The Profound Meaning of the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sutra from the Consciousness-Only Perspective (Second Edition)

Chapter 15: Section Fourteen on Freedom from Marks and Cessation (2)

The Six Perfections (pāramitās) Are Also Empty Marks

Original text:何以故。须菩提。如来说第一波罗蜜。即非第一波罗蜜。是名第一波罗蜜。须菩提。忍辱波罗蜜。如来说非忍辱波罗蜜。是名忍辱波罗蜜。

Explanation: Why is this said? Subhūti, when the Tathāgata speaks of the foremost pāramitā, there is not truly a foremost pāramitā; the foremost pāramitā is not a real mark—it is merely the name given to the practice of generosity/giving/almsgiving (dāna), called the foremost pāramitā. Subhūti, as for the pāramitā of forbearance, the Tathāgata says there is not truly a pāramitā of forbearance; the pāramitā of forbearance is also an illusory false mark—it is merely the name given to the practice of forbearance, called the pāramitā of forbearance.

The bodhisattva's six perfections are: generosity/giving/almsgiving (dāna), keeping precepts, forbearance, diligence, meditative concentration (samādhi), and wisdom. If one can bring forth the great bodhi mind and practice the six perfections in order to accomplish the Buddha Way, then one can reach the further shore of nirvāṇa, and the six practices thus performed are called the six pāramitās. Pāramitā means reaching the further shore of nirvāṇa. If one practices the six perfections without the bodhi mind, the six perfections are merely wholesome dharmas without pāramitā, and one cannot reach the further shore of nirvāṇa.

The first of the six pāramitās is the pāramitā of generosity/giving/almsgiving (dāna). All of the bodhisattva's practices of giving are accomplished by the vajra mind (vajra-citta), conjured up and sustained by the vajra mind (vajra-citta); they arise and cease, change, and are impermanent. Therefore the pāramitā of generosity/giving/almsgiving (dāna) is an empty mark, a false mark, not a real mark—it is "not the foremost pāramitā," provisionally named the foremost pāramitā. The practice of the pāramitā of forbearance is conjured up and accomplished by the vajra mind (vajra-citta); it has no substantial attributes, no real mark of forbearance, and no real mark of pāramitā. Therefore it is also an empty mark, a false mark, not a mark that truly exists; hence it is also "not the pāramitā of forbearance," provisionally named the pāramitā of forbearance. The pāramitā of keeping precepts, the pāramitā of diligence, the pāramitā of meditative concentration (samādhi), and the pāramitā of wisdom are all likewise "not pāramitās"; they have no real marks, all being illusory empty marks, false marks, provisionally named pāramitās.

When bodhisattvas cultivate the six pāramitās, they can see the mind and see the nature, reaching the further shore of nirvāṇa. But these six pāramitās exist in dependence on the tathāgatagarbha, the mind of ultimate reality (dharmatā-citta), and also in dependence on the bodhisattva's illusory body of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) can the six pāramitās be cultivated. Since the body of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) is not real and is a false mark, then the six pāramitās cultivated in dependence on the body of the five aggregates are of course even more a false mark, even more "not a mark." What is called the pāramitā of forbearance is in fact merely one after another, or countless, false phenomenal appearances, none of which is ultimate reality itself. These false phenomenal appearances are marks of the mental activities of the manas, and also marks born and manifested by the tathāgatagarbha; on the surface they seem to exist, but in essence they do not. The cultivation of the pāramitā of forbearance is a dharma of arising, ceasing, and change, not constant and unchanging. One act of forbearance is produced and then ceases; then another act of forbearance arises and again ceases. Countless acts of forbearance constitute the bodhisattva's pāramitā of forbearance, and by means of this the bodhisattva can reach the further shore of birth-and-death.

