Once again, Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, spoke to the bodhisattva Śāntamati: “Now, Śāntamati, what is the secret of a bodhisattva’s mind and the purity of his mental action?

“Śāntamati, bodhisattvas undertake their work by means of knowledge, not by taking pride in it. Also, they undertake their work with knowledge without weakening any of the supernormal faculties. They manifest all sorts of actions while making child’s play of the supernormal faculties. They have attained the great mastery that is the mastery of the supernormal faculties. The supernormal faculties they possess are an aspect of knowledge because they are connected with the supreme knowledge of all aspects. The supernormal faculties they possess are an aspect of wisdom because they provide a direct vision of all things. The supernormal faculties they possess have the aspect of inexhaustibility because they conform with everything. Because all forms do not have a form, the supernormal faculties they possess can see all forms. Because the sounds of the past are the same as the sounds of the future, the supernormal faculties they possess can comprehend all sounds. The supernormal faculties they possess perceive the thoughts of all beings, because they can perceive and thoroughly investigate the true nature of mind. The supernormal faculties they possess can recollect limitless eons, because they do not place any limits on the past or the future. The supernormal faculties they possess can produce every kind of wondrous transformation with their superhuman powers because they have the defining characteristic of being unconditioned. The supernormal faculties they possess conform to the cessation of the defilements, because they perceive the moment and they never miss the moment. The supernormal faculties they possess are conducive to the forms of penetrating insight that are fixed upon what is transcendent and noble. The supernormal faculties they possess are difficult for the disciples and solitary buddhas to understand. The supernormal faculties they possess have profound meaning and defeat their adversaries, Māra in all his forms. The supernormal faculties they possess produce the essence of awakening and are the most supreme form of awakening, which brings about a perfect realization of all the qualities of a buddha. The supernormal faculties they possess are consistent with the turning of the wheel of Dharma. The supernormal faculties they possess can tame all beings. The supernormal faculties they possess secure empowering authority because they have mastery over all things.

“Śāntamati, this is the purity of the mental action of the bodhisattvas. This pure mind is immaculate and without any affliction; it is luminous, free from the derivative afflictions, and completely controlled. By being well guarded, it rests in the states of meditation, liberation, concentration, and absorption, but it does not sink into complete extinction or a state of nonarising. Instead, it intentionally takes birth in the desire realm and remains undisturbed by being here. It is not born in bondage. It does not die or transmigrate in bondage, and it is not reborn in bondage. How is this so? It is free from forming concepts, which are not real. It is free from the bonds of all the afflictions. It is free from dwelling on distorted conceptions. As a result, it is born while being completely free, it dies and transmigrates while being completely free, and it is reborn while being completely free.

“Though it is born, it does not fall back from the Great Vehicle, and it becomes completely endowed with all the qualities of a buddha. Though one may seek for these qualities of a buddha throughout the ten directions, they cannot be found or seen anywhere. Therefore, the qualities of a buddha and of all things are realized as qualities of a buddha. In this manner, the qualities of a buddha and of all things are not asserted to be things, nor are they asserted not to be things.

“Why is this? Even though one might exhaustively seek for anything and everything, one cannot find or see anything. If one seeks for things just as they really are, one cannot find or see them. One cannot enumerate them either. All things completely transcend enumeration. Whoever knows the equality of all things is free from fixating on them as being either something or nothing, and knows that being beyond such fixation is the meaning of things. However, those who take pride in meaning can cause great harm. Those who do not feel such pride do not defend the claim that things have a meaning or that they do not have a meaning.

“The mind that does not see any meaning is not impeded in any way—that is an unimpeded mind. An unimpeded mind is not attached. What is unattached is not destroyed. What is not destroyed does not decline. What does not decline does not come into being as something for which the search has no meaning. Something for which the search has no meaning causes no transgression. What causes no transgression is impersonal. Of what is impersonal, there is no grasping. Over what is not grasped, there is no conflict. About what is not in conflict, there are no disputes. When there are no disputes, there is no conflict, and this is called being endowed with the qualities of an ascetic. What is endowed with the qualities of an ascetic is the same as the sky and the palm of one’s hand. What is the same as the sky and the palm of one’s hand does not belong to the desire realm. It does not belong to the form realm, and it does not belong to the formless realm. What belongs to nothing whatsoever has no color, sign, or shape. What has no color, sign, or shape can be understood only by analogy. What can be understood only by analogy is fully understood only by analogy. For what reason do I speak of ‘understanding’ and ‘full understanding’? The reason is that one cannot find anything that one could understand or fully understand, not even the smallest particle, and therefore I speak of ‘understanding’ and ‘full understanding.’ Śāntamati, this is the secret of the bodhisattvas’ mind.

