Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was in a grass hut in the town of Viśvā near the snow-peaked Himalayan mountains where he dwelled with a great assembly of one thousand monks. At that time, the Blessed One, avoiding eating alms-food after noon, sat upright in that grass hut with his legs crossed and remained there, settled in mindfulness. Then the Blessed One entered the meditative absorption called dwelling with equality toward all phenomena, and as soon as the Blessed One had entered that absorption, the whole assembly of monks could not see a body where the Blessed One was seated.

At this point, through the power of the Buddha, Śakra, lord of the gods; Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world; and thirty-two thousand minor gods of the Śuddhāvāsa realms went to where the Buddha was staying. The lord of the gods, Śakra, and Brahmā, the lord of the Sahā world, wondered, “Where is the Buddha dwelling right now?” When they saw that the Blessed One had entered into meditative concentration in that grass hut, they went to where he was and sat before him in silence with their legs crossed. The many gods of the Śuddhāvāsa realms also sat before him in silence with their legs crossed.

At that point the Blessed One performed a miracle such that his miraculous power caused all the beings in this trichiliocosm that belong to the Bodhisattva Vehicle—whether they had newly entered that vehicle, had entered it long ago, had reached the stage of nonregression, or had just one lifetime to go before reaching awakening—to proceeded to that grass hut in the vicinity of the town of Viśvā. And after they had arrived, due to the Buddha’s power, they hovered in midair at the height of a human being with their legs crossed.

It was then that Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta entered the meditative absorption called pleasing the minds of all sentient beings. As soon as he had entered it, the minds of the entire assembly became happy, pleased, overjoyed, and deeply satisfied. The bodhisattva Maitreya also entered the meditative absorption called quelling all phenomena. Immediately thereafter, the faculties of the entire assembly were in a state of stillness.

Then the bodhisattva Ratnaketu went to that grass hut in the vicinity of the town of Viśvā with a retinue of sixty-two thousand bodhisattvas. As soon as they arrived, they each thought, “I’ll take a seat in space directly above,” and they hovered directly above with their legs crossed. Then Ratnaketu entered the meditative absorption called great array, and as soon as he did the sky was so completely filled with the blooms of lotuses and water lilies of different kinds and colors that the rays of the sun and the moon were no longer visible.

At that point, the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara came from the sky above to the vicinity of the town of Viśvā where the Blessed One was staying with a retinue of sixty-two thousand bodhisattvas. Unable to find room on the ground, he and the rest of those bodhisattvas took their a seat in the sky above with their legs crossed. As soon as they were seated, the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara entered the meditative absorption called overcoming the emotional defilements of all sentient beings, and the entire assembly gathered there was immediately free of desire, anger, confusion, and all other defilements.

Then the Blessed One rose into the sky above and smiled, and light rays of myriad colors—blue, yellow, red, white, orange, crystal, and silver—shone from his mouth.

In the sky above, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta covered one shoulder with his robe, knelt there in the sky on his right knee, bowed toward the Blessed One with his palms together, and asked, “Blessed One, why did you smile? What caused you to do that?”

“Mañjuśrī,” the Blessed One replied, “the tens of thousands of buddhas here in the sky have explained and correctly taught the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence to the bodhisattvas.”

Mañjuśrī said, “I request the Blessed One to teach the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence to all the bodhisattvas here now as well.”

“I accept your request, Mañjuśrī. In this dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no awakening and there is no buddha, yet these bodhisattvas wish to awaken to the completely perfect awakening of a buddha. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no saṃsāra and no nirvāṇa, yet these bodhisattvas wish to attain nirvāṇa. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no virtue and no nonvirtue, yet these bodhisattvas wish to avoid nonvirtue. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no other shore or this shore, yet these bodhisattvas wish to reach the other shore. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no ordinary realm nor perfection of a realm, yet these bodhisattvas wish to perfect a realm.

“In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no Māra nor even the label ‘Māra,’ yet these bodhisattvas wish to tame Māra. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no hearer nor even the label ‘hearer,’ and yet these bodhisattvas wish to go beyond the teachings of the hearers. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no solitary buddha nor even the label ‘solitary buddha,’ yet these bodhisattvas wish to go beyond the teachings of the solitary buddhas. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no sentient being nor even the label ‘sentient being,’ yet these bodhisattvas wish to help sentient beings attain nirvāṇa. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no benefit nor lack of benefit, yet these bodhisattvas wish to be of benefit.

