The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment
金非銷故有，雖復本來金，
where the gold does not exist because of smelting; though originally it is gold,
終以銷成就，一成真金體，
in the end it relies on smelting to be accomplished; once it is the body of true gold,
不復重為鑛。生死與涅槃，
it does not return to ore. Birth and death and nirvana,
凡夫及諸佛，同為空花相。
ordinary beings and all Buddhas, are all of the mark of sky-flowers.
思惟猶幻化，何況詰虛妄？
Even thinking is like illusion, so how much more to ask after the false?
若能了此心，然後求圓覺。」
If one can understand this mind, then afterward seek perfect awakening."
於是彌勒菩薩在大眾中即從座起，頂禮佛足右遶三匝，長跪叉手而白佛言：「大悲世尊！廣為菩薩開秘密藏，令諸大眾深悟輪迴、分別邪正，能施末世一切眾生無畏道眼，於大涅槃生決定信，無復重隨輪轉境界起循環見。世尊！若諸菩薩及末世眾生，欲遊如來大寂滅海，云何當斷輪迴根本？於諸輪迴有幾種性？修佛菩提幾等差別？迴入塵勞，當設幾種教化方便度諸眾生？唯願不捨救世大悲，令諸修行一切菩薩及末世眾生，慧目肅清照曜心鏡，圓悟如來無上知見。」作是語已五體投地，如是三請終而復始。
Then Maitreya Bodhisattva rose from his seat in the assembly, bowed with his head at the Buddha's feet, circled him three times to the right, knelt with palms joined, and said to the Buddha: "Greatly compassionate World-Honored One! You have widely opened the secret treasury for the Bodhisattvas, enabling this great assembly to understand deeply the cycle of rebirth and to tell the false from the true. You can give all beings of the last age the fearless eye of the Way, so that they may form firm faith in great nirvana and no longer follow the cycle of rebirth only to give rise once more to circular views. World-Honored One! If Bodhisattvas and beings of the last age wish to roam the great sea of the Tathagata's stillness, how should they cut the root of rebirth? How many kinds of nature are there within rebirth? How many grades of difference are there in cultivating the Buddha's bodhi? And when they re-enter the dust and toil of the world, how many kinds of skillful means of teaching should they use to deliver beings? We beg you not to abandon your great compassion for saving the world, and to let all the Bodhisattvas who practice, and beings of the last age, have their eyes of wisdom cleared and their mind-mirrors made radiant, so that they fully awaken to the Tathagata's unsurpassed knowledge and vision." Having said this, he prostrated with all five limbs on the ground, and made this request three times, ending and beginning again.
爾時，世尊告彌勒菩薩言：「善哉！善哉！善男子！汝等乃能為諸菩薩及末世眾生，請問如來深奧秘密微妙之義，令諸菩薩潔清慧目，及令一切末世眾生永斷輪迴，心悟實相具無生忍。汝今諦聽！當為汝說。」時，彌勒菩薩奉教歡喜，及諸大眾默然而聽。
Then the World-Honored One said to Maitreya Bodhisattva: "Excellent, excellent, good son! You are able to ask the Tathagata, on behalf of the Bodhisattvas and beings of the last age, about this deep, secret and wondrous meaning, so that the Bodhisattvas may clear their eyes of wisdom, and all beings of the last age may cut off rebirth forever, awaken in mind to the true nature of things, and possess the patience of non-arising. Listen carefully now! I will explain it for you." Then Maitreya Bodhisattva received the teaching with joy, and the whole assembly listened in silence.
「善男子！一切眾生從無始際，由有種種恩愛、貪欲故有輪迴。若諸世界一切種性，卵生、胎生、濕生、化生，皆因婬欲而正性命，當知輪迴愛為根本。由有諸欲，助發愛性，是故能令生死相續。欲因愛生，命因欲有，眾生愛命還依欲本；愛欲為因，愛命為果。由於欲境起諸違順，境背愛心而生憎、嫉，造種種業，是故復生地獄、餓鬼；知欲可厭，愛厭業道，捨惡樂善，復現天、人；又知諸愛可厭惡故，棄愛樂捨，還滋愛本，便現有為增上善果，皆輪迴故，不成聖道。是故眾生欲脫生死免諸輪迴，先斷貪欲及除愛渴。
"Good son! From beginningless time, all beings have undergone rebirth because of various kinds of attachment and craving. In all worlds, all kinds of beings, whether born from eggs, from wombs, from moisture or by transformation, all derive their lives from lust, so know that the root of rebirth is love. Because of the many desires, the nature of love is nurtured, and so birth and death can continue. Desire arises from love, life exists because of desire, and beings' love of life in turn rests on the root of desire; love and desire are the cause, and love of life is the result. Because they feel aversion or agreeableness toward objects of desire, when an object goes against their love, hatred and jealousy arise, and they create various kinds of karma, and so are reborn in hells and as hungry ghosts. Knowing that desire is to be loathed, they come to love the path of loathing the karma, give up evil and delight in good, and appear again among gods and humans. Again, knowing that all loves are to be loathed and hated, they cast off love and delight in renunciation, but this too still nourishes the root of love, and so they bring forth conditioned, increasing good results, which remain within rebirth and do not become the holy path. So if beings wish to escape birth and death and be free of rebirth, they must first cut off craving and remove the thirst of love.
