• The Collection
  • The Kangyur
  • Discourses
  • Perfection of Wisdom

This rendering does not include the entire published text

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ཤེར་ཕྱིན་ཁྲི་བརྒྱད་སྟོང་པ།

The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 31: Physical Remains

Aṣṭā­daśa­sāhasrikā­prajñā­pāramitā
འཕགས་པ་ཤེས་རབ་ཀྱི་ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ་ཁྲི་བརྒྱད་སྟོང་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།
’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa khri brgyad stong pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines”
Āryāṣṭā­daśa­sāhasrikā­prajñā­pāramitā­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra
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Toh 10

Degé Kangyur, vol. 29 (shes phyin, ka), folios 1.a–300.a; vol. 30 (shes phyin, kha), folios 1.a–304.a; vol. 31 (shes phyin, ga), folios 1.a–206.a

Translated by Gareth Sparham
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2022
Current version v 1.0.13 (2022)
Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.17.7

84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.

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co.

Table of Contents

ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
+ 2 sections- 2 sections
· The Translator’s Acknowledgments
· Acknowledgment of Sponsors
i. Introduction
+ 5 sections- 5 sections
· About the Perfection of Wisdom Manuscripts
· The Title: Eighteen Thousand
· The Structure of the Eighteen Thousand
+ 5 sections- 5 sections
· I. Introduction
· II. Brief Exegesis
· III. Intermediate Exegesis
· IV. Detailed Exegesis
· V. Summaries
· What Does the Eighteen Thousand Say?
· SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTERS
+ 62 sections- 62 sections
· Chapter 1
· Chapter 2
· Chapters 3–5
· Chapter 6
· Chapter 7
· Chapter 8
· Chapter 9
· Chapter 10
· Chapters 11–13
· Chapter 14
· Chapters 15–16
· Chapter 17
· Chapter 18
· Chapter 19
· Chapter 20
· Chapter 21
· Chapters 22–24
· Chapter 25
· Chapters 26–30
· Chapters 31–32
· Chapter 33
· Chapter 34
· Chapter 35
· Chapter 36
· Chapter 37
· Chapters 38–39
· Chapters 40–41
· Chapter 42
· Chapter 43
· Chapter 44
· Chapter 45
· Chapter 46
· Chapter 47
· Chapter 48
· Chapters 49–50
· Chapter 51
· Chapter 52
· Chapter 53
· Chapter 54
· Chapter 55
· Chapter 56
· Chapter 57
· Chapter 58
· Chapter 59
· Chapter 60
· Chapters 61–62
· Chapter 63
· Chapters 64–72
· Chapter 73
· Chapter 74
· Chapter 75
· Chapter 76
· Chapter 77
· Chapter 78
· Chapter 79
· Chapter 80
· Chapter 81
· Chapter 82
· Chapter 83
· Chapter 84
· Chapters 85–86
· Chapter 87
tr. The Translation
+ 87 chapters- 87 chapters
1. Chapter 1: Introduction
2. Chapter 2: Production of the Thought
3. Chapter 3: Designation
4. Chapter 4: Equal to the Unequaled
5. Chapter 5: Tongue
6. Chapter 6: Subhūti
7. Chapter 7: Entry into Flawlessness
8. Chapter 8: The Religious Mendicant Śreṇika
9. Chapter 9: Causal Signs
10. Chapter 10: Illusion-Like
11. Chapter 11: Embarrassment
12. Chapter 12: Elimination of Views
13. Chapter 13: The Six Perfections
14. Chapter 14: Neither Bound nor Freed
15. Chapter 15: Meditative Stabilization
16. Chapter 16: Dhāraṇī Gateway
17. Chapter 17: Level Purification
18. Chapter 18: The Exposition of Going Forth in the Great Vehicle
19. Chapter 19: Surpassing
20. Chapter 20: Not Two
21. Chapter 21: Subhūti
22. Chapter 22: Śatakratu
23. Chapter 23: Hard to Understand
24. Chapter 24: Unlimited
25. Chapter 25: Second Śatakratu
26. Chapter 26: Getting Hold
27. Chapter 27: Reliquary
28. Chapter 28: Declaration of the Good Qualities of the Thought of Awakening
29. Chapter 29: Different Tīrthika Religious Mendicants
30. Chapter 30: The Benefits of Taking Up and Adoration
31. Chapter 31: Physical Remains
32. Chapter 32: The Superiority of Merit
33. Chapter 33: Dedication
34. Chapter 34: Perfect Praise of the Quality of Accomplishment
35. Chapter 35: Hells
36. Chapter 36: Teaching the Purity of All Dharmas
37. Chapter 37: Nobody
38. Chapter 38: Cannot Be Apprehended
39. Chapter 39: The Northern Region
40. Chapter 40: The Work of Māra
41. Chapter 41: Not Complete Because of Māra
42. Chapter 42: Revealing the World
43. Chapter 43: Inconceivable
44. Chapter 44: Made Up
45. Chapter 45: A Boat
46. Chapter 46: Teaching the Intrinsic Nature of All Dharmas
47. Chapter 47: Taming Greed
48. Chapter 48: A Presentation of the Bodhisattvas’ Training
49. Chapter 49: Irreversibility
50. Chapter 50: Teaching the Signs of Irreversibility
51. Chapter 51: Skillful Means
52. Chapter 52: Completion of Means
53. Chapter 53: The Prophecy about Gaṅgadevī
54. Chapter 54: Teaching the Cultivation of Skillful Means
55. Chapter 55: Teaching the Stopping of Thought Construction
56. Chapter 56: Equal Training
57. Chapter 57: Practice
58. Chapter 58: Exposition of the Absence of Thought Construction
59. Chapter 59: Nonattachment
60. Chapter 60: Entrusting
61. Chapter 61: Inexhaustible
62. Chapter 62: Leaping Above Absorption
63. Chapter 63: Many Inquiries About the Two Dharmas
64. Chapter 64: Perfectly Displayed
65. Chapter 65: Worshiping, Serving, and Attending on Spiritual Friends as Skillful Means
66. Chapter 66: A Demonstration of Skillful Means
67. Chapter 67: Morality
68. Chapter 68: Growing and Flourishing
69. Chapter 69: An Explanation of Meditation on the Path
70. Chapter 70: An Explanation of Serial Action, Training, and Practice
71. Chapter 71: The True Nature of Dharmas That Cannot Be Apprehended
72. Chapter 72: Teaching the Absence of Marks
73. Chapter 73: Exposition of the Major Marks and Minor Signs and the Completion of Letters
74. Chapter 74: Exposition of the Sameness of Dharmas
75. Chapter 75: Exposition of Noncomplication
76. Chapter 76: The Armor for Bringing Beings to Maturity
77. Chapter 77: Teaching the Purification of a Buddhafield
78. Chapter 78: Teaching the Skillful Means for the Purification of a Buddhafield
79. Chapter 79: Teaching the Nonexistence of an Intrinsic Nature
80. Chapter 80: Teaching That There is No Defilement or Purification
81. Chapter 81: Yogic Practice of the Ultimate
82. Chapter 82: The Unchanging True Nature of Dharmas
83. Chapter 83: Categorization of a Bodhisattva’s Training
84. Chapter 84: Collection
85. Chapter 85: Sadāprarudita
86. Chapter 86: Dharmodgata
87. Chapter 87: Entrusting
c. Colophon
ab. Abbreviations
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
+ 2 sections- 2 sections
· Primary Sources
· Secondary References
+ 1 section- 1 section
· Sūtras
+ 1 section- 1 section
· Indic Commentaries
+ 1 section- 1 section
· Indigenous Tibetan Works
+ 1 section- 1 section
· Secondary Literature
g. Glossary

s.

Summary

s.­1

The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines is one version of the Long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras that developed in South and South-Central Asia in tandem with the Eight Thousand version, probably during the first five hundred years of the Common Era. It contains many of the passages in the oldest extant Long Perfection of Wisdom text (the Gilgit manuscript in Sanskrit), and is similar in structure to the other versions of the Long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras (the One Hundred Thousand and Twenty-Five Thousand) in Tibetan in the Kangyur. While setting forth the sacred fundamental doctrines of Buddhist practice with veneration, it simultaneously exhorts the reader to reject them as an object of attachment, its recurring message being that all dharmas without exception lack any intrinsic nature.

s.­2

The sūtra can be divided loosely into three parts: an introductory section that sets the scene, a long central section, and three concluding chapters that consist of two important summaries of the long central section. The first of these (chapter 84) is in verse and also circulates as a separate work called The Verse Summary of the Jewel Qualities (Toh 13). The second summary is in the form of the story of Sadāprarudita and his guru Dharmodgata (chapters 85 and 86), after which the text concludes with the Buddha entrusting the work to his close companion Ānanda.


ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

This sūtra was translated by Gareth Sparham under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

The Translator’s Acknowledgments

ac.­2

This is a good occasion to remember and thank my friend Nicholas Ribush, who first gave me a copy of Edward Conze’s translation of The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines in 1973. I also thank the Tibetan teachers and students at the Riklam Lobdra in Dharamshala, India, where I began to study the Perfection of Wisdom, for their kindness and patience; Jeffrey Hopkins and Elizabeth Napper, who steered me in the direction of the Perfection of Wisdom and have been very kind to me over the years; and Ashok Aklujkar and others at the University of British Columbia in Canada, who taught me Sanskrit and Indian culture while I was writing my dissertation on Haribhadra’s Perfection of Wisdom commentary. I thank the hermits in the hills above Riklam Lobdra and the many Tibetan scholars and practitioners who encouraged me while I continued working on the Perfection of Wisdom after I graduated from the University of British Columbia. I thank all those who continued to support me as a monk and scholar after the violent death of my friend and mentor toward the end of the millennium. I thank those at the University of Michigan and then at the University of California (Berkeley), particularly Donald Lopez and Jacob Dalton, who enabled me to complete the set of four volumes of translations from Sanskrit of the Perfection of Wisdom commentaries by Haribhadra and Āryavimuktisena and four volumes of the fourteenth-century Tibetan commentary on the Perfection of Wisdom by Tsongkhapa. I thank Gene Smith, who introduced me to 84000. I thank everyone at 84000: Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and the sponsors; the scholars, translators, editors, and technicians; and all the other indispensable people whose work has made this translation of The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines and its accompanying commentary possible.

Around me everything I see would be part of a perfect road if I had better driving skills.
Where I was born, where everything is made of concrete, it too is a perfect place.
Everyone I have been with, everyone who is near me now, and even those I have forgotten‍—there is no one who has not helped me.
So, I bow to everyone and to the world and ask for patience, and, as a boon, a smile.

Acknowledgment of Sponsors

ac.­3

We gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Matthew Yizhen Kong, Steven Ye Kong and family; An Zhang, Hannah Zhang, Lucas Zhang, Aiden Zhang, Jinglan Chi, Jingcan Chi, Jinghui Chi and family, Hong Zhang and family; Mao Guirong, Zhang Yikun, Chi Linlin; and Joseph Tse, Patricia Tse and family. Their support has helped make the work on this translation possible.


i.

