The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
Chapter 24: Dedication

Then the bodhisattva great being Maitreya said to the venerable Subhūti, “Blessed Subhūti, there is a foundation of meritorious action, endowed with rejoicing, that bodhisattva great beings have‍—a foundation of meritorious action that they dedicate to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, making common cause with all beings, without apprehending anything. Then there is a foundation of meritorious action, endowed with rejoicing, that all beings have; there is a foundation of meritorious action originating from the generosity of those who follow the vehicle of the śrāvakas and of those who follow the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas; and there are also foundations of meritorious action originating from their ethical discipline and meditation. [F.139.a] Among all these, the foundation of meritorious action endowed with rejoicing that bodhisattva great beings dedicate to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, making common cause with all beings, is said to be the best, it is said to be authentic, it is said to be foremost, {Ki.II-III: 123} it is said to be supreme, it is said to be perfect, it is said to be sublime, it is said to be unsurpassed, it is said to be the highest. It is said to be unequaled, and it is said to be equal to the unequaled. [B36]

“If you ask why, it is because the foundation of meritorious action originating from the generosity of those who follow the vehicle of the śrāvakas and of those who follow the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the foundations of meritorious action originating from their ethical discipline and meditation, are established in order that they themselves might be disciplined, in order that they themselves might be brought to peace, and in order that they themselves might attain final nirvāṇa. Their applications of mindfulness and [other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path, the four truths of the noble ones, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the gateways of liberation‍—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness‍—the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the four kinds of exact knowledge, and the six extrasensory powers, are also merely established in order that they themselves might be disciplined, in order that they themselves might be brought to peace, and in order that they themselves might attain final nirvāṇa. On the other hand, bodhisattvas dedicate their foundation of meritorious action, endowed with rejoicing, toward unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, making common cause with all beings and without apprehending anything, in order that all beings might be disciplined, brought to peace, and attain final nirvāṇa.”

Then the venerable Subhūti [F.139.b] replied to the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, “Bodhisattva great beings gather together all the roots of virtuous action endowed with the six perfections possessed by immeasurable, countless lord buddhas who have passed into final nirvāṇa in each world system of the countless, immeasurable, and inestimable world systems of the eastern direction, and by immeasurable, countless lord buddhas who have passed into final nirvāṇa in each world system of the countless, immeasurable, and inestimable world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, along with the nadir and the zenith, commencing from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, until they have passed into final nirvāṇa in the expanse of nirvāṇa where no aggregates are left behind, and until their Dharma [comes to an end].

“[They also gather together all] the foundations of meritorious action originating from the generosity of those who have entered into the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the foundations of meritorious action originating from their ethical discipline and meditation, the uncontaminated roots of virtuous action associated with [the paths] of learning, and the uncontaminated roots of virtuous action associated with [the paths] of no-more-learning.

“[They also gather together] the aggregate of ethical discipline that the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas have, along with their aggregate of meditative stability, their aggregate of wisdom, their aggregate of liberation, and their aggregate of seeing the wisdom of liberation; their altruism, great compassion, and countless and immeasurable buddha attributes; the Dharma revealed by those lord buddhas and all the roots of virtuous action of those who have attained the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa after training in that Dharma that has been revealed; [F.140.a] and [the roots of virtuous action] of those who have attained the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, those who have attained the fruit on no longer being subject to rebirth, those who have attained arhatship or individual enlightenment, and those who have entered into the maturity of the bodhisattvas.

“[They also gather together] the roots of virtuous action generated by them, whether the tathāgatas are present, or whether they have passed into final nirvāṇa. They rejoice with the supreme, foremost, best, perfect, most sublime, unsurpassed, and highest rejoicing, which is unequaled and equal to the unequaled. Having rejoiced in that manner, making common cause with all beings, they dedicate that foundation of their meritorious action, endowed with rejoicing, to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, with the words, ‘May we accomplish unsurpassed, complete enlightenment!’ If they do this, it is said that they will have entered into the vehicle of the bodhisattvas.

