大般若波羅蜜多經

05

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

“World-Honored One! If all the factors conducive to bodhi and all forms of bodhi are neither associated nor unassociated, neither united nor dispersed, without form, invisible, nonresistant, and of one characteristic, called signlessness, then how can such factors conducive to bodhi attain bodhi?

“World-Honored One! Dharmas that are neither associated nor unassociated, neither united nor dispersed, without form, invisible, nonresistant, and of one characteristic, called signlessness, cannot adopt or relinquish other dharmas.

“World-Honored One! Just as space neither adopts nor relinquishes any dharma because its own characteristic is empty, so too the own characteristics of all dharmas are empty. Since they neither adopt nor relinquish other dharmas, how can it be said that the factors conducive to bodhi can attain bodhi?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say. Because the own characteristics of all dharmas are empty, there is neither adoption nor relinquishment. Yet sentient beings are unable to comprehend clearly the emptiness of the own characteristics of all dharmas. Therefore, out of compassion for them, it is expediently proclaimed that the factors conducive to bodhi can attain bodhi.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Whether form, or feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness; whether the eye ayatana, or the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas; whether the form ayatana, or the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas; whether the eye dhatu, or the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus; whether the form dhatu, or the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus; whether the eye-consciousness dhatu, or the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus; whether eye-contact, or ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact; whether feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, or feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition;

whether the earth dhatu, or the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus; whether ignorance, or volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress; whether the perfection of generosity, or the perfections of pure ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita;

whether inner emptiness, or outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of the unchanging, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of own-characteristic, emptiness of common characteristic, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the unapprehensible, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, or emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

whether suchness, or the dharma-dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the reality-limit, the realm of space, or the inconceivable realm; whether the first dhyana, or the second, third, and fourth dhyanas; whether immeasurable loving-kindness, or immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; whether the Sphere of Infinite Space, or the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, or the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception;

whether the four establishments of mindfulness, or the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, or the eight factors of the Noble Path; whether the Noble Truth of suffering, or the Noble Truths of its origin, cessation, and the path; whether the emptiness gateway to liberation, or the signlessness and wishlessness gateways to liberation; whether the eight liberations, or the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, or the ten totality spheres; whether all gateways of samadhi, or all gateways of dharani;

whether the Ground of Great Joy, or the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Luminosity, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, or the Dharma-Cloud Ground; whether the five kinds of eyes, or the six superknowledges; whether the ten powers of a Buddha, or the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, or the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; whether great loving-kindness, or great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; whether the quality of never losing mindfulness, or the nature of constant equanimity; whether knowledge of all things, or knowledge of the aspects of the path, or knowledge of all aspects;

whether the fruit of stream-entry, or the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, or the attainment of a pratyekabuddha; whether all the practices of great bodhisattvas; whether the permanent eradication of the entire continuum of habitual tendencies; whether the supreme perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas; or whether the conditioned realm or the unconditioned realm—all such dharmas, within this noble Dharma-Vinaya, are neither associated nor unassociated, neither united nor dispersed, without form, invisible, nonresistant, and of one characteristic, namely signlessness.

For the benefit of all kinds of sentient beings, so that they may gain correct understanding and enter the true characteristic of dharmas, the Buddha teaches according to conventional truth, not according to ultimate truth.

“Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas should train in knowledge and vision concerning all such dharmas. Having trained in knowledge and vision, and having penetrated such dharmas as they truly are, they should adopt those that should be adopted and should not adopt those that should not be adopted.”

“World-Honored One! Regarding which dharmas should great bodhisattvas, after training in knowledge and vision and penetrating them as they truly are, refrain from adopting? And regarding which dharmas should they, after training in knowledge and vision and penetrating them as they truly are, adopt?”

“Subhuti! Regarding the dharmas of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, great bodhisattvas, after training in knowledge and vision and penetrating them as they truly are, should not adopt them. Regarding the dharmas associated with the knowledge of all-knowledge, after training in knowledge and vision and penetrating all their characteristics as they truly are, they should adopt them.