Introduction

i.­1

In the introduction to his translation of The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom in Ten Thousand Lines,1 Gyurme Dorje has given a clear account of the Tibetan tradition’s explanation (1) of the origin of the Perfection of Wisdom in the words of the Buddha on Gṛdhrakūṭa Hill in Rājagṛha some 2,500 years ago, (2) of the way the Perfection of Wisdom became extant in our world through the efforts of Nāgārjuna, and (3) of the Perfection of Wisdom’s place in the vast corpus of the Buddha’s words as “the middle turning of the wheel of the Dharma.” He has also given a brief account of the conclusions arrived at by the Western research tradition, which suggest that the Perfection of Wisdom may have originated in the south of the Indian subcontinent, perhaps the Andhra region, but more likely first began circulating in the far northwest of the Indian subcontinent. A prophecy in the text translated into English here provides some support for this conclusion. In chapter 39 the Buddha says to Śāriputra, “with the passing away of the Tathāgata this perfection of wisdom will circulate in the southern region,” and “from the country Vartani [the east] this deep perfection of wisdom will circulate into the northern region.” A comparison of early fragments of a Perfection of Wisdom in the Gāndhārī language, written in Kharoṣṭhī script and dated ca. 75 ᴄᴇ, with an early translation of a Perfection of Wisdom text into Chinese by Lokakṣema in the middle of the second century ᴄᴇ has led the Western research tradition to the tentative conclusion that the Perfection of Wisdom first circulated in written form in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent some 2,000 years ago.

About the Perfection of Wisdom Manuscripts

The Title: Eighteen Thousand

The Structure of the Eighteen Thousand

I. Introduction

II. Brief Exegesis

III. Intermediate Exegesis

IV. Detailed Exegesis

V. Summaries

What Does the Eighteen Thousand Say?

SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTERS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapters 3–5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapters 11–13

Chapter 14

Chapters 15–16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapters 22–24

Chapter 25

Chapters 26–30

Chapters 31–32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapters 38–39

Chapters 40–41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapters 49–50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapters 61–62

Chapter 63

Chapters 64–72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Chapter 76

Chapter 77

Chapter 78

Chapter 79

Chapter 80

Chapter 81

Chapter 82

Chapter 83

Chapter 84

Chapters 85–86

Chapter 87


The Translation
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra
The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines

1.

Chapter 1: Introduction

[V29] [F.1.b] [B1]


1.­1

We prostrate to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.


1.­2

Thus did I hear at one time. The Lord dwelt at Rājagṛha on Gṛdhrakūṭa Hill together with a great community of monks, numbering14 five thousand monks, all worthy ones with the exception of one single person‍—that is, venerable Ānanda‍—with outflows dried up, without afflictions, fully controlled, with their minds well freed and their wisdom well freed, 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, with their hearts well freed by perfect understanding, in perfect15 control of their whole mind; [F.2.a] with nuns numbering five hundred‍—Yaśodharā, Mahāprajāpatī, and so on‍—and with a great many laymen and laywomen, all of them with a vision of the Dharma; and with an unbounded, infinite number of bodhisattva great beings, all of whom had acquired the dhāraṇīs, were dwellers in emptiness, their range the signless, and who had not fashioned any wishes, had acquired forbearance for the sameness of all dharmas, had acquired the dhāraṇī of nonattachment, with imperishable clairvoyant knowledges, and with speech worth listening to; who were not hypocrites, not fawners, without thoughts of reputation and gain; who were Dharma teachers without thought of compensation, with perfect forbearance for the deep dharmas, who had obtained the fearlessnesses, and who had transcended all the works of Māra, who had cut the continuum of karmic obscuration, were skillful in expounding the analysis of investigations into phenomena, with the prayer that is a vow made during an asaṃkhyeya of eons really fully carried out, with smiling countenances, forward in addressing others, without a frown on their faces, skillful in communicating with others in chanted verse, without feelings of depression, without losing the confidence giving a readiness to speak, and endowed with fearlessness when surpassing endless assemblies; who were skilled in going forth during an ananta of one hundred million eons, understanding phenomena to be like an illusion, a mirage, a reflection of the moon in water, a dream, an echo, an apparition, a reflection in the mirror, and a magical creation; who were skillful in comprehending the thoughts, conduct, and beliefs of all beings and subtle knowledge, [F.2.b] with unobstructed thoughts, and endowed with extreme patience; who were skilled in causing entry into reality just as it is, having appropriated all the endless arrays of the buddhafields through prayer and setting out, with the meditative stabilization recollecting buddhas in an infinite number of world systems constantly and always activated; who were skillful in soliciting innumerable buddhas; who were skillful in eliminating the various views, propensities, obsessions, and defilements; and who were skillful in accomplishing a hundred thousand feats through meditative concentration. That is, he was together with the bodhisattva great beings Bhadrapāla, Ratnākara, Ratnagarbha,16 Ratnadatta, Susārthavaha, Varuṇadeva, Guhyagupta, Indradatta, Uttaramatin, Viśeṣamatin, Vardhamāna­matin, Anantamati, Amoghadarśin, Anāvaraṇamatin, Susaṃprasthita, Su­vikrānta­vikrāmin, Anantavīrya, Nityodyukta, Nityaprayukta, Anikṣiptadhura, Sūryagarbha, Anupamamatin, and Avalokiteśvara, Mahā­sthāma­prāpta, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, Māra­bala­pramardin, Vajramatin, Ratna­mudrā­hasta, Nityotkṣipta­hasta, Mahā­karuṇā­cinta, Mahāvyūha, Vyūharāja, and Merukūṭa, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, and many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion other bodhisattvas as well.

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2.

Chapter 2: Production of the Thought

2.­1

When the Lord understood that the world with its celestial beings, Māras and Brahmās, śramaṇas and brahmins, gods and humans, as well as bodhisattvas, most of them in youthful form, had assembled, he said to venerable Śāriputra, “Here, Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to all dharmas in all forms should make an effort at the perfection of wisdom.”

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2.­2

The Lord having spoken thus, venerable Śāriputra inquired of him, “How then, Lord, [F.11.b] should bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to all dharmas in all forms make an effort at the perfection of wisdom?”

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3.

Chapter 3: Designation

3.­1

Then [F.23.a] venerable Śāriputra inquired of the Lord, “Lord, how then should bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom?”

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3.­2

Venerable Śāriputra having thus inquired, the Lord said to him, “Śāriputra, here bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom do not, even while they are bodhisattvas, see a bodhisattva. They do not see even the word bodhisattva. They do not see awakening either, and they do not see the perfection of wisdom. They do not see that ‘they practice,’ and they do not see that ‘they do not practice.’ They also do not see that ‘while practicing they practice and while not practicing do not practice,’ and they also do not see that ‘they do not practice, and do not not practice as well.’44 They do not see form. Similarly, they do not see feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness either. And why? Because, Śāriputra, the name bodhisattva is empty of the intrinsic nature of a name. The name bodhisattva is not empty because of emptiness. A bodhisattva is also empty of the intrinsic nature of a bodhisattva, but a bodhisattva is not empty because of emptiness. Awakening, too, is empty of the intrinsic nature of awakening, but awakening is not empty because of emptiness. The perfection of wisdom, too, is empty of the intrinsic nature of the perfection of wisdom, but the perfection of wisdom is not empty because of emptiness. Form, too, is empty of the intrinsic nature of form, but form is not empty because of emptiness. [F.23.b] And feeling . . . perception . . . volitional factors . . . and consciousness is45 also empty of the intrinsic nature of consciousness, but consciousness is not empty because of emptiness. And why? Because the emptiness of the name bodhisattva is not the name bodhisattva, and there is no name bodhisattva apart from emptiness, because the name bodhisattva itself is emptiness and emptiness is the name bodhisattva as well. The emptiness of the bodhisattva is not the bodhisattva and there is no bodhisattva apart from emptiness, because the bodhisattva is emptiness and emptiness is the bodhisattva as well. The emptiness of the perfection of wisdom is not the perfection of wisdom and there is no perfection of wisdom apart from emptiness, because the perfection of wisdom itself is emptiness and emptiness is the perfection of wisdom as well. The emptiness of form is not form and there is no form apart from emptiness, because form itself is emptiness and emptiness is form as well. And the emptiness of feeling . . . perception . . . volitional factors . . . and consciousness is not consciousness, and there is no consciousness apart from emptiness because consciousness itself is emptiness and emptiness is consciousness as well. And why? Because this‍—namely, bodhisattva‍—is just a name; because these‍—namely, the name bodhisattva, awakening, [F.24.a] the perfection of wisdom, form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness‍—are just names; and because this‍—namely, emptiness‍—is just a name. Why? Because where there is no intrinsic nature there is no production, stopping,46 decrease, increase, defilement, or purification. And why? Because form is like an illusion, feeling is like an illusion, perception is like an illusion, volitional factors are like an illusion, and consciousness is like an illusion. And an illusion is just a name that does not reside somewhere, does not reside in a particular place, so the sight of an illusion is mistaken and does not exist and is devoid of an intrinsic nature. Bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom like that do not see production, do not see stopping, do not see standing, do not see decrease, do not see increase, do not see defilement, and do not see purification in any dharma at all. They do not see ‘awakening,’ and they do not see a ‘bodhisattva’ anywhere. And why? Because names are made up. In the case of each of these different dharmas they are imagined,47 unreal, names plucked out of thin air working subsequently as conventional labels, and just as they are subsequently conventionally labeled, so too are they settled down on as real. Bodhisattva [F.24.b] great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom do not see any of those names as inherently existing, and because they do not see them, they do not settle down on them as real.

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4.

Chapter 4: Equal to the Unequaled

4.­1

Then venerable Śāriputra, venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, venerable Subhūti, venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇī­putra, and venerable Mahākāśyapa, as well as other monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen celebrated for the state of their clairvoyance, and very many bodhisattva great beings said to the Lord, “This, Lord‍—that is, the perfection of wisdom‍—is the great perfection of bodhisattva great beings. This perfection of wisdom, Lord, is the vast perfection of bodhisattva great beings. This perfection of wisdom, Lord, is the highest perfection of bodhisattva great beings. It is the special perfection, it is the best perfection, it is the superb perfection, it is the sublime [F.54.b] perfection, it is the unsurpassed perfection, it is the unrivaled perfection, it is the unequaled perfection, it is the perfection equal to the unequaled, it is the calm and gentle perfection, it is the matchless perfection, it is the perfection for which no example does justice, it is the space-like perfection, it is the perfection of the emptiness of particular defining marks, it is the perfection endowed with all good qualities. This, Lord‍—that is, the perfection of wisdom‍—is the uncrushable perfection of bodhisattva great beings.


5.

Chapter 5: Tongue

5.­1

Then at that time the Lord extended his tongue and with it covered the great billionfold world system. Then from his tongue light beams of many colors, various colors, issued forth. Having issued forth, a great illumination spread through as many world systems as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River to the east. Similarly, a great illumination spread through as many world systems as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River to the south, west, and north, in the intermediate directions to the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest, below and above.


6.

Chapter 6: Subhūti

6.­1

The Lord then said to venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, starting with the perfection of wisdom, be confident in your readiness to give a Dharma discourse to the bodhisattva great beings about how bodhisattva great beings go forth in the perfection of wisdom.”

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6.­2

Then it occurred to those bodhisattva great beings, those great śrāvakas, and those gods to think, “Will venerable Subhūti instruct the bodhisattva great beings in the perfection of wisdom on account of armor in which reposes the power of his own intellect and confident readiness, or will he instruct them through the power of the Buddha?”

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7.