“If those noble children make this dedication with such thoughts, do they apprehend the foundations of meritorious action and their objective referents that give rise to such thoughts [of dedication], conceiving of them as a distinguishing mark?”

“The noble children who follow the Great Vehicle do not apprehend the foundations of meritorious action and their objective referents in such a way that they dedicate them to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment while conceiving of them as a distinguishing mark,” replied Maitreya.

Subhūti then said, “Since nonexistent foundations of meritorious action are not apprehensible, if those noble children were to gather together the roots of virtuous action of the lord buddhas who are present in the world systems of the ten directions, commencing from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment for as long as their Dharma remains, and all the roots of virtuous action of those noble sons or noble daughters who dwell in the vehicles of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, [F.140.b] and all the roots of virtuous action of the [paths of] learning, and all those roots of virtuous action of the [paths of] no-more-learning, and then dedicate them to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, in the manner of a distinguishing mark, they would have the mistaken idea, mistaken thought, and mistaken view that the impermanent is permanent, and they would have the mistaken idea, mistaken thought, and mistaken view that suffering is happiness, that nonself is self, and that the impure is pure. But are they not without such mistaken ideas?

“Just like the foundations of meritorious actions and their objective referents, all phenomena are indeed [nonexistent]. Enlightenment also is similar, the mind is also similar, and the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom are also similar. Physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are also similar. The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mental faculty are also similar. Sights, sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, and mental phenomena are also similar. The sensory elements, the sense fields, and the links of dependent origination are also similar. The emptiness of internal phenomena and the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, are also similar. The applications of mindfulness and [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path, are also similar. The truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways of liberation‍—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness‍—the extrasensory powers, [F.141.a] the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are also similar. {Ki.II-III: 125}

“In that case, just as the foundations of meritorious action and their objective referents [are nonexistent], if enlightenment is also similar, and the mind is also similar; the perfection of generosity is also similar, and the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom are also similar; the emptiness of internal phenomena and the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, are also similar; and the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the three gateways of liberation, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are also similar, then what are these foundations of meritorious action that are dedicated to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? What are their objective referents? What is that enlightenment? What is that mind? What are those roots of virtuous action? What is that foundation of meritorious action endowed with rejoicing?”

Maitreya replied, [F.141.b] “Bodhisattva great beings who practice the six perfections, who venerate many buddhas, who generate the roots of virtuous action, who have also been accepted by spiritual mentors, and who train in all the attributes that are empty of their own defining characteristics, do not make this dedication to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment conceiving of those foundations of meritorious action, those objective referents, those buddhas, those roots of virtuous action, or those foundations of meritorious action endowed with rejoicing as a distinguishing mark. These dedicate them not by way of duality, not by way of nonduality, not by way of signs, not by way of signlessness, not by way of apprehending, not by way of nonapprehension, not by way of affliction, not by way of purification, not by way of arising, and not by way of cessation.

“If, however, those bodhisattvas do not practice the six perfections, do not venerate many buddhas, do not generate the roots of virtuous action, are not accepted by spiritual mentors, and do not train in all the attributes that are empty of their own defining characteristics, they will then make this dedication to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment conceiving of those foundations of meritorious action, those objective referents, those lord buddhas, those roots of virtuous action, and those thoughts endowed with rejoicing as distinguishing marks.

“Blessed Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom that is revealed in this way should not be explained in the presence of a bodhisattva who has newly entered into the vehicle. The perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, [F.142.a] the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity that are revealed in this way should not be explained in the presence of a bodhisattva who has newly entered into the vehicle. The emptiness of internal phenomena and the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path that are revealed in this way should not be explained in the presence of a bodhisattva who has newly entered into the vehicle. The truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas that are revealed in this way should not be explained in the presence of a bodhisattva who has newly entered into the vehicle. Knowledge of all the dharmas, knowledge of the path, and all-aspect omniscience that are revealed in this way should not be explained in the presence of a bodhisattva who has newly entered into the vehicle. If you ask why, {Ki.II-III: 126} the mere faith that they have, the mere joy, the mere resolve, and the mere devotion that they have would be rendered nonexistent. [F.142.b]

