31st Imperishable, Reliance on the True State of Moments of Existence

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

What then is the true state of moments of existence, what is the person?

When established in the view that the person exists and undertaking several kinds of religious practice [like generosity (dāna) and morality (śīla) to be liberated], [one] is [concerned with] the person; thorough knowledge of what it is to undertake things related to the view that the person exists [that is, undertaking generosity (dāna) and morality (śīla) having understood that the person or the moments of existence undertaken for the sake of a person (pudgalârtham) are inexistent (abhāva) ] is the true state of moments of existence.

Further, the ordinary person, the good ordinary person, the person following his faith, the person following religious teachings, the person on the eighth stage, the person having entered the stream, the person returning once [to the sphere of passion], the person not returning, the person being a saint, the person being an isolated buddha, the person being a bodhisattva, the unique person born in the world for the sake of many beings’ benefit, many beings’ happiness, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, benefit and happiness of great throngs of gods and human beings, as a teacher of gods and human beings, the Awakened Lord, the unique person born in the world, these are called persons. All those words for persons are taught by the Tathāgata from the standpoint of conventional phrases to guide beings. Those, however, who are attached to these [words] are [really] without anything to rely on. To bring them to reliance also the Lord says: “One should rely on the true state of moments of existence, not on a person”.

What then is the true state of moments of existence?

Changelessness, no imputation [of existence (bhāva) on the empty (śūnya) suchness (tathatā) ], no activity, no purification, having no basis [in moments of existence like form (rupa), etc.], being established nowhere [in the senses (indriya) like the eye, etc.], having no root, being the same everywhere [like empty space (ākāśa) penetrating all], the same as that which is the same [namely all moments of existence which have one essential characteristic (ekalakṣaṇa) ], the same as the unequalled [body of all moments of existence (dharmakāya) ], the same as that which is the same [having one essential characteristic (ekalakṣaṇa) ] and the unequalled [body of all moments of existence], no thought-constructions, no undertakings, certitude among all moments of existence [seeing that they are all characterized by being originally extinguished (prakṛtinirvṛtalakṣaṇa) ], having the essential characteristic of essence like endless space. (p. 119) This is called the true state of moments of existence.

There, those who rely on [and understand as emptiness (śūnyatā) ] the true state of moments of existence do not rely on [that is, grasp for as existing (bhāva) ] any sphere [of sense-perception].

Therefore all moments of existence are the true state of moments of existence through reliance on all moments of existence by means of this way of entering the gate of religion.

This is reliance on the true state of moments of existence, not reliance on the person.

Those, reverend Śāradvatīputra, are called the bodhisattvas’ imperishable four kinds of reliance.