大般若波羅蜜多經

XXXXI. THE MOTHER OF THE BUDDHAS

01

The Buddha said: Subhuti! It is like a mother who gives birth to and raises her children, whether five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, or a thousand. When the mother falls ill, all her children wholeheartedly seek medicines and treatment for her, thinking: How can we help our mother recover from her illness, live long in peace and happiness, remain free from bodily suffering, and have no sorrow in her heart?

At that time, the children employ skillful means, seeking ways to bring their mother peace and happiness, sheltering and protecting her so that mosquitoes, gnats, flies, venomous snakes, cold, heat, hunger, and thirst do not touch and trouble her. They also respectfully make offerings to her of every kind of excellent and exquisite thing, thinking: Our mother lovingly gave birth to us, raised us, and taught us about the affairs of the world.

How could we fail to repay her kindness?

Subhuti! The Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One is likewise. He constantly observes and protects profound prajnaparamita with the Buddha-eye.

Why is this? Subhuti! Profound prajnaparamita is capable of giving rise to all Buddha-Dharmas for us and of revealing the true characteristics of all worldly dharmas.

All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones who are presently teaching the Dharma throughout the worlds of the ten directions also observe and protect profound prajnaparamita with the Buddha-eye. Why is this? Subhuti!

Because profound prajnaparamita is capable of giving rise to all the virtues of the Buddhas and of revealing the true characteristics of all worldly dharmas. For this reason, we Buddhas constantly observe and protect profound prajnaparamita with the Buddha-eye and, in order to repay this kindness, never abandon it even for a moment. Why is this?

Subhuti! Because the prajnaparamita, dhyana-paramita, virya-paramita, kshanti-paramita, sila-paramita, and dana-paramita of all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones are all born from that profound prajnaparamita;

all dharmas of the emptiness of the internal, the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of intrinsic characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unattainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence are all born from that profound prajnaparamita;

all such principles as true suchness, the dharmadhatu, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the realm of reality, the realm of empty space, and the inconceivable realm are all born from that profound prajnaparamita; all the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all four dhyanas, four immeasurables, and four formless concentrations are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all eight liberations, eight spheres of mastery, nine successive meditative attainments, and ten totalities are born from that profound prajnaparamita;

all four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eight factors of the Noble Path are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all Dharma-gates of the liberation of emptiness, the liberation of signlessness, and the liberation of wishlessness are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all ten bodhisattva bhumis are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all five kinds of eyes and six superknowledges are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all ten powers of a Buddha, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha are born from that profound prajnaparamita;

all qualities of non-forgetfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all dharani Dharma-gates and all samadhi Dharma-gates are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all stream-enterers and the fruit of stream-entry, once-returners and the fruit of once-returning, non-returners and the fruit of non-returning, and arhats and the fruit of arhatship are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all pratyekabuddhas and the fruition of pratyekabuddhahood are born from that profound prajnaparamita; all great bodhisattvas and the practices of great bodhisattvas are born from that profound prajnaparamita;

all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones and the supreme awakening of the Buddhas are born from profound prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones who have attained supreme awakening, are now attaining supreme awakening, or will attain supreme awakening do so through that profound prajnaparamita. For this reason, profound prajnaparamita has shown great kindness to the Tathagatas. Therefore, the Buddhas constantly observe and protect profound prajnaparamita with the Buddha-eye.

Subhuti! If good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle constantly listen to, inquire about, copy, accept and uphold, read and recite, contemplate, cultivate, and widely expound profound prajnaparamita, then all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones constantly observe and protect them with the Buddha-eye, causing their bodies and minds always to enjoy peace and happiness and allowing them to cultivate wholesome karma without hindrance.

Subhuti! If good men and good women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle constantly listen to, inquire about, copy, accept and uphold, read and recite, cultivate, and contemplate this profound prajnaparamita, and explain it to others, then all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones throughout the worlds of the ten directions together protect them, causing them never to regress from supreme awakening.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: As the Blessed One has taught, profound prajnaparamita is capable of giving rise to the Buddhas, and profound prajnaparamita is capable of revealing the true characteristics of all worldly dharmas.

Blessed One! How is profound prajnaparamita capable of giving rise to the Buddhas? How is profound prajnaparamita capable of clearly revealing the true characteristics of all worldly dharmas? How are the Buddhas born from prajnaparamita? How do the Buddhas teach the characteristics of the world?