“They should, however, be explained and revealed in the presence of bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible. This perfection of wisdom should be explained and it should be taught, just as it has been revealed, in the presence of those who have been accepted by spiritual mentors, those who have performed deeds of service on behalf of the conquerors, those who have generated the roots of virtuous action and venerated many buddhas. The perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity should be explained and taught, just as they have been revealed. The emptiness of internal phenomena and the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, should be explained and taught, just as they have been revealed. The applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, [great loving kindness], great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas should be explained and taught, just as they have been revealed. Knowledge of all the dharmas, knowledge of the path, and all-aspect omniscience should be explained and taught, just as they have been revealed. In their presence the attributes that are empty of their own defining characteristics should be explained and taught. When they hear this, they will not be afraid, they will not be frightened, and they will not be terrified. [F.143.a] It is in that manner, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings should dedicate the foundations of meritorious action, endowed with rejoicing, to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”

“Maitreya,” replied Subhūti, “if the thoughts by which they rejoice and dedicate the roots of virtuous action to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment are extinct, defunct, and nonexistent, and if these foundations of meritorious action, these objective referents, and these roots of virtuous action are also extinct, defunct, and nonexistent, what is that mind that rejoices, what are those foundations of meritorious action, what are those objective referents, and what are those roots of virtuous action that should be dedicated to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? How can the mind dedicate the mind? If the mind were to dedicate the mind in that manner, there would be two minds that would not meet! The intrinsic nature of mind cannot be dedicated.

“When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they know that the perfection of wisdom is a nonentity; that the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity are nonentities; that the emptiness of internal phenomena and the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, are nonentities; that the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path are nonentities; that the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, [F.143.b] the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers are nonentities; that the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, [great loving kindness], great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are nonentities; and that the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, individual enlightenment, knowledge of all the dharmas, knowledge of the path, and all-aspect omniscience are all nonentities, they should then dedicate the foundation of their meritorious action, endowed with rejoicing, to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If they make the dedication in this manner, they will make the dedication to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”

Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, said to the elder Subhūti, “Blessed Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings who have newly entered into the vehicle were to hear this teaching, they would be afraid, frightened, and terrified. Blessed Subhūti, how should bodhisattva great beings who have newly entered into the vehicle dedicate these roots of virtuous action to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? How do they, having acquired the foundation of meritorious action endowed with rejoicing, not dedicate it to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”

Then the venerable Subhūti, with reference to the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, replied to Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, [F.144.a] “Kauśika, if those bodhisattva great beings who have newly entered into the vehicle practice the perfection of wisdom and grasp this perfection of wisdom, without apprehending anything and by way of signlessness; if they practice the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, {Ki.II-III: 127} and the perfection of generosity, and grasp this perfection of generosity [and so forth], without apprehending anything and by way of signlessness; if they practice the emptiness of internal phenomena and grasp this emptiness of internal phenomena, without apprehending anything and by way of signlessness; if they practice the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, and grasp this emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, without apprehending anything and by way of signlessness; if they practice the applications of mindfulness and grasp these applications of mindfulness, without apprehending anything and by way of signlessness; if they practice the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path, and grasp this noble eightfold path [and so forth], without apprehending anything and by way of signlessness; if they practice the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, [great loving kindness], [F.144.b] great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and grasp these eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth], without apprehending anything and by way of signlessness; if they practice knowledge of all the dharmas, knowledge of the path, and all-aspect omniscience, and grasp all-aspect omniscience [and so forth], without apprehending anything and by way of signlessness, then they will have much devotion for the perfection of wisdom; they will have much devotion for the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity; they will have much devotion for the emptiness of internal phenomena; they will have much devotion for the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities; they will have much devotion for the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment; they will have much devotion for the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions; they will have much devotion for the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; they will have much devotion for the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and they will have much devotion for knowledge of all the dharmas, knowledge of the path, and all-aspect omniscience.

