[At that time, the Mahāsattva Mahāmati again addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I pray that you will explain the characteristics of assertion and denigration, so that I and all the bodhisattva mahāsattvas may abandon the two erroneous extreme views of assertion and denigration and swiftly attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi. Having awakened, we will depart from the eternalist assertion, eliminate the view of denigration, and not disparage the true Dharma.”]

At the beginning of this sūtra, Mahāmati Bodhisattva praises the Buddha in verse, emphasizing three times that “wisdom does not apprehend existence or nonexistence, yet gives rise to great compassion.” Thus, the Tathāgata’s true wisdom is neither existent nor nonexistent. To speak of what is originally nonexistent as existent is called assertion; this is eternalism. To speak of what is originally not nonexistent as nonexistent is called denigration; this is annihilationism.

True wisdom is suchness: it can be described neither as existent nor as nonexistent. To speak of existence or nonexistence is to disparage the Dharma. Assertion is the disparagement of superimposition; denigration is the disparagement of diminution; both existent and nonexistent is the disparagement of contradiction; neither existent nor nonexistent is the disparagement of vain conceptualization. Mahāmati Bodhisattva asks the Buddha: “Please explain to us the manifest characteristics of assertion and denigration, so that we may leave behind these two extreme views and swiftly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. After awakening, we will depart from the eternalist assertion and the annihilationist denigration, and thus not disparage the true Dharma.”

[Then the World-Honored One, having accepted Mahāmati Bodhisattva’s request, spoke these verses:]

In response to Mahāmati Bodhisattva’s question, the Buddha spoke the following verse:

[Assertion and denigration— Neither has such a measure of mind. The assertion of body and possessions, And what the mind cannot know: Through ignorance and lack of wisdom, Assertion and denigration arise.]

Assertion and denigration are both measures of mind, measurements made by one’s own mind. Originally, these two views do not exist; neither can be obtained. Hence it is said, “Neither has such a measure of mind.” Body refers to the physical body, which is the direct recompense. Possessions refer to wealth and other resources, which are the dependent recompense. All these are delusive manifestations of one’s own mind. Because of ignorance and lack of wisdom, people do not know that these are delusive manifestations of their own mind. They therefore mistakenly conceive existence and nonexistence and fall into the two views.

[Then the World-Honored One further clarified the meaning of this verse, telling Mahāmati: “There are four kinds of assertions of existence where there is no existence. What are the four? They are the assertion of characteristics where there are no characteristics, the assertion of views where there are no views, the assertion of causes where there are no causes, and the assertion of inherent nature where there is no inherent nature. These are called the four kinds of assertion. Denigration means that, with respect to what has been asserted, one finds nothing obtainable and, through improper observation, gives rise to denigration. These are called the characteristics of assertion and denigration.”]

The Buddha then reiterated and clarified the meaning of this verse. He told Mahāmati Bodhisattva that there are four kinds of “asserting existence where there is no existence.” This means reckoning something as existent when it is not; that is, conceiving as existent what originally does not exist. What are these four kinds? They are the assertion of characteristics where there are no characteristics, the assertion of views where there are no views, the assertion of causes where there are no causes, and the assertion of inherent nature where there is no inherent nature.

Denigration does not arise independently; it follows from the dharmas of assertion. When one seeks what has been asserted and finds it unobtainable, one then disparages it by saying that all dharmas are nonexistent. First there is attachment to existence, and afterward one falls into emptiness. Being unable to depart from the two extremes of emptiness and existence is called “improper observation.” Because of such improper observation, the view of denigration arises. This is a general explanation of the characteristics of assertion and denigration; they will now be explained separately.

[Furthermore, Mahāmati, what are the characteristics of asserting characteristics where there are no characteristics? It is to conceive and become attached to the aggregates, realms, and sense-fields as having no self-characteristics or common characteristics, saying, “This is thus; this is not different.” This is called the assertion of characteristics where there are no characteristics. This assertion of characteristics where there are no characteristics arises from the faults of beginningless false delusive thought and attachment through various habitual tendencies.]

What is the “assertion of characteristics where there are no characteristics”? Dharmas such as the five aggregates, six sense-fields, and eighteen realms originally have neither self-characteristics nor common characteristics; they have no real existence and are only illusions of consciousness. Yet people arbitrarily conceive of them and become attached, saying that these are thus and those are not different. “Thus” means self-characteristics, and “not different” means common characteristics.