“Subhuti! Within this noble Dharma-Vinaya, great bodhisattvas should train in profound prajnaparamita in this way.”

Then the Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! The Buddha speaks of the noble Dharma-Vinaya. What is called the noble Dharma-Vinaya?”

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti, whether they are shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, great bodhisattvas, or Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, all of them are neither associated nor unassociated with sensual desire, anger, and delusion, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the view of a self, attachment to rules and observances, and doubt, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with craving for sensual pleasures and anger, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with craving for form, craving for the formless, restlessness, conceit, and ignorance, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the first dhyana, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the second, third, and fourth dhyanas, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the immeasurable loving-kindness, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the concentration of the sphere of infinite space, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the concentrations of the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the four foundations of mindfulness, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and eightfold noble path, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the Noble Truth of suffering, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the Noble Truths of origin, cessation, and the path, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the liberation gateway of emptiness, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the eight liberations, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, and ten totalities, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the five kinds of eyes, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the six superknowledges, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the perfection of generosity, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the perfections of ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the emptiness of the internal, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with 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, the emptiness of that which has no boundaries, 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 unattainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with suchness, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the dharmadhatu, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the true limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the Stage of Great Joy, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the Stage of Stainlessness, the Stage of Luminosity, the Stage of Blazing Wisdom, the Stage Difficult to Conquer, the Stage of Presence, the Far-Going Stage, the Immovable Stage, the Stage of Excellent Wisdom, and the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with any gateway of samadhi, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with any gateway of dharani, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the ten powers of a Buddha, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the four fearlessnesses, four unhindered understandings, and eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with great loving-kindness, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the quality of never losing mindfulness, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the nature of constant equanimity, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the knowledge of all things, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects, neither united with nor separated from them; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the conditioned realm, neither united with nor separated from it; they are neither associated nor unassociated with the unconditioned realm, neither united with nor separated from it.

Subhuti, these dharmas are called the Noble Dharma-Vinaya; therefore, they are called the Noble Dharma-Vinaya. Why is this? Subhuti, it is because all these dharmas have no form, are invisible, offer no resistance, and have the single characteristic called signlessness. The noble ones directly perceive them as they truly are.

Subhuti, that which has no form is neither associated nor unassociated with that which has no form, neither united with nor separated from it; that which is invisible is neither associated nor unassociated with that which is invisible, neither united with nor separated from it; that which offers no resistance is neither associated nor unassociated with that which offers no resistance, neither united with nor separated from it; and that which has a single characteristic is likewise neither associated nor unassociated with that which has a single characteristic, neither united with nor separated from it.

Subhuti, great bodhisattvas should constantly train in this profound prajnaparamita, which has no form, is invisible, offers no resistance, has a single characteristic, and is signless. Having trained in it, they do not apprehend the characteristics of any dharma.

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

“Blessed One! Should a great bodhisattva learn the characteristics of form, and should they also learn the characteristics of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? Should they learn the characteristics of the eye ayatana, and should they also learn the characteristics of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas?

Should they learn the characteristics of the form ayatana, and should they also learn the characteristics of the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and dharma ayatanas? Should they learn the characteristics of the eye dhatu, and should they also learn the characteristics of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus? Should they learn the characteristics of the form dhatu, and should they also learn the characteristics of the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and dharma dhatus?

Should they learn the characteristics of the eye-consciousness dhatu, and should they also learn the characteristics of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus? Should they learn the characteristics of eye-contact, and should they also learn the characteristics of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact? Should they learn the characteristics of feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, and should they also learn the characteristics of feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition?

Should they learn the characteristics of the earth dhatu, and should they also learn the characteristics of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus? Should they learn the characteristics of ignorance, and should they also learn the characteristics of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress?

Should they learn the characteristics of the perfection of generosity, and should they also learn the characteristics of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and prajnaparamita? Should they learn the characteristics of inner emptiness, and should they also learn the characteristics of outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of non-change, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the ungraspable, emptiness of nonexistence,

emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence?

