Part 2a - The general explanation of the goodness associated with liberation

Now, as for the good associated with liberation, goodness is certainly established. Here is the explanation of the details:

The highest happiness of liberation
Makes it so that samsara is far away.

The things that leads to peace beyond both black and white,
Formations of what is high and low within samsara,
Are the spotless cause in accord with liberation and so on,
The ten good actions, four dhyanas of form, and the formless attainments
The six perfections and so on, included within the five paths.

Realizing that persons and dharmas have no self,
By the excellent union of prajña and upaya,
Dwelling neither within samsara nor nirvana,
Since we produce what is beneficial for sentient beings
And attain the limitless level of the Victorious One,
The goodness of yogic union passes beyond all worlds.

That goodness completely transcends both the goodness in accord with merit and evil deeds.

The goodness that completely liberates us from all that is defiled, the cause that completely gives rise to deluded existence and samsara, is the cause only of liberation. The phenomenal assembly o f merit consists of relative entities like the ten good actions and the first five perfections. The non-phenomenal accumulation of wisdom, prajña that does not dwell in the two extremes, and that unites the two benefits, is included in the stages of the five paths. Since this enters into and remains absorbed in the level of buddhahood, it is beyond the world’s goodness.

Worldly goodness is grasped in terms of things and characteristics. Union is beyond things and characteristics. From the very time a world-transcending good action is done, it is liberated from the mind of merit and non- merit. It is awareness of the empty, compassionate essence. As to the details, the Prajñaparamitasañcayagatha says:

If they can carve a man’s or woman’s well-formed image,
Wood-workers who are skilled can make anything else as well.
Likewise, bodhisattvas skillfully trained in prajña
Can do whatever is done by the wisdom of non-thought.

The Precious Garland says:

Since they exist or not because of awareness,
One goes beyond both merit and evil deeds.
Freedom from both the higher and lower realms,
Is what is explained as being truly free.

Also it says there:

Having the essence of emptiness and compassion,
We are established in true enlightenment.

In that style, the assembly of enlightened ones, with the mind of truth, in apparent goodness without entangling attachments, act like emanations and illusions for the benefit of others. However, if the space-like goodness established by prajña does not establish the path of liberation, this will never take place. The Prajñaparamitasañcayagatha says:

If a ten million blind men with no one there to lead them
Tried to get to a city, though they did not know the way,
The first five of the perfections of the Victorious One,
Attained without the eye of prajña are like that.

The Prajñaparamita in Eighteen Thousand Lines says:

The time when the five first perfections are completed by the perfection of prajña is the time of entering into the city of omniscience.

Since all dharmas are natureless, the good too is natureless. Because this is so, beginners and those of inferior mind abandon it. The Precious Garland says:

Though these dharmas are truly good and very wholesome,
With the air of being profound and subtle beings,
Childish individuals who are without true learning
Are afraid of them, the Victorious One has said.

From what doe this occur? The Prajñaparamita in Twenty Thousand Lines says:

Subhuti, All dharmas are without essence. The six perfections are also without essence. Neither examined or examiner are found. They are not perceived. They are not really seen. That is how it should be known.

Do not tell this to those of the families of those who have newly entered into the vehicles of
shravakas or of pratyekabuddhas.

Why? They will be so frightened and terrified that their hair stands on end. By this being said, for this reason, they will abandon this perfection of prajña.