大般若波羅蜜多經

02

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

“Blessed One! If all dharmas are like magical transformations, then the various things magically transformed have no real form, nor any real feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Magical transformations have no real eye ayatana, nor any real ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana.

Magical transformations have no real form ayatana, nor any real sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or dharma ayatana. Magical transformations have no real eye dhatu, nor any real ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu. Magical transformations have no real form dhatu, nor any real sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or dharma dhatu.

Magical transformations have no real eye-consciousness dhatu, nor any real ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu. Magical transformations have no real eye-contact, nor any real ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact. Magical transformations have no real feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, nor any real feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition.

Magical transformations have no real earth dhatu, nor any real water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu. Magical transformations have no real causal condition, nor any real immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, or dominant condition. Magical transformations have no real dharmas arising from conditions.

Magical transformations have no real ignorance, nor any real formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or distress. Magical transformations have no real worldly dharmas, nor any real supramundane dharmas. Magical transformations have no real contaminated dharmas, nor any real uncontaminated dharmas.

Magical transformations have no real conditioned dharmas, nor any real unconditioned dharmas. Magical transformations have no real defiled dharmas, nor any real purified dharmas. Magical transformations have no real wandering through birth and death in the five destinies, nor any real liberation from birth and death in the five destinies.

Why, then, do great bodhisattvas perform the deeds of exalted beings for sentient beings?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? When great bodhisattvas formerly practiced the bodhisattva path, did they perceive any sentient beings who could escape the destinies of hell beings, animals, beings in the realm of ghosts, gods, and humans?”

Subhuti replied:

“No, Blessed One! No, Well-Gone One!”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, so it is! So it is! When great bodhisattvas formerly practiced the bodhisattva path, they did not perceive any sentient being who could escape the three realms. Why is this? Subhuti, it is because whatever great bodhisattvas know, see, and fully comprehend concerning all dharmas is like an illusion and is utterly without real existence.”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! If whatever great bodhisattvas know, see, and fully comprehend concerning all dharmas is like an illusion and is utterly without real existence, then for what purpose do great bodhisattvas cultivate generosity, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita? For what purpose do they cultivate the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations?

For what purpose do they cultivate 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? For what purpose do they cultivate the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness? For what purpose do they cultivate the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities?

For what purpose do they cultivate all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways? For what purpose do they cultivate the Ground of Great Joy, the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Luminousness, 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, and the Dharma Cloud Ground? For what purpose do they cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges?

For what purpose do they cultivate the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha? For what purpose do they cultivate the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity? For what purpose do they cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects?

For what purpose do they cultivate all the practices of great bodhisattvas? For what purpose do they cultivate the supreme perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas? For what purpose do they purify Buddha-fields, and for what purpose do they bring sentient beings to maturity?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, if sentient beings could themselves clearly know that all dharmas are like illusions and are utterly without real existence, then great bodhisattvas should not pass through countless eons practicing the bodhisattva path for the sake of sentient beings. Yet sentient beings cannot themselves know that all dharmas are like illusions and are utterly without real existence. Therefore, great bodhisattvas pass through countless eons practicing the bodhisattva path for the sake of sentient beings.

“Furthermore, Subhuti, if great bodhisattvas did not know in accordance with reality that all dharmas are like illusions and are utterly without real existence, they should not pass through countless eons cultivating bodhisattva practices for the sake of sentient beings, purifying Buddha-fields, and bringing sentient beings to maturity. Because great bodhisattvas clearly know in accordance with reality that all dharmas are like illusions and are utterly without real existence, they pass through countless eons cultivating bodhisattva practices for the sake of sentient beings, purifying Buddha-fields, and bringing sentient beings to maturity.”