Should they learn the characteristics of suchness, and should they also learn the characteristics of the dharma-dhatu, 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 dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm? Should they learn the characteristics of the first dhyana, and should they also learn the characteristics of the second, third, and fourth dhyanas?

Should they learn the characteristics of immeasurable loving-kindness, and should they also learn the characteristics of immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity? Should they learn the characteristics of the Sphere of Infinite Space, and should they also learn the characteristics of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception? Should they learn the characteristics of the four foundations of mindfulness, and should they also learn the characteristics of the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eightfold noble path?

Should they learn the characteristics of the emptiness gateway to liberation, and should they also learn the characteristics of the signless and wishless gateways to liberation? Should they learn the characteristics of the Noble Truth of suffering, and should they also learn the characteristics of the Noble Truths of its origin, cessation, and the path? Should they learn the characteristics of the eight liberations, and should they also learn the characteristics of the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive absorptions, and ten totalities?

Should they learn the characteristics of the five kinds of eyes, and should they also learn the characteristics of the six superknowledges? Should they learn the characteristics of all samadhi gateways, and should they also learn the characteristics of all dharani gateways? Should they learn the characteristics of the Ground of Utmost Joy, and should they also learn the characteristics of the Ground Free from Defilement, the Luminous Ground, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Extremely Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Direct Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Dharma-Cloud Ground?

Should they learn the characteristics of the Buddha’s ten powers, and should they also learn the characteristics of the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, and eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha? Should they learn the characteristics of great loving-kindness, and should they also learn the characteristics of great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity? Should they learn the characteristics of the dharma of never losing mindfulness, and should they also learn the characteristics of constant equanimity?

Should they learn the characteristics of the knowledge of all things, and should they also learn the characteristics of the knowledge of path aspects and the knowledge of all aspects? Should they learn the characteristics of the fruit of stream-entry, and should they also learn the characteristics of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha? Should they learn the characteristics of all the practices of great bodhisattvas, and should they also learn the characteristics of the unsurpassed awakening of the Buddhas?

Should they learn the characteristics of knowing suffering, abandoning its origin, realizing cessation, and cultivating the path, and should they also learn the characteristics of contemplating dependent origination in the forward and reverse orders? Should they learn the characteristics of all noble beings, and should they also learn the characteristics of all noble dharmas? Should they learn the characteristics of the conditioned realm, and should they also learn the characteristics of the unconditioned realm?

“Blessed One! If great bodhisattvas do not learn the characteristics of dharmas in this way, neither should they learn the characteristics of their modes of practice. Since great bodhisattvas would be unable to learn either the characteristics of dharmas or the characteristics of their modes of practice, how could they surpass all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas?

If they could not surpass all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, how could they enter the bodhisattva’s certainty of freedom from arising? If they did not enter the bodhisattva’s certainty of freedom from arising, how could they attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom? If they could not attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, how could they turn the wheel of the true Dharma?

If they could not turn the wheel of the true Dharma, how could they establish sentient beings in the Dharma of the Shravaka Vehicle, the Dharma of the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or the Dharma of the Unsurpassed Vehicle, causing them to be liberated from the boundless sufferings of birth and death?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! If all dharmas truly possessed characteristics, great bodhisattvas should learn them. Yet because all dharmas truly possess no characteristics, are without form, invisible, unobstructed, and have a single characteristic—namely, no characteristic—great bodhisattvas therefore learn neither dharmas with characteristics nor dharmas without characteristics. Why? Subhuti! Whether a Tathagata appears in the world or does not appear in the world, the dharma-dhatu constantly abides, and all dharmas have a single characteristic—namely, no characteristic. Such absence of characteristics is neither characteristic nor absence of characteristics.”

