antadvayavivarjita):] when the bodhisattva produces all the conditions for awakening, and then sees the destruction and cessation of those conditions [that they really are empty], but does not get stuck in the knowledge of their destruction and cessation, out of regard for living beings, it is called the bodhisattva’s skill with dependent origination.

(p. 77) 6) What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with the three times?

Remembering one’s own and other beings’ past thoughts and contents of thought, good and bad; and having remembered, rejecting bad thoughts and contents of thought; having remembered, transforming into awakening the good thoughts and contents of thought; this is skill with the past.

Being absorbed in future roots of the good, being thoughts and contents of thoughts, concentrating on making awakening present [in the following way]: “I will transform into incomparable perfect awakening all appearances of good thoughts and contents of thought that appear in me, and I will give the bad thoughts and contents of thought no chance,” cultivating thought in this way is skill with the future.

What then is skill with the present? Producing roots of the good with correct practice in present thoughts and contents of thought, banishing bad thoughts and contents of thought, making good thoughts and contents of thought present for the sake of awakening, is skill with the present.

Skill in these things is the bodhisattva’s skill with the three times.

Further, [to understand rightly with insight (prajñā) and expedient means (upāya) the things in the three times it is said:] confidence in the fact that the moments of existence of the past are empty, confidence in the fact that the moments of existence of the future are empty, confidence in the fact that the moments of existence of the present are empty – though one considers the emptiness of the three times thus with insight and knowledge, one rejoices in the knowledge of expedient means resulting from all the merit of the Buddhas past, present and future – skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the three times.

Further, though he sees that the moments of existence of the past [really (svabhāvena) ] have perished and do not perish in the future [as there is no connection to the future (paścimâpratisaṃdhi) ], he does not slacken his vigour to bring about the good, he does not bring the bad about; though he considers the moments of existence of the future to be unborn and inexistent, he does not give up his vigour in transforming into awakening; though he considers the moments of existence in the present to be not remaining, not abiding, the bodhisattva, very firm in his determination, does not forget the thought of awakening [though this also, according to the highest truth (paramārtha), is not abiding]. This is called the bodhisattva’s skill with the three times.

Further, the past has perished, the future is not reached, and the present does not abide, when one considers thought and the contents of thought thus as born, destroyed and melted away, but still acquires the roots of good that bring awakening about, this is called the bodhisattva’s skill with the three times.

Further, remembering the past by means of skill in supernormal knowledge, and, having remembered roots of the good planted in the past, transforming them into awakening; knowledge of future productions of good thoughts and then fulfilling one’s vows; applying mental effort and making roots of the good stay as they arise in the present, transforming them into awakening; this is skill with the three times.

(p. 78) Further, he matures living beings the way they are to be matured, remembering the acquisition of merit in the past for the sake of maturing all living beings; he matures accordingly all living beings in the future who are to be matured by paying respect to the Buddhas; and he matures all those living beings of the present who are to be matured by the miracles of teaching religion and magic.

[To summarize], when he in these three times fulfils his own aims, others’ aims and the aim of awakening by way of non-attachment [that is, by way of threefold purity (trimaṇḍalapariśuddhinayena), consisting in not grasping for substance (bhāva) in any of the three aspects, to wit one’s own aims, others’ aims and the aim of awakening], it is called the bodhisattva’s skill with the three times.

7) What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with all the ways?

These three ways are conducive to deliverance. Which three? The way of disciples, the way of isolated buddhas and the great way.

Further, the ways are two. Which two? The way of the gods and the way of men.

What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with the way of disciples? (p. 79)

[1. Its basis (āśraya):] When the Buddhas are not born there is no way of disciples.

[2. Its scope (ālambana):] Why? The right view of the disciples [the view of no self in the personality (pudgalanairātmya) ] is the consequence of the words of others [taught by a Buddha, teacher or preceptor (buddhâcāryôpādhyāya) ].

[3. Its cause (hetu):] There, hearing is concerned with the vow of moral discipline, so that the mass of moral discipline – which is following what the rules declare – is fulfilled.

[4. Progress (pratipatti):] Having fulfilled the mass of moral discipline he fulfils the mass of concentration [as thought becomes one-pointed depending on moral discipline].

Having fulfilled the mass of concentration he fulfils the mass of insight [into the four truths, as true insight arises from one-pointedness].

[5. Its fruit (phala):] Having fulfilled the mass of insight he fulfils the mass of deliverance [as he realizes the elimination of the vices by means of pure knowledge (suviśuddhajñānena klesaprahāṇaṃ sākṣātkaroti) ].

[6. Knowledge of it (tatpravedanā):] Having fulfilled the mass of deliverance he fulfils the mass of vision of the knowledge of deliverance [thus having freed thought from the vices of the threefold world he knows deliverance itself].

Skill in this is called skill with the way of disciples.

