The Sutra of Complete Enlightenment.pdf

T HE S UTRA OF C OMPLETE E NLIGHTENMENT

Translated from the Chinese of Buddhatrata by Ven. Guo-go Bhikshu

Sheng-yen: Complete Enlightenment. Shambhala, Boston & London 1999

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The Sutra of Complete Enlightenment ............................................................................ 1

Bodhisattva Manjusri................................................................................................... 2

Bodhisattva Samantabhadra....................................................................................... 4

Bodhisattva of Universal Vision................................................................................... 5

Bodhisattva Vajragarbha............................................................................................. 8

Bodhisattva Maitreya................................................................................................. 11

Bodhisattva ofPure Wisdom...................................................................................... 13

Bodhisattva at Ease in Majestic Virtue ...................................................................... 15

Bodhisattva Of Sound Discernment .......................................................................... 17

Bodhisattva Cleansed of All Karmic Obstructions ..................................................... 20

Bodhisattva of Universal Enlightenment.................................................................... 23

Bodhisattva Of Complete Enlightenment................................................................... 25

Bodhisattva Foremost in Virtue and Goodness......................................................... 27

Glossary........................................................................................................................ 30

Notes ............................................................................................................................ 37

* * * * * * *

Thus have I heard. At one time the Bhagavan entered the Samadhi of the Great

Illuminating Storehouse of Spiritual Penetration. 1 This is the samadhi in which all

Tathagatas brightly and majestically abide. It is the ground of the pure enlightenment of

all sentient beings.

[The BhagavanÓs] body and mind were in the state of quiescent-extinction, 2 where

past, present, and future are intrinsically equal and identical, 3 and his completeness

filled all ten directions, and was in accord with everything without duality. From within

this condition of nonduality, he caused various Pure Lands to appear.

[The Bhagavan] was accompanied by one hundred thousand great bodhisattvas

and mahasattvas. Chief among them were Bodhisattva Manjusri, Bodhisattva

Samantabhadra, Bodhisattva of Universal Vision, Bodhisattva Vajragarbha, Bodhisattva

Maitreya, Bodhisattva of Pure Wisdom, Bodhisattva at Ease in Majestic Virtue,

Bodhisattva of Sound Discernment, Bodhisattva Cleansed of All Karmic Obstructions,

Bodhisattva of Universal Enlightenment, Bodhisattva of Complete Enlightenment, and

Bodhisattva Foremost in Virtue and Goodness. Together with their retinues they all

entered samadhi, abiding in the TathagataÓs Dharma assembly of impartial equality.

Bodhisattva Manjusri

Thereupon Bodhisattva Manjusri rose from his seat in the midst of the assembly,

prostrated himself at the feet of the Buddha, circled the Buddha three times to the right,

knelt down, joined his palms, 4 and said: ÐO World Honored One of great compassion!

Please expound to the multitude who have come to this assembly the Tathagata s

Dharma practice of the original-arising purity of the causal ground. 5 Please also

expound to us how bodhisattvas may initiate this state of pure mind within the

Mahayana and leave all illness. [Pray teach us] so that sentient beings in the future

Dharma Ending Age who aspire to the Mahayana will not fall into erroneous views.Ñ

Having said these words, he prostrated himself on the ground. He made the same

request three times, each time repeating the same procedure.

At that time the World Honored One said to Bodhisattva Manjusri: ÐExcellent,

excellent! Virtuous man, for the benefit of the multitude of bodhisattvas you have asked

about the TathagataÓs Dharma practice of the causal ground. For the benefit of all

sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age who aspire to Mahayana, you asked how

they can attain correct abiding and not fall into erroneous views. Listen attentively now. I

shall explain it to you.Ñ

Hearing this, Bodhisattva Manjusti was filled with joy and listened silently along

with the assembly.

ÐVirtuous man, the Supreme Dharma King possesses the method of the great

dharani 6 called Complete Enlightenment, 7 out of which emanates pure true suchness,

bodhi, and nirvana, as well as the paramitas to teach bodhisattvas. The original-arising

[purity] of the causal ground of theTathagatas relies on the complete illumination of

[intrinsic] enlightenment, which is pure [in essence] and permanently free from

ignorance. 8 Only then do the [Tathagatas] accomplish the Buddha Path.

