Great Comprehensive Sutra on Perfect Enlightenment: Condensed Commentary, Scroll 1, Part 1
Preface by Master Guifeng Zongmi of Caotang Temple, Zhongnan Mountain, Tang Dynasty
To explain this sutra, we will analyze it through ten approaches:
1. The causes and conditions for the teachings 2. The classifications within the Buddhist teachings 3. Differentiating provisional and ultimate teachings 4. The profound scope of the teachings 5. The intended audience 6. The nature of the teachings as expression 7. The general and specific purposes of the teachings 8. The stages of practice and realization 9. A general explanation of the title 10. A detailed interpretation of the text
These ten begin with general and specific aspects. The general aspect refers to how all teachings arise in response to causes, requests, the manifestation of truth, and the liberation of beings—the entire Buddhist tradition springs from these. The fundamental intention of the Buddha is solely for the sake of one great matter. The specific aspect includes ten specific reasons for teaching this sutra.
First, it reveals that the practice of causation has its own foundation.
Perfect illumination is pure awareness, realizing that ignorance is empty. Arouse a pure mind, and then cultivate all practices.
Second, by dissolving all traces of attainment, one realizes completeness.
Originally, there is no bodhi or nirvana. There is only the pure, awakened nature. Therefore, it has no beginning or end, no increase or decrease—this alone is the ultimate goal.
**3. Therefore, once we discern the truth, we must put it into practice.**
Universal Worthy asks with intent: "The enlightened nature is originally perfect; everything is like an illusion. Illusions and emptiness have no essence—who then speaks of cultivation? If it is not cultivated, what cause leads to the realization of enlightenment? The Buddha taught that illusory wisdom arises to eliminate all illusions. When illusions cease, wisdom vanishes, and the enlightened mind becomes complete and bright. Yet now, those who merely speak of emptiness and illusion sink into 'no cultivation.' Those who practice cultivation are bound by 'attainment.' Indeed, the meaning of awakening and cultivation seems contradictory yet aligns; thus it is hardest to understand, and the principle must be decided."
The Four Right Efforts are like a fire kindled by the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. If this fire catches the wind of diligence, it will burn away all that stands in its way—which is why they are taught next. Diligence is their essence, so they are all called "efforts." But to distinguish them from the efforts of non-Buddhist paths, they are called "right" efforts. Though they are one kind of effort, based on their function they are divided into four: First, prevent unwholesome states that have not yet arisen from arising. Second, abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen, so they do not continue. Third, bring forth wholesome states that have not yet arisen. Fourth, expand the wholesome states that have already arisen.
The Four Bases of Psychic Power are: Desire, Effort, Mind, and Investigation.
- **Desire** means the will or aspiration. - **Effort** means continuous, unwavering practice. - **Mind** refers to concentration, a mind fixed on a single object. - **Investigation** refers to wisdom, the inner discernment that distinguishes things.
Because effort can lead to restlessness, which weakens the flame of wisdom, concentration is needed to control it. And through this control, one attains the desired mastery.
"Psychic power" means miraculous ability; "base" means the foundation of concentration. Since the path of transcendence brings supreme mastery, these four—desire, effort, mind, and investigation—build the foundation for it. They are therefore called the bases of psychic power, also known as the bases of magical attainment, because with them, whatever you wish is realized just as you intend.
The Five Faculties are: faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. These five work together to give rise to the path of transcendence. Because the preceding three categories (faith, energy, mindfulness) are firmly rooted here and cannot be uprooted, they are collectively called "faculties" (indriya) from this point forward.
The five powers are the growth of the five faculties mentioned earlier. They cannot be subdued by maras or Brahma. Furthermore, they can diminish and destroy obstacles such as lack of faith, and are therefore called powers.
The Seven Factors of Enlightenment are defined as follows: Mindfulness serves as the foundational factor—through sustained mindfulness, one ensures that all wholesome qualities are not forgotten. Investigation of phenomena is the essential factor, as it enables direct discernment of their true nature. Effort is the factor of renunciation—through its power, one reaches the intended goal. Joy is the factor of nourishment—it brings delight to the mind and ease to the body. Tranquility, Concentration, and Equanimity are all factors of purification—they eliminate mental sluggishness, establish stability through meditative absorption, and cultivate a balanced state that fully lets go of attachment and aversion. These seven are collectively called the Factors of Enlightenment. Although they arise simultaneously in a single moment, each is described according to its distinct function and characteristic.
The Noble Eightfold Path is described as follows: Right View is the factor of discernment—based on the realization of truth, it clearly evaluates. The remaining seven are also each termed "right." Right Thought is the factor of teaching others—skillfully establishing what one has realized, contemplating meanings through words. The next three are all factors that inspire faith in others. Right Speech: relying on the truth, it engages in questions and answers, judgments and discernment, enabling others to have faith in the purity of one's view. Right Action: physical conduct, performing proper actions and refraining from wrong ones, displaying complete ethical conduct, allowing others to believe in the purity of one's precepts. Right Livelihood: seeking alms according to the Dharma, dwelling in the noble lineage, avoiding the five wrong livelihoods. Right Effort is the factor that purifies afflictions—by persistent practice, one is forever freed from all fetters. Right Mindfulness is the factor that purifies subsidiary afflictions—through mindfulness, one does not forget the signs of tranquility and vigilance, and never tolerates drowsiness or restlessness. Right Samadhi is the factor that purifies obstacles to supreme qualities—through its realization, one gains boundless virtues such as psychic powers.
The sequence of the above seven steps is as follows: after hearing the Dharma, first, one should contemplate and uphold it; next, one should diligently practice. Through diligence, the mind becomes collected and pliable; being pliable, faith becomes a faculty, faculties mature into powers; the seven factors of enlightenment unfold discernment; the eightfold path actualizes right practice.
