大般若波羅蜜多經

28

At that time, the Buddha praised Sakra, Lord of the Devas: “Excellent! Excellent! It is just as you have said.

Kausika! If good men, good women, and others copy out such profound prajnaparamita, adorn it with precious objects, and, with innumerable kinds of exquisite flower garlands, scented ointments, powdered incense, and so forth, garments, necklaces, banners, canopies, various precious jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, reverently make offerings to it, honor and praise it, expound it in accordance with the sutra, and contemplate it in accord with principle; or if good men, good women, and others copy out such profound prajnaparamita and give it to others so that they may receive and uphold it and propagate it widely—of these two kinds of merit, the latter is greater.

Why? Because by giving it to others, they can enable immeasurable and boundless sentient beings to experience the joy of the Dharma.

“Furthermore, Kausika! If good men, good women, and others are able to explain the meaning and purport in accordance with the prajnaparamita, extensively analyzing and expounding it for sentient beings so that they may gain right understanding, the merit acquired by those good men, good women, and others surpasses by hundreds of thousands of times even the merit of giving this sutra to others.

“Kausika! One should revere such a Dharma teacher as one reveres the Buddha, and attend upon that teacher as upon a noble practitioner of the holy life. Why?

Kausika! You should know that prajnaparamita is itself the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and you should know that the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One is itself prajnaparamita. You should know that prajnaparamita is not different from the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and you should know that the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One is not different from prajnaparamita.

Why? Kausika! Because all Buddhas of the past, future, and present diligently cultivated and trained in reliance upon prajnaparamita and thereby attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

“Kausika! You should know that this noble practitioner of the holy life is a great bodhisattva abiding on the Stage of Non-retrogression. That great bodhisattva also diligently cultivates and trains in reliance upon prajnaparamita and thereby attains unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

“Kausika! Persons of the sravaka lineage also diligently cultivate and train in reliance upon such profound prajnaparamita and thereby attain the fruits of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat. Persons of the pratyekabuddha lineage also diligently cultivate and train in reliance upon such profound prajnaparamita and, in due course, attain the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood. Persons of the bodhisattva lineage also diligently cultivate and train in reliance upon such profound prajnaparamita, transcend the stages of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, and enter the bodhisattvas’ certainty of right nature beyond arising. Through further gradual cultivation, they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

“Therefore, Kausika! If good men, good women, and others wish reverently to make offerings to, honor, and praise the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One of the present with innumerable kinds of exquisite flower garlands, scented ointments, powdered incense, and so forth, garments, necklaces, banners, canopies, various precious jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, they should copy out such profound prajnaparamita and then, with innumerable kinds of exquisite flower garlands, scented ointments, powdered incense, and so forth, garments, necklaces, banners, canopies, various precious jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it.

“Kausika! I contemplated this matter. When I first attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, this thought arose in my mind: ‘Upon what should I rely and abide? Who is able to receive my reverent offerings, honor, and praise?’ Thinking thus, I could find no being in the entire world—whether deva, Mara, Brahma, sramana, brahmin, human, nonhuman, or any other—who was equal to me, much less anyone superior to me. I then thought to myself: ‘It was in reliance upon this Dharma that I attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. This Dharma is wondrous, profound, quiescent, and serene. I should again rely upon and abide in this Dharma, reverently making offerings to it, honoring it, and praising it.’ What is this Dharma? It is prajnaparamita.

“Kausika! Even after becoming a Buddha, I still follow such profound prajnaparamita, rely upon and abide in it, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it. How much more, then, should good men, good women, and others who seek unsurpassed perfect enlightenment wholeheartedly take refuge in this profound prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and train in it, and, with innumerable kinds of exquisite flower garlands, scented ointments, powdered incense, and so forth, garments, necklaces, banners, canopies, various precious jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it!

“Kausika! If good men, good women, and others wish to seek the sravaka vehicle or the pratyekabuddha vehicle, they should wholeheartedly take refuge in this profound prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and train in it, and, with innumerable kinds of exquisite flower garlands, scented ointments, powdered incense, and so forth, garments, necklaces, banners, canopies, various precious jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it.

