The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 60: Entrusting

Then Śatakratu, head of the gods, asked the Lord, “Speaking like that and teaching like that, am I saying what the Lord has said, teaching the Dharma and perfectly giving expression to the Dharma in its totality?”

“Kauśika,” replied the Lord, “speaking like that and teaching like that you are saying what the Lord has said, teaching the Dharma and giving expression to the Dharma in its totality.”

Śatakratu said, “Lord, it is amazing how the elder Subhūti is confident in his readiness to speak about it [F.264.b] all with emptiness as the point of departure, is confident in his readiness to speak with signlessness and wishlessness as the point of departure, and is confident in his readiness to speak about the applications of mindfulness, up to awakening with that point of departure.”

Śatakratu, head of the gods, having said this, the Lord said to him, “Kauśika, Subhūti, dwelling in emptiness, does not apprehend even the perfection of giving, so what need is there to say more about those who might practice the perfection of giving. Similarly, connect this with he does not apprehend even the perfection of wisdom, so what need is there to say more about those who might practice the perfection of wisdom; he does not apprehend even the applications of mindfulness, so what need is there to say more about those who might cultivate the applications of mindfulness; similarly, connect this with each, up to he does not apprehend even the path, so what need is there to say more about those who might cultivate the path. Similarly, connect this with he does not apprehend even the concentrations . . . , immeasurables . . . , deliverances . . . , meditative stabilizations . . . , or absorptions, so what need is there to say more about those who might cultivate the absorptions; he does not apprehend even the powers, so what need is there to say more about those who might cultivate the powers; he does not apprehend even the fearlessnesses, so what need is there to say more about those who might accomplish the fearlessnesses; he does not apprehend even the detailed and thorough knowledges, so what need is there to say more about those who might accomplish the detailed and thorough knowledges; he does not apprehend even great love, so what need is there to say more about those who might stand in great love; he does not apprehend even great compassion, so what need is there to say more about those [F.265.a] who might stand in great compassion; he does not apprehend even the distinct attributes of a buddha, so what need is there to say more about those who might accomplish the distinct attributes of a buddha; he does not apprehend even awakening, so what need is there to say more about those who might fully awaken to awakening; he does not apprehend even the knowledge of all aspects, so what need is there to say more about those who might reach the knowledge of all aspects; and he does not apprehend even the Tathāgata, so what need is there to say more about those who might become a tathāgata? He does not apprehend even nonproduction, so what need is there to say more about those who might directly realize nonproduction; he does not apprehend even the major marks, so what need is there to say more about those on whose bodies the major marks might appear; and he does not apprehend even the minor signs, so what need is there to say more about those on whose bodies the minor signs might appear. And why? Kauśika, it is because the monk Subhūti abides in the isolation of all dharmas. Kauśika, it is because the monk Subhūti dwells without apprehending anything, dwells in emptiness, dwells in signlessness, and dwells in wishlessness.

“Kauśika, the monk Subhūti’s dwelling is like that and yet, Kauśika, that dwelling of the monk Subhūti does not approach the bodhisattva great being’s dwelling in the perfection of wisdom even by a hundredth part; it does not approach it by a thousandth part, does not approach it by a hundred thousandth part, and does not approach it by a hundred thousandth one hundred millionth part‍—it does not approach it by any number, fraction, counting, example, or comparison.

“And why? Because, setting aside the dwelling of a tathāgata, those dwelling as bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom [F.265.b] are highest, foremost, special, best, superb, sublime, unsurpassed, and unrivaled among those dwelling in the dwellings of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Therefore, Kauśika, those who want to become the foremost of all beings should dwell in just this dwelling, namely, dwell in the perfection of wisdom.

“And why? Kauśika, it is because bodhisattva great beings practicing this perfection of wisdom pass beyond the śrāvaka level and the pratyekabuddha level, enter into the secure state of a bodhisattva, and, having completed all the buddhadharmas, reach the knowledge of all aspects. Having reached the knowledge of all aspects, they obtain the elimination of all residual impressions, connections, and afflictions.”

Then the Trāyastriṃśa gods in that very retinue took up coral tree flowers and strewed them near, strewed them in front, and strewed them all around the Lord. Six thousand monks also got up from their seats, adjusted their upper robes so they hung down from one shoulder, knelt down with their right knees on the ground, cupped their palms together in a gesture of supplication specifically to the Lord, and bowed down toward him without closing their eyes. Through the power of the Buddha the palms of their hands cupped in the gesture of supplication were filled with coral tree flowers. They strewed the coral tree flowers near, strewed them in front, and strewed them all around [F.266.a] the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete Buddha. While strewing them near, strewing them in front, and strewing them all around him, they made this statement: “Lord, on account of this wholesome root may we dwell in this loftiest of dwellings that is not the dwelling of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.”

