The Characteristic of Naturelessness

At that time, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Born of the Ultimate said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, once, when I was alone in a quiet place, this thought arose in my mind: 'The World-Honored One has, through countless gateways, taught the own-characteristics of the aggregates, their arising-characteristic and ceasing-characteristic, their permanent severing and full knowledge. As with the aggregates, so too with the sense-fields, dependent origination, and the forms of nutriment. Through countless gateways he has taught the own-characteristics of the truths, their full knowledge, permanent severing, realization, and cultivation. Through countless gateways he has taught the own-characteristics of the elements, the many kinds of elements, the non-oneness of the elements, their permanent severing and full knowledge. Through countless gateways he has taught the own-characteristics of the establishments of mindfulness, what they counteract and what counteracts through them, and their cultivation, causing what has not yet arisen to arise, and causing what has arisen to remain firm, not be forgotten, be cultivated further, increase, and expand. As with the establishments of mindfulness, so too with the right efforts, bases of spiritual power, faculties, powers, and factors of awakening. Through countless gateways he has taught the own-characteristics of the noble eightfold path, what it counteracts and what counteracts through it, and its cultivation, causing what has not yet arisen to arise, and causing what has arisen to remain firm, not be forgotten, be cultivated further, increase, and expand.'

"And yet the World-Honored One has also said: 'All dharmas have no own-nature, do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature.' I do not yet understand what hidden intent the World-Honored One relies on in saying this. I now ask the Tathāgata about this meaning. May the Tathāgata, out of compassion, explain the hidden intent in saying that all dharmas have no own-nature, do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature."

At that time, the World-Honored One told Bodhisattva Born of the Ultimate, "Good, good, Born of the Ultimate. What you have thought through is very much according to the principle. Good, good, good son. You are now able to ask the Tathāgata about such a profound meaning. You have raised this question wishing to benefit and bring happiness to immeasurable sentient beings, out of compassion for the world and for devas, humans, asuras, and others, so that they may obtain benefit, welfare, and happiness. Listen carefully. I will explain to you the hidden intent in what has been said: 'All dharmas have no own-nature, do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature.'"

"Born of the Ultimate, you should understand that I say, with hidden intent, that all dharmas have no own-nature by relying on three kinds of naturelessness: naturelessness of characteristic, naturelessness of arising, and naturelessness in the ultimate sense.

"Good son, what is the naturelessness of characteristic of dharmas? It is the discriminated, attached-to characteristic of dharmas. Why? Because this is established as a characteristic by provisional names, not established as a characteristic by an own-characteristic. Therefore it is called naturelessness of characteristic.

"What is the naturelessness of arising of dharmas? It is the dependent characteristic of dharmas. Why? Because this exists through the power of conditions dependent on others. It does not exist naturally by itself. Therefore it is called naturelessness of arising.

"What is the naturelessness in the ultimate sense of dharmas? Because dharmas have naturelessness of arising, they are said to have naturelessness. These very dharmas that arise from conditions are also called naturelessness in the ultimate sense. Why? Among dharmas, when there is an object-field that is the pure objective support, I reveal that as naturelessness in the ultimate sense. The dependent characteristic is not an object-field that is the pure objective support. Therefore it too is called naturelessness in the ultimate sense.

"There are also dharmas with the perfectly accomplished characteristic, which are also called naturelessness in the ultimate sense. Why? The dharma-selflessness of all dharmas is called the ultimate, and may also be called naturelessness, because it is the ultimate truth of all dharmas and because it is revealed by naturelessness. For this reason, it is called naturelessness in the ultimate sense.

"Good son, it is like flowers in the sky: you should understand naturelessness of characteristic in the same way. It is like an illusory image: you should understand naturelessness of arising in the same way, and also one part of naturelessness in the ultimate sense. It is like empty space, which is revealed only by the naturelessness of all forms and pervades everywhere: you should understand one part of naturelessness in the ultimate sense in the same way, because it is revealed by the dharma-selflessness of dharmas and because it pervades everything.

"Good son, relying on these three kinds of naturelessness, I say with hidden intent, 'All dharmas have no own-nature.'"

"Born of the Ultimate, you should understand that I say with hidden intent, relying on naturelessness of characteristic, 'All dharmas do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature.' Why? If a dharma has no own-characteristic whatsoever, then there is no arising. If there is no arising, then there is no ceasing. If there is no arising and no ceasing, then it is originally quiescent. If it is originally quiescent, then it is nirvāṇa by nature. Within this there is not even the slightest portion of anything that could further be brought to final nirvāṇa. Therefore I say with hidden intent, relying on naturelessness of characteristic, 'All dharmas do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature.'

