大般若波羅蜜多經

24

Ananda! You should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the various conditions come together harmoniously, they grow. You should know that the great earth is the support and the place of development for the growth of seeds. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication toward the knowledge of all modes are the support and the place of development for generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, causing them to grow. Therefore, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma for generosity through meditative concentration and prajnaparamita. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ananda! You should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the various conditions come together harmoniously, they grow. You should know that the great earth is the support and the place of development for the growth of seeds.

In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication toward the knowledge of all modes are the support and the place of development for the emptiness of the internal, the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unattainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence,

causing them to become manifest.

Therefore, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma for the emptiness of the internal through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ananda! You should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the various conditions come together harmoniously, they grow. You should know that the great earth is the support and the place of development for the growth of seeds.

In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication toward the knowledge of all modes are the support and the place of development for suchness, the dharma-dhatu, the nature of dharmas, the nature of non-falsity, the nature of immutability, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the fixed order of dharmas, the abiding order of dharmas, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm, causing them to become manifest.

Therefore, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma for suchness through the inconceivable realm. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ananda! You should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the various conditions come together harmoniously, they grow. You should know that the great earth is the support and the place of development for the growth of seeds. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication toward the knowledge of all modes are the support and the place of development for the Noble Truth of suffering, the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering, the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering, and the Noble Truth of the path, causing them to become manifest. Therefore, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma for those Noble Truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ananda! You should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the various conditions come together harmoniously, they grow. You should know that the great earth is the support and the place of development for the growth of seeds. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication toward the knowledge of all modes are the support and the place of development for the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments, causing them to grow. Therefore, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma for the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ananda! You should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the various conditions come together harmoniously, they grow. You should know that the great earth is the support and the place of development for the growth of seeds. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication toward the knowledge of all modes are the support and the place of development for the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities, causing them to grow. Therefore, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma for the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ananda! You should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the various conditions come together harmoniously, they grow. You should know that the great earth is the support and the place of development for the growth of seeds.

In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication toward the knowledge of all modes are the support and the place of development for the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path, causing them to grow. Therefore, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma for the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path.

For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ananda! You should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the various conditions come together harmoniously, they grow. You should know that the great earth is the support and the place of development for the growth of seeds.

In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication toward the knowledge of all modes are the support and the place of development for the gateway to liberation through emptiness, the gateway to liberation through signlessness, and the gateway to liberation through wishlessness, causing them to grow. Therefore, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma for the gateway to liberation through emptiness, the gateway to liberation through signlessness, and the gateway to liberation through wishlessness.

For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ananda! You should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the various conditions come together harmoniously, they grow. You should know that the great earth is the support and the place of development for the growth of seeds. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication toward the knowledge of all modes are the support and the place of development for the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, causing them to grow. Therefore, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma for the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ānanda, you should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the necessary conditions come together, they grow. You should know that, for the growth of seeds, the great earth is their support and the place where they can develop. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication of merit toward the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom are the support and the place of development for the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, enabling them to arise and grow.

Therefore, for the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ānanda, you should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the necessary conditions come together, they grow. You should know that, for the growth of seeds, the great earth is their support and the place where they can develop. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication of merit toward the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom are the support and the place of development for the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity, enabling them to arise and grow. Therefore, for the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ānanda, you should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the necessary conditions come together, they grow. You should know that, for the growth of seeds, the great earth is their support and the place where they can develop. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication of merit toward the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom are the support and the place of development for the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, enabling them to arise and grow. Therefore, for the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ānanda, you should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the necessary conditions come together, they grow. You should know that, for the growth of seeds, the great earth is their support and the place where they can develop. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication of merit toward the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom are the support and the place of development for all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways, enabling them to arise and grow. Therefore, for all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ānanda, you should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the necessary conditions come together, they grow. You should know that, for the growth of seeds, the great earth is their support and the place where they can develop. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication of merit toward the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom are the support and the place of development for those practices of the great bodhisattva, enabling them to arise and grow. Therefore, for those practices of the great bodhisattva, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

Ānanda, you should know that it is like the great earth upon which seeds are scattered: when the necessary conditions come together, they grow. You should know that, for the growth of seeds, the great earth is their support and the place where they can develop. In the same way, prajnaparamita and the dedication of merit toward the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom are the support and the place of development for that fruit of unsurpassed awakening, enabling it to arise and grow. Therefore, for that fruit of unsurpassed awakening, this prajnaparamita is the honored Dharma and the guiding Dharma. For this reason, I extensively praise prajnaparamita alone.