Then at that time the Lord, knowing the aspiration of those monks, smiled. And it is in the very nature of a lord buddha that at the time of the smile, from the opening of the lord’s mouth issue forth light rays of many colors, of a variety of colors, namely, blue, yellow, red, white, reddish brown, crystalline, and silver-like. Having spread through the great billionfold world system and lit it up, they retract back, circling around the lord three times and disappearing into the lord from the top of his head.

Venerable Ānanda then got up from his seat, adjusted his upper robe so it hung down from one shoulder, knelt down with his right knee on the ground, cupped his palms together in a gesture of supplication specifically to the Lord, bowed forward to him, and said to the Lord, “Lord, the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas do not give a smile without a cause, without a condition. So why did you smile? What is the cause, what is the condition?”

Venerable Ānanda having asked this, the Lord said to him, “Ānanda, during the eon called Tārakopama these six thousand monks will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. All will become [F.266.b] a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha called Avakīrṇakusuma. Ānanda, those tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas called Avakīrṇakusuma will have a comparable community of monks, will have a comparable buddhafield, and will have a comparable thousand-year lifespan too. Having gone forth from wherever they go forth, they will go forth to homelessness, and having gone forth to homelessness, wherever they dwell, there a rain of five-colored flowers will rain down. Therefore, Ānanda, bodhisattva great being who want to dwell in the loftiest dwelling should practice the perfection of wisdom, and bodhisattva great beings who want to dwell in the Tathāgata’s dwelling should practice the perfection of wisdom.

“Ānanda, as for any son of a good family or daughter of a good family practicing this deep perfection of wisdom, that son of a good family or daughter of a good family should have this unquestioned certainty: ‘I have thus died a human and taken birth here, or have died among the Tuṣita class of gods and taken birth here. I have heard this deep perfection of wisdom in detail from humans or heard this deep perfection of wisdom in detail from the Tuṣita class of gods.’ Ānanda, the tathāgatas have kept their eye on those bodhisattva great beings practicing this deep perfection of wisdom. Ānanda, any son of a good family or daughter of a good family who hears this deep perfection of wisdom and, having heard it, takes it up, bears it in mind, reads it aloud, masters it, properly [F.267.a] pays attention to it, and instructs persons in the Bodhisattva Vehicle in this deep perfection of wisdom, Ānanda, those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family should have this unquestioned certainty: ‘We have heard this deep perfection of wisdom from the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas, and have taken it up, borne it in mind, read it aloud, and mastered it. We have produced wholesome roots sprung from those tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas.’ Ānanda, those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family should know, ‘We have not produced wholesome roots sprung from śrāvakas, and we have not heard this deep perfection of wisdom from śrāvakas.’ Ānanda, any son of a good family or daughter of a good family who hears this deep perfection of wisdom, and takes it up, bears it in mind, reads it aloud, masters it, and understands it from the meaning, the Dharma, and the [Vi]naya,618 those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family, Ānanda, should have this unquestioned certainty: ‘We have been face to face with the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas.’

“Ānanda, when any son of a good family or daughter of a good family hears an explanation of this deep perfection of wisdom and does not reject it, does not argue against it, and gains a serene confidence in it, Ānanda, that son of a good family or daughter of a good family should know, ‘I have served well the victors of the past and have been assisted by spiritual friends.’

“Ānanda, a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who has planted wholesome roots from [F.267.b] the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas does not falsify619 the state of a śrāvaka or the state of a pratyekabuddha or the state of a buddha, but still, Ānanda, as bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of giving, connect this in the same way with each, up to practicing the knowledge of all aspects should have understood those states well. Ānanda, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of giving, connect this in the same way with each, up to practicing the knowledge of all aspects who have understood them well do not dwell in the state of a śrāvaka or the state of a pratyekabuddha.

“Therefore, Ānanda, I entrust this deep perfection of wisdom to you. Ānanda, of all the Dharma I have taught, with the exception of the perfection of wisdom, if you, having taken up and mastered all the Dharma I have taught, afterward let it go to waste, and afterward reject it, you will not, just on that account, be at fault as far as I am concerned. But, Ānanda, should you, having taken up this deep perfection of wisdom, afterward let even a single line of it go to waste you will, just on that account, be at fault as far as I am concerned. Ānanda, if you, having taken up this deep perfection of wisdom, afterward do not let it go to waste and do not throw it away, Ānanda, you will be faultless as far as I am concerned.