"Good son, I also say with hidden intent, relying on naturelessness in the ultimate sense as revealed by dharma-selflessness, 'All dharmas do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature.' Why? Naturelessness in the ultimate sense as revealed by dharma-selflessness is, always and ever, constantly and continually, the dharma-nature of dharmas, abiding and unconditioned. Because it is not associated with any defilement, and because the dharma-nature of dharmas abides always and ever, constantly and continually, it is unconditioned. Because it is unconditioned, it does not arise and does not cease. Because it is not associated with any defilement, it is originally quiescent and nirvāṇa by nature. Therefore I say with hidden intent, relying on naturelessness in the ultimate sense as revealed by dharma-selflessness, 'All dharmas do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature.'"

"Furthermore, Born of the Ultimate, I do not establish the three kinds of naturelessness because the various sentient beings in the realm of sentient beings separately contemplate the discriminated, attached-to own-nature as own-nature, nor because they separately contemplate the dependent own-nature and the perfectly accomplished own-nature as own-nature. Rather, because sentient beings superimpose the discriminated, attached-to own-nature upon the dependent own-nature and the perfectly accomplished own-nature, I establish the three kinds of naturelessness.

"Because of the characteristic of the discriminated, attached-to own-nature, those sentient beings give rise to language within the dependent own-nature and the perfectly accomplished own-nature. However they give rise to language, just so, because their minds are perfumed by language, because they awaken along with language, and because the latent tendencies of language remain, they attach to the characteristic of the discriminated, attached-to own-nature within the dependent own-nature and the perfectly accomplished own-nature.

"However they attach, just so they attach to the discriminated, attached-to own-nature upon the dependent own-nature and the perfectly accomplished own-nature. Because of this condition, the dependent own-nature of future lives is born. Because of this condition, they are stained either by the defilement of afflictions, or by the defilement of karma, or by the defilement of birth. In birth and death they run for a long time, wander for a long time, and have no rest. Whether in hell, among animals, among hungry ghosts, in the heavens, among asuras, or among humans, they undergo sufferings and torments."

"Furthermore, Born of the Ultimate, there are sentient beings who from the beginning have not planted roots of goodness, have not purified obstructions, have not matured their continuum, have not cultivated much resolute understanding, and have not been able to accumulate the two provisions of merit and wisdom. For their sake, relying on naturelessness of arising, I teach dharmas. Having heard this, they are able, in some measure, to understand that all conditioned phenomena arising from conditions are impermanent, not constant, unstable, and subject to change and decay. Then, toward all conditioned phenomena, fear arises in their minds, and they give rise to deep disenchantment. Having fear in their minds and deep disenchantment, they stop evils, are able not to commit evil dharmas, and are able diligently to cultivate wholesome dharmas. Because they practice wholesome causes, those who have not planted roots of goodness are able to plant roots of goodness, those whose obstructions are not purified are able to purify them, and those whose continuum is not matured are able to mature it. Through this condition, they cultivate much resolute understanding and also accumulate much of the two provisions of merit and wisdom.

"Although in this way they plant roots of goodness, up to accumulating the two provisions of merit and wisdom, within naturelessness of arising they are not yet able to know naturelessness of characteristic and the two kinds of naturelessness in the ultimate sense exactly as they are. Toward all conditioned phenomena, they are not yet properly disenchanted, not yet properly free from desire, not yet properly liberated, not yet completely liberated from the defilement of afflictions, not yet completely liberated from the defilement of karma, and not yet completely liberated from the defilement of birth.

"For them, the Tathāgata further teaches the essential Dharma: naturelessness of characteristic and naturelessness in the ultimate sense. He does so wishing to cause them to become properly disenchanted toward all conditioned phenomena, properly free from desire, properly liberated, beyond all defilement of afflictions, beyond all defilement of karma, and beyond all defilement of birth.