“They will be favored by spiritual mentors, and those spiritual mentors will also reveal to them the six perfections in accordance with their meaning and letters. They will teach them in such a way that they will not be separated in any way from the perfection of wisdom, until they have entered upon the maturity of the bodhisattvas. [F.145.a] They will teach them in such a way that they will not be separated from the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity. They will teach them in such a way that they will not be separated from all the aspects of emptiness. They will teach them in such a way that they will not be separated from the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the five extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, [great loving kindness], great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.

“They will also teach them about the deeds of Māra, and, once they have heard about those deeds of Māra, how those deeds are without decline or increase; if you ask why, it is because those deeds of Māra are without inherent existence. Until they enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity they will not be separated from the lord buddhas. They will also generate the roots of virtuous action, and by these roots of virtuous action they will indeed secure the spiritual family of the bodhisattvas. Until they attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they will never be separated from the spiritual family of the bodhisattvas.

“Moreover, Kauśika, bodhisattva great beings who have newly entered into the vehicle [F.145.b] should gather, assimilate, and evaluate all the merits accrued by immeasurable, countless tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas who are alive at present in the countless, immeasurable world systems in each of the directions‍—eastern, southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern, along with the nadir and the zenith‍—and by the lord buddhas along with their saṅghas of śrāvakas who teach the Dharma, and by those whose modes of conceptual elaboration have been cut off, whose verbal pathways are unimpaired, whose burden has been relinquished, whose pangs of death have been eliminated, whose fetters of rebirth have been cut off, and whose minds have been absolutely liberated by genuine understanding. [They should gather, assimilate, and evaluate] all the roots of virtue, as many as have been generated by those of great and lofty royal families, {Ki.II-III: 128} by those of great and lofty priestly families, by those of great and lofty householder families, and by the gods of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika, Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahma­pariṣadya, Brahmapurohita, Mahābrahmā Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana and Akaniṣṭha, or by anyone else. They should rejoice in these [virtuous actions] with the best, most authentic, supreme, perfect, foremost, most sublime, unsurpassed, and highest rejoicing that is unequaled and equal to the unequaled. And having rejoiced, making common cause with all beings, they should dedicate those to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”

Then the great bodhisattva [F.146.a] Maitreya asked the venerable Subhūti, “If bodhisattva great beings who have newly entered into the vehicle bring to mind all those roots of virtuous action of the lord buddhas and the saṅghas of the śrāvakas of the lord buddhas, and having reflected upon these, rejoice in them with the best, most authentic, supreme, perfect, foremost, most sublime, unsurpassed, and highest rejoicing that is unequaled and equal to the unequaled, and dedicate them to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, how will those bodhisattva great beings not have a mistaken idea, how will they not have mistaken thoughts, and how will they not have mistaken views?”

“Maitreya,” replied Subhūti, “even though those bodhisattva great beings bring to mind the lord buddhas along with their śrāvakas, they will not perceive the buddhas, they will not perceive the śrāvakas, they will not perceive the roots of virtuous action, and they will not perceive the mind even in those thoughts through which the dedication is made. If this is the case, bodhisattva great beings who make the dedication in that manner will be without mistaken ideas, they will be without mistaken thoughts, and they will be without mistaken views. If, on the other hand, those bodhisattva great beings were to bring to mind those lord buddhas, along with their śrāvakas and those roots of virtuous action, holding them as a distinguishing mark, and after holding them as a distinguishing mark were then to dedicate them to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, that would constitute a mistaken idea, [F.146.b] a mistaken thought, and a mistaken view on the part of bodhisattva great beings.

“If those bodhisattva great beings genuinely reflect on the mind by which they think of those lord buddhas, along with their śrāvakas, and know that that which is extinct is extinct, they cannot make their dedication by means of that which is extinct. {Ki.II-III: 129} Rather, it is said that it is the very reality of the mind by which the dedication is made and it is the very reality of phenomena to which the dedication is made. If they make the dedication in that manner, they will make an authentic dedication. It will not be erroneous. So that is the manner in which bodhisattva great beings should dedicate the roots of virtuous action.