“Furthermore, Śāntamati, the secret of the bodhisattvas’ mind is also that their mind is loving, even though there is no self. It is also a mind of compassion, even though beings do not exist; it is also a mind of joy, despite the nonexistence of a life force; it is also a mind of equanimity, even though it is free of the defilements; it is also a mind of generosity, even though the mind is well trained; it is also a mind of moral conduct, even though the nature of mind is at ease; it is also a mind of patience, even though the nature of mind is indestructible; it is also a mind of heroic effort, even though the mind is always in a state of solitude; it is also a mind of concentration, as well as a mind engaged in profound contemplation; and it is also a mind of wisdom, even though the nature of mind is unwavering.

“It is a mind that applies the applications of mindfulness even though the nature of mind is that it makes no conscious effort to apply mindfulness. It is a mind that makes the correct efforts even though the nature of mind is properly always the same. It is a mind that has the foundations for superhuman power even though the nature of mind is beyond activity. It has serene faith, even though the nature of mind is without attachment. It is a mind of heroic effort, even though the nature of mind is effortless. It is mindful, even though the mind has the nature of arising on its own.

“It is a mind of concentration, even though the nature of mind is that it understands that everything is the same. It is a mind of the spiritual faculty of wisdom, even though the nature of mind is that it has no faculties. It is a mind of the sense faculties, even though the nature of mind is that it does not have the faculty to sense all things. It is a mind of the powers, even though the nature of mind is out of range. It is a mind of the constitutive factors of awakening, even though the nature of mind is that it is fully manifested through awareness. It is a mind of cultivating the path, even though the nature of mind is without cultivation. It is a mind of calm abiding, even though the nature of mind is utterly tranquil. It is a mind of deep insight, even though the nature of mind is that it does not perceive anything.

“It is a mind of cultivating the truths of the noble ones, even though the nature of mind is that it is thoroughly and completely known. It is a mind that focuses attention on the buddhas, even though the nature of mind is without any focused attention. It is a mind that focuses attention on the Dharma, even though the nature of mind is equal to the realm of reality. It is a mind that focuses attention on the Saṅgha, even though the nature of mind is without a fixed abode. It is a mind that brings beings to maturity, even though the nature of mind is primordially pure. It is a mind that embraces the true Dharma, even though the nature of mind cannot be separated from the realm of reality. It is a mind of purifying a buddha domain, even though mind has the nature of being equal to space. It is a mind that accepts the fact that things do not arise, even though the nature of mind cannot be conceived. It is a mind at the stage of irreversibility, even though the nature of mind does not turn back or move forward. It is a mind for attaining the marks of a great person, even though the nature of mind is without marks. It is a mind that is adorned with the essence of awakening, even though the nature of mind is the essence of the three worlds. It is a mind for defeating Māra in all his forms, even though the nature of mind is for benefitting all beings. It is a mind for awakening, even though the nature of mind is that it realizes that all things are insubstantial. It is a mind for turning the wheel of Dharma, even though the nature of mind does not move forward or turn back. It is a mind that shows the great passing away into nirvāṇa, even though the nature of mind is the same as the essential nature of saṃsāra.

“Śāntamati, this is the secret of the mind of those bodhisattvas who have attained acceptance of the fact that things do not arise; this is the purity of their mental action. With that pure mind, one realizes the minds of all beings to be pure, and one’s aspiration for awakening becomes fully absorbed in the minds of all beings. The minds of all beings are illuminated in the aspiration for awakening. Śāntamati, consider how space goes everywhere and surrounds everything. In the same way, Śāntamati, the bodhisattva’s mind goes everywhere and surrounds everything.”

When Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, gave this teaching on the secrets of the body, speech, and mind of the bodhisattvas, seventy-two thousand beings from the divine and human realms conceived the aspiration for unsurpassable and perfect awakening. Thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas attained acceptance of the fact that things do not arise. Eighty-four thousand beings purified the stainless and immaculate Dharma eye with respect to things. Eight thousand monks freed their minds from defilement with no further clinging. The cosmos of a billion worlds trembled in six ways and this universe was completely pervaded by a great light while flowers fell from the sky and the sound was heard of about a thousand cymbals and other musical instruments being played without anyone playing them. Along with the sound of the cymbals and other musical instruments, a voice was heard making statements like the following: “Those beings who have heard this teaching by Vajrapāṇi, Lord of the Guhyakas, will grasp it, trust in it, hold on to it, recite it, study it, and teach it in full to others; those beings will possess a clear motivation with respect to their aspiration for awakening and they will not fail to grow even the smallest roots of virtue; those beings will recognize that they have served many buddhas, grown the roots of virtue, and are supported by supplies of merit; those beings will benefit all beings; and those beings will reach the stage at which they will receive predictions of their future awakening.”