At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! The Tathagata, the Arhat, the Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, has not yet finished speaking of all the merits of this prajnaparamita. Why is this?

Because the prajnaparamita that I have received from the Blessed One possesses merits so vast and profound that they are boundless. If good men and good women listen wholeheartedly to this prajnaparamita, uphold, read, and recite it, diligently cultivate and study it, reflect upon it in accordance with principle, and expound and widely disseminate it for sentient beings, the merit they acquire will likewise be boundless.

If anyone copies this prajnaparamita, adorns it beautifully with various decorations, and then reverently makes offerings to it, honors it, and praises it with immeasurable garlands, exquisite anointing incense and powdered incense, garments, necklaces, banners, precious canopies, all kinds of rare jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, the merit they acquire will likewise be boundless.

“Blessed One! If anyone wholeheartedly listens to this profound prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, explains it, copies it, and widely disseminates it, then because of this the ten wholesome courses of karma appear in the world.

“Blessed One! If anyone wholeheartedly listens to this profound prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, explains it, copies it, and widely disseminates it, then because of this the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, the four formless absorptions, the five superknowledges, and so forth appear in the world.

“Blessed One! If anyone wholeheartedly listens to this profound prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, explains it, copies it, and widely disseminates it, then because of this the paramitas of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, dhyana, and prajnaparamita appear in the world.

“Blessed One! If anyone wholeheartedly listens to this profound prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, explains it, copies it, and widely disseminates it, then because of this inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of the unchanging, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the unattainable, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of intrinsic nature,

and emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence appear in the world.

“Blessed One! If anyone wholeheartedly listens to this profound prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, explains it, copies it, and widely disseminates it, then because of this suchness, the dharmadhatu, the Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature of separation from arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the true limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm appear in the world.

“Blessed One! If anyone wholeheartedly listens to this profound prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, explains it, copies it, and widely disseminates it, then because of this the Noble Truth of suffering, the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering, the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering, and the Noble Truth of the path appear in the world.”

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the gateway to liberation through emptiness, the gateway to liberation through signlessness, and the gateway to liberation through wishlessness appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the great Kshatriya families, the great Brahmin families, the great elder families, and the great householder families appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the hosts of gods of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three Gods, the Yama Gods, the Tushita Gods, the Gods Who Delight in Creation, and the Gods Who Exercise Mastery over the Creations of Others appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the Gods of Brahma’s Retinue, the Gods Who Are Brahma’s Ministers, the Gods of Brahma’s Assembly, the Great Brahma Gods, the Gods of Light, the Gods of Limited Light, the Gods of Immeasurable Light, the Gods of Utterly Pure Light, the Gods of Purity, the Gods of Limited Purity, the Gods of Immeasurable Purity, the Gods of Pervasive Purity, the Gods of Vastness, the Gods of Limited Vastness, the Gods of Immeasurable Vastness, and the Gods of Abundant Fruit appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the Gods Free from Affliction, the Gods Free from Heat, the Gods of Excellent Manifestation, the Gods of Excellent Vision, and the Gods of the Ultimate Form Realm appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this the Gods of the Sphere of Infinite Space, the Gods of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Gods of the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Gods of the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and arhats, as well as those progressing toward stream-entry, those who have attained the fruit of stream-entry, those progressing toward once-returning, those who have attained the fruit of once-returning, those progressing toward non-returning, those who have attained the fruit of non-returning, those progressing toward arhatship, and those who have attained the fruit of arhatship appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this pratyekabuddhas and the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this great bodhisattvas and the practices of great bodhisattvas appear in the world.

Blessed One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, expounds it, copies it, and disseminates it widely, then through this all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones, and the fruit of unsurpassed enlightenment appear in the world.

At that time, the Buddha said to Shakra, Lord of the Gods: “Kaushika! I do not say that this profound prajnaparamita possesses only the merits previously described. Why is this? Because such prajnaparamita is replete with boundless and supreme merits.”