「善男子！菩薩變化示現世間非愛為本，但以慈悲令彼捨愛，假諸貪欲而入生死。若諸末世一切眾生能捨諸欲，及除憎愛永斷輪迴，勤求如來圓覺境界，於清淨心便得開悟。
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! The Bodhisattvas' transformations and manifestations in the world are not based on love; they simply use compassion to lead beings to give up love, borrowing the many desires in order to enter birth and death. If all beings of the last age can give up desires, remove hatred and love, and cut off rebirth forever, and diligently seek the realm of the Tathagata's perfect enlightenment, they will awaken in the pure mind.
「善男子！一切眾生由本貪欲，發揮無明顯出五性，差別不等；依二種障，而現深淺。云何二障？一者理障礙正知見，二者事障續諸生死。云何五性？善男子！若此二障未得斷滅名未成佛；若諸眾生永捨貪欲，先除事障未斷理障，但能悟入聲聞、緣覺，未能顯住菩薩境界。善男子！若諸末世一切眾生，欲泛如來大圓覺海，先當發願勤斷二障，二障已伏即能悟入菩薩境界；若事、理障已永斷滅即入如來微妙圓覺，滿足菩提及大涅槃。善男子！一切眾生皆證圓覺，逢善知識依彼所作因地法行，爾時修習便有頓漸；若遇如來無上菩提正修行路，根無大小皆成佛果；若諸眾生雖求善友遇邪見者，未得正悟，是則名為外道種性，邪師過謬，非眾生咎。是名眾生五性差別。
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! All beings, from their original craving, bring out ignorance and display the five natures, which differ and are unequal; depending on two kinds of obstruction, their depth varies. What are the two obstructions? The first is the obstruction of principle, which blocks right knowledge and views; the second is the obstruction of phenomena, which continues birth and death. What are the five natures? Good son! If these two obstructions have not been cut off, one is said not yet to have become a Buddha. If beings give up craving forever and have first removed the obstruction of phenomena but not yet cut off the obstruction of principle, they can only awaken to the level of shravakas or pratyekabuddhas (those who awaken alone by contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination), and cannot yet manifest and abide in the realm of Bodhisattvas. Good son! If all beings of the last age wish to float on the great sea of the Tathagata's perfect enlightenment, they should first make a vow to cut the two obstructions diligently; once the two obstructions are subdued, they can awaken into the realm of Bodhisattvas. If the obstructions of phenomena and principle are cut off forever, they enter the Tathagata's wondrous perfect enlightenment, and fulfill bodhi and great nirvana. Good son! All beings can realize perfect enlightenment; meeting a good spiritual friend, they rely on the practices he performs at the causal stage, and at that time their practice will be sudden or gradual. If they meet the Tathagata's unsurpassed bodhi, the right path of practice, then whether their capacities are great or small, all attain the fruit of Buddhahood. If beings seek good friends but meet people of wrong views and so do not gain right awakening, this is called the nature of outsiders; the fault lies with the false teachers' mistakes, not with the beings. These are called the five kinds of difference among beings.
「善男子！菩薩唯以大悲方便入諸世間開發未悟，乃至示現種種形相逆順境界，與其同事化令成佛，皆依無始清淨願力。若諸末世一切眾生於大圓覺起增上心，當發菩薩清淨大願，應作是言：『願我今者住佛圓覺，求善知識莫值外道及與二乘。』依願修行，漸斷諸障，障盡願滿，便登解脫清淨法殿，證大圓覺妙莊嚴域。」
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! Bodhisattvas enter the world only through the skillful means of great compassion, to open up those not yet awakened. They even manifest all kinds of forms and favorable and adverse circumstances, working alongside them to transform them into Buddhas, all by the power of their beginningless pure vows. If beings of the last age give rise to an increasing mind toward great perfect enlightenment, they should make the pure great vows of a Bodhisattva, and should say: 'May I now abide in the Buddha's perfect enlightenment, seek good spiritual friends, and not meet outsiders or followers of the Two Vehicles.' Practicing according to the vow, they gradually cut off the obstructions; when the obstructions are exhausted and the vow is fulfilled, they ascend the pure Dharma hall of liberation and realize the wondrously adorned realm of great perfect enlightenment."