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

“Blessed One! If all dharmas are like dreams, illusions, echoes, reflected images, shadows, mirages, magical transformations, and cities of illusion, then where do magically transformed sentient beings abide, that great bodhisattvas practicing profound prajnaparamita may rescue and liberate them?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, magically transformed sentient beings abide in the discriminations of false names and characteristics. Great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita rescue and liberate them from those discriminations of false names and characteristics.”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! What is called a name? What is called a characteristic?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, all names are adventitious, all are provisionally established, and all belong to conventional designation: this is called form; these are called feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; this is called the eye ayatana; these are called the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas; this is called the form ayatana; these are called the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas; this is called the eye dhatu; these are called the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus; this is called the form dhatu; these are called the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus; this is called the eye-consciousness dhatu; these are called the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus; this is called male and this is called female;

this is called small and this is called great; this is called a hell being, this is called an animal, this is called a being in the realm of ghosts, this is called a human, and this is called a god; these are called worldly dharmas and these are called supramundane dharmas; these are called contaminated dharmas and these are called uncontaminated dharmas; these are called conditioned dharmas and these are called unconditioned dharmas; this is called the fruit of stream-entry; these are called the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship; this is called the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; these are called all the practices of great bodhisattvas; this is called the supreme perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas;

this is called an ordinary being, this is called a sravaka, this is called a pratyekabuddha, this is called a bodhisattva, and this is called a Tathagata.”

Subhuti! All such designations are merely conventionally established. Names are posited in order to elucidate meanings; therefore, all names have no real existence. Conditioned dharmas likewise exist only in name, and thus the unconditioned also has no real existence. Foolish ordinary beings cling to them amid their deluded attachments. When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, they employ skillful means to teach them to abandon such attachments, saying: Names are discriminations arising from deluded thought; they are also conventionally established through the conjunction of various conditions. You should not cling to them. Names have no real existence, and their intrinsic nature is empty. Those who possess wisdom do not cling to empty dharmas.

Subhuti! Thus, when great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, they employ skillful means to teach sentient beings the Dharma that transcends names.

Subhuti! This is what is called a name. What, then, is called a characteristic?

Subhuti! There are two kinds of characteristics to which foolish ordinary beings cling. What are the two? The first is the characteristic of form, and the second is the characteristic of the formless. What is the characteristic of form?

Subhuti! Whatever forms there are—whether past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near—among dharmas that do not exist in this very instant, foolish ordinary beings discriminate and cling to them. This is called the characteristic of form. What is the characteristic of the formless?

Subhuti! Among whatever formless dharmas there are, foolish ordinary beings apprehend characteristics, discriminate, and give rise to afflictions. This is called the characteristic of the formless. When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, they employ skillful means to teach sentient beings to abandon these two kinds of characteristics. They further teach them to abide in the realm of the signless; yet although they teach them to abide in the realm of the signless, they do not cause them to fall into attachment to the two extremes, saying, “This is characteristic,” or “This is signlessness.”

Subhuti! Thus, when great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, they employ skillful means to enable sentient beings to abandon all characteristics and abide in the realm of the signless without attachment.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If all dharmas exist only as names and characteristics, and those names and characteristics are all conventionally established, arise through discrimination, and possess no real nature, then how can great bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, advance themselves in wholesome dharmas and also enable others to advance in wholesome dharmas? Because their own wholesome dharmas advance, they can bring the successive stages to fulfillment and can also establish various kinds of sentient beings, according to their capacities, in the attainment of the fruits of the Three Vehicles.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If there were even the slightest reality in any dharma, rather than merely conventionally established names and characteristics, then great bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, should neither advance themselves in wholesome dharmas nor enable others to advance in wholesome dharmas.

Subhuti! Because there is not the slightest reality in any dharma, but only conventionally established names and characteristics, great bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, can, by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect prajnaparamita; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the perfection of meditative concentration; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the perfection of vigor; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the perfection of patient endurance; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the perfection of moral discipline; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the perfection of generosity;

by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernatural power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the Dharma-gates of liberation through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness;

by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the emptiness of the internal, the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of the boundless, 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 unobtainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of intrinsic nonexistence, and the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence;

by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect suchness, 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 Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, and the ten spheres of totality; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect all dharani Dharma-gates and all samadhi Dharma-gates;

by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the Ground of Great Joy, the Ground of Freedom from Defilement, the Ground of Radiance, 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, and the Ground of the Dharma Cloud; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha;

by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity; by taking the signless as skillful means, perfect the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; and by taking the signless as skillful means, after perfecting all wholesome dharmas themselves, also enable others to perfect wholesome dharmas.

