(37) When this lesson concerning the entering into the doctrine of nonduality was preached to the five thousand Bodhisattvas in the assembly all entered into the doctrine of non-duality and obtained the acquiescence in the uncreated law.

(9) The Sovereign Science, the Sovereign Secret, the Supreme Purifier is this; immediately comprehensible, unopposed to Dharma, very easy to perform, imperishable.

(3) “The Lord Buddha delivered this Scripture specifically for those who are entered upon the path which leads to Nirvana, and for those who are attaining to the ultimate plane of Buddhic thought. If a disciple rigorously observes, studies, and widely disseminates the knowledge of this Scripture, the Lord Buddha entirely knows and perceives that for such an one there will be a cumulative merit, immeasurable, incomparable, illimitable, and inconceivable. All such disciples will be endowed with transcendent Buddhic wisdom and enlightenment. And why? Because, Subhuti, if a disciple takes pleasure in a narrow or exclusive form of the Law, he cannot receive with gratification the instruction of this Scripture, or delight in its study, or fervently explain it to others. Subhuti, in whatever place there is a repository for this Scripture, the whole realm of spiritual beings ought to adore it; and reverencing it as a sacred shrine, ceremoniously surround it, scattering profusely sweet-scented flowers, and pure odours of fragrant incense.”

(27) At that time Mahakasyapa having learned what the Inconceivable Emancipation is, praised it saying that he had never heard the like before, and spoke to Sariputra and said : “ Just as a blind man can not see all the coloured figures which may be presented before him, so all the Sravakas may listen to discourses on Inconceivable Emancipation yet they are incapable of comprehending them. But what wise men hearing this would not cherish the thought of-supreme enlightenment? How is it that we have cut down the root [of Bodhi] so that we are rotten seeds in the Mahayana ? All the Sravakas listening to the discourses on the Inconceivable Emancipation, should Wail so loudly that the three great chiliocosms would be shaken, while all the Bodhisattvas would rejoicingly and reverentially accept this doctrine. If a Bodhisattva understands and believes in the doctrine of the Inconceivable Emancipation, no Evil Ones are unable to do anything with him.”

(22) but all beings who even hear this scripture in the present age or after passing of Buddha will also obtain excellent profit. How much more meritorious would it be for them who having heard it, would comprehend, hold, recite, preach, and practise it according to the law. If there be one who has held this scripture in his hand he is said to obtain the mine of the law-treasure. When he recites or explains the meaning of it and practises it according to the doctrine, he will be protected by all the Buddhas. If there be one who honours such a man, he is said to honour the Buddha. If there be one who copies and holds this scripture, his room will be inhabited by the Tathagata. If there be one who rejoices in heating this scripture, he will attain omniscience. If he comprehends even one Gatha of four lines of this scripture and preach it to others, he will receive from Buddha the assurance of attaining supreme enlightenment.”

(2) “O Maitreya, it should be known that there are two kinds of Bodhisattvas. Who are they? The one is those who are fond of phrase and rhetoric, the other is those who can really and unflinchingly attain to the truth with all its deep meaning. Those who delight in phrase and rhetoric should be known as but novices among Bodhisattvas. Those who can understand [the knowledge of] such a profound scripture as this, stainless and free from attachment, and who are ever fearless, able io enter it, by hearing become pure in mind, hold it, recite it, and practise it according to its teaching, should be regarded as having been long in discipline in the ways of Bodhisattvahood.

(1) “By this wisdom shall enlightened disciples be enabled to bring into subjection every inordinate desire! Every species of life, whether hatched in the egg, formed in the womb, evolved from spawn, produced by metamorphosis, with or without form or intelligence, possessing or devoid of natural instinct—from these changeful conditions of being, I command you to seek deliverance, in the transcendental concept of Nirvana. Thus, you shall be delivered from an immeasurable, innumerable, and illimitable world of sentient life; but, in reality, there is no world of sentient life from which to seek deliverance. And why? Because, in the minds of enlightened disciples there have ceased to exist such arbitrary concepts of phenomena as an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality.”

(4) Again, O Maitreya, there are two ways by which Bodhisattvas though comprehending the profound doctrine yet harm themselves and can never attain to the acquiescence in the eternal law. What are they? To despise novices among Bodhisattvas and not to teach them is the one, and although they comprehend the profound doctrine, yet to explain it according to their own ideas is the other; these are the two ways.”

(1) Then Sakra, the king of deities, who was among the assembly spoke to Buddha and said: “Though I have heard several hundred thousands of scriptures while I was waiting on Buddha and Manjusri, yet have I never heard such a scripture as this— the Sutra of ultimate reality ascertained by the supernatural faculty of Inconceivable Self-Existence. If I understand the meaning proclaimed by Buddha rightly, he who hears, comprehends, holds, and recites this scripture will obtain the law without fail; how much more would it be to practise according to the doctrine! He can close [the gate of] the unhappy existences; he is protected by all the Buddhas; he can repress all the heresies, conquer the enmity of evil, realise the Bodhi, abide in the Bodhi-mandala, and walk in the path along which Tathagata has walked.

