Taming the Mind, and the Marks of Non-Retrogression

Taming the Mind Chapter

Question: As the preceding chapter has explained, "three of these arisings of the aspiration are certain to reach accomplishment, while the remaining four are not necessarily accomplished." What, then, constitutes accomplishment, and what constitutes its failure?

Answer: Should a bodhisattva give rise to bodhicitta and then act in a manner that causes bodhicitta to be lost, this then fails to reach accomplishment; should they act in a manner that does not cause bodhicitta to be lost, this then is certain to reach accomplishment.

It is for this reason that the verse says: "The bodhisattva ought to depart far from whatever dharma causes bodhicitta to be lost, and ought to practice, with a single mind, whatever dharma does not cause bodhicitta to be lost."

"Depart far from" means to eliminate unwholesome dharmas, never allowing them to enter the mind; and should they enter, to swiftly extinguish them. "Lost" means that, whether within this present life or within a life to come, one forgets bodhicitta and no longer accords with it in practice — one ought to depart far from any such dharma. Should one never lose this bodhi-dharma, never forgetting bodhicitta, one ought constantly, with a single mind, to diligently practice it.

Question: What dharmas, then, cause bodhicitta to be lost?

Answer: "First, failing to revere the Dharma; second, harboring a mind of arrogance; third, false speech devoid of truth; fourth, failing to revere one's own good and virtuous friends."

Should one possess these four dharmas, then, whether at the moment of death within this present life, or within a life to come thereafter, bodhicitta is forgotten and lost, and one is no longer able to know for oneself that one is a bodhisattva; the vow is no longer given rise to, and the bodhisattva's own practice no longer stands before them.

"Failing to revere the Dharma": "the Dharma" refers to the higher, middle, and lower vehicles spoken by every buddha; to speak of its essential meaning, this is the very teaching employed by every Thus Come One. Within this Dharma, failing to revere it, to make offerings to it, to honor it, and to praise it; failing to give rise to a sense of its rarity, its difficulty to obtain, its value as a treasure, and its power to fulfill every wish — this dharma of failing to revere is itself able to cause bodhicitta to be lost.

"A mind of arrogance": exalting one's own mind, claiming to have attained what one has not attained, claiming to have realized emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness when one has not; whether the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, the six pāramitās, or the bodhisattva's ten grounds, and every other such dharma arising from cultivation — within these very dharmas, claiming to have attained what one has not attained.

"False speech": this is variously classified as a duṣkṛta offense, a pāyantika offense, a sthūlātyaya offense, a saṃghāvaśeṣa offense, or a pārājika offense. Some say there is a sixth kind of false speech as well, one for which repentance arises spontaneously within one's own mind. Among the first five kinds of false speech, the earlier are lighter and the later graver; the sixth is the very lightest of all.

"Classified as pārājika": lacking any superhuman dharma oneself, yet, whether through speech or through outward display, employing skillful means to give the appearance of possessing such a virtue.

"Classified as saṃghāvaśeṣa": whether through speech or through outward display, slandering a fellow monk regarding any one of the four grounds, whether with or without foundation.

"Classified as sthūlātyaya": intending to slander with or without foundation, yet the statement fails to be completed.

"Classified as pāyantika": slandering with a groundless charge of a saṃghāvaśeṣa offense.

"Classified as duṣkṛta": every instance of false speech other than these four classes of offense.

"Extinguished spontaneously within one's own mind": at the time of reciting the precepts, knowing for oneself that one has committed some minor offense, yet unable to declare it to another — one's own mind repents of it directly.

Question: Is this false speech confined to monks alone, and not to laypeople? Yet this treatise applies it broadly to both householders and renunciants alike?

Answer: Whatever the actual matter, its manner of recognition differs from how it is spoken of; this treatise speaks here of false speech in its general aspect, and, since it is further distinguished according to the sentient being involved, the matter involved, the time involved, the class of the five assemblies' offenses involved, and the setting involved, there arise differences of lightness and gravity. Though a given instance of false speech may be light, should it become habitual over a long time, it grows grave, and is thereby able to cause bodhicitta to be lost.

"Distinguished according to the sentient being": deceiving one whose roots of goodness are severed, who holds wrong views, or who is beset by other profound afflictions, is graver. "Distinguished according to the matter": speaking falsely of a superhuman dharma, or causing a schism within the Saṅgha, are matters of this kind. "Distinguished according to the time": false speech committed by a renunciant is graver. "Distinguished according to the class of the five assemblies' offenses": offenses such as pārājika and saṃghāvaśeṣa are graver. "Distinguished according to the setting": false speech spoken within the Saṅgha, or spoken at the time of formal testimony, is graver.