Kausika! Nor do I say that good men, good women, and others who sincerely listen to, uphold, read, recite, diligently cultivate and study, and reflect upon this prajnaparamita in accordance with principle; who expound and widely propagate it for sentient beings; who continually copy it out and adorn it beautifully; and who respectfully make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it with immeasurable flower garlands, various exquisite unguents and powdered incense, garments, necklaces, banners, pennants, precious canopies, various jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, acquire only the merit previously described.

Why is this? Kausika! If good men, good women, and others, without departing from the mind of the knowledge of all-knowing and employing non-apprehension as skillful means, sincerely listen to, uphold, read, recite, diligently cultivate and study, and reflect upon this prajnaparamita in accordance with principle; expound and widely propagate it for sentient beings; or copy it out and adorn it beautifully; and respectfully make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it with immeasurable flower garlands, various exquisite unguents and powdered incense, garments, necklaces, banners, pennants, precious canopies, various jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, then those good men, good women, and others accomplish an immeasurable, excellent aggregate of morality;

an immeasurable, excellent aggregate of concentration; an immeasurable, excellent aggregate of wisdom; an immeasurable, excellent aggregate of liberation; and an immeasurable, excellent aggregate of the knowledge and vision of liberation.

Kausika! You should know that those good men, good women, and others are like the Buddha. Why is this? Because they have become firmly destined for the fruit of unsurpassed awakening.

Kausika! Those good men, good women, and others surpass the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. Why is this? Because they have cast off all the inferior aspirations of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

Kausika! All the accomplishments of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas in the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation do not equal even one hundredth of the accomplishments of these good men, good women, and others in the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation. They do not equal even one thousandth, one hundred-thousandth, one hundred-millionth, one ten-billionth, one hundred-billionth, one ten-trillionth, or one part in a trillion trillion; nor can they equal even one part by calculation, enumeration, analogy, or even the highest number.

Why is this? Kausika! Because those good men, good women, and others have transcended all the inferior thoughts and perceptions of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

They never praise the teachings of the vehicles of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, and among all dharmas there is none that they do not know; that is, they are able to know correctly that all things are without inherent existence.

Kausika! If good men, good women, and others, without departing from the mind of the knowledge of all-knowing and employing non-apprehension as skillful means, sincerely listen to, uphold, read, recite, diligently cultivate and study, and reflect upon this prajnaparamita in accordance with principle; expound and widely propagate it for sentient beings; or copy it out and adorn it beautifully; and respectfully make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it with immeasurable flower garlands, various exquisite unguents and powdered incense, garments, necklaces, banners, pennants, precious canopies, various jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, then I say that those good men, good women, and others acquire immeasurable and boundless excellent merit in the present and the future.

At that time, Sakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One! If good men, good women, and others, without departing from the mind of the knowledge of all-knowing and employing non-apprehension as skillful means, sincerely listen to, uphold, read, recite, diligently cultivate and study, and reflect upon this prajnaparamita in accordance with principle; expound and widely propagate it for sentient beings; or copy it out and adorn it with precious objects;

and respectfully make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it with various flower garlands, various exquisite unguents and powdered incense, garments, necklaces, banners, pennants, precious canopies, various jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, then we devas shall constantly follow and protect them, preventing all human and nonhuman beings and all kinds of adverse conditions from troubling or harming them.”

The Buddha then said to Sakra, Lord of the Devas: “Kausika! If good men, good women, and others, with minds corresponding to the knowledge of all-knowing and employing non-apprehension as skillful means, uphold, read, and recite this prajnaparamita, then immeasurable hundreds of thousands of devas will assemble there to hear the Dharma. Filled with joy and delight, they will reverently receive this profound prajnaparamita.

“Kausika! If good men, good women, and others, with minds corresponding to the knowledge of all-knowing and employing non-apprehension as skillful means, expound teachings corresponding to such profound prajnaparamita, then immeasurable devas and others will assemble there. Through their divine power, they will cause the eloquence of the Dharma preacher to increase so that the exposition will continue inexhaustibly.

“Kausika! If good men, good women, and others, with minds corresponding to the knowledge of all-knowing and employing non-apprehension as skillful means, expound such profound prajnaparamita, then immeasurable devas and others, out of reverence for the Dharma, will assemble there. Through their divine power, they will cause the Dharma preacher’s eloquence to be flawless, so that even when challenging questions are raised, nothing will obstruct it.

