須真天子經住道品第六
Chapter 6: The Abiding in the Path
爾時須真天子復問文殊師利：「菩薩云何得住於道？」
Then, Prince Sujata asked Manjushri again, "How does a Bodhisattva abide firmly on the path?"
文殊師利答言：「天子！菩薩說滅貪法，不於滅貪而求其證；說滅婬怒癡諸愛欲法，不於其中而求其證。是故，天子！菩薩得住於道。復次，天子。菩薩說空不以空為證，說無相不以無相為證，說無願不以無願為證，說不會不以不會為證，說無生不以無生為證，說無所起不以無所起為證，說無分際不以無分際為證，說離貪不以離貪為證，說離所作不以離所作為證，說滅事不以滅事為證，是為菩薩得住於道。復次，天子！菩薩無所施為具檀波羅蜜，不持戒為具尸波羅蜜，有瞋恚為具羼波羅蜜，以懈怠為具惟逮波羅蜜，憙亂忘為具禪波羅蜜，志愚癡為具般若波羅蜜。是故，天子！菩薩得住於道。」
Manjushri replied, "Noble One, a bodhisattva teaches the method to extinguish greed, yet does not seek realization through extinguishing greed. They teach the method to extinguish lust, anger, delusion, and all desires, yet do not seek realization through extinguishing them. Therefore, Noble One, the bodhisattva is able to abide in the Way.
Furthermore, Noble One, a bodhisattva teaches emptiness but does not take emptiness as the realization. They teach signlessness but do not take signlessness as the realization. They teach wishlessness but do not take wishlessness as the realization. They teach non-encounter but do not take non-encounter as the realization. They teach non-arising but do not take non-arising as the realization. They teach non-origination but do not take non-origination as the realization. They teach boundlessness but do not take boundlessness as the realization. They teach freedom from greed but do not take freedom from greed as the realization. They teach freedom from action but do not take freedom from action as the realization. They teach the cessation of phenomena but do not take the cessation of phenomena as the realization. This is how a bodhisattva is able to abide in the Way.
Furthermore, Noble One, a bodhisattva perfects the perfection of giving without performing any act of giving. They perfect the perfection of discipline without upholding precepts. They perfect the perfection of patience while having anger. They perfect the perfection of diligence while being lazy. They perfect the perfection of meditation while being fond of distraction and forgetfulness. They perfect the perfection of wisdom while being inclined toward ignorance. Therefore, Noble One, the bodhisattva is able to abide in the Way."
天子復問：「文殊師利！何因作是說？」
The celestial prince asked again, "Manjusri, why do you speak in this way?"
文殊師利答言：「天子！有四事無所施。何等為四？一者，不捨一切；二者，不捨法；三者，不捨道意；四者，不捨諸功德。是為四法不捨，為具檀波羅蜜。天子！所以持戒，用心未調故；心已調，便捨戒。已捨誡出於冥，已出冥為已明，已捨明為得等，已捨等便得慧，已捨慧便得解脫示現慧。天子當知，如是是以捨戒為具尸波羅蜜。天子！設是菩薩形呰弟子乘、讚歎大乘，已讚大乘為至大乘，便具羼波羅蜜。天子！設是菩薩不為身口意所詭，則為無懈怠所作，如是法為具惟逮波羅蜜。天子！設是菩薩若於夢中心不念著兩際。所以者何？不樂弟子乘、辟支佛乘故。已不樂弟子、辟支佛乘，為至大乘。已至大乘，為具禪波羅蜜。天子！一切法皆癡，譬如草木牆壁瓦石，愚癡如是。見用久習羸劣癡義，是故一切癡法之本，以智慧慧備於道故，便具般若波羅蜜。天子！所作已應，是為菩薩得住於道。復次，天子！菩薩不捨生死跡，不求泥洹跡，於跡無斷、於跡無作，亦無所住。其入邪者為立正道，是為菩薩得住於道。復次，天子！菩薩索一切人、求一切法，亦不得一切人，亦不得一切法。所以者何？不捨菩薩道故。所說至誠而皆有效，是為菩薩得住於道。復次，天子！菩薩知弟子道無所悕望，知辟支佛道亦無所悕望，知菩薩道，具足其根滿諸功德，然後乃隨，是為菩薩得住於道。復次，天子！菩薩如生死所作會皆為之，所作果實不受也，合會之態不能沾污，一切功德悉作道願，不見有不退轉之道。所以者何？悉具足故。是為菩薩得住於道。復次，天子！菩薩於道而求於道，而不滅度，是為菩薩得住於道。」
Manjushri replied, "O Prince, there are four things that are not to be abandoned. What are these four? First, not abandoning all beings; second, not abandoning the Dharma; third, not abandoning the aspiration for enlightenment; fourth, not abandoning all virtuous qualities. These four are not to be abandoned, and by this, one fulfills the perfection of giving.