Acts of forbearance are the actions of the body of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) and the seven consciousnesses. The five aggregates themselves are already "not a mark"; the seven consciousnesses arise, cease, and change moment by moment, and the six consciousnesses cease once every day—all are false and unreal. How much more so the acts of forbearance that depend on the five aggregates and seven consciousnesses—they are even more "not a mark," even more false and illusory. Therefore the pāramitā of forbearance has no self-nature, is not self-existent; it is merely a surface appearance, merely a name.

Why Is the Pāramitā of Forbearance "Not the Pāramitā of Forbearance"?

Original text:何以故。须菩提。如我昔为歌利王。割截身体。我于尔时。无我相。无人相。无众生相。无寿者相。何以故。我于往昔。节节支解时。若有我相人相众生相寿者相。应生嗔恨。须菩提。又念过去于五百世。作忍辱仙人。于尔所世。无我相无人相。无众生相。无寿者相。

Explanation: Why is the pāramitā of forbearance "not the pāramitā of forbearance"? Subhūti, for example, in the past when King Kaliṅga cut and mutilated my body, at that time within my mind there was no mark of self, no mark of person, no mark of sentient being, and no mark of life span. Why do I say there were none? Because in the past, when my body was being dismembered joint by joint, if there had been in my mind the mark of self, the mark of person, the mark of sentient being, and the mark of life span, anger and resentment would have arisen. Subhūti, I also recall that in the past, for five hundred lifetimes, I was a forbearance ṛṣi; in all those lifetimes, within my mind there was no mark of self, no mark of person, no mark of sentient being, and no mark of life span.

When the World-Honored One in the past had his body cut and mutilated by King Kaliṅga, because in his mind there was no mark of self, no mark of person, and no mark of sentient being, no anger toward King Kaliṅga arose. If the World-Honored One had had a mark of self, he would have felt "my body is being cut and mutilated, I am in great pain," and because of the pain, anger would have arisen. If the World-Honored One had had the mark of person and the mark of sentient being, he would have felt that King Kaliṅga ordered his attendants to cut and damage my body, causing painful contact to my body, and would have generated anger toward King Kaliṅga and his attendants. But at that time the World-Honored One truly had no mark of self, no mark of person, and no mark of sentient being; even though King Kaliṅga dismembered his body joint by joint, the World-Honored One did not give rise to any anger. On the surface it appears the World-Honored One was cultivating the practice of forbearance and had the pāramitā of forbearance, but in fact the World-Honored One was not forbearing anything, because the World-Honored One's mind was without marks, and thus he did not feel humiliated and had no need to forbear—there was no forbearance, no pāramitā of forbearance.

The World-Honored One, in five hundred past lifetimes, was a forbearance ṛṣi, specifically cultivating the pāramitā of forbearance; yet because the World-Honored One had no mark of self, no mark of person, and no mark of sentient being, he did not feel there was any humiliation, and thus did not feel there was anything to forbear. The pāramitā of forbearance had no mark of forbearance; the World-Honored One's pāramitā of forbearance is "not the pāramitā of forbearance." If the World-Honored One had had these marks in mind, he would have needed to forbear, and there would have been a pāramitā of forbearance. Therefore what is called the pāramitā of forbearance is "not the pāramitā of forbearance"—this is the realm of one who has accomplished the practice of forbearance. One who has not yet accomplished the practice of forbearance has the mark of forbearance, and may also have the pāramitā of forbearance.

Likewise, one cultivating the pāramitā of generosity/giving/almsgiving (dāna), if in mind there is no mark of self, no mark of person, no mark of sentient being, and no mark of life span, does not feel there is an "I" giving, and does not fret over to whom and what wealth and goods one has given; then there is no mark of giving, and there will be no pāramitā of generosity/giving/almsgiving (dāna) either. The mind is empty, pure, and vast, without obstruction; the merit attained is the most vast, immeasurable and boundless. If one keeping the precepts has in mind no mark of self, no mark of person, no mark of sentient being, and no mark of life span, then there is no mark of "I am keeping precepts" and no mark of the precepts being kept; then there is no mark of the pāramitā of keeping precepts. When there is no precept to be guarded or kept, that is true keeping of precepts—without burden, the mind empty and unobstructed. It is the same with cultivating the pāramitā of diligence, the pāramitā of meditative concentration (samādhi), and the pāramitā of wisdom: with no mark of self, no mark of person, no mark of sentient being, and no mark of life span, there is no mark of the pāramitā of diligence, no mark of the pāramitā of meditative concentration (samādhi), no mark of the pāramitā of wisdom, and no mark of cultivation—only then is it true diligence, true dhyāna, and true wisdom.