“In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no desire nor even the label ‘desire,’ yet these bodhisattvas wish to abandon desire. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no anger nor even the label ‘anger,’ yet these bodhisattvas wish to abandon anger. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no confusion nor even the label ‘confusion,’ yet these bodhisattvas wish to abandon confusion. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no knowing or unknowing, yet these bodhisattvas wish to attain knowledge. In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no pollution nor even the label ‘pollution,’ yet these bodhisattvas wish to abandon pollution.

“In the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence there is no purification nor even the label ‘purification.’ There is neither moral training nor nontraining. There is no compassion, no loving kindness, nor feeling desirous or neutral toward anything. There is neither generosity nor stinginess. There is neither intact moral training nor broken training. There is neither patience nor malice. There is neither diligence nor laziness. There is neither concentration nor distraction. There is neither insight nor mental error. There is neither moral downfall nor what is not a downfall. There are no hearers, solitary buddhas, or thus-gone ones. There is neither Dharma nor non-Dharma. There are neither profound points nor simple ones. There is neither knowing nor not knowing. There is no attainment. There is no realization. There is no saṃsāra or nirvāṇa. There are no applications of mindfulness, no right exertions, no bases of miraculous power, no faculties, no powers, no branches of awakening, and no path.

“Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas wishing to attain the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence should not dwell in the qualities of ordinary people. They should not uphold the qualities of ordinary people. Nor should they reject them. They should not try to accomplish such things, and they should not try to surpass them, transgress them, or consider them neutrally. They should not think about such qualities, spiritually renounce them, become lazy about them, be attached to them, be unattached to them, be completely cut off from them, or try to make contact with them.

“You should not perceive the qualities of ordinary people as polluted. You should not consider them as something one is given. You should also not consider them as something to be given up.

“The qualities of ordinary people should not be viewed as distinct from the qualities of buddhas. Nor should the qualities of buddhas be conflated with the qualities of ordinary people, or qualities of ordinary people be conflated with the qualities of buddhas. The qualities of ordinary people should not be objectified. They should also not be conflated with the qualities of the hearers or solitary buddhas.

“The qualities of buddhas should not be upheld, and the qualities of ordinary people should not be abandoned or maintained.

“Bodhisattvas should also not dwell in perfectly pure buddha realms, nor aspire to them. Why not? Because, Mañjuśrī, the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence is nonconceptual. It is immanent in desire, immanent in anger, immanent in confusion, immanent in women, immanent in men, and immanent in gods, in nāgas, in yakṣas, in gandharvas, in asuras, in garuḍas, and in mahoragas. It is immanent in the Buddha, in the Dharma, in the Saṅgha, and in hearers, solitary buddhas, the hell realms, the animal realm, and in the world of Yama. It is immanent in evil, in good, in earth, water, fire, and air, and in the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Mañjuśrī, the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence is immanent in all things.

“Mañjuśrī, just as the element of space in the east, the element of space in the south, the element of space in the west, the element of space in the north, the element of space below, and the element of space above are all immanent in the element of space, so too, Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence is likewise immanent in all things.”

Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how could desire be a basis of the dhāraṇī?”

The Buddha replied, “Mañjuśrī, what we call desire is not something that pollutes sentient beings after coming from the east. Nor is it something from the south, from the west, from the north, from below, or from above. It is not something that pollutes sentient beings after arising from within, nor is it something that pollutes sentient beings after arising from without. Mañjuśrī, if desire were something that polluted sentient beings after arising from within, then it would follow that sentient beings have pollution as their very nature, and would not be able to realize reality at some later time. Mañjuśrī, phenomena do not come, nor do they go, nor do they stay either within or without. They also do not stay in a way that is neither of these two. They are completely beyond reckoning. Therefore, desire is said to be a basis of the dhāraṇī.

“Anger is a basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how could anger be a basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, anger arises from spouting senseless drivel. But this spouting of senseless drivel is not past, nor is it future, nor does it arise in the present. Mañjuśrī, if such phenomena were deemed to have come from the past, they would be permanent. Anger does not arise from future conditions, and present conditions also neither persist nor cease. Mañjuśrī, any phenomena that are not arisen from the past, or from the future, or from the present—such phenomena are called the basis of the dhāraṇī that is purified in the three times.

