Commentary on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamanasūtra) (164)

The Three Gates of Liberation

Original text: 大王当知。诸根如幻。境界如梦。一切诸法。皆悉空寂。此名空解脱门。空无空相。名无相解脱门。若无有相。则无愿求。名无愿解脱门。如是三法。与空共行。涅槃先道。决定如法界。周遍虚空际。于此譬喻。当如是知。

Explanation: Great King, you should know that the six faculties are like illusions, and the various sense objects are like dreams. All dharmas are entirely empty and tranquil—this is called the gate of emptiness liberation. The dharmas are empty yet without the mark of emptiness; this is called the gate of signlessness liberation. If dharmas are without any marks, then there should be no wishing or seeking—this is called the gate of wishlessness liberation. These three dharmas, practicing in accord with emptiness, are the preliminary path to enlightenment. One should know with certainty that they are like the dharmadhātu, pervading the reaches of space. Regarding these analogies, you should understand them in this way. If one wishes to attain nirvāṇa, one must first know that all dharmas are the dharmadhātu of suchness, all being the one true dharmadhātu of the ālayavijñāna, pervading the reaches of space in the ten directions; only then can one realize nirvāṇa. Regarding these analogies, one should understand them in this way.

The six faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are all illusory manifestations. The various sights the eyes see, the various sounds the ears hear—the objects the six faculties engage with are like things in a dream, not real. What more should we pursue? All dharmas are entirely empty and tranquil; there is nothing that is not empty, nothing that is not quiescent—there is nothing at all. This is the gate of emptiness liberation. When one realizes that all dharmas are empty and knows that they are empty, one is liberated.