大般若波羅蜜多經

09

At that time, the venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! How should a great bodhisattva know the summarized and extensively explained characteristics of all dharmas?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that all dharmas neither combine nor disperse, then that great bodhisattva will thereby know the summarized and extensively explained characteristics of all dharmas.”

The venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! Which dharmas neither combine nor disperse?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Form neither combines nor disperses; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness likewise neither combine nor disperse. The eye ayatana neither combines nor disperses; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas likewise neither combine nor disperse.

The form ayatana neither combines nor disperses; the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas likewise neither combine nor disperse. The eye dhatu neither combines nor disperses; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus likewise neither combine nor disperse. The form dhatu neither combines nor disperses; the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus likewise neither combine nor disperse.

The eye-consciousness dhatu neither combines nor disperses; the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus likewise neither combine nor disperse. Eye-contact neither combines nor disperses; ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact likewise neither combine nor disperse. Feelings arising with eye-contact as condition neither combine nor disperse; feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition likewise neither combine nor disperse.

The earth dhatu neither combines nor disperses; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus likewise neither combine nor disperse. Ignorance neither combines nor disperses; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress likewise neither combine nor disperse. The perfection of generosity neither combines nor disperses; the perfections of pure morality, patience, vigor, meditation, and prajnaparamita likewise neither combine nor disperse.

Inner emptiness neither combines nor disperses; outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the 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 unattainable, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence likewise neither combine nor disperse.

Suchness neither combines nor disperses; the dharma-dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature transcending birth, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm likewise neither combine nor disperse. The noble truth of suffering neither combines nor disperses; the noble truths of its origin, cessation, and the path likewise neither combine nor disperse.

The four meditative absorptions neither combine nor disperse; the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations likewise neither combine nor disperse. The eight liberations neither combine nor disperse; the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities likewise neither combine nor disperse. The four foundations of mindfulness neither combine nor disperse; the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eight factors of the noble path likewise neither combine nor disperse.

The emptiness liberation gateway neither combines nor disperses; the signless and wishless liberation gateways likewise neither combine nor disperse. The five kinds of eyes neither combine nor disperse; the six superknowledges likewise neither combine nor disperse. The Buddha’s ten powers neither combine nor disperse; the four fearlessnesses, four kinds of unhindered understanding, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha likewise neither combine nor disperse.

The Dharma of never losing mindfulness neither combines nor disperses; the nature of constant equanimity likewise neither combines nor disperses. Knowledge of all things neither combines nor disperses; knowledge of the aspects of the paths and knowledge of all aspects likewise neither combine nor disperse. All dharani gateways neither combine nor disperse; all samadhi gateways likewise neither combine nor disperse.

The fruit of stream-entry neither combines nor disperses; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship likewise neither combine nor disperse. The fruit of a pratyekabuddha neither combines nor disperses. All practices of great bodhisattvas neither combine nor disperse.

The unsurpassed awakening of all Buddhas neither combines nor disperses. The conditioned realm neither combines nor disperses; the unconditioned realm likewise neither combines nor disperses. Why is this?

Subhuti! It is because all such dharmas lack self-nature. If they lack self-nature, they possess nothing; and if they possess nothing, one cannot say that they combine or disperse.

When great bodhisattvas know all dharmas in this way, they are able to know their summarized and extensively explained characteristics.”

Then the venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! This is called the teaching that encompasses the six paramitas. If great bodhisattvas train in this teaching, they will be able to accomplish many things.

“World-Honored One! Newly practicing great bodhisattvas should train in prajnaparamita as encompassed in this way, and even great bodhisattvas abiding on the tenth bhumi should also train in it.

“World-Honored One! If great bodhisattvas train in this encompassing prajnaparamita, will they know the summarized and extensively explained characteristics of all dharmas?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say.

“Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas of sharp faculties can enter such a Dharma gateway, and great bodhisattvas of middling faculties can also enter it.

“Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas whose faculties are settled can enter such a Dharma gateway, and great bodhisattvas whose faculties are unsettled can also enter it.

“Subhuti! Such a Dharma gateway is without obstruction or impediment. If great bodhisattvas investigate and train in it, they cannot fail to enter it.

“Subhuti! Such a Dharma gateway cannot be entered by the lazy, those deficient in vigor, those who have lost right mindfulness, those whose minds are distracted, or those habituated to faulty wisdom.

