Diamond Sutra Commentary Compendium (金剛般若經疏論纂要)

Compendium of Commentaries on the Diamond Sutra

Exposition by Zongmi, Śramaṇa of the Xingfu Temple in the Capital.

Changshui Monk Zixuan's Revised Edition

The mind's mirror is originally pure; images and forms are fundamentally empty. Dream consciousness has no beginning; objects and realms arise into existence. Thus, deluded karma accumulates through habit, and retribution spins its wheel, with kalpas as numerous as dust and sand, unstoppable and unceasing.

Therefore, our Fully Enlightened One manifested his form among humans, first teaching the causes and conditions of birth and extinction, enabling beings to comprehend suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Having removed the attachment to self, yet not having reached the emptiness of dharmas, and wishing to exhaust the root of affliction, he then expounded the Prajñāpāramitā.

When mind and objects are simultaneously extinguished, that is the true mind. When defilement and purity are both forgotten, all is utterly pure.

Three thousand auspicious signs shone forth; sixteen assemblies made it clear. What is transmitted now is the ninth section. Its verses are subtly concise; its meaning is profound and subtle. Wisdom penetrates the three emptinesses; generosity encompasses the ten thousand practices. Abiding in eighteen positions, it secretly reveals the stages and gradations. Severing twenty-seven doubts, it silently connects the vital lineage. Without first employing successive negations, how could one accord with suchness itself?

Therefore, although it encourages practice, from beginning to end it is without marks. Hence, its teachings and principles are all esoteric; its practice and fruition are equally profound. Consequently, those who recite it with their lips are as many as ox hairs, while those who comprehend it with their hearts are as rare as unicorn horns. Some, matching it with names and characteristics, cling to phenomena and deviate from the essence. Others, merely speaking of the One True, gaze at the source yet miss the streams. The rest, with their casual discussions and subjective commentaries, are not worth discussing.

The treasures of Ganges' sands, offerings of body and life throughout the three periods—these analogies cannot fully express its worth. How could this be without profound reason?

And as for Asaṅga and Vasubandhu, teachers who are honored as successors to the Buddha’s seat, how could later learners doubt them, adding or discarding at will? Therefore, what is presented here does not contend with heterodox views. The commentary expounds the treatise’s meaning; it is milk, not water from the moat. The title’s intent of the compilation and the sūtra’s name will be explained next below, with no need for preliminary remarks.

Before commencing the detailed commentary on this sutra, prior to entering the text, the essential principles are outlined in advance, broadly divided into four sections: First, discerning the causes and conditions for the teaching; second, clarifying the sutra's principle and essence; third, distinguishing the locations and assemblies; fourth, explaining the general meaning of the text.

Within the first section, there are two parts: initially, a general discussion of all teachings, which refers to responding to causes, responding to requests, and revealing the truth to liberate beings. If one considers the Buddha's original intent, it was solely for the great cause and condition that he appeared in the world, wishing to enable beings to open the Buddha's wisdom and insight, and so forth.

Subsequently, five specific aspects of this sutra are distinctly revealed: First, it is for counteracting the two attachments of self and dharmas. Due to these two attachments, the two hindrances of afflictions and cognitive obscurations arise. The affliction hindrance obstructs the mind, preventing its liberation, leading to karma creation, rebirth, and transmigration through the five destinies. The cognitive hindrance obstructs wisdom, preventing its liberation, resulting in failure to understand one's own mind and failure to penetrate the nature and characteristics of all dharmas. Even if one escapes the three realms, one remains confined to the two vehicles and cannot attain Buddhahood; hence, they are called hindrances. If the two attachments are eliminated, the two hindrances are severed accordingly. To eliminate the two attachments, this sutra is expounded.

Second, it is for preventing and severing the two doubts of latent and manifest. Preventing the arising of latent seeds of doubt and severing presently arising, active doubts. This corresponds to the sutra's pattern of following each answered question by tracking its traces, progressively severing doubts through twenty-seven segments until the sutra's conclusion.