Chapter 7: Entry into Flawlessness

7.­1

Venerable Subhūti then said to the Lord, “Lord, bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend131 form should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend eyes should train in the perfection of wisdom. Similarly, bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend ears, nose, tongue, body, and thinking mind should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend a form should train in the perfection of wisdom. Similarly, bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend a sound, a smell, a taste, a feeling, and a dharma should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend eye consciousness should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend up to thinking-mind consciousness should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend eye contact up to who want to comprehend thinking-mind contact should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend the feeling that arises from the condition of eye contact, up to [F.69.b] who want to comprehend the feeling that arises from the condition of thinking-mind contact should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend ignorance should train in the perfection of wisdom. Similarly, bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend volitional factors, consciousness, name and form, the six sense fields, contact, feeling, craving, appropriation, existence, birth, and old age and death should train in the perfection of wisdom.

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8.

Chapter 8: The Religious Mendicant Śreṇika

8.­1

Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, given that I do not find, do not apprehend, and do not see a bodhisattva or the perfection of wisdom, to which bodhisattva will I give advice and instruction in what perfection of wisdom? Lord, given that I do not find, do not apprehend, and do not see any real basis, this really is something I might be uneasy about‍—Lord, while not finding, not apprehending, and not seeing any real basis, which dharma will advise and instruct which dharma? Because, Lord, given that I do not find, do not apprehend, and do not see all dharmas, this really is something I might be uneasy about, how I might make just the name bodhisattva and just the name perfection of wisdom wax and wane.

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9.

Chapter 9: Causal Signs

9.­1

Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, if bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom without skillful means [F.87.b] practice form166 they practice a causal sign; they do not practice the perfection of wisdom. If they practice feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness they practice a causal sign; they do not practice the perfection of wisdom. If they practice ‘form is permanent’ or ‘impermanent’ they practice a causal sign; they do not practice the perfection of wisdom. If they practice ‘feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness is permanent’ or ‘impermanent’ they practice a causal sign; they do not practice the perfection of wisdom. If they practice ‘form is happiness’ or ‘suffering’ they practice a causal sign. If they practice ‘feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness is ‘happiness’ or ‘suffering’ they practice a causal sign. If they practice ‘form is self’ or ‘no self’ they practice a causal sign. If they practice ‘feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness is self’ or ‘no self’ they practice a causal sign. If they practice ‘form is calm’ or ‘not calm’ they practice a causal sign. If they practice ‘feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness is calm’ or ‘not calm’ they practice a causal sign. If they practice ‘form is isolated’ or ‘not isolated’ they practice a causal sign. If they practice ‘feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness is isolated’ or ‘not isolated’ they practice a causal sign; they do not practice the perfection of wisdom.

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10.

Chapter 10: Illusion-Like

10.­1

Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, suppose someone were to ask, ‘Does this illusory being, having trained in the perfection of wisdom, go forth to the knowledge of all aspects or reach the knowledge of all aspects?’ What, Lord, should be said to that questioner? And similarly, suppose someone were to ask, ‘Does this illusory being, having trained in the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving go forth to the knowledge of all aspects or reach the knowledge of all aspects?’ What, Lord, should be said to that questioner? And as to ‘Do they, having trained in, up to the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, [F.97.a] up to the knowledge of all aspects, go forth to the knowledge of all aspects or reach the knowledge of all aspects?’‍—what, Lord, should be said to that questioner?”

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11.

Chapter 11: Embarrassment

11.­1

Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, you say ‘bodhisattva’ again and again. What is its basis in reality?”201

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The Lord [F.110.b] replied to venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, the basis in reality for bodhisattva is an absence of a basis in reality. And why? Subhūti, it is because bodhi and sattva are not produced. Awakening and a being do not have an arising or an existence. They cannot be apprehended. Subhūti, awakening has no basis in reality and a being has no basis in reality, therefore a bodhisattva’s basis in reality is an absence of a basis in reality.

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12.

Chapter 12: Elimination of Views

12.­1

Then venerable Śāriputra said to the Lord, “Lord, I too am confident in my readiness to speak the sense in which bodhisattvas are said to be ‘great beings.’ ”

12.­2

“Śāriputra,” replied the Lord, “be confident in your readiness to explain the sense in which bodhisattvas are said to be great beings.”

12.­3

Śāriputra then explained, “Lord, they reveal the Dharma to beings to eliminate the view of a self and, similarly, the view of a being, a living being, a person, one who lives, an individual, one born of Manu, a child of Manu, one who does, one who makes someone else do, a motivator, one who motivates, one who feels, one who makes someone else feel, one who knows, and one who sees. And by way of not apprehending anything they reveal the Dharma to beings to eliminate the view of annihilation, the view of permanence, the view of existence, and the view [F.119.b] of nonexistence; the view of aggregates, the view of constituents, the view of sense fields, the view of isolation, and the view of dependent origination; and the view of the perfections, the view of the dharmas on the side of awakening, the view of the powers and fearlessnesses, the view of the distinct attributes of a buddha, the view of bringing beings to maturity, the view of the purification of a buddhafield, the view of awakening, the view of the Buddha, the view of the Dharma, the view of the Saṅgha, the view of turning the wheel of the Dharma, and the view of complete nirvāṇa. It is in this sense bodhisattvas are said to be great beings.”

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13.

Chapter 13: The Six Perfections

13.­1

Then venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇī­putra said to the Lord, “Lord, I too am confident in my readiness to speak the sense in which bodhisattvas are said to be great beings.”

“Pūrṇa, be confident in your readiness to speak,” replied the Lord.

13.­2

Pūrṇa then said, “Lord, those beings are armed with great armor, [F.122.a] those beings have set out in a Great Vehicle, and those beings have mounted on a Great Vehicle. It is in this sense, Lord, that bodhisattvas are said to be great beings.”

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14.

Chapter 14: Neither Bound nor Freed

14.­1

Then venerable Subhūti inquired of the Lord, “Lord, you say ‘armed with great armor’ again and again. Lord, to what extent are bodhisattva great beings armed with great armor?”

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The Lord said, “Subhūti, here bodhisattva great beings, having become armed with great armor‍—that is, armed with perfection of giving armor, and armed with perfection of morality, perfection of patience, perfection of perseverance, perfection of concentration, and perfection of wisdom armor; armed with applications of mindfulness armor, and armed with right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and path armor; armed with inner emptiness armor, up to armed with emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature armor; and armed with powers armor, armed with fearlessnesses armor, armed with detailed and thorough knowledges armor, and armed with distinct attributes of a buddha armor‍—and having become armed with the armor of the knowledge of all aspects and the body of a buddha, they pervade world systems in the great billionfold world system with light and shake the earth. Having blown out all the fires in the hell dwellings, extinguished the sufferings of the beings in the hells, and caused them to know their suffering is extinguished, those bodhisattvas [F.132.b] say, ‘I bow to you, tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete Buddha!’ proclaiming the name out loud, and then those beings in the hells, having heard the sound buddha, find pleasure and mental happiness. They emerge from those hells just because of that pleasure and mental happiness, and wherever lord buddhas are standing and can be seen and can be pleased they take birth in those world systems, reborn as gods and humans.


15.

Chapter 15: Meditative Stabilization

15.­1

Then venerable Subhūti inquired of the Lord, “Lord, what is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings? Lord, to just what extent should bodhisattva great beings be known to have set out in the Great Vehicle?248 Where249 will the Great Vehicle have set out? Where will the Great Vehicle stand?250 Who will go forth in the Great Vehicle?”

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Subhūti having said asked this, the Lord said to him, “Subhūti, in regard to what you have asked‍—‘Lord, what is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings?‍—Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is this: the six perfections. And what are the six? They are the perfection of giving, perfection of morality, perfection of patience, perfection of perseverance, [F.142.b] perfection of concentration, and perfection of wisdom.


16.

Chapter 16: Dhāraṇī Gateway

16.­1

“Furthermore, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is this: the four applications of mindfulness. What are the four? They are the application of mindfulness to the body, the application of mindfulness to feeling, the application of mindfulness to mind, and the application of mindfulness to dharmas.

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“What is the application of mindfulness to the body? Here enthusiastic, introspective, mindful bodhisattva great beings, having cleared away ordinary covetousness and depression, dwell while viewing in a body the inner body by way of not apprehending anything, and without indulging in speculations to do with the body. They dwell while viewing in a body the outer body, and they dwell while viewing in a body [F.155.b] the inner and outer body by way of not apprehending anything, and without indulging in speculations to do with the body.

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17.

Chapter 17: Level Purification

17.­1

“Subhūti, in regard to what you have asked‍—‘How have bodhisattva great beings come to set out in the Great Vehicle?’‍—Subhūti, here bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections change place, going from level to level. And how do bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections change place, going from level to level? Like this: by all dharmas not changing place. And why? Because no dharma comes, or goes, or changes place, or is close to changing places. But even though they do not falsely project the level of those dharmas,302 do not direct their thoughts toward them, they still do the purification303 for a level, and they do not view those levels.

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18.

Chapter 18: The Exposition of Going Forth in the Great Vehicle

18.­1

“Subhūti, in regard to what you have asked‍—‘From where321 will the Great Vehicle go forth?’‍—it will go forth from the three realms and will stand wherever there is knowledge of all aspects, and it will stand, furthermore, by way of nonduality. And why? Because, Subhūti, these two dharmas‍—the Great Vehicle and the knowledge of all aspects‍—are not conjoined and not disjoined, are formless, cannot be pointed out, do not obstruct, and have only one mark‍—that is, no mark. And why? Because, Subhūti, a dharma without a mark is not going forth, nor will it go forth, nor has it gone forth. [F.180.b] Subhūti, someone who would assert that dharmas without marks go forth322 might as well assert of suchness that it goes forth. Similarly, Subhūti, someone who would assert that dharmas without marks go forth might as well assert of the very limit of reality, the inconceivable element, the abandonment element, the detachment element, and the cessation element that they go forth. And why? Because, Subhūti, the intrinsic nature of suchness does not go forth from the three realms. And why? Because suchness is empty of the intrinsic nature of suchness.”

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19.

Chapter 19: Surpassing

19.­1

Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, you say this‍—‘Great Vehicle’‍—again and again. It surpasses the world with its gods, humans, and asuras and goes forth. Is that why it is called a Great Vehicle?329

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19.­2

“Lord, that vehicle is equal to space. To illustrate, Lord, just as space has room for infinite, countless beings beyond measure, the Great Vehicle also, Lord, has room330 for infinite, countless beings beyond measure. Such, Lord, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings. Lord, you cannot apprehend the Great Vehicle coming, going, or remaining, you cannot apprehend a prior limit, cannot apprehend a later limit, and cannot apprehend a middle either.

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20.

Chapter 20: Not Two

20.­1

Then venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇī­putra said to the Lord, “Lord, tasked343 with the perfection of wisdom by the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete Buddha, this elder Subhūti thinks he has to give instruction in the Great Vehicle.”

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Venerable Subhūti then said to the Lord, “Let it not be the case, Lord, that I am giving instruction in the Great Vehicle, having violated the perfection of wisdom.”

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“No, you have not,” replied the Lord. “You are giving instruction in the Great Vehicle in harmony with the perfection of wisdom. And why? Because, Subhūti, śrāvaka dharmas, pratyekabuddha dharmas, bodhisattva dharmas, or buddha dharmas‍—or any wholesome dharmas, whatever they are‍—they all come together and stream into the perfection of wisdom.”