“Subhuti! Such a Dharma gateway can be entered only by those who are not lazy, who possess abundant vigor, who abide in right mindfulness, who skillfully collect the mind, and who cultivate sublime wisdom.

“Subhuti! If great bodhisattvas wish to abide on the stage of non-retrogression, wish to abide on the tenth bhumi, or wish to abide on the stage of the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, they must diligently employ skillful means to enter this Dharma gateway.”

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva trains in accordance with what this prajnaparamita teaches, that great bodhisattva can attain at will the perfections of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita;

can also attain at will inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

can also attain at will suchness, the Dharma realm, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the fixed order of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the reality-limit, the realm of empty space, and the inconceivable realm; can also attain at will the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; can also attain at will the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; can also attain at will the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality;

can also attain at will 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 awakening, and the eightfold Noble Path; can also attain at will the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; can also attain at will the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; can also attain at will the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; can also attain at will the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity;

can also attain at will the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; and can also attain at will all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva trains in accordance with the teachings of this profound prajnaparamita and continually abides in this way, that bodhisattva draws near to the sought-after knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva trains in accordance with the teachings of prajnaparamita, then whatever demonic activity arises in relation to that great bodhisattva will immediately disappear. Therefore, Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes swiftly to eliminate all karmic obstructions and immediately embrace skillful means, that bodhisattva should train in prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices this prajnaparamita, cultivates this prajnaparamita, and trains in this prajnaparamita, that great bodhisattva is then protected and kept in mind by all the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones who presently abide and proclaim the true Dharma throughout immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds in the ten directions. Why is this?

Because all Buddhas of the past, future, and present arise from prajnaparamita such as this. Therefore, Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, that bodhisattva should think: “I too shall attain the Dharma attained by the Buddhas of the past, future, and present.” Therefore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas must diligently train in prajnaparamita such as this. If they diligently train in prajnaparamita such as this, those great bodhisattvas will swiftly realize unsurpassed awakening.

Therefore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas should never depart from the mental attention associated with all-knowing wisdom or from the practice of prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva practices this prajnaparamita in accordance with reality for as brief a time as a finger-snap, the accumulation of merit gained by that great bodhisattva will be exceedingly vast. Suppose someone were to guide all sentient beings throughout the great trichiliocosm, causing them all to abide in generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna; or causing them to abide in liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation; or causing them to abide in the fruits of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat; or causing them to abide in the fruit of a pratyekabuddha.

Although that person would acquire immeasurable merit, it would not equal the merit of that great bodhisattva who practices this prajnaparamita in accordance with reality for as brief a time as a finger-snap. Why is this? Subhuti!

It is because prajnaparamita such as this can produce all generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna; can produce all liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation; can produce the fruits of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat; can produce the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; and can produce the fruit of unsurpassed awakening. All the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones who presently appear throughout immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds in the ten directions appear through prajnaparamita such as this.

All the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones of the past appeared through prajnaparamita such as this. All the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones of the future will appear through prajnaparamita such as this.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva never departs from the mental attention associated with all-knowing wisdom and practices prajnaparamita for a brief moment, or half a day, or one day, or for one month, or one year, or one hundred years, or one kalpa, or one hundred kalpas, or even for innumerable kalpas, the merit gained by that great bodhisattva will be exceedingly vast. It will surpass the merit gained by someone who guides all sentient beings throughout worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions, causing them all to abide in generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna; or causing them to abide in liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation;

or causing them to abide in the fruits of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat; or causing them to abide in the fruit of a pratyekabuddha.

Why is this? Subhuti! It is because this prajnaparamita gives rise to all the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones of the past, future, and present; because it establishes sentient beings in accordance with reality in generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna; because it establishes sentient beings in accordance with reality in liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation; because it establishes sentient beings in accordance with reality in the fruits of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat; because it establishes sentient beings in accordance with reality in the fruit of a pratyekabuddha;

and because it establishes sentient beings in accordance with reality in the fruit of the unsurpassed awakening of the Buddhas.

Therefore, this merit surpasses that merit.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva abides in accordance with what this prajnaparamita teaches, you should know that this great bodhisattva is irreversible, is constantly guarded and kept in mind by all Buddhas, and has accomplished the most excellent skillful means. Having formerly drawn near to and made offerings to immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kotis and nayutas of Buddhas and planted immeasurable, excellent roots of virtue in the presence of those Buddhas, this great bodhisattva, you should know, has been embraced and sustained by immeasurable true spiritual friends.