Because of the realization of wisdom and meditative concentration (samādhi), the World-Honored One had realized the exhaustion of the aggregate of feeling, and his body could be without sensation of feeling; therefore, when his body was cut and mutilated, he felt no pain, and could endure his limbs being dismembered without fainting. If the World-Honored One at that time had had the mark of person and the mark of sentient being, he would have been furious at King Kaliṅga, thinking this person was humiliating him, was cruel and tyrannical toward him, and thus would have generated anger toward King Kaliṅga, and would have cursed him, wanting to take revenge on King Kaliṅga and his men. If the World-Honored One at that time had had the mark of life span, he would have risen up in resistance, stopping King Kaliṅga and the executioners from cutting and destroying his body. Because having one's body cut and mutilated presages imminent death, the disappearance of life, the ending of this present lifespan. But the World-Honored One at that time neither resisted nor gave rise to anger; this proves that the World-Honored One at that time was without the four marks.

At that time the World-Honored One was a bodhisattva free from the four marks, a bodhisattva cultivating the six pāramitās; He manifested as a forbearance ṛṣ i and cultivated the practice of forbearance—His cultivation free from the four marks had already lasted five hundred lifetimes.

Why Should Bodhisattvas, in Bringing Forth the Bodhi Mind, Not Dwell on Marks?

Original text:是故须菩提。菩萨应离一切相。发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心。不应住色生心。不应住声香味触法生心。应生无所住心。若心有住。则为非住。是故佛说。菩萨心不应住色布施。须菩提。菩萨为利益一切众生。应如是布施。

Explanation: Therefore, Subhūti, a bodhisattva should bring forth the mind of anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi—the mind aspiring to Buddhahood to benefit and bring joy to sentient beings—free from all marks. One should not give rise to mind dwelling on material form; one should not give rise to mind dwelling on sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; in bringing forth the bodhi mind, one should give rise to a mind that dwells nowhere. If the bodhisattva's resolve dwells on these dharma-marks, these so-called dwellings are all improper dwellings, dwellings not in accord with reason; the results are all empty, illusory, and unattainable—there is no dwelling to be had. Therefore the Buddha said the bodhisattva's mind should not dwell on material form when giving. Subhūti, in order to benefit all sentient beings, a bodhisattva should give in just this way, dwelling nowhere.

Why should a bodhisattva bring forth the bodhi mind free from all marks? Because bringing forth the bodhi mind is for the sake of benefiting self and others, accomplishing the Buddha Way together with sentient beings, reaching the further shore of nirvāṇa, attaining tranquil coolness, and abiding in a state of empty stillness. To reach such a state and realize such a state, one must personally realize the ultimate reality of the vajra mind (vajra-citta), and at the same time realize the empty marks of all dharmas manifested by the vajra mind (vajra-citta). Since all dharma-marks are empty and unattainable, bringing forth the mind dwelling on marks, cultivating while dwelling on marks, and giving while dwelling on marks all run counter to the Buddha Way and cannot attain the realization of bodhi. Therefore when bodhisattvas bring forth the bodhi mind, they should not do so for the sake of various unattainable worldly benefits—for instance, to obtain an adorned appearance, to obtain wealth and glory, to be born in heaven and enjoy blessings, to obtain supernatural powers, to gain immortality, to gain the worship of sentient beings, to defeat others, to become a wheel-turning sage king, to become a lord of heaven, and so forth. All of these dwell on form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas, and none can fulfill the great vow of bodhi or accomplish the great way of bodhi.