“So, Ānanda, I entrust this deep perfection of wisdom to you. One way or the other take it up, bear it in mind, read it aloud, master it, and always pay proper attention to it. Take it up well, bear it in mind well, with the letters, stems, and inflected words perfectly received and having fully grasped the excellent explanation. Ānanda, any son of a good family or daughter of a good family who [F.268.a] takes up this deep perfection of wisdom, bears it in mind, reads it aloud, masters it, and properly pays attention to it will have taken up620 the entire awakening of past, future, and present lord buddhas. Ānanda, any son of a good family or daughter of a good family who takes up and assists with this deep perfection of wisdom will have assisted with the awakening of past, future, and present lord buddhas.

“Ānanda, any sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who want to respect, revere, honor, and worship me directly now with flowers, or incense, or garlands, or perfumes, or creams, or powders, or robes, or parasols, or flags, or banners, should all take up this deep perfection of wisdom, bear it in mind, read it aloud, and master it, and having taken it up, borne it in mind, read it aloud, and mastered it, they should respect, should revere, should honor, and should worship this deep perfection of wisdom with flowers, incense, garlands, perfumes, creams, powders, robes, parasols, flags, and banners. Those who respect, revere, honor, and worship the perfection of wisdom also worship me as well, and they worship the past, future, and present lord buddhas too. Ānanda, any sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who foster feelings of veneration, liking, and faith when this deep perfection of wisdom is being explained foster feelings of veneration, liking, faith, and adoration [F.268.b] for past, future, and present lord buddhas too.

“Ānanda, if you love me, if I am dear to you and you have not given up on me, then, Ānanda, love this deep perfection of wisdom, make it dear and do not give up on it. One way or the other you must not let even just a single line of this deep perfection of wisdom go to waste.

“Ānanda, I have said much to you concerning the complete instructions for this deep perfection of wisdom, but in short, just as I am your teacher so too is this deep perfection of wisdom your teacher. Therefore, Ānanda, I deliver over to you this perfection of wisdom in an immeasurable delivery. Therefore, Ānanda, I declare to the world with its gods, humans, and asuras that those who have not given up the Buddha, who have not given up the Dharma, who have not given up the Saṅgha, and who have not given up the awakening of the past, future, and present lord buddhas should not give up this deep perfection of wisdom. This is my instruction.

“Ānanda, any son of a good family or daughter of a good family who takes up this deep perfection of wisdom, bears it in mind, reads it aloud, masters it, and pays proper attention to it; who perfectly reveals it to others in detail with one of many explanations; and who expounds, explains, gives an exposition on, makes known, advances, gives a commentary on, sorts out, and makes clear this deep perfection of wisdom, Ānanda, that son of a good family or daughter of a good family will quickly and fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening and be near the knowledge of all aspects. [F.269.a] And why? Ānanda, it is because the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening of the lord buddhas has come about from the perfection of wisdom. Ānanda, the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening of those lord buddhas who were tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas in times gone by has come about from this perfection of wisdom; Ānanda, the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening of those lord buddhas who will be tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas in times yet to come will come about from this perfection of wisdom; and, Ānanda, the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening of those lord buddhas who are tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas presently standing in the eastern direction, in the south, west, and north, below and above, and the intermediate directions too, Ānanda, comes about from this perfection of wisdom as well.

“Therefore, Ānanda, bodhisattva great beings who want to awaken fully to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening should train in these six perfections. And why? Ānanda, it is because these‍—namely, the six perfections‍—give birth to bodhisattva great beings.

“Ānanda, all those bodhisattva great beings who are training in the six perfections will go forth to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. Therefore, Ānanda, I deliver over these six perfections in a detailed description. And why? Ānanda, it is because this‍—namely, [F.269.b] the perfections treasure house‍—is the treasure house of the Dharma of the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas. It is an inexhaustible treasure house. Ānanda, those lord buddhas teaching the Dharma who are tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas dwelling and maintaining themselves in world systems in the east, south, west, and north, below and above, and in the intermediate directions, they too, Ānanda, teach the Dharma from just this treasure house of the perfections. Ānanda, those lord buddhas who were tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas in times gone by, they too, having trained in just these six perfections, fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening; Ānanda, those lord buddhas who will be tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas in times yet to come, they too will train in just these six perfections, fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, and teach the Dharma. And, Ānanda, those śrāvakas of past, future, and present lord buddhas, as many as there are, they too, having trained in just this perfection of wisdom, have entered complete nirvāṇa, will enter complete nirvāṇa, and are entering complete nirvāṇa.