“If bodhisattva great beings were to gather together, assimilate, and evaluate all the roots of virtuous action of the lord buddhas of the past, future, and present, commencing from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment for as long as their Dharma remains; as well as all the roots of virtuous action of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and among them all the roots of virtuous action generated by many ordinary persons, along with all the teachings of the Dharma that they have heard; and also among them, all the roots of virtuous action generated by gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas; and all the roots of virtuous action generated by members of great and lofty royal families, by members of great and lofty priestly families, and by members of great and lofty householder families; and by the gods of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika, and the gods [of other realms], up to and including Akaniṣṭha, along with all the Dharmas that they have heard, and all the settings of the mind on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment that they have accrued, and then were to rejoice in them with the best, most authentic, supreme, perfect, foremost, most sublime, unsurpassed, and highest rejoicing that is unequaled and equal to the unequaled, [F.147.a] and dedicate all these to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment‍—and if they were to make this dedication, [knowing] that those attributes are extinct, defunct, nonexistent, and reversed, and that even the thought of those to whom the dedication is made is empty of inherent existence‍—then they will have dedicated these to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

“Phenomena will not dedicate phenomena. If you ask why, it is because all phenomena are empty of inherent existence. If they know this, and if they make their dedication accordingly, they will have made their dedication to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. So it is that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, and practice the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity, they will not have mistaken ideas, they will not have mistaken thoughts, and they will not have mistaken views. If you ask why, it is because these bodhisattva great beings are not attached to their dedication. They are not attached to those roots of virtuous action, and they do not observe even enlightenment. Nor do they even observe the mind of enlightenment to which they could be attached. This is the unsurpassed dedication of bodhisattva great beings.

“If bodhisattva great beings know that their accumulation of the foundation of meritorious action is devoid of the aggregates, sensory elements, and sense fields; if they know that it is devoid of the perfection of wisdom; if they know that it is devoid of the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, {Ki.II-III: 130} and [F.147.b] the perfection of generosity; if they know that it is devoid of the emptiness of internal phenomena; if they know that it is devoid of the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities; if they know that it is devoid of the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment; and if they know that it is devoid of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, then, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings will gather the foundation of meritorious action and dedicate it to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

“If bodhisattva great beings know that that foundation of meritorious action, endowed with rejoicing, is devoid of the essential nature of this accumulation, and if they know that the lord buddhas are devoid of the essential nature of the buddhas; that the roots of virtuous action are devoid of the essential nature of the roots of virtuous action; that those accumulations are devoid of the essential nature of the accumulations; that the mind of enlightenment is devoid of the essential nature of the mind of enlightenment; that dedication is devoid of the essential nature of dedication; that enlightenment is devoid of the essential nature of enlightenment; that the perfection of wisdom is devoid of the essential nature of the perfection of wisdom; that the perfection of meditative concentration [F.148.a] is devoid of the essential nature of the perfection of meditative concentration; that the perfection of perseverance is devoid of the essential nature of the perfection of perseverance; that the perfection of tolerance is devoid of the essential nature of the perfection of tolerance; that the perfection of ethical discipline is devoid of the essential nature of the perfection of ethical discipline; that the perfection of generosity is devoid of the essential nature of the perfection of generosity; that the emptiness of internal phenomena is devoid of the essential nature of the emptiness of internal phenomena; that the emptiness of external phenomena is devoid of the essential nature of the emptiness of external phenomena; that the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is devoid of the essential nature of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena; that the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, are devoid of the essential nature of the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities; that the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment are devoid of the essential nature of the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment; that the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways enlightenment are devoid of the essential nature of the dhāraṇī gateways [and so forth]; and that the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are devoid of the essential nature of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth], then those bodhisattva great beings will accordingly practice the perfection of wisdom that is void. This is perfection of wisdom that bodhisattva great beings have.

