The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 41: Not Complete Because 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
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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 41: Not Complete Because of Māra
“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.
“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.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener wants to write out the perfection of wisdom, wants to clearly articulate it, and wants to recite it, but the Dharma preacher has gone off to some other place, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher longs for wealth, respect, and verses of praise, and is greedy for requirements—robes, alms, beds and seats, and medicines for sicknesses—while [F.120.a] the Dharma listener is not needy, and is contented, energetic, mindful, collected, focused, and intelligent, then too, Subhūti, everything for the perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher is not needy, is contented, lives in solitude, and is energetic, mindful, collected, focused, and intelligent, while the Dharma listener is very needy, wants to do wrong, longs for wealth, respect, and verses of praise, and is greedy for requirements—robes, alms, beds and seats, and medicines for sicknesses—then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, transmitting, reciting, and properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher is a jungle dweller, an alms-food eater, a refuse-rags wearer, a later-food refuser, a single-sitter, one satisfied with whatever alms they get, a cemetery dweller, an open-air dweller, a tree-root dweller, one who sleeps sitting up, a natural-bed user, and a three-robe wearer, and the Dharma listener does not believe in being a jungle dweller, up to a three-robe wearer, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, and reciting this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener is a jungle dweller, up to a three-robe wearer, and the Dharma preacher is not a jungle dweller, up to a three-robe wearer, [F.120.b] then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, reciting, and properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listeners have faith and a virtuous character, want to write out this deep perfection of wisdom, want to take it up, want to clearly articulate it, and want to recite it, while the Dharma preacher does not have faith, wants unwholesome dharmas, does not want to write out and give this deep perfection of wisdom, and does not want to grasp the body of meanings, bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher gives up all personal possessions with no thought to hold back, and the Dharma listener is stingy and very needy, wants to do wrong, longs for wealth, respect, and verses of praise, and longs for requirements—robes, alms, beds and seats, and medicines for sicknesses—then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, reciting, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener gives up all personal possessions with no thought to hold back, and the Dharma preacher is stingy and miserly, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, reciting, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, [F.121.a] Subhūti, when the Dharma listener wants to give away the requirements—robes, alms, beds and seats, and medicines for sicknesses—to the Dharma preacher but the Dharma preacher does not want to accept them, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, reciting, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher understands just from headings,503 but the Dharma listener needs to be led, understands from a detailed explanation, and responds well to words, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, transmitting, reciting, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener understands just from headings, but the Dharma preacher needs to be led, understands from a detailed explanation, and responds well to words, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, reciting, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher knows the different features504 of the discourses, melodious narrations, predictions, verses, summaries, tales, introductions, accounts, birth stories, expanded texts, marvels, and expositions, and the Dharma listener does not know the different features of the discourses, melodious narrations, [F.121.b] predictions, verses, summaries, tales, introductions, accounts, birth stories, expanded texts, marvels, and expositions, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, reciting, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher is endowed with the six perfections but the Dharma listener is not endowed with the six perfections, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, reading aloud, reciting from memory, and properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener is endowed with the six perfections but the Dharma preacher is not endowed with them, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher is skillful at the six perfections but the Dharma listener is not skillful at them, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, reading aloud, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener is skillful at the six perfections [F.122.a] but the Dharma preacher is not skillful at them, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher has obtained the dhāraṇīs but the Dharma listener has not obtained the dhāraṇīs, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher wants to write it out, up to wants to properly pay attention to it, but the Dharma listener does not want to write it out, up to does not want to properly pay attention to it, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, reading aloud, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener wants to write it out, up to wants to properly pay attention to it, but the Dharma preacher does not want to write it out, up to does not want to properly pay attention to it, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher is free from the greed that causes them to act on the desire for sense gratification, or from malice, drowsiness, dozing, gross mental excitement, uneasiness, or doubt, and the Dharma listener is not free from the greed that causes them to act on the desire for sense gratification, or from malice, drowsiness, dozing, gross mental excitement, uneasiness, or doubt, [F.122.b] then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener is free from the greed that causes them to act on the desire for sense gratification, or from malice, drowsiness, dozing, gross mental excitement, uneasiness, or doubt, and the Dharma preacher is not free from obscuration, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when they are writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom and someone comes up to them and tells them what is awful about the hells, and tells them what is awful about the animal world, the world of Yama, and the world of ghosts, saying, ‘Those in the hells have such suffering, those in the animal worlds have such suffering, and those in the world of ghosts have such suffering. You should put an end to suffering right here. What will fully awakening to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening do for you?’ then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great being should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when they are writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom someone comes up to them and speaks in praise of the Cāturmahārājika gods, up to speaks in praise of the gods in the Naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana, [F.123.a] saying, ‘The desire realm is such a pleasure because of the enjoyment of sense objects; the form realm is such a pleasure because of the concentrations and absorptions; the formless realm is such a pleasure because of the quiet calm and absorptions. And yet they are all impermanent, suffering, unowned, subject to change, subject to extinction, unattractive, and subject to cessation, so you should obtain the result of stream enterer, or you should obtain the result of once-returner, or the result of non-returner, or the state of a worthy one, or a pratyekabuddha’s awakening right here, or else you will be in a cycle of cyclic existences for a long time,’ bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher is a loner without companions who does things personally, while the Dharma listener is gregarious, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, reading aloud, reciting, and meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener is a loner without companions who does things personally, while the Dharma preacher is gregarious, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, reciting, and properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher says, ‘I will give this perfection of wisdom to those who follow after me to write out, up to and properly [F.123.b] pay attention to,’ and the Dharma listener does not follow, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener wants to follow after the Dharma preacher but the Dharma preacher provides no opportunity for following, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, explaining, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when for the sake of some trifling material possession the Dharma preacher wants to give this deep perfection of wisdom to write out, clearly articulate, recite, up to meditate on, and, on account of some trifling material possession the Dharma listener is not willing to approach, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, reciting, properly paying attention to, and meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher wants to go to a location where there is a life-threatening danger and the Dharma listener does not want to go there, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener wants to go to a location where there is a life-threatening danger and the Dharma preacher does not want to go there, [F.124.a] then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma listener wants to go where food is scarce and water is scarce and the Dharma preacher does not want to go there, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher wants to go where there is no food and there is no water and the Dharma listener does not want to go there, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Dharma preacher wants to go where there is ample food and plenty of water and the Dharma listeners have followed, and the Dharma preacher then says to them, ‘Sons of a good family, it would not be right, would it, if you have come here for the sake of material possessions? Think about this carefully for a moment or else you might, on account of the amount of alms you might actually get, come to feel regret,’ then that Dharma preacher in a subtle way will have rejected them. And if, disgusted, they decide, ‘This is a sign of rejection, it is not a sign of generosity,’ then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when a Dharma preacher who is a monk wants to go into a dangerous forest, wild jungle, or steep ravine where there is danger from robbers, danger from savages, danger from hunters, danger from angry wild animals, and danger from poisonous snakes, but still the Dharma listeners who want to listen to this deep perfection of wisdom follow the Dharma preacher, yet the Dharma preacher who is a monk says to them, ‘Sons of a good family, [F.124.b] it is not right, is it, that you have to come here to this dangerous forest, wild jungle, where there is danger from robbers,’ then, because that Dharma preacher who is a monk still does not want to explain, does not want to write out, does not want to clearly articulate, does not want to cause them to listen to, and does not want to cause them to meditate on this deep perfection of wisdom, they become disgusted after hearing that from the Dharma preacher who is a monk and do not go where that Dharma preacher who is a monk goes, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when a Dharma preacher who is a monk gets attached to a generous alms-giving family, and, attached to the generous alms-giving family, continually thinks about going to see that family, and, continually thinking about them, goes to see that family and therefore rejects Dharma listeners, saying, ‘Venerables, I have to go to see and visit the generous alms-giving families,’ the Dharma preacher rejects those Dharma listeners. When they, rejected, turn back, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, Māra the wicked one disguised in the form of a monk and disguised in the form of a tathāgata employs whatever means possible so that no matter who it is, they will not write out, will not take up, will not bear in mind, will not recite, will not master, will not properly pay attention to, and will not meditate on this deep perfection of wisdom.”