爾時，世尊欲重宣此義而說偈言：
Then the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:
「彌勒汝當知，一切諸眾生，
"Maitreya, you should know that all beings,
不得大解脫，皆由貪欲故，
unable to attain great liberation, all because of craving,
墮落於生死。若能斷憎愛，
fall into birth and death. If they can cut off hatred and love,
及與貪瞋痴，不因差別性，
along with greed, anger and delusion, then regardless of differences in nature,
皆得成佛道。二障永銷滅，
all can accomplish the Buddha's Way. When the two obstructions are forever extinguished,
求師得正悟，隨順菩提願，
and they seek a teacher and gain right awakening, following the vow of bodhi,
依止大涅槃。十方諸菩薩，
they will rely on great nirvana. The Bodhisattvas of the ten directions
皆以大悲願，示現入生死。
all, by the vow of great compassion, appear to enter birth and death.
現在修行者，及末世眾生，
Those who practice now, and beings of the last age,
勤斷諸愛見，便歸大圓覺。」
who diligently cut off all loves and views, will return to great perfect enlightenment."
於是清淨慧菩薩在大眾中即從座起，頂禮佛足右繞三匝，長跪叉手而白佛言：「大悲世尊！為我等輩廣說如是不思議事，本所不見本所不聞，我等今者蒙佛善誘，身心泰然得大饒益，願為一切諸來法眾重宣法王圓滿覺性，一切眾生及諸菩薩、如來世尊所證所得云何差別？令末世眾生聞此聖教，隨順開悟漸次能入。」作是語已五體投地，如是三請終而復始。
Then Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva rose from his seat in the assembly, bowed with his head at the Buddha's feet, circled him three times to the right, knelt with palms joined, and said to the Buddha: "Greatly compassionate World-Honored One! You have widely explained such inconceivable things to us, which we had never seen or heard before. Having been skillfully led by the Buddha, we now feel at ease in body and mind and have gained great benefit. We beg you to restate, for all the assembly who have come, the Dharma King's perfect and complete enlightened nature: how do the realizations and attainments of all beings, Bodhisattvas, and Tathagata World-Honored Ones differ? So that beings of the last age, on hearing this holy teaching, may follow it, awaken, and gradually enter." Having said this, he prostrated with all five limbs on the ground, and made this request three times, ending and beginning again.
爾時，世尊告清淨慧菩薩言：「善哉！善哉！善男子！汝等乃能為諸菩薩及末世眾生，請問如來漸次差別。汝今諦聽！當為汝說。」時，清淨慧菩薩奉教歡喜，及諸大眾默然而聽。
Then the World-Honored One said to Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva: "Excellent, excellent, good son! You are able to ask the Tathagata, on behalf of the Bodhisattvas and beings of the last age, about the gradual stages and differences. Listen carefully now! I will explain it for you." Then Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva received the teaching with joy, and the whole assembly listened in silence.
「善男子！圓覺自性，非性性有，循諸性起，無取無證，於實相中實無菩薩及諸眾生。何以故？菩薩眾生皆是幻化，幻化滅故無取證者。譬如眼根不自見眼，性自平等。無平等者，眾生迷倒，未能除滅一切幻化，於滅未滅，妄功用中便顯差別；若得如來寂滅隨順，實無寂滅及寂滅者。
"Good son! The self-nature of perfect enlightenment is not some fixed nature; the nature exists of itself, arises following all natures, with nothing to take and nothing to realize, and in true reality there are no Bodhisattvas and no beings. Why? Bodhisattvas and beings are all illusory transformations, and because illusory transformations are extinguished, there is no one who takes or realizes. It is like the eye, which cannot see itself; its nature is equal of itself, and there is no 'equal one'. Beings are confused and upside down, and have not yet removed all illusory transformations; in the false efforts of extinguishing and not yet extinguishing, differences show up. If one attains accord with the Tathagata's stillness, there is in truth neither stillness nor one who is still.
