大般若波羅蜜多經

03

At that time, the Venerable Sariputra asked Purnamaitrayaniputra: Why is a great bodhisattva said to rely upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings?

Purnamaitrayaniputra replied: Sariputra! If, when cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and relies upon the perfection of generosity, yet sees no generosity, sees no perfection of generosity, sees no giver, sees no recipient, sees no gift, and sees no obstructing dharma, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the perfection of generosity.

If, when cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and relies upon the perfection of pure morality, yet sees no pure morality, sees no perfection of pure morality, sees no observer of the precepts, sees no violator of the precepts, and sees no obstructing dharma, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the perfection of pure morality.

If, when cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and relies upon the perfection of patient endurance, yet sees no patient endurance, sees no perfection of patient endurance, sees no one who exercises patience, sees no object toward which patience is exercised, and sees no obstructing dharma, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the perfection of patient endurance.

If, when cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and relies upon the perfection of diligence, yet sees no diligence, sees no perfection of diligence, sees no diligent person, sees no indolent person, and sees no obstructing dharma, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the perfection of diligence.

If, when cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and relies upon the perfection of meditative concentration, yet sees no meditative concentration, sees no perfection of meditative concentration, sees no practitioner of concentration, sees no distracted person, sees no object of concentration, and sees no obstructing dharma, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the perfection of meditative concentration.

If, when cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and relies upon prajnaparamita, yet sees no prajna, sees no prajnaparamita, sees no cultivator of wisdom, sees no ignorant person, sees no past, future, or present dharma, sees no wholesome, unwholesome, or indeterminate dharma, sees no dharma of the desire realm, form realm, or formless realm, sees no dharma belonging to one under training, one beyond training, or one who is neither under training nor beyond training, sees no dharma to be abandoned through seeing, to be abandoned through cultivation, or not to be abandoned, sees no mundane or supramundane dharma,

sees no form or formless dharma, sees no visible or invisible dharma, sees no resistant or non-resistant dharma, sees no contaminated or uncontaminated dharma, sees no conditioned or unconditioned dharma, and sees no obstructed dharma, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon prajnaparamita.

Sariputra! You should know that such is a great bodhisattva who relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

Furthermore, Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the four foundations of mindfulness; and, undertaking the practice, cultivates 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, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

If a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the gateway to liberation through emptiness; and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

If a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the four meditative absorptions; and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

If a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the perfection of generosity; and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the perfections of pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

If a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the five kinds of eyes; and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the six superknowledges, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

If a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the ten powers of a Buddha; and, undertaking the practice, cultivates the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

If a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and, undertaking the practice, cultivates knowledge of inner emptiness, knowledge of outer emptiness, knowledge of inner-and-outer emptiness, knowledge of the emptiness of emptiness, knowledge of great emptiness, knowledge of the emptiness of ultimate meaning, knowledge of the emptiness of the conditioned, knowledge of the emptiness of the unconditioned, knowledge of ultimate emptiness, knowledge of beginningless-and-endless emptiness, knowledge of the emptiness of dispersion, knowledge of unchanging emptiness, knowledge of the emptiness of essential nature, knowledge of the emptiness of individual characteristics,

knowledge of the emptiness of common characteristics, knowledge of the emptiness of all dharmas, knowledge of the emptiness of the unattainable, knowledge of the emptiness of nonexistence, knowledge of the emptiness of self-nature, and knowledge of the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

Furthermore, Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and observes in accordance with reality: “A great bodhisattva is merely a conventional designation, provisionally expressed through words, because neither bodhi nor sattva can be apprehended,” then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