If the mind has a dwelling, dwelling on the marks of the six sense objects and clinging to the marks of the six sense objects, that is a dwelling not in accord with the Dharma, not corresponding to unsurpassed bodhi. Therefore the Buddha said that when bodhisattvas bring forth the mind and cultivate giving, they should not dwell on form when giving, and should not practice giving for the sake of benefits in material form. They should not dwell on sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas, and should not practice the pāramitā of giving for the sake of benefits in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; they should bring forth the mind dwelling nowhere with respect to all dharmas, just like the vajra mind (vajra-citta).

Why should a bodhisattva not give rise to mind dwelling on form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas? First, because the vajra prajñā mind is a bodhi mind that does not dwell on marks; He Himself does not dwell on a single dharma. Only if the conscious mind accords with the nature of the bodhi mind can one become a Buddha; if the conscious mind dwells on the marks of the six sense objects, it is not empty, contradicts the nature of the vajra mind (vajra-citta), and does not correspond to the vajra prajñā mind—then the Buddha Way cannot be accomplished. Second, because the marks of the six sense objects are dharmas of arising, ceasing, and change, dharmas that cannot long abide; cultivating while dwelling on marks will waste one's effort, and bodhi will not be attained. Third, in giving while dwelling on marks, there are marks in the mind, and thus there is obstruction, there is ignorance; one cannot thoroughly see the ultimate reality of the dharmadhātu, the mind is not empty and pure, and one cannot reach the further shore of nirvāṇa; with dharmas in the mind, the fruit of Buddhahood cannot be accomplished. Therefore bodhisattvas cultivating the Buddha Way should bring forth the mind and cultivate without dwelling anywhere.

If a bodhisattva's mind has a dwelling while practicing giving, the sentient beings who benefit are few, and one cannot universally benefit all sentient beings. Because the mind is limited, the merit is limited, and the wisdom is also limited, one cannot universally and extensively benefit all sentient beings.

Original text:如来说一切诸相。即是非相。又说一切众生。即非众生。须菩提。如来是真语者。实语者。如语者。不诳语者。不异语者。

Explanation: The Tathāgata says that all marks in the world of the three realms are not truly existent marks; the Tathāgata also says that all sentient beings are not truly sentient beings—there is no substantial mark of sentient being. Subhūti, the Tathāgata is one who speaks true words, never speaking false words; the Tathāgata is one who speaks real words, never speaking falsely; the Tathāgata is one who does not speak deceitful words, never deceiving sentient beings; the Tathāgata is also one who does not speak two-tongued words, never speaking two kinds of speech.

All marks in the world are illusory marks of arising, ceasing, and change conjured up by the tathāgatagarbha; none has autonomy or self-existence, none has its own substantial existence—their essence is all the nature of the tathāgatagarbha. All marks of sentient beings are likewise illusory marks conjured up by the tathāgatagarbha, without autonomy or self-existence, without a real self-nature. On the surface they seem to have the attributes of sentient beings, with the activities of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) of sentient beings, but in fact they are all manifested and conjured by the tathāgatagarbha; there is no mark of sentient being in any real sense.

The word "Tathāgata" explicitly refers to the Buddha of the five-aggregate body and implicitly refers to the Dharmakāya Buddha (dharma-kāya-buddha). The Dharmakāya Buddha (dharma-kāya-buddha) is formless and markless; it is the Buddha's undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna) and sentient beings' tathāgatagarbha. The "Tathāgata" of the Dharmakāya Buddha (dharma-kāya-buddha) refers to the tathatā mind-substance, refers to the tathāgatagarbha. After attaining Buddhahood, the Buddha's seven consciousnesses and the Dharmakāya's undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna) have similar nature-virtues; having extinguished all ignorance, their mental nature is very close to tathatā, and their mental factors are the same: the five universal mental factors, the five particular mental factors, and the eleven wholesome mental factors—all eight consciousnesses have twenty-one mental factors.

