The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 37: Nobody
- Jinamitra
- Surendrabodhi
- Yeshé Dé

Toh 10
Degé Kangyur, vol. 29 (shes phyin, khri brgyad, ka), folios 1.a–300.a; vol. 30 (shes phyin, khri brgyad, kha), folios 1.a–304.a; vol. 31 (shes phyin, khri brgyad, 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 1.0.22 (2023)
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Table of Contents
Summary
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.
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.
Acknowledgements
This sūtra was translated by Gareth Sparham under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The Translator’s Acknowledgments
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
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.
Chapter 37: Nobody
Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, the perfection of wisdom is not an agent.”
The Lord responded, “Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is the nonapprehender of all dharmas.”
“Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom?” asked Subhūti
“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.
“If they do not practice with the idea ‘form is permanent’ or ‘impermanent,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom. If they do not practice with the idea ‘form is happiness’ or ‘suffering,’ ‘self’ or ‘selfless,’ ‘pleasant’ or ‘unpleasant,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom. Similarly, up to if they do not practice with the idea ‘the knowledge of all aspects is happiness’ or ‘suffering,’ ‘self’ or ‘selfless,’ ‘pleasant’ or ‘unpleasant,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom.
“And why? Because there is no such form that is permanent or impermanent, happiness or suffering, self or selfless, pleasant or unpleasant; there is no such feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness that is permanent or impermanent, happiness or suffering, self or selfless, pleasant or unpleasant. Similarly, up to there is no such knowledge of all aspects that is permanent or impermanent, happiness or suffering, self or selfless, pleasant or unpleasant.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, here when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they do not practice with the idea ‘form is completed’ or ‘not completed,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom; similarly, if they do not practice with the idea ‘feeling . . . ,’ ‘perception . . . ,’ ‘volitional factors . . . ,’ or ‘consciousness is completed’ or ‘not completed,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom; and similarly, [F.76.a] up to if they do not practice with the idea ‘the knowledge of all aspects is completed’ or ‘not completed,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom.
“And why? ‘Form that is completed or not completed is not form.’ If they do not even practice like that, they practice the perfection of wisdom. Similarly, ‘feeling . . . ,’ ‘perception . . . ,’ ‘volitional factors . . . ,’ and ‘consciousness that is completed or not completed is not consciousness.’ If they do not even practice like that, they practice the perfection of wisdom, and similarly, up to ‘the knowledge of all aspects that is completed or not completed is not the knowledge of all aspects.’ If they do not even practice like that, they practice the perfection of wisdom.”
The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti replied to him, “Lord, such an excellent exposition for bodhisattva great beings of those who are attached and not attached is amazing.”
“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!” said the Lord. “The tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete Buddha gives an excellent exposition of the attachments and nonattachments bodhisattva great beings have.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they do not practice with the idea ‘form is not attached,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom; if they do not practice with the idea ‘feeling . . . ,’ ‘perception . . . ,’ ‘volitional factors . . . ,’ or ‘consciousness is not attached,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom. [F.76.b]
“If they do not practice with the idea ‘the eyes are not attached,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom; similarly, if they do not practice with the idea ‘the ears . . . ,’ ‘the nose . . . ,’ ‘the tongue . . . ,’ ‘the body . . . ,’ or ‘the thinking mind is not attached,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom.
“If they do not practice with the idea ‘the perfection of giving is not attached,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom; similarly, if they do not practice with the idea ‘the perfection of morality . . . ,’ ‘the perfection of patience . . . ,’ ‘the perfection of perseverance . . . ,’ ‘the perfection of concentration . . . ,’ or ‘the perfection of wisdom is not attached,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom. Similarly, if they do not practice with the idea ‘the ten powers . . . ,’ ‘the fearlessnesses . . . ,’ ‘the detailed and thorough knowledges . . . ,’ ‘the distinct attributes of a buddha . . . ,’ or ‘the knowledge of all aspects is not attached,’ they practice the perfection of wisdom.
“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom like that, they do not perceive ‘form is not attached’; they do not perceive ‘feeling . . . ,’ ‘perception . . . ,’ ‘volitional factors . . . ,’ or ‘consciousness is not attached’; up to they do not perceive ‘the knowledge of all aspects is not attached.’ They do not perceive ‘the result of stream enterer . . . ,’ ‘the result of once-returner . . . ,’ ‘the result of non-returner . . . ,’ ‘the state of a worthy one . . . ,’ ‘a pratyekabuddha’s awakening,’ or ‘unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening is not attached.’ ” [B29]
Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, that there is no improvement even with such an exposition of this deep Dharma teaching, and no decline even without an exposition, is amazing.”