If a great bodhisattva takes as foremost a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, and observes in accordance with reality: “Form is merely a conventional designation, provisionally expressed through words, because form cannot be apprehended; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are merely conventional designations, provisionally expressed through words, because feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness cannot be apprehended,” then, Sariputra, that great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle for the sake of benefiting and bringing happiness to sentient beings.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The eye ayatana is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the eye ayatana cannot be apprehended; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The form ayatana is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the form ayatana cannot be apprehended; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The eye dhatu is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the eye dhatu cannot be apprehended; the form dhatu, the eye-consciousness dhatu, eye-contact, and the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the form dhatu through to the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The ear dhatu is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the ear dhatu cannot be apprehended; the sound dhatu, the ear-consciousness dhatu, ear-contact, and the feelings arising with ear-contact as their condition are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the sound dhatu through to the feelings arising with ear-contact as their condition cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The nose dhatu is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the nose dhatu cannot be apprehended; the odor dhatu, the nose-consciousness dhatu, nose-contact, and the feelings arising with nose-contact as their condition are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the odor dhatu through to the feelings arising with nose-contact as their condition cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The tongue dhatu is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the tongue dhatu cannot be apprehended; the taste dhatu, the tongue-consciousness dhatu, tongue-contact, and the feelings arising with tongue-contact as their condition are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the taste dhatu through to the feelings arising with tongue-contact as their condition cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The body dhatu is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the body dhatu cannot be apprehended; the tangible-object dhatu, the body-consciousness dhatu, body-contact, and the feelings arising with body-contact as their condition are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the tangible-object dhatu through to the feelings arising with body-contact as their condition cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The mind dhatu is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the mind dhatu cannot be apprehended; the dharma dhatu, the mind-consciousness dhatu, mind-contact, and the feelings arising with mind-contact as their condition are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the dharma dhatu through to the feelings arising with mind-contact as their condition cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The earth dhatu is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the earth dhatu cannot be apprehended; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The Noble Truth of suffering is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because the Noble Truth of suffering cannot be apprehended; the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: Ignorance is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because ignorance cannot be apprehended;

formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because formations through to aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind associated with the knowledge of all modes and guided foremost by great compassion, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: Inner emptiness is merely a conventional designation, expressed by means of words, because inner emptiness cannot be apprehended;

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-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 are merely conventional designations, expressed by means of words, because outer emptiness through to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra,

this is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, taking a mind associated with all-knowing wisdom and great compassion as foremost, and employing non-apprehension as a skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: Suchness is merely a conventional designation, expressed by borrowing words, because suchness cannot be apprehended; the dharma-realm, dharma-nature, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the nature free from arising, equality-nature, and the ultimate limit of reality are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the dharma-realm through the ultimate limit of reality cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, that is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, taking a mind associated with all-knowing wisdom and great compassion as foremost, and employing non-apprehension as a skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The four dhyanas are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the four dhyanas cannot be apprehended; the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, that is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, taking a mind associated with all-knowing wisdom and great compassion as foremost, and employing non-apprehension as a skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The four foundations of mindfulness are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the four foundations of mindfulness cannot be apprehended;

the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eight factors of the Noble Path are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the four right efforts through the eight factors of the Noble Path cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, that is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, taking a mind associated with all-knowing wisdom and great compassion as foremost, and employing non-apprehension as a skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The gateway to liberation through emptiness is merely a conventional designation, expressed by borrowing words, because the gateway to liberation through emptiness cannot be apprehended; the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, that is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, taking a mind associated with all-knowing wisdom and great compassion as foremost, and employing non-apprehension as a skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The perfection of generosity is merely a conventional designation, expressed by borrowing words, because the perfection of generosity cannot be apprehended; the perfections of pure ethical discipline, patience, diligence, dhyana, and prajnaparamita are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because pure ethical discipline through prajnaparamita cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, that is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, taking a mind associated with all-knowing wisdom and great compassion as foremost, and employing non-apprehension as a skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The five kinds of eyes are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the five kinds of eyes cannot be apprehended; the six superknowledges are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the six superknowledges cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, that is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, taking a mind associated with all-knowing wisdom and great compassion as foremost, and employing non-apprehension as a skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The ten powers of a Buddha are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the ten powers of a Buddha cannot be apprehended;

the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects are merely conventional designations, expressed by borrowing words, because the four fearlessnesses through knowledge of all aspects cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, that is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