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21.

Chapter 21: Subhūti

21.­1

Then venerable Śāriputra inquired of venerable Subhūti, “Venerable Subhūti, how do bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom investigate these dharmas? And, Venerable Subhūti, what is a bodhisattva? What is the perfection of wisdom? What is it to investigate?”

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21.­2

“Venerable Śāriputra,” replied Subhūti, “in regard to what you asked‍—‘What is a bodhisattva?’‍—they are called bodhisattvas because awakening is itself their state of being.357 And with that awakening they know the aspects of dharmas but they do not settle down on those dharmas.

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22.

Chapter 22: Śatakratu

22.­1

And indeed all the Four Mahārājas stationed in the great billionfold world system together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods were assembled in that very retinue, as were the Śatakratus,373 heads of the gods, and the Suyāmas, Saṃtuṣitas, Nirmāṇaratis, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartins, and Brahmapurohitas, up to the Brahmās together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods also assembled, and as many Brahmās, up to Śuddhāvāsa classes of gods stationed in the great billionfold world system together with hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, also were assembled. The light originating from the maturation of earlier karma coming from the bodies of those Cāturmahā­rājika gods, and the light originating from the maturation of earlier karma coming from the bodies of those Trāyastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin classes of gods, and Brahmakāyika gods, up to the Śuddhāvāsa class of gods, does not approach the natural light of the Tathāgata even by a hundredth part, or by a thousandth part, or by a hundred thousandth part, or by a hundred-thousand hundred-millionth part; it would not stand up to any number, or fraction, or counting, or example, or comparison. In the presence of374 the natural light of the Tathāgata all the lights originating from the maturation of earlier karma coming from the bodies of the gods do not gleam, do not radiate, and do not shine. [F.243.a] Among those the light of the Tathāgata reveals itself as the highest, reveals itself as special, and reveals itself as the best, superb, exemplary, unsurpassed, and unrivaled. As an analogy, just as a fired iron statue in the presence of the golden Jambū River does not gleam, does not radiate, and does not shine, similarly, in the presence of the natural light of the Tathāgata all the lights originating from the maturation of earlier karma coming from the bodies of the gods do not gleam, do not radiate, and do not shine. Among those the light of the Tathāgata reveals itself as the highest, reveals itself as special, and reveals itself as the best, superb, exemplary, unsurpassed, and unrivaled.

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23.

Chapter 23: Hard to Understand

23.­1

Then it occurred to those gods to think, “What would the elder Subhūti accept those listening to the Dharma to be like?”

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Then venerable Subhūti, understanding in his mind the thoughts occurring to those gods, said to those gods, “Gods, I would accept those listening to the doctrine to be like illusory beings. I would accept those listening to the doctrine to be like magically created beings. They will not listen to, master, or directly realize anything at all.”

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24.

Chapter 24: Unlimited

24.­1

Then it occurred to Śatakratu, head of the gods, to think, “I will magically create flowers in order to worship this rain of Dharma being expounded by the elder Subhūti, and we will strew those flowers near, strew them in front, and strew them around the lord buddhas, the community of bodhisattva great beings, the monks, the elder Subhūti, and the perfection of wisdom.” And it occurred to all the Cāturmahā­rājika gods, up to the Akaniṣṭha class, as many as are stationed in the great billionfold world system, to think, “We will magically create flowers in [F.259.b] order to worship this rain of Dharma being expounded by the elder Subhūti, and will strew those flowers near, strew them in front, and strew them around the lord buddhas, the community of bodhisattva great beings, the monks, the elder Subhūti, and the perfection of wisdom.” Then Śatakratu, head of the gods, and all the Cāturmahā­rājika gods, up to the Akaniṣṭha class, as many as are stationed in the great billionfold world system, did magically create coral tree flowers and strewed them near, strewed them in front, and strewed them around the lord buddhas, the community of bodhisattva great beings, the monks, the elder Subhūti, and the perfection of wisdom. Immediately after Śatakratu, head of the gods, and the gods up to the Akaniṣṭha class had strewed those flowers, they matted together and spread out over the great billionfold world system and stayed there suspended in the sky, a second story of flowers delightful and pleasing to the mind.


25.

Chapter 25: Second Śatakratu

25.­1

The women and men and masses of seers, together with the gods‍—those with the Indras,397 those with the Brahmās, and those with the Prajāpatis as their leaders‍—cried out three times cries of delight in the Dharma that the elder Subhūti, through the might of the Tathāgata, through the sustaining power of the Tathāgata, had pointed out, taught, thrown light on, and illuminated: “Ah! How well it has been explained. Ah! How well this Dharma has been explained. Ah! How well the true dharmic nature of this Dharma has been explained.” And they said, “Lord, we shall treat those bodhisattva great beings who do not become separated from the perfection of wisdom, who do not apprehend any dharma, be it form, or feeling, or perception, or volitional factors, or consciousness, up to or the knowledge of all aspects, but still make known the presentation of the three vehicles‍—the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the perfectly complete buddhas‍—exactly like tathāgatas.”


26.

Chapter 26: Getting Hold

26.­1

Then Śatakratu, head of the gods, said to the Lord, “It is amazing, Lord, how these bodhisattva great beings who have taken up or borne in mind or read aloud or mastered or properly paid attention to this perfection of wisdom in this very life get hold of good qualities; how they bring beings to maturity, purify a buddhafield, and pass on from buddhafield to buddhafield in order to attend on the lord buddhas; how, if they still want to revere, demonstrate reverence for, show honor to, and worship those lord buddhas on account of wholesome roots, those wholesome roots establish it accordingly; how they go into the presence of those lord buddhas and listen to the Dharma; how they never forget their Dharma right up until they fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening; [F.275.b] how they take possession of a perfect family, perfect celebrity,399 a perfect life, a perfect retinue, perfect major marks, perfect radiance, perfect eyes, a perfect voice, perfect concentration, and perfect dhāraṇī; how they go from world system to world system where the lord buddhas have not appeared and with skillful means magically produce themselves in the shape a buddha assumes; how they speak in praise of the perfection of giving and speak in praise of the perfection of morality, perfection of patience, perfection of perseverance, perfection of concentration, and perfection of wisdom; how they speak in praise of inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature; how they speak in praise of the concentrations, speak in praise of the immeasurables and formless absorptions, speak in praise of the applications of mindfulness, and speak in praise of the right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and eightfold noble path; how they speak in praise of the ten powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, up to the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha; and how with skillful means they tame beings in the three vehicles‍—the Śrāvaka Vehicle, Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and Great Vehicle‍—teaching them the Dharma.”

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27.

Chapter 27: Reliquary

27.­1

Then the Lord said to Śatakratu, head of the gods, “Kauśika, if some son of a good family or daughter of a good family takes up or bears in mind or reads out loud or recites or teaches or intones or harmonizes with or properly pays attention to this deep perfection of wisdom, and if they go up to the front line of battle and have engaged in or are engaging in, or are traversing, or are sitting down or standing up in a battle that is underway, Kauśika, even if an arrow or a club or a stick or a stone or a sword is flung at that son of a good family or daughter of a good family who takes up or bears in mind or reads out loud or recites or teaches or intones or harmonizes with or properly pays attention to this deep perfection of wisdom, it is impossible that those projectiles would land on their body; it is impossible that the attacks of others would interfere with their life. And why? Kauśika, it is because that son of a good family or daughter of a good family who has practiced the perfection of wisdom for a long time has vanquished their own greed arrows and greed swords; they have vanquished others’ greed arrows and greed swords; they have vanquished their own hatred arrows and confusion arrows and their hatred swords and confusion swords; they have vanquished others’ hatred arrows and confusion arrows and hatred swords and confusion swords; they have vanquished their own arrows of instances of views and swords of instances of views, and they have vanquished others’ arrows of instances of views and swords of instances of views; they have vanquished their own obsession [F.284.b] arrows and obsession swords, and they have vanquished others’ obsession arrows and obsession swords; and they have vanquished their own proclivity arrows and proclivity swords, and they have vanquished others’ proclivity arrows and proclivity swords. Kauśika, because of this one of many explanations, even if an arrow or a sword is flung at a son of a good family or daughter of a good family, it does not land on their body.


28.

Chapter 28: Declaration of the Good Qualities of the Thought of Awakening

28.­1

Śatakratu, head of the gods, having said this, the Lord then said to him, “Exactly so. Kauśika, exactly so. Those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family [F.294.a] who write out and make this perfection of wisdom into a book; take it up, bear it in mind, read it aloud, master it, and properly pay attention to it and on top of that respect, revere, honor, and worship it with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, robes, parasols, flags, and banners would, based on that, make a lot of merit, an immeasurable, countless, inconceivable, infinite, incomparable amount. And why? Kauśika, it is because the knowledge of all aspects of tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas issues forth from the perfection of wisdom. Kauśika, the five perfections, all the emptinesses, the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the detailed and thorough knowledges, the distinct attributes of a buddha, the five eyes, the six clairvoyances, bringing beings to maturity, and the perfect purification of a buddhafield issue forth from the perfection of wisdom. Kauśika, all-knowledge, knowledge of path aspects, and knowledge of all aspects issue forth from the perfection of wisdom. Kauśika, the Śrāvaka Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and the Great Vehicle issue forth from the perfection of wisdom, and unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening issues forth from the perfection of wisdom too.


29.

Chapter 29: Different Tīrthika Religious Mendicants

29.­1

Then, many different tīrthika religious mendicants intent on criticizing, a hundred of them, specifically approached the Lord to level criticism.

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Then it occurred to Śatakratu, head of the gods, to think, “These many different tīrthika religious mendicants intent on criticizing the doctrine, a hundred of them, have specifically approached the Lord to level criticism. I will certainly recite as much of the perfection of wisdom as I have taken up in order that these different tīrthika religious mendicants will not get at all close to the Lord to hinder the teaching of the perfection of wisdom.”


30.

Chapter 30: The Benefits of Taking Up and Adoration

30.­1

Then venerable Ānanda said to the Lord, “Lord, you do not praise422 the perfection of giving, and you do not praise the perfection of morality, perfection of patience, perfection of perseverance, or perfection of concentration. Similarly, up to you do not proclaim the names of the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha as you proclaim the name of the perfection of wisdom.”

30.­2

Venerable Ānanda having said this, the Lord then said to him, “Ānanda, these‍—that is, the [F.2.a] five perfections, connect this in the same way with each, up to the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha‍—are preceded by the perfection of wisdom.

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31.

Chapter 31: Physical Remains

31.­1

Then the Lord asked Śatakratu, head of the gods, “Kauśika, which of these two options would you choose: to have this Jambudvīpa filled right to the top with the physical remains of tathāgatas and to respect, revere, honor, and worship them with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, robes, parasols, flags, and banners, or to be given this perfection of wisdom?”

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“Lord,” replied Śatakratu, “were I to be offered this Jambudvīpa filled right to the top with the physical remains of the tathāgatas and to be offered this perfection of wisdom written out in book form‍—were I to be presented with these two options‍—I would want the perfection of wisdom. And why? Lord, it is not that I do not venerate those physical remains of the tathāgatas. Lord, I do indeed venerate them. It is not that I do not respect those physical remains of the tathāgatas, or do not revere, do not honor, and do not worship them. But I respect, revere, honor, and worship those physical remains of the tathāgatas because they come about from the perfection of wisdom. The physical remains of the tathāgatas [F.10.a] are suffused by the perfection of wisdom. That is why the physical remains of the tathāgatas get to be worshiped.”