For a long time, this bodhisattva has cultivated the paramitas of giving, pure ethical discipline, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita; for a long time has abided in the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of that which has no boundary, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of that which is changeless, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of own-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; for a long time has abided in suchness, the dharma-dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the changeless nature, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the reality-limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; for a long time has abided in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; for a long time has cultivated the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations;

for a long time has cultivated the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities; for a long time has cultivated the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path; for a long time has cultivated the liberation-gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; for a long time has cultivated the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

for a long time has cultivated the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; for a long time has cultivated the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; for a long time has cultivated all dharani-gates and all samadhi-gates; and for a long time has cultivated the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects.

You should know that this great bodhisattva abides on the Stage of the Youthful One, and that all this bodhisattva’s aspirations are fulfilled; this bodhisattva constantly encounters all Buddhas and is never separated from them, and is never distant from roots of virtue; always brings all sentient beings to maturity and also constantly purifies Buddha-fields; and, journeying from one Buddha-field to another, reverently makes offerings to all Buddha Bhagavats, listens to, receives, retains, and practices the Dharma of the unsurpassed vehicle.

You should know that this great bodhisattva has attained uninterrupted and inexhaustible eloquence, has attained excellent dharanis, has accomplished the most excellent and subtle physical body, and has received complete predictions of awakening from all Buddhas; according to this bodhisattva’s wishes, in order to liberate sentient beings, this bodhisattva assumes birth in various bodily forms and possesses mastery over them all.

You should know that this great bodhisattva thoroughly understands the gateway of objects, thoroughly understands the gateway of modes of activity, thoroughly understands the gateway of syllables, thoroughly understands the gateway of non-syllables, thoroughly understands speech, thoroughly understands non-speech, thoroughly understands one language, thoroughly understands two languages, thoroughly understands many languages, thoroughly understands the language of males, thoroughly understands the language of females, thoroughly understands the language of those who are neither male nor female, thoroughly understands the language of the past, thoroughly understands the language of the future, thoroughly understands the language of the present, thoroughly understands literary expression,

and thoroughly understands meaning.

You should know that this great bodhisattva thoroughly understands form, thoroughly understands feeling, thoroughly understands perception, thoroughly understands formations, thoroughly understands consciousness, thoroughly understands the skandhas, thoroughly understands the dhatus, thoroughly understands the ayatanas, thoroughly understands dependent arising, thoroughly understands the factors of dependent arising, thoroughly understands the nature of the world, and thoroughly understands the nature of nirvana;

thoroughly understands the characteristic of the dharma-dhatu, thoroughly understands the characteristic of activity, thoroughly understands the characteristic of non-activity, thoroughly understands the characteristic of conditioned phenomena, thoroughly understands the characteristic of unconditioned phenomena, thoroughly understands the characteristic of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena, thoroughly understands the characteristic of characteristics, thoroughly understands the characteristic of non-characteristics, thoroughly understands existence, thoroughly understands nonexistence, thoroughly understands own-nature, thoroughly understands other-nature, thoroughly understands combination, thoroughly understands separation, thoroughly understands combination and separation,

thoroughly understands conjunction, thoroughly understands disjunction, and thoroughly understands conjunction and disjunction; thoroughly understands suchness, thoroughly understands the nature free from falsity, thoroughly understands the changeless nature, thoroughly understands dharma-nature, thoroughly understands the dharma-dhatu, thoroughly understands the certainty of Dharma, thoroughly understands the abiding of Dharma, thoroughly understands the nature of conditions, thoroughly understands the nature of nonconditions, and thoroughly understands the Noble Truths;

thoroughly understands the meditative absorptions, thoroughly understands the immeasurables, thoroughly understands the formless concentrations, thoroughly understands the six paramitas, thoroughly understands the four foundations of mindfulness, thoroughly understands the four right efforts, thoroughly understands the four bases of spiritual power, thoroughly understands the five faculties, thoroughly understands the five powers, thoroughly understands the seven factors of awakening, and thoroughly understands the Noble Eightfold Path; thoroughly understands the eight liberations, thoroughly understands the eight spheres of mastery, thoroughly understands the nine successive concentrations, and thoroughly understands the ten totalities;

