大般若波羅蜜多經

03

At that time, Shariputra said:

“World-Honored One! From what place do great bodhisattvas who are in accord with prajnaparamita pass away and take birth here? After passing away from here, where will they be born?”

The Buddha said:

“Shariputra! Among the great bodhisattvas who are in accord with prajnaparamita, some pass away from other Buddha-realms and take birth here, some pass away from Tusita Heaven and take birth here, and some pass away from among humans and are reborn here.

“Shariputra! If a great bodhisattva passes away from another Buddha-realm and takes birth here, that great bodhisattva quickly becomes in accord with prajnaparamita. Because of being in accord with prajnaparamita, upon taking birth here, that bodhisattva realizes profound and wondrous Dharma gateways in this very life.

From then onward, that bodhisattva always quickly becomes in accord with prajnaparamita and, wherever born, always encounters Buddhas, makes offerings to them, reveres, honors, and praises them, thereby causing prajnaparamita gradually to increase. If a great bodhisattva comes here from Tusita Heaven, that great bodhisattva immediately attains the state of being bound to only one more birth, never forgets the six paramitas, and gains mastery of all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways.

If a great bodhisattva passes away from among humans and is reborn here, then, except for those who are irreversible, if that great bodhisattva’s faculties are dull, that bodhisattva cannot quickly become in accord with prajnaparamita and has not yet gained mastery of all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways.

“Shariputra! In answer to your question as to where great bodhisattvas who are in accord with prajnaparamita will be born after passing away from here: after passing away from here, those great bodhisattvas will be born in other Buddha-realms. Traveling from one Buddha-realm to another, wherever they are born, they will always encounter Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, make offerings to them, revere, honor, and praise them, until they attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“Shariputra! There are also great bodhisattvas who lack skillful means and therefore enter the first dhyana, the second dhyana, the third dhyana, and the fourth dhyana, while also practicing the six paramitas. Because those great bodhisattvas attain the meditative absorptions, they are born among the long-lived gods. When their lifespans there end, they are born among humans, encounter Buddhas, and make offerings to them, revere, honor, and praise them. Although they practice the six paramitas, their faculties are dull, and they are unable to penetrate them fully.

“Shariputra! There are also great bodhisattvas who enter the first dhyana through the fourth dhyana and also practice the six paramitas. Because those great bodhisattvas lack skillful means, they relinquish the meditative absorptions and are born in the Desire Realm. You should know that the faculties of these great bodhisattvas are also dull, and they are unable to penetrate the teachings fully.

“Shariputra! There are also great bodhisattvas who enter the first dhyana, the second dhyana, the third dhyana, and the fourth dhyana; enter the boundless state of loving-kindness, the boundless state of compassion, the boundless state of sympathetic joy, and the boundless state of equanimity; enter the absorption of the sphere of boundless space, the absorption of the sphere of boundless consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; 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 Noble Eightfold Path;

and cultivate the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of unimpeded knowledge, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

Because these great bodhisattvas possess skillful means, they are not born under the force of the meditative absorptions, the boundless states, or the formless attainments. They are born only in worlds where Buddhas are present, encounter Buddhas, make offerings to them, revere, honor, and praise them, and always remain in accord with prajnaparamita. You should know that these great bodhisattvas will certainly attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment during this Auspicious Eon.

“Shariputra! There are also great bodhisattvas who enter the first dhyana through the fourth dhyana; enter the boundless state of loving-kindness through the boundless state of equanimity; and enter the absorption of the sphere of boundless space through the absorption of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Because these great bodhisattvas possess skillful means, they are not born under the force of the meditative absorptions, the boundless states, or the formless attainments. Instead, they are reborn in the Desire Realm, either in a kshatriya family, a brahmin family, an elder’s family, or a householder’s family. They are reborn because they wish to bring sentient beings to maturity, not because they are defiled by craving.

“Shariputra! There are also great bodhisattvas who enter the first dhyana through the fourth dhyana; enter the boundless state of loving-kindness through the boundless state of equanimity; and enter the absorption of the sphere of boundless space through the absorption of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Because these great bodhisattvas possess skillful means, they are not born under the force of the meditative absorptions, the boundless states, or the formless attainments.

They may be born in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, Yama Heaven, Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creation, or the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations. Because they wish to bring sentient beings to maturity and purify Buddha-realms, they always encounter Buddhas and never fail to make offerings to them, revere, honor, and praise them.

“Shariputra! There are also great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita and possess skillful means. They therefore enter the first dhyana and, after passing away from here, are born in the Brahma world as great Brahma kings, whose majestic virtue surpasses that of the other hosts of Brahma gods by a hundred thousand times.

