大般若波羅蜜多經

XXXX. CHAPTER ON MĀRA'S DEEDS

01

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! The Buddha has praised the merits possessed by good men and good women who, seeking realization of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, cultivate the six paramitas, bring sentient beings to maturity, and adorn and purify Buddha-fields.

“Blessed One! Why are these good men and good women obstructed by Māra's deeds while practicing for the realization of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva delights in expounding the essential Dharma, yet eloquence does not immediately arise, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.”

“Blessed One! Why is it called a deed of Māra when that great bodhisattva delights in expounding the essential Dharma, yet eloquence does not arise?”

“Subhuti! When that great bodhisattva practices the prajnaparamita, it is difficult for the practice of prajnaparamita to reach perfection; it is also difficult for the practices of the paramitas of meditative concentration, diligence, patient acceptance, pure morality, and generosity to reach perfection. For this reason, when that great bodhisattva delights in expounding the essential Dharma, yet eloquence does not arise, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva delights in cultivating the supreme practices, yet eloquence arises only slowly, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.”

“Blessed One! Why is it a deed of Māra when that great bodhisattva delights in cultivating the supreme practices, yet eloquence arises only slowly?”

“Subhuti! That great bodhisattva practices the paramita of generosity and practices the paramitas of pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita. Because the bodhisattva lacks skillful means, eloquence arises only slowly. For this reason, that great bodhisattva delights in cultivating the supreme practices, yet eloquence arises only slowly. You should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while copying the profound prajnaparamita sutra, one stretches and yawns, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while copying the profound prajnaparamita sutra, one suddenly laughs and jokes, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while copying the profound prajnaparamita sutra, people disparage one another, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while copying the profound prajnaparamita sutra, one's body and mind become disturbed, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while copying the profound prajnaparamita sutra, erroneous understanding arises in one's mind and the words and sentences become disordered, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while copying the profound prajnaparamita sutra, something suddenly occurs that prevents one from completing it, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while copying the profound prajnaparamita sutra, one suddenly thinks, ‘I gain no benefit from this sutra; why should I copy it?’ and then abandons the task and departs, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, contemplating, cultivating, expounding, or listening to the profound prajnaparamita sutra, one stretches and yawns, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, contemplating, cultivating, expounding, or listening to the profound prajnaparamita sutra, one suddenly jokes and laughs, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, contemplating, cultivating, expounding, or listening to the profound prajnaparamita sutra, people disparage one another, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, contemplating, cultivating, expounding, or listening to the profound prajnaparamita sutra, one's body and mind become disturbed, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, contemplating, cultivating, expounding, or listening to the profound prajnaparamita sutra, erroneous understanding arises in one's mind and the words and sentences become disordered, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, contemplating, cultivating, expounding, or listening to the profound prajnaparamita sutra, something suddenly occurs that prevents one from completing the task, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If, while receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, contemplating, cultivating, expounding, or listening to the profound prajnaparamita sutra, one suddenly thinks, ‘I gain no benefit from this sutra, so why should I weary myself?’ and then abandons it and departs, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.”

Then the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! For what reason do these good men and good women gain no benefit from this profound sutra and consequently abandon it and depart?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! Because these good men and good women, throughout the distant past, have not cultivated the paramitas of prajnaparamita, meditative concentration, diligence, patient acceptance, pure morality, and generosity, they gain no benefit from this profound prajnaparamita and consequently abandon it and depart.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If good men or good women, upon hearing this profound prajnaparamita expounded, think, ‘We receive no prediction in this Dharma, so why should we listen?’ and their minds consequently become impure, whereupon they rise from their seats and depart, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.”

Then the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! For what reason are they given no prediction in this profound prajnaparamita sutra, causing them to depart?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! Bodhisattvas who have not yet entered the certainty of the true nature should not be given a prediction of their attainment of great enlightenment.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If good men or good women, upon hearing this profound prajnaparamita expounded, think, ‘Our names are not mentioned here, so why should we listen?’ and their minds consequently become impure, whereupon they rise from their seats and depart, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.”