“Ānanda, were you to teach the Dharma that has to do with the śrāvaka level to persons in the Śrāvaka Vehicle, and were all the beings in a great billionfold world system to actualize the state of a worthy one through that teaching of the Dharma, Ānanda, you still would not have done the work to be done by my śrāvakas. But, [F.270.a] Ānanda, were you for bodhisattva great beings to throw light on just one line of Dharma associated with the perfection of wisdom, that would make you a śrāvaka pleasing to me, and you would have done the work to be done by a śrāvaka.

“Ānanda, what do you think, were all the beings, as many as there are, in a great billionfold world system to have simultaneously obtained human bodies and to have actualized the state of a worthy one through that earlier teaching of the Dharma, in regard to those bases of meritorious action arisen from giving, those bases of meritorious action arisen from morality, and those bases of meritorious action arisen from meditation of those worthy ones‍—would there be a lot of those bases of meritorious action?”

“A lot, Lord; a lot, Sugata,” he said.

“Ānanda,” he continued, “were anyone in the Śrāvaka Vehicle to teach the Dharma associated with the perfection of wisdom to a bodhisattva great being for even just one single day, they would create even more merit than that. Ānanda, let alone they would create more than that in one day, Ānanda, were anyone in the Śrāvaka Vehicle to teach the Dharma associated with the perfection of wisdom to a bodhisattva great being for even half a day; or let alone half a day, Ānanda, for even just a morning; or let alone just a morning, Ānanda, for down to even less than half an hour, or down to half a minute, or a few seconds, or just the time it takes to blink, they still would create even more merit than that, and surpass the wholesome root of all those in the Śrāvaka Vehicle and Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. [F.270.b]

“Ānanda, were bodhisattva great beings to teach the Dharma associated with the perfection of wisdom to persons in the Bodhisattva Vehicle for even just one single day, or half a day, or a morning, or down to less than half an hour, or down to half a minute, or a few seconds, or just the time it takes to blink, Ānanda, those bodhisattva great beings would surpass the wholesome roots of all those persons in the Śrāvaka Vehicle and Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. And why? It is because of wanting personally to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, and to inspire and teach others to take it up, to motivate them, and to cause them to enter into, and establish them in, unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.

“Thus, Ānanda, because bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections, practicing the applications of mindfulness, practicing . . . , up to the knowledge of path aspects grow from those wholesome roots, it is impossible and there is no chance they will be lacking in what is necessary for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. It is impossible.”

When this exposition of the perfection of wisdom was being given, the Lord enacted such an enactment of miraculous power in front of the four retinues, gods, humans, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas that those retinues, because of such an enactment of miraculous power, all beheld the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha Akṣobhya teaching the Dharma to bodhisattva great beings, with a retinue like a great sea without a ripple, surrounded by a community of monks, at the head of a community of monks, [F.271.a] all worthy ones with outflows dried up, without afflictions, fully controlled, quite freed in their hearts, well freed and wise, thoroughbreds, great bull elephants, with their work done, their task accomplished, with their burden laid down, with their own goal accomplished, with the fetters that bound them to existence broken, and with their hearts well freed by right understanding, in perfect control of their whole mind.

Then the Lord drew back that miraculous power, and having drawn back that miraculous power, all the four retinues, the persons in the Śrāvaka Vehicle, the persons in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and so on no longer saw the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha Akṣobhya, and no longer saw the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha Akṣobhya’s buddhafield. The buddha and so on, and those communities of monks, no longer appeared within the range of their eye sense-power. And why? The Tathāgata had drawn back the enactment of miraculous power. That is why they no longer saw.

Then the Lord said to venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, do you see that buddhafield of the tathāgata Akṣobhya, that tathāgata Akṣobhya himself, that community of monks, and that community of bodhisattvas?”

“Lord,” he replied, “the buddhafield of the tathāgata Akṣobhya, that tathāgata Akṣobhya himself, that community of monks, and that community of bodhisattvas are not within the field of vision.” [F.271.b]

“Similarly, Ānanda,” he replied, “all dharmas are not within the field of vision. A dharma does not appear to a dharma. A dharma does not see a dharma. Just as the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha Akṣobhya, those śrāvakas, those persons in the Bodhisattva Vehicle, and that buddhafield are not within the field of vision, similarly, Ānanda, all dharmas are not within the field of vision either. A dharma does not see a dharma. A dharma does not know all dharmas, because all dharmas are without knowing, without seeing, and incapable of doing anything. And why? Ānanda, it is because all dharmas are without movement and ungraspable based on the fact that they have no essential nature; being without movement and ungraspable,621 Ānanda, all dharmas are inconceivable, and, Ānanda, like a person conjured up by magic, all dharmas are without experience.

