Then venerable Subhūti inquired of the Lord, “Lord, bodhisattva great beings who do not attend on the lord buddhas, do not plant wholesome roots, and are not looked after by spiritual friends—those bodhisattva great beings would not gain the knowledge of all aspects, would they?”
EN
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “bodhisattva great beings who have not attended on the lord buddhas, have not planted wholesome roots, and have not been looked after by spiritual friends would not gain the knowledge of all aspects. And why? Even bodhisattva great beings who have attended on the lord buddhas, have planted wholesome roots, and have been looked after by spiritual friends will not be able to gain the knowledge of all aspects, never mind bodhisattva great beings who have not attended on the lord buddhas, have not planted wholesome roots, and have not been looked after by spiritual friends. It is impossible that they will gain the knowledge of all aspects. Therefore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should attend on the lord buddhas, plant wholesome roots, and rely on spiritual friends.”
EN
“Lord, why would even bodhisattva great beings who attend on the lord buddhas, plant wholesome roots, and rely on spiritual friends not gain the knowledge of all aspects?”
EN
“It is because of being separated from skillful means. It is because they have not heard that method from those lord buddhas and have not planted wholesome roots and not relied on those spiritual friends who are the spiritual friends that would teach them that method.”
EN
“Lord, what are those skillful means, in possession of which bodhisattva great beings gain the knowledge of all aspects?”
EN
Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Subhūti, here, starting from the production of the first thought, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of giving they give gifts to the lord buddhas, the pratyekabuddhas and śrāvakas, and to those in human form and nonhuman form, with attention connected to the knowledge of all aspects. But, endowed with attention connected to the knowledge of all aspects, they do not entertain the notion that giving is giving, do not entertain the notion that the recipient is a recipient, and do not entertain the notion that the giver is a giver. And why? Because they see all dharmas as empty of their own mark, as not thoroughly established, and as not having come into being. They enter into the mark that marks all dharmas as dharmas, entering into all dharmas marked as being without the capacity to function and not occasioning anything. Endowed with those skillful means they grow and flourish on wholesome roots; growing and flourishing on wholesome roots, they practice the perfection of giving; and practicing the perfection of giving they bring beings to maturity and purify a buddhafield, but without hoping for a result from giving—a result from giving that they would enjoy in saṃsāra. On the contrary, they practice the perfection of giving in order to protect beings and in order to liberate beings.”
Then venerable Subhūti inquired of the Lord, “Lord, bodhisattva great beings who do not attend on the lord buddhas, do not plant wholesome roots, and are not looked after by spiritual friends—those bodhisattva great beings would not gain the knowledge of all aspects, would they?”
EN
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “bodhisattva great beings who have not attended on the lord buddhas, have not planted wholesome roots, and have not been looked after by spiritual friends would not gain the knowledge of all aspects. And why? Even bodhisattva great beings who have attended on the lord buddhas, have planted wholesome roots, and have been looked after by spiritual friends will not be able to gain the knowledge of all aspects, never mind bodhisattva great beings who have not attended on the lord buddhas, have not planted wholesome roots, and have not been looked after by spiritual friends. It is impossible that they will gain the knowledge of all aspects. Therefore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should attend on the lord buddhas, plant wholesome roots, and rely on spiritual friends.”
EN
“Lord, why would even bodhisattva great beings who attend on the lord buddhas, plant wholesome roots, and rely on spiritual friends not gain the knowledge of all aspects?”
EN
“It is because of being separated from skillful means. It is because they have not heard that method from those lord buddhas and have not planted wholesome roots and not relied on those spiritual friends who are the spiritual friends that would teach them that method.”
EN
“Lord, what are those skillful means, in possession of which bodhisattva great beings gain the knowledge of all aspects?”
EN
Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Subhūti, here, starting from the production of the first thought, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of giving they give gifts to the lord buddhas, the pratyekabuddhas and śrāvakas, and to those in human form and nonhuman form, with attention connected to the knowledge of all aspects. But, endowed with attention connected to the knowledge of all aspects, they do not entertain the notion that giving is giving, do not entertain the notion that the recipient is a recipient, and do not entertain the notion that the giver is a giver. And why? Because they see all dharmas as empty of their own mark, as not thoroughly established, and as not having come into being. They enter into the mark that marks all dharmas as dharmas, entering into all dharmas marked as being without the capacity to function and not occasioning anything. Endowed with those skillful means they grow and flourish on wholesome roots; growing and flourishing on wholesome roots, they practice the perfection of giving; and practicing the perfection of giving they bring beings to maturity and purify a buddhafield, but without hoping for a result from giving—a result from giving that they would enjoy in saṃsāra. On the contrary, they practice the perfection of giving in order to protect beings and in order to liberate beings.”
Sutraya