“Mañjuśrī, confusion is a basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how could confusion be a basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, confusion arises from ignorance. And ignorance is not mixed with the elements of earth, water, fire, air, space, or consciousness. Mañjuśrī, unmixed phenomena cannot be polluted and cannot be purified. Mañjuśrī, if unmixed phenomena could be polluted or purified, then the element of space, too, could be polluted or purified. Why is that? Mañjuśrī, it is because space is not mixed with any other factor. Mañjuśrī, is it possible to designate as either ‘polluted’ or ‘purified’ something that is not mixed with ignorance, does not migrate, is not restrained, does not exist, does not arise, is a nonentity, is not seen, does not appear, is not grasped, is not bound, is not liberated, is immeasurable, is void, is vain, or has no substance?”

“No, Blessed One,” replied Mañjuśrī.

“So too, Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “that which the thus-gone ones have taught to be ignorance is without beginning. It always lacks singularity. It is without a beginning point, without an ending point, and also does not exist in the present. Therefore, it is called ignorance.

“Mañjuśrī, can any such phenomenon that is nonexistent, unfindable, unknowable, imperceptible, does not come to be, and is not an object of desire, anger, or confusion be something that could be polluted, purified, or obscured?”

“No, Blessed One. No, Sugata,” said Mañjuśrī. “Blessed One, if it is true that any phenomenon related to ignorance is not something that could be polluted, purified, or obscured, then why did the Blessed One refer to ignorance as ‘polluted’?”

The Blessed One replied, “Allow me to provide an example, Mañjuśrī. Smoke arises and fire appears when one uses a rubbing stick, the wooden base for the rubbing stick, and the rubbing action of a person’s hand, but that fire is not present in the rubbing stick, the wooden base, or the rubbing action of a person’s hand. In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the tormenting fires of desire, anger, and confusion arise in a confused person, but that torment does not dwell within, without, or as neither of those possibilities. Nevertheless, we speak of confusion, Mañjuśrī. Why is that? Because, Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are already totally free. And phenomena that are totally free we call the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

Mañjuśrī then asked the Blessed One, “Is there some Dharma gate a bodhisattva can possess that leads to attaining the dhāraṇī that is in accord with everything?”

The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, there is a Dharma gate a bodhisattva can possess that leads to attaining the dhāraṇī that is in accord with everything. Even if one were to teach it using a single syllable or up to a hundred thousand syllables, one would never know the limit of those syllables. Their eloquence is limitless, and it is that limitless eloquence which expresses all Dharma gates. All the words of the Dharma gates are included within a single word of the Dharma gates, while a single word of the Dharma gates is included in every word of the Dharma gates.”

Mañjuśrī asked, “Blessed One, what are these Dharma gates?”

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “all phenomena are gates of the gods and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is this the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “all phenomena are present as a basis for spiritual discipline, and this is the basis for the dhāraṇī through which the likes of gods enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are Dharma gates for nāgas, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is this the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “all phenomena are nameless, devoid of syllables, without syllables, and yet they are expressed through syllables. That is the basis of the dhāraṇī through which the likes of nāgas enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are Dharma gates for yakṣas, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is this the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “because all phenomena are unborn, they are gates to dwelling in the inexhaustible. That is the basis of the dhāraṇī through which the likes of yakṣas enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are Dharma gates for gandharvas, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is this the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “because all phenomena are limitless, innumerable, unfathomable, and equal to space, they are beyond counting. That is the basis of the dhāraṇī through which the likes of gandharvas enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are a Dharma gate for asuras, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is this the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “all phenomena are gates to nonexistence. They cannot be known as name. They cannot be known as form. They cannot be known as sound. They cannot be known as smell. They cannot be known as taste. They cannot be known as sensation. They cannot be known as mind. They cannot be known as the Buddha. They cannot be known as the Dharma. They cannot be known as the Saṅgha. They cannot be known as a hearer. They cannot be known as a solitary buddha. They cannot be known as an ordinary person. Mañjuśrī, by virtue of their utter lack of origination no phenomena are knowable, and that is the basis of the dhāraṇī through which the likes of asuras enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are Dharma gates for garuḍas, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is it the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “all phenomena are without coming or going. They are without running or running away. They are not fleeing, not going, not coming, not passing away, not being born, not supporting, not remaining, not being attached, not bound, not angered, not confused, not freed, not persisting, and not stationary. Mañjuśrī, since no attachment exists in space, all factors are gates to freedom from dwelling, and that is the basis of the dhāraṇī through which the likes of garuḍas enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are Dharma gates for kinnaras, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

Mañjuśrī asked, “Blessed One, how is it the basis of the dhāraṇī?”

