大般若波羅蜜多經

02

A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the feelings that arise conditioned by eye-contact; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the feelings that arise conditioned by ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the feelings that arise conditioned by eye-contact, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the feelings that arise conditioned by mind-contact, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated.

A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the earth dhatu; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the earth dhatu, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the consciousness dhatu, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated.

A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the causal condition; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, or the predominant condition. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the causal condition, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the predominant condition, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated.

A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate ignorance; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or distress. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of ignorance, up to and including the intrinsic nature of aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated.

A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the perfection of giving; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the perfections of moral discipline, patient endurance, diligence, meditation, or prajnaparamita. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the perfection of giving, up to and including the intrinsic nature of prajnaparamita, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated.

A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the emptiness of internal phenomena; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate 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,

or the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the emptiness of internal phenomena, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the four foundations of mindfulness; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, or Noble Eightfold Path.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the four foundations of mindfulness, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the Noble Eightfold Path, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the gateway to liberation through emptiness; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the gateways to liberation through signlessness or wishlessness.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the gateway to liberation through emptiness, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the gateway to liberation through wishlessness, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the Noble Truth of suffering; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, or path.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the Noble Truth of suffering, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the Noble Truth of the path, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the four meditative absorptions; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the four immeasurables or four formless attainments.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the four meditative absorptions, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the four formless attainments, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the eight liberations; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, or ten totalities.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the eight liberations, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the ten totalities, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate any gateway of samadhi; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate any gateway of dharani.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of every gateway of samadhi and the intrinsic nature of every gateway of dharani cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the Stage of Great Joy; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the Stage of Stainlessness, the Stage of Radiance, the Stage of Blazing Wisdom, the Stage Difficult to Conquer, the Stage of Direct Presence, the Stage of Far-Reaching, the Stage of Immovability, the Stage of Excellent Wisdom, or the Stage of the Dharma Cloud.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the Stage of Great Joy, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the five kinds of eyes; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the six superknowledges.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the five kinds of eyes and the intrinsic nature of the six superknowledges cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the ten powers of a Buddha; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the ten powers of a Buddha, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the quality of never losing mindfulness; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the nature of constant equanimity.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the quality of never losing mindfulness and the intrinsic nature of the nature of constant equanimity cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the knowledge of all things; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the knowledge of the aspects of the paths or the knowledge of all aspects.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the knowledge of all things, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the knowledge of all aspects, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the fruit of stream-entry; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the fruit of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, or the attainment of a pratyekabuddha.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the fruit of stream-entry, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the attainment of a pratyekabuddha, cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated. A great bodhisattva does not engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate any practice of a great bodhisattva; nor does a great bodhisattva engage in, attain, speak of, or indicate the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of all the practices of a great bodhisattva and the intrinsic nature of the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas cannot be engaged in, attained, spoken of, or indicated.

A great bodhisattva takes such non-engagement, non-attainment, non-discourse, and non-indication as non-apprehension; and this very non-apprehension is called freedom from arising.

Subhuti! This is called the arising and the freedom from arising of a great bodhisattva. Having entered the stage of the certainty of the rightly established, which is free from arising, the great bodhisattva perfects all dhyanas, liberations, samadhis, and meditative attainments.

That great bodhisattva is not reborn under the power of meditative concentration, much less under the power of afflictions such as greed and the like. It is impossible for that great bodhisattva, while abiding herein, to perform various karmic actions and, through the force of karma, be born into the four dhyanas and wander through the various destinies. Although that great bodhisattva abides amid formations that are like illusions and truly performs beneficial deeds for sentient beings, he apprehends neither illusion nor sentient beings.

While cultivating sentient beings and purifying Buddha-fields amid such phenomena in which nothing is apprehended, that great bodhisattva swiftly realizes unsurpassed awakening, turns the wondrous Dharma wheel, and liberates immeasurable beings.

