大般若波羅蜜多經

05

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! If the true dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit neither turn nor transcend, are form and the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit different? Are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the eye ayatana different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the form ayatana different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the eye dhatu different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the form dhatu different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the eye-consciousness dhatu different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is eye-contact different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as their condition different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the earth dhatu different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the causal condition different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are dharmas arising from conditions different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is ignorance different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the perfection of generosity different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the perfections of moral discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, and prajnaparamita different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are the four meditative absorptions different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are the four foundations of mindfulness different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eight factors of the Noble Path different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the liberation gateway of emptiness different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is inner emptiness different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of nonchange, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the unobtainable, emptiness of nonbeing, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonbeing different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the Noble Truth of suffering different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are the eight liberations different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, and ten spheres of totality different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are all dharani gateways different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are all samadhi gateways different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the Ground of Great Joy different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the Ground of Stainlessness, Ground of Luminousness, Ground of Blazing Wisdom, Ground Difficult to Conquer, Ground of Presence, Far-Going Ground, Immovable Ground, Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud Ground different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are the five kinds of eyes different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the six superknowledges different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are the Buddha’s ten powers different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, and eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is great loving-kindness different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the Dharma of nonforgetfulness different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Is the nature of perpetual equanimity different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the knowledge of all things different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the knowledge of all paths and knowledge of all aspects different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are the thirty-two marks of a Great Being different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the eighty subsidiary characteristics different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Is the fruit of stream-entry different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are all practices of great bodhisattvas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Is the unsurpassed awakening of the Buddhas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are mundane dharmas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are supramundane dharmas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are contaminated dharmas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are uncontaminated dharmas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?

World-Honored One! Are conditioned dharmas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit? Are unconditioned dharmas different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit?”

The Buddha said:

“No, Subhuti! Form is not different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are likewise not different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit.

Subhuti! The eye ayatana is not different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are likewise not different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit.

Subhuti! The form ayatana is not different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas are likewise not different from the dharmadhatu, suchness, and the reality-limit.”

Subhuti! The eye element is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The form element is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object elements are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The eye-consciousness element is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness elements are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! Eye-contact is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The feelings arising with eye-contact as condition are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The earth element is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The causal condition is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the predominant condition are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! Dharmas arising from conditions are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! Ignorance is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The perfection of generosity is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the perfections of pure discipline, patient acceptance, diligence, meditation, and prajnaparamita are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The four meditative absorptions are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The four establishments of mindfulness are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and eight factors of the Noble Path are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The liberation gateway of emptiness is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The emptiness of the internal is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness,

and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The Noble Truth of suffering is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The eight liberations are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten spheres of totality are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! All dharani gateways are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; all samadhi gateways are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The Ground of Great Joy is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the Ground of Stainlessness, 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 Dharma-Cloud Ground are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The five kinds of eyes are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the six superknowledges are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The ten powers of a Buddha are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, and eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! Great loving-kindness is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The Dharma of unfailing mindfulness is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the nature of perpetual equanimity is likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! Knowledge of all things is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; knowledge of the aspects of the paths and knowledge of all aspects are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The thirty-two marks of a Great Being are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the eighty subsidiary characteristics are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! The fruit of stream-entry is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the attainment of a pratyekabuddha are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! All practices of great bodhisattvas are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas is likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! Worldly dharmas are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; supramundane dharmas are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! Contaminated dharmas are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; uncontaminated dharmas are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Subhuti! Conditioned dharmas are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality; unconditioned dharmas are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

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

“Blessed One! If form is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality, then feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Blessed One! If the eye ayatana is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality, then the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Blessed One! If the form ayatana is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality, then the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object ayatanas are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Blessed One! If the eye element is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality, then the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Blessed One! If the form element is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality, then the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object elements are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Blessed One! If the eye-consciousness element is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality, then the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness elements are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Blessed One! If eye-contact is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality, then ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Blessed One! If the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition are not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality, then the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.

Blessed One! If the earth element is not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality, then the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements are likewise not different from the Dharma realm, suchness, and the limit of reality.”

“Blessed One! If the causal condition is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the immediately antecedent condition, the object condition, and the dominant condition are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the dharmas arising from conditions are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If ignorance is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the perfection of generosity is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the perfections of pure ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, and prajnaparamita are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the four meditative absorptions are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the four foundations of mindfulness are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eightfold noble path are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the emptiness gateway to liberation is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the signlessness and wishlessness gateways to liberation are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If inner emptiness is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of the unchanging, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the ungraspable, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the noble truth of suffering is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the noble truths of the origin of suffering, cessation, and the path are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the eight liberations are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten spheres of totality are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If all dharani gateways are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then all samadhi gateways are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the Ground of Great Joy is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the Grounds of Stainlessness, Luminosity, Blazing Wisdom, Utmost Difficulty to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far Progression, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the five kinds of eyes are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the six superknowledges are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the ten powers of a Buddha are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, and eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If great loving-kindness is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the quality of never losing mindfulness is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the nature of constant equanimity is likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the knowledge of all things is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the thirty-two marks of a Great Being are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the eighty subsidiary characteristics are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If the fruit of stream-entry is not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If all the practices of great bodhisattvas are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then the unsurpassed perfect awakening of the Buddhas is likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If worldly dharmas are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then supramundane dharmas are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If contaminated dharmas are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then uncontaminated dharmas are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality.