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti then asked him, [F.125.a] “Lord, why does Māra the wicked one disguised in the form of a monk employ whatever means possible so that no matter who it is, they will not write out, will not clearly articulate, will not read aloud, will not recite, will not properly pay attention to, and will not meditate on this deep perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “here Māra the wicked one disguised in the form of a monk causes a split and separation, saying, ‘This is not the perfection of wisdom. The perfection of wisdom is the sūtra that has come down to me, which I have mastered.’ Subhūti, there, when Māra the wicked one thus causes a split, those bodhisattvas who have not been prophesied begin to harbor doubt, and those who have harbored doubt do not write out, do not clearly articulate, do not master, do not recite from memory, do not properly pay attention to, and do not meditate on this deep perfection of wisdom. Then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, mastering, reciting, meditating on, and properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when Māra the wicked one disguised in the form of a monk comes up to a bodhisattva great being and says, ‘A bodhisattva who practices this deep perfection of wisdom actualizes the very limit of reality and reaches the result of stream enterer, or reaches the result of once-returner, or reaches the result of non-returner, or reaches the state of a worthy one, or reaches the state of a pratyekabuddha,’ then too, Subhūti, [F.125.b] everything for writing out, expounding, teaching, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, there are many works of Māra that act as hindrances to writing out, expounding, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattvas should know those works of Māra, and knowing them, should eliminate them as well.”
“Lord, what are those works of Māra that bodhisattva great beings should know, and knowing them, should eliminate as well?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “works of Māra arise with counterfeit perfections of wisdom, and similarly, works of Māra arise with counterfeit perfections of concentration, perseverance, patience, morality, and giving. Bodhisattva great beings should know and eliminate them.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, works of Māra also arise with counterfeit inner emptiness, up to arise with counterfeit emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, and works of Māra arise with a counterfeit Śrāvaka Vehicle and Pratyekabuddha Vehicle as well. Bodhisattva great beings should know and eliminate them. And that counterfeit perfection of wisdom says, ‘Cultivate these four applications of mindfulness; cultivate these right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and path; and cultivate these emptiness, signless, and wishless gateways to liberation. Master them, [F.126.a] and having mastered them reach the result of stream enterer, or reach the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, or the state of a worthy one right here. What use is there in fully awakening to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening?’ Then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, taking up, teaching, clearly articulating, properly paying attention to, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete, and works such as these of Māra the wicked one start to pose a threat.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, Māra the wicked one disguised in the form of a buddha with a halo the length of two outstretched arms extending out around his body, gold-like in color, approaches bodhisattvas. When, on seeing him, they experience a feeling of delight, and having experienced that feeling of delight they neglect the knowledge of all aspects, then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, reciting, expounding, and properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete. Bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, Māra the wicked one makes visible a buddha and so on at the head of505 the monastic saṅgha in front of those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family, and the bodhisattvas experience a longing for that, thinking, ‘In future I too must become such a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha. Similarly, I must gather a retinue and I too must teach the Dharma just like that tathāgata teaches it.’ When they experience a longing for that they neglect the knowledge of all aspects. Then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly [F.126.b] articulating, mastering, expounding, paying attention to, and meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete. Bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, Māra the wicked one makes visible many hundreds of bodhisattvas, many thousands of bodhisattvas practicing the perfection of giving and practicing the perfection of morality, perfection of patience, perfection of perseverance, perfection of concentration, and perfection of wisdom. When those bodhisattvas experience a longing for those magical productions of Māra they neglect the knowledge of all aspects. Then too, Subhūti, everything for writing out, clearly articulating, reciting, expounding, paying attention to, and meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom is not complete. Bodhisattva great beings should know that this too, Subhūti, is the work of Māra. And why? Subhūti, it is because form does not exist in this deep perfection of wisdom, and neither does feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness; the constituents and sense fields do not exist; and the perfections, thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, gateways to liberation, and awakening do not exist. And, Subhūti, where form does not exist, feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness do not exist; up to awakening does not exist; where awakening does not exist a buddha [F.127.a] does not exist there either, and neither do bodhisattvas or śrāvakas exist. And why? Subhūti, it is because all dharmas are empty of their own intrinsic nature.