Subhuti! Thus, because all dharmas contain not the slightest reality and consist only of conventionally established names and characteristics, when great bodhisattvas do not give rise to inverted attachment toward them, they can advance themselves in wholesome dharmas and also enable others to advance in wholesome dharmas.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If among all dharmas there were a real characteristic of a dharma even as minute as the tip of a hair, then great bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, should not know all dharmas to be signless, free from thought, and free from mental application, nor, having realized their undefiled nature, attain the fruit of unsurpassed awakening and establish sentient beings in undefiled dharmas. Why? Subhuti! Because all undefiled dharmas are signless, free from thought, and free from mental application.

Subhuti! Thus, when great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita and establish sentient beings in undefiled dharmas, this is called the genuine work of benefiting others.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If all dharmas are truly undefiled in nature, signless, free from thought, and free from mental application, then for what reason did the Blessed One formerly say: “This is a mundane dharma; this is a supramundane dharma. This is a defiled dharma; this is an undefiled dharma. This is a conditioned dharma; this is an unconditioned dharma. This is a culpable dharma; this is a blameless dharma. This is a contentious dharma; this is a noncontentious dharma. This is a dharma of cyclic existence; this is a dharma of cessation and return. This is a shared dharma; this is an exclusive dharma. This is a dharma of the shravakas; this is a dharma of the pratyekabuddhas; this is a dharma of the bodhisattvas; this is a dharma of the Tathagatas”?

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? Are mundane dharmas different from the uncontaminated, signless Dharma-nature and so forth?”

Subhuti replied:

“World-Honored One, no! Sugata, no!”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? Are the dharmas of the shravakas and so forth different from the uncontaminated, signless Dharma-nature and so forth?”

Subhuti replied:

“World-Honored One, no! Sugata, no!”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, mundane dharmas and so forth are precisely the uncontaminated, signless, thought-free Dharma-nature and so forth.”

Subhuti said:

“World-Honored One, so it is! Sugata, so it is!”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, whether 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 dharmas of the great bodhisattvas, or the fruit of unsurpassed awakening, they are precisely the uncontaminated, signless, thought-free Dharma-nature and so forth.”

Subhuti said:

“World-Honored One, so it is! Sugata, so it is!”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, for this reason, you should know that all dharmas are signless and so forth.

“Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas train in all dharmas as signless, free from thought, and free from mental activity, they can always increase the wholesome dharmas they practice, namely, the paramitas of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita; or the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; or the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path;

or emptiness of the internal, emptiness of the external, emptiness of the internal and external, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without bounds, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of the unchanging, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the unapprehensible, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

or suchness, the dharma-dhatu, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature beyond arising, the fixed order of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; or the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; or the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities; or all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways;

or the Ground of Great Joy, the Stainless Ground, the Luminous Ground, 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, and the Dharma-Cloud Ground; or the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; or the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; or great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; or the dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; or the knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the path, and knowledge of all aspects.

All such Buddha-dharmas are increased through training in signlessness, freedom from thought, and freedom from mental activity. Why is this? Subhuti, apart from the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, there is no other essential dharma in which great bodhisattvas must train.

Why is this? Subhuti, these three liberation gateways can encompass all sublime and wholesome dharmas. Why is this?

Subhuti, the liberation gateway of emptiness contemplates the individual characteristics of all dharmas as empty; the liberation gateway of signlessness contemplates all dharmas as being free from all signs; and the liberation gateway of wishlessness contemplates all dharmas as being free from every object of aspiration. Because these three gateways can encompass all excellent wholesome dharmas, if one departs from them and cultivates excellent wholesome dharmas, those dharmas will not grow.

“Furthermore, Subhuti, if great bodhisattvas can train in these three liberation gateways, they can train in the five skandhas; they can also train in the twelve ayatanas; they can also train in the eighteen dhatus; they can also train in the six elements; they can also train in the four noble truths; they can also train in the four conditions; they can also train in dharmas born from conditions; they can also train in the twelve links of dependent origination;

they can also train in emptiness of the internal, emptiness of the external, emptiness of the internal and external, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without bounds, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of the unchanging, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the unapprehensible, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

they can also train in suchness, the dharma-dhatu, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature beyond arising, the fixed order of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; they can also train in the paramitas of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajna, skillful means, sublime vows, power, and knowledge; they can also train in the Ground of Great Joy, the Stainless Ground, the Luminous Ground, 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, and the Dharma-Cloud Ground;

they can also train in the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path; they can also train in the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; they can also train in the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities; they can also train in all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways; they can also train in the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

they can also train in the Tathagata’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; they can also train in the dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; they can also train in the knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the path, and knowledge of all aspects; they can also train in purifying Buddha-fields and bringing sentient beings to maturity; and they can also train in immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-dharmas.”