Then the Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! For what reason are the names of those bodhisattvas not mentioned in this profound prajnaparamita sutra?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! Bodhisattvas who have not yet received a prediction of their attainment of great bodhi naturally should not have their names mentioned.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If good men or good women, upon hearing the profound prajnaparamita sutra expounded, think, ‘Our birthplaces, cities, towns, and villages are not mentioned here, so why should we listen?’ and their minds consequently become impure, whereupon they rise from their seats and depart, you should know that this is a deed of Māra affecting the bodhisattva.”

Then the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! For what reason are the birthplaces, cities, towns, and villages of those bodhisattvas not mentioned in this profound prajnaparamita sutra?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! If bodhisattvas have not yet received a prediction, their particular birthplaces should not be mentioned.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If great bodhisattvas, upon hearing the prajnaparamita expounded, become impure in mind and depart, then, according to the degree of impurity that has arisen in their minds and the distance they travel out of aversion to this sutra, there will be a corresponding number of kalpas during which their merit diminishes. They will likewise incur karmic offenses obstructing bodhi and undergo their consequences for a corresponding number of kalpas.

Afterward, they must again arouse diligent effort for a corresponding period of time, seeking to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, before they can return to their former state. Therefore, if bodhisattvas wish swiftly to realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should not become averse to the profound prajnaparamita.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! If good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle forsake the profound prajnaparamita scriptures and seek to study other scriptures, you should know that this is a demonic deed for bodhisattvas. Why? Subhuti! Because those good men and good women forsake the profound prajnaparamita, the root of the knowledge of all-knowledge, and cling instead to the branches and leaves of other scriptures; in the end, they will be unable to attain great enlightenment.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One! Which scriptures resemble branches and leaves and cannot lead to the arising of the knowledge of all-knowledge?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! There are scriptures that teach dharmas corresponding to the two vehicles: the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eightfold noble path, and the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. If good men and good women cultivate and study these dharmas, they may attain the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, or the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, but they do not attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

These are called other scriptures that resemble branches and leaves and cannot lead to the arising of the knowledge of all-knowledge. The profound prajnaparamita resembles the root; it possesses great power and can assuredly lead to the arising of the knowledge of all-knowledge. If those good men and good women forsake the profound prajnaparamita scriptures and seek to study other scriptures, they will certainly be unable to attain the knowledge of all-knowledge.

Why? Subhuti! This profound prajnaparamita scripture gives rise to all the worldly and supramundane meritorious qualities of all great bodhisattvas.

“Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates and studies prajnaparamita, that is to cultivate and study all worldly and supramundane dharmas.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! It is like a hungry dog that forsakes the food given by its master and instead follows a servant in search of food. In the future, good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle may forsake the profound prajnaparamita, the root of all Buddhadharmas, and seek to study scriptures corresponding to the two vehicles. So too is this; you should know that it is a demonic deed for bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Suppose a person wishes to find an elephant, but after finding the elephant, abandons it and follows its footprints instead. What do you think? Is that person wise?”

Subhuti replied: “That person is unwise.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! In the future, good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle may forsake the profound prajnaparamita, the root of all Buddhadharmas, and seek to study scriptures corresponding to the two vehicles. So too is this; you should know that it is a demonic deed for bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Suppose a person wishes to see the great ocean. Having reached the seashore, he turns back to look at the water in an ox’s hoofprint and thinks: ‘Is the depth and quantity of water in the great ocean equal only to this?’ What do you think? Is that person wise?”

Subhuti replied: “That person is unwise.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! In the future, good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle may forsake the profound prajnaparamita, the root of all Buddhadharmas, and seek to study scriptures corresponding to the two vehicles. So too is this; you should know that it is a demonic deed for bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Suppose a craftsman or his apprentice wishes to build a great palace equal in size to the magnificent palace of the god Shakra. After seeing that palace, he instead takes the measurements of a model of the sun palace. What do you think? Could that craftsman or his apprentice build a great palace equal to Shakra’s magnificent palace?”

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

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! What do you think? Is that person wise?”

Subhuti replied: “That person is foolish and unwise.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! In the future, good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle may seek unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, yet forsake this profound prajnaparamita and seek instead to study scriptures corresponding to the two vehicles. So too is this. What do you think? Could those good men and good women attain the unsurpassed fruit of Buddhahood?”

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

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! What do you think? Do those good men and good women possess wisdom?”