Why? Kausika! Because such prajnaparamita is able to give rise to the assembly of great bodhisattvas; from this assembly of great bodhisattvas arise the Tathagatas, the Worthy Ones, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones; and in dependence upon the Tathagatas, the Worthy Ones, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones, sravakas and pratyekabuddhas arise.

Therefore, Kausika! If they wish to seek the Mahayana, the pratyekabuddha vehicle, or the sravaka vehicle, good men, good women, and others should all wholeheartedly take refuge in this profound prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and train in it, and, with innumerable kinds of exquisite flower garlands, scented ointments, powdered incense, and so forth, garments, necklaces, banners, canopies, various precious jewels, music, lamps, and all their possessions, reverently make offerings to it, honor it, and praise it.

Why? Because those who seek the sravaka vehicle and diligently cultivate and train in this prajnaparamita ultimately attain the fruit of arhatship; those who seek the pratyekabuddha vehicle and diligently cultivate and train in this prajnaparamita ultimately attain the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood; and those who seek the Mahayana and diligently cultivate and train in this prajnaparamita ultimately attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.”

At that time, the Buddha said to Sakra, Lord of the Devas: “Kausika! If good men, good women, and others teach all the various kinds of sentient beings in Jambudvipa, causing them all to cultivate and train in the ten wholesome courses of karma, what do you think? Would those good men, good women, and others gain much merit through this cause and condition?”

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, replied: “World-Honored One! Very much indeed! Sugata! Very much indeed!”

The Buddha said: “Kausika! If good men and good women and others copy out such profound prajnaparamita, present it to others for reading and recitation, and then have it copied and passed on from one person to another so that it may be widely propagated, the merit thereby acquired by those good men and good women and others will far surpass that previously described. Why is this?

Kausika! It is because such prajnaparamita, within its treasury of secrets, extensively expounds all uncontaminated dharmas. Persons of the sravaka lineage who study and practice this Dharma swiftly enter the sravakas’ right determination of transcendence from birth and attain the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of arhatship.

Persons of the pratyekabuddha lineage who study and practice this Dharma swiftly enter the pratyekabuddhas’ right determination of transcendence from birth and gradually attain the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood. Persons of the bodhisattva lineage who study and practice this Dharma swiftly enter the bodhisattvas’ right determination of transcendence from birth, gradually cultivate the bodhisattva practices, and attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

“Kausika! Such prajnaparamita, within its treasury of secrets, extensively expounds all uncontaminated dharmas, namely: the perfection of generosity, the perfection of pure morality, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom;

inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, 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 non-change, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

suchness, the dharma-realm, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature of transcendence from birth, the fixed order of Dharma, the abiding order of Dharma, the true limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; knowledge of the Noble Truth of suffering, knowledge of the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering, knowledge of the Noble Truth of cessation, and knowledge of the Noble Truth of the path; the four uncontaminated meditative concentrations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments; the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten spheres of totality;

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 eightfold noble path; the emptiness gateway to liberation, the signlessness gateway to liberation, and the wishlessness gateway to liberation; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; 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; the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity; the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects;

all dharani gateways, all samadhi gateways, and immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-dharmas—all these are the uncontaminated dharmas expounded therein.

“Kausika! If good men and good women and others instruct a single sentient being to abide in the fruit of stream-entry, the merit they acquire will surpass that gained by teaching all the various sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa and causing them all to study and practice the ten wholesome courses of karma. Why is this? Kausika! It is because sentient beings who practice the ten wholesome courses of karma are not thereby freed from the hells, the animal realm, or the realm of hungry ghosts. If sentient beings abide in the fruit of stream-entry, they will forever be freed from the three evil destinies. How much more so if they are instructed to abide in the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship—would not the merit thereby acquired be even greater than that?