Venerable Subhūti having said that, the Lord replied to him, “Exactly so, Subhūti, [F.77.a] exactly so! Even with an exposition of the perfection of wisdom there is no improvement, and even without an exposition there is no decline.
“This is like, Subhūti, tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas raising their voice, for as long as they live, in praise and denigration of space. Though they raise their voice in praise it does not improve, and though they raise their voice in denigration it does not decline. Praising space does not improve it and denigrating it does not make it decline.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a voice raised in praise of illusory persons does not improve them, and a voice raised to denigrate them does not make them decline. They are not attached even to a voice raised in praise and do not feel enraged even by a voice raised to denigrate. It is similar, Subhūti, with the true nature of dharmas. It is like that whether it is explained, and it is like that whether it is not explained.”
Subhūti said, “Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom, who meditate on the perfection of wisdom and are not cowed, who do the yogic practice of this perfection of wisdom and do not turn back from unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening are those who do what is difficult. And why? Lord, it is because of this: the cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the cultivation of space, and the perfection of wisdom does not appear;468 the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving do not appear in space either. Form does not appear, and feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness do not appear in space either. Inner emptiness does not appear, [F.77.b] up to and the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature does not appear in space either. The applications of mindfulness do not appear; the right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and path do not appear in space either. The ten powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, and distinct attributes of a buddha do not appear in space. The result of stream enterer does not appear, and similarly the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, the state of a worthy one, and a pratyekabuddha’s awakening do not appear in space, and neither does unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening appear in space.
“Those bodhisattva great beings who have buckled on armor for the sake of beings want469 to strive, want to try, want to make an effort for the sake of space. Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who want armor for the sake of beings want to liberate space. Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who want armor for the sake of all space-like dharmas want great armor. Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who want great armor for the sake of beings want to lift up space into the sky. Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening gain the perfection of perseverance. It is to those bodhisattva great beings wanting that sort of armor, Lord, that I bow down.
“And why? To illustrate, Lord, if [F.78.a] this great billionfold world system were filled with tathāgatas like a thicket of sugarcane, or a thicket of naḍa reeds, or a thicket of bamboo, or a thicket of rushes, or a thicket of rice, or a thicket of sesame, and were those tathāgatas for an eon or for even more than an eon to explain the Dharma, and were each of those tathāgatas to bring infinite, countless beings to maturity, still, a decline or increase in the mass of beings would not appear. And why? Because of the nonexistence of beings, and because of the isolation of beings. By the same token, Lord, I have said, ‘Those bodhisattva great beings who will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening for the sake of beings want to liberate space.’ ”
Then it occurred to some monk or other to think this: “I bow down to Bhagavatī Prajñāpāramitā, where no dharma is produced and no dharma is stopped and yet there is the aggregate of morality; there is the aggregate of [F.78.b] wisdom and the aggregate of meditative stabilization, aggregate of liberation, and aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation; there is the result of stream enterer, and there is the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, the state of a worthy one, and a pratyekabuddha’s awakening; there is also unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening; there are the Three Jewels—Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha—and there is the turning of the wheel of the Dharma.”
Then Śatakratu, head of the gods, asked venerable Subhūti, “Venerable monk Subhūti, what yogic practice are the bodhisattva great beings who are doing the yogic practice of this perfection of wisdom doing?”
“Kauśika,” replied Subhūti, “bodhisattva great beings who think they should train in this perfection of wisdom do a yogic practice in space.”
Then Śatakratu, head of the gods, inquired of the Lord, “Lord, how should I guard, protect, and keep safe sons of a good family and daughters of a good family who take up, bear in mind, read aloud, master, and properly pay attention to this perfection of wisdom?”
Subhūti asked in return, “Kauśika, do you see that dharma you have to guard, protect, and keep safe?”