Self-characteristics and common characteristics are originally nonexistent, yet they are reckoned to exist where there is no existence. This is the “assertion of characteristics where there are no characteristics.” It is an error generated by habitual tendencies of various false and delusive thoughts and attachments from beginningless time. Hence it is said, “It arises from the faults of beginningless false delusive thought and attachment through various habitual tendencies.”

[Mahāmati, what are the characteristics of asserting views where there are no views? It is to establish views of self, person, sentient being, life span, nurture, and personhood with respect to such aggregates, realms, and sense-fields. This is called the assertion of views where there are no views.]

What is the “assertion of views where there are no views”? With respect to dharmas such as the five aggregates, six sense-fields, and eighteen realms, people mistakenly give rise to views of self, person, sentient being, and life span, as well as views of nurture and personhood. This is the “assertion of views where there are no views.” Here, “nurture” refers to sustenance through food, resources, sleep, and the like. Regularly maintaining and nourishing oneself in order to endure for a long time is the view of nurture. “Personhood,” mentioned earlier, may be understood simply as the spiritual self. Sentient beings mistakenly conceive that they possess the function of personhood, enabling them to trade, keep accounts, manage enterprises, farm, and work in crafts. This is the view of personhood.

[Mahāmati, what are the characteristics of asserting causes where there are no causes? It is to claim that initial consciousness arises without a cause, and that what follows is unreal, like an illusion, and originally unborn. Through eye, form, light, space, and thought, what previously arose, having arisen, truly returns to destruction. This is called the assertion of causes where there are no causes.]

What is the “assertion of causes where there are no causes”? Let us first explain “initial consciousness arises without a cause, and what follows is unreal, like an illusion.” At the beginning, ignorance stirs delusively and gives rise to the eight consciousnesses. These have never departed from one’s own mind; it is not as non-Buddhist paths claim, that there is some separate external cause beyond the mind. This is “initial consciousness arises without a cause.”

What does “what follows is unreal, like an illusion” mean? The previously discussed “assertion of characteristics where there are no characteristics” mistakenly takes the object aspect of the eight consciousnesses to be truly existent. The “assertion of views where there are no views” mistakenly takes their perceiving aspect to be truly existent. In fact, the perceiving and object aspects of the eight consciousnesses arise illusorily only after the formation of the eight consciousnesses; they are not truly existent. Hence it is said that “what follows is unreal, like an illusion.”

Since they are like illusions, how could they arise? Thus it is said, “Originally unborn.” The separate external cause posited by non-Buddhist paths is what is meant by “a cause.” Because what non-Buddhist paths assert is nonexistent, it is called “no cause.” For example, when the four conditions of eye, form, light, and space are complete, there arise the seer and the seen.

Yet all that fills the eye is arising and ceasing: “What previously arose, having arisen, truly returns to destruction.” Therefore, know that it is unreal, like an illusion, and lacks any substantial entity. If it truly possessed a substantial entity, it should not perish in an instant, but should abide permanently and remain indestructible. Once we know that it arises and ceases instant by instant and has no substantial entity, we know that the four conditions likewise have no reality. Would not the separate external cause asserted by non-Buddhist paths also “truly return to destruction”? Therefore, the theory of separate causes cannot stand. This is the characteristic of asserting causes where there are no causes.

[Mahāmati, what are the characteristics of asserting inherent nature where there is no inherent nature? It is to become attached to the assertion of inherent nature with respect to space, cessation, and parinirvāṇa, which are unproduced. This is apart from inherent nature and non-inherent nature. All dharmas are like the horns of rabbits and horses, and like hair hanging before the eyes: apart from existence and nonexistence. This is called the assertion of inherent nature where there is no inherent nature.]

What is the “assertion of inherent nature where there is no inherent nature”? First, let us discuss the three unconditioned dharmas: the unconditioned dharma of space, the unconditioned dharma of cessation through discernment, and the unconditioned dharma of cessation not through discernment. In the sūtra, “space” refers to the unconditioned dharma of space; “cessation” refers to cessation not through discernment; and “parinirvāṇa” refers to cessation through discernment. These three unconditioned dharmas all lack the nature of production, and are therefore called “unproduced.”