Subhuti! In this way, by practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva can swiftly perfect the signless perfection of dhyana. Through swiftly perfecting this perfection of dhyana, he quickly realizes unsurpassed awakening, turns the wondrous Dharma wheel, and liberates immeasurable beings. Such a Dharma wheel is called non-apprehension; it is also called emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and it can bring boundless benefit to sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When practicing profound prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva abides in the five appropriated skandhas as being like a dream, like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like an illusory city, and like a magical transformation, and perfects prajnaparamita. Having known in accordance with reality that all dharmas are like a dream, like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like an illusory city, and like a magical transformation, that great bodhisattva can perfect signless prajnaparamita.

Then the Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva know in accordance with reality that all dharmas are like a dream, like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like an illusory city, and like a magical transformation?”

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, they do not perceive a dream, nor do they perceive one who sees a dream; they do not hear an echo, nor do they perceive one who hears an echo; they do not perceive a reflection, nor do they perceive one who sees a reflection; they do not perceive an image in a mirror, nor do they perceive one who sees an image in a mirror; they do not perceive a mirage, nor do they perceive one who sees a mirage; they do not perceive an illusion, nor do they perceive one who sees an illusion; they do not perceive a phantom city, nor do they perceive one who sees a phantom city; they do not perceive a magical transformation, nor do they perceive one who sees a magical transformation. Why? Because dreams and those who see dreams, echoes and those who hear echoes, reflections and those who see reflections, images in mirrors and those who see images in mirrors, mirages and those who see mirages, illusions and those who see illusions, phantom cities and those who see phantom cities, magical transformations and those who see magical transformations are all inverted attachments of foolish ordinary beings. Arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and all Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones, do not perceive dreams, nor do they perceive those who see dreams; they do not hear echoes, nor do they perceive those who hear echoes; they do not perceive reflections, nor do they perceive those who see reflections; they do not perceive images in mirrors, nor do they perceive those who see images in mirrors; they do not perceive mirages, nor do they perceive those who see mirages; they do not perceive illusions, nor do they perceive those who see illusions; they do not perceive phantom cities, nor do they perceive those who see phantom cities; they do not perceive magical transformations, nor do they perceive those who see magical transformations. Why? Because all dharmas take the absence of intrinsic nature as their intrinsic nature; they are neither established nor real, are signless and unconditioned, have no truly existent nature, and are nirvana … If all dharmas take the absence of intrinsic nature as their intrinsic nature; are neither established nor real, are signless and unconditioned, have no truly existent nature, and are nirvana, and so forth … then why, when practicing prajnaparamita, would a great bodhisattva conceive all dharmas as possessing intrinsic nature, as established, as real, as having signs, as conditioned, as having truly existent nature, and as not quiescent? It is impossible for such conceptions to arise. Why? If all dharmas possessed even the slightest intrinsic nature, were established, real, possessed signs, were conditioned, possessed true nature, and were not quiescent, and if these could be apprehended, then the profound prajnaparamita that is practiced would not be prajnaparamita. Thus, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not become attached to form and does not become attached to feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; does not become attached to the eye ayatana and does not become attached to the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana; does not become attached to the form ayatana and does not become attached to the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma ayatana; does not become attached to the eye dhatu and does not become attached to the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu; does not become attached to the form dhatu and does not become attached to the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma dhatu; does not become attached to the eye-consciousness dhatu and does not become attached to the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu; does not become attached to eye-contact and does not become attached to ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact; does not become attached to feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition and does not become attached to feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as their condition; does not become attached to the earth dhatu and does not become attached to the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu; does not become attached to the causal condition and does not become attached to the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, or the predominant condition; does not become attached to dharmas arising from conditions; does not become attached to ignorance and does not become attached to formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, or distress; does not become attached to the Desire Realm and does not become attached to the Form or Formless Realm; does not become attached to the four dhyanas and does not become attached to the four immeasurables or the four formless absorptions; does not become attached to the four foundations of mindfulness and does not become attached to the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, or the Noble Eightfold Path; does not become attached to the liberation gateway of emptiness and does not become attached to the liberation gateways of signlessness or wishlessness; does not become attached to the Noble Truth of suffering and does not become attached to the Noble Truths of its origin, cessation, or the path; does not become attached to the paramita of generosity and does not become attached to the paramitas of ethical discipline, patient acceptance, diligence, dhyana, or prajnaparamita; does not become attached to the emptiness of the internal and does not become attached to 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 nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, or the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; does not become attached to suchness and does not become attached to the dharma-dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the true limit, the realm of space, or the inconceivable realm; does not become attached to the eight liberations and does not become attached to the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, or the ten totalities; does not become attached to any samadhi gateway and does not become attached to any dharani gateway; does not become attached to the Ground of Great Joy and does not become attached to the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Luminosity, the Ground of Radiant Wisdom, the Ground Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Direct Presence, the Ground Far-Going, the Ground Immovable, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, or the Ground of the Dharma Cloud; does not become attached to the five kinds of eyes and does not become attached to the six superknowledges; does not become attached to the ten powers of a Buddha and does not become attached to the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; does not become attached to the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and does not become attached to the nature of constant equanimity; does not become attached to the knowledge of all things and does not become attached to the knowledge of the aspects of the paths or the knowledge of all aspects; does not become attached to the fruit of stream-entry and does not become attached to the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, or the attainment of a pratyekabuddha; does not become attached to any practice of a great bodhisattva and does not become attached to the supreme awakening of the Buddhas. When that great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, because they are unattached, they can perfect the first ground without giving rise to attachment within it. Why? Since the great bodhisattva does not apprehend the first ground, how could they give rise to attachment within it? Because they are unattached, they can perfect the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth grounds without giving rise to attachment within them. Why? Since that great bodhisattva does not apprehend the second through the tenth grounds, how could they give rise to attachment within them? Although that great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, they do not apprehend prajnaparamita; because they do not apprehend prajnaparamita, they also do not apprehend any dharma. Although they contemplate that prajnaparamita encompasses all dharmas, they attain absolutely nothing in regard to those dharmas. Why? Because such dharmas and this prajnaparamita are neither two nor different. Why?

