Bodhisattva Constantly Abides in Ultimate Emptiness

The Sutra on the Non-Activity of All Dharmas

"Xing" (行) means operation, functioning, or arising. In truth, all dharmas have no actuality and no functioning. Why is this so? All dharmas are of the nature of Nirvana—tranquil and non-active, neither arising nor ceasing, unbound and unfettered, nor is there liberation. They are eternally tranquil like empty space. All dharmas are the characteristic of the Tathagatagarbha. To perceive the Tathagatagarbha is to perceive no dharmas whatsoever; this is being concealed within the Tathagatagarbha. What dharma is not the Tathagatagarbha? All are the emptiness nature of the Tathagatagarbha. Therefore, there are no characteristics of the mundane dharmas of the Three Realms, no characteristics of good or evil, no characteristics of corruption or disorder, and no characteristics of opposition.

Bodhisattvas constantly abide in ultimate emptiness; their minds are always in samadhi, unattached. If there is any attachment, they are not Bodhisattvas. If they perceive any characteristics of good or evil, they are not Bodhisattvas. Therefore, my mind is gentle, exceedingly soft, beyond description. After the mind is illuminated, one becomes a true Mahayana Bodhisattva. If the nature of the mind has not been genuinely transformed before this illumination, and one does not yet possess the qualified mind-nature of a Mahayana Bodhisattva, then it is difficult, or rather, impossible, to become a true Mahayana Bodhisattva.

Bodhisattvas should possess Bodhisattva-hood, humans should possess personhood, and Buddhas possess Buddha-hood. The nature of their minds should correspond to their respective fruition levels; this is normal. Otherwise, they are false Bodhisattvas or false Buddhas. A person who lacks personhood is not a complete person, not a human being in the true sense.

Bodhisattvas receive teachings from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout the ten directions for immeasurable kalpas. The correct parts of their Dharma teachings belong to the Dharma of the Buddhas of the ten directions; the erroneous parts belong to the Dharma of their own incomplete cultivation and realization. The Buddha Dharma cannot be claimed as the possession of any single Buddha, much less any single Bodhisattva. Ordinary beings certainly cannot possess the Buddha Dharma. Those who possess the Buddha Dharma are Buddhas; those who possess the Bodhisattva Dharma are Bodhisattvas; those who possess the dharma of ordinary beings are ordinary beings. Beings of each level have their respective dharmas. Therefore, everyone should generate the great aspiration to fully possess the Buddha Dharma as soon as possible, so they may attain Buddhahood early.