If a great bodhisattva, taking a mind associated with all-knowing wisdom and great compassion as foremost, and employing non-apprehension as a skillful means, contemplates in accordance with reality: The fruit of unsurpassed awakening is merely a conventional designation, expressed by borrowing words, because the fruit of unsurpassed awakening cannot be apprehended; one who attains the fruit of unsurpassed awakening is merely a conventional designation, expressed by borrowing words, because one who attains the fruit of unsurpassed awakening cannot be apprehended—then, Sariputra, that is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

Furthermore, Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva, taking a mind associated with all-knowing wisdom and great compassion as foremost, and employing non-apprehension as a skillful means, from the first arising of the aspiration until attaining the fruit of unsurpassed awakening, constantly cultivates and perfects irreversible superknowledges, matures sentient beings, and purifies Buddha-fields; travels from one Buddha-field to another, reverently making offerings to, honoring, and praising the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones; and, in the presence of those Buddhas, hears and receives Dharma teachings corresponding to the Great Vehicle;

and, having heard and received them, reflects upon them in accordance with reason and diligently cultivates and studies them—then, Sariputra, that is a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

Sariputra! Although such a great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle, travels from one Buddha-field to another, reverently makes offerings to, honors, and praises the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, hears and receives the True Dharma in the presence of those Buddhas, matures sentient beings, and purifies Buddha-fields, from the very outset there are no perceptions of Buddha-fields in that bodhisattva’s mind....

Sariputra! Such a great bodhisattva, abiding in the nondual state, observes sentient beings and, in whatever body they may be benefited, immediately manifests and assumes precisely that body so that those sentient beings may receive benefit.

Sariputra! Until such a great bodhisattva attains all-knowing wisdom, wherever that bodhisattva is born, the Great Vehicle is never abandoned.

Sariputra! Such a great bodhisattva will before long attain all-knowing wisdom and turn the wheel of the True Dharma for humans, devas, and others. That Dharma wheel cannot be turned by any sravaka, pratyekabuddha, sramana, brahmin, Mara, Brahma, deva, naga, yaksha, gandharva, asura, garuda, kinnara, mahoraga, human, nonhuman, or anyone else in all the worlds.

Sariputra! Because bodhisattvas, by means of such skillful means, rely upon the Great Vehicle in order to benefit and bring happiness to all sentient beings, they are also called mahasattvas.

Sariputra! Therefore, the great bodhisattva relies upon the Great Vehicle in order to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings. Throughout the innumerable worlds of the ten directions, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, joyfully praise that great bodhisattva in the midst of their assemblies, saying: “In that direction, in that world, there is a great bodhisattva of such-and-such a name who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, relies upon the Great Vehicle.

Before long, that bodhisattva will attain all-knowing wisdom and turn the wheel of the True Dharma for devas, humans, and others. None among the assemblies of devas, humans, Maras, Brahmas, sravakas, and others in the worlds will be able to turn that wheel.” In this way, that proclamation spreads successively throughout the ten directions. When the assemblies of devas, humans, and others hear it, they all rejoice and say together: “Such a bodhisattva will before long attain all-knowing wisdom and turn the wheel of the True Dharma, bringing benefit and happiness to all sentient beings.”

XIV. CHAPTER ON THE ARMOR OF THE GREAT VEHICLE

01

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One! It is said that a great bodhisattva is one who dons the armor of the Great Vehicle. What, then, is meant by a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of the perfection of generosity, and dons the armor of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of the four meditative absorptions, and dons the armor of the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments, then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of the four foundations of mindfulness; and dons the armor of 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, then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate-truth emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, absolute emptiness, beginningless-and-endless emptiness, non-dispersive emptiness, emptiness of non-change, 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 self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of the five eyes and dons the armor of the six superknowledges, then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of the Buddha’s ten powers, and dons the armor of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of the meritorious qualities of the Buddha’s bodily marks, then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of such meritorious qualities and emits a great radiance that universally illuminates the three-thousandfold great-thousand world, also causing it to quake in three of the six ways, then within it the instruments of suffering in the hells, such as fire and the like, and the physical and mental torments of the sentient beings there are all extinguished. Knowing that they have been freed from their sufferings, the bodhisattva then praises to them the meritorious qualities of the Three Jewels.

