What the World Cannot Answer

"Son of the Buddha! What is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's treasury of learning? This bodhisattva knows: because this thing exists, that thing exists; because this thing does not exist, that thing does not exist; because this thing arises, that thing arises; because this thing ceases, that thing ceases; this is a worldly dharma, this is a transcendent dharma; this is a conditioned dharma, this is an unconditioned dharma; this is a dharma to be answered categorically, this is a dharma to be left undetermined. What is meant by 'because this thing exists, that thing exists'? It means: because ignorance exists, volitional formations exist. What is meant by 'because this thing does not exist, that thing does not exist'? It means: because consciousness does not exist, name-and-form does not exist. What is meant by 'because this thing arises, that thing arises'? It means: because craving arises, suffering arises. What is meant by 'because this thing ceases, that thing ceases'? It means: because becoming ceases, birth ceases. What is meant by worldly dharmas? Namely: form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. What is meant by transcendent dharmas? Namely: moral discipline, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation. What is meant by conditioned dharmas? Namely: the realm of desire, the realm of form, the formless realm, and the realm of living beings. What is meant by unconditioned dharmas? Namely: empty space, nirvāṇa, cessation through discernment, cessation not through discernment, and the abiding nature of dependently originated dharmas. What is meant by dharmas to be answered categorically? Namely: the four noble truths, the four fruits of the śramaṇa, the four unhindered eloquences, the four fearlessnesses, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path.

What is meant by dharmas to be left undetermined? Whether the world has an end, whether the world has no end, whether the world both has an end and has no end, whether the world neither has an end nor has no end; whether the world is eternal, whether the world is not eternal, whether the world is both eternal and not eternal, whether the world is neither eternal nor not eternal; whether the Tathāgata exists after extinction, whether the Tathāgata does not exist after extinction, whether the Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after extinction, whether the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after extinction; whether the self and living beings exist, whether the self and living beings do not exist, whether the self and living beings both exist and do not exist, whether the self and living beings neither exist nor do not exist; in the past, how many Tathāgatas have entered parinirvāṇa? How many śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas have entered parinirvāṇa? In the future, how many Tathāgatas will there be? How many śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas? How many living beings? In the present, how many buddhas now abide? How many śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas now abide? How many living beings now abide? Which Tathāgata appeared first of all? Which śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha appeared first of all? Which living being appeared first of all? Which Tathāgata will appear last of all? Which śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha will appear last of all? Which living being will appear last of all? Which dharma comes first of all? Which dharma comes last of all? From where does the world come, and to where does it go? How many worlds have come into being? How many worlds have been destroyed? From where does the world come, and to where does it go? What is the very first limit of birth-and-death? What is the very final limit of birth-and-death? These are called the dharmas to be left undetermined. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva reflects in this way: "Every living being, within birth-and-death, lacks extensive learning, and is unable to understand all of these dharmas. I shall resolve to uphold the treasury of extensive learning, realize unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, and expound the true and real Dharma for the sake of living beings." This is called the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's fifth treasury: the treasury of learning.