“Blessed One! If conditioned dharmas are not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality, then unconditioned dharmas are likewise not different from the dharma realm, suchness, and the ultimate reality. Why, then, does the Blessed One establish black dharmas that bring about black ripened results, namely, the hell realms, the animal realm, and the realm of hungry ghosts; establish white dharmas that bring about white ripened results, namely, the realms of devas and humans; establish black-and-white dharmas that bring about black-and-white ripened results, namely, some beings in the animal realm and the realm of hungry ghosts, and some humans and devas;

and establish dharmas that are neither black nor white and bring about ripened results that are neither black nor white, namely, the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the realization of a pratyekabuddha, or unsurpassed perfect awakening?”

The Buddha said:

– “Subhuti! Such distinctions between causes and results are established in dependence upon conventional truth, not in dependence upon ultimate truth. Within ultimate truth, it cannot be said that there are distinctions between causes and results. Why is this? Subhuti! Because within the ultimate, the nature of all dharmas cannot be differentiated, proclaimed, or demonstrated; how, then, could there be distinctions between causes and results?

“Subhuti! Within ultimate truth, form neither arises nor ceases and is neither defiled nor purified; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness likewise neither arise nor cease and are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness.

“Subhuti! Within ultimate truth, the eye ayatana neither arises nor ceases and is neither defiled nor purified; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas likewise neither arise nor cease and are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness.

“Subhuti! Within ultimate truth, the form ayatana neither arises nor ceases and is neither defiled nor purified; the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and mental-object ayatanas likewise neither arise nor cease and are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness.

“Subhuti! Within ultimate truth, the eye dhatu neither arises nor ceases and is neither defiled nor purified; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus likewise neither arise nor cease and are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness.

“Subhuti! Within ultimate truth, the form dhatu neither arises nor ceases and is neither defiled nor purified; the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and mental-object dhatus likewise neither arise nor cease and are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness.

“Subhuti! Within ultimate truth, the eye-consciousness dhatu neither arises nor ceases and is neither defiled nor purified; the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus likewise neither arise nor cease and are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness.

“Subhuti! Within ultimate truth, eye-contact neither arises nor ceases and is neither defiled nor purified; ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact likewise neither arise nor cease and are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness.”

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the feelings that arise with eye-contact as condition neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; the feelings that arise with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the earth dhatu neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the causal condition neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the predominant condition likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, dharmas arising from conditions neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, ignorance neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the perfection of generosity neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the perfections of moral discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, and prajnaparamita likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the four meditative absorptions neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the four foundations of mindfulness neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the gateway to liberation through emptiness neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the emptiness of the internal neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of the ultimate truth, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unattainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence likewise neither arise nor cease,

are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the Noble Truth of suffering neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the eight liberations neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten spheres of totality likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, all dharani gateways neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; all samadhi gateways likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the ground of Great Joy neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the grounds of Stainlessness, Luminosity, Radiant Wisdom, Hard to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-Reaching, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the five kinds of eyes neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; the six superknowledges likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the ten powers of a Buddha neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, great loving-kindness neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the quality of never forgetting neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the nature of constant equanimity likewise neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the knowledge of all things neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the thirty-two marks of a Great Being neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; the eighty secondary characteristics likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, the fruit of stream-entry neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the attainment of a solitary buddha likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, all practices of great bodhisattvas neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; the supreme awakening of the Buddhas likewise neither arises nor ceases, is neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, worldly dharmas neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; supramundane dharmas likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, contaminated dharmas neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; uncontaminated dharmas likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Subhuti, in the ultimate truth, conditioned dharmas neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified; unconditioned dharmas likewise neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor purified, because of ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness.

Then the Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, if the distinctions of cause and effect are established on the basis of conventional truth and not on the basis of ultimate truth, then should not all foolish ordinary beings possess the fruit of stream-entry, or the fruit of once-returning, or the fruit of non-returning, or the fruit of arhatship, or the attainment of a solitary buddha, or supreme awakening?”