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “all phenomena are devoid of agent. They are uncreated, unchanging, and no agent will be found upon investigation. That is the basis of the dhāraṇī through which the likes of kinnaras enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are Dharma gates for mahoragas, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is this the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “all phenomena are free of stains and luminous. The fact that sentient beings are unable to make them into something polluted or something to be purified is the basis for the dhāraṇī of purity. Why is that? Mañjuśrī, because all phenomena are by nature unborn, they are always parinirvāṇa. That is the basis of the dhāraṇī through which the likes of mahoragas enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are Dharma gates for women, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is it the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “because all phenomena lack true existence, they are unreal. They are without female or male genitalia. That is the basis of the dhāraṇī through which the likes of women enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are Dharma gates for men, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is it the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “maleness is not apprehended in any way: it is not apprehended at a beginning point, at an ending point, or at present. Mañjuśrī, something that is not apprehended in the three times cannot be male or female. In other words, these are simply nominal expressions. Those names, too, are void and they are ascribed by virtue of the verbal sign of the dhāraṇī. That dhāraṇī, too, is arisen out of the four great elements of earth, water, air, and fire, and the arising of the four elements is not apprehended. Since all phenomena are not born, all phenomena are always parinirvāṇa. That is the basis of the dhāraṇī through which the likes of men enter.

“Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are a Dharma gate for hell beings, and this is the basis of the dhāraṇī.”

“Blessed One, how is this the basis of the dhāraṇī?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “how are hells arranged?”

“Blessed One, hells are arranged in space,” said Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī, how do you think this happens?” asked the Blessed One. “Have the hells arisen from one’s own thoughts? Or have they arisen from their own nature?”

“Blessed One,” replied Mañjuśrī, “it is through their own thoughts that immature ordinary people imagine themselves to be hell beings, animals, or spirits in the world of Yama. And it is on account of projecting something that does not exist that they feel afflictions and experience miseries in the three lower realms. However, Blessed One, since I do not see hells, I also do not see hell beings, and the sufferings of hells do not exist, either. For instance, Blessed One, suppose that some man who has fallen asleep were to imagine in a dream that he is experiencing falling into the hell realms. He vividly imagines that he has been put into a boiling iron cauldron several fathoms deep with intensely burning flames where he experiences sensations of suffering. Perceiving this with fear and anguish, he may wake up in a state of shock and terror, thinking, ‘Aaah! The pain!’ When he shouts such words out loud, his friends, kinsmen, or siblings nearby might ask, ‘What is paining you?’

“The man might then say to them, ‘I was experiencing the pains of hell.’ Then, feeling irritated and angry with those friends, kinsmen, or siblings, he might add, ‘I have been experiencing the pains of hell, so what business do you have to ask me afterward, “What is paining you?” ’ In response, those friends, kinsmen, or siblings would say to him, ‘Hey! Don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid! You fell asleep. You never left this house.’

“Once that man has fully regained consciousness, he might think, ‘I did fall asleep and then I imagined something that was not real and that did not actually exist. Nothing really existed.’ Now, Blessed One, just as that man projected something that didn’t exist during the dream he had when he had fallen asleep and imagined that he was in hell, so it is, Blessed One, that all immature ordinary men, entangled in their desire for what is nonexistent, imagine the genitalia of a woman. Having imagined her genitalia, they fancy that they are playing around with the woman and enjoying sex together. They may think, ‘I am a man and this is a woman. This is my woman.’ Then, with a mind entangled in lustful passion, they set their minds on the pursuit of pleasure. From that starting point, they get into fights, quarrels, and disputes, and with their faculties enraged, they harbor resentment. Due to such erroneous conceptions, as soon as these people die, they will think they are experiencing for many thousands of eons the painful sensations of hell.