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31.­3

Then venerable Śāriputra said to Śatakratu, head of the gods, “Kauśika, the perfection of wisdom cannot be apprehended, cannot be pointed out, does not obstruct, and has only one mark‍—that is, no mark‍—so how could you think to take it up? Why can it not be taken up? It is because this perfection of wisdom is not a place to be seized or not seized, to be increased or reduced, to be taken away from or added to, for defilement or purification. It does not bestow the buddha dharmas; it does not remove the dharmas of ordinary persons. It does not bestow the dharmas of bodhisattvas, the dharmas of pratyekabuddhas, the dharmas of śrāvakas, the dharmas of those in training, or the dharmas of those for whom there is no more training. It does not remove the dharmas of ordinary persons. It does not bestow the uncompounded element, and it does not remove the compounded element. It does not bestow inner emptiness, up to or the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature; it does not bestow the applications of mindfulness, the right efforts, the legs of miraculous power, the faculties, the powers, the limbs of awakening, the path, or the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha. It does not bestow the knowledge of all aspects.”

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31.­4

“Venerable monk Śāriputra, exactly!” said Śatakratu. “I too understand that the perfection of wisdom does not bestow the buddha dharmas, up to [F.10.b] the knowledge of all aspects. Why? Because the perfection of wisdom is not two, because a dual perfection of wisdom is not available. Similarly, a dual perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving is not available, because it is not two.”

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31.­5

Then the Lord complimented Śatakratu, head of the gods. “Kauśika, exactly so! Excellent, excellent, Kauśika, it is exactly as you say! A dual perfection of wisdom is not available because the perfection of wisdom is not two. Similarly, a dual perfection of concentration . . . , perfection of perseverance . . . , perfection of patience . . . , perfection of morality . . . , and perfection of giving is not available, because it is not two. Kauśika, to accept the perfection of wisdom as two is simply to accept the dharma-constituent as two. And why? Kauśika, the perfection of wisdom and the dharma-constituent are not two, nor are they divided. Similarly, the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving and the dharma-constituent are not two, nor are they divided. Connect this in the same way with each, up to to accept the perfection of wisdom as two is simply to accept suchness as two, up to . . . is simply to accept the very limit of reality and the inconceivable element as two.”

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31.­6

Śatakratu then said, “Lord, [F.11.a] this perfection of wisdom in which bodhisattva great beings train to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening is the place to which the world with its gods, humans, and asuras rightly bows down.

31.­7

“Lord, at the times when I am present on the throne of the head of the gods in the Sudharmā assembly of gods, the gods come to attend on me there in my place. When I am not present on my lion throne they think, ‘Seated on this Dharma throne, Śatakratu, head of the gods, teaches Dharma to the Trāyastriṃśa gods,’ and they bow down to that throne of mine and go back. Similarly, Lord, the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas come from the ten directions with the thought to go and bow down to where this perfection of wisdom is kept written out, or is read aloud, or is perfectly revealed to others and, having bowed down to this perfection of wisdom, to go back. And why? It is because the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas have come about from this perfection of wisdom, all the requirements for the happiness of all beings have arisen from it, and because whatever physical remains of the tathāgatas there are, they too have come about from this perfection of wisdom. Even when a tathāgata is pursuing the practice of awakening, this perfection of wisdom serves as the foundation, serves as the condition, serves as the cause, and serves as the force for the knowledge of all aspects.

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31.­8

“Lord, because that is the case, of those two options I would want just the perfection of wisdom. [F.11.b] Having taken the perfection of wisdom, I would recite it with a mind that longs for the good Dharma.

31.­9

“Lord, when I pay attention to the perfection of wisdom, I see no reason to fear or be petrified. And why? Lord, it is because the perfection of wisdom has no causal sign; the perfection of wisdom, Lord, has no token, is inexpressible, and cannot be given voice to.

31.­10

“Similarly, Lord, the perfection of concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of patience, the perfection of morality, and the perfection of giving, up to the knowledge of all aspects cannot be given voice to.

31.­11

“Lord, were the perfection of wisdom to have a causal sign, were it not to have no causal sign, the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha, having understood that all dharmas have no causal sign, have no token, are inexpressible, and cannot be talked about, would not have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening and taught beings that dharmas have no causal sign, have no token, are inexpressible, and cannot be talked about. Lord, it is because the perfection of wisdom has no causal sign, has no token, is inexpressible, and cannot be talked about that the tathāgata, having understood that all dharmas have no causal sign, have no token, are inexpressible, cannot be talked about, and are inconceivable, did fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening and does teach beings [F.12.a] that dharmas have no causal sign, have no token, are inexpressible, cannot be given voice to, are inconceivable, and are not amenable to language.

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31.­12

“Therefore, Lord, the world with its gods, humans, and asuras should respect, should revere, should honor, and should worship this perfection of wisdom with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, clothes, parasols, flags, and banners; they should take it up, bear it in mind, read it aloud, and master it. It is correct that life in the hells, the animal world, and the world of Yama will then be no more, and they will not descend to the śrāvaka level or the pratyekabuddha level. It is correct that up until fully awakening to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, they will see the tathāgata, bring beings to maturity, and, passing on from buddhafield to buddhafield, respect, revere, honor, and worship this perfection of wisdom with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, clothes, parasols, flags, and banners.

31.­13

“Furthermore, Lord, were I to be offered this great billionfold world system filled right to the top with the physical remains of tathāgatas, and were I to be offered this perfection of wisdom written out in book form, presented with these two options I would want just this perfection of wisdom. [F.12.b] And why? Those physical remains of the tathāgatas come about from the perfection of wisdom; that is why they are respected, revered, honored, and worshiped, and that is why those sons of a good family who have respected, revered, honored, and worshiped them are not born in terrible forms of life, experience everything perfect of the gods and humans, and in the Śrāvaka Vehicle, or the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or the Great Vehicle enter complete nirvāṇa in accordance with earlier prayers they have made.

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31.­14

“To see the Tathāgata and to see the perfection of wisdom is equivalent, because, Lord, the Tathāgata and the perfection of wisdom are not two and cannot be divided into two.

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31.­15

“Furthermore, Lord, for a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha to teach the discourses, melodious narrations, predictions, up to and expositions with the three sorts of miracles, and for a son of a good family or a daughter of a good family to take up this perfection of wisdom and, having mastered it, teach it to others is equivalent. And why? Lord, it is because a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha’s teaching of the discourses, melodious narrations, predictions, up to and expositions with the three sorts of miracles comes about from it.

31.­16

“Furthermore, Lord, for as many tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfect complete buddhas as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River in the east to teach the discourses, melodious narrations, predictions, [F.13.a] up to and expositions with the three sorts of miracles, and similarly, for the lord buddhas in as many world systems as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River in the south, west, and north, below and above, and the intermediate directions to teach the discourses, melodious narrations, predictions, up to and expositions with the three sorts of miracles, and for a son of a good family or a daughter of a good family to take up this perfection of wisdom, up to master it, and teach it to others is equivalent. And why? Because tathāgatas come about from it, and because discourses, melodious narrations, predictions, up to and expositions with the three sorts of miracles come about from it too.

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31.­17

“Furthermore, Lord, to respect, revere, honor, and worship as many tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River in each of the ten directions with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, robes, parasols, flags, and banners, and to respect, revere, honor, and worship this perfection of wisdom written out in book form with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, robes, parasols, flags, and banners is equivalent. And why? Because the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas come about from it.

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31.­18

“Furthermore, Lord, for the son of a good family or daughter of a good family who has taken up this perfection of wisdom, [F.13.b] borne it in mind, read it aloud, mastered it, properly paid attention to it, and illuminated it for others, it is correct that life in the hells, the animal world, and the world of Yama will be no more, and it is correct that descent to the śrāvaka level or the pratyekabuddha level will not happen and that they will stand on the irreversible bodhisattva level. And why? Because for the son of a good family or daughter of a good family who has written out this perfection of wisdom and takes it up, bears it in mind, reads it aloud, masters it, and properly pays attention to it, as well as respects, reveres, honors, and worships it with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, robes, parasols, flags, and banners, it is right that there are no hazards anywhere.

31.­19

“To illustrate, Lord, a person fearful of rich creditors seeks safety with the ruler, and in the retinue of the ruler is actually lobbied by those he fears. They do not scare him again. And why? Lord, having sought safety in the powerful, that happens. That is why, having sought safety in the ruler, he is not scared. Similarly, Lord, the physical remains of the tathāgatas get to be worshiped because they are suffused with the perfection of wisdom. Lord, there the perfection of wisdom should be viewed as being like a ruler; the physical relics of the tathāgatas that get to be worshiped because they are suffused by the perfection of wisdom should be viewed as being like the person who has sought safety with the ruler and gets to be feted. [F.14.a] You should know that even the knowledge of all aspects is suffused by the perfection of wisdom.

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31.­20

“Because that is the case, of those two options I would want just the perfection of wisdom. And why? Because the physical remains of the tathāgatas come about from it, the thirty-two major marks of a great person come about from it, the ten tathāgata powers come about from it, the four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, and eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha come about from it, and great love and great compassion come about from it. Lord, all five perfections get the name perfection because they come about from it. The knowledge of all aspects of the tathāgatas comes about from it. [B24]

31.­21

“Lord, a human or nonhuman looking for a way to cause trouble to beings in a great billionfold world system does not find a way to cause trouble to those beings who take up this perfection of wisdom, bear it in mind, read it aloud, and master it, so those beings gradually enter into complete nirvāṇa.

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31.­22

“Thus, Lord, this perfection of wisdom, like a jewel, serves a great purpose. The perfection of wisdom is made available for doing the work a buddha has to do for those beings standing in the great billionfold world system.427 It is right, Lord, that a buddha comes into being in a world system where the perfection is being practiced. [F.14.b]

31.­23

“To give an illustration, Lord, there is a large, priceless jewel. That precious jewel is endowed with good qualities such as the following: Nonhumans do not find an opportunity to cause trouble to any place the large precious jewel is placed, and if, when a man or woman is possessed by a nonhuman, the precious jewel is brought out, the moment the precious jewel is brought out the nonhuman is unable to bear the splendor of that large precious jewel and flees. If the precious jewel is attached to a body feverish with jaundice it clears up the bile disorder, the sickness does not increase, and it is cured; if the precious jewel is attached to a body wracked by chills and the flu it clears up the wind disorder; and if the precious jewel is attached to a body sick with a phlegm disorder, all the phlegm disorders are cured as well. When a son of a good family or daughter of a good family is wracked by a disorder of the three humors in combination,428 if the precious jewel is attached to the body, that is cured as well. That precious jewel also illuminates the night. During the advent of the hot season, wherever the precious jewel is put it cools that place down; during the advent of the cold season, wherever the precious jewel is put it warms that place up; and wherever the precious jewel is put that place is cool but not cold, warm but not hot, and seasonably pleasant. In whatever place the precious jewel is kept no poisonous snakes and scorpions or other poisonous crawling creatures remain in that place. When the precious jewel is shown to a son of a good family or daughter of a good family bitten by a poisonous snake, the moment it is shown to them [F.15.a] the poison totally disappears. That precious jewel is endowed with good qualities such as those and so on.