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti, what do you think? Do all foolish ordinary beings know conventional truth and ultimate truth as they really are? If they knew them as they really are, they should have attained the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, or the fruit of the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas. Yet foolish ordinary beings do not know conventional truth and ultimate truth as they really are. They do not possess the noble path and do not cultivate the noble path; how, then, could they attain the distinct noble fruits? Only noble ones are able to know conventional truth and ultimate truth as they really are, possess the noble path, and cultivate the noble path. Therefore, they attain the distinct noble fruits.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If one cultivates the noble path, does one attain the noble fruits?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti, no! It is not through cultivating the noble path that one can attain the noble fruits, nor is it through not cultivating the noble path that one can attain the noble fruits. It is not apart from the noble path that one can attain the noble fruits, nor is it by abiding in the noble path that one can attain the noble fruits. Why? Subhuti, because within ultimate truth, neither the path nor its fruits can be apprehended.

Subhuti, so it is that when a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, although the bodhisattva establishes sentient beings in the various distinct classes of noble fruits, the bodhisattva does not discriminate that those noble fruits are established as distinct within either the conditioned realm or the unconditioned realm.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If one does not discriminate that the noble fruits are established as distinct within either the conditioned realm or the unconditioned realm, why does the Blessed One say that abandoning the three fetters is called the fruit of stream-entry; weakening sensual desire and ill will is called the fruit of once-returning; completely abandoning the five lower fetters is called the fruit of non-returning; completely abandoning the five higher fetters is called the fruit of arhatship; causing all phenomena of arising to become phenomena of cessation is called the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; and permanently eliminating the entire continuity of habitual tendencies is called the fruit of supreme enlightenment?

Blessed One! How am I to understand the meaning of the Buddha’s statement that the noble fruits are not discriminated as being established distinctly within either the conditioned realm or the unconditioned realm?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti, what do you think? Regarding the noble fruits that have been taught—the fruit of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, and the fruit of the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas—are these conditioned noble fruits or unconditioned noble fruits?

Subhuti replied:

– Such noble fruits are all unconditioned, not conditioned.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti, is there any discrimination within unconditioned phenomena?

Subhuti replied:

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata!

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti, what do you think? If good men and good women thoroughly comprehend that all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena share the same single characteristic, namely, signlessness, would those good men and good women at that very moment discriminate among phenomena, saying, “This is conditioned,” or “This is unconditioned”?

Subhuti replied:

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata!

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti, so it is with a great bodhisattva. When practicing profound prajnaparamita, although the bodhisattva expounds the Dharma to sentient beings, the bodhisattva does not discriminate the characteristics of the phenomena expounded. This is because of the emptiness of the internal, the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate truth, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of nonapprehensibility, the emptiness that is the absence of inherent nature, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature that is the absence of inherent nature.

Subhuti! That great bodhisattva has no attachment to any dharma and also constantly teaches others to have no attachment to any dharma: whether to generosity, pure ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita; or to the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments; or to 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;

or to inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, 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 ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; or to suchness, up to the inconceivable realm; or to the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path;

or to the liberative gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or to the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, and the ten totalities; or to any dharani gateway or any samadhi gateway; or to the ten bodhisattva grounds; or to the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; or to the Buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four kinds of unobstructed understanding, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; or to the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity;

or to the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, the knowledge of all aspects, and so forth—he is attached to none of them.

Because he is unattached, he is unobstructed everywhere. He is like an apparitional Buddha conjured by the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones: although he practices generosity, pure ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings; although he practices the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings;

although he practices 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, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings;

although he practices inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, 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 ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings;

although he practices suchness, up to the inconceivable realm, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings; although he practices the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings; although he practices the liberative gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings; although he practices the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, and the ten totalities, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings;

although he practices all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings; although he practices the ten bodhisattva grounds, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings; although he practices the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings;

although he practices the Buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four kinds of unobstructed understanding, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings; although he practices the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings; although he practices the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects, he neither accepts nor clings to their fruits, but only bestows nirvana upon sentient beings.

Subhuti! The great bodhisattva is likewise. When practicing profound prajnaparamita, he abides nowhere and encounters no obstruction with regard to any dharma, whether mundane or supramundane, contaminated or uncontaminated, conditioned or unconditioned. Why? Because he completely comprehends the true characteristics of all dharmas as they really are.