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when sons of a good family and daughters of a good family are writing out, reading aloud, clearly articulating, mastering, and properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom, they encounter many hindrances to this perfection of wisdom. To illustrate, Subhūti, as many precious things as there are in the world—namely, gold, jewels, pearls, sapphires, beryl, conch shells, crystals, corals, and silver—they occasion many hindrances and many opponents. Similarly, Subhūti, when sons of a good family and daughters of a good family write out, read aloud, clearly articulate, master, explain, properly pay attention to, and meditate on this deep perfection of wisdom, it occasions many hindrances and many opponents.”
“Exactly so, Lord, exactly so,” said Subhūti. “Sūtras connected with the perfection of wisdom occasion many opponents and many hindrances. Ignorant persons possessed by Māra hinder those writing out, clearly articulating, reading aloud, reciting, and properly paying attention to the deep perfection of wisdom. Lord, those ignorant, narrow-minded simpletons hinder those writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom, and those who do not write out this deep perfection of wisdom, or who hinder those writing it out do not have the intellect to advance toward the vast buddhadharmas. [F.127.b] Those who do not write out this deep perfection of wisdom, or who hinder those writing it, who do not meditate on it, or who hinder those meditating on it, do not have the intellect to advance toward the vast buddhadharmas.”
“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so,” said the Lord. “Those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family who do not write out, read aloud, clearly articulate, recite from memory, properly pay attention to, and meditate on this deep perfection of wisdom, causing hindrances to it, have newly set out in the vehicle, have not produced wholesome roots, have stunted wholesome roots, have not served well the victors of the past, and have not been assisted by spiritual friends. Subhūti, those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family who do not write out, up to meditate on this deep perfection of wisdom, who hinder others from writing it out, up to meditating on it are narrow-minded simpletons with stunted intellects, so they do not have the intellect to advance toward the vast buddhadharmas.
“There are also other works of Māra like that, Subhūti, that hinder writing out, up to meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom. But still, Subhūti, they should know that even if there are works of Māra that act as hindrances to those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family writing out, reciting, properly paying attention to, and meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom, Subhūti, they still, through the force of the buddha, keep on completing the perfection of concentration more and more; completing the perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving; [F.128.a] completing the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening; and completing the gateways to liberation, powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, distinct attributes of a buddha, up to the knowledge of all aspects. Because of that those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family do not encounter hindrances when they write out, read aloud, clearly articulate, meditate on, and properly pay attention to this deep perfection of wisdom, continuing to complete more and more all the perfections, and complete all the dharmas on the side of awakening, all the gateways to liberation, the four concentrations, the four immeasurables, the four formless absorptions, and the five clairvoyances. Those lord buddhas dwelling and maintaining themselves in the ten directions also make an effort for the sake of those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family writing out, reading aloud, clearly articulating, reciting from memory, and properly paying attention to this deep perfection of wisdom. And those bodhisattva great beings irreversible from awakening standing in the ten directions also make an effort to look after those sons of a good family and daughters of a good family writing out, reading aloud, clearly articulating, reciting from memory, properly paying attention to, and meditating on this deep perfection of wisdom as well.”
This was the forty-first chapter, “Not Complete Because of Māra,” of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.”506 [B33]