Third, it is for transforming and extinguishing the two karmas of heavy and light. Transforming heavy karma to be experienced lightly and extinguishing light karma so that it is not experienced, because it reveals the two causes of merit and wisdom. Before the Buddha attained perfect enlightenment and prior to expounding the Prajñāpāramitā, beings, due to lacking sublime wisdom, engaged in giving and other practices with clinging, all becoming tainted or stagnating in the two vehicles. Therefore, the Prajñāpāramitā was taught to reveal sublime wisdom as the cause for the Dharma Body and the five perfections as the cause for the Response Body. Without prajñā, the five practices such as giving are not pāramitās and cannot be called causes for Buddhahood. Thus, the two adornments of merit and wisdom are necessary to accomplish the One Perfectly Endowed with Both.

Fifth, it is for elucidating the two fruits of the True and Response Bodies. Before hearing the Prajñāpāramitā, it was only said that form and characteristics were the Buddha, without knowing that the response and transformation bodies are merely reflections of the True. One did not correctly perceive the True Body and the Response Body. Therefore, this sutra elucidates the two fruits to enable understanding that they are attained through realization based on the aforementioned two causes.

Second, clarifying the two aspects of the scripture: its essential principle and its substance. First, the essential principle. Generally speaking, the Buddhist teachings take dependent origination as their essential principle. Specifically revealing this scripture, it takes the non-duality of prajñā of reality and prajñā of contemplation as its essential principle. Because it uses the wisdom that is identical with principle to contemplate all phenomena, it is like a vajra that can cut through everything. The principle that is identical with wisdom is reality itself, therefore it is like a vajra, solid and indestructible. Among all practices, not a single one may be ignorant of this; therefore, these are combined to form the essential principle of the scripture.

Second, the substance. The prajñā of words and letters is the substance of the scripture. Words and letters include sound, names, phrases, and texts. The nature of words and letters is empty; this emptiness itself is prajñā. There is no separate substance of words and letters; therefore, all are encompassed, leaving no principle unexhausted, and together they constitute the substance of the teaching.

Third, Distinguishing the Locations and Assemblies in Two Parts. First, a General Overview of the Locations Where the Buddha Expounded the Great Sutra. The six hundred scrolls were spoken in four locations across sixteen assemblies: first, seven assemblies at Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha—four on the mountain and three on its summit; second, seven assemblies in the Jetavana Grove; third, one assembly in the Jewel Treasury Hall of the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven; fourth, one assembly beside the White Heron Pond in the Bamboo Grove of Rājagṛha. This sutra belongs to the second location and the ninth assembly, constituting the five hundred and seventy-seventh scroll. Subsequently, a Specific Account of Its Transmission and Translation. This scroll underwent six translations by different masters in successive periods: first, by Kumārajīva of the Later Qin; second, by Bodhiruci of the Later Wei; third, by Paramārtha of the Chen dynasty; fourth, by Jñānagupta of the Sui dynasty; fifth, by Xuanzang of the early Tang; sixth, by Yijing of the Great Zhou. All six were Tripiṭaka masters. The version transmitted today is the one translated by Kumārajīva in the fourth year of the Hongshi era at the Caotang Monastery in Chang’an. In India, there was the Bodhisattva Asaṅga, who entered the Sunlight Samādhi, ascended to Tuṣita Heaven, personally approached Maitreya, received the eighty verses, and then transmitted these verses to Vasubandhu. Vasubandhu composed a prose commentary expanding them into a three-fascicle treatise, explaining them primarily to resolve doubts and attachments. Asaṅga also composed a two-fascicle treatise, explaining them primarily to clarify practices and stages. The current analysis of the sutra follows Vasubandhu’s interpretation, incorporates Asaṅga’s, and additionally consults other treatises, gathering various commentaries. It is titled “Essentials Compiled,” and its purpose lies herein.

Fourth, Explanation of the General Meaning of the Text in Two Parts. First, Explanation of the Title.

The Diamond Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom.