Subhuti replied: “They are foolish people.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! So it is! So it is! You should know that this is a demonic deed for bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Suppose a person seeks to behold a holy wheel-turning king. Having seen him but failing to recognize him, the person leaves and goes elsewhere, where he sees an ordinary minor king. Clinging to that king’s physical appearance, he thinks: ‘How does the majestic appearance of a holy wheel-turning king differ from that of this man?’ What do you think? Is that person wise?”

Subhuti replied: “That person is unwise.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! In the future, good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle may seek unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, yet forsake this profound prajnaparamita and seek instead to study scriptures corresponding to the two vehicles. So too is this. What do you think? Could those good men and good women realize great bodhi?”

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

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! What do you think? Do those good men and good women possess wisdom?”

Subhuti replied: “They are foolish people.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! So it is! So it is! You should know that this is a demonic deed for bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Suppose a hungry person obtains food of a hundred flavors but casts it aside to seek a meal of two-month rice. What do you think? Is that person wise?”

Subhuti replied: “That person is unwise.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! In the future, good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle may forsake the profound Great Prajnaparamita scriptures and seek to study scriptures corresponding to the two vehicles, wishing to seek the knowledge of all-knowledge in those scriptures. So too is this. What do you think? Do those good men and good women possess wisdom?”

Subhuti replied: “They are foolish people.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! So it is! So it is! You should know that this is a demonic deed for bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Suppose a poor person obtains a priceless treasure but casts it aside to seek an inferior gem. What do you think? Is that person wise?”

Subhuti replied: “That person is unwise.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! In the future, good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle may forsake the profound Great Prajnaparamita scriptures and seek instead to study scriptures corresponding to the two vehicles, wishing to seek the knowledge of all-knowledge in these scriptures. So too is this. What do you think? Do those good men and good women possess wisdom?”

Subhuti replied: “They are foolish people.”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! So it is! So it is! You should know that this is a demonic deed for bodhisattvas.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! When good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle are copying this profound prajnaparamita scripture, various kinds of eloquence may arise in contention, and they may delight in discoursing upon various distinct Dharma gateways, thereby preventing the copying of the profound prajnaparamita from being completed. You should know that these are demonic deeds obstructing a bodhisattva.

That is, they delight in discoursing upon generosity, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna; they delight in discoursing upon the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm; they delight in discoursing upon receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, and expounding; they delight in discoursing upon caring for the sick and cultivating other meritorious deeds; they delight in discoursing upon form, and they delight in discoursing upon feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; they delight in discoursing upon the eye ayatana, and they delight in discoursing upon the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas;

they delight in discoursing upon the form ayatana, and they delight in discoursing upon the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas.

They delight in discoursing upon the eye dhatu; they delight in discoursing upon the form dhatu, the eye-consciousness dhatu, eye-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by eye-contact; they delight in discoursing upon the ear dhatu; they delight in discoursing upon the sound dhatu, the ear-consciousness dhatu, ear-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by ear-contact; they delight in discoursing upon the nose dhatu; they delight in discoursing upon the odor dhatu, the nose-consciousness dhatu, nose-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by nose-contact; they delight in discoursing upon the tongue dhatu; they delight in discoursing upon the taste dhatu, the tongue-consciousness dhatu, tongue-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by tongue-contact;

they delight in discoursing upon the body dhatu; they delight in discoursing upon the touch dhatu, the body-consciousness dhatu, body-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by body-contact; they delight in discoursing upon the mind dhatu; they delight in discoursing upon the dharma dhatu, the mind-consciousness dhatu, mind-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by mind-contact; they delight in discoursing upon the earth dhatu, and they delight in discoursing upon the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus; they delight in discoursing upon ignorance; they delight in discoursing upon formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress;

they delight in discoursing upon the perfection of generosity; they delight in discoursing upon the perfections of pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna; they delight in discoursing upon the emptiness of internal phenomena;

they delight in discoursing upon the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-change, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; they delight in discoursing upon suchness;