True words are words of correct truth. They are words of direct perception, meaning the tathāgatagarbha can manifest realms of direct perception, without inference or non-valid cognition. All accord with reality and facts, and also accord with sentient beings' karmic seeds, always faithfully presenting the original appearance of sentient beings' karmic actions. Real words are words of truthfulness. Whatever karma sentient beings create—wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral/indeterminate (avyākṛta)—the tathāgatagarbha faithfully records, stores, and outputs it, faithfully actualizing sentient beings' karmic results, never altering or omitting sentient beings' karmic actions, karmic seeds, or karmic retribution; whatever karma it is, that karma is recorded; whatever retribution it is, that retribution is actualized.

"Such words" (如语) on the one hand refer to truthful words, real words, and on the other hand refer to the suchness-immovability of the mind-substance, unmoving in thought, without mental activity. When the tathāgatagarbha creates all dharmas, its inner mind is such and unmoved, not giving rise to thoughts. There are no moods, no emotions—completely neutral feeling (upekṣā-vedanā). "One who does not speak deceitful words": deceit means to beguile, to cheat, to defraud; the tathāgatagarbha has never beguiled sentient beings, has never deceived sentient beings. But sentient beings' six consciousnesses are always unwholesome in verbal karma, deceptive in speech, not speaking true words, not speaking truthful words—false speech, divisive speech, frivolous speech, and harsh speech without cease. They often feint in one direction while attacking another, point at the mulberry to curse the locust tree, conceal the truth of matters, fabricate lies, habitually speak untruthful words and falsehoods, cover up faults, envy the worthy and resent the able—creating every kind of verbal karma.

"One who does not speak divergent words": divergent means to vary, to differ, to change, to be another way, to be otherwise. Divergent words mean being one way to one's face and another behind one's back, saying one thing to A and another to B, or saying one thing at one time and changing to another at another time—two kinds of speech—or changing as soon as one has spoken, not keeping one's word. These mental activities are the mental activities of ordinary people's six consciousnesses; such is the unwholesome verbal karma created by the six consciousnesses, lacking virtue of speech. And not knowing remorse or regret, being shameless and without shame—these are afflictive bad habits. But the tathāgatagarbha never speaks two kinds of speech, never speaks inconsistent words, does not flip back and forth, and is not muddled and contradictory. He will not store sentient beings' wholesome karmic seeds and output unwholesome karmic seeds, making sentient beings suffer unwholesome retribution; conversely, He will not store unwholesome karmic seeds and output wholesome karmic seeds, making sentient beings receive wholesome retribution. He is not one way to one's face and another behind one's back; He undergoes no variation whatsoever, and will never be unfaithful to karmic seeds and cause and effect.

And the Sambhogakāya Buddha (saṃbhoga-kāya-buddha), the Nirmāṇakāya Buddha (nirmāṇa-kāya-buddha), and the manifested Buddha who have bodies of the five aggregates are, like the Dharmakāya Buddha (dharma-kāya-buddha), forever speakers of true words, forever speakers of real words, forever speakers of such words, forever non-speakers of deceitful words, forever non-speakers of divergent words. Because the Buddha's seven consciousnesses have extinguished all ignorance, afflictions, and afflictive habits, and have ultimately transformed consciousness into wisdom, their virtue is incomparable and unsurpassed, their verbal karma is perfect and flawless without a single blemish, harmonious and unobstructed, causing all sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions to admire and venerate them beyond measure.

Original text:须菩提。如来所得法。此法无实无虚。

Explanation: Subhūti, the dharma attained by the Tathāgata—this dharma is neither real nor false.