「善男子！一切眾生從無始來由妄想我及愛我者，曾不自知念念生滅，故起憎愛，耽著五欲；若遇善友教令開悟淨圓覺性發明起滅，即知此生性自勞慮。若復有人勞慮永斷得法界淨，即彼淨解為自障礙，故於圓覺而不自在。此名凡夫隨順覺性。
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! Since beginningless time, all beings, through false thinking, have supposed there is a self and a lover of self. They have never realized that each thought arises and ceases, and so give rise to hatred and love and indulge in the five desires. If they meet a good friend who teaches them to awaken the pure perfectly enlightened nature and to understand arising and ceasing, they will know that this life's nature is itself toil and worry. If there is someone whose toil and worry are cut off forever and who attains the purity of the Dharma realm, he then takes that pure understanding as his own obstruction, and so is not free in perfect enlightenment. This is called the ordinary person following the enlightened nature.
「善男子！一切菩薩，見解為礙，雖斷解礙，猶住見覺，覺礙為礙而不自在；此名菩薩未入地者隨順覺性。
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! For all Bodhisattvas, understanding becomes an obstruction; though they cut off the obstruction of understanding, they still dwell in the view of awareness, and the obstruction of awareness becomes an obstruction and they are not free. This is called Bodhisattvas who have not yet entered the grounds following the enlightened nature.
「善男子！有照有覺俱名障礙，是故菩薩常覺不住，照與照者同時寂滅，譬如有人自斷其首，首已斷故無能斷者；則以礙心自滅諸礙，礙已斷滅無滅礙者。修多羅教如標月指，若復見月，了知所標畢竟非月；一切如來種種言說開示菩薩亦復如是。此名菩薩已入地者隨順覺性。
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! Having illumination and having awareness are both called obstructions, so Bodhisattvas are always aware without dwelling; illumination and the illuminator are extinguished at the same time, like a person who cuts off his own head: since the head is already cut off, there is no one left to cut. Thus one uses the obstructing mind to extinguish all obstructions, and when the obstructions are cut off there is no one extinguishing them. The sutras are like a finger pointing at the moon; if you see the moon, you understand that what pointed was in the end not the moon. All the Tathagatas' various teachings to the Bodhisattvas are likewise. This is called Bodhisattvas who have entered the grounds following the enlightened nature.
「善男子！一切障礙即究竟覺，得念、失念無非解脫，成法、破法皆名涅槃，智慧、愚痴通為般若，菩薩、外道所成就法同是菩提，無明、真如無異境界，諸戒、定、慧及婬、怒、痴俱是梵行，眾生、國土同一法性，地獄、天宮皆為淨土，有性、無性齊成佛道；一切煩惱畢竟解脫，法界海慧照了諸相猶如虛空。此名如來隨順覺性。
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! All obstructions are ultimate enlightenment; gaining mindfulness and losing mindfulness are both liberation; establishing the Dharma and destroying the Dharma are both called nirvana; wisdom and ignorance are alike prajna (pronounced bore, the wisdom that sees the true nature of things, not to be confused with worldly cleverness); the teachings accomplished by Bodhisattvas and by outsiders are equally bodhi; ignorance and suchness are no different realms; the precepts, concentration and wisdom, together with lust, anger and delusion, are all pure practice; beings and lands share one Dharma nature; hells and heavenly palaces are all pure lands; those with nature and those without nature alike accomplish the Buddha's Way; all afflictions are in the end liberated, and the wisdom of the Dharma-realm sea illuminates all appearances like empty space. This is called the Tathagata following the enlightened nature.
「善男子！但諸菩薩及末世眾生，居一切時不起妄念，於諸妄心亦不息滅，住妄想境不加了知，於無了知不辨真實。彼諸眾生聞是法門，信解受持不生驚畏。是則名為隨順覺性。善男子！汝等當知！如是眾生已曾供養百千萬億恆河沙諸佛及大菩薩，植眾德本；佛說是人名為成就一切種智。」
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! Bodhisattvas and beings of the last age, at all times, do not give rise to false thoughts, nor do they put an end to all false thinking; they dwell in the realm of false thinking without adding any understanding, and in the absence of understanding do not discriminate what is real. When beings like these hear this Dharma gate, they believe, understand, accept and uphold it without alarm or fear. This is called following the enlightened nature. Good son! You should know that such beings have already made offerings to hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas and great Bodhisattvas, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and have planted the roots of many virtues; the Buddha says such a person will accomplish omniscience."