they delight in discoursing upon the dharma realm, the nature of phenomena, the nature that is not false, the nature that does not change, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the certainty of phenomena, the abiding of phenomena, the true limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; they delight in discoursing upon the Noble Truth of suffering, and they delight in discoursing upon the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path; they delight in discoursing upon the four meditative concentrations; they delight in discoursing upon the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions; they delight in discoursing upon the eight liberations; they delight in discoursing upon the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities;

they delight in discoursing upon the four foundations of mindfulness; they delight in discoursing upon the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path; they delight in discoursing upon the gateway to liberation through emptiness; they delight in discoursing upon the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness; they delight in discoursing upon the ten bodhisattva grounds; they delight in discoursing upon the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; they delight in discoursing upon the ten powers of a Buddha;

they delight in discoursing upon 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; they delight in discoursing upon the quality of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; they delight in discoursing upon the knowledge of all things; they delight in discoursing upon the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects; they delight in discoursing upon all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways; they delight in discoursing upon the fruit of stream-entry, and they delight in discoursing upon the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship;

they delight in discoursing upon the attainment of a pratyekabuddha; they delight in discoursing upon all the practices of great bodhisattvas; they delight in discoursing upon the supreme perfect awakening of all Buddhas.

Why is this? Subhuti! Because within profound prajnaparamita there is no characteristic of delighting in discourse; because profound prajnaparamita is difficult to conceive; because profound prajnaparamita is beyond deliberation; because profound prajnaparamita neither arises nor ceases; because profound prajnaparamita is neither defiled nor purified; because profound prajnaparamita is neither concentrated nor distracted; because profound prajnaparamita is free from names and words; because profound prajnaparamita cannot be expressed; because profound prajnaparamita cannot be apprehended.

Why is this? Subhuti! Because within profound prajnaparamita, as previously explained, all phenomena are utterly nonexistent and entirely ungraspable.

When good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle are copying the profound prajnaparamita scripture, if such phenomena disturb their minds and prevent them from completing it, you should know that these are demonic deeds obstructing a bodhisattva.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! Can profound prajnaparamita be copied?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti, the profound prajnaparamita cannot be copied out. Why is this? Subhuti, in this profound scripture of prajnaparamita, the intrinsic nature of form does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the eye ayatana does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the form ayatana does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of the eye dhatu does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the form dhatu, the eye-consciousness dhatu, eye contact, and the feelings arising with eye contact as their condition does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the ear dhatu does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the sound dhatu, the ear-consciousness dhatu, ear contact, and the feelings arising with ear contact as their condition does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the nose dhatu does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the odor dhatu, the nose-consciousness dhatu, nose contact, and the feelings arising with nose contact as their condition does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of the tongue dhatu does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the taste dhatu, the tongue-consciousness dhatu, tongue contact, and the feelings arising with tongue contact as their condition does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the body dhatu does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the tangible-object dhatu, the body-consciousness dhatu, body contact, and the feelings arising with body contact as their condition does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the mind dhatu does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of the dharma dhatu, the mind-consciousness dhatu, mind contact, and the feelings arising with mind contact as their condition does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the earth dhatu does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of ignorance does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of the perfection of generosity does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the perfections of moral discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, and prajnaparamita does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the emptiness of internal phenomena does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of suchness does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the dharma realm, the nature of phenomena, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the certainty of phenomena, the abiding of phenomena, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the Noble Truth of suffering does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the Noble Truths of origin, cessation, and the path does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the four meditative absorptions does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the eight liberations does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the four foundations of mindfulness does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold Noble Path does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the Dharma gateway of emptiness liberation does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of the Dharma gateways of signless and wishless liberation does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the ten bodhisattva grounds does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the five kinds of eyes does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the six superknowledges does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the Buddha’s ten powers does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of 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 does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of the Dharma of never forgetting does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of constant equanimity does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the knowledge of all things does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of all dharani gateways does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of all samadhi gateways does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the fruit of stream-entry does not exist and cannot be apprehended;

the intrinsic nature of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the fruit of a pratyekabuddha does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of all practices of great bodhisattvas does not exist and cannot be apprehended; the intrinsic nature of the supreme awakening of all Buddhas does not exist and cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti, because the intrinsic nature of all phenomena does not exist and cannot be apprehended, it is therefore natureless. Such naturelessness is itself prajnaparamita. No natureless phenomenon can copy out naturelessness; therefore, prajnaparamita cannot be copied out.”