"Failing to revere one's own good and virtuous friends": failing to give rise to reverence, and to a sense of the difficulty and gravity owed to them.

Extensively practicing these four dharmas causes bodhicitta to be lost.

Question: Are these four dharmas alone able to cause bodhicitta to be lost? Or are there further dharmas as well?

Answer: "Stinginess with the most essential Dharma; delighting in craving the lesser vehicle; slandering the bodhisattvas; and belittling those who sit in meditation."

"Stinginess with the essential Dharma": some profound and rare meaning a teacher knows, of great benefit to many, is instead craved and hoarded as their own gain, kept secret and unspoken out of fear that others might become their equal.

"Delighting in craving the lesser vehicle": failing to attain the flavor of the Great Vehicle, one instead delights in craving the two lesser vehicles.

"Slandering the bodhisattvas": to declare an offense where none exists is called slander. The meaning of "bodhisattva" has already been explained above. Such a person, without any actual fault, falsely adds an offense to them; should the offense actually exist and merely be discussed, this, though still an offense, is lighter than the former. And why is this so? Because the sūtra states: "Whether or not a bodhisattva actually has committed an offense, one ought never to speak of it at all."

"Belittling those who sit in meditation": whether householder or renunciant, diligently exerting effort for the sake of severing every affliction, gathering the dharmas that assist the path to buddhahood in order to obstruct every affliction — should such a person be unskilled in debate, lack eloquence, or lack an imposing majestic virtue, and an unwise person then belittles them for it, a grave offense is thereby incurred.

Furthermore, should one's mind harbor resentment toward a good and virtuous friend, and further hold a mind of flattery and crookedness, craving gain and the like. The meaning of "good and virtuous friend" has already been explained above. To give rise to a mind of resentment toward one who teaches and transforms in this way, expounding the Dharma, is like resenting one's own parents, and a grave offense is thereby incurred. "Flattery" means a mind that is ingratiating and fawning. "Crookedness" means that one's conduct of body and speech visibly betrays some hidden intent.

"Craving gain and the like": craving gain, pleasure, and praise. Through this very dharma, one's own straightforward mind is corrupted, and one becomes unable to give rise to any deep root of goodness — just as a robe already dyed a foul color can no longer take on a fine one.

Furthermore: "Failing to perceive māra's own works, bodhicitta grows weak and feeble; the obstruction of karma, and the obstruction of the Dharma, likewise cause bodhicitta to be lost."

"Failing to perceive māra's own works": should one fail to recognize māra's own works, one is then unable to subdue them; and should one fail to subdue them, bodhicitta is thereby lost.

Question: What, then, are these works of māra?

Answer: At the very moment one ought to expound giving, upholding the precepts, patient endurance, diligent effort, meditative concentration, or the pāramitā of wisdom, and at the moment one ought to expound the profound meaning subsumed within the Great Vehicle, one takes no swift delight in expounding it. And even should one delight in expounding it, in the very midst of doing so, other distractions cause the mind to scatter. Whether reading, explaining, discussing, or listening and receiving it, one becomes arrogant and self-important, one's mind scattered, drawn toward other objects, given to idle thought and frivolous laughter.

Mutually mocking one another's arguments, the two parties fail to reach harmony, unable to penetrate the true meaning, and rise from their seats and depart, thinking: "Within this teaching, I have received no prediction of awakening, and my own mind remains impure. Nor has anything been said of my own city, town, or household of birth." It is for this reason that they no longer wish to hear the Dharma, fail to taste its flavor, and rise from their seats and depart.

Abandoning the pāramitās expounded within the Great Vehicle, and instead seeking omniscience within the śrāvaka's or the pratyekabuddha's own self-directed scriptures. Whether reading, explaining, or listening and receiving the teaching, one desires instead to speak of every manner of other matter, breaking apart and scattering the perfection of wisdom.

Namely, speaking of distant lands, towns and settlements, cities and pleasure-gardens, military campaigns and banditry, weapons and armor, hatred and love, suffering and joy, parents and siblings, husbands, wives, and children, clothing and food, bedding and medicine, and every article of daily livelihood — the mind thereby scattered, and the perfection of wisdom lost.

And further speaking of: greed, anger, and delusion; enemies and relatives; auspicious times and inauspicious times; song, dance, and music; sorrow and frivolous laughter; scriptures and verses; ancient events of ages past; kings and rulers of nations; earth, water, fire, and wind; the five desires and worldly wealth; and gain and support, and every other worldly matter — causing the mind to delight in them.

Should māra transform himself into the appearance of a monk or a nun, and, by means of the causes and conditions of a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha scripture, cause a person to attain something, saying to them: "You ought to study and learn this scripture instead, abandoning what you originally studied" — the one listening to the Dharma no longer delights in receiving it, and the one expounding it grows indolent of mind, each drawn away by some other distraction.