In summary, we use an analogy: the nature of Dharma is like the earth; Mindfulness of the body, etc., is like seeds; Right Effort is like planting; the Bases of Psychic Power are like sprouting; the Five Faculties are like taking root; the Five Powers are like the stem and leaves growing; opening the flowers of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and bearing the fruit of the Eightfold Path.
"Purity."
All words and abilities are equally pure.
Here is the translation that meets your requirements:
"And so on, up to and including..."
Transcend these many teachings: the Three Bodies, the Four Insights, the Five Eyes, the Six Supernatural Powers, the Grounds, the Perfections, the Fruits, the Aspirations, the Conditions, the Truths, the States, the Absorptions, and so on.
"Eighty-four thousand"
The Dharma teachings [truths of Buddhism] are vast and boundless. We summarize them here into a specific number only to counteract the afflictions of the world. These afflictions number 84,000, and each has its corresponding pure Dharma [truth/teaching]—because the numbers of defilement and purity are neither more nor less.
A treatise says: "When ignorance stirs, thoughts arise and perceive various realms. Thus, ignorance—and the countless false, defiled states of mind that follow—are described as beyond measure like the sands of the Ganges. In response to this, the mind’s true nature remains unmoved, and therefore it is shown to possess an equally immeasurable array of pure, virtuous qualities."
A dharani is a protective chant or incantation
The Bodhisattva who has attained the Samadhi of Total Retention holds within each single teaching the essence of all teachings.
"The gate."
In each individual teaching, all teachings are contained.
"Everything is pure."
Summary. Question: “The worldly and the transcendental appear different in nature—how does this sutra describe them both as pure?” Answer: “As explained earlier, I will elaborate again. If we view things through the dichotomy of ordinary beings versus sages, they seem completely different. But if we see them from the perspective of the Dharma-realm itself, everything is just illusion, arising from conditions with no independent essence. It’s like one mirror reflecting all kinds of humble tiles and stones, and another reflecting precious jewels. A foolish child sees them as vastly different, but a wise person understands they are fundamentally the same. For someone with clear, enlightened vision and a pure mind, it works the same way: whether worldly or transcendental, sage or ordinary, all appear equally empty. Emptiness itself is the essence of awakening. As the text says: ‘Seeing the Buddha’s world is like seeing flowers in empty space; birth and death, nirvāṇa—they are all like last night’s dream.’ It is precisely because one sees all as equal in accord with principle that one is called a sage. If someone esteems the sacred while despising the profane, or craves truth while rejecting illusion, even if they practice, how could they reach the true source? Now, from the point of ‘awakening and perfect clarity’ onward, we have traced step by step through the interdependent appearances, revealing the purity of all worldly and transcendental dharmas. This fifth section covers all phenomena thoroughly. The sixth and seventh sections merely extend this understanding to other beings and other realms, adding nothing new. As for the five interdependent points: the mind is originally pure, but due to ignorance, it is called the ālaya-consciousness. It interacts with the intellect and is further called ‘seeing defilements.’ It manifests as active manifestations, giving rise to faculties and their objects. Within this, there is a creative force known as the four elements, completing the sense realms, sense bases, and all conditioned dharmas of defilement. Cultivation and realization serve to counteract these, producing unconditioned practice and fruition. Now that we have awakened to perfect clarity, the mind, consciousness, and all their transformations become progressively pure. When the skin is gone, the hair has nothing to attach to. As for unconditioned dharmas, from the perspective of personal cultivation, cause comes before effect. But when discussing the fundamental nature of dharmas, effect precedes cause—just as the Treatise says: when the root ceases, the coarse defilements vanish with it.”
## Six. One’s Own True Rewards and Those of Others
"Good man, all things in their true nature."
However, all forms are ultimately illusory, as they arise from dependent conditions. When one penetrates these conditions and enters reality, that is what is meant by "true form." Thus, the *Wisdom Treatise* says: "Seeing that forms are like emptiness—this is called true form. The ultimate truth of intrinsic emptiness is free from inversion and is not false. If one still clings to emptiness, that itself is an inversion; only non-attachment to emptiness is the true principle. This true form is actually non-form; that is why the Thus-Come One calls it 'true form.' It neither shifts nor changes and is ultimately eternal." The *Sutra of Infinite Meanings* says: "Thus, no form is no-form; the absence of form is not form; this is called true form."
"Because the nature is originally pure,"
This ultimate reality has inherently been pure in nature from the very beginning, untouched by any false or deluded phenomena. Though it appears tainted by confusion and delusion, awakening reveals it is fundamentally pure—this is called "intrinsic purity."
"Completely pure in body and mind."
From prior understanding, we realize that faculties, consciousness, elements, and atoms—all phenomena within and beyond this world—return to the pure and true nature of reality. Only then is true accomplishment reached. This person's body and mind are pure, which is why each stage of purity echoes the earlier text. Only here does the text specifically point to the true nature of reality as the very reason for purity.
"Because one body is pure, many bodies are pure."
Having realized the nature of ultimate reality within oneself, one also sees that all beings share the same pure true nature. This is because one perceives all beings without clinging to appearances, recognizing that they all equally possess the perfect enlightened nature. Master Zhi said: "When I see that my own nature is empty, all phenomena are empty; the countless varieties of things are all the same." And later in the text it says: "When perfect enlightenment universally illuminates, and all is one undivided tranquility, one finally understands that all beings have always been enlightened from the very beginning."
"Because the pure body is clear, in this way, even the perfect enlightenment of all beings throughout the ten directions becomes clear and pure."