Subhuti! If good men and good women who abide in the bodhisattva vehicle think thus: In this profound Prajnaparamita Sutra, form is without intrinsic nature; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are without intrinsic nature. The eye ayatana is without intrinsic nature; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are without intrinsic nature.

The form ayatana is without intrinsic nature; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas are without intrinsic nature. The eye dhatu is without intrinsic nature; the form dhatu, the eye-consciousness dhatu, eye-contact, and the feelings that arise with eye-contact as their condition are without intrinsic nature. The ear dhatu is without intrinsic nature; the sound dhatu, the ear-consciousness dhatu, ear-contact, and the feelings that arise with ear-contact as their condition are without intrinsic nature.

The nose dhatu is without intrinsic nature; the odor dhatu, the nose-consciousness dhatu, nose-contact, and the feelings that arise with nose-contact as their condition are without intrinsic nature. The tongue dhatu is without intrinsic nature; the taste dhatu, the tongue-consciousness dhatu, tongue-contact, and the feelings that arise with tongue-contact as their condition are without intrinsic nature. The body dhatu is without intrinsic nature; the tangible-object dhatu, the body-consciousness dhatu, body-contact, and the feelings that arise with body-contact as their condition are without intrinsic nature.

The mind dhatu is without intrinsic nature; the dharma dhatu, the mind-consciousness dhatu, mind-contact, and the feelings that arise with mind-contact as their condition are without intrinsic nature. The earth dhatu is without intrinsic nature; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus are without intrinsic nature. Ignorance is without intrinsic nature; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress are without intrinsic nature.

The perfection of generosity is without intrinsic nature; the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita are without intrinsic nature. Internal emptiness is without intrinsic nature;

external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, absolute emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, 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 without intrinsic nature.

Suchness is without intrinsic nature; the dharmadhatu, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abidingness of dharmas, the ultimate reality, the realm of empty space, and the inconceivable realm are without intrinsic nature. The Noble Truth of suffering is without intrinsic nature; the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path are without intrinsic nature.

The four meditative absorptions are without intrinsic nature; the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments are without intrinsic nature. The eight liberations are without intrinsic nature; the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities are without intrinsic nature. The four establishments of mindfulness are without intrinsic nature; 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 without intrinsic nature.

The emptiness gateway to liberation is without intrinsic nature; the signless and wishless gateways to liberation are without intrinsic nature. The ten bodhisattva bhumis are without intrinsic nature. The five kinds of eyes are without intrinsic nature; the six superknowledges are without intrinsic nature.

The ten powers of a Buddha are without intrinsic nature; the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha are without intrinsic nature. The Dharma of never losing mindfulness is without intrinsic nature; the nature of constant equanimity is without intrinsic nature. The knowledge of all things is without intrinsic nature; the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects are without intrinsic nature.

All dharani gateways are without intrinsic nature; all samadhi gateways are without intrinsic nature. The fruit of stream-entry is without intrinsic nature; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship are without intrinsic nature. The fruit of a pratyekabuddha is without intrinsic nature.

All practices of great bodhisattvas are without intrinsic nature. The unsurpassed awakening of the Buddhas is without intrinsic nature. You should know that this is a demonic deed affecting a bodhisattva.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! If a good man or good woman abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle copies this profound prajnaparamita and thinks, ‘I use written characters to copy prajnaparamita, and I apprehend written characters by which prajnaparamita can be copied,’ one should know that this is a demonic deed for a great bodhisattva. Why is this?

Blessed One! Because in this profound prajnaparamita sutra, form has no written characters, and feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness have no written characters; the eye ayatana has no written characters, and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas have no written characters; the form ayatana has no written characters, and the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas have no written characters; the eye dhatu has no written characters, and the form dhatu, eye-consciousness dhatu, eye-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by eye-contact have no written characters; the ear dhatu has no written characters, and the sound dhatu, ear-consciousness dhatu, ear-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by ear-contact have no written characters;