“Blessed One, just as that man was told by his friends, kinsmen, or siblings, ‘Hey! Don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid! You fell asleep. You never left this house,’ so it is, Blessed One, that the blessed buddhas have taught the Dharma to the sentient beings who are intoxicated by the four erroneous conceptions. Here there exists no woman and also no man. Here there is no sentient being, no life force, no wellbeing, and no person. All these phenomena are unreal. All these phenomena are nonexistent. All these phenomena are fabricated. All these phenomena are imagined.

“All these phenomena are empty. All these phenomena are without origination. All these phenomena are without cessation. All these phenomena are nonentities. All these phenomena are disconnected. All these phenomena are like a dream. All these phenomena are like an illusion. All these phenomena are like the moon’s reflection in water. These beings are taught, ‘No one should be desirous, angry, or confused about these things. So don’t think about what is unreal!’ Upon hearing that teaching of the Thus-Gone One, they see that all phenomena are without desire. They see that all phenomena are without anger, without confusion, without obscuration, and without attachment. Having seen that all entities are already fully liberated and are always parinirvāṇa, they will die with their minds dwelling in space. As soon as they die, they will pass into the realm of final nirvāṇa that is without remainder. That, Blessed One, is how I see the hell realms.”

Then the Blessed One congratulated Mañjuśrī saying, “Very good, very good, Mañjuśrī! One should view hells just as you see them. Just as you did not form thoughts about them, so they should not imagine them. Mañjuśrī, if one sees the hells in the way you have, one will attain acceptance of the nonorigination of phenomena.”

When he had expounded this teaching on the hells, ninety-two thousand bodhisattvas attained acceptance of the nonorigination of phenomena and exclaimed in unison, ‘How marvelous and excellent is the purview of buddhas, wherein it is possible to discover qualities of buddhas among the qualities of the hell realms.’ ”

Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please teach the bodhisattvas a Dharma gate of nonduality, a gate of nonduality through which bodhisattvas can realize all phenomena to be the qualities of a buddha and not create any such duality.”

The Blessed One replied to Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, that is why this Dharma gate called fully teaching is the Dharma gate that allows bodhisattvas to discuss all of the defilements in terms of buddha qualities.”

“Blessed One, what is this gate of nonduality like?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “listen and retain it well, for I shall explain to you the dhāraṇī gate called clearly discriminating all defilements.”

Mañjuśrī said, “Blessed One, please do so.” Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta then listened to the Blessed One.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “ignorance is awakening. This is a dhāraṇī gate.”

“Blessed One, how is ignorance awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “it is called ignorance because it does not exist. What is nonexistent is without arising. What has not arisen is without pollution. Mañjuśrī, that which lacks pollution is awakening. Luminous by nature, it is forever unborn. Mañjuśrī, since the thus-gone ones see the import of this, they teach that ignorance and awakening are nondual. I have not found this ignorance, Mañjuśrī, and that is why I can speak of something called ignorance. Mañjuśrī, that is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of ignorance. Through entering it, their eloquence becomes swifter, sharper, more profound, unbroken, and unlimited.

“Mañjuśrī, mental formations are awakening. This is a dhāraṇī gate.”

“Blessed One, how are mental formations awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “mental formations are innumerable—they cannot be counted. That is why one cannot perceive their full measure. Even though it is said that possessing nonvirtue leads to rebirth in the hell realms, one does not leave this place, and there is also no transference to that place after death. Mañjuśrī, the lack of transference is awakening. There is no coming and no going. Mañjuśrī, that is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of mental formations.

“Mañjuśrī, consciousness is awakening.”

“Blessed One, how is consciousness awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “consciousness is like an illusion. The thus-gone ones proclaim that it has arisen from what is unreal. Mañjuśrī, just as immature ordinary people who are entrenched in what is unreal collectively imagine and construct an illusion-like consciousness, so too, Mañjuśrī, these immature ordinary people collectively imagine and construct an illusion-like awakening of a buddha. They see the qualities of a buddha as something special, thinking, ‘May we be buddhas! May we liberate sentient beings! May we be the best in the world!’ And they go about imagining the awakening of a buddha is like the sky. Mañjuśrī, I sat at the seat of awakening, and I did not perceive any qualities belonging to buddhas, or hearers, or solitary buddhas, or ordinary people. Mañjuśrī, that is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of consciousness.

“Mañjuśrī, name and form are awakening.”