Having heard this, they become peaceful and joyful in body and mind. When they die there, they are born among devas or humans, where they are immediately able to attend upon and serve the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, personally offer them reverence and offerings, and receive the sounds of the true Dharma. Within that world, animals harm one another and are driven, beaten, and oppressed with whips, undergoing immeasurable sufferings; all these sufferings are extinguished.

Knowing that they have been freed from their sufferings, the great bodhisattva also praises to them the meritorious qualities of the Three Jewels. Having heard this, they become peaceful and joyful in body and mind. When they die there, they are born among devas or humans, where they are immediately able to attend upon and serve the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, personally offer them reverence and offerings, and receive the sounds of the true Dharma.

Within that world, beings in the realm of ghosts are fearful and tormented by hunger and thirst, their bodies and minds haggard and distressed, and they undergo immeasurable sufferings; all these sufferings are extinguished. Knowing that they have been freed from their sufferings, the bodhisattva also praises to them the meritorious qualities of the Three Jewels. Having heard this, they become peaceful and joyful in body and mind.

When they die there, they are born among devas or humans, where they are immediately able to serve the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, personally offer them reverence and offerings, and receive the sounds of the true Dharma. Then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of such meritorious qualities and emits a great radiance that universally illuminates innumerable Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, also causing those worlds to quake in three of the six ways, then all the sufferings existing in their hells, animal realms, and ghost realms are extinguished. Knowing that those beings have been freed from their sufferings, the bodhisattva also praises to them the meritorious qualities of the Three Jewels.

Having heard this, they become peaceful and joyful in body and mind. When they die there, they are born among devas or humans, where they are immediately able to attend upon and serve the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, personally offer them reverence and offerings, and receive the sounds of the true Dharma. Then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“Subhuti! It is like an illusionist or the illusionist’s disciple who, at a crossroads before a great assembly, conjures innumerable sentient beings undergoing various sufferings in the hells, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. The illusionist also emits light and causes the great earth to quake, bringing all the sufferings of those sentient beings to an end, and then praises to them the Three Jewels—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—so that, having heard this, they become peaceful and joyful in body and mind. When they die there, they are born among devas or humans, attend upon and make offerings to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and receive the sounds of the true Dharma in the presence of the Buddhas.

“Subhuti! What do you think? Are such conjurations real?”

Subhuti replied: “No, World-Honored One!”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! The same is true when a great bodhisattva dons the armor of such meritorious qualities, emits a great radiance, causes the great earth to quake, rescues sentient beings in the three evil destinies throughout innumerable worlds from their torments, and enables them to be born among devas or humans, see the Buddha, and hear the Dharma. Although such deeds are performed, nothing whatsoever is real. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because the nature of all dharmas is empty, and they are all like illusions.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, abiding in the perfection of generosity, transforms the entire three-thousandfold great-thousand world so that it resembles vaidurya, and also transforms his own body into that of a wheel-turning king, possessing the seven treasures and surrounded before and behind by his retinue, then within that world he gives food to sentient beings who need food, drink to those who need drink, clothing to those who need clothing, and vehicles to those who need vehicles.

He gives scented ointments, powdered incense, burning incense, garlands, dwellings, bedding, lamps, medicines, gold, silver, pearls, coral, emeralds, and all other necessities of life, bestowing them all according to each being’s needs. Having practiced generosity in this way, he then teaches them the Dharma corresponding to the six perfections, so that, after hearing it and until they attain unsurpassed awakening, they are never separated from the Dharma corresponding to the six perfections.

