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ENT0654
Toh 142
The Dhāraṇī “Entering into Nonconceptuality”
Avikalpapraveśadhāraṇī
佛說入無分別法門經
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000
1.1
Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!
1.2
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One, together with a great assembly of monks and bodhisattvas, was residing at Rājagṛha in the palace at the heart of the nonconceptual realm of phenomena, a place superior to everything within the three realms. Together with him were the bodhisattvas, the great beings, Avikalpa, Avikalpaprabhāsa, Avikalpacandra, Nirvikalpavīra, Nirvikalpadharmanirdeśakuśala, Nirvikalpasvabhāva, Nirvikalpamati, Nirvikalpanāda, Nirvikalpaspharaṇa, Nirvikalpasvara,12 Maheśvara,13 [F.2.a] Nirvikalpamahāmaitrīśvara, and the bodhisattva, the great being, Avalokiteśvara.
1.3
At that time, the Blessed One, surrounded and esteemed by an assembly of hundreds of thousands, taught the Dharma14 concerning the nonconceptuality of phenomena.
1.4
The Blessed One surveyed the entire assembly of bodhisattvas and addressed them, “Noble sons, you should keep in mind The Dhāraṇī ‘Entering into Nonconceptuality’. Keeping it in mind, a bodhisattva, a great being, will swiftly perfect the qualities of a buddha and will make steady, excellent progress.”
1.5
The bodhisattva, the great being named Avikalpaprabhāsa, rose from his seat in the assembly, draped his upper robe over his shoulder, and knelt with his right knee on the ground. He bowed toward the Blessed One with hands folded and addressed the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please explain The Dhāraṇī ‘Entering into Nonconceptuality’. Once they have heard it, bodhisattvas, great beings, will keep it in mind, recite it, contemplate it properly, and teach it extensively to others.”
1.6
Thus addressed, the Blessed One said, “Then listen well, noble sons, and be attentive as I explain The Dhāraṇī ‘Entering into Nonconceptuality’.”
“That is excellent, Blessed One!” replied the bodhisattvas, the great beings. [F.2.b] They then listened to the Blessed One.
1.7
The Blessed One said to them, “Noble sons, those bodhisattvas, great beings, who hear teachings on the topic of nonconceptuality and then settle into nonconceptuality, will abandon all conceptual signs. First, bodhisattvas abandon the fundamental conceptual signs, those of either subject or object. In this regard, the fundamental conceptual signs are those signs relating to a defiled entity. ‘Defiled entity’ refers to the five aggregates as the bases for clinging: the aggregate of matter as a basis for clinging, the aggregate of sensation as a basis for clinging, the aggregate of perception as a basis for clinging, the aggregate of karmic dispositions as a basis for clinging, and the aggregate of consciousness as a basis for clinging. How do bodhisattvas abandon these fundamental conceptual signs? They abandon them by not directing their minds toward what is experientially evident.
1.8
“Once bodhisattvas have progressively abandoned those conceptual signs, another set of conceptual signs based on an examination of antidotes arises and becomes experientially evident. This includes the conceptual signs that arise through examining generosity, examining discipline, examining patience, examining diligence, examining meditative concentration, and the conceptual signs based on examining insight. Whether they are examined in terms of intrinsic natures, examined in terms of qualities, or examined in terms of essences, bodhisattvas also abandon conceptual signs based on examining antidotes by not directing their minds toward them.
1.9
“Once bodhisattvas have abandoned those signs, another set of conceptual signs based on the examination of true reality arises and becomes experientially evident. [F.3.a] This includes conceptual signs based on examining emptiness, examining suchness, examining the limit of reality, examining the absence of signs, examining ultimate truth, and those based on examining the field of phenomena. Whether they are examined in terms of particular features, examined in terms of qualities, or examined in terms of essences, bodhisattvas also abandon the conceptual signs based on examining true reality by not directing their minds toward them.
1.10
“Once bodhisattvas have abandoned those signs, another set of conceptual signs based on examining the attainments arises and becomes experientially evident. This includes the conceptual signs based on examining the attainment of the first through tenth bodhisattva levels, conceptual signs based on examining the attainment of the acceptance that phenomena do not arise, conceptual signs based on examining the attainment of prophecy, conceptual signs based on examining the attainment of the ability to purify buddhafields, conceptual signs based on examining the attainment of the ability to ripen beings, and conceptual signs based on examining the attainment of initiation up to conceptual signs based on examining the attainment of omniscience. Whether they are examined in terms of intrinsic natures, examined in terms of qualities, or examined in terms of essences, bodhisattvas also abandon the conceptual signs based on examining the attainments by not directing their minds toward them.