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31.­24

“Lord, if the precious jewel is attached to the bodies of those men or women who are wracked by various sicknesses, all their sicknesses are cured. Lord, all water into which the precious jewel is introduced takes on its natural color and becomes endowed with the eight good qualities. Lord, if the precious jewel is wrapped in a blue cloth and introduced into water it turns the water blue. If the precious jewel, in other instances, is wrapped in a yellow, or red, or reddish brown, or crystal-colored cloth and introduced into water it turns the water those colors. If the precious jewel is wrapped in a cloth of a mixture of colors and introduced into water, it turns the water that mixture of colors. Lord, if the precious jewel is introduced into dirty water it makes it clean. That precious jewel is endowed with good qualities such as those, and so on.”

31.­25

Then venerable Ānanda asked Śatakratu, head of the gods, “Kauśika, what do you think? Is this a precious jewel of the gods, or do the humans of Jambudvīpa have something so precious as this as well?”

31.­26

“Elder Ānanda,” replied Śatakratu, “this is a precious jewel of the gods. The precious jewels of the humans of Jambudvīpa are stunted and heavy; the precious jewels of the gods are big and light. Unlike the precious jewels of the gods, the precious jewels of the humans of Jambudvīpa are not replete with good qualities, so [F.15.b] those precious jewels of the humans of Jambudvīpa do not compare with a millionth part429 of a jewel of the gods; they do not stand up to any fraction, or counting, or example.”

31.­27

Then Śatakratu, head of the gods, said to the Lord, “Lord, if you introduce this precious jewel into a basket, even when you have taken this precious jewel out of the basket, the basket still retains an attraction because of thinking ‘it was there, in there.’ Similarly, Lord, the physical and mental suffering and harm perpetrated by humans or nonhumans on sons of a good family or daughters of a good family do not occur in any place where this perfection of wisdom is practiced.

31.­28

“There precious jewel is an expression for the perfection of wisdom and knowledge of all aspects. The good qualities of the perfection of wisdom are infinite, so is it possible to proclaim as many good qualities of the perfection of wisdom as there are?

31.­29

“Similarly, these good qualities of the knowledge of all aspects‍—the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving; inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature; the applications of mindfulness, right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and path; up to the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, the knowledge of a knower of all, the dharma-constituent, the certification of dharmas, suchness, the very limit of reality, and the inconceivable element‍—are the good qualities on account of which [F.16.a] the physical remains of a tathāgata who has entered complete nirvāṇa get to be worshiped.

31.­30

“Furthermore, Lord, those physical remains were the receptacle of the knowledge of a knower of all aspects, the elimination of all residual impressions, connections, and afflictions, a constant staying in a state of equanimity, and the natural state not robbed of mindfulness. That is why they get to be worshiped.

31.­31

“Furthermore, Lord, those physical remains were the receptacle of the jewel-like perfections. Those physical remains of a tathāgata were the receptacle of perfections that are not defiled and are not purified, perfections that are not produced and do not stop, perfections that are not appropriated and are not forsaken, and perfections that do not come and do not go. Those physical remains of a tathāgata were the receptacle of perfections that are the true nature of dharmas. Those physical remains of the Tathāgata are suffused with the true nature of dharmas. That is why those physical remains of a tathāgata get to be worshiped.

31.­32

“Furthermore, Lord, let alone this great billionfold world system filled right to the top with the physical remains of tathāgatas, Lord, even were I to be offered as many great billionfold world systems as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River filled right to the top with the physical remains of tathāgatas, and this perfection of wisdom written out in book form‍—Lord, presented with these two options I would want just this perfection of wisdom. And why? The physical remains of the tathāgatas are suffused by the perfection of wisdom. [F.16.b] It is because they come about from it that they get to be worshiped.

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31.­33

“Lord, when the wholesome roots of a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who has respected, revered, honored, and worshiped the physical remains of the tathāgatas have grown to their limit, they experience the happinesses of gods and humans, they experience the happinesses of great sāla tree–like royal families, great sāla tree–like brahmin families, and great sāla tree–like business families, and of the Cāturmahā­rājika gods and the Trāyastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin gods. The wholesome roots bring the suffering of just those to an end. A son of a good family or daughter of a good family who has respected, revered, honored, and worshiped the perfection of wisdom, on the other hand, completes the perfection of concentration and thereby completes the perfection of perseverance; completes the perfection of perseverance and thereby completes the perfection of patience; completes the perfection of patience and thereby completes the perfection of morality; and completes the perfection of morality and thereby completes the perfection of giving. Similarly, they complete the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, up to practicing the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, and they pass beyond the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha level and enter into the secure state of a bodhisattva. Having entered into the secure state of a bodhisattva [F.17.a] they gain the clairvoyances of a bodhisattva, pass on from buddhafield to buddhafield, assuming bodies at will, whatever bodies will bring beings to maturity. Alternatively, they assume the body of a wheel-turning emperor, or of those in great sāla tree–like royal families, great sāla tree–like brahmin families, and great sāla tree–like business families, and bring beings to maturity.

31.­34

“Lord, because that is the case, it is not that I do not respect the physical remains of the tathāgatas, and it is not that I do not seek to obtain them. But still, it is on account of revering the perfection of wisdom that I revere, that I respect, that I honor, and that I worship the physical remains of the tathāgatas.

31.­35

“Furthermore, Lord, those who want to see tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas standing in infinite countless world systems in the ten directions as the dharma body and as the form body430 should take up this perfection of wisdom, bear it in mind, read it aloud, master it, illuminate it in detail for others, and properly pay attention to it.

31.­36

“A son of a good family or daughter of a good family who wants to see the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas of the ten directions, that son of a good family or daughter of a good family, practicing the perfection of wisdom, should cultivate mindfulness of the buddhas in accordance with what the dharmas actually are.431 As for what the dharmas actually are, [F.17.b] Lord, they are two. What are the two? What the dharmas actually are when the dharmas are compounded and what the dharmas actually are when the dharmas are uncompounded.

31.­37

“Lord, what are the actual dharmas when the dharmas are compounded? They are the knowledge of inner emptiness, up to the knowledge of emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, knowledge of the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, knowledge of the ten tathāgata powers, knowledge of the four fearlessnesses, knowledge of the four detailed and thorough knowledges, knowledge of the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, knowledge of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas, knowledge of dharmas with outflows and without outflows, knowledge of basic immorality and what is not basic immorality, knowledge of the ordinary and extraordinary, and knowledge of defilement and purification dharmas. These are said to be what the dharmas actually are when the dharmas are compounded.

31.­38

“What are the actual dharmas when the dharmas are uncompounded? They are the nonexistence of production, the nonexistence of stopping, the nonexistence of lasting, the nonexistence of lasting and changing into something else, the nonexistence of defilement, the nonexistence of purification, the nonexistence of decrease, and the nonexistence of increase in any dharma, up to the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature of all dharmas. And what is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature of all dharmas? All dharmas are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, so this is said to be what the dharmas actually are when the dharmas are uncompounded.”

31.­39

Then the Lord said to Śatakratu, head of the gods, “Exactly so, Kauśika, exactly so! The tathāgatas, [F.18.a] worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas who appeared in times past fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening thanks to just this perfection of wisdom; the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas who will appear in future times will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening thanks to just this perfection of wisdom; and the present tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas presently dwelling and maintaining themselves in infinite, countless world systems in the ten directions fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening thanks to just this perfection of wisdom.

31.­40

“Those who were the śrāvakas of past tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas, those who will be the śrāvakas of future tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas, and those who are standing at the present time as the śrāvakas of present tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas reached, will reach, and are reaching the result of stream enterer, the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, and the result of worthy one thanks to just this perfection of wisdom.

31.­41

“Those who were pratyekabuddhas in times past, those who will be pratyekabuddhas in future times, and those presently dwelling and maintaining themselves in infinite, countless world systems in the ten directions reached, [F.18.b] will reach, and are reaching their own awakening thanks to just this perfection of wisdom.

31.­42

“And why? It is because this perfection of wisdom gives detailed instruction for the three vehicles and instruction by way of no causal sign, by way of no production, by way of no stopping, by way of no defilement, by way of no purification, by way of no enactment, by way of no appropriating, by way of no forsaking, by way of not taking anything away, by way of not adding anything, by way of no grasping, and by way of no rejecting.

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31.­43

“Furthermore, it does it as ordinary convention, not ultimately. And why? Because the perfection of wisdom is not perfect and not imperfect. It is not over there or over here, nor has it stayed up or sunk down, nor is it the same or sometimes different, with a causal sign or without a causal sign, ordinary or extraordinary, compounded or uncompounded, wholesome or unwholesome, or past, future, or present.

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31.­44

“Kauśika, the perfection of wisdom does not bestow any dharma. It does not bestow pratyekabuddha dharmas, worthy one dharmas, or the dharmas of ordinary persons.”

31.­45

“Lord,” replied Śatakratu, “this‍—that is, the perfection of wisdom‍—is a great perfection. Lord, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom are aware of the thought activities of all beings, but they do not apprehend a being, up to they do not apprehend one who knows and one who sees. They also do not apprehend [F.19.a] form, and they do not apprehend feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness; they do not apprehend the eyes, they do not apprehend a form, they do not apprehend eye consciousness, they do not apprehend eye contact, and they do not apprehend any pleasurable, or suffering, or neither pleasurable nor suffering feeling that arises from the condition of contact with the eyes. Similarly, they do not apprehend the ears . . . the nose . . . the tongue . . . the body . . . or the thinking mind, they do not apprehend thinking-mind consciousness, they do not apprehend thinking-mind contact, and they do not apprehend any pleasurable feeling or suffering feeling, or neither pleasurable nor suffering feeling that arises from the condition of contact with the thinking mind. They do not apprehend the applications of mindfulness; they do not apprehend the right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, or path; and they do not apprehend the four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, or eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha. They do not apprehend bodhi, buddha, or buddhadharmas.

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31.­46

“And why? Because the perfection of wisdom is not made available in a way that anything can be apprehended. And why? Because what apprehends and what is apprehended have no intrinsic nature.”

31.­47

“Exactly so, Kauśika, exactly so!” said the Lord. “Kauśika, given that bodhisattva great beings thus practicing the perfection of wisdom by way of not apprehending anything do not apprehend even awakening, what need is there to mention that they do not apprehend a bodhisattva, [F.19.b] and they do not apprehend the dharmas of bodhisattvas.”

31.­48

Śatakratu then asked, “Lord, why is it that bodhisattva great beings practice only the perfection of wisdom and do not practice the other perfections?”

31.­49

“Kauśika,” replied the Lord, “bodhisattvas do not practice only the perfection of wisdom; they practice all the perfections, and practice, moreover, by way of not apprehending anything. They do not apprehend a gift, do not apprehend a giver, and do not apprehend a recipient; they do not apprehend morality, do not apprehend being moral, and do not apprehend immorality; they do not apprehend patience, do not apprehend an object of patience, and do not apprehend having patience; they do not apprehend perseverance, do not apprehend something that has to be done, and do not apprehend body and mind; they do not apprehend thought, do not apprehend meditative stabilization, and do not apprehend absorption; and they do not apprehend wisdom, do not apprehend an object of wisdom, and do not apprehend being wise.