Because the nature of all dharmas cannot be differentiated, it is called suchness; it is called the dharma realm, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the fixed order of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm, because the meanings of these dharmas are unmixed and undifferentiated.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! If the nature of all dharmas is entirely unmixed and undifferentiated, how can they be described as wholesome or unwholesome, contaminated or uncontaminated, worldly or supramundane, conditioned or unconditioned, together with immeasurable Dharma gateways such as these?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? Within the true nature of all dharmas, is there any dharma that can be described as wholesome or unwholesome, contaminated or uncontaminated, worldly or supramundane, conditioned or unconditioned, and so forth, up to the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, the practices of great bodhisattvas, or the unsurpassed perfect awakening of the Buddhas?”

Subhuti replied:

“No, World-Honored One! No, Sugata!”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, for this reason you should know that all dharmas are unmixed and undifferentiated, without characteristics, without arising, without cessation, unobstructed, inexpressible, and indemonstrable. Subhuti, you should know that when I formerly cultivated the bodhisattva path, I had absolutely no attainment whatsoever regarding the intrinsic nature of dharmas—whether form; feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; the eye ayatana; the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana; the form ayatana; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma ayatana; the eye dhatu; the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu; the form dhatu; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma dhatu; the eye-consciousness dhatu; the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu;

eye-contact; ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact; feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact; feelings arising conditioned by ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact; the earth dhatu; the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu; the causal condition; the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, or the dominant condition; dharmas arisen through conditions; ignorance; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress; the Desire Realm; the Form Realm or Formless Realm; the wholesome or unwholesome; the contaminated or uncontaminated; the worldly or supramundane; the conditioned or unconditioned;

and so forth, up to the fruit of stream-entry; the fruit of once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship; the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; the practices of great bodhisattvas; or the unsurpassed perfect awakening of the Buddhas.

Regarding the intrinsic nature of all such dharmas, there was no attainment whatsoever.