Then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

“Subhuti! It is like an illusionist or the illusionist’s disciple who, before a great assembly at a crossroads, conjures various kinds of sentient beings who are poor, destitute, alone, disabled, or ill, and then conjures and gives them whatever they require. Subhuti! What do you think? Are such conjurations real?”

Subhuti replied: “No, World-Honored One!”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! The same is true when a great bodhisattva, abiding in the perfection of generosity, either transforms the world so that it resembles vaidurya or transforms his own body into that of a wheel-turning king and so forth, gives sentient beings whatever they need, and teaches them the Dharma corresponding to the six perfections. Although such deeds are performed, not one of them is real. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because the nature of all dharmas is empty, and they are all like illusions.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while personally abiding in the perfection of pure morality, wishes to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, is born into the household of a wheel-turning king, succeeds to the throne of the wheel-turning king, and establishes immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the ten wholesome courses of karma; or establishes immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, or the four formless concentrations;

or establishes immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in 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, or the Noble Eightfold Path; or establishes immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the gateway to liberation through emptiness, the gateway to liberation through signlessness, or the gateway to liberation through wishlessness; or establishes immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the perfection of generosity, or in the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and prajnaparamita;

or establishes immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges; or establishes immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or the knowledge of all aspects; and, having established them therein, causes them never to depart from such dharmas until they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment—then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva wearing the armor of the Great Vehicle.

Subhuti! It is like an illusionist or his disciple who, before a great crowd at a crossroads, magically conjures immeasurable sentient beings and causes them to abide in the ten wholesome courses of karma, or causes them to abide in the four dhyanas … up to the knowledge of all aspects. Subhuti! What do you think? Are such magical transformations real?

Subhuti replied: No, Blessed One!

The Buddha said: Subhuti! A great bodhisattva, for the sake of sentient beings, is born into the household of a wheel-turning king, succeeds to the throne of the wheel-turning king, and establishes immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the ten wholesome courses of karma; or establishes immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the four dhyanas … up to the knowledge of all aspects. This is likewise so: although deeds are performed, not a single thing is real. Why is this? Subhuti! Because the nature of all dharmas is empty; they are all like illusions.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva personally abides in the perfection of patience, he also exhorts immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in the perfection of patience. Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva personally abide in the perfection of patience and also exhort immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in the perfection of patience?

Subhuti! From the first arising of the aspiration until attaining the knowledge of all-knowledge, if a great bodhisattva wears the armor of patience and constantly reflects: “Even if all sentient beings were to come bearing knives, clubs, clods of earth, stones, and the like to harm me, I would never give rise to even a single thought of anger,” and also exhorts sentient beings to practice patience in the same way; if that great bodhisattva’s inner resolve does not conflict with the circumstances he encounters, and he exhorts sentient beings to abide in patience in this way … until they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, never departing from such patience—then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva wearing the armor of the Great Vehicle.

Subhuti! It is like an illusionist or his disciple who, before a great crowd at a crossroads, magically conjures all kinds of sentient beings, each bearing knives, clubs, clods of earth, stones, and the like, to harm the illusionist or his disciple. At that time, the illusionist … does not give rise to any thought of retaliation against those magically conjured sentient beings, but exhorts those sentient beings to abide in such patience. Subhuti! What do you think? Are such magical transformations real?

Subhuti replied: No, Blessed One!

The Buddha said: Subhuti! A great bodhisattva who wears the armor of patience, personally abides in the perfection of patience, and also exhorts immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in the perfection of patience and never depart from it, is likewise so: although deeds are performed, not a single thing is real. Why is this? Subhuti! Because the nature of all dharmas is empty; they are all like illusions.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva personally abides in the perfection of diligence, he also exhorts immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in the perfection of diligence. Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva personally abide in the perfection of diligence and also exhort immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in the perfection of diligence?

If a great bodhisattva, with a mind conjoined with the knowledge of all-knowledge, diligently exerts both body and mind, abandons all unwholesome dharmas, and cultivates all wholesome dharmas; and also exhorts immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to cultivate in the same way, diligently exerting both body and mind … until they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, never departing from such diligence—then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva wearing the armor of the Great Vehicle.

Subhuti! It is like an illusionist or his disciple who, before a great crowd at a crossroads, magically conjures all kinds of sentient beings. The illusionist himself displays vigor and diligently exerts both body and mind, and also exhorts the magically conjured sentient beings to cultivate such vigorous diligence. Subhuti! What do you think? Are such magical transformations real?

Subhuti replied: No, Blessed One!

The Buddha said: Subhuti! A great bodhisattva, with a mind conjoined with the knowledge of all-knowledge, diligently exerts both body and mind, abandons all unwholesome dharmas, cultivates all wholesome dharmas, and also exhorts sentient beings to cultivate in the same way, diligently exerting both body and mind. This is likewise so: although deeds are performed, not a single thing is real. Why is this? Subhuti! Because the nature of all dharmas is empty; they are all like illusions.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva personally abides in the perfection of meditation, he also exhorts immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in the perfection of meditation. Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva personally abide in the perfection of meditation and also exhort immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in the perfection of meditation?

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva abides in impartial concentration with regard to all dharmas, perceiving no dharma as concentrated or distracted, and constantly cultivates the perfection of meditation in this way, he also exhorts countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to cultivate such impartial meditation until they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, never departing from such concentration.

Subhuti! This is called a great bodhisattva wearing the armor of the Great Vehicle.

Subhuti! It is like an illusionist or his disciple who, before a great crowd at a crossroads, magically conjures all kinds of sentient beings. With regard to the dharmas he himself manifests, that illusionist abides in impartial concentration and also exhorts the magically conjured sentient beings to cultivate such impartial meditation. Subhuti! What do you think? Are such magical transformations real?

Subhuti replied: No, Blessed One!

The Buddha said: Subhuti! A great bodhisattva abides in impartial concentration with regard to all dharmas and also exhorts sentient beings to cultivate such impartial meditation and never depart from it. This is likewise so: although deeds are performed, not a single thing is real. Why is this? Subhuti! Because the nature of all dharmas is empty; they are all like illusions.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva abides in prajnaparamita himself, he also exhorts immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in prajnaparamita. Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva abide in prajnaparamita himself and also exhort immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in prajnaparamita?

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva himself abides in prajnaparamita free from conceptual proliferation, perceiving no dharma as arising or ceasing, defiled or purified, and perceiving no distinction between this shore and the other shore, he also exhorts immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings to abide in such wisdom free from conceptual proliferation, so that, until they attain unsurpassed perfect awakening, they never depart from such wisdom.

Subhuti! This is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

Subhuti! It is like an illusionist, or his disciple, who, before a crowd at a crossroads, magically creates sentient beings of every kind. The illusionist then manifests himself as abiding in wisdom free from conceptual proliferation and also exhorts those magically created sentient beings to cultivate such prajna. Subhuti! What do you think? Are such magical creations real?

Subhuti replied: No, Blessed One!

The Buddha said: Subhuti! The same is true when a great bodhisattva himself abides in prajnaparamita free from conceptual proliferation and also exhorts sentient beings to cultivate such wisdom free from conceptual proliferation and never depart from it. Although actions are performed, not a single one of them is real. Why is this? Subhuti! Because the nature of all dharmas is empty; they are all like illusions.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva dons the armor of the virtues described above and, throughout the countless Buddha-worlds of the ten directions, uses the power of supernormal abilities to transform his own body, making it pervade all those Buddha-worlds, and manifests in accordance with the inclinations of sentient beings; if, abiding himself in the perfection of generosity, he exhorts the miserly to abide in generosity; abiding himself in the perfection of pure morality, he exhorts those who violate the precepts to abide in pure morality; abiding himself in the perfection of patient endurance, he exhorts the cruel and violent to abide in patient endurance; abiding himself in the perfection of diligence, he exhorts the indolent to abide in diligence;

