Bodhisattva Paramārathasamudgata (’Born of Ultimate Truth’) asks, “Based on what secret intent did the World-Honored One explain that, ‘All dharmas are completely without inherent nature, are without arising, without ceasing, are originally quiescent with the inherent nature of Nirvāṇa?’”
Part One - The Three ‘Lack of Inherent Natures’
All dharmas lack inherent nature 無自性 in three ways:
- Characteristics (lakṣaṇa) are without inherent nature 相無自性性
- Corresponding to the imaginary nature (parikalpita) being grasped as something circumscribed
- Arising (’birth’, [Sam]udgata) is without inherent nature 生無自性性
- Corresponding to the other-dependent nature (paratantra)
- Ultimate Meaning (paramārtha) is without inherent nature 勝義無自性性
- Corresponding to the complete, perfect nature (pariniṣpanna)
Part Two - The Accumulation of Merit and Wisdom
“Sentient beings, because they imagine there are essences and characteristics to be clung to in the other-dependent and fully perfected patterns, produce language about this and that. To the degree that they produce language, they cling to images of essences in the other-dependent and fully perfected patterns because their minds are permeated with language, their understanding follows upon language, their inclinations are toward language. Thus they cling to various imagined essences and characteristics in their other-dependent and fully perfected patterns of consciousness. And, clinging to such in those patterns, they cling to the imagined pattern. Therefore they will bring forth their other-dependent pattern in future [lives]. Defiled by passion, actions, and birth, they will gallop about in transmigration for a long time.”
“Because of a wisdom not permeated by language, because of an insightful wisdom not formed by language, because of a wisdom freed from inclinations toward language, they will be able to destroy the pattern that arises dependent upon others, for, sustained by the wisdom power of this teaching, they will eternally be able to sever all causes for future [rebirths] forever. Because of this they will be able to detest all conditioned states, they will be able to sever all their desires and be perfectly liberated.”
“For all word-hearers, solitary enlightened ones, and bodhisattvas, this is the one wondrous path of purification. This is the one ultimate purification. There is no other. It is with this underlying intent that I have preached that there is only one vehicle.
Part Three - Six kinds of practitioners and their reaction to this teaching:
- Those who have planted good roots, who have matured their continuity (’mindstream’ citta-santāna) and been able to accumulate the requite merit and wisdom
- Those who have planted good roots but have NOT been able to accumulate merit and wisdom, yet they don’t set up their own views.
- Those who have NOT been able to accumulate merit and wisdom, and abide in their own views
- Those who listen to people like #3
- Those who feel dread hearing that all dharmas are without inherent nature
- Those who have NOT planted good roots, have NOT accumulated merit and wisdom, and have their own views.
Part Four - Concluding Poem
Paramārathasamudgata summarizes the teaching of the three lack of inherent natures.
“Just as the background [of a painting] pervades all the colors with the identical, single hue, whether blue, yellow, red, or white, and thus reveals the color, just so, World-honored One, the explicit teaching that all things have no-essence, etc., pervades all sutras of implicit meaning with its identical, single hue, and thus demonstrates the implicit meaning of those sutras.
Part Five - The Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel
- “In the beginning… the World-honored One first turned the Wheel of the Correct Dharma by the characteristics of the Four Truths only for those generating the Voice Hearer Vehicle…. However, at the time of this turning, there was something superior, there was room, and this lack of understanding led to all kind of interpretations and occasioned controversy.”
- “During the second period of time, only for those generating the cultivation of the Great Vehicle, [you] turned the Wheel of the Correct Dharma by characteristics with a secret intent based upon all dharmas being completely without inherent nature, without arising, without ceasing, being originally quiescent with the inherent nature of Nirvāṇa. … At the time of this turning, there was also something superior, there was still room, and this lack of understanding led to all kind of interpretations and occasioned controversy.
- “Now, during the third period, universally for those generating every vehicle, you turn the Wheel of the Correct Dharma by revelatory characteristics based upon the nature of all dharmas being completely without inherent nature, without arising, without ceasing, being originally quiescent with the inherent nature of Nirvāṇa, lacking inherent nature. The most marvelous, absolutely most rare! No turning of any Dharma Wheel in the world is superior, there is no room. This is the meaning of truth, without interpretation or place for controversy.”