“Ānanda, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that are practicing the perfection of wisdom and do not settle down on any dharma at all. Ānanda, bodhisattva great beings training like that train in the perfection of wisdom, and, Ānanda, bodhisattva great beings who want to reach all the perfections should train in the perfection of wisdom too. Such a training is most excellent, foremost, best, superb, sublime, unsurpassed, and unrivaled, for the benefit of the whole world, for the happiness of the whole world, a protector of beings without a protector, endorsed by the buddhas and extolled by the buddhas. While remaining in it, even were the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly [F.272.a] complete buddhas to raise up this great billionfold world system with their right hand and place it down again it would not occur to those beings that this great billionfold world system had been raised up or placed down. And why? Ānanda, it is because, having trained in this perfection of wisdom, an insight has arisen in the lord buddhas into knowledge free from attachment to past, future, and present dharmas. Ānanda, of all trainings that exist, as many as there are, this perfection of wisdom training is the highest, most excellent, foremost, best, superb, sublime, unsurpassed, and unrivaled.

“Ānanda, to think that you can get the measure or limit of the perfection of wisdom is simply to think that you can get the measure or limit of space. And why? Ānanda, it is because the perfection of wisdom is immeasurable. Ānanda, I do not speak about the measure of the perfection of wisdom. You can get the measure of a collection of letters, a collection of stems, and a collection of inflected words, but you cannot get the measure of the perfection of wisdom.”

The Lord having said this, venerable Ānanda asked him, “Why is it that the perfection of wisdom is without measure and cannot be given a size?”

“Ānanda,” replied the Lord, “the perfection of wisdom is immeasurable because it is inexhaustible. Ānanda, the perfection of wisdom is immeasurable because it is isolated. Ānanda, those tathāgatas, [F.272.b] worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas who appeared in times gone by were generated from just this perfection of wisdom, but the perfection of wisdom is still not exhausted. Ānanda, those tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas who will come about in times yet to come will be generated from just this perfection of wisdom, but the perfection of wisdom will still not be exhausted. And those present tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas presently dwelling and maintaining themselves in world systems in the ten directions‍—those lord buddhas too are generated from just this perfection of wisdom, but the perfection of wisdom still has not been exhausted, will not be exhausted, and is not exhausted. And why? Ānanda, it is because accepting that the perfection of wisdom can be exhausted is simply to accept that space can be exhausted, but the perfection of wisdom has not been exhausted, will not be exhausted, and is not exhausted. Connect this in the same way with the perfection of concentration, up to the perfection of giving has not been exhausted, will not be exhausted, and is not exhausted, and connect this in the same way with each, up to the knowledge of all aspects has not been exhausted, will not be exhausted, and is not exhausted, because those dharmas have no production, and dharmas that have no production have never come to an end.”

Thereupon the Lord extended his tongue and, having covered the entire circle of his face with his tongue, said to venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, what do you think, would one with such a tongue speak untruthfully, speak falsely?”

“No, Lord; no, [F.273.a] Sugata,” said Ānanda.

“So then, Ānanda,” continued the Lord, “reveal this perfection of wisdom to the four retinues in detail. Teach it, establish it, settle it, sort it out, make it clear, and illuminate it. Ānanda, all the dharmas in which persons in the Śrāvaka Vehicle, in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and in the Bodhisattva Vehicle should train are revealed in detail in just this deep perfection of wisdom, and if they train in them as they have been taught they will each stand at their own level. Ānanda, this deep perfection of wisdom is the entrance into all letters, and the entrance into all for which there are no letters. Ānanda, this deep perfection of wisdom is the gateway to all the dhāraṇīs‍—the dhāraṇī gateways in which bodhisattva great beings should train. Bodhisattva great beings who take up those dhāraṇīs obtain all the types of confidence giving a readiness to speak, and the detailed and thorough knowledges.

“Ānanda, I have taught that this deep perfection of wisdom is the inexhaustible treasure house of the good Dharma of the past, future, and present lord buddhas. Therefore, Ānanda, you should believe and know that whoever will take up, bear in mind, read aloud, and master this deep perfection of wisdom will have taken up th