the nose dhatu has no written characters, and the odor dhatu, nose-consciousness dhatu, nose-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by nose-contact have no written characters; the tongue dhatu has no written characters, and the taste dhatu, tongue-consciousness dhatu, tongue-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by tongue-contact have no written characters; the body dhatu has no written characters, and the touch dhatu, body-consciousness dhatu, body-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by body-contact have no written characters; the mind dhatu has no written characters, and the dharma dhatu, mind-consciousness dhatu, mind-contact, and the feelings that arise conditioned by mind-contact have no written characters;

the earth dhatu has no written characters, and the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus have no written characters; ignorance has no written characters, and formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress have no written characters; the perfection of generosity has no written characters, and the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and prajnaparamita have no written characters;

internal emptiness has no written characters, and external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate-meaning emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, 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 have no written characters;

suchness has no written characters, and the Dharma realm, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature apart from arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the realm of reality, the realm of empty space, and the inconceivable realm have no written characters; the Noble Truth of suffering has no written characters, and the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path have no written characters; the four meditative absorptions have no written characters, and the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments have no written characters; the eight liberations have no written characters, and the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totality spheres have no written characters;

the four foundations of mindfulness have no written characters, and the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eight factors of the Noble Path have no written characters; the liberation gateway of emptiness has no written characters, and the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness have no written characters; the ten bodhisattva grounds have no written characters; the five kinds of eyes have no written characters, and the six superknowledges have no written characters;

the Buddha’s ten powers have no written characters, and the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha have no written characters; the Dharma of never forgetting has no written characters, and the nature of constant equanimity has no written characters; the knowledge of all things has no written characters, and the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects have no written characters; all dharani gateways have no written characters, and all samadhi gateways have no written characters; the fruit of stream-entry has no written characters, and the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship have no written characters;

the attainment of a pratyekabuddha has no written characters; all practices of great bodhisattvas have no written characters; and the supreme perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas has no written characters.

Therefore, one should not apprehend written characters by which prajnaparamita can be copied.”

“World-Honored One! If good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle give rise to such attachment, thinking that in the profound Prajnaparamita Sutra no written word is form; no written word is feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; no written word is the eye ayatana; no written word is the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana; no written word is the form ayatana; no written word is the sound, odor, taste, touch, or dharma ayatana; no written word is the eye dhatu; no written word is the form dhatu, the eye-consciousness dhatu, eye-contact, or the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition; no written word is the ear dhatu; no written word is the sound dhatu, the ear-consciousness dhatu, ear-contact, or the feelings arising with ear-contact as condition;

no written word is the nose dhatu; no written word is the odor dhatu, the nose-consciousness dhatu, nose-contact, or the feelings arising with nose-contact as condition; no written word is the tongue dhatu; no written word is the taste dhatu, the tongue-consciousness dhatu, tongue-contact, or the feelings arising with tongue-contact as condition; no written word is the body dhatu; no written word is the touch dhatu, the body-consciousness dhatu, body-contact, or the feelings arising with body-contact as condition; no written word is the mind dhatu; no written word is the dharma dhatu, the mind-consciousness dhatu, mind-contact, or the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition; no written word is the earth dhatu; no written word is the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu;

no written word is ignorance; no written word is formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, or distress; no written word is the perfection of generosity; no written word is the perfection of pure morality, patience, vigor, meditation, or prajnaparamita; no written word is the emptiness of internal dharmas;

no written word is the emptiness of external dharmas, the emptiness of internal and external dharmas, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned dharmas, the emptiness of unconditioned dharmas, 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 ungraspable, the emptiness of nonbeing, the emptiness of self-nature, or the emptiness of the self-nature of nonbeing; no written word is suchness;

no written word is the dharma dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature transcending birth, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding nature of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of space, or the inconceivable realm; no written word is the Noble Truth of suffering; no written word is the Noble Truth of the origin, cessation, or path; no written word is the four meditative absorptions; no written word is the four immeasurables or the four formless concentrations; no written word is the eight liberations; no written word is the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, or the ten totalities; no written word is the four establishments of mindfulness;

no written word is the four right efforts, the four bases of supernatural power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, or the eightfold noble path; no written word is the liberation gateway of emptiness; no written word is the liberation gateway of signlessness or wishlessness; no written word is the ten bodhisattva bhumis; no written word is the five kinds of eyes; no written word is the six superknowledges; no written word is the ten powers of a Buddha; no written word is the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; no written word is the Dharma of never losing mindfulness;