“Venerable monk Subhūti, I do not see that dharma I have to guard, protect, and keep safe,” replied Śatakratu,
“Kauśika,” Subhūti continued, “if sons of a good family or daughters of a good family stand in this perfection of wisdom as it has been expounded, just that will guard, protect, and keep them safe. Humans and even [F.79.a] nonhumans find no opportunity to hurt them if they are inseparable from this perfection of wisdom as it has been expounded. Kauśika, whoever thinks that they have to guard, protect, and keep safe bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom thinks that they have to guard, protect, and keep space safe.
“What do you think, Kauśika, can you guard, protect, and keep safe an illusion, a mirage, a dream, an echo, or an apparition?”
“No, venerable monk Subhūti, you cannot,” said Śatakratu.
“Similarly, Kauśika,” said Subhūti, “anyone who thinks they will guard, protect, and keep safe bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom will in that case just become frustrated and get tired out.
“What do you think, Kauśika, can you guard, protect, and keep safe the dharma-constituent, the very limit of reality, suchness, or the inconceivable element?”
“No, venerable monk Subhūti, you cannot,” said Śatakratu.
“Similarly, Kauśika,” said Subhūti, “anyone who thinks they will guard, protect, and keep safe bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom will in that case just become frustrated and tire themselves out.” [F.79.b]
Śatakratu responded, “To the extent, venerable monk Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom comprehend all dharmas to be like a dream, like an illusion, like an echo, like a mirage, like an apparition, like the city of the gandharvas—that they comprehend all dharmas to be like a magical creation—bodhisattva great beings with such a comprehension still do not falsely project it as a dream, do not project the dream as ‘mine,’ do not project anything in a dream, do not project a causal sign of a dream, up to do not falsely project it as a magical creation, do not project the magical creation as ‘mine,’ do not project anything in a magical creation, and do not falsely project a causal sign of a magical creation.”
“Kauśika,” said Subhūti, “if bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom do not falsely project form, do not project form as ‘mine,’ do not project anything onto form, and do not project a causal sign of form, then they do not falsely project it as a dream, do not project the dream as ‘mine,’ do not project anything onto a dream, do not falsely project a causal sign of a dream; up to they do not falsely project it as a magical creation, do not project the magical creation as ‘mine,’ do not project anything onto a magical creation, and do not falsely project a causal sign of a magical creation. Similarly, if they do not falsely project feeling . . . perception . . . volitional factors . . . or consciousness, do not falsely project consciousness as ‘mine,’ do not project anything onto consciousness, and do not project a causal sign of consciousness, up to do not falsely project the knowledge of all aspects, do not project the knowledge of all aspects as ‘mine,’ do not project [F.80.a] anything onto the knowledge of all aspects, and do not project a causal sign of the knowledge of all aspects, then they do not falsely project it as a dream, do not project the dream as ‘mine,’ do not project anything onto a dream, do not project a causal sign of a dream, up to do not falsely project it as a magical creation, do not project the magical creation as ‘mine,’ do not project anything onto a magical creation, and do not falsely project a causal sign of a magical creation.”
Then through the power of the Buddha, all the Cāturmahārājika gods and the Trāyastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapārṣadya, up to the Śuddhāvāsa class of gods, as many as there were stationed in the great billionfold world system, took divine sandalwood powders and specifically strewed them right over the Lord, approached the Lord, went up to him, bowed their heads to the feet of the Lord, and stood to one side.
Then all the Cāturmahārājika, Indra, Brahmā, up to the Śuddhāvāsa class of gods focused their thoughts, as they habitually do, through the power of the Buddha on a thousand buddhas in the eastern direction appearing in just these ways470 teaching the Dharma with just these words; on monks, all of them with the name Subhūti, asking about this very perfection of wisdom and about this very chapter of the Perfection of Wisdom; and on Śatakratus, heads of the gods, all of them asking, through the power of the Buddha, about this very perfection of wisdom. Similarly, they focused their thoughts, as they habitually do, through the power of the Buddha on a thousand buddhas each in the south, west, and north, below and above, and the intermediate directions as well, appearing in just these ways teaching the Dharma with just these words; on monks, all of them with the name Subhūti, asking about [F.80.b] this very perfection of wisdom, about this very chapter of the Perfection of Wisdom; and on Śatakratus, heads of the gods, all of them asking, through the power of the Buddha, about this very perfection of wisdom.
Then the Lord said to venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, will teach just this perfection of wisdom at just this place on the earth as well. Those tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas that appear during this Fortunate Age will also, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, teach just this perfection of wisdom at just this place on the earth.”