"Having heard this teaching, within naturelessness of arising they are able rightly to trust and understand naturelessness of characteristic and naturelessness in the ultimate sense. They examine and think it through, and penetrate it exactly as it is. Within the dependent own-nature, they are able not to attach to the characteristic of the discriminated, attached-to own-nature. Through wisdom not perfumed by language, wisdom not awakening along with language, and wisdom free from the latent tendencies of language, they are able to extinguish the dependent characteristic. Sustained by the power of wisdom in this present life, they are able permanently to cut off and extinguish the causes of future lives. Through this condition, toward all conditioned phenomena they are able to be properly disenchanted, properly free from desire, properly liberated, and completely liberated from the three defilements of afflictions, karma, and birth."

"Furthermore, Born of the Ultimate, sentient beings of the śrāvaka-vehicle lineage also realize unsurpassed, peaceful nirvāṇa by this path, this track of practice. Sentient beings of the solitary-buddha-vehicle lineage and sentient beings of the Tathāgata-vehicle lineage also realize unsurpassed, peaceful nirvāṇa by this path, this track of practice. All śrāvakas, solitary buddhas, and bodhisattvas share this one wondrous, pure path and share this one ultimate purity. There is no second. Relying on this, I say with hidden intent, 'There is only one vehicle.' It is not that within the entire realm of sentient beings there are no differences among the various sentient-being lineages, or among sentient beings of dull faculties, medium faculties, and sharp faculties.

"Good son, if a person of the śrāvaka lineage is wholly inclined toward quiescence, then even if the buddhas establish many kinds of vigorous applied practices and skillful guidance for them, in the end they cannot cause that person, seated at the place of awakening, to realize unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening. Why? Because from the beginning that person has only an inferior lineage, is wholly weak in compassion, and is wholly afraid of many sufferings. Because such a one is wholly weak in compassion, they wholly turn away from the work of benefiting sentient beings. Because they are wholly afraid of many sufferings, they wholly turn away from initiating the work of conditioned practices. I never say that one who wholly turns away from the work of benefiting sentient beings and wholly turns away from initiating the work of conditioned practices can, seated at the place of awakening, attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening. Therefore such a one is called a śrāvaka wholly inclined toward quiescence.

"If a person of the śrāvaka lineage turns toward bodhi, I also, by another gateway, call that person a bodhisattva. Why? Having already been liberated from the afflictive obstruction, if awakened by the buddhas, that person's mind can also become liberated from the cognitive obstruction. Because at first they practice applied effort for their own benefit in order to escape the afflictive obstruction, the Tathāgata designates them as belonging to the śrāvaka lineage."

"Furthermore, Born of the Ultimate, within my well-spoken, well-established Dharma and Vinaya, within the good teaching taught from the most utterly pure intention, various differences in the understandings of sentient beings can be found. Good son, relying only on these three kinds of naturelessness, and because of profound hidden intent, the Tathāgata teaches essentials of Dharma in a hidden form within the sūtras he has taught that are not of definitive meaning: that all dharmas have no own-nature, do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature.

"In these sūtras, if sentient beings have planted superior roots of goodness, purified their obstructions, matured their continuum, cultivated much resolute understanding, and accumulated superior provisions of merit and wisdom, then when they hear this Dharma, they understand exactly as it is my speech of profound hidden intent. They give rise to deep trust and understanding toward such Dharma, and with non-inverted wisdom they penetrate such meaning exactly as it is. Because they cultivate well on the basis of this penetration, they can quickly realize the most ultimate end. They also give rise to deep pure faith in me, knowing that the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the perfectly awakened Buddha, has directly and perfectly awakened to all dharmas.

"If sentient beings have planted superior roots of goodness, purified their obstructions, matured their continuum, and cultivated much resolute understanding, but have not yet accumulated superior provisions of merit and wisdom, and if their character is straightforward, of a straightforward type, then even though they do not have the strength to reason through what should be rejected and what should be established, they do not abide in clinging to their own views. When they hear this Dharma, even though they do not have the strength to understand exactly as it is my speech of profound hidden intent, they can give rise to resolute understanding of this Dharma and generate pure faith. They believe that this scripture is spoken by the Tathāgata, is profound, reveals the profound, corresponds with emptiness, is difficult to see and difficult to awaken to, cannot be thought through, is not an object within the reach of ordinary thought, and is understood by subtle, careful, intelligent, wise people.

