"Dazhidulun" Null And Bodhisattva Practice

This study concerns not only the origination and development of Dazhidu Lun (Mahaprajnaparamita upadesa), but also the deep meaning and practical function from the perspective of Bodhisattva practice in this upadesa. In Early Buddhim schools, samadhi of emptiness belongs to the three (or four) kinds of samadhi, which are arisen during the salvation of disciple. Practicers realize non-self and non-mine, or they go through into the five aggregates constituting self to observe that all the dharma can not be gotten. This way can lead to nirvana. Until the rising of mahayana Buddhism thought, the vehicle of bodhisattva began to regard being Buddha as the ultimate goal. As for the three samadhi leading to nirvana, they adopt the altitude ’studying emptiness without realization’and also describe the nirvana as the character of three samadhi, especially with wisdom. At this time, the emptiness is no longer the result of realization of trance. It is the emptiness in their own-being learned through the wisdom. In that case, emptiness as the synonym of nirvana is a very deep concept. It is recorded in the Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Xiao-pin, translated by Kumarajiva).When the Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita was expended as Paacavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita (Da-pin, translated by Kumarajiva), the dharmas in bodhisattva path were added into texts as the subjects of bodhisattva training. Recorded subjects in chapter ’Xu"Da-ru’and’Dao-shu’of Da-pin include:Four Trances, Four Unlimited, Four Formless Trances, Six Perfections, Eighteen Emptinesses; Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment, Three samadhi; Eight Abandonment, Nine Successive Attainments; Ten Powers of Buddha; Twelve Limbs of Dependent Origination, Four Truths, acquiring Four Fruits and Pratyekabuddha Wisdom without realization and entering into the salvation of Bodhisattva; Purify Buddha-lands, bringing creatures into achievement, Supernormal Cognition, Knowledge of All Modes and Severing all Afflictions etc. In addition, the ten stages occur in chapter Fa-qu. Combined with four stages in chapter Xiao-pin, they constitute the system of bodhisattva training.This adding triggered the question that, in Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita, the emptiness and related expression are often applied into all subjects, and occur in the dialogue between Buddha and Disciple about the requirement of the Bodhisattva from Beginning.(Emptiness is very deep concept that it can be only well studied by Irreversible Bodhisattva) What’s more, the inner relationship in bodhisattva path, including the two concepts about emptiness, eighteen emptinesses and samadhi of emptiness, is seldom talked in Da-pin. They are just the question that Mahaprajnaparamita upadesa want to cope with.Exegesis of Da-pin, the whole part corresponding to the first chapter was translated by Kumarajiva. Owning to the requirement of studying three vehicles for bodhisattva, in the upadesa, plenty of bodhisattva’s training content was introduced in. This enlarged the system of bodhisattva practice. In this upadesa, therefore, we can have a clearer picture about the relationship between emptiness and bodhisattva path, through surveying the explanation and organization of bodhisattva practice subjects and stages in upadesa.Emptiness in upadesa has been divided into different hierarchies. All the dharmas should not be held, which is the emptiness that bodhisattva studied from very beginning with good and virtuous teachers. And there is another kind of emptiness:eighteen emptinesses can be realized through repeated training six perfections, and thirty three enlightenment companied with many kinds of concentration can lead to the three samadhi. However, it should be acknowledged that even eighteen emptinesses can not be held and samadhi is also trained without realization. Only in this way, bodhisattva can realize the reality of correctly, because eighteen emptinesses are the division of reality and three samadhi are the description of reality. Through such skillful means and the concentration of mindfulness of the Buddha, bodhisattva enters into salvation of bodhisattva. After becoming irreversible bodhisattva, bodhisattva learns that all the subjects can not be held, so he will not raise the mind of arrogant and live with all beings together. He knows that all dharmas can not be gotten, so he can give all of them with great friendliness and great compassion. This can be the practical meaning of emptiness.