“Subhuti, in this way, a great bodhisattva who cultivates prajnaparamita, from the first arousal of the aspiration until seated upon the wondrous seat of enlightenment and about to realize unsurpassed perfect awakening, should always skillfully know the intrinsic nature of all dharmas. If one always skillfully knows the intrinsic nature of all dharmas, one can skillfully purify the path to great enlightenment, perfect the bodhisattva practices, bring sentient beings to maturity, adorn and purify Buddha-fields, abide in that Dharma, swiftly realize unsurpassed perfect awakening, turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, and, through the skillful means of the Dharma of the three vehicles, tame all kinds of sentient beings and enable them swiftly to attain liberation from the three realms.

“Subhuti, in this way, a great bodhisattva should, using non-attainment as skillful means, train in prajnaparamita and thereby swiftly perfect all Buddha-dharmas.

LXVIII. CHAPTER ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF MERITORIOUS QUALITIES

01

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! Since dharmas are like dreams, echoes, reflected images, shadows, mirages, illusions, illusory cities, and magical transformations; since they are wholly devoid of real existence, have non-nature as their intrinsic nature, and are empty of their own characteristics—how can they nevertheless be established as wholesome or unwholesome, contaminated or uncontaminated, worldly or supramundane, conditioned or unconditioned, and so forth, up to the fruit of stream-entry and one capable of realizing the fruit of stream-entry; the fruit of once-returning and one capable of realizing the fruit of once-returning; the fruit of non-returning and one capable of realizing the fruit of non-returning; the fruit of arhatship and one capable of realizing the fruit of arhatship;

the fruit of a pratyekabuddha and one capable of realizing the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; the unsurpassed perfect awakening of the Buddhas and one capable of realizing the unsurpassed perfect awakening of the Buddhas?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Foolish ordinary beings in the world perceive dreams and those who perceive dreams; hear echoes and perceive those who hear echoes; perceive reflected images and those who perceive reflected images; perceive shadows and those who perceive shadows; perceive mirages and those who perceive mirages; perceive illusions and those who perceive illusions; perceive illusory cities and those who perceive illusory cities; and perceive magical transformations and those who perceive magical transformations.

After these foolish, unlearned ordinary beings perceive dreams and those who perceive dreams; hear echoes and perceive those who hear echoes; perceive reflected images and those who perceive reflected images; perceive shadows and those who perceive shadows; perceive mirages and those who perceive mirages; perceive illusions and those who perceive illusions; perceive illusory cities and those who perceive illusory cities; and perceive magical transformations and those who perceive magical transformations, they mistakenly cling to them and perform wholesome and unwholesome deeds of body, speech, and mind, as well as meritorious, non-meritorious, and imperturbable deeds of body, speech, and mind.

Because of those deeds, they pass back and forth through birth and death, revolving endlessly in samsara.”

Great bodhisattvas who cultivate the profound prajnaparamita contemplate ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness, abide in those two kinds of emptiness—ultimate and boundless—and, for the sake of those sentient beings, proclaim the true Dharma, saying: You should know that form is empty, without self or what belongs to a self; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; the eye ayatana is empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; the form ayatana is empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas are empty, without self or what belongs to a self;

the eye dhatu is empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; the form dhatu is empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; the eye-consciousness dhatu is empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; eye-contact is empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are empty, without self or what belongs to a self;

the feelings arising in dependence upon eye-contact are empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and the feelings arising in dependence upon ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; the earth dhatu is empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and the water, fire, air, space, and consciousness dhatus are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; the causal condition is empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and the immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, and dominant condition are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; all dharmas arising from these conditions are empty, without self or what belongs to a self;

ignorance is empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; conditioned dharmas with outflows are empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and uncontaminated dharmas are empty, without self or what belongs to a self; conditioned dharmas are empty, without self or what belongs to a self, and unconditioned dharmas are empty, without self or what belongs to a self.

