The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 40: The Work of Māra
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.
This work is provided under the protection of a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution - Non-commercial - No-derivatives) 3.0 copyright. It may be copied or printed for fair use, but only with full attribution, and not for commercial advantage or personal compensation. For full details, see the Creative Commons license.
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 40: The Work of Māra
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?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “when it takes a really long time to have the confidence giving a readiness to speak, bodhisattva great beings should know it is the work of Māra.”
“Why should bodhisattva great beings know it is the work of Māra if it takes [F.113.b] a really long time to have the confidence giving a readiness to speak?” asked Subhūti.
The Lord replied, “Here if it is very hard for bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom to complete the perfection of wisdom, if it is very hard for them to complete the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving—Subhūti, if it takes a really long time to have the confidence giving a readiness to speak, in that case, Subhūti, from this one of many explanations, bodhisattva great beings should know it is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the confidence giving a readiness to speak happens too fast, bodhisattva great beings should know that this, too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.”
“Why should bodhisattva great beings know that it is the work of Māra when the confidence giving a readiness to speak happens too fast?” asked Subhūti.
The Lord replied, “Here it is when bodhisattva great beings are practicing the perfection of giving, and are practicing the perfection of morality, patience, perseverance, concentration, and wisdom, Subhūti, and the confidence giving a readiness to speak happens too fast. Subhūti, from this one of many explanations, bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know of yawning while writing out the perfection of wisdom that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know of laughing while writing out the perfection of wisdom that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know of laughing at each other500 while writing out the perfection of wisdom that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, [F.114.a] Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know of sneering501 at each other while writing out the perfection of wisdom that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know of mental distraction while writing out the perfection of wisdom that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that if they harmonize their thoughts with each other while writing it out that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know of thinking, ‘I find no enjoyment in this,’ that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that if they yawn, get up from their seat, and leave, this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that if they yawn while reciting it, or taking it up, or teaching it, or yawn while paying attention to it, this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that laughing at each other while taking up, bearing in mind, reading aloud, and mastering—or laughing at each other while properly paying attention to—this perfection of wisdom is also, Subhūti, the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know of sneering at each other while taking it up, bearing it in mind, reading it aloud, mastering it, and properly paying attention to it, that this also, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings [F.114.b] should know that mental distraction while taking it up, bearing it in mind, reading it aloud, mastering it, teaching it, and properly paying attention to it is also, Subhūti, the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that if they harmonize their thoughts with each other while taking it up, bearing it in mind, reading it aloud, mastering it, teaching it, and properly paying attention to it, this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.”
The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti inquired further of him, “Lord, you have said, ‘Bodhisattva great beings should know that getting up from their seats and leaving with the thought “I find no enjoyment in this” is also the work of Māra.’ Why do they find no enjoyment in it?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “it is because those bodhisattva great beings have not practiced the perfection of wisdom before; have not practiced the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, or perfection of morality before; and, Subhūti, it is because they have not practiced the perfection of giving before. Subhūti, because of that they find no enjoyment in an exposition of this deep perfection of wisdom and get up from their seats and leave.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when those bodhisattva great beings think, ‘We have not been prophesied in this perfection of wisdom,’502 they lose their faith in it, get up from their seats, and leave. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
“Lord, why do those who are not prophesied [F.115.a] in the perfection of wisdom get up from their seats and leave?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening is not prophesied of bodhisattva great beings who have not entered into flawlessness.
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that when they lose their faith, get up from their seats, and leave, thinking, ‘Our names are not given in this perfection of wisdom,’ this too is the work of Māra.”
“Lord, why are the names of bodhisattva great beings not announced in this deep perfection of wisdom?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “the Tathāgata does not announce the names of bodhisattva great beings who have not been prophesied. They think, ‘My name, and the settlement, or village, or market town in which I was born are not given here.’ They do not think, ‘I am going to listen to the perfection of wisdom.’ They think, ‘I have to leave the circle,’ and as many thoughts as they have to leave, they appropriate that many eons of practice. They reject this perfection of wisdom and they think, ‘I have to practice the yoga in other sūtras—the ones that do not bring about the knowledge of all aspects—and I have to master those.’ Thus those bodhisattvas and sons of a good family and daughters of a good family would reject the root of the tree of the knowledge of all aspects and think instead to take the branches, petals, and leaves as supports. So, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
“Lord, what are the sūtras that do not bring about the knowledge of all aspects, [F.115.b] the sūtras they think they have to master?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “they are the sūtras connected with those in the Śrāvaka Vehicle, that is, those only explaining the applications of mindfulness, right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and paths, and the emptiness, signless, and wishless gateways to liberation, standing in which sons of a good family and daughters of a good family reach the result of stream enterer, the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, and the result of a worthy one. Subhūti, they are the sūtras connected with the Śrāvaka Vehicle. They are the ones that do not bring about the knowledge of all aspects they still think they have to master, even after having rejected this perfection of wisdom. And why? Subhūti, it is because bodhisattva great beings who have issued forth from the perfection of wisdom have issued forth because of ordinary and extraordinary dharmas. Subhūti, it is because when bodhisattva great beings train in the perfection of wisdom, they also train in all ordinary and extraordinary dharmas as well.