"Regarding the meaning taught in this scripture, they abide in humility and say: 'The bodhi of the buddhas is most profound. The dharma-nature of dharmas is also most profound. Only the Buddha Tathāgata can understand it well. It is not something we can understand. The buddhas, the Tathāgatas, turn the true Dharma teaching for sentient beings of many kinds of resolute understanding. The knowledge and vision of the buddhas, the Tathāgatas, is boundless. Our knowledge and vision is like a cow's footprint.' Toward this scripture, although they can revere it, explain it to others, copy it, guard and uphold it, read it, circulate it, make earnest offerings to it, receive it, recite it, and review it, they still cannot initiate applied practice through its mode of cultivation. Therefore, they cannot penetrate the words spoken from my profound hidden intent. Through this condition, those sentient beings are still able to increase the two provisions of merit and wisdom, and they are also able to mature the continuum that was not yet mature.

"If sentient beings, as broadly described above, still have not accumulated superior provisions of merit and wisdom, and if their character is not straightforward, not of a straightforward type, then even though they have the strength to reason through what should be rejected and established, they again abide in clinging to their own views. When they hear this Dharma, they cannot understand my profound hidden-intent speech exactly as it is. Although they give rise to trust and understanding toward such Dharma, they attach to the meaning by following the words, saying that all dharmas definitely have no own-nature, definitely do not arise and do not cease, definitely are originally quiescent, and definitely are nirvāṇa by nature. Through this condition, they acquire views of nonexistence and views of no characteristics with regard to all dharmas.

"Because they acquire views of nonexistence and views of no characteristics, they reject all characteristics as being no characteristics, and deny the discriminated, attached-to characteristic, the dependent characteristic, and the perfectly accomplished characteristic of dharmas. Why? Because it is only with the dependent characteristic and the perfectly accomplished characteristic that the discriminated, attached-to characteristic can be provisionally established. If they view the dependent characteristic and the perfectly accomplished characteristic as no characteristics, they also deny the discriminated, attached-to characteristic. Therefore it is said that they deny all three characteristics. Although they form the idea of Dharma toward my Dharma, they form the idea of meaning toward what is not the meaning. Because they form the idea of Dharma toward my Dharma and form the idea of meaning toward what is not the meaning, they hold this Dharma to be the Dharma and hold what is not the meaning to be the meaning. Although their merit increases because they give rise to trust and understanding toward the Dharma, because they attach to what is not the meaning, they lose wisdom. Because wisdom declines, they lose vast, immeasurable wholesome dharmas.

"There are also sentient beings who hear from others that Dharma is Dharma and what is not the meaning is the meaning. If they follow that view, then they form the idea of Dharma toward the Dharma and the idea of meaning toward what is not the meaning, grasping Dharma as Dharma and what is not the meaning as the meaning. Through this condition, you should understand that they, like the former, lose wholesome dharmas.

"If there are sentient beings who do not follow that view, but suddenly hear from such people that all dharmas have no own-nature, do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature, they become frightened. Having become frightened, they say: 'This is not the Buddha's word. It is spoken by Māra.' Having understood it in this way, they slander and revile this scripture. Through this condition, they receive great decline and touch a great karmic obstruction. For this reason I say that if someone gives rise to a view of no characteristics with regard to all characteristics, and proclaims what is not the meaning as the meaning, this is a means for giving rise to vast karmic obstruction, because that person causes immeasurable sentient beings to fall and obtain great karmic obstruction.

"Good son, if sentient beings have not planted roots of goodness, have not purified obstructions, have not matured their continuum, do not have much resolute understanding, and have not accumulated the provisions of merit and wisdom; if their character is not straightforward, not of a straightforward type, and even though they have the strength to reason through what should be rejected and established, they constantly abide in clinging to their own views, then when they hear this Dharma, they cannot understand my speech of profound hidden intent exactly as it is. They also do not give rise to trust and understanding toward this Dharma. They form the idea of non-Dharma toward this Dharma and the idea of non-meaning toward this meaning. They grasp this Dharma as non-Dharma and this meaning as non-meaning, proclaiming: 'This is not the Buddha's word. It is spoken by Māra.' Having understood it in this way, they slander and revile this scripture, reject it as false, and through countless gateways destroy, demolish, and subdue this scripture. Toward those who trust and understand this scripture, they form the idea of enemies.

"They were previously obstructed by karmic obstructions. Through this condition, they are again obstructed by such karmic obstructions. Such karmic obstruction is easy to set up at first, but up to hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of eons, there is no time of escape. Good son, in this way, within my well-spoken, well-established Dharma and Vinaya, within the good teaching taught from the most utterly pure intention, these and other various differences in the understandings of sentient beings can be found."