“Moreover, if bodhisattva great beings dedicate the roots of virtuous action of those lord buddhas and their saṅghas of śrāvakas who have passed into final nirvāṇa, [F.148.b] they should make the dedication in the following manner: Just as those lord buddhas have passed into final nirvāṇa, these roots of virtuous action, too, have passed into final nirvāṇa. This dedication of those roots of virtuous action, which has been definitively made, has also passed into final nirvāṇa. The mind by which the dedication is made is also similar. If one knows this to be their essential nature, then they will dedicate these to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If they make the dedication in that manner, they will have no mistaken ideas, they will have no mistaken thoughts, and they will have no mistaken views.

“When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they cognize those roots of virtuous action of the lord buddhas by way of a distinguishing mark, {Ki.II-III: 131} then they will not dedicate them to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If, even though they think that all the lord buddhas of the past, as many as there are, are without distinguishing marks and without the objects of a distinguishing mark, they still engage in distinguishing marks, they would not dedicate those roots of virtuous action to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. In that way they would have mistaken ideas, they would have mistaken thoughts, and they would have mistaken views.

“If bodhisattva great beings do not cognize those lord buddhas, those roots of virtuous action and their accumulations, and those settings of the mind on enlightenment, and if they do not form a distinguishing mark of them, then they will dedicate those roots of virtuous action to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. In that way they will have no mistaken ideas, [F.149.a] they will have no mistaken thoughts, and they will have no mistaken views.”

Maitreya then asked, “Blessed Subhūti, how do bodhisattva great beings not form a distinguishing mark of those roots of virtuous action, and then dedicate them to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”

“Bodhisattva great beings should train in skillful means with regard to this perfection of wisdom,” replied Subhūti. “They should know the skillful means of bodhisattva great beings that originate from the perfection of wisdom. Without relying on the perfection of wisdom, they cannot dedicate the foundation of meritorious action.”

Maitreya then said, “If one were to wonder whether there is a fault in this assertion that those lord buddhas do not even exist and are not apprehended in the perfection of wisdom, or that those roots of virtuous action, those accumulations, and those settings of the mind by which the dedication is made to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment do not even exist and are not apprehended, it is the case that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom they should think as follows: ‘If even this body of mine has ceased, and if even those roots of virtuous action, those accumulations, and those settings of the mind on enlightenment have ceased, how could I conceive of those lord buddhas, those roots of virtuous action, those accumulations, and those settings of the mind on enlightenment by forming a distinguishing mark of them?’

“The tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas do not approve of and do not praise those who make dedications by way of a distinguishing mark. If you ask why, it is because they form a distinguishing mark of the lord buddhas who have passed into final nirvāṇa, conceiving of them and apprehending them, would become a major apprehending on their part. [F.149.b] So it is that bodhisattva great beings who wish to dedicate those roots of virtuous action should make their dedication, without apprehending anything and without making anything into a distinguishing mark. The tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas do not say that it is advantageous for this dedication to be made with an idea of apprehending or the idea of a distinguishing mark. If you ask why, that dedication would be poisonous and painful. It would be just as when food, even though particularly good, of excellent color, and excellent aroma, has been mixed with poison‍—even though the color, aroma, and taste may well be pleasant, it nonetheless would end up being poisonous. {Ki.II-III: 132} Persons of a childish disposition or of a nonsensical disposition might consider eating it but if they do indeed eat it, there will be suffering and the ripening of suffering.

“Similarly, those who do not realize and do not understand the truth, apart from their wrong awareness, wrong cognition, and wrong training, will teach others as follows: ‘Come here, noble child. You should gather together, assimilate, and evaluate all the roots of virtuous action that the lord buddhas of the past, future, and present have gathered, [will gather, and are gathering,] after practicing the perfection of wisdom, commencing from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment until they attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, until they pass into final nirvāṇa in the expanse of nirvāṇa where no aggregates are left behind, and for as long as their Dharma remains. [You should gather together, assimilate, and evaluate] all the roots of virtuous action that they have gathered, will gather, and are gathering after practicing the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity. [You should gather together, assimilate, and evaluate] all the roots of virtuous action that they have gathered, [F.150.a] will gather, and are gathering after cultivating the four meditative concentrations, and after cultivating the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the five extrasensory powers, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the four truths of the noble ones, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness,