The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 63: Many Inquiries About the Two Dharmas
- 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 1.0.21 (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 63: Many Inquiries About the Two Dharmas
Then venerable Subhūti asked the Lord, “Lord, how long a time has it been since bodhisattva great beings with such skillful means set out?”
Venerable Subhūti having asked this, the Lord said to him, “Subhūti, it is a countless one hundred million billion eons since the bodhisattva great beings with such skillful means set out.”
“Lord, how many lord buddhas have the bodhisattva great beings with such skillful means attended on?”
“Subhūti, you should know that the bodhisattva great beings with such skillful means have attended on as many lord buddhas as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River.”
“Lord, how large is the wholesome root the bodhisattva great beings with such skillful means have planted?”
“Subhūti, starting from the first [F.290.a] production of the thought, there is no perfection of giving the bodhisattva great beings have not completed. There is no perfection of morality, there is no perfection of patience, there is no perfection of perseverance, and there is no perfection of concentration they have not completed. There is no perfection of wisdom the bodhisattva great beings with such skillful means have not completed.”
“Lord, those bodhisattva great beings with such skillful means are totally amazing!”
“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so! It is a countless one hundred million billion eons since those bodhisattva great beings with such skillful means have set out.
“To illustrate, Subhūti, the circle of the sun and the moon illuminate the four continents, moving in harmony with and revolving in harmony around the four continents. Similarly, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom does its work through the five perfections, operating in harmony with and revolving in harmony around the five perfections. When the five perfections are not separated from the perfection of wisdom, they get the name perfection. Were the five perfections to become separated from the perfection of wisdom, they would not get the name perfection.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, were a wheel-turning emperor to be separated from the seven precious stones, he would not get the name wheel-turning emperor. Similarly, Subhūti, were the five perfections to become separated from the perfection of wisdom, they would not get the name perfection.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, it is easy for scoundrels [F.290.b] to violate women who have no husbands. Similarly, Subhūti, it is easy for Māra and the Māra class of gods to overpower the five perfections when they are separated from the perfection of wisdom. When the five perfections are not separated from the perfection of wisdom, Māra and the Māra class of gods do not overpower them, but when the five perfections are separated from the perfection of wisdom, Māra and the Māra class of gods try to do so.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, it is hard for a hostile king, or an opponent, or an enemy to overpower in the thick of battle a person who heads into battle having buckled on a complete set of armor. Similarly, Subhūti, it is hard for Māra, or the Māra class of gods, or persons with a pride in being superior, up to vulgar bodhisattvas641 to overpower the five perfections when they are not separated from the perfection of wisdom.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, local rulers harmonize with a wheel-turning emperor and every morning and evening go in order to attend on him. Similarly, Subhūti, when the five perfections are assisted by the perfection of wisdom, they proceed in harmony specifically to the knowledge of all aspects.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, streams, as many as there are, flow down specifically into the Gaṅgā River and together they flow down to the ocean. Similarly, Subhūti, when the five perfections are assisted by the perfection of wisdom, they proceed in harmony specifically to the knowledge of all aspects.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a person’s right hand does all the work. [F.291.a] Subhūti, view the perfection of wisdom like that, and view the five perfections as being like the left hand.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, once the water in streams and the water in rivers have flowed into the ocean, they become of one taste. Similarly, Subhūti, once the five perfections assisted by the perfection of wisdom have entered in harmony specifically into the knowledge of all aspects, they get the name perfection.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, the precious wheel of a wheel-turning emperor goes in front of the mass of four-unit forces and is positioned there. Wherever a wheel-turning emperor stops for food, the wheel-turning emperor’s mass of four-unit forces is refreshed but still the precious wheel does not move from its place. Similarly, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is also the leader of these five perfections, going specifically to the knowledge of all aspects and remaining there. Once positioned there it does not pass beyond it.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, the precious wheel of a wheel-turning emperor, the precious minister, the precious chamberlain, the precious queen, the precious jewel, the precious elephant, and the precious horse go in front of the mass of four-unit forces. Similarly, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom also goes in front of these five perfections. Having gone in front of them, it remains specifically at the knowledge of all aspects, but it does not occur to the perfection of wisdom to think, ‘The perfection of giving should follow me, and the perfection of morality, perfection of patience, perfection of perseverance, [F.291.b] and perfection of concentration should follow me.’ It also does not occur to the perfection of giving to think, ‘I should follow the perfection of wisdom.’ Similarly, it also does not occur to the perfection of morality, perfection of patience, perfection of perseverance, or perfection of concentration to think, ‘I should follow the perfection of wisdom.’ And why? Because in their intrinsic nature they are impotent, empty of an intrinsic nature, in vain, and the same as a mirage.”
Then venerable Subhūti inquired of the Lord, “Lord, if all phenomena are empty of an intrinsic nature, how will bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of giving, the perfection of morality, the perfection of patience, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of concentration, and the perfection of wisdom fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “here it occurs to bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections to think, ‘Ah! This ordinary state of being is a distorted state of mind. It is incapable of release from saṃsāra without skillful means, so, for the sake of those beings, I must practice the perfection of giving, the perfection of morality, the perfection of patience, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of concentration, and the perfection of wisdom.’