thoroughly understands the dharani-gates and thoroughly understands the samadhi-gates; thoroughly understands the liberation-gate of emptiness, thoroughly understands the liberation-gate of signlessness, and thoroughly understands the liberation-gate of wishlessness; thoroughly understands the gateway of all emptinesses; thoroughly understands the five kinds of eyes and thoroughly understands the six superknowledges; thoroughly understands the ten powers of a Buddha, thoroughly understands the four fearlessnesses, thoroughly understands the four unobstructed understandings, thoroughly understands great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity, and thoroughly understands the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha;

thoroughly understands the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and thoroughly understands the nature of constant equanimity; thoroughly understands the knowledge of all things, thoroughly understands the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and thoroughly understands the knowledge of all aspects; thoroughly understands the conditioned realm, thoroughly understands the unconditioned realm, thoroughly understands what is a realm, and thoroughly understands what is not a realm.

You should know that this great bodhisattva thoroughly understands attention directed toward form and thoroughly understands attention directed toward feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; thoroughly understands attention directed toward the eye ayatana and thoroughly understands attention directed toward the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas; thoroughly understands attention directed toward the form ayatana and thoroughly understands attention directed toward the sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental-object ayatanas; thoroughly understands attention directed toward the eye dhatu and thoroughly understands attention directed toward the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus;

thoroughly understands attention directed toward the form dhatu and thoroughly understands attention directed toward the sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental-object dhatus; thoroughly understands attention directed toward the eye-consciousness dhatu and thoroughly understands attention directed toward the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus; thoroughly understands attention directed toward eye-contact and thoroughly understands attention directed toward ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact; thoroughly understands attention directed toward the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition and thoroughly understands attention directed toward the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition;

thoroughly understands attention directed toward the earth dhatu and thoroughly understands attention directed toward the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus; thoroughly understands attention directed toward ignorance and thoroughly understands attention directed toward formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; thoroughly understands attention directed toward the paramita of giving and thoroughly understands attention directed toward the paramitas of pure ethical discipline, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita;

thoroughly understands attention directed toward the emptiness of internal phenomena and thoroughly understands attention directed toward 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, the emptiness of that which has no boundary, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of that which is changeless, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of own-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;

thoroughly knows attention directed to suchness; thoroughly knows attention directed to the dharma-realm, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature apart from arising, the fixed order of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; thoroughly knows attention directed to the Noble Truth of suffering; thoroughly knows attention directed to the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path; thoroughly knows attention directed to the four foundations of mindfulness; thoroughly knows attention directed to the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path;

thoroughly knows attention directed to the four dhyanas; thoroughly knows attention directed to the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations; thoroughly knows attention directed to the eight liberations; thoroughly knows attention directed to the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten spheres of totality; thoroughly knows attention directed to all dharani gateways; thoroughly knows attention directed to all samadhi gateways; thoroughly knows attention directed to the gateway of liberation through emptiness; thoroughly knows attention directed to the gateways of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness; thoroughly knows attention directed to the five kinds of eyes; thoroughly knows attention directed to the six superknowledges;

thoroughly knows attention directed to the Buddha’s ten powers; thoroughly knows attention directed to 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; thoroughly knows attention directed to the quality of never losing mindfulness; thoroughly knows attention directed to the nature of constant equanimity; thoroughly knows attention directed to the knowledge of all things; and thoroughly knows attention directed to the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects.

It should be known that this great bodhisattva thoroughly knows form and the characteristic of emptiness of form; thoroughly knows feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness and the characteristic of emptiness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; thoroughly knows the eye ayatana and the characteristic of emptiness of the eye ayatana; thoroughly knows the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas and the characteristic of emptiness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas; thoroughly knows the form ayatana and the characteristic of emptiness of the form ayatana; thoroughly knows the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas and the characteristic of emptiness of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas;

thoroughly knows the eye dhatu and the characteristic of emptiness of the eye dhatu; thoroughly knows the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus and the characteristic of emptiness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus; thoroughly knows the form dhatu and the characteristic of emptiness of the form dhatu; thoroughly knows the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus and the characteristic of emptiness of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus; thoroughly knows the eye-consciousness dhatu and the characteristic of emptiness of the eye-consciousness dhatu; thoroughly knows the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus and the characteristic of emptiness of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus;

