Discourse on the Father and Son Collection Sutra (150)

The Three Dharma Gates of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness Progress Step by Step, Ultimately Leading to Liberation

The gate of signless liberation is the emptiness that has no sign of emptiness. The Dharma of emptiness has no visible, expressible, or definable sign; even emptiness itself is empty—this is the gate of signless liberation. Knowing that emptiness has no sign whatsoever, not even the sign of emptiness, the mind becomes even more liberated. If there is not even the sign of emptiness, if even emptiness itself is absent, why would one still cling to emptiness? If there is not even any sign, what could we possibly seek? There is nothing left to seek—this is the gate of wishless liberation. Without the mind of seeking, liberation deepens further. When we accomplish the three liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, we become sages.

The three Dharmas of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness progress alongside emptiness. They neither depart from emptiness nor possess any sign of emptiness; yet the three are inseparable, advancing step by step toward ultimate liberation. To enter Nirvana and attain the state of non-arising and non-ceasing, we should practice accordingly—continuously generating mental activities aligned with emptiness, becoming progressively emptier until even emptiness itself is emptied, achieving thorough and complete emptiness. If the mind still holds onto any notion of emptiness, true emptiness has not been realized, and the mental conception of emptiness must still be extinguished. Practicing thus on the path to Nirvana enables one to realize it. Nirvana is liberation; Nirvana is non-arising and non-ceasing; Nirvana is tranquil and unconditioned; Nirvana is great freedom.