At that time, Bodhisattva Born of the Ultimate again said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, the hidden-intent language of the buddhas, the Tathāgatas, is marvelous and rare, subtle and most subtle, profound and most profound, difficult to penetrate and most difficult to penetrate.

"As I now understand the meaning taught by the World-Honored One: within the patterns of conditioned phenomena that serve as the basis for the discriminated, attached-to characteristic that is the sphere of discrimination, when the form aggregate is provisionally established by name, whether as an own-nature characteristic or as a difference-characteristic, and when the arising of the form aggregate, the ceasing of the form aggregate, and the permanent severing and full knowledge of the form aggregate are provisionally established by name, whether as an own-nature characteristic or as a difference-characteristic, this is called the discriminated, attached-to characteristic. Based on this, the World-Honored One establishes the naturelessness of characteristic of dharmas.

"Those very patterns of conditioned phenomena that serve as the basis for the discriminated, attached-to characteristic that is the sphere of discrimination are called the dependent characteristic. Based on this, the World-Honored One establishes the naturelessness of arising of dharmas and one part of naturelessness in the ultimate sense. As I now understand the meaning taught by the World-Honored One: within those very patterns of conditioned phenomena that serve as the basis for the discriminated, attached-to characteristic that is the sphere of discrimination, because the discriminated, attached-to characteristic is not truly established, this own-nature's naturelessness, dharma-selflessness, suchness, and pure objective support is called the perfectly accomplished characteristic. Based on this, the World-Honored One establishes one part of naturelessness in the ultimate sense. As with the form aggregate, so it should be broadly explained for the other aggregates. As with the aggregates, so it should be broadly explained for each of the twelve sense-fields, each of the twelve links of existence, each of the four forms of nutriment, each of the six elements, and each of the eighteen elements.

"As I now understand the meaning taught by the World-Honored One: within the patterns of conditioned phenomena that serve as the basis for the discriminated, attached-to characteristic that is the sphere of discrimination, when the truth of suffering and full knowledge of the truth of suffering are provisionally established by name, whether as an own-nature characteristic or as a difference-characteristic, this is called the discriminated, attached-to characteristic. Based on this, the World-Honored One establishes the naturelessness of characteristic of dharmas. The same pattern applies to the dependent characteristic and the perfectly accomplished characteristic. As with the truth of suffering, so it should be broadly explained for the other truths. As with the noble truths, so it should be broadly explained for each of the establishments of mindfulness, right efforts, bases of spiritual power, faculties, powers, factors of awakening, and path factors.

"As I now understand the meaning taught by the World-Honored One: within the patterns of conditioned phenomena that serve as the basis for the discriminated, attached-to characteristic that is the sphere of discrimination, when right concentration is provisionally established by name, along with what right concentration counteracts and what counteracts through it, and when its correct cultivation, causing what has not yet arisen to arise and causing what has arisen to remain firm, not be forgotten, be cultivated further, increase, and expand, are provisionally established by name, whether as an own-nature characteristic or as a difference-characteristic, this is called the discriminated, attached-to characteristic. Based on this, the World-Honored One establishes the naturelessness of characteristic of dharmas. The dependent characteristic and perfectly accomplished characteristic should be understood in the same way. Based on this, the World-Honored One establishes one part of naturelessness in the ultimate sense.

"World-Honored One, it is like a universal medicine, which should be placed within every powder medicine and every immortal's medicinal formula. In the same way, World-Honored One, this definitive teaching of naturelessness, relying on the fact that all dharmas have no own-nature, do not arise, do not cease, are originally quiescent, and are nirvāṇa by nature, should be placed throughout all sūtras of non-definitive meaning.

"World-Honored One, it is like the ground of a painting. Throughout all the work of painting, whether blue, yellow, red, or white, it has the same single taste, and it also allows the work of painting to be revealed. In the same way, World-Honored One, this definitive teaching of naturelessness, relying on the fact that all dharmas have no own-nature, broadly speaking up to being nirvāṇa by nature, has one taste throughout all sūtras of non-definitive meaning and also reveals the meanings in those sūtras that were not definitive.

"World-Honored One, it is like adding clarified butter to all kinds of prepared delicacies, cakes, and fruits, causing an even better flavor to arise. In the same way, World-Honored One, placing this definitive teaching of naturelessness, relying on the fact that all dharmas have no own-nature, broadly speaking up to being nirvāṇa by nature, within all sūtras of non-definitive meaning gives rise to supreme joy.