Vajra, in Sanskrit called Vajra, is the diamond club held by the powerful deities. Among metals, it is the hardest, hence named Vajra. Indra possesses it; those with meager merit find it difficult to behold. Extremely hard and extremely sharp, it serves as a metaphor for Prajñā (wisdom). Nothing can destroy it, yet it can shatter all things. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra states: "Just as the vajra cannot be destroyed, it can break all things." Asaṅga said: "Vajra is difficult to destroy." Also: "Vajra can cut." And: "Vajra is fine and firm. Fineness represents the cause of wisdom. Firmness represents indestructibility. All use hardness to metaphorize the essence of Prajñā, and sharpness to metaphorize the function of Prajñā." Furthermore, the commentary by Paramārtha describes six kinds of vajra: First, the blue one can dispel calamities and adversity, metaphorizing Prajñā's ability to remove karmic obstacles. Second, the yellow one responds to people's needs, metaphorizing the unconditioned merits. Third, the red one emits fire toward the sun, metaphorizing wisdom kindling the fire of unborn wisdom toward the original enlightenment. Fourth, the white one can purify turbid water, metaphorizing Prajñā's ability to clarify the turbidity of doubt. Fifth, the empty-colored one enables people to walk and sit in emptiness, metaphorizing wisdom eliminating attachment to dharmas and abiding in the principle of true emptiness. Sixth, the green one can neutralize all poisons, metaphorizing wisdom eradicating the three poisons—this serves as an auxiliary metaphor, not the fundamental metaphor of hardness and sharpness.

Prajñā is correctly translated as wisdom, which illuminates the empty nature of the five aggregates and corresponds to the wisdom of the original enlightenment. If we speak in terms of learners progressing from shallow to profound, it encompasses the three wisdoms of hearing, contemplation, and cultivation, all collectively referred to as prajñā. Hence, Asaṅga states: "That which is capable of cutting off—within prajñāpāramitā, what is cut off by hearing, contemplation, and cultivation—is cut off like a diamond cutting through its object." He further says: "The subtle is the cause of wisdom—the cause of wisdom is precisely prajñā." According to the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā Śāstra*, at the stage of cause it is called prajñā, and at the stage of fruition it is called jñāna. Thus, hearing, contemplation, and cultivation are all termed subtle—the subtle and wondrous prajñā, which is the cause of the Buddha's wisdom. Prajñā is capable of cutting off, hence it belongs to the causal stage; in the Buddha-fruition there is nothing to cut off, and it is accordingly renamed as jñāna. According to the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra*, the term "prajñā" encompasses both meanings of jñāna and prajñā; therefore, while jñāna and prajñā differ slightly in name and meaning, their essence is not separate.

The term "pāramitā" is translated as "reaching the other shore." It should be understood as "arriving at the far shore," meaning to depart from this shore of birth and death, cross the turbulent stream of afflictions, and arrive at the other shore of nirvāṇa.

Nirvāṇa is translated as "perfect stillness," also as "extinction and liberation." All sentient beings inherently possess the mark of tranquil extinction, with nothing further to be extinguished. Yet due to delusion and inverted views, they mistakenly perceive birth and death, thus said to dwell on this shore. If one awakens to the fundamental emptiness of birth and death, realizing the originally perfect stillness, this is called arriving at the other shore.

If interpreted in conjunction with prajñā (wisdom) through inverted phrasing, it may also be rendered as "the wisdom of reaching the other shore."

The scripture, in Sanskrit known as sūtra, is translated in meaning as the concordant scripture. "Concordant" means to elucidate and express the principles of truth, harmonizing with the minds of sentient beings—that is, concordant with the truth and concordant with the capacity. As for "scripture," the *Buddhabhūmi Śāstra* states: "It is called scripture because it can string together and gather in." This is because the sacred teachings of the Buddha string together the meanings that should be expounded and gather in the sentient beings to be transformed.

Now the commentary on the sutra text follows the standard threefold division: first, the introductory section; second, the main exposition section; third, the transmission and practice section. The first section has two parts: first, the testament of faith; second, the narrative of circumstances. ○ Now begins the testament of faith.

Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Śrāvastī, together with a great assembly of 1,250 bhikṣus.

This section is explained in three parts. First, clarifying the reason for its establishment. When the Buddha was nearing parinirvāṇa, Ānanda asked about four matters. The Buddha answered each one: After my parinirvāṇa, first, rely on the four establishments of mindfulness; second, take the precepts as your teacher; third, deal with unruly monastics by silent disregard; fourth, at the beginning of all sūtras, state: "Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha was in a certain place, together with a certain assembly of so many," and so forth.

