Bodhisattva's Mind of Emptiness: Non-Abiding and Non-Cultivation of the Five Aggregates

Original text from the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra: When the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practice the profound prajñāpāramitā, if they neither abide in nor cultivate form, this is abiding in and cultivating form. If they neither abide in nor cultivate feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, this is abiding in and cultivating feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. Extensively stated up to: if they neither abide in nor cultivate the eighteen exclusive dharmas of the Buddha, this is abiding in and cultivating the eighteen exclusive dharmas of the Buddha. Why? Kauśika, when the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practice the profound prajñāpāramitā, they find nothing in form that can be abided in or cultivated, nothing in feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness that can be abided in or cultivated. Extensively stated up to: they find nothing in the eighteen exclusive dharmas of the Buddha that can be abided in or cultivated.

Explanation: When the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practice the profound prajñāpāramitā, if their minds neither abide in nor cultivate the aggregate of form, this is abiding in the cultivation of the aggregate of form—this is correct cultivation, whereas incorrect cultivation would be abiding in the aggregate of form and giving rise to attachment. If the bodhisattvas neither abide in nor cultivate the aggregates of feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, this is abiding in the cultivation of the aggregates of feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness—non-abiding is correct cultivation, while abiding is incorrect cultivation. Extending this principle broadly, if they neither abide in nor cultivate the eighteen exclusive dharmas of the Buddha, this is abiding in the cultivation of the eighteen exclusive dharmas of the Buddha—non-abiding is correct cultivation, while abiding is incorrect cultivation.

Why is this said? Kauśika, when the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practice the profound prajñāpāramitā, their minds should abide in the principle that the aggregate of form is unobtainable, and they should constantly cultivate this principle of the unobtainability of the aggregate of form. Their minds should abide in the principle that the aggregates of feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are unobtainable, and they should constantly cultivate this principle of the unobtainability of the aggregates of feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. Extending this broadly, their minds should abide in the principle that the eighteen exclusive dharmas of the Buddha are unobtainable, and they should constantly cultivate this principle of the unobtainability of the eighteen exclusive dharmas of the Buddha.

The key points here are the two words "abiding" and "cultivating." Understanding the meaning of these two words will clarify this passage of scripture. "Abiding" means the mind sinking into form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness; the mind entering into form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness; the mind clinging to form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness; the mind loving form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness; the mind grasping at form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness; the mind seizing upon form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. "Cultivating" means the mind contacting form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness; cultivating form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness; the mind operating within form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness; the mind clinging to form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness; the mind utilizing form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness.

This is the mental activity of ordinary people—it is the grasping and attachment to form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, failing to see the true nature of form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, being deluded by form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, thus the mind operates perversely within form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. Bodhisattvas who practice prajñāpāramitā, perceiving the emptiness of form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, will, while operating within form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, neither abide, cling, grasp, seize, crave, nor love; with an empty mind, they operate freely within form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, not perversely operating within them, nor like arhats who eliminate form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness.

In what aspects are the functions of the five aggregates manifested? The functions of the five aggregates are manifested in all bodily, verbal, and mental actions. From the functioning of form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, ordinary people and sages can be distinguished. What is the difference between the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of ordinary people and sages? From their bodily, verbal, and mental actions, one can discern a person's level of cultivation. What is the difference between the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of someone with an empty mind and someone without an empty mind? What is the difference between the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of someone who has realized the Dharma and someone who has not attained the Way? The differences are numerous and significant, but those whose own minds are not empty and unchanged find it difficult to discern them, because cognition finds it difficult to transcend one's own experiences and knowledge—the limitations are great.