"World-Honored One, it is like empty space, which pervades everywhere, has one taste everywhere, and does not obstruct any work to be done. In the same way, World-Honored One, this definitive teaching of naturelessness, relying on the fact that all dharmas have no own-nature, broadly speaking up to being nirvāṇa by nature, pervades all sūtras of non-definitive meaning, has one taste throughout them all, and does not obstruct any work cultivated by śrāvakas, solitary buddhas, or those of the Great Vehicle."

At that time, the World-Honored One praised Bodhisattva Born of the Ultimate: "Good, good, good son. You are now able to understand well the meaning of the Tathāgata's words of profound hidden intent. You have also made good analogies for this meaning: the world's universal medicine, the ground of a multicolored painting, clarified butter, and empty space. Born of the Ultimate, so it is, so it is. It is not otherwise. So it is, so it is. You should receive and uphold this."

Then Bodhisattva Born of the Ultimate again said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, at first, at one time, in Vārāṇasī, at the place where the sages descended, in the Deer Park, solely for those setting out toward the śrāvaka vehicle, you turned the true Dharma wheel by means of the characteristic of the four truths. Although this was marvelous and very rare, and in all the world devas, humans, and others had never before been able to turn it according to Dharma, still the Dharma wheel turned at that time was surpassed, allowed room for something further, was not of definitive meaning, and was a foothold for disputes.

"World-Honored One, in the past, during the second period, solely for those setting out to cultivate the Great Vehicle, you turned the true Dharma wheel in a hidden form, relying on all dharmas having no own-nature, not arising, not ceasing, being originally quiescent, and being nirvāṇa by nature. Although this was even more marvelous and very rare, still the Dharma wheel turned at that time was also surpassed, allowed room for something further, was not yet of definitive meaning, and was a foothold for disputes.

"World-Honored One, now, during the third period, universally for those setting out toward all vehicles, you turn the true Dharma wheel in an explicit form, relying on all dharmas having no own-nature, not arising, not ceasing, being originally quiescent, being nirvāṇa by nature, and having naturelessness. This is foremost in marvel and most rare. The Dharma wheel now turned by the World-Honored One is unsurpassed, leaves no room for something further, is truly of definitive meaning, and is not a foothold for disputes.

"World-Honored One, if a good son or good daughter hears and trusts this profound, definitive teaching spoken by the Tathāgata, relying on all dharmas having no own-nature, not arising, not ceasing, being originally quiescent, and being nirvāṇa by nature; if they copy it, guard and uphold it, make offerings to it, circulate it, receive and recite it, cultivate it, think it through according to the principle, and initiate applied practice through its mode of cultivation, how much merit is produced?"

At that time, the World-Honored One told Bodhisattva Born of the Ultimate, "Born of the Ultimate, the merit produced by this good son or good daughter is immeasurable, countless, and difficult to know by analogy. I will now briefly state only a small part for you. Compared with the soil of the great earth, the soil on a fingernail does not reach one hundredth, one thousandth, or one hundred-thousandth of it. No number, calculation, comparison, or smallest fraction reaches it. Or, compared with the water of the four great oceans, the water in a cow's footprint does not reach one hundredth of it, and so on up to the smallest fraction. In the same way, the merit obtained from hearing, trusting, and so on, up to initiating applied practice through the mode of cultivation, with regard to sūtras of non-definitive meaning, does not reach one hundredth, and so on up to the smallest fraction, of the merit accumulated by hearing and trusting this teaching of definitive meaning, and so on up to initiating applied practice through its mode of cultivation."

When he had said this, Bodhisattva Born of the Ultimate again said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, within this Dharma-gateway of the Saṃdhinirmocana, what should this teaching be called? How should I uphold it?"

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Born of the Ultimate, "Good son, this is called the Teaching of the Definitive Meaning of the Ultimate. You should uphold it as the Teaching of the Definitive Meaning of the Ultimate."

When this Teaching of the Definitive Meaning of the Ultimate was spoken, within the great assembly six hundred thousand sentient beings gave rise to the mind of unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening; three hundred thousand śrāvakas, far from dust and free of stain, obtained the pure Dharma eye with regard to dharmas; one hundred fifty thousand śrāvakas permanently exhausted the outflows and had their minds liberated; and seventy-five thousand bodhisattvas attained the forbearance regarding the non-arising of dharmas.