They further say: You should know that form is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. Form is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

The eye ayatana is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. The eye ayatana is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

The form ayatana is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. The form ayatana is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

The eye dhatu is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. The eye dhatu is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

The form dhatu is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. The form dhatu is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

The eye-consciousness dhatu is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. The eye-consciousness dhatu is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

Eye-contact is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. Eye-contact is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

The feelings arising in dependence upon eye-contact are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the feelings arising in dependence upon ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. The feelings arising in dependence upon eye-contact are like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the feelings arising in dependence upon ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

The earth dhatu is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the water, fire, air, space, and consciousness dhatus are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. The earth dhatu is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the water, fire, air, space, and consciousness dhatus are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

The causal condition is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, and dominant condition are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. The causal condition is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; the immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, and dominant condition are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

Dharmas arising from conditions are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; they are like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. Ignorance is like a dream and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature.

Ignorance is like an echo, like an image, like a reflection, like a mirage, like an illusion, like a phantom city, and like a magical transformation, and is wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; formations and so forth, up to aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress, are like an echo and so forth, up to being like a magical transformation, and are wholly devoid of intrinsic nature. Dharmas with outflows are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature; uncontaminated dharmas are like dreams and wholly devoid of intrinsic nature;

conditioned by outflows are like echoes, like images, like shadows, like mirages, like illusions, like illusory cities, and like magical transformations, being entirely devoid of intrinsic nature; phenomena free from outflows are like echoes, up to and including magical transformations, being entirely devoid of intrinsic nature. Conditioned phenomena are like dreams, being entirely devoid of intrinsic nature; unconditioned phenomena are like dreams, being entirely devoid of intrinsic nature.

Conditioned phenomena are like echoes, like images, like shadows, like mirages, like illusions, like illusory cities, and like magical transformations, being entirely devoid of intrinsic nature; unconditioned phenomena are like echoes, up to and including magical transformations, being entirely devoid of intrinsic nature.

They further say: “You should know that herein there is no form, nor are there feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; there is no eye ayatana, nor are there ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatanas; there is no form ayatana, nor are there sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or Dharma ayatanas; there is no eye dhatu, nor are there ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatus; there is no form dhatu, nor are there sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or Dharma dhatus; there is no eye-consciousness dhatu, nor are there ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatus; there is no eye-contact, nor are there ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact;

there are no feelings produced with eye-contact as condition, nor are there feelings produced with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition; there is no earth dhatu, nor are there water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatus; there is no causal condition, nor are there immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, or dominant condition; there are no phenomena produced by conditions; there is no ignorance, nor are there formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or affliction; there are no phenomena with outflows, nor are there phenomena free from outflows; there are no conditioned phenomena, nor are there unconditioned phenomena;

there is no dream, nor anyone who sees a dream; there is no echo, nor anyone who hears an echo; there is no image, nor anyone who sees an image; there is no shadow, nor anyone who sees a shadow; there is no mirage, nor anyone who sees a mirage; there is no illusion, nor anyone who sees an illusion; there is no illusory city, nor anyone who sees an illusory city; there is no magical transformation, nor anyone who sees a magical transformation.”

They further say: “You should know that all these phenomena have no true existence and take the absence of intrinsic nature as their intrinsic nature. Because of the power of your false discrimination, where there is no form you see form; where there are no feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, you see feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Where there is no eye ayatana, you see an eye ayatana; where there are no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatanas, you see ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas.

Where there is no form ayatana, you see a form ayatana; where there are no sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or Dharma ayatanas, you see sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and Dharma ayatanas. Where there is no eye dhatu, you see an eye dhatu; where there are no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatus, you see ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus. Where there is no form dhatu, you see a form dhatu; where there are no sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or Dharma dhatus, you see sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and Dharma dhatus.

Where there is no eye-consciousness dhatu, you see an eye-consciousness dhatu; where there are no ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatus, you see ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus. Where there is no eye-contact, you see eye-contact; where there are no ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact, you see ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact. Where there are no feelings produced with eye-contact as condition, you see feelings produced with eye-contact as condition; where there are no feelings produced with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition, you see feelings produced with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition.