31.­50

“Kauśika, bodhisattva great beings giving gifts are led by the perfection of wisdom by way of not apprehending all dharmas. The protection of morality, cultivation of patience, exertion at perseverance, and absorption in concentration are preceded by the perfection of wisdom. The investigation of the dharmas of bodhisattvas is preceded by the perfection of wisdom. Connect this in the same way with the investigation of the aggregates, constituents, and sense fields is preceded by the perfection of wisdom by way of not apprehending all dharmas. Connect this with the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening by way of not apprehending all dharmas. Connect this with [F.20.a] the powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, and eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha by way of not apprehending all dharmas. Connect this with the rest, up to the knowledge of all aspects by way of not apprehending all dharmas.

31.­51

“Kauśika, the trees in Jambudvīpa have different leaves and bear different fruit, but when it comes to the shadows of those trees, as many as there are, apart from again and again counting it a ‘shadow,’ there is no distinction or differentiation. Similarly, Kauśika, there is no distinction or differentiation among the five perfections informed by the perfection of wisdom and dedicated to the knowledge of all aspects by way of not apprehending anything.”

31.­52

Śatakratu then said, “Lord, this perfection of wisdom is endowed with great compassion; this perfection of wisdom brings all good qualities to completion, is endowed with infinite good qualities, is endowed with boundless good qualities, and is endowed with unlimited good qualities.

31.­53

“Lord, if a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who has written out this perfection of wisdom and bears it in mind and respects, reveres, honors, and worships it with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, robes, parasols, flags, and banners properly pays attention to it as it has been expounded, and if a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who has written out this perfection of wisdom bestows it on others, which of the two creates more merit?”

31.­54

The Lord replied, “So, Kauśika, here I will pose a counterquestion right to you. You should answer [F.20.b] to the extent you can. Who do you think, Kauśika, creates more merit‍—a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who respects, reveres, honors, and worships the physical remains of the Tathāgata with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, clothes, parasols, flags, and banners, or another son of a good family or daughter of a good family who shares them and bestows just a sesame seed measure of the physical remains of the Tathāgata on others, so that a son of a good family or daughter of a good family then respects, reveres, honors, and worships those physical remains of the Tathāgata just a sesame seed in size with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, clothes, parasols, flags, and banners?”

31.­55

“The way I understand the meaning of what you, Lord, have said,” answered Śatakratu, “is that the son of a good family or daughter of a good family who bestows them on others creates even more merit than those who just personally respect, revere, honor, and worship the physical remains of the Tathāgata with flowers and so on. The Tathāgata, seeing the force of that reality, feeling great compassion for those who, among the mass of beings, can be trained by the physical remains of a tathāgata, becomes absorbed in vajra-like meditative equipoise, shatters the vajra-like body, and imbues the physical remains of the Tathāgata with a special power. Lord, the end of the wholesome root planted by those who worship even just a sesame seed measure of the physical remains of the Tathāgata when the Tathāgata has passed into complete nirvāṇa cannot be known until they all have passed into complete nirvāṇa.” [F.21.a]

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“Exactly so, Kauśika, exactly so!” said the Lord. “A son of a good family or daughter of a good family who has written out this perfection of wisdom and bestowed it on others creates even more merit than that son of a good family or daughter of a good family who respects, reveres, honors, and worships it with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, robes, parasols, flags, and banners.

31.­57

“Furthermore, Kauśika, a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who goes to others and explicates, teaches, explains, gives a commentary on, and makes clear this perfection of wisdom creates even more merit than that earlier one‍—so they are rightfully the teacher or the learned fellow spiritual practitioner occupying the position of guru. And why? Here the teacher is not one thing and the perfection of wisdom another. Just the perfection of wisdom is the teacher and just the teacher is the perfection of wisdom, so just the perfection of wisdom should be seen as the teacher. And why? It is because past, future, and present tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas have appeared because they have trained in this perfection of wisdom, and any learned fellow spiritual practitioners, or bodhisattvas standing in the irreversible state, have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening because they have trained in just this perfection of wisdom. Having trained in just this perfection of wisdom, those in the Śrāvaka [F.21.b] Vehicle have reached the state of a worthy one, those in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle have reached their own awakening, and bodhisattvas have entered into, enter into, and will enter into the secure state of a bodhisattva. Therefore, Kauśika, a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who wants to directly witness tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas and wants to respect, revere, honor, and worship them with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, clothes, parasols, flags, and banners should write out just this perfection of wisdom in book form and respect, revere, honor, and worship it with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, clothes, parasols, flags, and banners.

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31.­58

“When I fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening and, seeing the force of this reality, thought, ‘What should I rely on and stay by, whom should I respect, revere, honor, and worship?’ Kauśika, I then saw among the creatures in this world with its celestial beings, Māras, śramaṇas, and brahmins none comparable to myself, and having considered the fact that there are none comparable to myself I again thought, ‘Well then, since this is the case, I should respect, revere, honor, and worship the Dharma to which432 I fully awakened, and I should rely on and stay by just that Dharma.’ And what is that Dharma, Kauśika? It is just this perfection of wisdom. It is just this perfection of wisdom that I myself, Kauśika, also respect, revere, honor, and worship, that I have respected, revered, honored, and worshiped, and that Irely on and stay by. [F.22.a]

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31.­59

“So, Kauśika, a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who wants to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening also should respect this perfection of wisdom; should revere, should honor, and should worship it with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, clothes, parasols, flags, and banners; and should rely on it and stay by it, not to mention that those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who have entered into the Śrāvaka Vehicle or who have entered into the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle should respect this perfection of wisdom; should revere, should honor, and should worship it with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, clothes, parasols, flags, and banners; and should rely on it and stay by it too. And why? Because bodhisattvas have come about from the perfection of wisdom; tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas have come about from bodhisattvas; and śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas have come about from tathāgatas.

31.­60

Therefore, Kauśika, sons of a good family or daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle, in the Śrāvaka Vehicle, and in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle should respect this perfection of wisdom that sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who have fully awakened, will fully awaken, and are awakening to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening have trained in, and they should revere, should honor, and should worship it with flowers, perfumes, incense, garlands, creams, powders, clothes, parasols, flags, and banners.”

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31.­61

This was the thirty-first chapter, “Physical Remains,” of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.”


32.

Chapter 32: The Superiority of Merit

32.­1

“Kauśika, [F.22.b] there is infinitely great merit from establishing one being in the result of stream enterer, but not so much from establishing the beings in Jambudvīpa in the ten wholesome actions. And why? Kauśika, those who have been established in the ten wholesome actions have not totally got out from the forms of life in the hells, in the animal realms, in the worlds of Yama, or as asuras. A being established in the result of stream enterer is freed from all the terrible forms of life. Similarly, there is infinitely great merit from establishing one being in a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, but not so much from establishing the beings in Jambudvīpa in the ten wholesome actions. Kauśika, a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who establishes one being in unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening creates infinitely greater merit than that. And why? Because it is established specifically so the way of buddhas is not brought to an end.

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33.

Chapter 33: Dedication

33.­1

Then the bodhisattva great being Maitreya said to the elder Subhūti, “Venerable monk Subhūti, when the basis of meritorious action arisen from a bodhisattva great being’s rejoicing that has been made into something shared in common by all beings has been dedicated to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening‍—and dedicated, furthermore, by way of not apprehending anything‍—that basis of meritorious action arisen from a bodhisattva great being’s rejoicing [F.36.a] that has been made into something shared in common by all beings and dedicated to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening is the highest, the most excellent, the foremost, the best, the most superb, sublime, unsurpassed, and unrivaled in comparison to the bases of meritorious action arisen from all beings’ rejoicing, and in comparison to the bases of meritorious action arisen from giving, the bases of meritorious action arisen from morality, and the bases of meritorious action arisen from meditation of those who have set out in the Śrāvaka Vehicle and those who have set out in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. And why? Because all the bases of meritorious action arisen from giving, arisen from morality, and arisen from meditation of those in the Śrāvaka Vehicle and those in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle are made for personal disciplining, for personal calming, and for a personal complete nirvāṇa; the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, up to emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are for personal disciplining, personal calming, and a personal complete nirvāṇa, but that basis of meritorious action arisen from a bodhisattva’s rejoicing is for disciplining all beings, for calming all beings, and for the complete nirvāṇa of all beings, because it has been dedicated to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.”

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34.

Chapter 34: Perfect Praise of the Quality of Accomplishment

34.­1

Then venerable Śāriputra said to the Lord, “Lord, the perfection of wisdom makes things clear because of absolute purity. Lord, the perfection of wisdom makes you want to bow. Lord, I bow to the perfection of wisdom. Lord, the perfection of wisdom is untainted by all three realms. Lord, the perfection of wisdom corrects visual distortions because of having eliminated all the darkness of afflictive emotion and views. Lord, the perfection of wisdom works as the highest of the dharmas on the side of awakening. Lord, the perfection of wisdom provides security because it has eliminated all hazards, terrors, and persecution. Lord, the perfection of wisdom gives light because then all beings easily appropriate [F.52.b] the five eyes. Lord, the perfection of wisdom shows the ruts449 because beings caught in the ruts avoid the two edges. Lord, the perfection of wisdom works as the knowledge of all aspects because of having eliminated all residual impressions, connections, and afflictions. Lord, the perfection of wisdom is the mother of great bodhisattvas because she gives birth to all the buddhadharmas. Lord, the perfection of wisdom is unproduced and unceasing because of being empty of its own mark. Lord, the perfection of wisdom counteracts saṃsāra because it is not unmoved and not destroyed. Lord, the perfection of wisdom works as the protector of all unprotected beings because it is the giver of all precious dharmas. Lord, the perfection of wisdom works as the ten powers because it deals with those who are untamed. Lord, the perfection of wisdom works as repeating and thus turning the wheel of the Dharma that has twelve aspects three times because it does not go forward and does not turn back.450 Lord, the perfection of wisdom works to show the intrinsic nature of all dharmas because of the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature. Since this is the case, Lord, how does one stand in the perfection of wisdom?”

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35.

Chapter 35: Hells

35.­1

Then venerable Śāriputra inquired of the Lord, “Where did they die, Lord, bodhisattva great beings who have come here and believe in this perfection of wisdom? How long has it been since a son of a good family or daughter of a good family believing in this perfection of wisdom as the meaning and method455 set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening? On how many tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas have they attended? For how long have they been practitioners of the perfection of giving? For how long have they been practitioners of the perfection of morality, patience, perseverance, and concentration? For how long have they been practitioners of the perfection of wisdom?”


36.

Chapter 36: Teaching the Purity of All Dharmas

36.­1

Then venerable Śāriputra said to the Lord, “Lord, this purity is deep.”

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“It is deep, Śāriputra, because it is extremely pure,” said the Lord.

36.­2

“On account of what being extremely pure is it deep?” asked Śāriputra.

“Śāriputra,” replied the Lord, [F.67.a] “it is deep because form is extremely pure. It is deep because feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are extremely pure. It is deep because the earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, space element, and consciousness element are extremely pure. It is deep because the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and thinking mind are extremely pure. It is deep because a form, a sound, a smell, a taste, a feeling, and dharmas are extremely pure. It is deep because the perfection of giving is extremely pure. It is deep because the perfections of morality, patience, perseverance, concentration, and wisdom are extremely pure. It is deep because inner emptiness is extremely pure, up to it is deep because the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature is extremely pure. It is deep because the applications of mindfulness are extremely pure. It is deep because the right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and path are extremely pure. It is deep because the ten powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, and distinct attributes of a buddha are extremely pure. It is deep because awakening is extremely pure, up to the knowledge of all aspects is extremely pure.”


