Vajragarbha Falls Silent
Having named all ten grounds, Vajragarbha Bodhisattva falls silent, and the whole assembly, longing to hear more, wonders why. Vimuktacandra Bodhisattva asks the question in verse on their behalf — comparing the assembly's own eagerness to bees seeking honey and the thirsty craving dew — and Vajragarbha answers, in verse of his own, that the Buddha's own wisdom is something the world is simply unable to receive.
Like Bees Longing for Honey
The names alone are not enough — the whole assembly longs for the meaning behind them. Vimuktacandra Bodhisattva, sensing what is in every mind, puts the question to Vajragarbha directly, in verse, comparing the assembly's own eagerness to a bee's longing for sweet honey and the thirsty craving for dew.
爾時，金剛藏菩薩說此菩薩十地名已，默然而住，不復分別。是時，一切菩薩眾聞菩薩十地名，不聞解釋，咸生渴仰，作如是念：「何因何緣，金剛藏菩薩唯說菩薩十地名而不解釋？」解脫月菩薩知諸大眾心之所念，以頌問金剛藏菩薩曰：
Then, having spoken the names of these ten bodhisattva grounds, Vajragarbha Bodhisattva fell silent and remained still, discriminating no further. At that time, the whole assembly of bodhisattvas, having heard the names of the ten bodhisattva grounds but not their explanation, all gave rise to a longing eagerness, thinking to themselves: "For what cause and condition does Vajragarbha Bodhisattva only speak the names of the ten bodhisattva grounds, without explaining them?" Vimuktacandra Bodhisattva, knowing what was in the mind of the whole great assembly, asked Vajragarbha Bodhisattva in verse, saying:
「何故淨覺人，念智功德具，說諸上妙地，有力不解釋？
一切咸決定，勇猛無怯弱，何故說地名，而不為開演？
諸地妙義趣，此眾皆欲聞，其心無怯弱，願為分別說！
眾會悉清淨，離懈怠嚴潔，能堅固不動，具功德智慧。
相視咸恭敬，一切悉專仰，如蜂念好蜜，如渴思甘露。」
"Why does the one of pure awakening, endowed with the merit of mindful wisdom, speak of these supreme, wondrous grounds, yet, having the power, not explain them? Every one of us is entirely resolute, courageous, and without timidity — why, then, having spoken the names of the grounds, do you not unfold and expound them? The wondrous meaning and direction of every ground, this whole assembly wishes to hear; our minds hold no timidity at all — we beg you to discriminate and explain them! This assembly is entirely pure, free of laziness, adorned and clean; able to remain firm and unmoving, fully endowed with merit and wisdom. We look upon one another with reverence, everyone entirely and single-mindedly looking up to you, like bees longing for sweet honey, like the thirsty yearning for the sweet dew."
Vimuktacandra's question lists the assembly's own qualifications almost defensively — resolute, courageous, without timidity, pure, unmoving — as though anticipating that Vajragarbha's silence might mean he doubts their readiness. The verse pleads its case before the answer even comes, certain the obstacle must lie in the listeners rather than the teaching itself.
A Painting in the Sky, a Mark of Wind
Vajragarbha answers in verse of his own — not with the explanation requested, but with the reason for its absence. The teaching he is being asked to give, he says, is subtle beyond thought, like a painting in the sky or the mark left by wind; only a mind like vajra could receive it, and the world, he judges, cannot.
爾時，大智無所畏金剛藏菩薩聞說是已，欲令眾會心歡喜故，為諸佛子而說頌言：
Then Vajragarbha Bodhisattva, of great wisdom and fearlessness, having heard this said, wishing to cause the assembly's own mind to rejoice, spoke in verse for the sake of every child of the Buddha, saying:
「菩薩行地事，最上諸佛本，顯示分別說，第一希有難。
微細難可見，離念超心地，出生佛境界，聞者悉迷惑。
持心如金剛，深信佛勝智，知心地無我，能聞此勝法。
如空中彩畫，如空中風相，牟尼智如是，分別甚難見。
我念佛智慧，最勝難思議，世間無能受，默然而不說。」
"The matter of a bodhisattva's own practice of the grounds is the very root of every supreme buddha; to reveal and discriminate it in explanation is the foremost, rarest difficulty. Subtle and difficult to behold, apart from thought, transcending the ground of mind, giving rise to the very domain of a buddha — whoever hears of it is entirely bewildered. Only one who holds a mind like vajra, who deeply believes in the Buddha's own supreme wisdom, who knows the ground of mind to be without self, is able to hear this supreme Dharma. Like a painting in the sky, like the mark of wind in the sky, the wisdom of the Sage is just like this — to discriminate and behold it is exceedingly difficult. I reflect that the Buddha's own wisdom, most supreme and inconceivable, is something the world is unable to receive — and so I remain silent, not speaking."
"Like a painting in the sky, like the mark of wind in the sky" describes something that leaves no trace to point to — no canvas holds the painting, no surface records the wind's passage. Vajragarbha's silence is not withholding; it is an honest report that the very medium ordinary speech requires may not exist for what he has been asked to explain.
Part 400 Complete
This continues the opening of the Ten Grounds chapter. Chapter 26 continues in Part 401 as Vimuktacandra Bodhisattva, having heard Vajragarbha's reason for silence, presses him further — asking him to consider the assembly's own pure faith and readiness, and to speak regardless of whether the world at large can receive it.