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

“World-Honored One, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, how can they train in the five skandhas?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, if they know form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as they truly are, they can train in the five skandhas.

“Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, how do they know form as it truly is?

“Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, if they know the characteristic of form as it truly is, know the arising of form as it truly is, know the cessation of form as it truly is, and know the suchness of form as it truly is, this is called knowing form as it truly is.

“Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, how do they know the characteristic of form as it truly is?

“Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they know form as it truly is: ultimately porous, ultimately hollow, like a mass of foam, and by nature not firm. Subhuti, this is called knowing the characteristic of form as it truly is.

“Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, how do they know the arising of form as it truly is?”

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know form as it truly is—coming from nowhere and going nowhere; although it neither comes nor goes, it accords with the dharma of arising—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the arising of form as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the cessation of form as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know form as it truly is—coming from nowhere and going nowhere; although it neither comes nor goes, it accords with the dharma of cessation—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the cessation of form as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the true suchness of form as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know as it truly is that the true suchness of form neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and neither increases nor diminishes; that its nature is ever thus, neither false nor subject to change, and is therefore called true suchness—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the true suchness of form as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know feeling as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know the characteristic of feeling as it truly is, know the arising of feeling as it truly is, know the cessation of feeling as it truly is, and know the true suchness of feeling as it truly is, this is called knowing feeling as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the characteristic of feeling as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know as it truly is that feeling is ultimately like a sore, ultimately like an arrow, and like a floating bubble—false, deceptive, and unstable, swiftly arising and swiftly ceasing—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the characteristic of feeling as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the arising of feeling as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know feeling as it truly is—coming from nowhere and going nowhere; although it neither comes nor goes, it accords with the dharma of arising—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the arising of feeling as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the cessation of feeling as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know feeling as it truly is—coming from nowhere and going nowhere; although it neither comes nor goes, it accords with the dharma of cessation—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the cessation of feeling as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the true suchness of feeling as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know as it truly is that the true suchness of feeling neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and neither increases nor diminishes; that its nature is ever thus, neither false nor subject to change, and is therefore called true suchness—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the true suchness of feeling as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know perception as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know the characteristic of perception as it truly is, know the arising of perception as it truly is, know the cessation of perception as it truly is, and know the true suchness of perception as it truly is, this is knowing perception as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the characteristic of perception as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know as it truly is that perception is like a mirage and cannot be apprehended; that such perception arises from false and delusive craving, is provisionally posited as existent, and is provisionally expressed in words—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the characteristic of perception as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the arising of perception as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know perception as it truly is—coming from nowhere and going nowhere; although it neither comes nor goes, it accords with the dharma of arising—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the arising of perception as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the cessation of perception as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know perception as it truly is—coming from nowhere and going nowhere; although it neither comes nor goes, it accords with the dharma of cessation—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the cessation of perception as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the true suchness of perception as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know as it truly is that the true suchness of perception neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and neither increases nor diminishes; that its nature is ever thus, neither false nor subject to change, and is therefore called true suchness—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the true suchness of perception as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know formations as they truly are?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know the characteristic of formations as it truly is, know the arising of formations as it truly is, know the cessation of formations as it truly is, and know the true suchness of formations as it truly is, this is knowing formations as they truly are.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the characteristic of formations as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know formations as they truly are—like a plantain tree that, when stripped sheath by sheath, has nothing remaining; constituted through conditions such as knowledge and ignorance; and provisionally established through the conjunction of karma, afflictions, and so forth—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the characteristic of formations as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the arising of formations as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know formations as they truly are—coming from nowhere and going nowhere; although they neither come nor go, they accord with the dharma of arising—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the arising of formations as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the cessation of formations as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know formations as they truly are—coming from nowhere and going nowhere; although they neither come nor go, they accord with the dharma of cessation—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the cessation of formations as it truly is.

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how do they know the true suchness of formations as it truly is?

Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, if they know as it truly is that the true suchness of formations neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and neither increases nor diminishes; that its nature is ever thus, neither false nor subject to change, and is therefore called true suchness—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the true suchness of formations as it truly is.