37.

Chapter 37: Nobody

37.­1

Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, the perfection of wisdom is not an agent.”

37.­2

The Lord responded, “Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is the nonapprehender of all dharmas.”

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“Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom?” asked Subhūti

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“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “here when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they do not practice form, they practice the perfection of wisdom; if they do not practice feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness, they practice the perfection of wisdom. Similarly, if they do not practice the constituents, sense fields, dependent originations, perfections, emptinesses, dharmas on the side of awakening, powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, distinct attributes of a buddha, up to or the knowledge of all aspects, [F.75.b] they practice the perfection of wisdom.

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38.

Chapter 38: Cannot Be Apprehended

38.­1

Then [F.86.b] venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, this perfection of wisdom is a perfection of a nonexistent thing.”

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“Because space is a nonexistent thing, Subhūti,” replied the Lord.

38.­2

“Lord, this perfection of wisdom is a perfection of equality,” said Subhūti.

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“Because all dharmas are equally nonapprehendable, Subhūti,” replied the Lord.

38.­3

“Lord, this perfection of wisdom is a perfection of isolation,” said Subhūti.

“Because of the emptiness that transcends limits,” replied the Lord.


39.

Chapter 39: The Northern Region

39.­1

Then it occurred to Śatakratu, head of the gods, to think, “Those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family must have served the earlier victors well for the proclamation of this perfection of wisdom to be within their range of hearing; their wholesome roots must be sprung from the Tathāgata, and they must have been assisted by spiritual friends for the proclamation of this perfection of wisdom to be within their range of hearing too, so what need is there to say more about those who take up, bear in mind, read aloud, and master it, and about those who, having taken it up and borne it in mind, read it aloud, and mastered it, also practice it for suchness?476 Those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who take up, bear in mind, read aloud, and master this perfection of wisdom, and who, having taken it up and borne it in mind, read it aloud and mastered it, also practice it for suchness, have attended on many buddhas. Those sons of a good family [F.93.a] or daughters of a good family who do not tremble, feel frightened, or become terrified even when they have listened to this deep perfection of wisdom have also made inquiries about it with earlier tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas. Those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who do not tremble, feel frightened, or become terrified even when they have listened to this deep perfection of wisdom have also practiced the perfection of giving and practiced the perfection of morality, patience, perseverance, concentration, and wisdom for many hundred millions of eons.”


40.

Chapter 40: The Work of Māra

40.­1

Then venerable Subhūti inquired of the Lord,499 “Lord, in light of these pronouncements you have made about the good qualities that accrue to those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, and who are practicing the six perfections, bringing beings to maturity, and taking possession of a buddhafield, what sorts of hindrances can those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family expect to face?”


41.

Chapter 41: Not Complete Because of Māra

41.­1

“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener wants to listen to the perfection of wisdom, to write it out, take it up, clearly articulate it, recite it, and read it out loud, and the Dharma preacher has become too lazy, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.

41.­2

“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher has not become too lazy to write out this deep perfection of wisdom, to take it up, clearly articulate it, and recite it, but the Dharma listener has gone off to some other place, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.


42.

Chapter 42: Revealing the World

42.­1

“To illustrate, Subhūti, there might be [F.128.b] five, or ten, or twenty, or thirty, or forty, or fifty, or a hundred, or a thousand, or a hundred thousand sons of a certain woman and all of them would make an effort,507 thinking, ‘What can we do so that our mother who gave birth to us, gave us the bodies we have and gave us life, does not fall sick; what can we do so that our mother is not in danger; what can we do so that our mother lives for a long time; what can we do so that our mother is not physically uncomfortable?’ Serving their mother with the finest service, protecting her with the finest protection, those sons think, ‘She must not face danger to her life or grow physically weak; or be attacked by mosquitos, black flies, or poisonous crawling creatures; or suffer from cold or heat, hunger or thirst.’ Thus, those sons attend on their mother with all the requirements for happiness; thus they serve their mother, thinking, ‘She reveals this world to us.’


43.

Chapter 43: Inconceivable

43.­1

Then as many gods as there were stationed in the great billionfold world system, living in the desire realm, and living in the form realm took sandalwood powders and specifically approached the Lord, went up to him, bowed their heads to the feet of the Lord, and stood to one side. Even while standing to one side those gods living in the desire realm and living in the form realm said [F.136.b] to the Lord, “Lord, this revelation of the perfection of wisdom is deep. Why, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom deep?”


44.

Chapter 44: Made Up

44.­1

Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, this perfection of wisdom is deep. Lord, this perfection of wisdom has been made available through tremendous work. This perfection of wisdom has been made available through incomparable work, immeasurable work, incalculable work, [F.144.a] work equal to the unequaled.”

44.­2

Venerable Subhūti having said this, the Lord replied to him, “Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so! Subhūti, this perfection of wisdom has been made available through tremendous work. This perfection of wisdom has been made available through incomparable work, immeasurable work, incalculable work, work equal to the unequaled. And why? Subhūti, it is because the six perfections make up this deep perfection of wisdom. Subhūti, it is because inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature make it up; and the four applications of mindfulness, four right efforts, four legs of miraculous power, five faculties, five powers, seven limbs of awakening, and eightfold noble path make up this deep perfection of wisdom. Subhūti, it is because the Tathāgata’s ten powers make up this deep perfection of wisdom; the four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, and eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha make it up; and because, Subhūti, the buddha, up to the knowledge of all aspects make up this deep perfection of wisdom.

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45.

Chapter 45: A Boat

45.­1

“To illustrate, Subhūti, you should know that when a boat has broken up on the ocean, unless those people who are standing in it grab hold of a log, or an inflated skin, or a human corpse as a support, Subhūti, they will not reach the shore of the ocean and will die. Subhūti, when a boat has broken up on the ocean, those people who have it in mind to grab hold of a log, or an inflated skin, or a human corpse as a support, Subhūti, they will not die in the ocean; they will happily cross over the ocean and stand on dry land. Similarly, Subhūti, those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family in the Bodhisattva Vehicle endowed with just faith and just joy who do not write out, clearly articulate, recite, or properly pay attention to the sūtras connected with this deep perfection of wisdom, and similarly, connect this with do not write out, clearly articulate, recite, or hold as a support the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, or perfection of giving, and similarly, connect this with each, up to do not write out, clearly articulate, recite, properly pay attention to, or hold as a support the knowledge of all aspects‍—you should know about these people in the Bodhisattva Vehicle who have set forth to the knowledge of all aspects that in the interim they will get into trouble on the path. They [F.150.a] will actualize the śrāvaka level or pratyekabuddha level. Subhūti, those people in the Bodhisattva Vehicle who have faith, have forbearance, have serene confidence, have a surpassing aspiration, have enjoyment, have belief, have renunciation, and have not given up the effort for full awakening to unsurpassed, complete awakening will write out, clearly articulate, recite, and properly pay attention to this perfection of wisdom. Look, Subhūti, those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family with faith, forbearance, serene confidence, a surpassing aspiration, belief, and renunciation, who have not given up the effort for unsurpassed, complete awakening, and those who assist525 the perfection of wisdom, up to assist the knowledge of all aspects will not get into trouble in the interim. They pass beyond the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha levels and, having brought beings to maturity and purified a buddhafield, fully awaken to unsurpassed, complete awakening.

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46.

Chapter 46: Teaching the Intrinsic Nature of All Dharmas

46.­1

The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti inquired of him, “Lord, how should bodhisattva great beings beginning the work train in the perfection of wisdom? How should they train in the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving?”

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46.­2

“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “bodhisattva great beings beginning the work who want to train in the perfection of wisdom, and who want to train in the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving, should attend on spiritual friends who teach the perfection of wisdom. Those who want to train in . . . up to the perfection of giving should pursue,528 worship,529 and attend on spiritual friends who teach the perfection of giving.

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47.

Chapter 47: Taming Greed

47.­1

Subhūti [F.162.a] then asked, “Lord, what will the attributes, tokens, and signs535 be of those bodhisattva great beings who will believe in this deep perfection of wisdom, and what will be their intrinsic nature?”

47.­2

Venerable Subhūti having thus inquired, the Lord replied to him, “Those bodhisattva great beings who will believe in this deep perfection of wisdom have eliminated greed and are in their intrinsic nature isolated from it; they have also eliminated hatred and confusion and are in their intrinsic nature isolated from them. Subhūti, they are in their intrinsic nature isolated from the token of greed. Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings are in their intrinsic nature isolated from the tokens of hatred and confusion.

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48.

Chapter 48: A Presentation of the Bodhisattvas’ Training

48.­1

Then the gods living in the desire realm and living in the form realm took up divine sandalwood powders, took up divine blue lotus, red lotus, and white lotus flowers, and specifically strewed them down on the Lord. Having strewed them they approached the Lord, went up to him, bowed their heads to the Lord’s feet, and stood to one side. Even while standing to one side those gods living in the desire realm and living in the form realm said to the Lord, “Lord, the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas have thus taught in this deep perfection of wisdom: ‘Just form is the knowledge of all aspects, and the knowledge of all aspects is form. Just feeling . . . , perception . . . , volitional factors . . . , and consciousness is the knowledge of all aspects, [F.167.a] and the knowledge of all aspects is consciousness. That which is the suchness of form and that which is the suchness of the knowledge of all aspects are a single suchness, not two and not divided. Similarly, connect this with that which is the suchness of  . . . up to the buddhas, and that which is the suchness of . . . up to the knowledge of all aspects are a single suchness, not two and not divided.’ Thus, this perfection of wisdom‍—namely, the awakening of the tathāgatas‍—is deep, hard to behold, hard to understand, not something about which you can speculate, not an object of speculative thought, calm, subtle, an object to be known by the brilliantly learned and wise, a counterpoint to all that is ordinary.”

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49.

Chapter 49: Irreversibility

49.­1

The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti inquired of him, “Lord, what is the attribute, what is the token, and what is the sign of irreversible bodhisattva great beings? How do I know, ‘These bodhisattva great beings are irreversible?’ ”

49.­2

Venerable Subhūti having thus inquired, the Lord said to him, “Subhūti, here what are called the level of ordinary persons, the level of śrāvakas, the level of pratyekabuddhas, the level of bodhisattvas, and the level of tathāgatas‍—all of them are suchness, unchanging, undifferentiated, not two, and not divided. They enter into that suchness just as it is. Thus, they do not differentiate the undifferentiated and thus enter into it. Those who have entered like that, having heard about suchness just as it is, having transcended it, have no doubt at all that they are not each separate from suchness, and are not both different and suchness. They do not say whatever just comes into their minds, their words are meaningful, and they do not talk nonsense. They are not concerned with what others have and have not done; they search for what has been well spoken. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who have those attributes, those tokens, and those signs are irreversible.”

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50.

Chapter 50: Teaching the Signs of Irreversibility

50.­1

“Furthermore, Subhūti, Māra the wicked one comes into the presence of bodhisattva great beings and discourages them, saying, ‘The knowledge of all aspects is like space; it is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, and it is empty of its own mark. These dharmas are like space as well; they are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, and they are empty of their own