no written word is the nature of perpetual equanimity; no written word is the knowledge of all phenomena; no written word is the knowledge of the aspects of the paths or the knowledge of all aspects; no written word is any dharani gateway; no written word is any samadhi gateway; no written word is the fruit of stream-entry; no written word is the fruit of once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship; no written word is the attainment of a pratyekabuddha; no written word is any practice of a great bodhisattva; and no written word is the supreme awakening of the Buddhas—then one should know that this is a demonic deed obstructing a bodhisattva.”

The Buddha said, “Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said!

“Furthermore, Subhuti! When good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle copy, uphold, read, recite, cultivate, contemplate, and expound this profound Prajnaparamita Sutra, if they give rise to thoughts of countries, cities, capitals, places, or directions, one should know that this is a demonic deed obstructing a bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! When good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle copy, uphold, read, recite, cultivate, contemplate, and expound this profound Prajnaparamita Sutra, if they give rise to thoughts of their upadhyaya or acarya, thoughts of fellow students and friends, thoughts of their parents, spouse, and children, thoughts of their brothers and sisters, or thoughts of friends and relatives, one should know that this is a demonic deed obstructing a bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! When good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle copy, uphold, read, recite, cultivate, contemplate, and expound this profound Prajnaparamita Sutra, if they give rise to thoughts of wicked bandits or vicious beasts, thoughts of evil people or malicious spirits, thoughts of assemblies at play and entertainment, thoughts of pleasure with courtesans, thoughts of repaying kindness or taking revenge, or immeasurable other thoughts—all instigated by evil Mara to obstruct prajnaparamita—one should know that this is a demonic deed obstructing a bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! When good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle copy, uphold, read, recite, cultivate, contemplate, and expound this profound Prajnaparamita Sutra, if they gain great renown and receive reverence and offerings of clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicines, and wealth, and if those good men and good women accept these things, become attached to them, and neglect their work, one should know that this is a demonic deed obstructing a bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! When good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle copy, uphold, read, recite, cultivate, contemplate, and expound this profound Prajnaparamita Sutra, evil spirits may assume the appearance of close friends and bring various kinds of worldly writings or scriptures corresponding to the Two Vehicles, presenting them to the bodhisattvas. In these texts they extensively describe worldly excellence, or extensively explain the skandhas, ayatanas, dhatus, truths, realities, dependent origination, the thirty-seven factors of awakening, the three gateways to liberation, the four meditative absorptions, and so forth, saying, ‘These scriptures possess profound and subtle meaning.

You should diligently study and cultivate them and abandon the scriptures you studied before.’ Those good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle should employ skillful means and should not accept the worldly writings or scriptures of the Two Vehicles given by evil Mara. Why? Because worldly writings and scriptures of the Two Vehicles cannot bring forth the knowledge of all-knowledge and are not skillful means leading to supreme awakening.

“Subhuti! In this profound Prajnaparamita Sutra, I extensively teach the great bodhisattva path and its skillful means. Those who diligently cultivate and study in accordance with it will quickly realize supreme awakening. If good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle abandon the profound Prajnaparamita scriptures to receive and study worldly writings or scriptures of the Two Vehicles presented by evil Mara, one should know that this is a demonic deed obstructing a bodhisattva.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! If one who hears the Dharma delights in listening to, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivating the profound prajnaparamita, but the Dharma teacher is pleasure-seeking and indolent and does not wish to teach the Dharma, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher is neither pleasure-seeking nor indolent, delights in teaching the profound prajnaparamita to others, and skillfully encourages them to copy, receive and uphold, read and recite, and cultivate it, but the Dharma listener is indolent and pleasure-seeking and does not wish to listen to and receive it, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma listener delights in listening to, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivating the profound prajnaparamita, but the Dharma teacher delights in traveling to other regions and does not teach it to others, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher delights in teaching the profound prajnaparamita to others and skillfully encourages them to copy, receive and uphold, read and recite, and cultivate it, but the listener delights in traveling to other regions and has no desire to listen to and receive it, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher is filled with unwholesome desires and excessively craves fame and gain, clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicines, offerings, and wealth, while the Dharma listener has few desires, is content, practices seclusion, strives courageously and diligently, is endowed with mindfulness and wisdom, and is weary of and fears material gain, reverence, and renown; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher has few desires, is content, practices seclusion, strives courageously and diligently, is endowed with mindfulness and wisdom, and is weary of and fears material gain, reverence, and renown, while the Dharma listener is filled with unwholesome desires and excessively craves fame and gain, clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicines, offerings, and wealth; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher practices the twelve ascetic virtues: first, dwelling in a secluded place; second, always living on alms; third, wearing rag robes; fourth, eating one meal a day; fifth, eating at a single sitting; sixth, eating only food received on almsround; seventh, dwelling in a charnel ground; eighth, dwelling in the open air; ninth, dwelling beneath a tree; tenth, always sitting and never lying down; eleventh, using only whatever bedding has been received;