“Kausika! If good men and good women and others instruct all the various sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa to abide in the fruits of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, the merit they acquire will not equal that gained by one who instructs a single sentient being to abide in the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood. Why is this? Kausika! It is because the merit of the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood surpasses that of stream-entry and the other fruits a hundredfold and a thousandfold.

“Kausika! If good men and good women and others instruct all the various sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa to abide in the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood, the merit they acquire will not equal that gained by one who instructs a single sentient being to aspire to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Why is this?

Kausika! It is because instructing a sentient being to aspire to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment ensures that the Buddha-eye will never be extinguished in the world. Why is this?

Because great bodhisattvas exist, there come to be the fruits of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, as well as the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood. Because great bodhisattvas exist, there come to be Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, who attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Because great bodhisattvas exist, there come to be the Jewel of the Buddha, the Jewel of the Dharma, and the Jewel of the Sangha, in which all the world takes refuge and to which it makes offerings.

Therefore, Kausika, the entire world—whether devas, maras, brahmas, sramanas, brahmins, asuras, humans, nonhumans, and others—should respectfully make offerings to, honor, and praise great bodhisattvas with immeasurable exquisite flower garlands, fragrant ointments, powdered incense, and the like; with garments, jeweled necklaces, banners, pennants, precious canopies, all kinds of precious gems, music, lamps, and all that they possess.”

O Kausika! Therefore, you should know that if good men or good women copy out such profound prajnaparamita and give it to others to read and recite, or pass it among themselves to be copied and disseminated widely, the merit they thereby acquire is immeasurably and boundlessly greater than the merit previously described. Why?

Because such prajnaparamita, within its secret treasury, extensively teaches all the supreme wholesome dharmas of the mundane and supramundane worlds. Because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appears in the world the great kshatriya lineage, the great brahmin lineage, the great householder lineage, and the great lay lineage; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the hosts of gods of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-three Gods, the Yama gods, the Tusita gods, the gods who Delight in Creation, and the gods who Exercise Mastery over the Creations of Others;

because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the gods of the Brahma Host, the Ministers of Brahma, the Assembly of Brahma, and Great Brahma; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the gods of Light, Limited Light, Immeasurable Light, and Utmost Radiance and Purity; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the gods of Purity, Limited Purity, Immeasurable Purity, and Universal Purity; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the gods of Vastness, Limited Vastness, Immeasurable Vastness, and Abundant Fruit;

because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the gods Free from Affliction, Free from Heat, Beautifully Manifest, Beautiful to Behold, and the Ultimate Form Realm; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the gods of the Sphere of Infinite Space, the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the paramita of generosity, the paramita of pure morality, the paramita of patient acceptance, the paramita of diligence, the paramita of meditation, and the prajnaparamita;

because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world 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 nonchange, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world suchness, the dharma realm, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the true limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm, whereby designation may be attained; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the Noble Truth of suffering, the Noble Truth of its origin, the Noble Truth of its cessation, and the Noble Truth of the path;

because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, and the ten totalities; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world 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;

because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the liberation gateway of emptiness, the liberation gateway of signlessness, and the liberation gateway of wishlessness; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha;

because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the quality of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways;

because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and arhats, as well as those practicing toward stream-entry, the fruit of stream-entry, those practicing toward once-returning, the fruit of once-returning, those practicing toward non-returning, the fruit of non-returning, those practicing toward arhatship, and the fruit of arhatship; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world pratyekabuddhas and the attainment of pratyekabuddhahood; because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world all great bodhisattvas and the practices of great bodhisattvas;

because of the Dharma taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there appear in the world all Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones, and the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Furthermore, Kausika! Consider all the various kinds of sentient beings in Jambudvipa. If good men or good women were to teach and transform all the various kinds of sentient beings in Jambudvipa and the continent of Purvavideha, causing them all to cultivate and train in the ten wholesome paths of karma, what do you think? Would those good men or good women acquire much merit because of these causes and conditions?

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, replied: “Blessed One! It would be very great! Sugata! It would be very great!”