The listener requires this teaching, yet the one expounding it wishes instead to go elsewhere. The one expounding it delights in expounding it, yet the listener wishes to go elsewhere.

The one expounding it is full of desire, craving gain; the listener has no mind to give anything at all.

The listener holds a mind of faith, delighting in wishing to hear the Dharma, yet the one expounding it takes no delight in expounding it. The one expounding it delights in expounding it, yet the listener takes no delight in it.

Or, at times, one is told: "The sufferings of hell are such that it is far better to exhaust every suffering within this very body and swiftly attain nirvāṇa — this is the greatest benefit." One is told: "The immeasurable afflictions of the animal realm, and the manifold transgressions of hungry ghosts and asuras" — and told: "Birth and death hold much sorrow and affliction; you should, within this very body, swiftly attain nirvāṇa — this is the greatest benefit." Or one is told, in praise, of the nobility and wealth of this world, and in praise of the merit and pleasure of the form and formless realms, that to be reborn among them is itself a great benefit.

Or one is told, in praise, of the benefit of the merit of stream-entry up through the fruit of arhatship: "Should you, within this very body, realize these very fruits, this is your own great benefit." Or the one expounding the Dharma delights in their own retinue, while the one listening has no wish to follow along.

Or the one expounding the Dharma wishes to travel to some land beset by famine and unrest, saying to the listener: "What use is it now for you to follow me to lands such as these?" — and the listener, at once growing weary and reluctant, no longer follows along.

Or the one expounding the Dharma prizes and reveres a certain patron, repeatedly going to pay them visits, causing the one listening to be unable to receive the teaching.

Or, within this profound Dharma, doubt is caused to arise: "This is not the very scriptural teaching spoken by the buddhas — what I myself expound is the buddhas' own scriptural teaching. Should a bodhisattva be able to practice this very teaching, they shall realize the ultimate truth." Through causes and conditions such as these, the two parties fail to reach harmony. One should know that all such matters are, in every case, the works of māra.

To speak of the essential meaning: whatever creates an obstruction to any wholesome dharma whatsoever is, in every case, the work of māra.

"Bodhicitta grows weak and feeble": since the afflictions grow strong in power, the mind of the path grows weak and feeble, without any force remaining, and the resolve for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening is forever severed.

"The obstruction of karma": though there are many kinds of karmic obstruction, what is spoken of here refers to that which causes one seeking the Great Vehicle to regress and retrogress.

"The obstruction of the Dharma": delighting in practicing unwholesome dharmas, and detesting emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, together with the pāramitās and every other profound and sublime dharma.

These four dharmas are likewise able to cause bodhicitta to be lost.

Furthermore: "Promising a gift to one's own teacher and then deceiving them — this offense is exceedingly grave; causing one who has no doubt or regret to be forced into doubt and regret; harboring deep and grave anger toward those who have faith and delight in the Great Vehicle, scolding and reviling them, spreading a bad name for them far and wide in every direction; and, in matters shared in common with others, a mind frequently given to flattery and crookedness. These four black dharmas likewise cause bodhicitta to be lost."

"Promising a gift to one's teacher and then not giving it": whether one has already promised some object to one's own teacher, or not yet promised it, and afterward fails to give it. Or, in giving it, one gives it at the wrong time, in the wrong place, or in a manner not in accordance with the Dharma — this is itself the way of an outside path within this world. Within the Buddhadharma, having received the scriptural teaching from one's own teacher, should one possess any material wealth, one gives it to this very teacher for the sake of honoring the Dharma; and should one possess none, there is no fault in this.

"Causing one who has no doubt or regret to be forced into doubt and regret": this person has, in truth, not broken any precept, yet, over some trifling appearance of fault, one declares it a grave offense; whether it concerns a breach of right livelihood or proper bearing, or a breach of right view, in every case forcing doubt and regret to arise.

"Harboring anger toward those of the Great Vehicle": there are those who ride the Great Vehicle, the unsurpassed vehicle, the vehicle of the Thus Come One, the vehicle of the great person, the vehicle of the one of omniscience — down even to one who has only just given rise to the aspiration — and, toward such a person, giving rise to deep and grave anger, scolding and mocking them in argument, spreading a bad name for them far and wide.

"A mind of flattery and crookedness in matters shared with others": toward one's own preceptor, one's own instructor, and every other good and virtuous friend, failing to draw near to them with a straightforward mind, habitually practicing instead a crooked mind; and even toward those never before acquainted, likewise practicing this very flattery and crookedness.