1.11
“Once bodhisattvas, great beings, have thus abandoned every type of conceptual sign by not directing their minds toward them, they are well oriented to the nonconceptual but have yet to experience the nonconceptual realm. They do, however, possess the well-grounded meditative absorption conducive to experiencing the nonconceptual realm. [F.3.b] As a consequence of cultivating this genuine method, training in it repeatedly, and correctly orienting their minds, bodhisattvas will experience the nonconceptual realm without volition or effort, and gradually purify their experience.
1.12
“For what reason, noble sons,15 is the nonconceptual realm called ‘nonconceptual’? It completely transcends all conceptual analysis, completely transcends all imputations of instruction and illustration, completely transcends all conceptual signs,16 completely transcends all imputation via the sense faculties, completely transcends imputation as sense objects, completely transcends imputation as cognitive representations, and is not based in the cognitive obscurations or in the obscurations of the afflictive and secondary afflictive emotions.17 For this reason the nonconceptual realm is called ‘nonconceptual.’
1.13
“What, then, is the nonconceptual? The nonconceptual is immaterial, indemonstrable, unsupported, unmanifest, imperceptible, and without location. Those bodhisattvas, great beings who are established in the nonconceptual realm see, with their nonconceptual knowing wisdom that is indistinguishable from what is known, that all phenomena are like the expanse of space. Through the ensuing mode of knowing they see all phenomena as illusions, mirages, dreams, hallucinations, echoes, reflections, the image of the moon in water, and as magical creations.18 They then attain the full expression of the power of sustaining great bliss.19 They attain the full expression of the mind’s vast capacity. They attain the full expression of great insight and wisdom. They attain the full expression of the power of maintaining the great teaching.20 In all circumstances they are able to bring every type of benefit to all beings, never ceasing in their effortless performance of awakened activity. [F.4.a]
1.14
“Noble sons, consider this analogy: Beneath a solid, hard sheet of rock there is a great trove of precious minerals, a variety of great wish-fulfilling jewels that shimmer with light, including precious silver, precious gold, and precious emerald. Along comes a man seeking great treasure. Another man who is able to perceive the great treasure says to him, ‘Excuse me sir, beneath this solid, hard sheet of rock there is a great precious treasure filled with glimmering precious minerals. But beneath that there is a great21 precious treasure, a wish-fulfilling jewel. First you must remove the bedrock. Once that is removed, you will discover rocks that appear to be silver, but you should not consider this the great treasure. Recognizing this, continue digging. As you dig, you will discover rocks that appear to be gold, but again you should not consider this the great treasure. Recognizing this once again, dig. As you dig, you will discover rocks that appear to be various minerals, but again you should not consider this to be the great treasure. Recognizing this once again, dig. Sir, once you have toiled in unearthing these minerals, you will effortlessly and without any further exertion discover a great precious treasure, the wish-fulfilling jewel. Once you have found that great precious treasure, the wish-fulfilling jewel, you will become rich, affluent, prosperous, and fully able to benefit yourself and others.’
1.15
“Noble sons, this analogy is meant to provide some understanding of our topic. The solid, hard sheet of rock represents the various karmic dispositions that reinforce duality and the afflictive emotions. The great treasure that lies beneath that rock, the precious wish-fulfilling jewel, represents the nonconceptual realm. The person who seeks the great treasure, the precious wish-fulfilling jewel, represents the bodhisattva, the great being. [F.4.b] The person with knowledge of the great treasure is the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the Perfect Buddha. The bedrock represents the fundamental conceptual signs. The command to dig represents not directing the mind toward them. The rock resembling silver represents the conceptual signs related to the examination of antidotes.22 The rock resembling gold represents the conceptual signs related to emptiness and so on. The rock resembling various gemstones represents the conceptual signs related to the attainments. Finding the great treasure, the wish-fulfilling jewel, represents experiencing the nonconceptual realm. Noble sons, through this analogy, you should understand entering into nonconceptuality.23
1.16
“How then, noble sons, do bodhisattvas, great beings, reflect on the conceptual signs as they have been taught here and enter the nonconceptual realm? Noble sons, when a fundamental conceptual sign related to the aggregate of matter24 manifests, bodhisattvas, great beings who are established in the nonconceptual realm, should reflect in this way: ‘To think “this is my material form” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “this material form belongs to others” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “this is matter” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “matter arises,” “it ceases,” “it is polluted,” or “it is purified” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “there is no matter” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “matter does not exist intrinsically,” “it does not exist causally,” “it does not exist as a result,” “it does not exist through action,” “it does not exist in relation to anything,” [F.5.a] or “it is not a mode of being” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “matter is mere cognitive representation” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “just as matter does not exist, so cognitive representation appearing as matter does not exist” is to entertain a conceptual thought.’