ÐWhat is ignorance? Virtuous man, since beginningless time, all sentient beings

have had all sorts of delusions, like a disoriented person who has lost his sense of

direction. They mistake the four great elements 9 as the attributes of their bodies, and

the conditioned impressions 10 of the six sense objects as the attributes of their minds.

They are like a man with an illness of the eyes who sees an [illusory] flower in the sky,

or a second moon.

ÐVirtuous man, there is in reality no flower in the sky, yet the sick man mistakenly

clings to it. Because of his mistaken clinging, he is not only deluded about the intrinsic

nature of the empty space, but also confused about the arising of the flower. Because of

this false existence [to which he clings], he remains in the turning wheel of birth and

death. Hence this is called ignorance.

ÐVirtuous man, this ignorance has no real substance. It is lik a person in a dream.

Though the person exists in the dream, when [the dreamer] awakens, there is nothing

that can be grasped. Like an [illusory] flower in the sky that vanishes into empty space,

one cannot say that there is a fixed place from which it vanishes. Why? Because there

is no place from which it arises! Amidst the unarisen, all sentient beings deludedly

perceive birth and extinction. Hence this is called the turning wheel of birth and death.

ÐVirtuous man, one who practices Complete Enlightenment of the causal ground of

the Tathagata realizes that [birth and extinction] are like an illusory flower in the sky.

Thus there is no continuance of birth and death and no body or mind that is subject to

birth and death. This nonexistence of [birth and death and body and mind] is so not as a

consequence of contrived effort. It is so by its intrinsic nature.

ÐThe awareness [of their nonexistence] is like empty space. That which is aware of

the empty space is like the appearance of the illusory flower. However, one cannot say

that the nature of this awareness is nonexistent. Eliminating both existence and

nonexistence is in accordance with pure enlightenment.

ÐWhy is it so? Because the nature of empty space is ever unmoving. Likewise,

there is neither arising nor perishing within the Tathagatagarbha. 11 It is free from

conceptual knowledge and views. Like the nature of dharmadhatu, which is ultimate,

wholly complete, and pervades all ten directions, such is the Dharma practice [of the

Tathagata] of the causal ground.

ÐBecause of this [intrinsic completeness], bodhisattvas within the Mahayana may

give rise to pure bodhi-mind. If sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age practice

accordingly, they will not fall into erroneous views.Ñ

At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to clarify his meaning, proclaimed

these gathas:

Manjusri, you should know

that all Tathagatas,

from their original-arising causal ground,

use wisdom to enlighten

and penetrate ignorance.

Realizing that ignorance is like

a flower in the sky,

they are thus liberated from the continuance

[of birth and death].

Like a person [seen] in a dream who

cannot be found when [the dreamer] awakens,

awareness is like empty space.

It is impartial and equal, and ever unmoving.

When enlightenment pervades all ten directions,

the Buddha Path is accomplished.

There is no place where illusions vanish,

and there is no attainment

in accomplishing the Buddha Path,

for the intrinsic nature is already wholly complete.

By this, bodhisattvas

can give rise to the bodhi-mind.

Sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age

through this practice will avoid erroneous views.

Bodhisattva Samantabhadra

Then Bodhisattva Samantabhadra rose from his seat in the midst of the assembly,

prostrated himself at the feet of the Buddha, circled the Buddha three times to the right,

knelt down, joined his palms, and said: ÐO World Honored One of great compassion!

For the multitude of bodhisattvas in the assembly, as well as for all sentient beings who

cultivate Mahayana in the Dharma Ending Age, please explain how they should

practice, having heard about this pure realm of Complete Enlightenment.

ÐWorld Honored One, if these sentient beings come to understand illusion, then

body and mind are also illusory. How can they then use illusion to remedy illusion? If all

illusory characteristics were exhausted and extinguished, then there would be no mind.

Who is it that practices? Why, then, do you say that practice is illusory?

ÐIf sentient beings originally had no need to practice, then they would remain

confined to illusory projections amidst birth and death and never discern the state [in

which all is seen to be] like an illusion. How could they be liberated from illusory

conceptualization? For the sake of all sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age,

please explain the expedient method of gradual cultivation of practice in order that

sentient beings may permanently leave the state of illusion.Ñ Having said these words,

he prostrated himself on the ground. He made the same request three times, each time

repeating the same procedure.