abiding himself in the perfection of meditation, he exhorts those whose minds are distracted to abide in meditation; and abiding himself in prajnaparamita, he exhorts the ignorant to abide in wondrous wisdom—then, after establishing sentient beings in the six perfections, such a great bodhisattva further teaches, in the language of each kind of being, the Dharma corresponding to the six perfections, so that, having heard it, they never depart from the Dharma corresponding to the six perfections until they attain unsurpassed perfect awakening.

Subhuti! This is called a great bodhisattva donning the armor of the Great Vehicle.

Subhuti! It is like an illusionist, or his disciple, who, before a crowd at a crossroads, magically creates sentient beings of every kind. That illusionist then manifests himself as abiding in the six perfections and also exhorts the magically created sentient beings to abide in them. Subhuti! What do you think? Are such magical creations real?

Subhuti replied: No, Blessed One!

The Buddha said: Subhuti! The same is true when a great bodhisattva, throughout the countless Buddha-worlds of the ten directions, manifests his own body, abides in the six perfections in accordance with each kind of being, and also exhorts sentient beings to abide in them … until they attain unsurpassed perfect awakening, never departing from them. Although actions are performed, not a single one of them is real. Why is this? Subhuti! Because the nature of all dharmas is empty; they are all like illusions.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, clad in the armor of all the merits described above, takes as foremost a mind corresponding to the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion, employs non-apprehension as skillful means, benefits and brings happiness to all sentient beings, and does not intermingle this with the mental activity of a shravaka or pratyekabuddha—that is, the bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the perfection of generosity, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless,

boundless sentient beings in the perfection of generosity.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the perfections of ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the perfection of ethical discipline, and so forth, up to prajnaparamita.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in internal emptiness, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless,

boundless sentient beings in internal emptiness.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, final emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of fundamental 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 intrinsic nature, and the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature,

but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in external emptiness, and so forth, up to the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the four meditative absorptions, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the four meditative absorptions.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments,

but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the four establishments of mindfulness, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the four establishments of mindfulness.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path,

but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the four right efforts, and so forth, up to the Noble Eightfold Path.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the gateway to liberation through emptiness, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the gateway to liberation through emptiness.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness,

but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the five kinds of eyes, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the five kinds of eyes.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the six superknowledges, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless,

boundless sentient beings in the six superknowledges.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the ten powers of a Buddha, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the ten powers of a Buddha.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the four fearlessnesses, the four analytical knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects,

but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the four fearlessnesses, and so forth, up to the knowledge of all aspects.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the fruit of stream-entry, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the fruit of stream-entry.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these in the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, and in the state of a pratyekabuddha,

but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, and in the state of a pratyekabuddha.” The bodhisattva does not think: “I shall establish sentient beings such as these on the bodhisattva path and in unsurpassed perfect awakening, but shall not establish sentient beings such as those.” The bodhisattva thinks only: “I shall establish immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings on the bodhisattva path and in unsurpassed perfect awakening.” Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva being clad in the armor of the Great Vehicle.

Subhuti! It is as when an illusionist or the illusionist’s disciple, before a great assembly at a crossroads, conjures immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings and establishes them in the six perfections, and so forth, up to establishing them in unsurpassed perfect awakening. Subhuti! What do you think? Are these conjurations real or not?

Subhuti replied: “No, Blessed One!”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! In just the same way, a great bodhisattva, taking as foremost a mind corresponding to the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and great compassion and employing non-apprehension as skillful means, establishes immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in the six perfections, up to establishing immeasurable, countless, boundless sentient beings in unsurpassed perfect awakening. Although the bodhisattva acts in this way, not a single thing is real. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because the nature of all dharmas is empty, and all are like illusions.”

Fascicle 49

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