Where there is no earth dhatu, you see an earth dhatu; where there are no water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatus, you see water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus. Where there is no causal condition, you see a causal condition; where there are no immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, or dominant condition, you see immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, and dominant condition.

Where there are no phenomena produced from conditions, you see phenomena produced from conditions. Where there is no ignorance, you see ignorance; where there are no formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or affliction, you see formations, up to and including aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and affliction.

Where there are no phenomena with outflows, you see phenomena with outflows; where there are no phenomena free from outflows, you see phenomena free from outflows. Where there are no conditioned phenomena, you see conditioned phenomena; where there are no unconditioned phenomena, you see unconditioned phenomena.”

They further say: “You should know that the nature of all phenomena—the skandhas, dhatus, ayatanas, and so forth—arises from inverted constructions established through the conjunction of various conditions and is subsumed within the various karmic maturations. Why, then, do you conceive these false and unreal phenomena to be truly existent?”

At that time, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita with skillful means, if sentient beings are miserly and covetous, the bodhisattva rescues them through skillful means and causes them to abandon miserliness and covetousness. After those sentient beings have abandoned miserliness and covetousness, the bodhisattva teaches them to cultivate the perfection of generosity. Through generosity, those sentient beings acquire great wealth and enjoy prosperity, honor, and freedom.

The bodhisattva then further rescues them through skillful means and teaches them to cultivate the perfection of pure morality. Through pure morality, those sentient beings are born into fortunate destinies, where they enjoy honor and freedom. The bodhisattva then further rescues them through skillful means and teaches them to cultivate the perfection of patient acceptance.

Through patient acceptance, those sentient beings are able swiftly to attain the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. The bodhisattva then further rescues them through skillful means and teaches them to cultivate the perfection of diligence. Through diligence, those sentient beings no longer regress from wholesome dharmas, until they attain supreme enlightenment.

The bodhisattva then further rescues them through skillful means and teaches them to cultivate the perfection of meditative concentration. Through meditative concentration, those sentient beings are born in the Brahma world and dwell freely in the first dhyana. From the first dhyana, the bodhisattva rescues them through skillful means and further causes them to dwell in the second dhyana.

From the second dhyana, the bodhisattva rescues them through skillful means and causes them to dwell in the third dhyana. From the third dhyana, the bodhisattva rescues them through skillful means and further causes them to dwell in the fourth dhyana. From the fourth dhyana, the bodhisattva rescues them through skillful means and further causes them to dwell in the concentration of the sphere of infinite space.

From the concentration of the sphere of infinite space, the bodhisattva rescues them through skillful means and further causes them to dwell in the concentration of the sphere of infinite consciousness. From the concentration of the sphere of infinite consciousness, the bodhisattva rescues them through skillful means and further causes them to dwell in the concentration of the sphere of nothingness. From the concentration of the sphere of nothingness, the bodhisattva rescues them through skillful means and further causes them to dwell in the concentration of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.

The bodhisattva then further rescues them through skillful means and causes them to dwell in the Three Vehicles; or causes them to dwell in the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path; or causes them to dwell in the Dharma gateways of liberation through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or causes them to dwell in the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities; or causes them to dwell in the dharani gateways and the samadhi gateways; or causes them to dwell in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path;

or causes them to dwell in the perfections of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita; or causes them to dwell in the emptiness of internal dharmas, the emptiness of external dharmas, the emptiness of internal and external dharmas, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-change, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of intrinsic characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of intrinsic nature,

and the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature; or causes them to dwell in 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 certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of empty space, and the inconceivable realm; or causes them to dwell on the Ground of Great Joy, 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 Ground of the Dharma Cloud; or causes them to dwell in the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

or causes them to dwell in 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; or causes them to dwell in the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; or causes them to dwell in the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects.

That great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita with skillful means. If sentient beings are attached to conditioned generosity and its fruit, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder. If sentient beings are attached to conditioned pure morality and its fruit, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder.