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If all dharmas are neither characterized by existence nor characterized by nonexistence, and therefore are neither of one characteristic nor of different characteristics, then how can a great bodhisattva cultivate prajnaparamita? If one cannot cultivate prajnaparamita, how can one surpass all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas? If one cannot surpass all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, how can one enter the bodhisattva's certainty of attaining the unconditioned? If one cannot enter the bodhisattva's certainty of attaining the unconditioned, how can one transcend the bodhisattva's patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas? If one does not transcend the bodhisattva's patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, how can one develop a bodhisattva's supernormal powers? If one cannot develop a bodhisattva's supernormal powers, how can one bring sentient beings to maturity and purify Buddha-fields? If one cannot bring sentient beings to maturity and purify Buddha-fields, how can one attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom? If one cannot attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, how can one turn the wheel of the true Dharma? If one cannot turn the wheel of the true Dharma, one should be unable to establish sentient beings in the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or arhatship; one should also be unable to establish sentient beings in the fruition of a pratyekabuddha; one should also be unable to establish sentient beings in the fruition of unsurpassed awakening; and one should also be unable to establish sentient beings in the meritorious practice of giving, the meritorious practice of moral discipline, or the meritorious practice of cultivation, through which they will enjoy wealth, happiness, and freedom among gods and humans.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say: all dharmas are neither characterized by existence nor characterized by nonexistence, and are neither of one characteristic nor of different characteristics. If a great bodhisattva knows that all dharmas—whether characterized by existence or nonexistence, whether of one characteristic or different characteristics—are all alike in having a single characteristic, namely, no characteristic, then cultivating this absence of characteristics is cultivating prajnaparamita.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! Why is a great bodhisattva's cultivation of this absence of characteristics the cultivation of prajnaparamita?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of all dharmas, that is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

– Blessed One! How is a great bodhisattva's cultivation of the relinquishment of all dharmas the cultivation of prajnaparamita?

– Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of form and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye ayatana and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the form ayatana and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object ayatanas, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye dhatu and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the form dhatu and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object dhatus, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye-consciousness dhatu and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of eye-contact and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as their condition, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the earth dhatu and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the causal condition and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the predominant condition, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of ignorance and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of ayuha and niryūha and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of contemplation of impurity and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the first dhyana and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the second, third, and fourth dhyanas, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the immeasurable loving-kindness and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the attainment of the sphere of infinite space and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the attainments of the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of mindfulness of the Buddha and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of mindfulness of the Dharma, mindfulness of the Sangha, mindfulness of moral discipline, mindfulness of relinquishment, mindfulness of deities, mindfulness of skillful means, mindfulness of the absence of skillful means, mindfulness of peacefulness, and mindfulness of the inhalation and exhalation of the breath, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the perception of impermanence and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the perception that the impermanent is suffering, the perception that suffering is non-self, the perception of impurity, the perception of the repulsiveness of food, the perception that nothing in the entire world is delightful, the perception of death, the perception of abandonment, the perception of dispassion, and the perception of cessation, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the perception of a self and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the perception of a sentient being, the perception of a living being, the perception of one who is nurtured, the perception of one who matures, the perception of one who transmigrates, the perception of a mind-born being, the perception of a youth, the perception of an agent, the perception of one who causes others to act, the perception of one who personally experiences karmic results, the perception of one who causes others to experience karmic results, the perception of a knower, the perception of one who causes others to know, the perception of a seer,