and twelfth, possessing only three robes, while the Dharma listener does not receive and uphold the twelve ascetic virtues—that is, does not dwell in a secluded place, and so forth, up to not being willing to possess only three robes—if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma listener practices the twelve ascetic virtues—that is, dwelling in a secluded place, and so forth, up to possessing only three robes—while the Dharma teacher does not receive and uphold the twelve ascetic virtues—that is, does not dwell in a secluded place, and so forth, up to not possessing only three robes—if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher has faith, observes the precepts, is well-intentioned and joyful, wishes to teach the profound prajnaparamita to others, and skillfully encourages them to copy, receive and uphold, read and recite, and cultivate it, while the listener has no faith, does not observe the precepts, is not well-intentioned or joyful, and does not delight in listening to and receiving it; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma listener has faith, observes the precepts, is well-intentioned and joyful, and wishes to seek, hear, inquire about, copy, receive and uphold, read and recite, and cultivate the profound prajnaparamita, while the Dharma teacher has no faith, does not observe the precepts, is not well-intentioned or joyful, and does not wish to teach it to others; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher is not miserly and can relinquish everything, while the Dharma listener is miserly and cannot relinquish anything; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma listener is not miserly and can relinquish everything, while the Dharma teacher is miserly and cannot relinquish anything; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma listener wishes to offer the Dharma teacher clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicines, and other material goods, but the Dharma teacher does not wish to accept and use them; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher wishes to provide the listener with clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicines, and other material goods, but the listener does not wish to accept and use them; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher has attained wisdom in concise exposition and does not delight in speaking at length, while the Dharma listener has attained wisdom in extensive exposition and does not delight in concise teachings; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma listener has attained wisdom in concise exposition and delights only in concise teachings, while the Dharma teacher has attained wisdom in extensive exposition and delights only in speaking at length; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma teacher is devoted to delighting in a broad, sequential understanding of the meanings of the Dharma in the twelve divisions of the teachings—namely, Sutra, Geya, Vyakarana, Gatha, Udana, Nidana, Avadana, Itivrttaka, Jataka, Vaipulya, Adbhutadharma, and Upadesa—while the listener does not delight in a broad, sequential understanding of the meanings of the Dharma in the twelve divisions of the teachings, from Sutra through Upadesa; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the Dharma listener is devoted to delighting in a broad, sequential understanding of the meanings of the Dharma in the twelve divisions of the teachings, from Sutra through Upadesa, while the teacher does not delight in a broad, sequential understanding of the meanings of the Dharma in the twelve divisions of the teachings, from Sutra through Upadesa; if the two are not in harmony and thus cannot accomplish the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and upholding, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita, you should know that this is a demonic obstruction for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! The Dharma teacher has perfected the six paramitas, while the listener has not perfected the six paramitas; the two are not in harmony, and the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita cannot be accomplished. Know that this is a demonic hindrance for a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Subhuti! The listener to the Dharma has perfected the six paramitas, while the Dharma teacher has not perfected the six paramitas; the two are not in harmony, and the teaching, hearing, copying, receiving and retaining, reading and reciting, and cultivation of the profound prajnaparamita cannot be accomplished. Know that this is a demonic hindrance for a bodhisattva.

Fascicle 303

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