thoroughly knows eye-contact and the characteristic of emptiness of eye-contact; thoroughly knows ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact and the characteristic of emptiness of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact; thoroughly knows the feelings that arise conditioned by eye-contact and the characteristic of emptiness of the feelings that arise conditioned by eye-contact; thoroughly knows the feelings that arise conditioned by ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact and the characteristic of emptiness of the feelings that arise conditioned by ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact; thoroughly knows the earth dhatu and the characteristic of emptiness of the earth dhatu;

thoroughly knows the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus and the characteristic of emptiness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus; thoroughly knows ignorance and the characteristic of emptiness of ignorance; thoroughly knows formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress, and the characteristic of emptiness of formations through aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress; thoroughly knows the perfection of generosity and the characteristic of emptiness of the perfection of generosity;

thoroughly knows the perfections of ethical discipline, patience, energy, dhyana, and prajnaparamita and the characteristic of emptiness of the perfection of ethical discipline through prajnaparamita; thoroughly knows inner emptiness and the characteristic of emptiness of inner emptiness;

thoroughly knows outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, final emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of 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, and the characteristic of emptiness of outer emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; thoroughly knows suchness and the characteristic of emptiness of suchness;

thoroughly knows the dharma-realm, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature apart from arising, the fixed order of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm, and the characteristic of emptiness of the dharma-realm through the inconceivable realm; thoroughly knows the Noble Truth of suffering and the characteristic of emptiness of the Noble Truth of suffering; thoroughly knows the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path and the characteristic of emptiness of the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path; thoroughly knows the four foundations of mindfulness and the characteristic of emptiness of the four foundations of mindfulness;

thoroughly knows the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path and the characteristic of emptiness of the four right efforts through the eightfold noble path; thoroughly knows the four dhyanas and the characteristic of emptiness of the four dhyanas; thoroughly knows the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations and the characteristic of emptiness of the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations; thoroughly knows the eight liberations and the characteristic of emptiness of the eight liberations;

thoroughly knows the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten spheres of totality and the characteristic of emptiness of the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten spheres of totality; thoroughly knows all dharani gateways and the characteristic of emptiness of all dharani gateways; thoroughly knows all samadhi gateways and the characteristic of emptiness of all samadhi gateways; thoroughly knows the gateway of liberation through emptiness and the characteristic of emptiness of the gateway of liberation through emptiness; thoroughly knows the gateways of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness and the characteristic of emptiness of the gateways of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness;

thoroughly knows the five kinds of eyes and the characteristic of emptiness of the five kinds of eyes; thoroughly knows the six superknowledges and the characteristic of emptiness of the six superknowledges; thoroughly knows the Buddha’s ten powers and the characteristic of emptiness of the Buddha’s ten powers; thoroughly knows 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 and the characteristic of emptiness of the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; thoroughly knows the quality of never losing mindfulness and the characteristic of emptiness of the quality of never losing mindfulness;

thoroughly knows the nature of constant equanimity and the characteristic of emptiness of the nature of constant equanimity; thoroughly knows the knowledge of all things and the characteristic of emptiness of the knowledge of all things; thoroughly knows the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects and the characteristic of emptiness of the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects; thoroughly knows the fruit of stream-entry and the characteristic of emptiness of the fruit of stream-entry; thoroughly knows the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship and the characteristic of emptiness of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship;

thoroughly knows the attainment of a pratyekabuddha and the characteristic of emptiness of the attainment of a pratyekabuddha; thoroughly knows all the practices of great bodhisattvas and the characteristic of emptiness of all the practices of great bodhisattvas; and thoroughly knows the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas and the characteristic of emptiness of the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas.

It should be known that this great bodhisattva thoroughly knows the path on which there is rest and the path on which there is no rest; thoroughly knows arising; thoroughly knows cessation; thoroughly knows abiding and change; thoroughly knows greed, hatred, and delusion; thoroughly knows non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion; thoroughly knows views; thoroughly knows what is not a view; thoroughly knows wrong views; thoroughly knows what is not a wrong view; thoroughly knows all views, entanglements, latent tendencies, fetters, and bonds; and thoroughly knows the elimination of all views, entanglements, latent tendencies, fetters, and bonds.