As for "the four black dharmas": "black" refers to defilement, filth, and impurity, itself able to cause bodhicitta to be lost. As the verse says: "Reverse these five and these four dharmas, cultivating wholesome conduct life after life; and thus this unsurpassed bodhicitta will never be lost."

These five and these four together make twenty dharmas that cause bodhicitta to be lost. Reversing these very dharmas, cultivating and practicing their opposite, one never forgets the mind of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, life after life.

"Reverse" means to reverse the five and the four dharmas explained above — namely, revering the Dharma, breaking down the mind of arrogance, departing far from false speech, and deeply revering one's own good and virtuous friends. The rest should be understood in just this same way.

Question: By means of what dharma does this vow for awakening grow and increase life after life? And how, afterward, is one further able to give rise to this great vow once more?

Answer: "Even were one to lose one's own body and life, or the very throne of a wheel-turning sage-king, still one ought never, even then, to resort to false speech or to flattery and crookedness. This is able to cause every class of sentient being throughout the world to give rise to a mind of reverence toward the very assembly of bodhisattvas. Should there be a person able to practice a wholesome dharma such as this, their own vow for unsurpassed bodhi grows and increases, life after life."

The bodhisattva, by means of this very dharma, causes this vow for bodhi to grow and increase life after life, and is further able to give rise to this pure, great vow once more. Should it be for the sake of speaking truthfully that one loses even the throne of a wheel-turning sage-king, or the throne of a heavenly king, one ought still to speak truthfully, and never resort to false speech — how much more so, then, in matters of trifling consequence, should one fail to speak truthfully! Furthermore, toward one's own retinue, and toward every outside person as well, one departs from flattery and crookedness. Furthermore, from the very first arising of the aspiration onward, one gives rise to a mind of reverence toward every bodhisattva, honoring and praising them exactly as one would a buddha, without any difference. Furthermore, one causes them, according to one's own ability, to abide within the Great Vehicle.

The Marks of Non-Retrogression Chapter

Question: These bodhisattvas are of two kinds: first, those still subject to retrogression; second, those irreversible, no longer subject to retrogression. Please explain the mark of each — what is the mark of one still subject to retrogression, and what is the mark of the irreversible?

Answer: "A mind that regards sentient beings equally; free of envy toward another's gain and support; never, even at the cost of one's own body and life, speaking of a Dharma-teacher's own faults; possessing faith and delight in the profound, sublime Dharma; and free of craving for reverence — possessed of these five dharmas, one is irreversible."

"A mind that regards sentient beings equally": since sentient beings are subsumed within the six destinies, whether of superior, middling, or inferior standing, the mind holds no distinction among them — this is called irreversible.

Question: As it is elsewhere stated: "Toward the buddhas and bodhisattvas, one ought to give rise to the very foremost mind of reverence — this does not hold for others!" And it is likewise stated: "Drawing near to the buddhas and bodhisattvas, revering and making offerings to them — this too does not hold for others!" How, then, can it be said that "toward every sentient being, the mind is equal, without any duality"?

Answer: Each of these statements carries its own distinct meaning, and this ought not to be raised as an objection. As for "a mind that regards sentient beings equally": should there be sentient beings who regard the bodhisattva as a hostile enemy, others who regard them as their own parents, and others still who regard them with indifference — among these three kinds of sentient beings, the mind of benefit remains equal, wishing to liberate every one of them without any distinction. It is for this reason that you ought not to raise this as an objection.

"Free of envy toward another's gain and support": should another obtain clothing, food, bedding, medicine, dwelling, property, gold and silver, treasure, villages, towns, cities, or attendants and the like, within such an act of giving, one gives rise to no envy, nor harbors any resentment, but delights in it with a joyful mind.

"Never speaking of a Dharma-teacher's own faults": should there be one who expounds the Great Vehicle's own dharma of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, or the six pāramitās, or the four abodes of merit, or the bodhisattva's ten grounds, and every other such dharma of the Great Vehicle — even at the cost of one's own life, one still does not utter their faults, how much more so, then, refraining from adding to them any evil charge at all!

"Possessing faith and delight in the profound, sublime Dharma": "the profound Dharma" refers to emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and every profound sūtra — such as the perfection of wisdom, the bodhisattva canon, and the rest. Within this Dharma, holding a single mind of faith and delight, free of any doubt whatsoever; in no other matter does one hold delight such as this, for it is within these profound sūtras alone that one tastes their true flavor.

"Free of craving for reverence": having penetrated the real mark of every dharma, one holds fame and disgrace, gain and loss, as equal, without any difference between them.

Possessing these five dharmas, as explained above, one never retrogresses from, and never grows indolent toward, unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening — this is called irreversible. Whatever runs contrary to this is called still subject to retrogression.

