Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Ch枚dr枚n | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes 鈥渟eeing the fields of the buddhas of the three times鈥� as written by Nagarjuna in his Maha-prajnaparamita-sastra (lit. 鈥渢he treatise on the great virtue of wisdom鈥�) in the 2nd century. This book, written in five volumes, represents an encyclopedia on Buddhism as well as a commentary on the Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 1 - Seeing the fields of the Buddhas of the three times
厂奴迟谤补 (cf. 笔补帽肠补惫颈峁兣沘迟颈, p. 39, l. 17鈥�18; 艢atas膩hasrik膩, p. 100, l. 5鈥�8). 鈥� Furthermore, O 艢腻谤颈辫耻迟谤补, the bodhisattva-尘补丑腻蝉补迟迟惫补 must practice the perfection of wisdom if he wishes to see the Buddha-fields of the past and future Buddhas, and if he wishes to see the Buddha-fields of the Buddhas existing at the present everywhere in the ten directions (Punar 补辫补谤补峁�, 艢腻谤颈辫耻迟谤补, bodhisattvena mah膩sattvena 补迟墨迟补n膩峁� c膩n膩gat膩n膩峁� ca buddh膩n膩峁� bhagavat膩峁� buddhak峁tr膩峁噄 dra峁ａ弓uk膩mena, pratyutpann膩n膩m api samant膩d da艣adik峁 buddh膩n膩峁� bhagavat膩峁� buddhak峁tr膩峁噄 dra峁ａ弓uk膩mena 辫谤补箩帽腻p膩ramit膩y膩峁� 艣ik峁tavyam).
艢腻蝉迟谤补. 鈥�
Question. 鈥� But in seeing the Buddhas of the ten directions (cf. p. 2272F) the bodhisattva has already seen their Buddha-fields; why speak again here of the bodhisattva 鈥渨ho wishes to see the Buddha-fields鈥�?
Answer. 鈥� [Above], the bodhisattva had not yet penetrated deeply into the 诲丑测腻苍补蝉 and the absorptions (蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈) and, had he seen the Buddha-fields of the ten directions with their mountains, rivers, plants and trees, his mind would have been distracted (惫颈办峁辫迟补): this is why he was limited to seeing the Buddhas. Everything happened as in the recollection of the Buddha (产耻诲诲丑腻苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈) where it is said (p. 1340F) that 鈥渢he yogin sees only the Buddhas but does not see the lands, the mountain, the rivers or the trees鈥�. Here, on the other hand, the bodhisattva has obtained the power of the 诲丑测腻苍补蝉 and the absorptions (蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈) and is thus able to see as much as he wants (yatheccham), [not only the Buddhas but also the Buddha-fields].
Furthermore, the very pure Buddha-fields (辫补谤颈艣耻诲诲丑补产耻诲诲丑补办峁迟谤补) are difficult to see: this is why the 笔谤补箩帽腻辫腻谤补尘颈迟腻 says here that 鈥渋f he wishes to see the Buddha-fields, the bodhisattva must practice the perfection of wisdom.鈥� [306c]
Finally, each Buddha possesses hundreds of thousands of kinds of 产耻诲诲丑补办峁迟谤补蝉. As I said before (p. 2230F), there are pure (惫颈艣耻诲诲丑补), impure (a惫颈艣耻诲诲丑补), mixed (尘颈艣谤补) or absolutely pure (补迟测补苍迟补辫补谤颈艣耻诲诲丑补) 产耻诲诲丑补办峁迟谤补蝉: since the latter are hard to see (诲耻谤诲峁浥沘), the power of the 笔谤补箩帽腻辫腻谤补尘颈迟腻 is needed to discover them. It is like the devaputra:[1] in his audience hall; he can be seen by the people from the outside, but in his private apartments he is not seen by anyone.
Question. 鈥� We accept that the 产耻诲诲丑补办峁迟谤补蝉 presently existing in the ten directions can be seen; but how could one see the 产耻诲诲丑补办峁迟谤补蝉 of the past and future Buddhas?
Answer. 鈥� The bodhisattva possesses the concentration called 鈥榲ision of the past and future鈥� (补迟墨迟腻苍腻驳补迟补诲补谤艣补苍补); in this concentration he sees things past and future: it is like the visions in a dream (蝉惫补辫苍补诲补谤艣补苍补).
Furthermore, the bodhisattva possesses the concentration of unceasing term (补苍颈谤辞诲丑补办辞峁璱).[2] In this concentration, he does not see that the Buddhas have cessation.
Question. 鈥� But these two concentrations (蝉补尘腻诲丑颈) are not of the eyes (肠补办峁蝉); then how could he see?
Answer. 鈥� These two concentrations are wisdoms (辫谤补箩帽腻) metaphorically (辫谤补箩帽补辫迟颈迟补蝉) called 鈥榚ye鈥�. Similarly, in the [triple] turning (parivarta) of the Wheel of Dharma (dharmacakra), on [each of the twelve aspects (腻办腻谤补) of the four noble truths (腻谤测补蝉补迟测补), the ascetic obtains the 鈥榚ye鈥� (肠补办峁蝉), the knowledge (箩帽腻苍补), the clear intuition (惫颈诲测腻), the awareness (buddhi).[3]
Furthermore, the bodhisattva who sees the 产耻诲诲丑补办峁迟谤补蝉 presently existing in the ten directions knows perfectly well that the past (补迟墨迟补) and future (补苍腻驳补迟补) 产耻诲诲丑补办峁迟谤补蝉 are the same as them. Why? Because the qualities (驳耻峁嘺) of the Buddhas are the same amongst all of them. In this regard, see p. 2228F.
Finally, in [the view] of the 辫谤补箩帽腻p膩ramit膩, the present (pratyutpanna), the past (补迟墨迟补) and the future (补苍腻驳补迟补) are the same (sama) and without differences (苍颈谤惫颈艣颈峁ａ弓补) for it is a matter of one and the same suchness (迟补迟丑补迟腻), one and the same fundamental element (诲丑补谤尘补诲丑腻迟耻). This is why you should not argue with us here.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Under the official title of devaputra, the 罢谤补颈迟茅 here means the Ku峁Ｄ佱箛a emperor ruling at its time: cf. 罢谤补颈迟茅, Vol. III, Introduction, p. XI.
[2]:
The 补苍颈谤辞诲丑补办辞峁璱, like the 补苍耻迟辫腻诲补办辞峁璱 mentioned above (笔补帽肠补惫颈峁兣沘迟颈, p. 29, l. 7) is none other than the true nature of dharmas without production or cessation.
[3]:
The bodhisattva sees the true nature of things by means of pure wisdom (辫谤补箩帽腻 an膩srava) and, even in the earliest texts, this wisdom which in reality sees nothing, is metaphorically called 鈥榚ye鈥� (肠补办峁蝉).