The Buddha said: Subhuti! Profound prajnaparamita is capable of giving rise to the five kinds of eyes and six superknowledges; the ten powers of a Buddha, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha; the quality of non-forgetfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity; and the knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects possessed by all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones.

Subhuti! Such immeasurable and boundless virtues of the Buddhas are all born from profound prajnaparamita. Because one attains such virtues of the Buddhas, one is called a Buddha. Profound prajnaparamita possesses the manifold capacity to give rise to such virtues of the Buddhas. Therefore, it is said to be capable of giving rise to the Buddhas, and it is also said that the Buddhas are born from profound prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! The profound prajnaparamita has the power to reveal the true aspect of worldly dharmas; that is, it has the power to reveal the true aspect of the five worldly skandhas. All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, also teach the true aspect of the five worldly skandhas.

“Blessed One! How does the profound prajnaparamita taught by the Buddhas reveal the true aspect of the five worldly skandhas?”

Subhuti! The prajnaparamita of the Buddhas does not declare that the five skandhas undergo formation or disintegration, arising or cessation, defilement or purification, increase or decrease, entry or departure. Nor does it declare that the five skandhas are past, future, or present; wholesome, unwholesome, or indeterminate; bound to the Desire Realm, bound to the Form Realm, or bound to the Formless Realm.

Why is this? Subhuti! It is because dharmas of emptiness do not undergo formation or disintegration; signlessness does not undergo formation or disintegration; wishlessness does not undergo formation or disintegration; non-activity does not undergo formation or disintegration; non-arising and non-cessation do not undergo formation or disintegration; and dharmas devoid of intrinsic nature do not undergo formation or disintegration.

Subhuti! In this way, the prajnaparamita of the Buddhas reveals the true aspect of the five skandhas. The aspect of these five skandhas is itself the world; therefore, the world also has no characteristics of formation, disintegration, arising, cessation, and so forth.

Furthermore, Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, relying upon prajnaparamita, are able to fully know the immeasurable and countless differences in the mental activities of all kinds of sentient beings. Yet within the principle of this profound prajnaparamita, no sentient being and no arising of a sentient being can be apprehended; no form and no arising of form can be apprehended; no feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness, and no arising of feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness can be apprehended; no eye ayatana and no arising of the eye ayatana can be apprehended; no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana, and no arising of the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana can be apprehended;

no form ayatana and no arising of the form ayatana can be apprehended; no sound, odor, taste, touch, or dharma ayatana, and no arising of the sound, odor, taste, touch, or dharma ayatana can be apprehended; no eye dhatu and no arising of the eye dhatu can be apprehended; no form dhatu, eye-consciousness dhatu, eye-contact, or feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, and no arising of the form dhatu through the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition can be apprehended; no ear dhatu and no arising of the ear dhatu can be apprehended; no sound dhatu, ear-consciousness dhatu, ear-contact, or feelings arising with ear-contact as condition, and no arising of the sound dhatu through the feelings arising with ear-contact as condition can be apprehended;

no nose dhatu and no arising of the nose dhatu can be apprehended; no odor dhatu, nose-consciousness dhatu, nose-contact, or feelings arising with nose-contact as condition, and no arising of the odor dhatu through the feelings arising with nose-contact as condition can be apprehended; no tongue dhatu and no arising of the tongue dhatu can be apprehended; no taste dhatu, tongue-consciousness dhatu, tongue-contact, or feelings arising with tongue-contact as condition, and no arising of the taste dhatu through the feelings arising with tongue-contact as condition can be apprehended; no body dhatu and no arising of the body dhatu can be apprehended;

no touch dhatu, body-consciousness dhatu, body-contact, or feelings arising with body-contact as condition, and no arising of the touch dhatu through the feelings arising with body-contact as condition can be apprehended; no mind dhatu and no arising of the mind dhatu can be apprehended; no dharma dhatu, mind-consciousness dhatu, mind-contact, or feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, and no arising of the dharma dhatu through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition can be apprehended; no earth dhatu and no arising of the earth dhatu can be apprehended; no water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu, and no arising of the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu can be apprehended; no ignorance and no arising of ignorance can be apprehended;

no formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or distress, and no arising of formations through aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress can be apprehended; no generosity paramita and no arising of generosity paramita can be apprehended; no ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, or prajnaparamita, and no arising of ethical discipline through prajnaparamita can be apprehended; no inner emptiness and no arising of inner emptiness can be apprehended;

no outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of nonchange, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the unapprehensible, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, or emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, and no arising of outer emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence can be apprehended; no suchness and no arising of suchness can be apprehended;

no dharma dhatu, Dharma-nature, nature free from falsity, unchanging nature, nature of equality, nature free from arising, certainty of dharmas, abiding order of dharmas, reality-limit, realm of space, or inconceivable realm, and no arising of the dharma dhatu through the inconceivable realm can be apprehended; no Noble Truth of suffering and no arising of the Noble Truth of suffering can be apprehended; no Noble Truth of the origin, cessation, or path, and no arising of the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, or path can be apprehended; no four meditative absorptions and no arising of the four meditative absorptions can be apprehended; no four immeasurables or four formless attainments, and no arising of the four immeasurables or four formless attainments can be apprehended;

no eight liberations and no arising of the eight liberations can be apprehended; no eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, or ten universal bases, and no arising of the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, or ten universal bases can be apprehended; no four foundations of mindfulness and no arising of the four foundations of mindfulness can be apprehended; no four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, or eightfold Noble Path, and no arising of the four right efforts through the eightfold Noble Path can be apprehended; no emptiness gateway to liberation and no arising of the emptiness gateway to liberation can be apprehended;

no signlessness or wishlessness gateway to liberation, and no arising of the signlessness or wishlessness gateway to liberation can be apprehended; no ten bodhisattva grounds and no arising of the ten bodhisattva grounds can be apprehended; no five kinds of eyes and no arising of the five kinds of eyes can be apprehended; no six superknowledges and no arising of the six superknowledges can be apprehended; no ten powers of a Buddha and no arising of the ten powers of a Buddha can be apprehended; no four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and no arising of the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha can be apprehended;

no quality of never losing mindfulness and no arising of the quality of never losing mindfulness can be apprehended; no nature of constant equanimity and no arising of the nature of constant equanimity can be apprehended; no knowledge of all things and no arising of the knowledge of all things can be apprehended; no knowledge of the aspects of the paths or knowledge of all aspects, and no arising of the knowledge of the aspects of the paths or knowledge of all aspects can be apprehended; no dharani gateways whatsoever and no arising of any dharani gateway can be apprehended; no samadhi gateways whatsoever and no arising of any samadhi gateway can be apprehended;

there is no fruit of stream-entry, nor can any arising of the fruit of stream-entry be apprehended; there is no fruit of once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship, nor can any arising of the fruit of once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship be apprehended; there is no fruit of a pratyekabuddha, nor can any arising of the fruit of a pratyekabuddha be apprehended; there are none of the practices of great bodhisattvas, nor can any arising of the practices of great bodhisattvas be apprehended; there is no supreme awakening of the Buddhas, nor can any arising of the supreme awakening of the Buddhas be apprehended.

Subhuti! The prajnaparamita of the Buddhas thus clearly reveals the true character of the world.

Subhuti! Yet within the profound principle of prajnaparamita, form is not revealed, nor are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the eye ayatana is not revealed; nor are the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the form ayatana is not revealed; nor are the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the form, sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the eye dhatu is not revealed; nor are the form dhatu, eye-consciousness dhatu, eye-contact, and the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the eye dhatu through the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the ear dhatu is not revealed; nor are the sound dhatu, ear-consciousness dhatu, ear-contact, and the feelings arising with ear-contact as their condition revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the ear dhatu through the feelings arising with ear-contact as their condition exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the nose dhatu is not revealed; nor are the odor dhatu, nose-consciousness dhatu, nose-contact, and the feelings arising with nose-contact as their condition revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the nose dhatu through the feelings arising with nose-contact as their condition exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the tongue dhatu is not revealed; nor are the taste dhatu, tongue-consciousness dhatu, tongue-contact, and the feelings arising with tongue-contact as their condition revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the tongue dhatu through the feelings arising with tongue-contact as their condition exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the body dhatu is not revealed; nor are the tangible-object dhatu, body-consciousness dhatu, body-contact, and the feelings arising with body-contact as their condition revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the body dhatu through the feelings arising with body-contact as their condition exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the mind dhatu is not revealed; nor are the dharma dhatu, mind-consciousness dhatu, mind-contact, and the feelings arising with mind-contact as their condition revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the mind dhatu through the feelings arising with mind-contact as their condition exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the earth dhatu is not revealed; nor are the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, ignorance is not revealed; nor are formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could ignorance through aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the perfection of generosity is not revealed; nor are the perfections of pure moral discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the perfection of generosity through prajnaparamita exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, the emptiness of internal phenomena is not revealed; nor are the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence revealed.

Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could the emptiness of internal phenomena through the self-nature of the nonexistence of emptiness exist and be revealed.

Within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, suchness is not revealed; nor are the dharma realm, the nature of phenomena, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature transcending birth, the certainty of phenomena, the abiding of phenomena, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm revealed. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within such a profound principle of prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, much less could suchness through the inconceivable realm exist and be revealed.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the Noble Truth of suffering is not indicated; nor are the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the Noble Truth of suffering through the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the four dhyanas are not indicated; nor are the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the eight liberations are not indicated; nor are the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the four foundations of mindfulness are not indicated; nor are 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 indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the gateway to liberation through emptiness is not indicated; nor are the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the gateways to liberation through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the ten bodhisattva grounds are not indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the ten bodhisattva grounds that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the five kinds of eyes are not indicated; nor are the six supernormal powers indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the five kinds of eyes and the six supernormal powers that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the ten powers of a Buddha are not indicated; nor are the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the ten powers of a Buddha through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the Dharma of non-forgetfulness is not indicated; nor is the nature of constant equanimity indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the knowledge of all things is not indicated; nor are the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, none of the dharani gateways are indicated; nor are any of the samadhi gateways indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be any dharani gateways or any samadhi gateways that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the fruit of stream-entry is not indicated; nor are the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the fruits of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the fruit of a pratyekabuddha is not indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the fruit of a pratyekabuddha that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, none of the practices of great bodhisattvas are indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be any practices of great bodhisattvas that might be indicated.

Within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, the fruit of the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas is not indicated. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the principle of such profound prajnaparamita, even profound prajnaparamita itself does not exist and cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be the fruit of the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas that might be indicated.

Furthermore, Subhuti! All sentient beings described in words—whether with form or formless, whether percipient or non-percipient, whether neither percipient nor non-percipient, whether in this world or in any other world throughout the ten directions—have minds that are either tranquil or distracted. Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones know all these minds precisely as they truly are.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones know precisely as they truly are the tranquil and distracted minds of those various kinds of sentient beings?

Subhuti! By virtue of the Dharma-nature, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones know precisely as they truly are the tranquil and distracted minds of those various kinds of sentient beings.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones, by virtue of the Dharma-nature, know precisely as they truly are the tranquil and distracted minds of those various kinds of sentient beings?

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones know precisely as it truly is that, within the Dharma-nature, even the Dharma-nature itself cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be tranquil minds or distracted minds.

Subhuti! By virtue of the Dharma-nature, those Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones thus know precisely as they truly are the tranquil and distracted minds of the various kinds of sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Through exhaustion, dispassion, cessation, severance, tranquility, and detachment, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones know precisely as they truly are the tranquil and distracted minds of the various kinds of sentient beings.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones, through exhaustion, dispassion, cessation, severance, tranquility, and detachment, know precisely as they truly are the tranquil and distracted minds of the various kinds of sentient beings?

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality exhaustion, dispassion, cessation, abandonment, quiescence, and seclusion. Since even the nature of exhaustion and the rest cannot be apprehended, how much less could there be a tranquil mind or a distracted mind!

Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, those Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, through exhaustion and the rest, know in accordance with reality the tranquil minds and distracted minds of those various sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that those various sentient beings have minds with greed and minds free from greed; minds with hatred and minds free from hatred; minds with delusion and minds free from delusion.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that those various sentient beings have minds with greed and minds free from greed; minds with hatred and minds free from hatred; minds with delusion and minds free from delusion?

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the true nature of the minds of greed, hatred, and delusion of those various sentient beings; yet there are neither minds of greed, hatred, and delusion nor minds free from greed, hatred, and delusion. Why? Because within true nature, even mind and mental factors cannot be apprehended, how much less minds of greed, hatred, and delusion or minds free from greed, hatred, and delusion.

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the true nature of the minds free from greed, hatred, and delusion of those various sentient beings; yet there are neither minds of greed, hatred, and delusion nor minds free from greed, hatred, and delusion. Why? Because within true nature, even mind and mental factors cannot be apprehended, how much less minds of greed, hatred, and delusion or minds free from greed, hatred, and delusion.

Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, those Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that those various sentient beings have minds with greed and minds free from greed, minds with hatred and minds free from hatred, minds with delusion and minds free from delusion.