Second, to clarify the purpose of establishing this. The purpose has three aspects: First, to resolve doubts. It is said that when the assembly was convened, Ānanda ascended the seat intending to expound the Buddha’s Dharma, and his own majestic appearance became as splendid as that of the Buddha. The assembly then arose with three doubts: first, doubting that the Buddha had reappeared to expound the Dharma; second, doubting that a Buddha from another realm had come; third, doubting that Ānanda had attained Buddhahood. Therefore, by uttering these words, the three doubts were instantly dispelled. Second, to cease contention. If it were not attributed to having heard it from the Buddha, but instead claimed to be his own composition, then disputes would arise. Third, to distinguish it from heterodox teachings. It differs from the non-Buddhist scriptures, which begin with statements such as “Thus have I heard” from Āyu, and so forth.

Third, the proper exposition of the text's meaning is established through six conditions: faith, hearing, time, teacher, place, and assembly. If these six conditions are not complete, the teaching cannot arise. Since they must all be present, it is called "establishment."

One, Faith. If we combine "I heard" and interpret them together, then these are words pointing to the Dharma, indicating that such a Dharma I heard from the Buddha. Interpreting "such" alone, the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom states: "It is the accomplishment of faith." The ocean of the Buddha's Dharma—faith is what enables entry, wisdom is what enables crossing. Those who have faith say this matter is thus; those who lack faith say this matter is not thus. Furthermore, the sages expound the Dharma solely to reveal "thusness"; only thusness is true, therefore it is called "such." Moreover, existence and nonexistence not being dual is "thus"; thusness not being existence or nonexistence is "true."

Two, Hearing. I, that is, Ānanda, is the provisional designation of the five aggregates. Hearing refers to the ear faculty generating consciousness; abandoning the specific and following the general, thus it is said, "Thus I have heard." Regarding the sūtras that Ānanda did not hear from twenty years earlier, some say the Tathāgata expounded them again; some say he attained profound samādhi and comprehensively apprehended them. If we trace back to the fundamental principle, Ānanda is a great skillful-means bodhisattva—what dharma would he not comprehend?

Third, the Time. The assembly of teacher and disciples was complete, the teaching and listening were brought to fulfillment; therefore it is said, "at one time." As the reckoning of time differs among various regions, some longer, some shorter, it is simply called "one." Furthermore, at the time of expounding the Dharma and receiving the Dharma, mind and object are extinguished, principle and wisdom are fused, the ordinary and the sage are as one; the beginning and the original meet—it is the time when all these dualities become one.

IV. The Lord. Fully named Buddha, meaning the Awakened One. The *Awakening of Faith* states: "The meaning of awakening is that the essence of mind is free from thought. Being free from thought is equal to the realm of space, which is the Tathāgata's impartial Dharma-body." Thus, one who is without thought is called Buddha. Moreover, awakening has three meanings: First, self-awakening, realizing that one's own mind is originally without birth or extinction; second, awakening others, realizing that all phenomena are none other than thusness; third, perfect awakening, the principle of these two awakenings being complete is called perfection. Therefore, it is known that having thought does not constitute awakening. The *Awakening of Faith* states: "All sentient beings are not called awakened, because from beginningless time they have continuously produced thought after thought, never having been free from thought." It further states: "If there are sentient beings who can contemplate thoughtlessness, they are thereby turning toward the Buddha's wisdom."

V. Place. Śrāvastī is translated as "Heard of Things," meaning it is endowed with desires and dusts, treasures, extensive learning, liberation, and so forth, and is renowned far and wide among various countries; thus, Yijing translated it as "City of Great Renown." The Jeta Grove and so on refer to the trees bestowed by Prince Jeta and the garden purchased by Elder Anāthapiṇḍada. Jeta is translated as "Victorious in Battle," being the son of King Prasenajit; he was so named because the king was victorious in battle with a foreign country at the time of his birth. The Sanskrit term Sudatta is translated as "Good Giver"; Anāthapiṇḍada means "one who gives to the friendless" and is thus also a good giver, and he was also constantly engaged in giving. In Western lands, a monastery is called a saṅghārāma, which means "garden of the assembly."

The Six Assemblies. "And" means together, including. "Great" signifies renowned and virtuous. Bhikṣu, a Sanskrit term, retains the original Sanskrit as it encompasses three meanings: first, frightening Māra; second, mendicant; third, pure precepts. "Assembly" refers to harmony in principle and harmony in affairs. The twelve hundred and fifty: when the Buddha first attained enlightenment, he ordained Kauṇḍinya and the other four, making five; next he ordained the three Kāśyapa brothers along with their disciples, totaling one thousand; next he ordained Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, each with one hundred disciples; next he ordained Yaśas and other sons of elders, fifty in all. The scripture cites the round number, thus reducing by five. These were the constant followers, hence their number is specifically listed; it is not that there were no other assemblies, but they are not mentioned here. "Together" means at one time and in one place.