The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti then inquired of him, “Lord, with which attributes, tokens, and signs will the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, teach this perfection of wisdom?”
The Lord said, “Subhūti, here the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, will not teach the Dharma ‘form is permanent’ or ‘impermanent’; and similarly, he will not teach the Dharma ‘form is happiness’ or ‘suffering,’ ‘form is self’ or ‘selfless,’ or ‘form is pleasant’ or ‘unpleasant.’ He will not teach the Dharma ‘form is bound’ or ‘freed.’
“Similarly, he will not teach the Dharma ‘feeling . . . ,’ ‘perception . . . ,’ ‘volitional factors . . . ,’ or ‘consciousness is permanent’ or ‘impermanent’; and similarly, he will not teach the Dharma ‘consciousness is happiness’ or ‘suffering,’ ‘consciousness is self’ [F.81.a] or ‘selfless,’ or ‘consciousness is pleasant’ or ‘unpleasant.’ He will not teach the Dharma ‘consciousness is bound’ or ‘freed.’
“He will not teach the Dharma ‘form is past,’ ‘is future,’ or ‘is present.’ Similarly, he will not teach the Dharma ‘feeling . . . ,’ ‘perception . . . ,’ ‘volitional factors . . . ,’ or ‘consciousness is past,’ ‘is future,’ or ‘is present.’ Similarly, up to he will not teach the Dharma ‘the knowledge of all aspects is past,’ ‘is future,’ or ‘is present.’ He will not teach the Dharma ‘the knowledge of all aspects is bound’ or ‘freed.’ ”
Then venerable Subhūti asked the Lord, “Lord, how will the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, teach this perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “he will teach the extremely pure Dharma ‘form is extremely pure,’ and similarly, he will teach the extremely pure Dharma ‘feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are extremely pure.’ Similarly, up to he will teach the extremely pure Dharma ‘the knowledge of all aspects is extremely pure.’ ”
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “the perfection of wisdom is pure because form is pure. Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is pure because feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are pure, up to Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is pure because [F.81.b] the knowledge of all aspects is pure.”
Subhūti asked, “In what way, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom pure because form is pure? In what way is the perfection of wisdom pure because feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are pure, up to in what way, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom pure because the knowledge of all aspects is pure?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “form that is unproduced and unceasing, without defilement and without purification, is pure form. Subhūti, feeling . . . , perception . . . , volitional factors . . . , and consciousness that is unproduced and unceasing, without defilement and without purification, is pure consciousness. Similarly, Subhūti, up to the knowledge of all aspects that is unproduced and unceasing, without defilement and without purification, is the pure knowledge of all aspects.
“In what way, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom pure because space is pure?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “space is pure because it is unproduced and unceasing, without defilement and without purification.
“In what way, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom pure because space is untainted?” [F.82.a] asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “the perfection of wisdom is pure because space cannot be grasped.”
“In what way, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom pure because space cannot be grasped?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “the perfection of wisdom is pure because space does not say anything.”
“In what way, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom pure because space does not say anything?” asked Subhūti.
The Lord replied, “The perfection of wisdom is pure because, Subhūti, just like the two sounds of an echo, to give an analogy, so too space does not say anything.
“Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is pure because space does not converse about anything.”
“In what way, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom pure because space does not converse about anything?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “in space there is no conversation at all, so the perfection of wisdom is pure because space does not converse about anything.
“Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is pure because space cannot be apprehended.”
“In what way, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom pure because space cannot be apprehended?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “in space there is nothing at all that can be apprehended, so the perfection of wisdom is pure because space cannot be apprehended.
“Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is pure because form is extremely pure, cannot be apprehended, is unproduced and unceasing, [F.82.b] and without defilement and without purification. Similarly, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is pure because feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are extremely pure, cannot be apprehended, are unproduced and unceasing, and are without defilement and without purification. Similarly, Subhūti, up to the perfection of wisdom is pure because the knowledge of all aspects is extremely pure, cannot be apprehended, is unproduced and unceasing, and is without defilement and without purification. Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is pure because all dharmas are extremely pure, cannot be apprehended, are unproduced and unceasing, and are without defilement and without purification.”
“In what way, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom pure because all dharmas are extremely pure, cannot be apprehended, are unproduced and unceasing, and are without defilement and without purification?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is pure because all dharmas are extremely pure,” replied the Lord.