These bodhisattvas still subject to retrogression are themselves of two kinds: some are degenerate; others gradually advance further and attain irreversibility.

Question: As for what is spoken of as "degenerate," what is its mark?

Answer: "Lacking in resolve and capability; delighting in inferior dharmas; deeply attached to fame and gain; a mind that is not straightforward; stingy and possessive toward another household; without faith or delight in the Dharma of emptiness; and prizing mere speech alone — this is called the degenerate mark."

"Lacking in resolve and capability": their countenance without luster, their own majestic virtue shallow and thin.

Question: Is it not the case that bodily appearance and majestic virtue are not themselves the mark of irreversibility — why, then, is this statement made here?

Answer: This statement has its own meaning, and ought not to be doubted. What I mean is: "because inner merit is present, the body possesses majestic virtue" — I do not mean merely that the body's own color and countenance are fine and upright. "Resolve and capability" refers to majestic virtue and inner strength. Should a person be able to cultivate and gather wholesome dharmas and eliminate unwholesome ones, possessing genuine force within this very matter, this is called "resolve and capability." Though one's body might resemble that of a heavenly king, radiant as the sun and moon, should one be unable to cultivate wholesome dharmas and eliminate unwholesome ones, this is called "lacking in resolve and capability"; though one's body and countenance might be ugly and coarse, in form like a hungry ghost, should one be able to cultivate wholesomeness and eliminate what is unwholesome, this alone is called "resolve and capability" — it is for this reason that your objection does not hold.

"Delighting in inferior dharmas": aside from the buddha-vehicle itself, every other vehicle, compared to the buddha-vehicle, is slight and inferior, falling short of it — it is for this reason called "inferior," not because it is itself evil; and every other evil matter besides is likewise called inferior.

What the two lesser vehicles attain is inferior only in comparison to the buddha-vehicle. Since both alike transcend the world and enter nirvāṇa without remainder, they are not themselves called evil. It is for this reason that, should a person depart far from the buddha-vehicle and instead have faith and delight in the two lesser vehicles, this is called delighting in an inferior dharma. Though such a person may delight in what is otherwise a superior matter, since they have faith and delight in the two lesser vehicles, departing far from the Great Vehicle, this too is called delighting in an inferior dharma.

Furthermore, "inferior" also refers to an evil matter — namely, the five desires. And further, the sixty-two views such as eternalism and annihilationism, every argument of an outside path, and everything that increases birth and death — these too are inferior dharmas. Practicing dharmas such as these is likewise called delighting in an inferior dharma.

"Deeply attached to fame and gain": within matters of giving, material gain, offerings, and praise, one's mind clings deeply and skillfully devises means toward them, and, failing to attain the pure flavor of the Dharma, craves and delights in these matters instead.

"A mind that is not straightforward": their own nature is flattering and crooked, delighting in deception.

"Stingy and possessive toward another household": such a person, whatever household they enter, upon seeing another obtain gain, reverence, or praise, at once gives rise to envy, sorrow, and displeasure. Their mind impure, their own reckoning of self running deep, they crave and cling to gain and support, giving rise to a mind of envy, and resenting the very patron involved.

"Without faith or delight in the Dharma of emptiness": every buddha expounds three kinds of this dharma of emptiness — namely, the three gates of liberation. Toward this dharma of emptiness, having no faith, no delight, and holding it in no esteem, since their own mind fails to penetrate it.

"Prizing mere speech alone": delighting only in fine words, unable to practice in accordance with what is spoken; possessing only speech from the mouth, unable to have faith in and understand these very dharmas, and unable to attain their true flavor — this is called "the degenerate mark."

Should a person give rise to bodhicitta and yet possess marks such as these, one should know that this is a degenerate bodhisattva. "Degenerate" means untamed and unyielding. It is just as the very worst and most vicious horse is called degenerate — possessing the name of a horse alone, without any of a horse's actual use. The degenerate bodhisattva is likewise so — possessing only an empty name, without any genuine practice. Should a person not wish to become a degenerate bodhisattva, they ought to eliminate this unwholesome dharma, and receive their own name in accordance with the Dharma they actually practice.

Question: You have stated: "Among bodhisattvas still subject to retrogression, there are two kinds — first, the degenerate bodhisattva; second, one who, through gradual diligent effort, later attains irreversibility." You have already explained the degenerate bodhisattva; please now explain the one who, through gradual diligent effort, later attains irreversibility.

Answer: "The bodhisattva grasps at no self, and grasps at no sentient being either; they make no distinction in expounding the Dharma, grasp at no bodhi, and do not behold the Buddha through any mark. Through these five qualities of merit, one comes to be called a great bodhisattva, and accomplishes irreversibility."

The bodhisattva, practicing these five qualities of merit, arrives directly at irreversibility.