Further, skill with the way of disciples is [1. counteracting the adversary (vipakṣadūṣaṇa) ] rejecting the formative factors, meritorious, non-meritorious or neutral; disgust and absence of passion for the whole threefold world; discerning the impermanence and suffering in all conditioned things; discerning the egolessness in all moments of existence; delight in peace and extinction; no desire for birth in existence, not even for a second; regarding [existence (bhava) ] always with fear; constant absence of security [regarding existence (bhava) ]; conceiving of the parts of personality as a killer; conceiving of the spheres of sense-perception as snake-venom; conceiving of the fields of sense-perception as an empty village; conceiving no wishes regarding any kind of birth; [and 2. seeing the good qualities of the stage of the antidote (pratipakṣabhūmiguṇadarśitā):] conceiving of extinction as one’s proper abode, one’s refuge.

Teaching and explaining thus is called the bodhisattva’s skill with the way of disciples.

What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with the way of isolated buddhas?

The forms [or rather, causes (hetu) ] and conditions by which the isolated buddhas escape the world, these the bodhisattva knows as they are. What are they?

[1. The causes (hetu) are:] Heaping up the accumulation of merit from giving, heaping up the accumulation of merit from morality, not like that of the disciples, but caused by great eagerness, vigour and absence of negligence; progress in religion with little learning; no despondency in serving the Lords and Buddhas; having medium abilities; being always bent on the ascetic life; having small ambitions [namely, one’s own peace, liberation and extinction], and doing few things [for others’ peace and extinction because of small compassion, making no effort for the sake of this]; [having few vices] being [bodily] displeased with social life, [mental] delight in solitude [being far from the thought-constructions of cupidity and aversion (rāgadveṣavikalpa) ], having lodgings in solitude [e. g. under a tree or in a cave].

[2. The conditions (pratyaya) are:] being difficult to overpower [having few vices and great virtue]; having great magical power; being delighted by [the fruit of religious practice] the stage where one is to be honoured [namely, that of an arhat]; continuous reflection on dependent origination; having in view the one sphere which is deliverance; transcending [the three worlds (traidhātuka) ] by means of self-originated knowledge.

[3. The fruit (phala) is:] Attaining the [ability of] entering [by means of concentration] an object [of meditation, like dependent origination]; continuity of the meditations, deliverances, concentrations and states of concentration; producing knowledge [of the unborn] which is not dependent on the instructions of others; awakening to the knowledge of conditions involved with any object.

Expounding, teaching and explaining thus is called the bodhisattva’s skill with the way of isolated buddhas.

(p. 80) What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with the great way? The bodhisattva’s skill with the great way is immeasurable, so only an indication of it is taught.

That way is immeasurable since it opens up a possibility for all living beings; that way is unhindered being bent upon unattached knowledge; that way is the accumulation of all merit and roots of good, and thus nourishes all beings; that way is the fulfilment of all the perfections since it relates to the mental behaviour of all beings; that way is attaining the accumulation of knowledge which leads to omniscience since it is going unhindered to the place of awakening; that way emits unhindered rays of light similarly on all beings since all beings are to be honoured; that way is beyond fear of any bad ways since all qualities of a Buddha are made manifest; that way vanquishes all the assemblies of the Evil One, antagonists and bad teachers as it flies the flags and banners of the conditions conducive to awakening and dependent origination; that way does away with all viewpoints concerning limits or absence of limits, eternalism or nihilism, existence or nonexistence, [and further,] the appearance [of vices], hindrances, obstructions, doubt and regret, as it is the unhindered Buddha-way; that way possesses all the parts of religious practice, the attainment of possessing all jewels [being religious ways], traversing the true way [leading to the extinction which is found nowhere (apratiṣṭhitanirvāṇa) ], it nourishes all beings, since it is distinguished by its great determination and compassion; that way is adorned with ornaments for body, speech and mind, being the ten powers, the intrepidities, and the special qualities of the Buddha and the characteristics and marks of beauty [on the body], and so it is faultless.

Skill in this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the great way.

(p. 81) 8) What then is the bodhisattva’s skill with all moments of existence?

All moments of existence are, in short, a) conditioned, and b) unconditioned, so the bodhisattva should develop skill with the conditioned and the unconditioned.

So what then is the bodhisattva’s skill with the conditioned?

When he transforms into incomparable complete awakening all those conditioned things which consist in the good formative factors in the body, the good formative factors in speech, and the good formative factors in the mind, it is the bodhisattva’s skill with the conditioned. And again, when he transforms into omniscience all those conditioned things which consist in the good formative factors in body, speech and mind by understanding them as [essentially the same as] awakening, this is his skill with the unconditioned.

Further, skill with the conditioned is the fivefold accomplishment of the perfections. Which five? The perfection of generosity, the perfection of morality, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of vigour, the perfection of meditation. This is called the bodhisattva’s skill with the conditioned. And again, when he, through the perfection of insight – the knowledge of the unconditioned – does not depreciate the other five perfections [though inferior in causing birth in existence (saṃsāra) ], but transforms them into omniscience, and into the bodhisattva’s unsullied liberation – for the sake of accumulating all the perfections and heaping up roots of good – this is his skill with the unconditioned.

Further concerning skill with the conditioned: when he attracts beings with the four means of attraction so as to emit unhindered rays of light equally upon all living beings, this is the bodhisattva’s skill with the conditioned. And again, when he does not grasp, cling or adhere to things by the principle that they are without soul or self, when he relies on the skill in the ways of attracting beings as being unconditioned, when he transforms them into omniscience, this is his skill with the unconditioned.