“Blessed One, how are name and form awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “name is a verbal expression that is without existence, and form lacks any agent. Mañjuśrī, where there is no agent there is no self. Mañjuśrī, names can be used to teach the absence of self that is the awakening of a buddha, yet one cannot find that name even if they were to search for it throughout the ten directions. Mañjuśrī, that is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of name and form.

“Mañjuśrī, the six sense bases are awakening.”

“Blessed One, how are the six sense bases awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “all of the six sense bases are devoid of their respective objects. The sense faculty of the eye does not think thoughts such as ‘I see a form.’ The sense faculty of the ear does not think thoughts such as ‘I hear a sound.’ The sense faculty of the nose does not think thoughts such as ‘I smell a smell.’ The sense faculty of the tongue does not think thoughts such as ‘I taste a taste.’ The sense faculty of the body does not think thoughts such as ‘I feel a sensation.’ The sense faculty of the mind does not think thoughts such as ‘I am conscious of a mental phenomenon.’ The eye does not know that forms are its object; neither do forms know they are an object of the eye. The ear does not know that sounds are its object; neither do sounds know they are an object of the ear. The nose does not know that smells are its object; neither do smells know they are the object of the nose. The body does not know that tangible things are its object; neither do tangible things know they are an object of the body. The mind does not know that mental phenomena are its object; neither do mental phenomena know they are objects of the mind. Mañjuśrī, the sense bases are mutually incompatible, without motion, without action, without mutual cognizance, and mutually empty of intrinsic nature. Mañjuśrī, any factor that is empty of intrinsic nature is awakening. Mañjuśrī, that is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of six sense bases.

“Mañjuśrī, contact is awakening.”

“Blessed One, how is contact awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “contact refers to contact that is encountered as form, contact that is encountered as sound, contact that is encountered as smell, contact that is encountered as taste, contact that is encountered as touch, and contact that is encountered as mental phenomena. Mañjuśrī, everything from contact that is encountered as form up to contact that is encountered as mental phenomena are supports, and whatever they support arises from many conditions. Mañjuśrī, something that arises from many conditions retains its composite character. Mañjuśrī, something with a composite character has an illusory character. Something that has an illusory character has an unreal character. Something that has an unreal character is nonexistent. Something that is nonexistent does not arise. Something that does not arise does not cease. Mañjuśrī, something that is without arising and without cessation is the awakening of a buddha. That is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of contact.

“Mañjuśrī, feeling is awakening.”

“Blessed One, how is feeling awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “feeling is of three kinds: pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and neutral feelings. Mañjuśrī, pleasant feelings exists neither within nor without, nor are they apprehended as both of those possibilities. Mañjuśrī, painful feelings exist neither within nor without, nor are they apprehended as both of those possibilities. Mañjuśrī, neutral feelings exist neither within nor without, nor are they apprehended as both of those possibilities.”

“Blessed One, in that case, what are these pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings of sentient beings?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “various unreal conditions cause immature ordinary people perverted by false notions to experience the thought of pleasure or the thought of pain or the thought of neutral feeling. Be that as it may, Mañjuśrī, all feelings have the nature of illusion. They are not made, are unborn, and are always unoriginated. Mañjuśrī, in keeping with that line of reasoning, feeling is awakening, and that is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of feeling.

“Mañjuśrī, craving is awakening.”

“Blessed One, how is craving awakening? Did not the Blessed One declare that craving is a factor of pollution?” asked Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī, what do you think?” asked the Blessed One in return. “Does the craving that a childless person has for a child exist inside, outside, or in the cardinal directions or intermediate directions?

“Blessed One,” replied Mañjuśrī, “since the child of this person has not yet been born, where would the craving for a child exist?”

The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, sometimes people in conjugal union give birth to a child, and that gives rise to craving. If there is such a connection, Mañjuśrī, what do you think? Did that person’s craving for a son come from the east, or from the south, or from the west, or from the north, or from below, or from above, or from within, or from without, or from neither of those last two?”

“Blessed One,” replied Mañjuśrī, “craving is not apprehended in the east, nor in the south, nor the west, nor the north, nor above, nor below, nor within, nor without, nor neither of the last two possibilities.”

“Mañjuśrī, what do you think?” asked the Blessed One. “Did anyone make that craving or cause it to be made?”

“Blessed One,” replied Mañjuśrī, “craving is not made. As it lacks any creator, it is something unreal imputed by immature ordinary people with wrong ideas.”