If sentient beings are attached to conditioned patient acceptance and its fruit, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder. If sentient beings are attached to conditioned diligence and its fruit, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder.

If sentient beings are attached to conditioned meditative concentration and its fruit, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder. If sentient beings are attached to conditioned prajna and its fruit, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder.

If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and eightfold noble path, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder. If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned Dharma gateways of liberation through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder.

If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned eight liberations, eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder. If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned dharani gateways and samadhi gateways, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder.

If sentient beings are attached to conditioned, unequal contemplation of the four Noble Truths, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder. If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned four dhyanas, four immeasurables, and four formless concentrations, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder.

If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned ten bodhisattva grounds, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder. If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned five kinds of eyes and six superknowledges, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder.

If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned ten powers of a Buddha, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder. If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder.

If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects, the bodhisattva comforts and rescues them through various skillful means and causes them to dwell in the realm of nirvana without remainder.

That great bodhisattva, cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means, perfects the true Dharma that is uncontaminated, formless, invisible, and nonresistant, and abides therein. If sentient beings are fit to attain the fruit of stream-entry, the bodhisattva skillfully delivers them and causes them to abide in the fruit of stream-entry. If sentient beings are fit to attain the fruit of once-returning, the bodhisattva skillfully delivers them and causes them to abide in the fruit of once-returning.

If sentient beings are fit to attain the fruit of non-returning, the bodhisattva skillfully delivers them and causes them to abide in the fruit of non-returning. If sentient beings are fit to attain the fruit of arhatship, the bodhisattva skillfully delivers them and causes them to abide in the fruit of arhatship. If sentient beings are fit to attain the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, the bodhisattva skillfully delivers them and causes them to abide in the fruit of a pratyekabuddha.

If sentient beings are fit to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, the bodhisattva skillfully delivers them, expounds to them the paths of great bodhi, instructs, exhorts, guides, praises, encourages, and congratulates them, and causes them to abide in unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Subhuti, in this way, great bodhisattvas practicing profound prajnaparamita contemplate the twofold emptiness as ultimate and boundless and abide in the twofold emptiness that is ultimate and boundless. Although they know that all dharmas are like dreams, echoes, images, reflections, mirages, illusions, illusory cities, and magical transformations; that they are entirely devoid of true existence; that they all take the absence of intrinsic nature as their intrinsic nature; and that their own characteristics are all empty, they are nevertheless able to establish, without confusion, what is wholesome and unwholesome, contaminated and uncontaminated, mundane and supramundane, conditioned and unconditioned; the fruit of stream-entry and that which realizes the fruit of stream-entry;

the fruit of once-returning and that which realizes the fruit of once-returning; the fruit of non-returning and that which realizes the fruit of non-returning; the fruit of arhatship and that which realizes the fruit of arhatship; the fruit of a pratyekabuddha and that which realizes the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas and that which realizes the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! Great bodhisattvas are exceedingly rare. While practicing profound prajnaparamita, they contemplate the twofold emptiness as ultimate and boundless and abide in the twofold emptiness that is ultimate and boundless. Although they know that all dharmas are like dreams, echoes, images, reflections, mirages, illusions, illusory cities, and magical transformations; that they are entirely devoid of true existence; that they all take the absence of intrinsic nature as their intrinsic nature; and that their own characteristics are all empty, they are nevertheless able to establish, without confusion, what is wholesome and unwholesome, contaminated and uncontaminated, mundane and supramundane, conditioned and unconditioned, and so forth.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. Great bodhisattvas are indeed exceedingly rare. Although, while practicing profound prajnaparamita, they know that all dharmas are by nature empty, ultimate, and boundless, they are nevertheless able to establish what is wholesome, unwholesome, and so forth, without confusion.

“Subhuti! You should know that when great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they possess qualities that are exceedingly rare, which neither shravakas nor pratyekabuddhas possess or can fathom. None of you shravakas or pratyekabuddhas could even respond to the eloquence of the great bodhisattvas, much less could other sentient beings answer them.

Fascicle 379

END