“To illustrate, Subhūti, a dog might spurn a bowlful of food from an owner with the thought to get a mouthful of food from a servant. Similarly, Subhūti, at a future time there will be sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle who reject this deep perfection of wisdom and think they have to master sūtras connected with the Śrāvaka Vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, at a future time there will be sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle [F.116.a] who reject this deep perfection of wisdom and think they have to master sūtras connected with the Śrāvaka Vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle for wealth and respect. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, somebody might seek an elephant, find the elephant, and still think they have to track the elephant. What do you think, Subhūti, is that a person gifted with intelligence?”
“Similarly, Subhūti,” said the Lord, “you should know that at a future time those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Bodhisattva Vehicle who reject this deep perfection of wisdom and think that they have to master those sūtras connected with the Śrāvaka Vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle are like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Further, Subhūti, somebody might want to see an ocean, then see the ocean, and still think, ‘I have to go looking for the water in the hoofprint left by a bull.’ They might look at the water in the hoofprint and think, ‘Is this not just the amount of water there is in the ocean?’ What do you think, Subhūti, is that a person gifted with intelligence?”
“Similarly, Subhūti,” continued the Lord, “you should know that at a future time those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle who, having heard or found this deep perfection of wisdom, reject it and think they have to take up those sūtras connected with the Śrāvaka Vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle are like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings [F.116.b] should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a contractor or contractor’s apprentice might want to build a palace on the scale of the Vaijayanta palace but might think that they have to take the circles of the sun and the moon as the scale. What do you think, Subhūti, is that man who has examined the Vaijayanta palace and wants to build a palace on the scale of the Vaijayanta, taking the celestial mansion circles of the sun and the moon as the scale, a person gifted with intelligence?”
“It is similar, Subhūti,” continued the Lord, “with some of those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Bodhisattva Vehicle who will be there at a future time, and who, having heard or found this deep perfection of wisdom, reject and discard it, thinking they have to seek the knowledge of all aspects in the sūtras connected with the Śrāvaka Vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. What do you think, Subhūti, are those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Bodhisattva Vehicle persons gifted with intelligence?”
“Subhūti,” said the Lord, “bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Further, Subhūti, somebody might want to see a wheel-turning emperor. Having seen a commander of a fort they might think, ‘The color and form of a wheel-turning emperor must be just the same sort as those of this commander of a fort.’ Having grasped the color, shape, dress, signs, and tokens of the commander of a fort, they then say, ‘The distinguishing color, shape, dress, signs, and tokens of a wheel-turning emperor [F.117.a] are like these.’ What do you think, Subhūti, is that person gifted with intelligence?”
“It is similar, Subhūti,” continued the Lord, “with those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle who will be there at a future time, and who, having heard or found this deep perfection of wisdom, reject and discard it, thinking they have to seek and master the knowledge of all aspects in the sūtras connected with the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha Vehicles. What do you think, Subhūti, are those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle persons gifted with intelligence?”
“Subhūti,” said the Lord, “bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family write out this deep perfection of wisdom they are disturbed, and, while writing, frequently become confident in their readiness to speak—confident, that is, to speak about a form, and confident in their readiness to speak about a sound, a smell, a taste, a feeling, and dharmas; confident in their readiness to speak about the perfection of giving, and confident in their readiness to speak about the perfections of morality, patience, perseverance, concentration, and wisdom; confident in their readiness to speak about the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm; confident in their readiness to speak about clear articulation and recitation, and confident in their readiness to speak about what has to be taught to students; confident in their readiness to speak about the applications of mindfulness, right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and paths; confident in their readiness to speak about all the concentrations, deliverances, meditative stabilizations, and absorptions; [F.117.b] confident in their readiness to speak about inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature; confident in their readiness to speak about the powers, and confident in their readiness to speak about the fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, and distinct attributes of a buddha; up to and confident in their readiness to speak about unsurpassed, complete awakening.