The Buddha said: “Kausika, if good men or good women copy out such profound prajnaparamita and give it to others to read and recite, or pass it among themselves to be copied and widely disseminated, those good men or good women will acquire even greater merit than before. Why is this? Kausika, it is because all uncontaminated dharmas are extensively taught within this treasury of the profound mystery of prajnaparamita.

Persons of the sravaka lineage who study and practice this Dharma swiftly enter the certainty of the right nature of a sravaka, attaining the fruit of Stream-entry, the fruit of Once-returning, the fruit of Non-returning, and the fruit of arhatship. Persons of the pratyekabuddha lineage who study and practice this Dharma swiftly enter the certainty of the right nature of a pratyekabuddha and gradually attain the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood.

Persons of the bodhisattva lineage who study and practice this Dharma swiftly enter the certainty of the right nature of a bodhisattva, gradually cultivate the bodhisattva practices, and attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

“Kausika, all uncontaminated dharmas are extensively taught within this treasury of the profound mystery of prajnaparamita, namely: the perfection of generosity, the perfection of pure ethical discipline, the perfection of patient acceptance, the perfection of vigor, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom;

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 nonchange, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence;

suchness, the dharma-dhatu, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature transcending birth, the fixed order of dharmas, the abiding order of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; the four uncontaminated meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments; the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities; the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path;

the liberation gateway of emptiness, the liberation gateway of signlessness, and the liberation gateway of wishlessness; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; all dharani gateways, all samadhi gateways, and immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-dharmas.

All these are uncontaminated dharmas taught therein.

“Kausika, if good men or good women guide one sentient being to abide in the fruit of Stream-entry, the merit they acquire surpasses even that of guiding all kinds of sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa and Purvavideha to study and practice the ten wholesome courses of karma. Why is this? Kausika, it is because sentient beings who practice the ten wholesome courses of karma are not yet freed from the hells or the realms of animals and hungry ghosts, whereas sentient beings who abide in the fruit of Stream-entry are forever freed from the three evil destinies. How much more, then, would the merit acquired by guiding beings to abide in the fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, or arhatship surpass the former merit!

“Kausika, if good men or good women guide all kinds of sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa and Purvavideha to abide in the fruits of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, and arhatship, the merit they acquire does not equal that of someone who guides a single sentient being to abide in the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood. Why is this? Kausika, it is because the merit of the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood surpasses that of Stream-entry and the other fruits by hundreds and thousands of times.

“Kausika, if good men or good women guide all sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa and Purvavideha to abide in the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood, the merit they acquire does not equal that of someone who guides a single sentient being toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Why is this? Kausika, it is because guiding a sentient being toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment ensures that the Buddha-eye will never be severed from the world.

Why is this? It is because only when there are great bodhisattvas can there be the fruits of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, arhatship, and pratyekabuddhahood. It is because only when there are great bodhisattvas can there be Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones who attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

It is because only when there are great bodhisattvas can there be the Jewel of the Buddha, the Jewel of the Dharma, and the Jewel of the Sangha, in whom the entire world takes refuge and to whom it makes offerings. Therefore, Kausika, all beings in the world—whether devas, maras, brahmas, sramanas, brahmins, asuras, humans, nonhumans, and others—should respectfully make offerings to, honor, and praise great bodhisattvas with immeasurable quantities of exquisite flower garlands, fragrant ointments, powdered incense, and the like; with garments, necklaces, banners, canopies adorned with precious jewels, all kinds of gems, music, and bright lamps; and with all that they possess.”

O Kausika! Therefore, you should know that if good men, good women, and others copy out such profound prajnaparamita and present it to others for reading and recitation, or pass it on from one to another to be copied and widely disseminated, the merit thereby gained will be immeasurably and boundlessly greater than the merit previously described. Why?