At that time the World Honored One said to Bodhisattva Samantabhadra:

ÐExcellent, excellent! Virtuous man, for the benefit of the multitude of bodhisattvas and

sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age, you have asked about the expedient,

gradual stages of the bodhisattvaÓs practice of the samadhi in which all is seen to be like

an illusion, and which frees sentient beings from illusion. Listen attentively now. I shall

explain it to you.Ñ

Hearing this, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra was filled with joy and listened silently

along with the assembly.

ÐVirtuous man, all illusory projections of sentient beings arise from the wondrous

mind of the TathagataÓs Complete Enlightenment, just like flowers in the sky which

come into existence from out of the sky. When the illusory flower vanishes, the nature of

the sky is not marred. Likewise, the illusory mind of sentient beings relies on illusory

[cultivation] for its extinction. When all illusions are extinguished, the enlightenen mind

remains unmoved. Speaking of enlightenment in contrast to illusion is itself an illusion.

To say that enlightenment exists is to not have left illusion yet. [However], to say that

enlightenment does not exist is also no different. Therefore, the extinction of illusion is

called the unmoving [mind of enlightenment].

ÐVirtuous man, all bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the ,ÑDharma Ending Age

should separate [themselves] from all illusory projections and deluded realms.

[However], when one clings firmly to the mind that separates [from all illusory

projections and deluded realms], this mind [should also be taken as] an illusion, and one

should separate oneself from it. Because this separation is an illusion, it should also be

separated. One should then be free from even this Òseparating from the illusion of

separation!Ó When there remains nothing to be seperated from, all illusions are

eliminated. It is like rubbing two pieces of wood together to obtain fire. When the fire

ignites and the wood completely burns, the ashes fly away and the smoke vanishes.

Using illusion to remedy illusion is just like this. Yet even though illusions are exhausted,

one does not enter annihilation.

ÐVirtuous man, to know illusion is to depart from it; there is no [need to] contrive

expedient means! To depart from illusion is to be enlightened; there are no gradual

steps! All bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age who practice

accordingly will permanently leave illusions behind.Ñ

At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to clarify his meaning, proclaimed

these gathas:

Samantabhadra, you should know

that the beginningless illusory ignorance

of all sentient beings

is grounded on the TathagataÓs

mind of Complete Enlightenment.

Like a flower in empty space,

its appearance relies on the sky.

When the illusory flower vanishes,

the empty space remains in its original unmoving state.

Illusion depends on enlightenment for its arising.

With the extinction of illusion,

enlightenment is wholly perfect,

for the enlightened mind is ever unmoving.

All bodhisattvas and sentient beings

in the Dharma Ending Age

should forever leave illusions far behind

until all illusions are extinguished.

It is like producing fire with wood,

when the wood is burned out,

the fire is also extinguished.

Enlightenment has no gradual steps;

the same applies to expedient means.

Bodhisattva of Universal Vision

Then the Bodhisattva of Universal Vision rose from his seat in the midst of the

assembly, prostrated himself at the feet of the Buddha, circled the Buddha three times

to the right, knelt down, joined his palms, and said: ÐO World Honored One of great

compassion! For the sake of the multitude of bodhisattvas in this assembly and all

sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age, please expound on the gradual stges of the

bodhisattvaÓs practice. How should one contemplate? What should one abide in and

uphold? What expedient methods should one devise to guide unenlightened sentient

beings, to universally enable them to reach enlightenment?

ÐWorld Honored One, if these sentient beings do not have the correct expedient

methods and contemplation, they will be confused when they hear you expound this

samadhi [in which all is seen to be an illusion] and will be unable to awaken to Complete

Enlightenment. Would you be compassionate enough to expound the provisional

expedient methods for our benefit and for sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age?Ñ

Having said these words, he prostrated himself on the ground. He made the same

request three times, each time repeating the same procedure.

At that time the World Honored One said to the Bodhisattva of Universal Vision:

ÐExcellent, excellent! Virtuous man, for the benefit of the multitude of bodhisattvas and

sentient beings in the Dharma Ending Age, you have asked the Tathagata about the

gradual stages of cultivation, what contemplation one should abide in and uphold, as

well as the various expedient methods one should use. Listen attentively now. I shall

explain them to you.Ñ

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