Yet assertion is conditioned and produced. Because it is in fact unproduced and unconditioned, the asserted has no inherent nature that can be obtained; hence it is called “no inherent nature.” The phrase in the sūtra, “this is apart from inherent nature and non-inherent nature,” means that assertion is apart from inherent nature and also apart from non-inherent nature. “Apart from” means to leave behind, to have no connection with.

To be apart from inherent nature and non-inherent nature means to have no connection with either “inherent nature” or “non-inherent nature.” This is the “assertion of inherent nature where there is no inherent nature.” Yet foolish ordinary people of non-Buddhist paths conceive inherent nature where there is none, mistakenly asserting and clinging to a real inherent nature—“becoming attached to the assertion of inherent nature.” Inherent nature means real nature, that is, actual existence; non-inherent nature means the absence of real nature, that is, annihilatory nonexistence.

Dharma here refers to things and their principles. All dharmas refers to all things and their principles. “All dharmas are like the horns of rabbits and horses, and like hair hanging before the eyes: apart from existence and nonexistence” means that all dharmas are originally neither existent nor nonexistent. The horns of rabbits and horses are an analogy for nonexistence.

When hanging hairs obstruct the eyes, one does not see what is real but instead sees illusory images; these illusory images are not altogether absent. This is an analogy for non-nonexistence. Nonexistence means that they are not truly existent and therefore have no real inherent nature. Non-nonexistence means that illusory images are not altogether absent, but since they are not truly existent, they likewise have no real inherent nature. This is the characteristic of asserting inherent nature where there is no inherent nature.

[Assertion and denigration are the delusive thoughts of foolish ordinary people. They do not skillfully observe the immediate manifestation of their own minds and are not sages. Therefore, one should cultivate the practice of departing from the erroneous views of assertion and denigration.]

Assertion and denigration are both the delusive thoughts of ignorant ordinary people. They are not skilled at contemplating the immediate manifestations of their own minds; unable to understand that things are neither existent nor nonexistent, they mistakenly conceive existence and nonexistence. They are, after all, not sages. Therefore, abandoning the two erroneous views of assertion and denigration should be the direction of cultivation for great bodhisattvas.

[Furthermore, Mahāmati, bodhisattva mahāsattvas thoroughly understand mind, mentation, and consciousness, the five dharmas, inherent nature, and the characteristics of the twofold selflessness, and proceed toward the ultimate. For the sake of comforting sentient beings, they manifest forms of various kinds, relying on dependent arising in the realm of delusive thoughts and inherent nature. It is like a wish-fulfilling jewel of many colors, which universally manifests all Buddha-lands and all assemblies of the Tathāgatas, who all hear and receive the Buddha Dharma within it. That is, all dharmas are like illusions and dreams, like light and shadow, and like the moon in water.]

In the sūtra, “mind, mentation, and consciousness” refers to the eight consciousnesses. Great bodhisattvas thoroughly understand the five dharmas, the three inherent natures, the eight consciousnesses, and the twofold selflessness, and can proceed toward the ultimate ground. Having accomplished their own practice, they then transform sentient beings and manifest forms according to the different kinds of beings. Hence it is said that they “manifest forms of various kinds.”

They do so only to bring comfort to sentient beings and therefore guide them in accord with conditions. Yet the dependent arising of delusive thought is originally unborn in its arising; the dharmakāya accords with conditions, transforming without truly transforming. Hence it is said that they “rely on dependent arising in the realm of delusive thoughts and inherent nature.”

“A wish-fulfilling jewel of many colors universally manifests all Buddha-lands” is an analogy for a bodhisattva manifesting all bodies through one body, even universally manifesting all Buddha-lands and, together with all the assemblies, hearing and receiving the Tathāgata’s teaching. What is taught is like an illusion or dream, like an image in a mirror or the moon in water. They universally manifest all Buddha-lands, yet not a single dharma can be obtained; though not a single dharma can be obtained, they universally manifest all Buddha-lands. The Tathāgata’s self-awakened noble wisdom reaches its ultimate consummation here.

[With regard to all dharmas, they are free from arising and ceasing, annihilation and eternalism, and from the dharmas of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. They attain hundreds of thousands of samādhis, even hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of samādhis. Having attained samādhi, they travel through the Buddha lands, make offerings to the Buddhas, are born in the palaces of the devas, proclaim the Three Jewels, manifest Buddha bodies, and are surrounded by great assemblies of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas. By means of what is manifested by their own minds, they liberate sentient beings, explaining in detail that external objects have no inherent nature, causing them all to depart from such views as existence and nonexistence.]