Further concerning skill with the conditioned: when he cuts off the vices in the stream of existence, but does not cut off the roots of good in the stream of existence, when he fastens the fetters which consist in the realization of awakening, but does not concern himself with the fetters that bind those with limited religious practice, this is skill with the conditioned. And again, skill in discerning what is knowledge acquainted with emptiness, absence of distinguishing marks and longing, (p. 82) not being taught by others concerning awakening, not realizing the unconditioned, this is his skill with the unconditioned.

Further concerning skill with the conditioned: though he roams about in the three worlds, he does not get sullied by the vices connected with roaming about in the three worlds [like the lotus born from the mud does not get sullied by the mud], this is skill with the conditioned. Though he has knowledge of deliverance from the threefold world, he does not fall into the sphere of deliverance, this is his skill with the unconditioned.

[To summarize, firstly, what is the explanation of the word (nirvacana):] That which is called skill with all moments of existence is another word for omniscience. [And secondly, the reason for this (hetu):] Why? One fulfils [thirdly in the summary, the fruit (phala), viz.] the immeasurable and unattached knowledge of omniscience with skill in continuous recollection, intelligence and insight; that is why it is called skill with all moments of existence.

Reverend Śāradvatīputra, the insight of the bodhisattvas possessing those eight skills becomes imperishable.

g) [The action of insight (prajñākarma):] Further, insight is knowledge of what are good and bad moments of existence; insight is discerning the moments of existence conducive to spiritual progress; insight is authoritative since the holy principles of religion [namely egolessness of the person and egolessness of moments of existence] are made manifest by it; insight is understanding all doctrinal viewpoints, manifestations of vices, hindrances and obstructions such as they are [namely, essentially empty (svabhāvaśūnya) ]; insight is having no longings concerned with cupidity, hopes and wishes; insight creates pleasure since it quenches the fire of all vices; insight creates joy since it is the unbrokenness of happiness and joy concerning religion; insight throws light upon things since it makes manifest the knowledge of the meaning [namely, the limit of existence (bhūtakoṭi), the pure total reality (viśuddhadharmadhātu), etc.]; insight is the basis of the thirty-seven moments of existence which are the wings of awakening; insight has the essential characteristic of attainment since it attains the fruit according to the way; insight has the essential characteristic of knowing [the special and general characteristics (svasāmānyalakṣaṇa) of moments of existence] since knowledge is essentially radiant; insight is saving since it brings you over all the floods [of cupidity (rāga), viewpoints (dṛṣṭi), ignorance (avidyā) and existence (bhava) ]; insight leads to true certainty; insight embraces all good moments of existence [as they arise from it]; insight (p. 83) clears up all earlier vices and bad habits; insight is the most excellent of the prominent moments of existence; insight is most sublime since it is understanding through self-originated knowledge; insight is beyond appearance since it is not stained by the threefold world; [but still] insight has grasped expedient means in every way; insight has been attained by all the holy; insight cannot be grasped by any logical standard since it is the absence of distinguishing marks and thought-constructions; insight is the adversary of indolence since it is the absence of the darkness of ignorance and delusion; insight is the practice of all those established on the stage of practising meditation; insight is the leader of the adherents of all the ways; insight makes light since it removes the obscured vision, the darkness of ignorance and delusion; insight gives sight accordingly to those wishing sight [be it the sight of insight (prajñācakṣur), the sight of the Buddhas (buddhacakṣur) or the sight of moments of existence (dharmacakṣur) ]; insight has no basis since it transcends the way of eye and form, and likewise transcends the way of ears and sound, nose and smell, tongue and taste, body and tangibles, mind and moments of existence; insight is the highest meaning since it issues from truth; insight is the imperturbability of the well-trained; insight is the splendour in the gates of knowledge; insight is imperishable as it moves about everywhere; insight is unhindered as it is the vision of the entrance into dependent origination; insight is the way of liberation since it is the severing of all the bonds of grasping and the vices; insight is not stained by any vices; insight does not stay in any company [as the sixteen things mentioned above] with moments of existence making or going to make hindrances.

As many as are the mental actions of all beings, so many are the actions of insight and knowledge; as many as are the vices and bad habits of all beings, so great is the knowledge consisting in the consideration by insight; as many as are the gates into the vices of all beings, so many are the gates to enter insight; as great as is the insight of the disciples, the isolated buddhas, the bodhisattvas and the Perfect Buddhas, so great is the foundation and basis of insight. The bodhisattva should train himself in this.

[To summarize the meaning of the extensive teaching on imperishability of insight above, the fruit of insight (prajñāphala):] That, reverend Śāradvatīputra, is the bodhisattvas’ imperishability of insight, and by this imperishable insight the bodhisattvas attain the [fruit (phala), that is,] imperishability of [non-dual] knowledge [beyond subject and object].

[Showing the greatness of the teaching (nirdeśamahâtmyanirdeśa):] When this chapter on the exposition of the imperishability of insight was taught, thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas who had made their preparations in the past attained the tolerance that all moments of existence are unborn.