Chapter XVI

On Suchness

The space-element in the eastern direction, and in the southern,
And so in the western and northern directions is boundless;
Above and below, in the ten directions, as far as it goes
There is no multiplicity, and no difference is attained.

Past Suchness, future Suchness,
Present Suchness, the Suchness of the Arhats,
The Suchness of all dharmas, the Suchness of the Jinas, -
All that is the Dharma-Suchness, and no difference is attained.

Wisdom and Skill In Means

If a Bodhisattva wishes to reach this
Enlightenment of the Sugatas, free from differentiated dharmas,
He should practise the perfection of wisdom, joined to skill in means.
Without wisdom there is not the attainment of the Leaders of men.

A bird with a frame one hundred and fifty miles large
Would have little strength if its wings were lost or feeble:
If it should jump down to Jambudvipa from the abodes of the Gods of the Thirty-three,
It would travel to its destruction.

Even if he would procure these five perfections of the Jinas
For many niyutas of kotis of aeons,
And would all the time tend the world with an infinite abundance of vows; -
If he is without skill in means, deficient in wisdom, he falls into Discipleship.

The Desirable Attitude to Other Beings

If he wishes to go forth into this Buddha-cognition,
He [should have] an even mind towards the whole world, the notion of father and mother [towards all beings]
He should exert himself with a thought of benevolence, and a friendly mind;
Amenable and straight, he should be soft in his speech."