“Mañjuśrī, what do you think?” asked the Blessed One. “Do such unreal things exist?”

“No, Blessed One. They do not, Sugata,” replied Mañjuśrī.

The Blessed One asked, “Mañjuśrī, can there be anything polluted or purified in something that does not exist?”

“No, Blessed One, there cannot,” replied Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “phenomena that are not found in the east, in the south, in the west, in the north, and that are not apprehended within, nor without, nor either of those two cannot be something that is polluted or something that is purified. And that, Mañjuśrī, is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of craving.

“Mañjuśrī, appropriation is awakening. This is a dhāraṇī gate.”

“Blessed One, how is appropriation awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī. “Did not the Blessed One declare that appropriation was bondage?”

“Mañjuśrī, what do you think?” asked the Blessed One in return, “do immature ordinary people produce anything?”

“Yes, Blessed One,” Mañjuśrī answered, “they do produce things. They produce the five sense objects—form, sound, smell, taste, and touch.”

“Mañjuśrī, what do you think?” asked the Blessed One. “Do forms produce forms?”

“No,” replied Mañjuśrī.

“Do feelings produce feelings, do conceptions produce conceptions, do mental formations produce mental formations, or does consciousness produce consciousness?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, they do not,” replied Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī, what do you think?” asked the Blessed One. “Does any phenomenon exist that produces any other phenomenon?”

“No, Blessed One,” replied Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī, does any phenomenon cause another phenomenon to be fettered?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, Blessed One,” replied Mañjuśrī.

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “in the same way, all phenomena are without arising, without ceasing, and without obscuration. One does not produce another, and one does not apprehend another. They do not speak, and since they are inanimate, they do not give rise to verbal acts. From this analysis, Mañjuśrī, it follows that appropriation is awakening, and that is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of appropriation.

“Mañjuśrī, becoming is awakening. This is a dhāraṇī gate.”

“Blessed One, how is becoming awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī. “Did not the Blessed One teach the Dharma to the hearers in order to put an end to becoming?”

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “what I explained as becoming is a nonentity, and that is why it is called becoming. Mañjuśrī, those who see that all phenomena are nonentities do not produce anything, nor do they cause anything to cease. Seeing that all phenomena are of the nature of space, they do not apprehend even the qualities of a buddha, nor do they abandon them. In this way, Mañjuśrī, becoming is awakening, and that is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of becoming.

“Mañjuśrī, birth is awakening. This is a dhāraṇī gate.”

“Blessed One, how is birth awakening?” asked Mañjuśrī. “Did the Blessed One not teach the Dharma so that beings could completely transcend birth?”

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “if bodhisattvas search for birth, they will see the absence of birth, the absence of transference, and the absence of arising. In this way, Mañjuśrī, birth is awakening, and that is the dhāraṇī gate that one enters through the likes of birth.

“Mañjuśrī, through this gate for entering the dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence, bodhisattvas will quickly attain eloquence and their eloquence will be sharper, more profound, unbroken, and unlimited.”

Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta then asked the Blessed One, “For which level of bodhisattva is this teaching intended?”

“Mañjuśrī,” the Blessed One replied, “it is intended for the level of those bodhisattvas who have not set out toward awakening, who have not produced the intention to gain awakening, who do not see buddha qualities, who do not wish to run away from desire, anger, and confusion, who do not wish to go beyond saṃsāra, who do not wish to liberate sentient beings, and who do not wish to realize the buddha qualities.”

Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta requested of the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please let us know what good qualities a son or daughter of the lineage who bears this dhāraṇī in mind, holds it, recites it, makes it understood, and teaches it widely to others will gain in this life.”

The Blessed One said, “You should know that such people will be protected by gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and gandharvas. You should know that they will have no doubts regarding all phenomena. You should know that they will possess knowledge that clearly discerns phenomena. Mañjuśrī, the qualities of this dhāraṇī are limitless and cannot be exhausted even in a hundred eons.”

When the Blessed One taught this Dharma discourse, ten thousand bodhisattvas gained this dhāraṇī of the vajra quintessence and thirty-two thousand beginner bodhisattvas gained acceptance of the Dharma.

After the Blessed One had spoken thus, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta and the world with its gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, men, and demigod spirits rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had taught.

Translated, revised, and finalized by a team led by the Indian abbot Śīlendrabodhi and the chief translator Bandé Yeshé Dé.