As for "grasping at no self": because they have departed from attachment to self. This bodhisattva, seeking a self within what is internal, what is external, the five aggregates, the twelve sense-bases, and the eighteen elements, finds it nowhere to be obtained. They reflect:

"Were the aggregates themselves the self, then this self would bear the very mark of arising and ceasing; how, then, could one, by means of grasping, become at once the very one who grasps?

"Were the self to exist apart from the aggregates, it ought then to be obtainable outside the aggregates; how, then, could one, by means of grasping, become distinct from the one who grasps?

"Were the self to possess the five aggregates, this self would then be distinct from these five aggregates — just as the world commonly says that an ox is distinct from the owner of that ox; because two distinct things are joined together, this matter is then said to exist. It is for this reason that, were the self to possess the aggregates, this self would then be distinct from these very aggregates.

"Were the self present within the aggregates, as a person is present within a room, or as a listener is present upon a couch, this self ought then to be distinct from the aggregates.

"Were the aggregates present within the self, as fruit is present within a vessel, or as a fly is present within milk, these aggregates would then be distinct from the self.

"Just as what can be kindled is not itself the kindling, nor is this kindling apart from what can be kindled; this kindling does not itself possess what can be kindled, and this kindling is not present within what can be kindled — so too, the self is neither the aggregates, nor apart from the aggregates; the self does not itself possess the aggregates, and the aggregates are not present within the self, nor is the self present within the five aggregates. Just so should one understand every instance of a defiling agent and what it defiles, of the afflictions and the one afflicted, and every jar, garment, and the like.

"Should one claim that the self possesses a fixed nature, and that every dharma possesses its own distinct mark, one should know that such a person has not attained the true flavor of the Buddhadharma."

The bodhisattva, reflecting in this way, thereby departs from the view of self; having departed far from this view of self, they thereby grasp at no self at all.

As for "grasping at no sentient being": "sentient being" is named for what is distinct from the bodhisattva themselves; having departed from craving and the view of self, they reflect: "Were another person truly to possess a self, that person could then be regarded as 'other'; it is because of the existence of a self that this other person is regarded as 'other' — yet, in truth, seeking this self, it cannot be found at all. And since that other person likewise cannot be found, there being no 'other,' there is likewise no self — it is for this reason that the bodhisattva grasps at no sentient being either."

As for "making no distinction in expounding the Dharma": this bodhisattva, having faith in and understanding that every dharma is without duality, without any distinction, and of a single mark. They reflect: "Every dharma arises entirely from wrong recollection and discriminating thought, false and deceptive." This bodhisattva extinguishes every such discrimination, free of every decline and affliction. They thereby enter directly into the unsurpassed, ultimate causal dharma of the highest meaning, following no other's own wisdom.

"True reality is not existent, and likewise it is not non-existent; it is neither both existent and non-existent, nor neither existent nor non-existent. It is neither possessed of words, nor apart from words — such a true meaning as this can, in the end, never be captured in speech. The speaker, what can be spoken of, and the speech itself — these are all alike marks of tranquil cessation; and should this nature be one of tranquil cessation, it is neither existent nor non-existent. What matter, then, is there to speak of, and by what speech could it be spoken? How, then, could a person of wisdom converse with one who merely speaks? Should the nature of every dharma be empty, then every dharma is itself unarisen — and whatever dharma is empty in this way cannot be spoken of at all. Yet, unable to remain entirely without speech, one borrows speech in order to speak of this emptiness — yet this true meaning is itself neither empty nor not-empty, neither both empty and not-empty, nor neither empty nor not-empty; neither false nor true, neither spoken nor unspoken. And though, in truth, there is nothing at all, this too is not to say there is nothing whatsoever — this is what it means to relinquish entirely every discrimination that could be held. Every dharma, whether a cause or arisen from a cause, is alike a mark of tranquil cessation, neither to be grasped nor to be relinquished. It is just as ash renders a garment impure, and this very ash then further soils the garment — so too, without speech, this truth cannot be conveyed, and yet speech itself carries its own fault."

The bodhisattva, contemplating in this way, holds faith, understanding, and penetration; within the expounding of the Dharma, they make no distinction whatsoever.