Because all the supreme wholesome dharmas, mundane and supramundane, have been extensively taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there comes to be in the world the great kshatriya class, the great brahmin class, the great householder class, and the great lay-follower class. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the hosts of devas of the Four Great Kings, the hosts of devas of the Thirty-Three, the Yama devas, the Tushita devas, the devas Who Delight in Creation, and the devas Who Exercise Mastery over the Creations of Others.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the devas of the Brahma Hosts, the Ministers of Brahma, the Assembly of Brahma, and Great Brahma. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the devas of Light, Limited Light, Immeasurable Light, and Utmost Radiant Purity. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the devas of Purity, Limited Purity, Immeasurable Purity, and Pervasive Purity.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the devas of Vastness, Limited Vastness, Immeasurable Vastness, and Abundant Fruit. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the devas Free from Affliction, Free from Heat, of Excellent Manifestation, of Excellent Vision, and of the Ultimate Form Realm.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the devas of the Sphere of Infinite Space, the devas of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the devas of the Sphere of Nothingness, and the devas of the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the paramita of generosity, the paramita of pure moral discipline, the paramita of patient endurance, the paramita of diligence, the paramita of meditative concentration, and the prajnaparamita.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of that which has no boundary, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of that which is 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 ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world suchness, the dharmadhatu, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the limit of reality, the realm of empty space, and the inconceivable realm. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world 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.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, and the ten spheres of totality.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world 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 eightfold Noble Path. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the liberation gateway of emptiness, the liberation gateway of signlessness, and the liberation gateway of wishlessness.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen special qualities of a Buddha.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world 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.

Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world pratyekabuddhas and the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world all great bodhisattvas and the practices of great bodhisattvas. Because of the Dharma taught within this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there come to be in the world all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones, and the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Furthermore, Kausika! Consider all the kinds of sentient beings in Jambudvipa and the continent of Purvavideha. If good men, good women, and others were to teach and guide all the kinds of sentient beings in Jambudvipa, Purvavideha, and Aparagodaniya, causing them all to cultivate and train in the ten wholesome courses of karma, what do you think? Would those good men, good women, and others gain much merit because of this cause and condition?

Deva Indra replied: “World-Honored One! It would be very great! Sugata! It would be very great!”

The Buddha said: “Kausika, if good men and good women and others copy out such profound prajnaparamita and present it to others to read and recite, or pass it from one to another to be copied and widely disseminated, those good men and good women and others will gain merit far exceeding that mentioned before. Why is this? Kausika, it is because all uncontaminated dharmas are extensively taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita.

Persons of the Sravaka lineage who study and practice this Dharma quickly enter the Sravaka’s certainty of rightness and separation from birth, attaining the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of arhatship. Persons of the pratyekabuddha lineage who study and practice this Dharma quickly enter the pratyekabuddha’s certainty of rightness and separation from birth and, in due sequence, realize the fruition of pratyekabuddhahood.

Persons of the bodhisattva lineage who study and practice this Dharma quickly enter the bodhisattva’s certainty of rightness and separation from birth, progressively cultivate the bodhisattva practices, and realize unsurpassed perfect awakening.

“Kausika, all uncontaminated dharmas extensively taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita are: the paramita of generosity, the paramita of pure morality, the paramita of patient endurance, the paramita of diligence, the paramita of meditative concentration, and the prajnaparamita;

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 non-transformation, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

suchness, the dharma-dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature of separation from birth, the fixed order of dharmas, the abiding order of dharmas, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; the four uncontaminated meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities; 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 Noble Eightfold Path;

the liberation gateway of emptiness, the liberation gateway of signlessness, and the liberation gateway of wishlessness; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; the ten powers of a Buddha, 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; the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity; the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; all dharani gateways, all samadhi gateways, and immeasurable, boundless other Buddha-dharmas—all are uncontaminated dharmas taught therein.

“Kausika, if good men and good women and others teach and guide one sentient being to abide in the fruit of stream-entry, the merit they gain surpasses even that gained by teaching and guiding all kinds of sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa, Purvavideha, and Aparagodaniya, causing them all to study and practice the ten wholesome courses of karma. Why is this? Kausika, it is because sentient beings who practice the ten wholesome courses of karma are not yet freed from the hells, the animal realm, and the realm of hungry ghosts; but sentient beings who abide in the fruit of stream-entry are forever freed from the three evil destinies.

