The Bodhisattva's Mind Is Empty, Does Not Abide, and Does Not Practice the Five Aggregates

Original text of the Great Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra: 诸菩萨摩诃萨。行深般若波罗蜜多时。若于色不住不习。是为住习色。若于受想行识。不住不习。是为住习。受想行识。广说乃至。若于十八佛不共法。不住不习。是为住习。十八佛不共法。何以故。懦尸迦。诸菩萨摩诃萨。行深般若波罗蜜多时。于色不得。可住可习。于受想行识不得。可住可习。广说乃至。于十八佛不共法不得。可住可习故。

Explanation: When bodhisattva-mahāsattvas cultivate the profound prajñāpāramitā, if with regard to the aggregate of form their minds neither abide nor are habituated, this is abiding in the habituation of the aggregate of form—this is correct habituation; incorrect habituation is abiding with craving and attachment arising upon the aggregate of form. If bodhisattvas, with regard to the aggregates of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness, neither abide in mind nor are habituated, this is abiding in the habituation of the aggregates of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness; not abiding is correct habituation, while abiding with attachment is incorrect habituation. Extending this broadly, if with regard to the eighteen exclusive dharmas of a Buddha one neither abides nor is habituated, this is abiding in the habituation of the eighteen exclusive dharmas of a Buddha; not abiding is correct habituation, while abiding with attachment is incorrect habituation.

Why is this said? Kauśika, when bodhisattva-mahāsattvas cultivate the profound prajñāpāramitā, their minds should abide in the principle that the aggregate of form is unattainable, and they should constantly habituate themselves to the principle that the aggregate of form is unattainable; their minds should abide in the principle that the aggregates of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are unattainable, and they should constantly habituate themselves to the principle that these aggregates are unattainable; extending this broadly, the mind should abide in the principle that the eighteen exclusive dharmas of a Buddha are unattainable, and one should constantly habituate oneself to the principle that the eighteen exclusive dharmas of a Buddha are unattainable.

The key here lies in the two words "abide" and "habituate"; once the meanings of these two words are understood clearly, this passage of scripture can be comprehended. "Abide" means the mind sinking into form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness; the mind entering into them, the mind attaching to them, the mind craving them, the mind clinging to them, the mind grasping at them. "Habituate" means the mind contacting form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness, being habituated to them, the mind acting within them, the mind attaching to them, the mind making use of them.

This is the mental activity of ordinary beings—the grasping and craving toward the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. Unable to see the true face of these five aggregates, they are deluded by them, and so their minds, in an inverted manner, act within the five aggregates. A bodhisattva cultivating prajñāpāramitā, upon illuminating and seeing the emptiness of the five aggregates, will, while acting within the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness, neither abide, attach, cling, grasp, crave, nor love; the mind, being empty, acts within the five aggregates stage by stage, neither acting in an inverted manner toward them, nor extinguishing them the way an arhat does.

In what aspects is the function of the five aggregates manifested? The function of the five aggregates is manifested in all bodily, verbal, and mental actions. From the functioning of the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness, one can distinguish ordinary beings from noble ones. What differences are there in the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of ordinary beings and noble ones? From one's bodily, verbal, and mental actions, one can discern a person's level of cultivation. What differences are there between the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of a person whose mind is empty and those of a person whose mind is not empty? What differences are there between the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of one who has realized the Dharma and those of one who has not attained the Path? The differences are many and great, but for a person whose own mind is not yet empty and has not changed, they are very difficult to discern, because cognition can hardly leap beyond one's own experience and knowledge, and its limitations are considerable.