The bodhisattva thoroughly knows name, thoroughly knows form, thoroughly knows name-and-form, thoroughly knows the causal condition, thoroughly knows the immediately antecedent condition, thoroughly knows the objective condition, and thoroughly knows the dominant condition;

thoroughly knows formations, thoroughly knows liberation, thoroughly knows characteristics, thoroughly knows states, thoroughly knows suffering, thoroughly knows its arising, thoroughly knows its cessation, and thoroughly knows the path. He thoroughly knows the hells and the paths leading to the hells; thoroughly knows the animal realm and the paths leading to the animal realm; thoroughly knows the realm of ghosts and the paths leading to the realm of ghosts; thoroughly knows the human realm and the paths leading to the human realm; thoroughly knows the heavenly realms and the paths leading to the heavenly realms; thoroughly knows stream-enterers, the fruit of stream-entry, and the path of stream-entry;

thoroughly knows once-returners, the fruit of once-returning, and the path of once-returning; thoroughly knows non-returners, the fruit of non-returning, and the path of non-returning; thoroughly knows arhats, the fruit of arhatship, and the path of arhatship; thoroughly knows pratyekabuddhas, the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood, and the path of the pratyekabuddha; thoroughly knows great bodhisattvas and the practices of great bodhisattvas; thoroughly knows the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One, and the fruit of supreme awakening; thoroughly knows the knowledge of all things and the path to the knowledge of all things; thoroughly knows the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the path to the knowledge of the aspects of the paths;

thoroughly knows the knowledge of all aspects and the path to the knowledge of all aspects.

He thoroughly knows the faculties, the perfection of the faculties, and the superiority or inferiority of the faculties; thoroughly knows wisdom, swift wisdom, powerful wisdom, keen wisdom, rapid wisdom, penetrating wisdom, vast wisdom, profound wisdom, great wisdom, unequaled wisdom, true wisdom, and precious wisdom. He thoroughly knows the past, the future, and the present; thoroughly knows skillful means, intentions, superior intentions, care for sentient beings, the characteristics of words and meanings, all noble qualities, and the skillful means for establishing the three vehicles.

Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, develops prajnaparamita, and cultivates prajnaparamita, he attains such excellent merits and benefits.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! How should a great bodhisattva practice prajnaparamita? How should he develop prajnaparamita? How should he cultivate prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating form as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the eye ayatana as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the form ayatana as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the eye dhatu as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the form dhatu as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the eye-consciousness dhatu as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating eye-contact as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as their condition as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the earth dhatu as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! A great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating ignorance as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial; he should practice prajnaparamita by contemplating formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress as peaceful, subject to destruction, lacking mastery, false in nature, and insubstantial.

“Subhuti! You asked how a great bodhisattva should develop prajnaparamita. Just as a great bodhisattva develops the emptiness of space, so should he develop prajnaparamita.

“Subhuti! You asked how a great bodhisattva should cultivate prajnaparamita. Just as a great bodhisattva cultivates the emptiness of space, so should he cultivate prajnaparamita.”

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! For how long should a great bodhisattva practice prajnaparamita, develop prajnaparamita, and cultivate prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! From the initial arising of the aspiration until he is seated upon the wondrous seat of awakening, a great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita, develop prajnaparamita, and cultivate prajnaparamita.”

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! In what uninterrupted state of mind should a great bodhisattva abide while practicing prajnaparamita, developing prajnaparamita, and cultivating prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! From the initial arising of the aspiration until he is seated upon the wondrous seat of awakening, a great bodhisattva should not allow any other mental activity to arise, but should constantly abide only in mental activity corresponding to the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom while practicing prajnaparamita, developing prajnaparamita, and cultivating prajnaparamita.

“That great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita in this way, develop prajnaparamita in this way, and cultivate prajnaparamita in this way, until he is able to cause the mind and mental factors not to turn toward objects.”

“Blessed One! By practicing prajnaparamita, developing prajnaparamita, and cultivating prajnaparamita, will a great bodhisattva attain all-knowing wisdom?”

“Subhuti! No!”

– Blessed One! If a great bodhisattva neither practices prajnaparamita, nor takes up prajnaparamita, nor cultivates prajnaparamita, will that bodhisattva attain omniscient knowledge?

– Subhuti! No!

– Blessed One! If a great bodhisattva both practices and does not practice prajnaparamita, both takes up and does not take up prajnaparamita, both cultivates and does not cultivate prajnaparamita, will that bodhisattva attain omniscient knowledge?