What dharma can the Tathāgata ultimately attain? And why is it neither real nor false? The dharma accomplished by the Tathāgata, briefly summarized: the Tathāgata with a body of the five aggregates has removed all defilement and ignorance, ultimately realized unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, fulfilled unsurpassed bodhi, fully possessed the incomparably adorned thirty-two marks, and established a pure and adorned Buddha-land to gather in sentient beings with affinity so that together they accomplish the Buddha Way. And the Dharmakāya Buddha (dharma-kāya-buddha) without a body of the five aggregates—the undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna)—ultimately transformed consciousness into wisdom, becoming the great mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna) whose light illuminates the great trichiliocosm; its virtuous nature perfectly and universally illuminates all dharmas—no dharma unknown, no dharma unrealized, no dharma unilluminated.

Whether it is the Sambhogakāya Buddha (saṃbhoga-kāya-buddha), Nirmāṇakāya Buddha (nirmāṇa-kāya-buddha), or manifested Buddha with the thirty-two marks, or the markless Dharmakāya Buddha (dharma-kāya-buddha), the dharma attained is neither real nor false, neither existent nor nonexistent. If one says these dharmas are false, yet the Buddhas do after all possess the thirty-two marks, do after all transform consciousness into wisdom, do after all realize the fruit of Buddhahood, do after all extensively deliver immeasurable sentient beings, can after all manifest countless hundreds of millions of bodies, can after all establish countless Buddha-lands, have after all perfected omniscience/wisdom of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā), know after all every dharma, are after all perfectly clear on every matter, with wisdom pure without remainder, and have after all increased endless wisdom-functions and virtues, reaching perfection, becoming the unsurpassed honored one. These dharmas truly exist in the Tathāgata; they are not fabricated, not imagined. The Tathāgatas and Buddhas, through three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas of arduous cultivation of the Way, enduring the unbearable and practicing the unpracticable, for sentient beings and for Buddhism, poured out endless effort and toil—their merit could not be exhausted or fully praised in countless kalpas.

If one says the dharmas attained by the Tathāgata are real, yet these dharmas are after all subject to arising, ceasing, and change, conjured by the undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna) and manifested by the undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna). For example, the Tathāgata's body of the five aggregates is also born of causes and conditions, and scatters when the conditions cease; the thirty-two marks that accompany the body of the five aggregates will also disperse as conditions disperse. When conditions gather, the Tathāgata will again manifest countless and countless bodies of the five aggregates with the thirty-two marks and eighty excellent characteristics. The Buddha-lands manifested by the Tathāgata to deliver sentient beings appear when conditions arise and scatter when conditions cease. When conditions gather, countless Buddha-lands will again be manifested, thereby receiving and embracing immeasurable and immeasurable sentient beings. Only the Tathāgata's undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna) and great mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna) are the true dharmas that will never, ever change—truly existent and not false.

Original text:须菩提。若菩萨心。住于法而行布施。如人入暗。则无所见。若菩萨心不住法。而行布施。如人有目。日光明照。见种种色。

Explanation: Subhūti, if a bodhisattva, while practicing giving, has a mind dwelling on the marks of the six sense objects as he gives, that is like a person entering a dark place who can see only darkness and nothing else. If a bodhisattva, while practicing giving, has a mind that does not dwell on the marks of the six sense objects, not dwelling on any dharma as he gives, that is like a person whose eyes are intact, with the sunlight shining down brightly—he can see all kinds of forms, not blinded by darkness.

Why does giving with a mind dwelling on marks result in being blinded by darkness, unable to see forms? Because this bodhisattva's mind and eyes are full of forms, recognizing only forms, and thus cannot see the true dharma-marks behind the forms; the mind is blinded by forms, and what he sees are all illusory marks, not corresponding to ultimate reality. This bodhisattva is bound by illusory marks and will ultimately not attain liberation. For example, a bodhisattva gives in order to obtain a beautiful appearance, to obtain the retribution of wealth and honor, to ascend to heaven and enjoy pleasures, to gain others' admiration, to gain the throne of a wheel-turning sage king and dominion over sentient beings, and so forth. All of these are worldly conditioned dharmas that must perish when conditions scatter. Such mental activities do not correspond to the vajra prajñā mind of ultimate reality; the mind cannot be empty and pure, and the true fruit of bodhi cannot be attained.

