Therefore, you should not think that the self ceases to exist with enlightenment. The enlightened self exists on behalf of all things. However, at the deepest levels of enlightenment one does not exist in behalf of anything; one just exists.

In Buddhism we often speak of the enlightened state as "no self" because we have no better words for it. What this phrase says is that, at this stage, existence does not rely on self, others, or anything. It is a spontaneous, natural existence. Accordingly, one helps sentient beings. Not for the sake of self, not for the sake of others; one just naturally helps sentient beings.

Deeply enlightened persons need not maintain any particular identity; they have no need for position or place. Nor is it necessary for them to adopt an identity in accordance with the sentient being they are helping. The bodhisattva has no particular point of view. Like a mirror, he is only a reflection of sentient beings. He does not say, "I will behave in this or that way to help people." He reflects the problems and attitudes of sentient beings, but fundamentally these problems don't exist for him. Otherwise, he would need a point of view. When one exists neither for oneself nor for others, but just naturally helps sentient beings, this is called "no function." If I were to have a particular point of view, then it wouldn't be "no function." When you think of function, you're still thinking in terms of "in order to..." So we say "no function." This is Wu, emptiness.