As for "grasping at no bodhi": this bodhisattva, through faith in and understanding of the Dharma of emptiness, does not attain bodhi in the manner an ordinary being imagines it to be attained. They reflect:

"The Buddha does not attain bodhi, nor does one who is not a buddha attain it; every fruit, and every other dharma, is likewise so. Were there a buddha and a bodhi such that the buddha attains it, this would itself become a permanent thing; were there no buddha and no bodhi, this failure to attain would itself become a case of annihilation. Apart from the buddha, there is no bodhi; apart from bodhi, there is no buddha — and should neither their unity nor their difference be established, how could there be any union between them at all? In every dharma whatsoever, it is precisely because of difference that union can occur; yet bodhi is not different from the buddha — it is for this very reason that no union between these two can be established. The buddha and bodhi together, then, are established neither as different nor as united; and apart from these two possibilities, there is no third — how, then, could this ever be established? It is for this very reason that the buddha is himself tranquil cessation, and bodhi too is tranquil cessation; and because these two are alike tranquil cessation, everything whatsoever is alike tranquil cessation."

As for "not beholding the Buddha through any mark": this bodhisattva holds faith in, understands, and penetrates the signless Dharma. They reflect:

"Should everything whatsoever be without any mark, then everything whatsoever would thereby possess a mark; for tranquil cessation is itself signlessness, and this would then itself become a mark. Should one contemplate the signless dharma in this way, signlessness itself becomes a sign; and should one say that one cultivates signlessness, this is then no longer the cultivation of signlessness at all. Should the relinquishing of every craving attachment be called signlessness, then grasping at this very mark of relinquishing craving is itself the absence of any true liberation. Whenever there is grasping, it is because of this grasping that relinquishing then exists — who, then, grasps, and what matter is grasped, that could be called relinquishing? The one who grasps, the very act of grasping employed, and the dharma that can be grasped — taken together or apart, neither exists at all; every one of these is called tranquil cessation. Should any dharma be established through causal dependence upon a mark, this is itself the very absence of any inherent nature; and should there be no inherent nature present, this is itself the very absence of any mark. Should a dharma lack any inherent nature, and this itself be signlessness, how, then, could one say that the absence of inherent nature is itself signlessness? Should one make use of both existence and non-existence, at once negating and at once permitting them, though one speaks of them, so long as the mind remains unattached, then there is no fault in this at all. Where, then, was there ever first a dharma that did not afterward cease? Where, then, was there ever first a flame that did not afterward have its own extinguishing? This very tranquil cessation of what is marked is identical to the tranquil cessation of what is signless — it is for this reason that both this very speech of tranquil cessation, and the one who speaks of this tranquil cessation, and what preceded them, are themselves neither tranquil cessation, nor not tranquil cessation, neither both tranquil and not tranquil, nor neither tranquil nor not tranquil."

This bodhisattva, having thus penetrated the wisdom of signlessness, is free of any doubt or regret. They do not behold the Buddha through the mark of form, nor through the mark of feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness.

Question: How is it that one does not behold the Buddha through the mark of form, nor through feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness?

Answer: Form is not itself the Buddha, nor are feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness themselves the Buddha. Nor is there a buddha apart from form, nor a buddha apart from feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. Nor does the Buddha possess form, nor does the Buddha possess feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness. Nor is the Buddha present within form, nor is the Buddha present within feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness. Nor is form present within the Buddha, nor are feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness present within the Buddha.

The bodhisattva, grasping at no mark among these five, thereby attains to the very stage of irreversibility.

Question: Having now understood that attaining this Dharma constitutes irreversibility, what, then, is the actual mark of the irreversible bodhisattva?

Answer: "The Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra has already expounded at length the marks of irreversibility."

Should a bodhisattva contemplate the ground of the ordinary being, the ground of the śrāvaka, the ground of the pratyekabuddha, and the ground of the buddha as without duality, without distinction, and free of any doubt or regret — one should know that this is irreversibility.

Whatever the irreversible bodhisattva says brings benefit in every case. They do not observe the strengths, weaknesses, or beauty or ugliness of others. They do not look with expectation toward whatever an outside path's own ascetic might say — whatever ought to be known, they know directly; whatever ought to be seen, they see directly. They do not pay homage to any other deva. They do not make offerings of flowers, incense, banners, or canopies to such deities. They do not revere any other teacher. They do not fall into any evil destiny. They do not receive a woman's body.

They constantly cultivate the ten wholesome courses of action themselves, and teach others to practice them as well, constantly instructing, benefiting, and delighting others through this wholesome Dharma. Even within dreams, they never abandon the ten wholesome courses, and never practice the ten unwholesome courses. Every root of goodness planted through their conduct of body, speech, and mind is entirely for the sake of bringing peace and liberation to sentient beings. Whatever fruit and recompense they attain, they share it together with sentient beings.

Should they hear a profound Dharma, they give rise to no doubt or regret. They speak sparingly, and their speech is beneficial and peaceful, gentle and pleasant, soft and tender. They sleep but little, and in their coming and going, advancing and halting, their mind never scatters. Their bearing is dignified and refined, their mindfulness firm and unshakeable. Their body harbors no parasites. Their clothing and bedding remain clean and pure, free of any defilement. Their body and mind are pure, at ease, and free of excessive concerns. Their mind is never crooked or flattering, and harbors no stinginess or envy. They hold no esteem for gain, support, clothing, food, bedding, medicine, or any article of daily livelihood.