Subhūti said, “Lord, sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who take up, bear in mind, read aloud, master, and properly pay attention to this perfection of wisdom will not contract diseases of the eyes; will not contract diseases of the ears, nose, tongue, or body; and will not contract diseases of the thinking mind, will not have stunted minor parts of the body, and will not have decrepit bodies. [F.83.a] Those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family will not die in a distressed state. Many thousands of gods who want to listen to the Dharma follow right behind them. The Cāturmahārājika, up to the Śuddhāvāsa class of gods follow right behind. On the eighth, the fourteenth, and the fifteenth471 many hosts of gods gather wherever sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who are Dharma preachers preach the perfection of wisdom. Those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who are preaching the perfection of wisdom create a lot of merit—create infinite, countless, inconceivable, immeasurable amounts of merit.”
“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!” said the Lord. “Those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who preach the perfection of wisdom in front of an audience of gods on the eighth, the fourteenth, and the fifteenth create infinite, countless, inconceivable, immeasurable, inexpressible amounts of merit.
“And why? Subhūti, it is because this—namely, the perfection of wisdom—is a great jewel. Thanks to this, the perfection of wisdom jewel, beings are freed from hell, freed from the animal world, freed from the world of Yama, and freed from being a poor human.
“They are born in great sāla tree–like royal families, born in great sāla tree–like brahmin families, born in great sāla tree–like business families, up to born as Naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana gods. This perfection of wisdom produces the result of stream enterer, and it produces [F.83.b] the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, the state of a worthy one, a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, and unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
“And why? Because in this perfection of wisdom the ten wholesome actions are taught in detail. Because thanks to it great sāla tree–like royal families exist, great sāla tree–like brahmin families exist, and great sāla tree–like business families exist; the Cāturmahārājika gods, the Trāyastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Paranirmitavaśavartin gods, the Brahmapurohita, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapārṣadya, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhatphala, and Asaṃjñisattva, the Sudarśana, Sudṛśa, Avṛha, Atapa, and Akaniṣṭha gods, and the gods in the Ākāśānantyāyatana, Vijñānānantyāyatana, Ākiṃcityāyatana, and Naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana exist; the result of stream enterer exists, and the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, the state of a worthy one, a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, and unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening exist. Because in this perfection of wisdom the four concentrations, the four immeasurables, and four formless absorptions exist; the perfection of giving exists; the perfections of morality, patience, perseverance, concentration, and wisdom exist; the applications of mindfulness exist; the right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and path exist; inner emptiness, [F.84.a] up to the existence of the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature exists; the ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, and eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha exist, up to the knowledge of all aspects exists, that is to say, in this perfection of wisdom those dharmas and so on are taught in detail. Therefore this—that is, the perfection of wisdom—is a great jewel.
“Subhūti, in the perfection of wisdom there is no dharma that is produced or ceases, is defiled or purified, or is appropriated or rejected at all. And why? Because those dharmas that could be produced or cease, or could be defiled or purified, or could be appropriated or rejected do not exist.
“Subhūti, you cannot apprehend any dharma that is wholesome or unwholesome, with outflows or without outflows, a basic immorality or not a basic immorality, with afflictions or without afflictions, ordinary or extraordinary, compounded or uncompounded in this perfection of wisdom jewel at all. Subhūti, because of this one of many explanations, this perfection is a great jewel.
“Subhūti, that perfection is a great jewel because that great jewel is not tainted by any dharma. And why? Because you cannot apprehend that dharma on account of which it might become tainted. Therefore, Subhūti, this great jewel perfection is untainted.
“Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom thus do not form any notion and thus do not conceive, thus do not apprehend, thus do not engage in thought construction, they are practicing the perfection of wisdom, they are meditating on the perfection of wisdom, and they see the lord buddhas. They go from [F.84.b] buddhafield to buddhafield to respect, revere, honor, and worship those lord buddhas, and when they are going from buddhafield to buddhafield they also bring beings to maturity and purify a buddhafield.
“Subhūti,472 this perfection of wisdom does not cause any dharma to be gained, does not teach it, does not cause it to be borne in mind, does not bestow it, does not make it arise, does not make it stop, does not make it defiled, does not make it pure, does not make it decline, and does not make it increase. It is not past, or future, or present either.