“And why? Subhūti, it is because the perfection of wisdom does not give confidence giving a readiness to speak—because, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is inconceivable; because, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is without production and without cessation; because, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is without defilement and without purification; because, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is without distraction; because, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is not something that can be spoken out loud; because, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is not part of a conversation; because, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is not something that can be talked about; and because, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom cannot be apprehended. And why? Subhūti, it is because all the dharmas do not exist in this deep perfection of wisdom.
“Subhūti, if, when those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family write out this deep perfection of wisdom, they are distracted by those dharmas, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
“Lord, is it possible to write out the perfection of wisdom?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti, it is not possible,” replied the Lord. “And why? Subhūti, it is because the perfection of wisdom has no intrinsic nature; the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection [F.118.a] of giving have no intrinsic nature; all the emptinesses, the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the detailed and thorough knowledges, and the distinct attributes of a buddha have no intrinsic nature; and the knowledge of all aspects has no intrinsic nature. That which has no intrinsic nature does not exist and the perfection of wisdom is something that does not exist, so, what does not exist cannot write out what does not exist.
“Subhūti, if those certain sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle form the notion ‘this deep perfection of wisdom is not an existent thing,’ Subhūti, they should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
Subhūti said, “Lord, when those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle who write out this deep perfection of wisdom in written letters think, ‘I have written out this deep perfection of wisdom,’ and settle down on this deep perfection of wisdom as the letters, Lord, they should know that this too is the work of Māra. And why? Lord, it is because the perfection of wisdom is without letters, and the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving are without letters; Lord, form is without letters, and feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are without letters; the constituents are without letters and the sense fields too are without letters; the deliverances are without letters; [F.118.b] the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening are without letters; the powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, and distinct attributes of a buddha are without letters; and the knowledge of all aspects is without letters as well.
“Lord, if those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle settle down thinking, ‘This deep perfection of wisdom is without letters’; and similarly, settle down thinking, ‘The perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving and without letters’; and similarly, settle down thinking, ‘The thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, the gateways to liberation, the powers, the fearlessnesses, the detailed and thorough knowledges, and the distinct attributes of a buddha are without letters’; and, Lord, if bodhisattva great beings settle down thinking, ‘The knowledge of all aspects is without letters as well,’ Lord, they should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so,” said the Lord. “They should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattvas, sons of a good family, and daughters of a good family write out this deep perfection of wisdom, if their imagination turns to the city, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle write out this deep perfection of wisdom [F.119.a] and get caught up thinking about a settlement, get caught up thinking about a town, get caught up thinking about a king’s palace, get caught up thinking about a country, get caught up thinking about gurus and teachers, get caught up thinking about their parents, brothers, sisters, kinsmen, and blood relatives, get caught up thinking about thieves, get caught up in thoughts connected with savages, get caught up in thoughts imagining being in society and being with courtesans, or get caught up thinking about other things, because Māra the wicked one will interrupt them with hindrances and distractions when they clearly articulate this deep perfection of wisdom, read it aloud, and properly pay attention to it, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that these too are the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, sons of a good family and daughters of a good family in the Bodhisattva Vehicle writing out this deep perfection of wisdom get wealth and respect, verses of praise, and requirements—robes, alms, beds and seats, and medicines for sicknesses. When bodhisattvas, sons of a good family, and daughters of a good family are relishing this experience, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know when they write out, clearly articulate, read aloud, and properly pay attention to this deep perfection of wisdom, that this too is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings are writing out, clearly articulating, reading aloud, and properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom and Māra the wicked one supplies deep sūtras, there bodhisattva great beings with skillful means should not get excited about those deep sūtras that Māra supplies. And why? Subhūti, it is because those sūtras do not bring about [F.119.b] the knowledge of all aspects. Subhūti, there bodhisattva great beings without skillful means, having heard this deep perfection of wisdom, will reject it, even though in it I have taught skillful means for bodhisattva great beings in detail, and it is in just this deep perfection of wisdom that they should search for a detailed description of skillful means.
“Subhūti, when sons of a good family or daughters of a good family in the Great Vehicle, having rejected this deep perfection of wisdom, decide to seek for skillful means in those sūtras connected with the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha Vehicles, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
This was the fortieth chapter, “The Work of Māra,” of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.”