Subhuti! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, know consciousness as it truly is?

Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as they truly are the characteristic of consciousness, the arising of consciousness, the cessation of consciousness, and the true suchness of consciousness, this is called knowing consciousness as it truly is.

Subhuti! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, know the characteristic of consciousness as it truly is?

Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as it truly is that consciousness resembles an illusion: it is provisionally established as existing through the conjunction of causes and conditions, yet in reality it cannot be apprehended—just as an illusionist or his disciple, standing at a crossroads, conjures the four divisions of an army, namely elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry, or conjures various other forms whose appearances seem to exist but in reality are nonexistent—consciousness is likewise truly unapprehensible. Subhuti, this is called knowing the characteristic of consciousness as it truly is.

Subhuti! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, know the arising of consciousness as it truly is?

Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as it truly is that the arising of consciousness comes from nowhere and goes nowhere, yet although it neither comes nor goes, it accords with the dharma of arising, then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the arising of consciousness as it truly is.

Subhuti! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, know the cessation of consciousness as it truly is?

Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as it truly is that the cessation of consciousness comes from nowhere and goes nowhere, yet although it neither comes nor goes, it accords with the dharma of cessation, then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the cessation of consciousness as it truly is.

Subhuti! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, know the true suchness of consciousness as it truly is?

Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as it truly is that the true suchness of consciousness neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and neither increases nor decreases; and that because its nature is ever thus, neither false nor subject to change, it is called true suchness—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the true suchness of consciousness as it truly is.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as they truly are that form and the intrinsic nature of form are empty; that feeling and the intrinsic nature of feeling are empty; that perception and the intrinsic nature of perception are empty; that formations and the intrinsic nature of formations are empty; and that consciousness and the intrinsic nature of consciousness are empty—then, Subhuti, this is how a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, is able to train in the five skandhas.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, become able to train in the twelve ayatanas?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as they truly are that the eye ayatana and the intrinsic nature of the eye ayatana are empty; that the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas and the intrinsic natures of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are empty; that the form ayatana and the intrinsic nature of the form ayatana are empty; that the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas and the intrinsic natures of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas are empty; that the internal ayatanas and the intrinsic nature of the internal ayatanas are empty; and that the external ayatanas and the intrinsic nature of the external ayatanas are empty—then, Subhuti, this is how a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, is able to train in the twelve ayatanas.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, become able to train in the eighteen dhatus?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as they truly are that the eye dhatu and the intrinsic nature of the eye dhatu are empty; that the form dhatu, the eye-consciousness dhatu, eye-contact, and the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, as well as the intrinsic natures of the form dhatu through to the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, are empty; that the ear dhatu and the intrinsic nature of the ear dhatu are empty; that the sound dhatu, the ear-consciousness dhatu, ear-contact, and the feelings arising with ear-contact as condition, as well as the intrinsic natures of the sound dhatu through to the feelings arising with ear-contact as condition, are empty; that the nose dhatu and the intrinsic nature of the nose dhatu are empty; that the odor dhatu, the nose-consciousness dhatu, nose-contact, and the feelings arising with nose-contact as condition, as well as the intrinsic natures of the odor dhatu through to the feelings arising with nose-contact as condition, are empty; that the tongue dhatu and the intrinsic nature of the tongue dhatu are empty; that the taste dhatu, the tongue-consciousness dhatu, tongue-contact, and the feelings arising with tongue-contact as condition, as well as the intrinsic natures of the taste dhatu through to the feelings arising with tongue-contact as condition, are empty; that the body dhatu and the intrinsic nature of the body dhatu are empty; that the tangible-object dhatu, the body-consciousness dhatu, body-contact, and the feelings arising with body-contact as condition, as well as the intrinsic natures of the tangible-object dhatu through to the feelings arising with body-contact as condition, are empty; and that the mind dhatu and the intrinsic nature of the mind dhatu are empty; that the dharma dhatu, the mind-consciousness dhatu, mind-contact, and the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, as well as the intrinsic natures of the dharma dhatu through to the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, are empty—then, Subhuti, this is how a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, is able to train in the eighteen dhatus.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, become able to train in the six dhatus?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as they truly are that the earth dhatu and the intrinsic nature of the earth dhatu are empty, and that the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus and the intrinsic natures of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus are empty—then, Subhuti, this is how a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, is able to train in the six dhatus.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, become able to train in the Four Noble Truths?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as it truly is the Noble Truth of suffering, knows as it truly is the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering, knows as it truly is the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering, and knows as it truly is the Noble Truth of the path, this is called being able to train in the Four Noble Truths.