“Kausika! If good men, good women, and others, with minds corresponding to the knowledge of all-knowing and employing non-apprehension as skillful means, sincerely listen to, uphold, read, recite, diligently cultivate and study, and reflect upon this prajnaparamita in accordance with principle; expound and widely propagate it for sentient beings; or copy it out and adorn it with precious objects;

and respectfully make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it with various flower garlands, various exquisite unguents and powdered incense, garments, necklaces, banners, pennants, precious canopies, various jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, then those good men, good women, and others will obtain boundless merit and excellent benefits in this present life, and the maras and their retinues will be unable to invade, disturb, or trouble them.”

Furthermore, Kausika! If good men, good women, and others proclaim such profound prajnaparamita among the four assemblies, their minds will be free from timidity and they will not be overcome by any challenge. Why?

Because they are sustained by the blessing of this profound prajnaparamita. Moreover, within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, all dharmas have been extensively and fully distinguished: wholesome dharmas, unwholesome dharmas, and indeterminate dharmas; past dharmas, future dharmas, and present dharmas; dharmas belonging to the desire realm, dharmas belonging to the form realm, and dharmas belonging to the formless realm; dharmas of those in training, dharmas of those beyond training, and dharmas of those who are neither in training nor beyond training; dharmas to be abandoned through seeing, dharmas to be abandoned through cultivation, and dharmas not to be abandoned; worldly dharmas and supramundane dharmas; contaminated dharmas and uncontaminated dharmas;

conditioned dharmas and unconditioned dharmas; visible dharmas and invisible dharmas; material dharmas and immaterial dharmas; common dharmas and uncommon dharmas; dharmas of the sravakas, dharmas of the pratyekabuddhas, dharmas of the bodhisattvas, and dharmas of the Tathagatas.

Immeasurable hundreds of thousands of such Dharma gateways are all encompassed therein. Moreover, because these good men, good women, and others abide well—abiding well in the emptiness of the internal, abiding well in the emptiness of the external, abiding well in the emptiness of the internal and external, abiding well in the emptiness of emptiness, abiding well in great emptiness, abiding well in the emptiness of ultimate meaning, abiding well in the emptiness of the conditioned, abiding well in the emptiness of the unconditioned, abiding well in ultimate emptiness, abiding well in boundless emptiness, abiding well in the emptiness of dispersion, abiding well in the emptiness of nonchange, abiding well in the emptiness of intrinsic nature,

abiding well in the emptiness of individual characteristics, abiding well in the emptiness of common characteristics, abiding well in the emptiness of all dharmas, abiding well in the emptiness of the ungraspable, abiding well in the emptiness of nonexistence, abiding well in the emptiness of self-nature, and abiding well in the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence—they see absolutely no one who poses a challenge, no one who is challenged, and no prajnaparamita that is expounded.

Therefore, Kausika, because these good men, good women, and others are protected and sustained by the great awe-inspiring spiritual power of prajnaparamita, they will not be overcome by the challenges of non-Buddhists.

Furthermore, Kausika! If good men, good women, and others listen with sincere minds to this prajnaparamita, accept and retain it, read and recite it, diligently study and practice it, contemplate it in accordance with reason, explain it, copy it, and disseminate it widely, their minds will not be alarmed, fearful, or terrified; their minds will not sink into despondency, nor will they be anxious or remorseful. Why? Because these good men, good women, and others do not perceive any dharma that could cause alarm, fear, terror, despondency, anxiety, or remorse.

Kausika! If any good man or good woman wishes to obtain such boundless merits and benefits in the present life, they should listen with sincere minds to this profound prajnaparamita, accept and retain it, read and recite it, diligently study and practice it, contemplate it in accordance with reason, and proclaim and disseminate it widely for sentient beings. Alternatively, they should copy it, adorn it beautifully with various precious substances, and then reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it with various flower garlands, various exquisite fragrant ointments and powdered incense, garments, jeweled necklaces, banners, streamers, precious canopies, various precious gems, music, lamps, and everything they possess.

Furthermore, Kausika, if good men, good women, and others, with minds corresponding to the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and employing non-apprehension as skillful means, listen wholeheartedly to this prajnaparamita, accept and uphold it, read and recite it, diligently cultivate and study it, reflect upon it in accordance with principle, and expound and widely disseminate it for sentient beings;

or if they copy it, adorn it beautifully with precious materials, and then, with various flower garlands, various exquisite unguents and powdered incense, garments, necklaces, banners, canopies, various precious jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it, then those good men, good women, and others will always be loved and respected by their parents, teachers, elders, relatives, friends, wise acquaintances, kings, ministers, Sramanas, Brahmins, and others.

