Why Should Bodhisattvas Who Generate Bodhicitta Not Abide in Marks?

Original text: 菩萨应离一切相。发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心。不应住色生心。不应住声香味触法生心。应生无所住心。若心有住。则为非住。是故佛说菩萨心。不应住色布施。须菩提。菩萨为利益一切众生。应如是布施。

Explanation: The Buddha said that bodhisattvas should be free from all marks and give rise to anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi mind; they should not give rise to mind dwelling on material form, nor give rise to mind dwelling on sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. When giving rise to bodhi mind, one should give rise to a mind that dwells nowhere. If the mind has a dwelling place, that is improper dwelling—it is not truly dwelling. Therefore the Buddha said that the bodhisattva's mind should not practice generosity (dāna) while dwelling on material form. Subhūti, in order to benefit all sentient beings, bodhisattvas should practice generosity in this way.

Why should bodhisattvas be free from all marks when giving rise to bodhi mind? Because giving rise to bodhi mind is for the sake of benefiting oneself and benefiting others, achieving buddhahood together with sentient beings, reaching the other shore of nirvāṇa, attaining tranquility and coolness, and abiding in a state of empty stillness. To reach such a state and realize such a state, one must personally realize the ultimate reality of the vajra mind (vajra-citta), and at the same time realize the empty mark of all dharmas manifested by the vajra mind. Since all dharma-marks are empty and unattainable, giving rise to mind while dwelling on marks, cultivating while dwelling on marks, and practicing generosity while dwelling on marks all run counter to the buddha-path; one cannot realize bodhi, and neither worldly nor supramundane benefits can be obtained. Therefore, when bodhisattvas give rise to bodhi mind, they should not do so for the sake of various unattainable worldly benefits—for example, to obtain an adorned appearance, to obtain wealth and glory, to be reborn in the heavens to enjoy blessings, to acquire supernatural powers, to gain immortality, to receive the worship of sentient beings, to defeat others, to become a wheel-turning sage king, to become a lord of the heavens, and so on. All of these are dwelling on form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas; none of them can fulfill the great vow of bodhi or accomplish the great path of bodhi.

If a bodhisattva's resolve dwells on these dharma-marks, all such so-called dwelling is improper dwelling, dwelling not in accordance with reality; the results are all empty illusions and unattainable—one cannot actually dwell there. Therefore, when bodhisattvas practice generosity, they should not dwell on form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; without attachment to dharma-marks and without seeking reward, only such generosity is pāramitā, and only then can one reach the other shore of nirvāṇa.