This passage of the sūtra says that there is no dharma outside the mind. “External objects have no inherent nature” means that external realms are manifested solely by the mind; there is no so-called “objective” external realm. No real nature can be found in external realms. The dharmas of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas involve arising and ceasing, annihilation and eternalism.

The Four Noble Truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and the path, cultivated by the śrāvakas, posit birth and death as something that can be ended and cessation as something that can be realized; they take cessation (nirvāṇa) to be eternal.

The twelve links of dependent origination cultivated by the pratyekabuddhas—ignorance, volitional formations, consciousness, name and form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, and old age and death—investigate the process of “arising” in even greater detail. Naturally, the process of “cessation” is likewise detailed: when ignorance ceases, volitional formations cease; when volitional formations cease, consciousness ceases . . . until, when birth ceases, old age and death cease.

Detailed though they may be, they still posit arising and ceasing as something that can be ended and nirvāṇa as something that can be realized. The sūtra says, “With regard to all dharmas, they are free from arising and ceasing, annihilation and eternalism, and from the dharmas of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas”—one should depart from these dharmas. As the Heart Sūtra says: “There is no ignorance and also no ending of ignorance, up to and including no old age and death and also no ending of old age and death; no suffering, origination, cessation, or path.”

“Samādhi” is a transliteration; it is also translated as sanmodi or sanmodi, and is rendered semantically as “right concentration,” meaning freedom from deviant distraction and the gathering of the mind so that it is not scattered. “Nayuta” is also a transliteration, alternatively rendered ayuta; semantically, it means one hundred million, referring to an exceedingly large number.

“They attain hundreds of thousands of samādhis, even hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of samādhis.” Simply put, this means attaining immeasurable samādhis. After attaining immeasurable samādhis, they “travel through the Buddha lands, make offerings to the Buddhas, are born in the palaces of the devas, proclaim the Three Jewels, manifest Buddha bodies, and are surrounded by great assemblies of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas.” All these are manifestations of one’s own mind; no real nature can be found in them.

“By means of what is manifested by their own minds, they liberate sentient beings, explaining in detail that external objects have no inherent nature, causing them all to depart from such views as existence and nonexistence.” To liberate sentient beings by means of what is manifested by one’s own mind is, of course, to teach them that “external objects have no inherent nature”—that there is no external, objective realm outside the mind. This enables them all to depart from incorrect views such as existence and nonexistence.

[At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke these verses:]

Having finished explaining the foregoing principles, the Buddha gave a concise summary in verse, restating this meaning:

[The mind-measured world / Buddhist disciples contemplate / bodies of every kind / free from contrived activity / they attain powerful spiritual powers / and accomplish them with ease]

The meaning of this verse is as follows: Buddhist disciples observe with wisdom that this world and all the various kinds of bodies within it are manifestations of their own minds; there is no dharma outside the mind. “Contrived activity” means activity involving deliberate action; it is conditioned. “Free from contrived activity” means unconditioned. “Powerful spiritual powers” refers to the immeasurable samādhis mentioned above.

Having departed from the conditioned, they attain immeasurable samādhis and effortlessly accomplish the foregoing: “traveling through the Buddha lands, making offerings to the Buddhas, being born in the palaces of the devas, proclaiming the Three Jewels, manifesting Buddha bodies, being surrounded by great assemblies of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas, liberating sentient beings by means of what is manifested by their own minds, and explaining in detail that external objects have no inherent nature.”

Summary of This Section:

Establishment and refutation mean assertion and negation. Neither asserting nor negating is to depart from establishment and refutation. In response to Mahāmati Bodhisattva’s question, the Buddha explained in detail the outward forms—the modes of expression—of establishment and refutation. He then pointed out that one should depart from establishment and refutation. Even ultimately attaining Buddhahood and liberating vast numbers of sentient beings is illusory; it is not establishment.

Even completely ending all afflictions is illusory; it is not refutation. All these are manifestations of one’s own mind; there is no dharma outside the mind. This section not only criticizes the teachings of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the Lesser Vehicle, but also clearly points out that even directly realizing the sacred wisdom of the Tathāgata, ultimately attaining Buddhahood, and liberating vast numbers of sentient beings—the teachings of such an unsurpassed vehicle—are not truly existent and cannot be grasped. As the Heart Sūtra says: “There is no wisdom and no attainment.”