Offering the Bowl Chapter 2

The Buddha said to Shariputra, "When a great bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom and is able to accomplish such merit, at that time the Four Heavenly Kings are greatly delighted and think to themselves: 'We should offer four alms bowls to this bodhisattva, just as the heavenly kings offered bowls to the Buddhas of the past.'

The gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, up to and including the gods of the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others' Emanations, are also all delighted and think: 'We should serve and make offerings to this bodhisattva, diminish the race of asuras, and increase the multitude of gods.'

Throughout the great chiliocosm, the gods of the Four Heavenly Kings up to the gods of the Akaniṣṭha Heaven are all greatly delighted and think: 'We should request this bodhisattva to turn the wheel of Dharma.'

Shariputra, when this great bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom and enhances the six perfections, all good men and good women are each delighted and think: 'We should become this person's parents, spouse, children, relatives, and friends.'

At that time, the gods from the Four Heavenly Kings up to the Akaniṣṭha Heaven are all greatly delighted, each thinking to themselves: 'We should devise skillful means so that this bodhisattva remains free from sexual desire. From the very first aspiration, may they always maintain purity like a youth, and never associate with sensual pleasures. If they indulge in the five desires, it will obstruct rebirth in the Brahma heavens, let alone the attainment of supreme, perfect enlightenment.'

Therefore, Shariputra, a great bodhisattva who cuts off sexual desire and leaves the household life should attain supreme, perfect enlightenment—not one who does not."

Shariputra asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One, must a great bodhisattva have parents, spouse, children, relatives, and friends?"

The Buddha said to Shariputra, "Some Bodhisattvas have parents, wives, children, relatives, and friends. Others, from the very moment they first set their minds on awakening, renounce sensual desire and cultivate pure conduct, remaining free from sexual desire all the way until they attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. Still others, through skillful means and power, first experience the five desires, then leave home and attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.

It is like a master illusionist or a skilled disciple of illusion who, well-versed in the art of illusion, conjures up the five desires and enjoys them together with others. What do you think? Do those people truly experience those five desires?"

Shariputra replied, "No, World-Honored One."

The Buddha said to Shariputra, "A great bodhisattva, through skillful means, manifests the five desires and experiences pleasure within them, all to guide and mature sentient beings. Yet this great bodhisattva is not tainted by desire. Through various teachings, they condemn the five desires—desire as a burning fire, desire as filth and defilement, desire as destruction, desire as an enemy. Therefore, Shariputra, you should understand that a bodhisattva endures the five desires for the sake of all beings."

Shariputra asked the Buddha, "How should a bodhisattva practice the perfection of wisdom?"

The Buddha said to Shariputra: "When a great bodhisattva practices the perfection of wisdom, they do not perceive a bodhisattva, nor do they perceive the word 'bodhisattva.' They do not perceive the perfection of wisdom. They do not perceive themselves as practicing the perfection of wisdom, nor do they perceive themselves as not practicing it. Why is this? The nature of a bodhisattva and the word 'bodhisattva' are empty. In emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no mental formations, no consciousness. Apart from form, there is no emptiness; apart from feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, there is no emptiness. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. Feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are emptiness; emptiness is consciousness. Why is this, Shariputra? It is merely due to names that we speak of enlightenment. It is merely due to names that we speak of a bodhisattva. It is merely due to names that we speak of emptiness. Why? Because the true nature of all phenomena is neither born nor destroyed, neither defiled nor pure. When a great bodhisattva practices in this way, they do not perceive birth or destruction, nor do they perceive defilement or purity. Why? Names are things formed by the coming together of causes and conditions; they are merely conceptual labels, provisional designations for the sake of speech. Therefore, when a great bodhisattva practices the perfection of wisdom, they do not perceive any names. Since they do not perceive them, they do not cling to them."