Subhuti! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, know the Noble Truth of suffering as it truly is?

Subhuti! If a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, knows as it truly is that suffering has the characteristic of oppression, that its intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality, and that it is the truth of the noble ones: suffering itself is true suchness, and true suchness itself is suffering; they are neither two nor different, and only true noble ones can know this as it truly is—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the Noble Truth of suffering as it truly is.

Subhuti! How does a bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practicing prajnaparamita, know the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering as it truly is?

Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that origination has the characteristic of arising, that its intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality, and that it is a truth of the noble ones—origination is suchness, and suchness is origination; they are neither two nor different, and only true noble ones can know this in accordance with reality—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the Noble Truth of Origination in accordance with reality.

Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, know the Noble Truth of Cessation in accordance with reality?

Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that cessation has the characteristic of quiescence, that its intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality, and that it is a truth of the noble ones—cessation is suchness, and suchness is cessation; they are neither two nor different, and only true noble ones can know this in accordance with reality—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the Noble Truth of Cessation in accordance with reality.

Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, know the Noble Truth of the Path in accordance with reality?

Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that the path has the characteristic of deliverance, that its intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality, and that it is a truth of the noble ones—the path is suchness, and suchness is the path; they are neither two nor different, and only true noble ones can know this in accordance with reality—then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the Noble Truth of the Path in accordance with reality.

Subhuti! In this way, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva is able to train in the Four Noble Truths.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, train in the four conditions?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows the causal condition in accordance with reality, knows the immediately antecedent condition in accordance with reality, knows the objective condition in accordance with reality, and knows the dominant condition in accordance with reality, this is called being able to train in the four conditions.

Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, know the causal condition in accordance with reality?

Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that the causal condition has the characteristic of a seed, that its intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality, then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the causal condition in accordance with reality.

Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, know the immediately antecedent condition in accordance with reality?

Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that the immediately antecedent condition has the characteristic of initiating and giving rise, that its intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality, then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the immediately antecedent condition in accordance with reality.

Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, know the objective condition in accordance with reality?

Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that the objective condition has the characteristic of sustaining, that its intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality, then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the objective condition in accordance with reality.

Subhuti! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, know the dominant condition in accordance with reality?

Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that the dominant condition has the characteristic of non-obstruction, that its intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality, then, Subhuti, this is called knowing the dominant condition in accordance with reality.

Subhuti! In this way, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva is able to train in the four conditions.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, train in the phenomena arising from conditions?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that all phenomena arising from conditions neither arise nor cease, are neither annihilated nor eternal, are neither identical nor different, neither come nor go, are free from all conceptual proliferations, and are quiescent in their original nature, then, Subhuti, this is called a great bodhisattva who, while cultivating prajnaparamita, is able to train in the phenomena arising from conditions.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, train in the twelve links of dependent origination?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that ignorance neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified, and that its intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality; and knows in accordance with reality that formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, and that their intrinsic nature is originally empty and free from duality, then, Subhuti, this is a great bodhisattva who, while cultivating prajnaparamita, is able to train in the twelve links of dependent origination.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, train in the emptiness of the internal, the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-change, the emptiness of original nature, the emptiness of intrinsic characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that the emptiness of the internal has no intrinsic nature and cannot be apprehended, yet is able to abide therein; and knows in accordance with reality that the emptiness of the external, up to and including the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence, has no intrinsic nature and cannot be apprehended, yet is able to abide therein, then, Subhuti, this is a great bodhisattva who, while cultivating prajnaparamita, is able to train in the emptiness of the internal, up to and including the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita, train in suchness, the dharma-dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature transcending arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If, while cultivating prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows in accordance with reality that suchness is free from conceptual proliferation and discrimination, yet is able to abide therein; and knows in accordance with reality that the dharma-dhatu, up to and including the inconceivable realm, is free from conceptual proliferation and discrimination, yet is able to abide therein, then, Subhuti, this is a great bodhisattva who, while cultivating prajnaparamita, is able to train in suchness, up to and including the inconceivable realm.

Fascicle 384

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