Second, the Sequence of Initiation: It is said that the dignified conduct of begging for alms is free from wrong livelihood, which constitutes upholding the precepts. The precepts support meditative concentration, and meditative concentration gives rise to wisdom. Therefore, the precepts and concentration initiate the main principle of Prajñā. The text is divided into two parts: first, the precepts.

At that time, the World-Honored One, at mealtime, put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the great city of Śrāvastī to beg for alms. In that city, he begged in successive order, and having completed his almsround, he returned to his original place.

The exposition is divided into seven sections:

First, the Teacher of the transformation. The *Satyasiddhi Śāstra* states that one who possesses the nine supreme epithets is revered by beings and is therefore called the World-Honored One, honored alike by gods and humans.

Second, the time of the transformation. The time for alms is during the morning hours, at the beginning of the day, when alms are easily obtained and neither oneself nor others are troubled. After receiving alms, returning to the grove coincides with the mid-morning period, following the customary practice of the meal.

Third, the manner of the transformation. He wears the saṅghāṭī robe and carries the bowl offered by the Four Heavenly Kings.

Fourth, the place of the transformation. The grove lies five or six li southeast of the city. Entering from outside to within is called “entering”; a place vast and frequented by many is called “great.”

Fifth, the act of the transformation. The Buddha, wishing to reveal the merits of ascetic practice and cause the heedless to feel shame, engages in the same conduct to gather beings. The *Sūtra of Mañjuśrī’s Questions* states: “The transformation body of the Buddha is like solid vajra, without the two repositories of raw and cooked food.” That he now seeks alms is for the benefit of others. Thus, the *Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa* says: “For the sake of not eating, one should accept that food.”

Sixth, the equality of the transformation. First, because of inwardly realizing the principle of equality, outwardly one perceives no distinction between poor and rich. Second, the mind is free from greed and arrogance, and compassion shows no partiality in benefiting others. Third, it demonstrates majestic virtue, showing no fear when approaching places such as those of wild elephants, wine-sellers, or courtesans. Fourth, it puts to rest the suspicions of ordinary people. Fifth, it shatters the discriminations of the two vehicles.

Seventh, the conclusion of the transformation. However, the meaning of the character “已” belongs to the following clause, though in the text it is connected to the preceding clause. The meaning of the characters “飯食” belongs to the preceding clause, though in the text it is connected to the following clause. If the text were expanded to make each clause complete, it should read: “Having finished the sequential alms round, he returned to his original place and partook of the meal. After the meal, he put away his robe and bowl.” If the Buddha did not eat, the merit of others would not be fulfilled. The *Ratnamegha Sūtra* states: “Divide what is received from alms into four portions: one for fellow practitioners of purity, one for the poor, the sick, and beggars, one for beings of water and land, and one for oneself to eat.” The *Twelve Dhūta Sūtra* speaks only of three portions, excluding fellow practitioners.

Second, meditative concentration.

When the meal was finished, he put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, arranged his seat, and sat down.