“They give away inner and outer things [F.292.a] for the sake of those beings. When they are giving them away it occurs to them to think, ‘I have not given anything away.642 Why? Because these things are empty of an intrinsic nature.’ Bodhisattva great beings reflecting deeply like that, Subhūti, complete the perfection of giving.
“They provide no opportunity for immorality, for the sake of those beings. Why? Because they think, ‘Insofar as I have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening I should not kill, up to have a wrong view, or yearn for the śrāvaka level or pratyekabuddha level.’ Bodhisattva great beings reflecting deeply like that, Subhūti, practice the perfection of morality.
“For the sake of those beings they do not let any mental disturbance at all arise. Bodhisattva great beings reflecting deeply like that, Subhūti, practice the perfection of patience.
“During the period up to when they have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, for the sake of those beings they do not have a lazy thought. Bodhisattva great beings reflecting deeply like that, Subhūti, practice the perfection of perseverance.
“During the period up to when they have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, for the sake of those beings they do not have a scattered thought. Bodhisattva great beings reflecting deeply like that, Subhūti, practice the perfection of concentration.
“During the period up to when they have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, [F.292.b] for the sake of those beings they are never separated from wisdom. And why? Because it occurs to them to think, ‘Except for those who have entered into the perfection of wisdom, the others are incapable of bringing beings to maturity.’ Bodhisattva great beings reflecting deeply like that, Subhūti, practice the perfection of wisdom.”
The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti then asked him, “Lord, if the perfections are not different, why is the perfection of wisdom said to be the highest, and is said to be the most excellent, foremost, best, superb, sublime, unsurpassed, unrivaled, and equal to the unequaled when it comes to the five perfections?”
Venerable Subhūti having asked this, the Lord said to him, “Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so! The perfections are not different in the slightest. Were there to be no perfection of wisdom these five perfections would not get the name perfection, so it is thanks to the perfection of wisdom, Subhūti, that these five perfections get the name perfection.
“To illustrate, Subhūti, when various sorts of physical beings have come into the presence of Sumeru, the king of mountains, those physical beings become a single color. Similarly, Subhūti, thanks to the perfection of wisdom these five perfections get the name perfection and, having entered into the knowledge of all aspects, they become a single color, which is to say there is no specific feature—‘This is the perfection of giving,’ connect this in the same way with each, up to ‘This is the perfection of wisdom’—at all. [F.293.a] And why? Because there they have no intrinsic nature. For that reason, there is no specific feature.”
“Lord, given that there is no specific feature or variation in any phenomenon for someone who has entered into reality, why is the perfection of wisdom said to be the highest, and is said to be the most excellent, foremost, best, superb, sublime, unsurpassed, unrivaled, and equal to the unequaled, when it comes to the five perfections?”
“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so! There is no specific feature or variation in any phenomenon for someone who has entered into reality, but still, in order to release beings from saṃsāra, because of the ordinary convention and conventional term there is the designation perfection of giving, and there are the designations perfection of morality, perfection of patience, perfection of perseverance, perfection of concentration, and perfection of wisdom.
“Furthermore, in regard to those beings, they are not born, they do not die, they do not leave, and they do not come forth. They do not exist. You should know that, since beings do not exist, all phenomena do not exist. Therefore, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is said to be the highest, and is said to be the most excellent, foremost, best, superb, sublime, unsurpassed, unrivaled, and equal to the unequaled when it comes to the five perfections.
“To illustrate, Subhūti, just as the precious lady is said to be the foremost, up to equal to the unequaled when it comes to the women in the world, as many as there are, similarly, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom [F.293.b] is said to be the highest, up to equal to the unequaled when it comes to the five perfections.”
“Lord, what do you intend by saying the perfection of wisdom is the highest, up to equal to the unequaled?”
“Subhūti, it is because this perfection of wisdom will take hold of all wholesome dharmas and stand specifically in the knowledge of all aspects, by way of not taking a stand.”
“No it does not, Subhūti; Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom does not take hold of or release any dharma. And why? Subhūti, it is because all dharmas are not grasped and are not released.”
“Lord, what are all the dharmas the perfection of wisdom does not take hold of or release?”
“Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom does not grasp or release form, connect this in the same way with each, up to and does not grasp or release awakening.”
“Subhūti, those who do not pay attention to form, up to do not pay attention to awakening do not take hold of form.”
“Lord, if there is no attention being paid to form, up to there is no attention being paid to the knowledge of all aspects, how, Lord, without attention to form, up to without attention to the knowledge of all aspects will the wholesome roots flourish? And if the wholesome roots do not flourish, [F.294.a] how will the perfections be completed? And if the perfections are not completed, how will the knowledge of all aspects be reached?”
“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings do not pay attention to form, connect this in the same way with each, up to do not pay attention to awakening, then those bodhisattva great beings’ wholesome roots flourish and . . . , up to the knowledge of all aspects is reached. And why? Because when no attention has been paid to form, up to no attention has been paid to awakening there will be full awakening.”