If a bodhisattva, in giving, clings to the marks of the six sense objects, he cannot see the true marks of the six sense objects, cannot realize that the six sense objects are all manifested and sustained by the mind of ultimate reality (dharmatā-citta), are all functions of the tathāgatagarbha, the mind of ultimate reality (dharmatā-citta), and thus cannot attain the patience with non-arising and the patience with the non-arising of dharmas. Giving while dwelling on marks, seeking worldly dharmas with a mind of acquisition—his mind-capacity is narrow, his vision limited, his wisdom not broad or great, and the Buddha Way cannot be accomplished. If a bodhisattva gives with a mind not dwelling on marks, because his mind has no acquisition, it accords with, matches, and corresponds to the bodhi mind, and he will surely realize bodhi. Because this bodhisattva does not cling to the marks of the six sense objects, he also does not cling to the mark of self, the mark of person, the mark of sentient being, and the mark of life span; his mind is inwardly empty and pure, with no acquisition, and at all times he can see the true marks of all dharmas. His mind-capacity is vast, his merit is vast, and the wisdom of non-arising and the wisdom of the patience with the non-arising of dharmas will also gradually become vast and boundless; he will swiftly accomplish the Buddha Way and perfect bodhi.

Original text:须菩提。当来之世。若有善男子。善女人。能于此经受持读诵。则为如来。以佛智慧。悉知是人。悉见是人。皆得成就。无量无边功德。

Explanation: Subhūti, in the coming age of the Dharma's ending, if there are good men and good women who can receive, uphold, read, and recite this sūtra, then I, with the pure and vast Buddha wisdom possessed by the Tathāgata, will completely know these people and completely see these people, and they will all accomplish immeasurable and boundless merit.

Why can these good men and good women who receive, uphold, read, and recite the Vajra Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra all accomplish immeasurable and boundless merit? Because those who can hear the Vajra Sūtra know that they themselves and all sentient beings are fully endowed with the indestructible vajra mind (vajra-citta); their merit is already beyond measure. After hearing it, if they can cultivate in accordance with the Dharma and realize this vajra prajñā mind of ultimate reality (dharmatā-citta), their merit is even more inconceivable. Their wisdom will also become ever deeper and broader, the assemblies of humans and gods they deliver will be beyond measure, and in the future they will swiftly accomplish the Buddha Way. To receive and uphold the Vajra Sūtra, one must be a person who has already realized and awakened to the vajra prajñā mind of ultimate reality (dharmatā-citta); otherwise one cannot truly believe and accept it, nor truly practice and uphold it.

"Upholding" means relying on the vajra mind of ultimate reality (dharmatā-citta) to remove the defilements and ignorance of the seven consciousnesses and to grow the great wisdom of prajñā. "Reading" means interpreting and understanding the prajñā meaning of the tathāgatagarbha. "Reciting" means the prajñā meaning has become familiar and deeply planted in the mind. "Receiving" means accepting and taking in: after realizing the tathāgatagarbha, one can receive, observe, and contemplate (vipaśyanā-caryā) the nature and functioning of the tathāgatagarbha. "Upholding" means relying on the tathāgatagarbha to change one's own mental activities. Therefore, without realizing and awakening to the tathāgatagarbha, one cannot truly read and recite, receive and uphold it, cannot widely propagate the dharma of the tathāgatagarbha, and cannot extensively deliver immeasurable sentient beings. Therefore the good men and good women who receive, uphold, read, and recite the Vajra Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra can all accomplish immeasurable and boundless merit.