The explanation is divided into three sections: first, gathering the supporting conditions. When one is about to enter meditation, it is necessary to cease grasping at objects. If robes and alms bowl are not put away, the mind will be burdened with worry and concern. Therefore, the Buddha manifested this action as a model for later generations: he put away his great robe and donned the seven-piece robe. Second, purifying bodily karma. The Āgama Sūtras state: "When the Buddha walked, his feet were four finger-widths above the ground, with lotuses supporting them." Now, he manifests washing his feet to accord with worldly conventions and to express the Dharma, serving as a model for later generations. Third, properly entering meditation. Spreading the seat and sitting in meditation is because when the body is upright, the mind is free from dullness and agitation. The Wei Dynasty translation says: "As usual, he spread his seat, sat cross-legged, straightened his body, abided with upright mindfulness, unmoving." The Tang Dynasty translation says: "He straightened his body with correct aspiration, abiding in mindfulness face to face." Asaṅga states: "It reveals that only the tranquil one can realize and expound this here." However, the great sage's manifestation of traces must signify something. It signifies that the Buddha of original enlightenment, within the citadel of the five aggregates, realizes that the armies of Māra are fundamentally empty; this is called victory in battle. Illuminating the virtues inherent in mind-consciousness is giving to the solitary; seeking the Dharma to nourish the spirit is the assembly of mendicants. Since the enlightened mind has arisen, how could one abandon worldly toil? Wishing to contemplate universally, one then enters the storehouse consciousness, contemplating the mental factors in sequence; what is false yet true all attains the joy of Dharma. The joy of Dharma has no substance; it merges and unites with the enlightened mind. Contemplation relies on conditions; when conditions are forgotten, one can accord with true nature. Contemplative insight is a trace; wiping away the traces returns to the source. Returning to the source, Dharma is empty and mind is tranquil; with mind tranquil, the true essence, prajñā shines brightly. To speak of the true principle of prajñā, such manifestations are shown to initiate it. Zisheng states: "The body is of two kinds: one false, one true." The false body of the five aggregates relies on food and clothing for sustenance; the Dharma body is formless, and through prajñā it is illuminated and perfected. Sentient beings preserve the false and neglect the true; Buddhas nurture the true and abandon the false. Since sentient beings are deluded, grasping the false and abandoning the true, I therefore employ false traces to guide them to the true. Thus, relying on the condition of begging for food, I will bestow the transformation of Dharma joy. Therefore, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra states: "You bhikṣus, though you practice begging for food, you have never yet begged for the food of the Great Vehicle Dharma."

Second, the Main Exposition. It is divided into two sections: first, a general classification according to the seven meanings established by Asaṅga; subsequently, a detailed explanation following the questions and answers of Vasubandhu to resolve doubts.

The seven essential meanings at the initial stage are:

First, the continuity of the spiritual lineage—this refers to the protection and entrustment.

Second, the manifestation of the practice—this refers to the request, praise, and approval.

Third, the abodes of the practice—these are the eighteen abodes, from the Buddha’s direct teaching until the end of the sutra, which are the abodes of the practice of signlessness.

Fourth, the antidotes—this means that each abode possesses two kinds of antidotes: one against erroneous conduct and common views, and the other against correct conduct.

Fifth, the non-deviation—this means that through the antidotes, one abandons the two extremes of increase and decrease and does not deviate from the Middle Way.

Sixth, the stages—this means that through non-deviation from the Middle Way, one accomplishes the stages of the worthy and the sage: the stage of faith and practice, the stage of purified mind, and the stage of the Tathāgata.

Seventh, the establishment of the name—this means that because of the preceding six, the Wisdom is firm and sharp, and the stages are vast and profound; therefore it is called Vajra (Diamond).

The latter four meanings are explained solely with reference to the eighteen abodes within the third meaning; there are no separate sutra passages for them.