爾時，世尊欲重宣此義而說偈言：
Then the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:
「清淨慧當知，圓滿菩提性，
"Pure Wisdom, you should know that the nature of perfect bodhi
無取亦無證，無菩薩眾生。
has nothing to take and nothing to realize, and no Bodhisattvas or beings.
覺與未覺時，漸次有差別，
When enlightened and when not yet enlightened, there are gradual differences:
眾生為解礙，菩薩未離覺。
beings are obstructed by understanding, and Bodhisattvas have not yet left awareness.
入地永寂滅，不住一切相，
Entering the grounds, they are forever still, not dwelling in any appearance;
大覺悉圓滿，名為遍隨順。
great enlightenment is fully complete, and this is called universal accord.
末世諸眾生，心不生虛妄，
Beings of the last age, if their minds give rise to no falsity,
佛說如是人，現世即菩薩。
the Buddha says such people are Bodhisattvas in this very life.
供養恆沙佛，功德已圓滿，
They have made offerings to Buddhas as many as the sands of the Ganges, and their merit is complete;
雖有多方便，皆名隨順智。」
though there are many skillful means, all are called wisdom in accord."
於是威德自在菩薩在大眾中即從座起，頂禮佛足右遶三匝，長跪叉手而白佛言：「大悲世尊！廣為我等分別如是隨順覺性，令諸菩薩覺心光明承佛圓音，不因修習而得善利。世尊！譬如大城外有四門，隨方來者非止一路，一切菩薩莊嚴佛國及成菩提非一方便。唯願世尊！廣為我等宣說一切方便漸次，並修行人總有幾種？令此會菩薩及末世眾生求大乘者，速得開悟，遊戲如來大寂滅海。」作是語已五體投地，如是三請終而復始。
Then Majestic Virtue and Self-Mastery Bodhisattva rose from his seat in the assembly, bowed with his head at the Buddha's feet, circled him three times to the right, knelt with palms joined, and said to the Buddha: "Greatly compassionate World-Honored One! You have widely distinguished for us this following of the enlightened nature, so that the Bodhisattvas' minds of enlightenment are bright, and, receiving the Buddha's perfect voice, they gain good benefit without needing to practice. World-Honored One! It is like a great city with four gates outside: those who come from different directions do not all stop at one road, and Bodhisattvas adorning Buddha lands and attaining bodhi do not all use one skillful means. We beg you, World-Honored One, to explain widely for us all the skillful means in their gradual order, and how many kinds of practitioners there are in all, so that the Bodhisattvas of this assembly and the beings of the last age who seek the Great Vehicle may quickly awaken and roam freely in the great sea of the Tathagata's stillness." Having said this, he prostrated with all five limbs on the ground, and made this request three times, ending and beginning again.
爾時，世尊告威德自在菩薩言：「善哉！善哉！善男子！汝等乃能為諸菩薩及末世眾生，問於如來如是方便。汝今諦聽！當為汝說。」時，威德自在菩薩奉教歡喜，及諸大眾默然而聽。
Then the World-Honored One said to Majestic Virtue and Self-Mastery Bodhisattva: "Excellent, excellent, good son! You are able to ask the Tathagata, on behalf of the Bodhisattvas and beings of the last age, about these skillful means. Listen carefully now! I will explain it for you." Then Majestic Virtue and Self-Mastery Bodhisattva received the teaching with joy, and the whole assembly listened in silence.
「善男子！無上妙覺遍諸十方出生如來，與一切法同體平等，於諸修行實無有二。方便隨順其數無量，圓攝所歸，循性差別當有三種。
"Good son! The unsurpassed wondrous enlightenment pervades the ten directions and gives birth to the Tathagatas; it is of one substance and equal with all dharmas, and in all practice there are truly not two. Skillful means in accord with it are countless in number, but gathered into the one they return to, they follow the differences of nature and should be of three kinds.
「善男子！若諸菩薩悟淨圓覺，以淨覺心，取靜為行；由澄諸念，覺識煩動，靜慧發生，身心客塵從此永滅，便能內發寂靜輕安；由寂靜故，十方世界諸如來心於中顯現，如鏡中像。此方便者名奢摩他。
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! If Bodhisattvas awaken to pure perfect enlightenment and, with the pure enlightened mind, take stillness as their practice, then by clarifying thoughts, they perceive the agitation of consciousness, and the wisdom of stillness arises. The adventitious dust of body and mind is extinguished forever from then on, and they can give rise within to calm and lightness of ease. Because of this calm, the minds of the Tathagatas of the ten directions appear within it, like images in a mirror. This skillful means is called Shamatha.
