Bodhisattvas Should Maintain the Threefold Emptiness in Liberating Sentient Beings

At that time, Subhūti addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, when virtuous men and virtuous women resolve to attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (the supreme perfect enlightenment), how should their minds abide, and how should they subdue their minds?" The Buddha told Subhūti: "Virtuous men and virtuous women who resolve to attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi should generate such a mind: 'I must liberate all sentient beings. After liberating all sentient beings, yet there is not a single sentient being actually liberated.' Why is this so? Subhūti, if a bodhisattva clings to the notion of a self, a person, sentient beings, or a life span, then that is not a true bodhisattva. Why? Subhūti, truly there exists no such dharma as 'resolving to attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.'

Explanation: Subhūti asked the Buddha: "World-Honored One, when virtuous men and virtuous women resolve to attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, how should they abide, and how should they subdue their minds?" The Buddha told Subhūti: "Virtuous men and virtuous women who resolve to attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi should generate such a mind: 'I must liberate all sentient beings. After liberating all sentient beings, yet there is not a single sentient being actually liberated.' Why should they generate such a mind? Subhūti, if a bodhisattva harbors notions of a self, a person, sentient beings, or a life span, he is not a true bodhisattva. Why is he not a true bodhisattva? Subhūti, because in reality, there is no such dharma as 'resolving to attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi,' nor is there one who resolves to attain bodhicitta. If one clings to notions of a self, person, sentient beings, or life span, one has not severed the view of self and thus is not a bodhisattva.

When a bodhisattva resolves to liberate sentient beings, with what state of mind should he do so? A bodhisattva should liberate sentient beings through the threefold purity (empty of agent, object, and action), without clinging to notions of a self, person, sentient beings, or life span. He should liberate sentient beings with a mind empty of self, person, sentient beings, and life span. Because the notion of self is empty, there is no real 'I' that liberates sentient beings. The notions of person and sentient beings are empty, so there are no sentient beings being liberated. Thus, the act of liberating sentient beings is empty, not truly existent. If a bodhisattva clings to the idea that 'I have liberated sentient beings' or 'sentient beings have been liberated by me,' he has not realized selflessness; his mind is not empty, and he is not a true bodhisattva. Sentient beings are empty—how could they be liberated? The self is empty—how could it liberate? Therefore, although a bodhisattva liberates all sentient beings, in ultimate truth, not a single sentient being is liberated.

The one who resolves to attain bodhicitta is empty. The act of resolving to attain bodhicitta is empty and illusory. Phenomena exist conventionally but lack inherent existence; their existence is nominal. Yet through practicing with these illusory phenomena, one can attain Buddhahood. The attainment of Buddhahood is also empty and illusory. In ultimate truth, there is no Buddha to attain, nor any ordinary being to be found. All is like a dream, illusion, bubble, or shadow—void and ethereal, neither real nor false, yet both real and false. Truth and illusion, emptiness and form—there is no need to grasp at them. Actions must be performed, but the mind must remain empty. Not only must a bodhisattva liberate sentient beings with the threefold purity, but all practices—the six pāramitās and the ten thousand deeds—must be performed with the threefold purity. Only by emptying completely can one reach the ultimate destination.