Within this profound Dharma, they engage in no contention whatsoever. Listening to the Dharma with a single mind, they constantly wish to be foremost among the assembly. Through this very merit, they become fully possessed of every pāramitā. In worldly skills and arts, they stand apart, surpassing the crowd. Contemplating every dharma, they find it entirely in accord with the true nature of the Dharma.

Even should māra manifest and transform the eight great hells, taking on the form of a bodhisattva and saying to them: "Should you fail to relinquish bodhicitta, you shall be reborn within these very hells" — beholding this terrifying vision, their mind still does not relinquish this aspiration. Should māra further say: "The Mahāyāna scriptures were not spoken by the Buddha," upon hearing these words, their mind remains entirely unchanged, constantly relying upon the true mark of the Dharma, never following after another's own claim.

Toward the suffering and affliction of birth and death, they hold no fear whatsoever. Hearing that some bodhisattva, having cultivated roots of goodness across asaṃkhyeya kalpas, has nonetheless retrogressed, their own mind does not sink into despair. And hearing that some bodhisattva has retrogressed into becoming merely an arhat, attaining meditative absorptions and expounding the Dharma to liberate others, their own mind likewise does not retrogress.

They are constantly able to perceive and recognize every work of māra. Should they hear it said that "omniscience itself is empty, the Great Vehicle's ten grounds are likewise empty, the sentient beings to be liberated are likewise empty, and every dharma, possessing nothing at all, is likewise like empty space itself" — should they hear words such as these, intended to confound their own mind and cause them to retrogress, grow weary, or become indolent — this bodhisattva instead redoubles their own diligent effort, and practices loving-kindness and compassion all the more deeply.

Should their own mind wish to enter the first, second, third, or fourth dhyāna, they do not follow after rebirth within these very absorptions, but instead return to give rise to dharmas belonging to the desire realm once more.

They have eliminated and broken through arrogance entirely, hold no esteem for praise, and their mind is free of any obstruction of anger.

Should they dwell as a householder, they are not stained or attached to the five desires, but receive them instead with a mind of weariness and renunciation, just as one takes medicine only because of illness. They do not sustain their own life through wrong livelihood. Nor do they, for the sake of sustaining their own life, cause any trouble or disturbance to others. It is solely for the sake of sentient beings' own attainment of peace and joy that they dwell as a householder at all.

The Guhyaka vajra-spirits constantly attend and guard them, and neither humans nor non-humans are able to disturb or confound them. Their own faculties are complete, lacking nothing whatsoever. They do not employ spells, poisons, or evil means to subdue others or cause harm. They do not delight in quarrels or disputes. They neither exalt themselves nor demean others. They do not practice divination or physiognomy to foretell fortune or misfortune.

They take no delight in speaking of worldly matters — namely, kings and their ministers and subjects, lands and their borders, warfare, weapons and armor, clothing, wine and food, matters concerning women, ancient events of the past, or matters of the great ocean. Matters such as these, they take no delight in speaking of at all. Nor do they go to watch or listen to song, dance, or music.

They delight only in speaking of the meaning corresponding to the pāramitās. They delight in expounding whatever dharma corresponds to the pāramitās, causing it to grow and increase further. They depart from every quarrel and dispute. They constantly aspire to behold a buddha, and, hearing that a buddha presently exists in some other realm, they vow to be reborn there. They are constantly reborn within the central lands.

They never doubt themselves, wondering: "Am I truly irreversible, or not?" — they know for certain, of their own accord, that they are irreversible. They perceive every kind of māra's own work, yet never follow after it. Even through the turning of successive lives, they never give rise to the mind of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha.

Even should māra manifest in the very form of a buddha, saying to them: "You ought to realize arhatship — I shall now expound the Dharma for you, and you shall accomplish arhatship this very moment" — they still place no faith in this, and do not accept it.

For the sake of guarding the Dharma, they begrudge neither body nor life, and constantly practice diligent effort. Whenever they expound the Dharma, there is no doubt or difficulty in it, and nothing lacking or amiss.

Matters such as these are called the marks of irreversibility. One able to accomplish these very marks should be known to be irreversible.

There are some who have not yet fully accomplished this — who, then, are these? Those who have not yet long entered the stage of irreversibility. Following the grounds thereafter, cultivating and gathering roots of goodness, as these roots of goodness grow ever deeper in turn, they attain these very marks of irreversibility.

Fascicle 4 of the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā Śāstra