O Prince, one upholds precepts because the mind is not yet tamed; once the mind is tamed, one lets go of the precepts. Having let go of the precepts, one emerges from darkness; having emerged from darkness, one attains clarity; having let go of clarity, one attains equanimity; having let go of equanimity, one attains wisdom; having let go of wisdom, one attains liberation and reveals wisdom. O Prince, know that in this way, letting go of precepts fulfills the perfection of discipline.
O Prince, if a bodhisattva criticizes the disciple vehicle and praises the great vehicle, having praised the great vehicle, one reaches the great vehicle and thus fulfills the perfection of patience.
O Prince, if a bodhisattva is not deceived by body, speech, or mind, then there is no laziness in action. Such practice fulfills the perfection of diligence.
O Prince, if a bodhisattva, even in dreams, does not cling to extremes, why is this so? Because one does not delight in the disciple vehicle or the solitary-buddha vehicle. Having no delight in these, one reaches the great vehicle. Having reached the great vehicle, one fulfills the perfection of meditation.
O Prince, all phenomena are ignorance, like grass, trees, walls, tiles, and stones—such is ignorance. Seeing through long habituation the weak and inferior nature of ignorance, one understands that ignorance is the root of all phenomena. By cultivating wisdom and perfecting the path, one fulfills the perfection of wisdom.
O Prince, having done what should be done, the bodhisattva abides in the path. Furthermore, O Prince, the bodhisattva does not abandon the path of samsara, nor does one seek the path of nirvana. There is no cutting off of the path, no making of the path, and no abiding in it. For those who have entered wrongly, one establishes the right path. This is how the bodhisattva abides in the path.
Furthermore, O Prince, the bodhisattva seeks all beings and seeks all phenomena, yet does not grasp any being or any phenomenon. Why is this so? Because one does not abandon the bodhisattva path. What one speaks is sincere and effective. This is how the bodhisattva abides in the path.
Furthermore, O Prince, the bodhisattva knows the disciple path but has no longing for it; knows the solitary-buddha path but has no longing for it; knows the bodhisattva path, perfects its roots, and fulfills all virtuous qualities, only then does one follow it. This is how the bodhisattva abides in the path.
Furthermore, O Prince, the bodhisattva engages in all activities of samsara, yet does not cling to their fruits. The conditions of coming together cannot stain one; all virtuous qualities are dedicated to the aspiration for enlightenment, and one sees no path of regression. Why is this so? Because one is fully equipped. This is how the bodhisattva abides in the path.
Furthermore, O Prince, the bodhisattva seeks the path within the path, yet does not seek extinction. This is how the bodhisattva abides in the path."
天子復問：「文殊師利！云何於道而復求道？」
文殊師利答言：「天子！以生死故名曰道。菩薩求道，欲脫一切故。一切無所有，亦無所求，亦無所度。」
天子復問：「文殊師利！一切世間所入道，是菩薩行耶？」
文殊師利答言：「如是，天子！審如所說，一切世間所入則菩薩行也。何以故？如是，天子！行於世間，不為俗法之所沾污也。隨愛欲現無欲，不墮無欲；於生死而示現知一切法不生不起；為無榮冀，於無榮冀而不求證；持於五陰六衰，離於五陰六衰非我所；見知持五陰六衰者，一切而為說法。五陰六衰空無所有，亦不可見。已知無所有，便逮禪惟務。三昧三摩越合以為一，便得意止，心便堅住。已得堅住，便能遍入一切人心。其心不止，為樂於魔眾。菩薩不為魔事之所污，不捨於佛界，於魔界隨所作為，於法界處而不動還，於人界處施護眾生，是為菩薩精進隨一切世俗之行。」