Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Ch枚dr枚n | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes 鈥渢he dharani without obstacles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.
Bodhisattva quality 4: the 诲丑腻谤补峁嚹� without obstacles
4. 补蝉补峁単补诲丑腻谤补峁噄辫谤补迟颈濒补产诲丑补:
厂奴迟谤补: These bodhisattvas have obtained the 诲丑腻谤补峁嚹� without obstacles (asa峁単a诲丑腻谤补峁嚹玴ratilabdha).
艢腻蝉迟谤补: Question 鈥� The s奴tra has already said that the bodhisattvas have obtained the 诲丑腻谤补峁嚹玸 (诲丑腻谤补峁嚹玴ratilabdha); why does it repeat here that they have obtained the 诲丑腻谤补峁嚹� without obstacles (asa峁単a诲丑腻谤补峁嚹�)?
Answer. 鈥� 1) Because the asa峁単a诲丑腻谤补峁嚹� is very important. Just as the 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈 called 鈥楰ing of Sam膩dhi鈥� is the most important of all the 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈s in the way that a king is relative to his subjects; just as the 鈥�Deliverance without Obstacles鈥� (补蝉补峁単补惫颈尘辞办峁) [Note: this is the deliverance acquired when one reaches Buddhahood] is the most important of all the 惫颈尘辞办峁蝉, so the asa峁単a诲丑腻谤补峁嚹� is superior to all the 诲丑腻谤补峁嚹玸.
2) Furthermore, the s奴tra says first that the bodhisattvas have acquired the 诲丑腻谤补峁嚹玸, but we do not know what kind of 诲丑腻谤补峁嚹�. There are small 诲丑腻谤补峁嚹玸 such as those obtained by the cakravartin kings, the 峁涐梗墨s, etc.: for example, the 艣rutadhara诲丑腻谤补峁嚹�, the sattvaprabheda诲丑腻谤补峁嚹�, the nama岣ヅ沘ra峁嚹乸arity膩ga诲丑腻谤补峁嚹�. Other people can likewise possess the lesser 诲丑腻谤补峁嚹玸 of this kind. But this asa峁単a诲丑腻谤补峁嚹� cannot be obtained by heretics (迟墨谤迟丑颈办补), 艣谤腻惫补办补蝉, pratyekabuddhas and [even] the beginning bodhisattvas (腻诲颈办腻谤尘颈办补产辞诲丑颈蝉补迟迟惫补). Only the bodhisattvas full of immense merit (补辫谤补尘腻苍补辫耻峁噛补), wisdom (辫谤补箩帽腻) and great power (尘补丑腻产补濒补) are able to possess it. That is why it is spoken of separately here.
3) Finally, these bodhisattvas who have assured their own interest (补苍耻辫谤腻辫迟补蝉惫补办腻谤迟丑补) desire only to benefit beings, preach the Dharma to them and convert them ceaselessly. They use this asa峁単a诲丑腻谤补峁嚹� as basis. This is why the bodhisattvas always practice the asa峁単a诲丑腻谤补峁嚹�.