– Subhuti! No!

– Blessed One! If a great bodhisattva neither practices nor does not practice prajnaparamita; neither takes up nor does not take up prajnaparamita; neither cultivates nor does not cultivate prajnaparamita, will that bodhisattva attain omniscient knowledge?

– Subhuti! No!

– Blessed One! If so, how will a great bodhisattva attain omniscient knowledge?

– Subhuti! A great bodhisattva will attain omniscient knowledge in conformity with suchness.

– Blessed One! What is suchness?

– Subhuti! It is like the true limit.

– Blessed One! What is the true limit?

– Subhuti! It is like the dharmadhatu.

– Blessed One! What is the dharmadhatu?

– Subhuti! It is like the realm of a self, the realm of a sentient being, the realm of a living being, the realm of one who is born, the realm of one who is nurtured, the realm of one who matures, and the realm of one who transmigrates.

– Blessed One! What are the realm of a self, the realm of a sentient being, the realm of a living being, the realm of one who is born, the realm of one who is nurtured, the realm of one who matures, and the realm of one who transmigrates?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– What do you think? Can a self, a sentient being, a living being, one who is born, one who is nurtured, one who matures, or one who transmigrates be apprehended?

Subhuti replied to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! No!

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Since a self, a sentient being, a living being, one who is born, one who is nurtured, one who matures, and one who transmigrates cannot be apprehended, how could I set forth the realm of a self, the realm of a sentient being, the realm of a living being, the realm of one who is born, the realm of one who is nurtured, the realm of one who matures, or the realm of one who transmigrates? Thus, Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva does not set forth prajnaparamita, nor set forth omniscient knowledge or any dharma, that great bodhisattva will certainly realize omniscient knowledge.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! Is it only prajnaparamita that cannot be set forth, or can the paramitas of meditative concentration, diligence, patient acceptance, pure morality, and generosity also not be set forth?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Not only can prajnaparamita not be set forth, but the paramitas of meditative concentration, diligence, patient acceptance, pure morality, and generosity also cannot be set forth.

Subhuti! Whether the Dharma of the shravakas, the Dharma of the pratyekabuddhas, the Dharma of the bodhisattvas, the Dharma of the Buddhas, conditioned dharmas, or unconditioned dharmas—all such dharmas cannot be set forth.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If no dharma can be set forth, how can such designations as hell beings, animals, beings in the realm of ghosts, humans, devas, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, Buddhas, and all dharmas be established?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! What do you think? Can a designated sentient being or a designated dharma truly be apprehended?

Subhuti replied to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! No!

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a designated sentient being and a designated dharma truly cannot be apprehended, how could I set forth such designations as hell beings, animals, beings in the realm of ghosts, humans, devas, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, Buddhas, and all dharmas? Thus, Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, that bodhisattva should train in the fact that no dharma can be set forth.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in form, nor train in feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the eye ayatana, nor train in the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the form ayatana, nor train in the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and dharma ayatanas?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the eye dhatu, nor train in the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the form dhatu, nor train in the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and dharma dhatus?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the eye-consciousness dhatu, nor train in the ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness dhatus?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in eye-contact, nor train in ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the feelings arising in dependence upon eye-contact, nor train in the feelings arising in dependence upon ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the earth dhatu, nor train in the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in ignorance, nor train in volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the paramita of generosity, nor train in the paramitas of pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the emptiness of the internal, nor train in the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonbeing, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonbeing?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in suchness, nor train in the dharmadhatu, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature separated from arising, the fixed order of dharmas, the abiding order of dharmas, the true limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the Noble Truth of suffering, nor train in the Noble Truths of its origin, its cessation, and the path?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should that bodhisattva then not train in the four foundations of mindfulness, nor train in 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?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the four dhyanas; should they not train in the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the eight liberations; should they not train in the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, and the ten totalities?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the gateway to liberation through emptiness; should they not train in the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the five kinds of eyes; should they not train in the six superknowledges?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the ten powers of a Buddha; should they not train in the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed analytical knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the Dharma of never forgetting; should they not train in the nature of constant equanimity?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the knowledge of all things; should they not train in the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the fruit of stream-entry; should they not train in the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the attainment of a pratyekabuddha?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in all the practices of great bodhisattvas?

Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, should they not train in the unsurpassed awakening of the Buddhas?

Fascicle 359

THE END