「善男子！若諸菩薩悟淨圓覺，以淨覺心，知覺心性及與根塵皆因幻化，即起諸幻以除幻者，變化諸幻而開幻眾；由起幻故便能內發大悲輕安，一切菩薩從此起行，漸次增進。彼觀幻者非同幻故，非同幻觀皆是幻故，幻相永離；是諸菩薩所圓妙行，如土長苗。此方便者名三摩缽提。
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! If Bodhisattvas awaken to pure perfect enlightenment and, with the pure enlightened mind, know that the nature of the enlightened mind and the sense roots and dusts all arise from illusory transformation, they then bring up illusions to remove illusions, and transform illusions to open up the multitude of illusions. Because they raise illusions, they can give rise within to great compassion and lightness of ease, and all Bodhisattvas begin their practice from here and gradually advance. The one who contemplates illusions is not the same as the illusions, and contemplation that is not the same as illusion is also illusion, so the marks of illusion are left behind forever. This is the perfect and wondrous practice of Bodhisattvas, like sprouts growing from the soil. This skillful means is called Samapatti (contemplation, contemplating illusory transformation and giving rise to great compassion).
「善男子！若諸菩薩悟淨圓覺，以淨覺心不取幻化及諸靜相，了知身心皆為罣礙；無知覺明不依諸礙，永得超過礙無礙境、受用世界及與身心，相在塵域；如器中鍠聲出於外，煩惱涅槃不相留礙，便能內發寂滅輕安、妙覺隨順、寂滅境界，自他身心所不能及，眾生壽命皆為浮想。此方便者名為禪那。
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! If Bodhisattvas awaken to pure perfect enlightenment and, with the pure enlightened mind, do not grasp illusory transformations or the marks of stillness, and understand that body and mind are both hindrances, then the unknowing bright awareness does not depend on any hindrance. They forever pass beyond the realm of hindrance and non-hindrance, and use the world, body and mind while remaining within the realm of dust, like a sound from a vessel that goes out beyond it; afflictions and nirvana do not hinder each other. They can then give rise within to the calm and lightness of ease of extinction, wondrous awareness in accord, and the realm of extinction, which neither self nor others' body and mind can reach, and the life spans of beings are all floating thoughts. This skillful means is called Dhyana (quiet contemplation, not grasping illusory transformation or the marks of stillness).
「善男子！此三法門皆是圓覺。親近隨順十方如來，因此成佛十方菩薩種種方便，一切同異皆依如是三種事業，若得圓證即成圓覺。善男子！假使有人修於聖道，教化成就百千萬億阿羅漢、辟支佛果，不如有人聞此圓覺無礙法門，一剎那頃隨順修習。」
(The Buddha continued:) "Good son! These three Dharma gates are all perfect enlightenment. By drawing near to and following the Tathagatas of the ten directions, one becomes a Buddha through them; the many skillful means of the Bodhisattvas of the ten directions, whether alike or different, all rest on these three works, and when one fully realizes them one becomes perfectly enlightened. Good son! Suppose someone cultivates the holy path and teaches hundreds of thousands of millions of beings to attain the fruit of arhat (a saint who has cut off all afflictions and will not be reborn) or pratyekabuddha; this is not as good as someone who hears this unobstructed Dharma gate of perfect enlightenment and practices it in accord with it for a single instant."
爾時，世尊欲重宣此義而說偈言：
Then the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:
「威德汝當知，無上大覺心，
"Majestic Virtue, you should know that the unsurpassed great enlightened mind
本際無二相，隨順諸方便，
has at its root no two aspects, but following the many skillful means,
其數即無量。如來總開示，
their number is countless. The Tathagata, in general teaching,
便有三種類，寂靜奢摩他，
gives three kinds: the still Shamatha,
如鏡照諸像；如幻三摩提，
like a mirror reflecting images; the illusion-like Samapatti,
如苗漸增長；禪那唯寂滅，
like sprouts gradually growing; and Dhyana, solely extinction,
如彼器中鍠。三種妙法門，
like the sound within a vessel. These three wondrous Dharma gates
皆是覺隨順，十方諸如來，
are all in accord with enlightenment; the Tathagatas of the ten directions
及諸大菩薩，因此得成道。
and the great Bodhisattvas have all attained the Way through them.
三事圓證故，名究竟涅槃。」
Because the three are fully realized, it is called ultimate nirvana."