66 BUDDHADHARMA: THE PRACTITIONER'S QUARTERLY
“Nondifferentiation of dharmas is called ‘bodhi.’” Manjushri again
sets himself up for defeat, continuing with “What is it that is called
‘bodhisattva?’” And, again, Marvelous Wisdom replies, “All dhar-
mas are completely void and empty of marks, this is called ‘bodhi-
sattva.’” The conversation continues at length in a similar back and
forth, eventually arriving at what was likely Manjushri’s original
purpose: the question of the female body. Building on Marvelous
Wisdom’s own argument that there is no form and no receiving of
form because all dharmas are empty and, similarly, physical forms
are illusory, Manjushri presses on: “Marvelous Wisdom! Why have
you not yet transformed your female form?” At this juncture, Mar-
velous Wisdom provides a direct answer:
I have not obtained the marks of the female body and so, now, what
could be transformed? Manjushri! I will bring an end to your doubt.
Because of the suchness of my true speech, in the future when I shall
attain complete and perfect awakening, all of the bhiksus in my
teaching that have heard my commands will be delighted to leave
home and enter the Way. In my world, all beings will be born with
golden bodies and, for their dress, will take the objects of the sixth
heaven. They will eat and drink the fertile [land] as they follow along
with it. There will be neither the workings of Mara nor the evil desti-
nies, and furthermore, there will be nothing called “woman.” There
will be forests of the seven treasures which, at their tops, gather
together in precious nets, and the lotus flowers of the seven treasures
will be overlaid with jeweled banners—just like in the complete pure
realm of Manjushri, the adornments and decorations will be no
different.Evidently, then, from her speech, we see that Marvelous Wisdom
does not believe her female body is a problem because her bud-
dha-land will be one in which there is nothing called “woman.” It
is not, then, that her buddha-land does not have women; rather, her
buddha-land does not have gender. And, as she makes clear, her own
genderless buddha-land will be as splendidly equipped as that of her
examiner, Manjushri.