and the perception of one who causes others to see, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the perceptions of permanence and non-permanence and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if one cultivates the relinquishment of the perceptions of happiness and non-happiness, self and non-self, purity and non-purity, detachment and non-detachment, and peacefulness and non-peacefulness, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the four foundations of mindfulness and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the gateway to liberation of emptiness and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the gateways to liberation of signlessness and wishlessness, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eight liberations and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten universal spheres, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the samadhi accompanied by initial and sustained application of thought and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the samadhi without initial application but with sustained application of thought, and the samadhi without either initial or sustained application of thought, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the noble truth of suffering and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the noble truths of the origin, cessation, and path, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the knowledge of suffering and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the knowledge of the origin, the knowledge of cessation, the knowledge of the path, the knowledge of exhaustion, the knowledge of non-arising, the knowledge of Dharma, the subsequent knowledge, conventional knowledge, the knowledge of others’ minds, and knowledge in accordance with reality, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the perfection of generosity and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the perfections of pure moral discipline, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the emptiness of internal phenomena and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of 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 nonexistence of self-nature, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the Stage of Great Joy and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the Stage of Stainlessness, the Stage of Luminosity, the Stage of Blazing Wisdom, the Stage Difficult to Conquer, the Stage of Direct Presence, the Stage of Far Progression, the Immovable Stage, the Stage of Excellent Wisdom, and the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the five kinds of eyes and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the six superknowledges and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the ten powers of a Buddha and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of great loving-kindness and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the quality of never losing mindfulness and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the nature of constant equanimity and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of all gateways to samadhi and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of all gateways to dharani and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the knowledge of all phenomena and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the fruit of stream-entry and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha, and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of all the practices of a great bodhisattva and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the permanent elimination of the entire continuum of the habitual tendencies of the afflictions and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the conditioned realm and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the unconditioned realm and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

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

“Blessed One, how is it that when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of form and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; and when he cultivates the relinquishment of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he conceives that form exists and that the relinquishment of this cultivation exists, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he conceives that feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness exist and that the relinquishment of this cultivation exists, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti, it is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by means of any conception of existence.

Therefore, Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of form and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.”

“Blessed One, how is it that when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye ayatana and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; and when he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he conceives that the eye ayatana exists and that the relinquishment of this cultivation exists, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he conceives that the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas exist and that the relinquishment of this cultivation exists, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti, it is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by means of any conception of existence.

Therefore, Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye ayatana and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.”

“Blessed One, how is it that when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the form ayatana and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; and when he cultivates the relinquishment of the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and mental-object ayatanas and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he conceives that the form ayatana exists and that the relinquishment of this cultivation exists, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he conceives that the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and mental-object ayatanas exist and that the relinquishment of this cultivation exists, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti, it is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by means of any conception of existence.

Therefore, Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the form ayatana and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and mental-object ayatanas and also relinquishes that cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.”

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva cultivate the relinquishment of the eye dhatu and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita; and cultivate the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he thinks that there is an eye dhatu and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he thinks that there are ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by entertaining notions of existence. Therefore, Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye dhatu and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; when he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva cultivate the relinquishment of the form dhatu and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita; and cultivate the relinquishment of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he thinks that there is a form dhatu and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he thinks that there are sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by entertaining notions of existence. Therefore, Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the form dhatu and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; when he cultivates the relinquishment of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva cultivate the relinquishment of the eye-consciousness dhatu and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita; and cultivate the relinquishment of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he thinks that there is an eye-consciousness dhatu and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he thinks that there are ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by entertaining notions of existence. Therefore, Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye-consciousness dhatu and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; when he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva cultivate the relinquishment of eye-contact and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita; and cultivate the relinquishment of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he thinks that there is eye-contact and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he thinks that there is ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by entertaining notions of existence. Therefore, Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of eye-contact and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; when he cultivates the relinquishment of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva cultivate the relinquishment of the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita; and cultivate the relinquishment of the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as their condition and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he thinks that there are feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he thinks that there are feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as their condition and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by entertaining notions of existence. Therefore, Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; when he cultivates the relinquishment of the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as their condition and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva cultivate the relinquishment of the earth dhatu and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita; and cultivate the relinquishment of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he thinks that there is an earth dhatu and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he thinks that there are water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by entertaining notions of existence. Therefore, Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the earth dhatu and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; when he cultivates the relinquishment of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva cultivate the relinquishment of the causal condition and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita; and cultivate the relinquishment of the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition and also relinquish this cultivation, thereby cultivating prajnaparamita?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if he thinks that there is a causal condition and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita; if he thinks that there are the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition and that there is the relinquishment of this cultivation, then he is not cultivating prajnaparamita. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because prajnaparamita cannot be cultivated by entertaining notions of existence. Therefore, Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the causal condition and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita; when he cultivates the relinquishment of the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition and also relinquishes this cultivation, this is the cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Fascicle 370

THE END