“Subhūti, this perfection of wisdom also does not cause the desire realm to be transcended, and it does not make it be there either. It does not cause the form realm to be transcended, and it does not make it be there either. It does not cause the formless realm to be transcended, and it does not make it be there either. It does not bestow the perfection of giving, and it also does not remove it; it does not bestow the perfections of morality, patience, perseverance, concentration, or wisdom, and it also does not remove them. It does not bestow inner emptiness, and it also does not remove it; it does not bestow, up to the existence of the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, and it also does not remove it. It does not bestow the applications of mindfulness, and it also does not remove them. Similarly, it does not bestow the right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, or path, and it also does not remove them. It does not bestow the ten powers, and it also does not remove them; it does not bestow the four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, [F.85.a] or eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, and it also does not remove them. It does not bestow the result of stream enterer, and it also does not remove it; it does not bestow the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, the state of a worthy one, a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, or the knowledge of all aspects, and it also does not remove them.
“This perfection of wisdom does not bestow the buddhadharmas, and it also does not remove them; it does not bestow the dharmas of ordinary persons, and it also does not remove them; it does not bestow the dharmas of śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, and it also does not remove them; it does not bestow the buddha dharmas, and it also does not remove them. Subhūti, this perfection of wisdom does not remove the compounded element, and it does not bestow the uncompounded element.
“And why? Because this principle of the dharma-constituent simply remains whether the tathāgatas arise or whether the tathāgatas do not arise, and the tathāgatas fully awaken to and are clearly aware of it, and while fully awakened and clearly aware they speak about it and explain, reveal, and teach it.”
Then a great many hundred thousands of gods standing in the sky above shouted and let out a cheer, and while strewing down blue lotus, lotus, red lotus, white lotus, and coral tree flowers they also exclaimed, “Ah! We are seeing a second turning of the wheel of the Dharma in the world.” And while this perfection of wisdom was being taught, a great many thousands of gods [F.85.b] gained the forbearance for the nonproduction of dharmas from it.
Then the Lord said to venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, given the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, this perfection of wisdom has not been made available because any Dharma has to be engaged in or backed away from, so it is not a second turning of the wheel of Dharma, and it is not a first turning either.”
“Lord, what is the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature when473 this perfection of wisdom has not been made available in order to turn forward or turn backward any Dharma?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “the perfection of wisdom is empty of the perfection of wisdom, and similarly, the perfection of concentration . . . , perseverance . . . , patience . . . , morality . . . , and giving is empty of the perfection of giving. Inner emptiness is empty of inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature is empty of the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature. The applications of mindfulness are empty of the applications of mindfulness, and similarly, the right efforts . . . , the legs of miraculous power . . . , the faculties . . . , the powers . . . , the limbs of awakening . . . , and path is empty of the path. The ten powers are empty of the ten powers, and the four fearlessnesses . . . , the four detailed and thorough knowledges . . . , and the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha are empty of the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha. The result of stream enterer is empty of the result of stream enterer, and similarly, the result of once-returner . . . , the result of non-returner . . . , the state of a worthy one . . . , a pratyekabuddha’s awakening . . . , and the knowledge of all aspects is empty of the knowledge of all aspects.”
Subhūti said, “This—that is, [F.86.a] the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, the perfection of wisdom—is a great perfection. All dharmas are empty of the intrinsic nature of all dharmas, but still bodhisattva great beings, thanks to this perfection of wisdom, will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening without fully awakening to any dharma at all, will turn the wheel of the Dharma even though any Dharma that has to be engaged in or backed away from does not exist, will not see any Dharma at all, and will not not see any Dharma at all either. And why? Because a dharma that engages or backs away cannot be apprehended, because all dharmas absolutely do not come into being, so emptiness does not engage, nor does it back away; the signless and the wishless also do not engage, nor do they back away.
“Therefore, this teaching of the perfection of wisdom, this illumination, discourse, exposition, advancement, explanation, revelation, description, making clear, and explication is the teaching of the perfection of wisdom that is perfectly pure. Nobody teaches that teaching of the perfection of wisdom, and nobody receives it, and what nobody has taught and nobody has received, that nobody has directly realized. And what nobody has taught, nobody has received, and nobody has directly realized, there nobody has entered into nirvāṇa either. And in this Dharma teaching there is also nobody who becomes worthy of offerings.”
This was the thirty-seventh chapter, “Nobody,” of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.”474