The Eighteen Abodes: First, the abode of generating the mind, as the sutra states, "Thus should one subdue the mind," and so forth. Second, the abode of practice corresponding to the pāramitās, such as giving without abiding in forms. Third, the abode of desiring to attain the form body, as in "can be seen by means of bodily marks." Fourth, the abode of desiring to attain the Dharma body. The Dharma body has two aspects: One, the Dharma body expressed through words, as in "if there are sentient beings," and so on, whereby principle is revealed through words. Two, the realized Dharma body, which further has two aspects: One, the aspect of wisdom, as in "the Tathāgata attained anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi"; two, the aspect of merit, as in "if someone filled three thousand worlds," and so on. Fifth, the abode of being free from arrogance while attaining excellence in cultivating the path, as with the stream-enterer, and so forth. From here up to the sixteenth abode, they correspond in order to counteracting twelve kinds of obstructions. The meaning clarifies that to seek the form body and the Dharma body, one must be free from these obstructions. When obstructions are exhausted, one enters the seventeenth abode, the abode of realizing the path. Now, the first obstruction, arrogance, is to be counteracted. Sixth, the abode of not being separated from the time of the Buddha, as in "in the past, at the time of Dīpaṃkara Buddha," and so on. This overcomes the second obstruction of limited hearing. Not being separated from the Buddha's time means possessing extensive hearing. Seventh, the abode of vowing to purify a Buddha-land, as in "a bodhisattva adorns a Buddha-land," and so on. This overcomes the obstruction of small-scale conditioned mental engagement and conceptual cultivation. Conditioned engagement with forms and lands is small; unconditioned engagement is great, because it accords with the Dharma realm. Eighth, the abode of maturing sentient beings, as in "a person's body like Mount Sumeru," and so on. This overcomes the obstruction of abandoning sentient beings. If one perceives them as great or small, one cannot aid them. Ninth, the abode of distancing from following external teachings and distraction, as in "all the sand in the Ganges River," and so on. This overcomes the obstruction of delighting in following external teachings and distraction. Offering treasures as numerous as the sands of the Ganges cannot compare to upholding this sutra. How then could one pursue external learning and not cultivate the true Dharma? Tenth, the abode of practice corresponding to observing and breaking through grasping at forms and the bodies of sentient beings, as in "all the minute particles in three thousand great thousand worlds," and so on. This overcomes the obstruction of lacking skillful means in breaking through the conception of images. Having distanced from distraction and being in accord with concentration, one uses the two skillful means of subtle analysis and non-conceptualization to break the coarse down to the subtle, and to dissolve the subtle into emptiness, thereby eliminating the conception of images. Eleventh, the abode of making offerings and serving the Tathāgata, as in "can the Tathāgata be seen by means of the thirty-two marks," and so on. This overcomes the obstruction of incomplete merit provisions. Not seeing by means of marks, but constantly beholding the Dharma body, is called serving, and its merit is boundless. Twelfth, the abode of not generating diligence or regressing due to distancing from material gain, fatigue, and mental distress, as in "offering as many lives as the sands of the Ganges," and so on. This overcomes the obstruction of relishing taste, indolence, and material gain. Offering lives as numerous as the sands of the Ganges is still inferior to receiving and upholding. How could one, for the sake of a single body, cling to material gain, become physically fatigued and mentally distressed, and thus be indolent? Thirteenth, the abode of enduring suffering, the pāramitā of forbearance, as in "having his body cut," and so on. This overcomes the obstruction of being unable to endure suffering. With no conception of self, and so on, one can endure accumulated suffering. Fourteenth, the abode of distancing from attachment to the taste of tranquility, as in "in a future age, if there is someone who can receive, uphold, read, recite this sutra," and so on. This overcomes the obstruction of incomplete wisdom provisions. Offering one's body three times daily, each time as numerous as the sands, cannot compare to faith in this sutra. How could one then solely devote oneself to meditation, become attached to the taste of tranquility, lack wisdom, and not uphold and expound it? Fifteenth, the abode of distancing from joyful agitation at the time of realizing the path, as in "how does one abide," and so on. This overcomes the eleventh obstruction of not mastering oneself. Thinking "I can abide and subdue," the mind gives rise to joyful agitation. Agitated, one cannot master oneself. Sixteenth, the abode of seeking the Buddha's instruction, as in "at the place of Dīpaṃkara Buddha, obtained the Dharma and attained bodhi," and so on. This overcomes the twelfth obstruction of lacking instruction. To enter the first bhūmi, one requires the Buddha's instruction. Therefore, concerning encountering the Buddha, one attains the path through realizing non-attainment. Seventeenth, the abode of realizing the path, as in "a person's body is great," and so on. This encompasses the realization of the wisdom of the lineage, the universally pervasive suchness, and the accomplishment of the Dharma body and reward body; therefore it is great. Eighteenth, the abode of seeking the Buddha ground. Within this, there are further six kinds of perfection: First, perfection of purifying the Buddha-land, as in "I should adorn a Buddha-land," and so on. This instructs great bodhisattvas of the second bhūmi and above. Second, perfection of unsurpassed seeing and wisdom, as in "having the fleshly eye," and so on. Those below are exclusively the Buddha's fruition; therefore it is called unsurpassed. The term "unsurpassed" applies to the following four as well. Third, perfection of sovereign merit, as in "if someone filled three thousand worlds with the seven treasures," and so on. Fourth, perfection of body, as in "can the Buddha be seen by means of the perfect form body," and so on. Fifth, perfection of speech, as in "do not say that the Tathāgata expounds the Dharma," and so on. Sixth, perfection of mind, as in "did the Buddha attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi as having attained something," and so forth, up to "should view it thus."