(3) “O Maitreya, there are two ways by which novices among Bodhisattvas may fail to attain to the conviction in this profound doctrine. What are they? First, when they hear this scripture which has never been heard before, they may fear and doubt that they may not be able to follow it, and not believing it they may slander it saying : I have never heard the like before; whence comes it? Secondly, although they may hold and explain this profound scripture, yet they are not intimate with it, nor do they honour it, nor do they revere it, but often do they find fault with it. Those who behave either in one way or in the other should be known as novices among Bodhisattvas; they harm themselves and can never conquer their minds in the profound doctrine. “

(6) Buddha spoke to the king of deities: "It should be known that the merits of a son or daughter of a noble family who hearing this scripture of Inconceivable Emancipation comprehends, holds, recites and practises it would obtain greater merits than those. And why? The Bodhi of all the Buddhas springs forth from it; and the essence of the Bodhi is infinite. For this reason the merits are immeasurable.”

(2) Subhuti replied, saying: “As I understand the meaning of the Lord Buddha’s discourse, he has no system of doctrine which can be specifically formulated; nor can the Lord Buddha express, in explicit terms, a form of knowledge which can be described as supreme spiritual wisdom. And why? Because, what the Lord Buddha adumbrated in terms of the Law, is transcendental and inexpressible. Being a purely spiritual concept, it is neither consonant with Law, nor synonymous with anything apart from the Law. Thus is exemplified the manner by which wise disciples and holy Buddhas, regarding intuition as the Law of their minds, severally attained to different planes of spiritual wisdom.”

(12) Buddha replied: ‘O noble youth, homage of the law is this: the profound scriptures preached by Buddha are so subtle and so difficult to understand that all the world is unwilling to accept and believe them; so they are pure without blemish; they are unobtainable by mere discrimination or thought; they are enclosed in the treasury of virtues of a Bodhisattva; they are sealed with the seal of Dharani; they lead to the state from which one never retreats; they perfect the six Paramitas; they rightly discriminate the meaning [of all things] ; they are in accordance with the law of Bodhi; they are superior to all other scriptures; they lead to great mercy and compassion; they are far above all the temptation of evils and heresies; they are in harmony with the law of causation; they transcend self, individuality, personality and durability; they are empty, formless, aimless and causeless; they are capable of elevating beings to a seat in the Bodhimandala and roll the wheel of the law; praised by all deities, serpent gods, and Gandharvas; they are capable of leading beings to the mine of virtues of Buddha ; they comprehend all wisdom of the wise and the holy; they preach the paths walked by Bodhisattvas; they are based on the doctrine that all things are real; they unmistakably proclaim the doctrine of transiency, sorrow, emptiness, selflessness, and annihilation; they are capable of saving all who are guilty of trespassing the precepts ; they are capable of causing fear to evil ones; heretics and those who are greedy; they are praised by all the Buddhas and saints; they turn against the sorrows of birth and death, and show the happiness of Nirvana; they are preached by all the Buddhas of the three worlds in the ten quarters —

(26) This sick Bodhisattva receives sense-impressions as if he did not. Not being endowed yet with the Buddha’s law he does not exterminate sensations to attain to the state of enlightenment. If he suffers he should cherish the great compassion comparing himself with those who are in the unhappy [states of] existence. [And he should dwell upon such a thought as this:] Having conquered myself I will cause all beings to conquer themselves. He ought only to remove his disease but not things themselves. In order to exterminate the origin of disease it should be taught [thus]: What is the origin of disease? It is bondage. Where there is bondage there is disease. By what is it bound? It is bound by the three states of existence. How is it exterminated? It is exterminated by [the thought of] nothing to obtain. Where there is nothing to obtain there is no bondage. What is [the meaning of] nothing to obtain? It is to be free from the two [opposing] heresies. They are [false ideas] of both things within and things without; they are nothing.

(1) At that time Buddha spoke to Maitreya and said: “O Maitreya I now give over to thee the Sutra leading to supreme enlightenment, which I have gathered during countless millions of Asamkhyeya kalpas of the past. In the generations that follow after the passing of Buddha, ye should all widely proclaim and propagate this scripture through your supernatural powers m this Jambudvipa and never permit it to become extinct. And why? If there be in the later generations, either sons or daughters of a noble family, or deities or serpent-gods, or goblins, or Gandharvas, or Rakshasas, who cherishing the thought of supreme enlightenment, find pleasure in the great law, but fail to hear such scripture as this, great benefits would be lost to them. Such men as these, hearing such scriptures, will surely entertain great faith in them, cherish the rare thought [or enlightenment] , and reverently preach them in detail to all beings so that they will derive benefits therefrom.