LXIX. CHAPTER ON THE EQUALITY OF ALL DHARMAS

01

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, how does he completely comprehend the true characteristics of all dharmas?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, just as the conjured Buddha produced by the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One does not practice greed, does not practice hatred, and does not practice delusion; does not practice form, nor does he practice feeling, perception, volitional formations, or consciousness; does not practice the eye ayatana, nor does he practice the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana; does not practice the form ayatana, nor does he practice the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or dharma ayatana; does not practice the eye dhatu, nor does he practice the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu; does not practice the form dhatu, nor does he practice the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or dharma dhatu;

does not practice the eye-consciousness dhatu, nor does he practice the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu; does not practice eye-contact, nor does he practice ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact; does not practice feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, nor does he practice feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition; does not practice the earth dhatu, nor does he practice the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu; does not practice the causal condition, nor does he practice the immediately preceding condition, the objective condition, or the predominant condition; does not practice dharmas arising from conditions;

does not practice ignorance, nor does he practice volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or distress; does not practice the perfection of generosity, nor does he practice the perfection of pure moral discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, or prajnaparamita; does not practice the four dhyanas, nor does he practice the four immeasurables or the four formless absorptions; does not practice the four foundations of mindfulness, nor does he practice the four right efforts, four bases of supernormal power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, or eightfold noble path;

does not practice the liberation gateway of emptiness, nor does he practice the liberation gateways of signlessness or wishlessness; does not practice the emptiness of internal phenomena, nor does he practice the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonbeing, the emptiness of self-nature,

or the emptiness of the self-nature of nonbeing; does not practice suchness, up to and including the inconceivable realm; does not practice the Noble Truth of suffering, nor does he practice the Noble Truths of its origin, cessation, or the path; does not practice the eight liberations, nor does he practice the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive absorptions, or ten totalities; does not practice any dharani gateway, nor does he practice any samadhi gateway; does not practice the Ground of Utmost Joy, nor does he practice the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Radiance, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, or the Dharma-Cloud Ground;

does not practice the five kinds of vision, nor does he practice the six superknowledges; does not practice the Buddha’s ten powers, nor does he practice the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, or eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; does not practice great loving-kindness, nor does he practice great compassion, great sympathetic joy, or great equanimity; does not practice the quality of never forgetting, nor does he practice the nature of constant equanimity; does not practice the knowledge of all things, nor does he practice the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects; does not practice the thirty-two marks of a great being, nor does he practice the eighty subsidiary characteristics;

does not practice the fruit of stream-entry, nor does he practice the fruit of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, or the state of a pratyekabuddha; does not practice any of the practices of a great bodhisattva, nor does he practice the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas; does not practice internal dharmas, nor does he practice external dharmas; does not practice latent tendencies, nor does he practice fetters; does not practice worldly dharmas, nor does he practice supramundane dharmas; does not practice contaminated dharmas, nor does he practice uncontaminated dharmas; does not practice conditioned dharmas, nor does he practice unconditioned dharmas; does not practice the path, nor does he practice the fruits of the path.

“Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, it is likewise: with regard to all dharmas, there is utterly nothing practiced. In this way, the bodhisattva fully realizes the true character of all dharmas, which is to make no distinctions within the Dharma-nature.”

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

“Blessed One, how does the person conjured by the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One presently cultivate the Noble Path?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, the person conjured by the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One relies upon and cultivates a Noble Path that is neither defiled nor purified, and does not wander through birth and death among the five destinies.”

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, when great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, how do they fully comprehend that all dharmas have no true existence?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? Do the persons conjured by the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones truly exist, and, based upon such true existence, are there defilement, purification, and wandering through the five destinies?”

Subhuti replied:

“No, Blessed One! No, Well-Gone One! The persons conjured by the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones possess not the slightest true existence. Defilement and purification do not occur based upon them, nor do they wander through birth and death among the five destinies.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita and fully comprehends the true character of all dharmas, it is likewise: the bodhisattva fully comprehends that all dharmas have no true existence whatsoever.”

Then the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, are all forms like magical creations? Are all feelings, perceptions, volitional formations, and consciousness also like magical creations? Are all eye ayatanas like magical creations?

Are all ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas also like magical creations? Are all form ayatanas like magical creations? Are all sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and dharma ayatanas also like magical creations?

Are all eye dhatus like magical creations? Are all ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus also like magical creations? Are all form dhatus like magical creations?

Are all sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and dharma dhatus also like magical creations? Are all eye-consciousness dhatus like magical creations? Are all ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus also like magical creations?

Are all instances of eye-contact like magical creations? Are all instances of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact also like magical creations? Are all feelings arising with eye-contact as condition like magical creations?

Are all feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition also like magical creations? Are all earth dhatus like magical creations? Are all water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus also like magical creations?

Are all causal conditions like magical creations? Are all immediately preceding conditions, objective conditions, and predominant conditions also like magical creations? Are all dharmas arising from conditions like magical creations?

Are all instances of ignorance like magical creations? Are all volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress also like magical creations? And so on, are all worldly dharmas like magical creations?

Are all supramundane dharmas also like magical creations? Are all contaminated dharmas like magical creations? Are all uncontaminated dharmas also like magical creations?

Are all conditioned dharmas like magical creations? Are all unconditioned dharmas also like magical creations?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, so it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say: all dharmas are like magical creations!”

Fascicle 383

END