They will also be remembered by all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, great bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, arhats, non-returners, once-returners, stream-enterers, and others throughout the boundless worlds of the ten directions. They will also receive the loving assistance of devas, Maras, Brahmas, humans and nonhumans, asuras, and others in the world. Those good men, good women, and others will attain supreme and uninterrupted eloquence.

Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption practice the paramitas of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita. Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption abide in the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of specific characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics,

the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of non-apprehensibility, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence.

Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption abide in suchness, the dharmadhatu, the nature of phenomena, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the certainty of phenomena, the abiding nature of phenomena, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm. Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption abide in the Noble Truth of suffering, the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering, the Noble Truth of cessation, and the Noble Truth of the path.

Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption cultivate the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations. Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption cultivate the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality. Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path.

Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption cultivate the liberation gateway of emptiness, the liberation gateway of signlessness, and the liberation gateway of wishlessness. Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges. Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption cultivate the Buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption cultivate the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity. Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects. Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption cultivate all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways.

Those good men, good women, and others will constantly and without interruption bring sentient beings to maturity and adorn and purify Buddha-fields. Those good men, good women, and others will attain the supreme superknowledges of great bodhisattvas and freely travel through Buddha-fields without obstruction. Those good men, good women, and others will not be vanquished by any doctrines of non-Buddhist teachers, but will be able to vanquish the doctrines of those non-Buddhist teachers.

Kausika, if good men, good women, and others wish to obtain such unceasing and inexhaustible meritorious benefits in the present and the future, they should listen wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, accept and uphold it, read and recite it, diligently cultivate and study it, reflect upon it in accordance with principle, and expound and widely disseminate it for sentient beings. They should also copy it, adorn it beautifully with precious materials, and then, with immeasurable varieties of flower garlands, various exquisite unguents and powdered incense, garments, necklaces, banners, canopies, various precious jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it.

Furthermore, Kausika, if good men, good women, and others copy this profound prajnaparamita, adorn it beautifully, enshrine it in a pure place, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it, then those among the devas of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three Gods, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Emanations, and the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Emanations within this three-thousandfold world-system who have aroused the aspiration to seek unsurpassed enlightenment will constantly come to that place. They will gaze upon and venerate it, read and recite that prajnaparamita, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it; then they will circumambulate it clockwise, bow in homage, join their palms, and withdraw.

Those among the devas of the Brahma Assembly, the Brahma Ministers, the Brahma Retinue, Great Brahma, the Radiant Heaven, the Heaven of Lesser Radiance, the Heaven of Immeasurable Radiance, the Heaven of Utmost Purity through Radiance, the Pure Heaven, the Heaven of Lesser Purity, the Heaven of Immeasurable Purity, the Heaven of Pervasive Purity, the Expansive Heaven, the Heaven of Lesser Expansiveness, the Heaven of Immeasurable Expansiveness, and the Heaven of Abundant Fruit who have aroused the aspiration to seek unsurpassed enlightenment will constantly come to that place.

They will gaze upon and venerate it, read and recite that prajnaparamita, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it; then they will circumambulate it clockwise, bow in homage, join their palms, and withdraw.

The devas of the Heaven Free from Affliction, the Heaven Free from Heat, the Heaven of Excellent Manifestation, the Heaven of Excellent Vision, and the Akanistha Heaven within the Pure Abodes will also constantly come there. They will gaze upon and venerate it, read and recite that prajnaparamita, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it; then they will circumambulate it clockwise, bow in homage, join their palms, and withdraw.

At that time, mighty dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others in this world will also constantly come there. They will gaze upon and venerate it, read and recite that prajnaparamita, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it; then they will circumambulate it clockwise, bow in homage, join their palms, and withdraw.

At that time, those among the devas of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three Gods, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Emanations, and the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Emanations throughout the boundless worlds of the ten directions who have aroused the aspiration to seek unsurpassed enlightenment will constantly come to that place. They will gaze upon and venerate it, read and recite that prajnaparamita, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it; then they will circumambulate it clockwise, bow in homage, join their palms, and withdraw.