How much more, then, would the merit gained by teaching and guiding them to abide in the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship surpass the former merit!

“Kausika, if good men and good women and others teach and guide all kinds of sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa, Purvavideha, and Aparagodaniya to abide in the fruits of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, the merit they gain does not equal that gained by one who teaches and guides a single sentient being to become established in the fruition of pratyekabuddhahood. Why is this? Kausika, it is because the merit of the fruition of pratyekabuddhahood surpasses that of stream-entry and the other fruits by hundreds and thousands of times.

“Kausika, if good men and good women and others teach and guide all kinds of sentient beings throughout Jambudvipa, Purvavideha, and Aparagodaniya, causing them all to become established in the fruition of pratyekabuddhahood, the merit they gain does not equal that gained by one who teaches and guides a single sentient being to proceed toward unsurpassed perfect awakening. Why is this? Kausika, it is because teaching and guiding a sentient being to proceed toward unsurpassed perfect awakening ensures that the Buddha-eye will never be extinguished in the world.

Why is this? Because only through the existence of great bodhisattvas are there the fruits of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the fruition of pratyekabuddhahood. Because there are great bodhisattvas, there are Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones who realize unsurpassed perfect awakening.

Because there are great bodhisattvas, there are the Buddha-Jewel, the Dharma-Jewel, and the Sangha-Jewel, in whom all the world takes refuge and to whom it makes offerings. Therefore, Kausika, all beings in the world—whether devas, maras, brahmas, sramanas, brahmins, asuras, humans, nonhumans, and others—should respectfully make offerings to, honor, and praise great bodhisattvas with immeasurable exquisite garlands, fragrant ointments, powdered incense, and other offerings; with garments, necklaces, banners, canopies adorned with precious jewels, all kinds of gems, music, lamps, and everything they possess.”

O Kausika! Therefore, you should know that if good men and good women copy out such profound prajnaparamita and give it to others to read and recite, or pass it among themselves for copying and cause it to circulate widely, the merit they gain will be immeasurably and boundlessly greater than the merit previously described. Why is this?

Because all the supreme wholesome dharmas, both worldly and supramundane, have been extensively taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita. Because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the great ksatriya clans, the great brahmin clans, the great householder clans, and the great lay clans; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the devas of the Four Great Kings, the devas of the Thirty-three, the Yama devas, the Tusita devas, the devas who Delight in Transformations, and the devas who Exercise Mastery over the Transformations of Others;

because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the devas of the Brahma Host, the Ministers of Brahma, the Assembly of Brahma, and Great Brahma; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the devas of Light, Limited Light, Measureless Light, and Utmost Light-Purity; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the devas of Purity, Limited Purity, Measureless Purity, and Pervasive Purity; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the devas of Vastness, Limited Vastness, Measureless Vastness, and Abundant Fruit;

because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the devas of No Affliction, No Heat, Excellent Manifestation, Excellent Vision, and the Ultimate Form Realm; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the devas of the Sphere of Infinite Space, the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the paramita of generosity, the paramita of pure morality, the paramita of patient acceptance, the paramita of diligence, the paramita of meditative concentration, and the prajnaparamita;

because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world 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 non-change, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of non-apprehension, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the nonexistence of self-nature;

because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world suchness, the dharma realm, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature separated from arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the reality-limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world 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;

because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, and the ten spheres of totality; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world 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 Noble Eightfold Path;

because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the liberation gateway of emptiness, the liberation gateway of signlessness, and the liberation gateway of wishlessness; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha;

because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the quality of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways;

because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world 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; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world pratyekabuddhas and the attainment of pratyekabuddhahood;

because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world all great bodhisattvas and the practices of great bodhisattvas; because of the dharmas taught in this secret treasury of prajnaparamita, there exist in the world all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones, and the supreme awakening of the Buddhas.

Fascicle 130

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