“Lord, why, when they thus do not pay attention to form, up to do not pay attention to awakening do they reach the knowledge of all aspects?”
“Subhūti, by paying attention they cling to the desire realm, or to the form realm, or to the formless realm; and when they have not paid attention they do not cling to anything. Therefore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom should not cling to any dharma.”
“Lord, where will bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom stand?”
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that will not stand in form, up to will not stand in the knowledge of all aspects.”
“Lord, how will they not stand in form, up to not stand in the knowledge of all aspects?”
“Subhūti, they do not stand anywhere because of not settling down. And why? [F.294.b] It is because they do not see any dharma on which they might ‘settle down’ or ‘stand.’ In that way, Subhūti, by way of not settling down, bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom.
“Subhūti, were it to occur to bodhisattva great beings to think, ‘Meditating like that and practicing like that is meditating on the perfection of wisdom. That is the meditation on the perfection of wisdom, so I too will practice the perfection of wisdom, I too will meditate on the perfection of wisdom’—were they to form such a notion they would be distant from the perfection of wisdom. Those who become distant from the perfection of wisdom become distant from the perfection of giving, connect this in the same way with each, up to and become distant from the knowledge of all aspects. And why? Because the perfection of wisdom does not settle down on any dharma and there is no settling down on the perfection of wisdom at all. And why? Because the intrinsic nature of anything on which there might be ‘settling down’ does not exist.643
“If bodhisattva great beings form a notion of the perfection of wisdom, those bodhisattva great beings fall back from the perfection of wisdom, and those who have fallen back from the perfection of wisdom have fallen back from all dharmas. Bodhisattva great beings have fallen back from the perfection of wisdom if it occurs to them to think, ‘The perfection of wisdom incorporates the five perfections, incorporates . . . , up to [F.295.a] the knowledge of all aspects.’ They are separated from the perfection of wisdom and not able to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
“Bodhisattva great beings have fallen back from the perfection of wisdom if it occurs to them to think, ‘There will be a prophecy of the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening of someone who has stood in this perfection of wisdom.’ They have fallen back from this perfection of wisdom, and having fallen back from this perfection of wisdom there will not be a prophecy of their unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
“Bodhisattva great beings have fallen back from this perfection of wisdom if it occurs to them to think, ‘I will stand in this perfection of wisdom and accomplish the perfection of giving, up to accomplish great compassion.’ And why? Because those who have fallen back from the perfection of wisdom will not be able to accomplish the perfection of giving, up to will not be able to accomplish great compassion either.
“Furthermore, those bodhisattva great beings have fallen back from the perfection of wisdom if it occurs to them to think, ‘The Tathāgata, not having taken hold of all dharmas, fully awakened, and having fully awakened, personally taught, explained, and clarified.’ And why? Because tathāgatas have not fully awakened to any dharma. And why? Because they do not apprehend even this very life,644 so what need is there to say more about fully awakening to some dharma? It is impossible.”
Then venerable Subhūti asked the Lord, [F.295.b] “Lord, how will these faults of bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom not occur?”
“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom think thus: ‘All phenomena are without attachment645 and have not been taken hold of. There is no phenomenon that will fully awaken to a phenomenon that is free from attachment and has not been taken hold of.’ If they practice like that, they practice the perfection of wisdom. But if bodhisattva great beings settle down on a phenomenon that has not been taken hold of, they are separated from the perfection of wisdom. And why? Because the perfection of wisdom cannot be spoken of as ‘settling down.’ ”
“Lord, is the perfection of wisdom not separated from the perfection of wisdom, up to the perfection of giving is not separated from the perfection of giving, up to the knowledge of all aspects is not separated from . . . , up to the knowledge of all aspects? Lord, if the perfection of wisdom is not separated from the perfection of wisdom, up to the knowledge of all aspects is not separated from the knowledge of all aspects, how, then, is the perfection of wisdom to be accomplished? How is the perfection of giving . . . , up to the knowledge of all aspects to be accomplished?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “here bodhisattva great beings [F.296.a] practicing the perfection of wisdom do not settle down on form, nor do they settle down on ‘this is form, this is its form.’ Connect this in the same way with each, up to all dharmas. They do not settle down on form as ‘permanent’ or ‘impermanent,’ ‘happiness,’ or ‘suffering,’ ‘self’ or ‘selfless,’ pleasant’ or ‘unpleasant,’ ‘calm’ or ‘not calm,’ ‘empty’ or ‘not empty,’ ‘isolated’ or ‘not isolated.’ Connect this in the same way with each, up to the knowledge of all aspects. And why? Because they cannot accomplish ‘permanence’ or ‘impermanence,’ ‘happiness,’ or ‘suffering,’ ‘self’ or ‘selfless,’ pleasant’ or ‘unpleasant,’ ‘calm’ or ‘not calm,’ ‘empty’ or ‘not empty,’ ‘isolated’ or ‘not isolated’ in a dharma that has no intrinsic nature, because they cannot accomplish ‘an intrinsic nature that is empty of its intrinsic nature.’ Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom . . . , connect this in the same way with each, up to and the perfection of giving like that will stand in the knowledge of all aspects.