The gods of the Brahma Host, the Brahma Ministers, the Brahma Assembly, the Great Brahmas, the Radiant gods, the gods of Lesser Radiance, the gods of Limitless Radiance, the gods of Utmost Light and Purity, the Pure gods, the gods of Lesser Purity, the gods of Limitless Purity, the gods of Universal Purity, the Vast gods, the gods of Lesser Vastness, the gods of Limitless Vastness, and the gods of Abundant Fruit who have generated the aspiration to seek unsurpassed perfect enlightenment constantly come to that place to behold and venerate this prajnaparamita and to read and recite it. They reverently make offerings to it, honor and praise it, circumambulate it to the right, bow with palms joined, and then withdraw.

The gods of No Affliction, the gods of No Heat, the gods of Excellent Manifestation, the gods of Excellent Vision, and the gods of the Ultimate Form Realm dwelling in the Pure Abodes also constantly come there to behold and venerate this prajnaparamita and to read and recite it. They reverently make offerings to it, honor and praise it, circumambulate it to the right, join their palms, and then withdraw.

At that time, immensely powerful nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others dwelling in other worlds also constantly come there to behold and venerate this prajnaparamita and to read and recite it. They reverently make offerings to it, honor and praise it, circumambulate it to the right, bow with palms joined, and then withdraw.

Kausika! Those good men, good women, and others should think thus: “Now the gods of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three Gods, the Yama gods, the Tusita gods, the gods who Delight in Creation, the gods who Exercise Mastery over the Creations of Others, the gods of the Brahma Host, the Brahma Ministers, the Brahma Assembly, the Great Brahmas, the Radiant gods, the gods of Lesser Radiance, the gods of Limitless Radiance, the gods of Utmost Light and Purity, the Pure gods, the gods of Lesser Purity, the gods of Limitless Purity, the gods of Universal Purity, the Vast gods, the gods of Lesser Vastness, the gods of Limitless Vastness, the gods of Abundant Fruit, the gods of No Affliction, the gods of No Heat, the gods of Excellent Manifestation, the gods of Excellent Vision,

the gods of the Ultimate Form Realm, and immeasurably many immensely powerful nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others dwelling throughout this trichiliocosm and boundless other worlds in the ten directions constantly come here to behold and venerate my profound prajnaparamita and to read, recite, and copy it.

They then reverently make offerings to it, honor and praise it, circumambulate it to the right, bow with palms joined, and withdraw. Thus have I arranged this gift of Dharma for my own sake.” Having reflected in this way, they rejoice and exult, thereby causing the merit they have acquired to increase still further.

Kausika! Because the gods of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three Gods, the Yama gods, the Tusita gods, the gods who Delight in Creation, the gods who Exercise Mastery over the Creations of Others, the gods of the Brahma Host, the Brahma Ministers, the Brahma Assembly, the Great Brahmas, the Radiant gods, the gods of Lesser Radiance, the gods of Limitless Radiance, the gods of Utmost Light and Purity, the Pure gods, the gods of Lesser Purity, the gods of Limitless Purity, the gods of Universal Purity, the Vast gods, the gods of Lesser Vastness, the gods of Limitless Vastness, the gods of Abundant Fruit, the gods of No Affliction, the gods of No Heat, the gods of Excellent Manifestation, the gods of Excellent Vision, the gods of the Ultimate Form Realm,

and immeasurably many immensely powerful nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others dwelling throughout this trichiliocosm and boundless other worlds in the ten directions constantly come to that place, accompany them, and protect them, those good men, good women, and others will not be harmed or tormented by any human, nonhuman, or other being.

The sole exceptions are evil karmic causes fixed in previous lives that have ripened in the present, or the transformation of heavy karma so that it may be lightly endured in this life.

Kausika! Through the great spiritual power of this prajnaparamita, those good men, good women, and others obtain such various excellent merits and benefits in their present lives. That is to say, among the gods and others, some have generated the aspiration to seek unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, while others have taken refuge in the Buddha and Dharma and thereby obtained excellent benefit.

Because they revere the Dharma, they constantly come there, accompany and protect those people, and increase their power. Why is this? It is because those good men, good women, and others have generated the aspiration to seek unsurpassed perfect enlightenment; they constantly seek to rescue sentient beings, constantly seek to bring sentient beings to maturity, never abandon sentient beings, and constantly seek to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings.

Those gods and others do likewise. For this reason, they constantly accompany and protect them.

Scroll 126

End