1.17
“Therefore, noble sons, the bodhisattvas, great beings, do not apprehend matter, nor do they apprehend cognitive representations appearing as matter. In no way do they bring cognitive representation to an end, nor do they apprehend any phenomenon as being distinct from cognitive representation. They do not consider that cognitive representation to be nonexistent, nor do they consider nonexistence to be something distinct from cognitive representation. They do not consider the nonexistence of a cognitive representation appearing as matter to be the same as that cognitive representation, nor do they consider it to be different. They do not consider a nonexistent cognitive representation to be existent, nor do they consider it to be nonexistent. Noble sons, those who do not conceptualize through any of these conceptual modes do not think, ‘this is the nonconceptual realm.’
1.18
“Noble sons, this is the way of entering the nonconceptual realm. In this way, bodhisattvas, great beings, become established in the nonconceptual realm. The same should be applied to sensation, perception, karmic dispositions, and consciousness. The same should be applied to the perfection of generosity, the perfection of discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of insight. And the same should be applied to emptiness and so on, up to omniscience. [F.5.b]
1.19
“Noble sons, when conceptual signs25 related to an examination26 of omniscience manifest, bodhisattvas, great beings, should reflect as follows: ‘To think “this is my omniscience” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “this is the omniscience of others” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “this is omniscience” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “omniscience is attained” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “omniscience is meant to destroy all cognitive obscurations and the obscurations of the afflictive emotions” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “once purified, the three worlds are nothing other than omniscience”27 is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “omniscience arises,” “it ceases,” “it is polluted,” or “it is purified” is to entertain a conceptual thought;28 to think “omniscience does not exist” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “omniscience does not exist intrinsically,” “it does not exist causally,” “it does not exist as a result,” “it does not exist through action,” “it does not exist in relation to anything,” and “it is not a mode of being” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “omniscience is mere cognitive representation” is to entertain a conceptual thought; to think “just as omniscience does not exist, so cognitive representation appearing as omniscience does not exist” is to entertain a conceptual thought.’
1.20
“Therefore, noble sons,29 just as bodhisattvas, great beings, do not apprehend omniscience, they likewise do not apprehend cognitive representations appearing as omniscience. In no way do they bring cognitive representation to an end, nor do they apprehend any phenomenon as being distinct from cognitive representations. They do not consider that cognitive representation to be nonexistent, nor do they consider nonexistence to be something distinct from cognitive representation. They do not consider the nonexistence of that cognitive representation to be identical to that cognitive representation, [F.6.a] nor do they consider it to be different. They do not consider the nonexistence of that cognitive representation to be existent, nor do they consider it to be nonexistent. Noble sons, those who do not conceptualize through any of these conceptual modes30 do not think, ‘this is the nonconceptual field of phenomena.’
1.21
“This is the way of entering the nonconceptual realm. Noble sons, this is how bodhisattvas, great beings, become established in the nonconceptual realm.
“Noble sons, the merit from taking up this discourse on the Dharma, writing it down,31 and reciting it is much greater than giving away one’s body as many times as there are grains of sand in the river Ganga, much greater than offering jewel-filled world systems as numerous as grains of sand in the river Ganga, and much greater than the heap of merit created by commissioning images of the thus-gone ones to fill world systems as numerous as grains of sand in the river Ganga.”
1.22
Then, on that occasion, the Blessed One spoke these verses:
“With this true doctrine the Victor’s heir, intent upon the nonconceptual,
Transcends the quagmire of concepts and gradually reaches the end of thought.
A bodhisattva thereby attains a nonconceptual bliss that is peaceful and unwavering,
Supreme, under their control, and both equaled and unequaled.”32
1.23
When the Blessed One finished his discourse, the bodhisattva, the great being Avikalpaprabhāsa and the entire retinue together with the world of gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced as they praised the teachings of the Blessed One.
1.24
This completes The Noble Dhāraṇī “Entering into Nonconceptuality.”
The Dhāraṇī “Entering into Nonconceptuality”
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