Furthermore, Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that the minds of those various sentient beings that possess greed, hatred, and delusion are neither minds possessing greed, hatred, and delusion nor minds free from greed, hatred, and delusion. Why? Because these two kinds of mind do not combine.

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that the minds of those various sentient beings that are free from greed, hatred, and delusion are neither minds possessing greed, hatred, and delusion nor minds free from greed, hatred, and delusion. Why? Because these two kinds of mind do not combine.

Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, those Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the minds with greed and minds free from greed, the minds with hatred and minds free from hatred, and the minds with delusion and minds free from delusion of those various sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the expansive minds of those various sentient beings.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the expansive minds of those various sentient beings?

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that the expansive minds of those various sentient beings are neither expansive nor contracted, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither coming nor going. Because they are free from the nature of mind, they are neither expansive nor contracted, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither going nor coming. Why? Since the intrinsic nature of mind has no existence, what could be expansive, what could be contracted, what could increase, what could decrease, what could go, and what could come!

Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, those Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the expansive minds of those various sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the great minds of those various sentient beings.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the great minds of those various sentient beings?

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that the great minds of those various sentient beings neither go nor come, neither arise nor cease, neither abide nor change, and are neither great nor small. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of mind has no existence; it neither goes nor comes, neither arises nor ceases, neither abides nor changes, and is neither great nor small.

Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, those Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the great minds of those various sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the immeasurable minds of those various sentient beings.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the immeasurable minds of those various sentient beings?

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that the immeasurable minds of those various sentient beings neither abide nor fail to abide, neither go nor fail to go. Why? Since the nature of mind is immeasurable, undefiled, and without dependence, how could it be said to abide or not abide, to go or not go?

Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, those Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the immeasurable minds of those various sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the invisible and non-resistant minds of those various sentient beings.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the invisible and non-resistant minds of those various sentient beings?

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that the invisible and non-resistant minds of those various sentient beings are entirely devoid of the characteristics of mind. Why? Because all the intrinsic characteristics of mind are empty.

Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, those Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the invisible and non-resistant minds of those various sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the formless and invisible minds of those various sentient beings.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the formless and invisible minds of those various sentient beings?

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that the formless and invisible minds of those various sentient beings cannot be seen even by the five kinds of eyes of the Buddhas. Why? Because the nature of every mind is empty.

Subhuti! Thus, relying upon profound prajnaparamita, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the formless and invisible minds of those various sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Relying upon profound prajnaparamita, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the minds and mental factors of other various sentient beings, whether manifest or hidden, contracted or extended.

Blessed One! How do the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality the minds and mental factors of other various sentient beings, whether manifest or hidden, contracted or extended?

Subhuti! All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know in accordance with reality that the manifest, hidden, contracted, and extended minds and mental factors of other various sentient beings all arise in dependence upon form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

Subhuti! Relying upon the profound prajnaparamita, that Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One knows, in accordance with reality, the minds and mental factors of other kinds of sentient beings, whether manifest or hidden, contracted or expanded. That is to say, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones know, in accordance with reality, the manifest or hidden, contracted or expanded minds and mental factors of other kinds of sentient beings who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the self and the world are eternal, and hold this alone to be true and all else false;

or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the self and the world are impermanent, and hold this alone to be true and all else false; or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the self and the world are both eternal and impermanent, and hold this alone to be true and all else false; or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the self and the world are neither eternal nor impermanent, and hold this alone to be true and all else false;

or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the self and the world are finite, and hold this alone to be true and all else false; or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the self and the world are infinite, and hold this alone to be true and all else false; or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the self and the world are both finite and infinite, and hold this alone to be true and all else false;

or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the self and the world are neither finite nor infinite, and hold this alone to be true and all else false; or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the life principle is identical with the body, and hold this alone to be true and all else false; or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the life principle is distinct from the body, and hold this alone to be true and all else false;

or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the Tathagata exists after passing into nirvana, and hold this alone to be true and all else false; or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the Tathagata does not exist after passing into nirvana, and hold this alone to be true and all else false; or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the Tathagata both exists and does not exist after passing into nirvana, and hold this alone to be true and all else false;

or who, relying upon form, or relying upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, grasp that the Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after passing into nirvana, and hold this alone to be true and all else false.

Subhuti! Relying upon the profound prajnaparamita, that Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One knows, in accordance with reality, the minds and mental factors of other kinds of sentient beings, whether manifest or hidden, contracted or expanded.

Fascicle 305

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