From that heaven, they journey to various Buddha-realms, traveling from one Buddha-realm to another. Wherever there are great bodhisattvas who have not yet attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, they exhort them to attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. Wherever some have already attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment but have not yet turned the Dharma wheel, they entreat them to turn the Dharma wheel, wishing thereby to benefit sentient beings.

“Shariputra! There are also great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita and possess skillful means. They therefore enter the first dhyana through the fourth dhyana; enter the boundless state of loving-kindness through the boundless state of equanimity; enter the absorption of the sphere of boundless space through the absorption of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; and directly manifest mastery of the Dharma gateways of liberation through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.

They are not born under the force of the meditative absorptions, the boundless states, or the formless attainments. These great bodhisattvas, bound to only one more birth, personally attend upon, draw near to, and make offerings to the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones presently abiding, and diligently cultivate pure conduct in their Buddha-realms. After passing away from those realms, they are born in Tusita Heaven.

Throughout their lives, their faculties remain unimpaired, and they possess complete mindfulness and clear comprehension. Surrounded and attended by immeasurable, innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis and nayutas of gods, these great bodhisattvas abide in spiritual powers, take birth among humans, attain unsurpassed bodhi, turn the wheel of the wondrous Dharma, and liberate immeasurable multitudes of sentient beings.

“Shariputra! There are also great bodhisattvas endowed with the six superknowledges who are born neither in the Desire Realm, nor in the Form Realm, nor in the Formless Realm. They journey to various Buddha-realms, traveling from one Buddha-realm to another, make offerings to the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, revere, honor, and praise them, and cultivate the bodhisattva practices until they attain unsurpassed bodhi.

“Shariputra! There are also great bodhisattvas endowed with the six superknowledges who possess mastery of miraculous transformations. Traveling from one Buddha-realm to another, they pass through Buddha-realms where even the names shravaka and pratyekabuddha do not exist, and where there are only practitioners cultivating the true and pure One Vehicle. In those Buddha-realms, these great bodhisattvas make offerings to the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, revere, honor, and praise them; practice prajnaparamita so that it gradually increases; purify Buddha-realms; and bring sentient beings to maturity.”

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who, endowed with the six superknowledges and freely exercising miraculous transformations, travel from one Buddha-land to another. The lifespans of the sentient beings in the Buddha-lands through which they pass are beyond calculation. In those Buddha-lands, these great bodhisattvas make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones; cultivate prajnaparamita so that it gradually increases; purify Buddha-lands; and bring sentient beings to maturity.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who, endowed with the six superknowledges, travel to various worlds, some of which do not even have the names of the Three Jewels. Upon arriving there, these great bodhisattvas praise the Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, causing sentient beings to give rise to profound, pure faith and thereby always obtain benefit, peace, and happiness. After passing away from there, these great bodhisattvas are born in worlds where Buddhas are present and cultivate the bodhisattva practices until they attain unsurpassed bodhi.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration, strive with heroic vigor and attain the first dhyana through the fourth dhyana; attain the immeasurable loving-kindness through the immeasurable equanimity; attain the concentration of the sphere of infinite space through the concentration of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; cultivate the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; and cultivate the ten powers of a Buddha through the knowledge of all aspects. These great bodhisattvas are not born in the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, or the Formless Realm, but are always born wherever they can benefit sentient beings and bring benefit, peace, and happiness to all beings.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who previously cultivated the six paramitas and, immediately upon first arousing the aspiration, enter the bodhisattva's certainty of the rightful nature beyond arising, eventually attaining the stage of non-retrogression.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who previously cultivated the six paramitas and, immediately upon first arousing the aspiration, are able successively to attain unsurpassed bodhi, turn the wheel of the true Dharma, liberate immeasurable multitudes of sentient beings, and enter the realm of great nirvana without remainder. After their nirvana, their true Dharma remains for one kalpa or for more than one kalpa, bringing benefit and happiness to boundlessly many kinds of sentient beings.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who previously cultivated the six paramitas and, immediately upon first arousing the aspiration, are able to become united with prajnaparamita. Together with immeasurable and innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis and nayutas of great bodhisattvas, they travel to various Buddha-lands, from one Buddha-land to another, making offerings to, revering, honoring, and praising the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, bringing sentient beings to maturity, and purifying Buddha-lands.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who, while cultivating prajnaparamita, attain the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations. Having abided in them, they enter the first dhyana; emerging from the first dhyana, they enter the concentration of cessation; emerging from the concentration of cessation, they enter the second dhyana; emerging from the second dhyana, they enter the concentration of cessation; emerging from the concentration of cessation, they enter the third dhyana; emerging from the third dhyana, they enter the concentration of cessation; emerging from the concentration of cessation, they enter the fourth dhyana; emerging from the fourth dhyana, they enter the concentration of cessation;

emerging from the concentration of cessation, they enter the sphere of infinite space; emerging from the sphere of infinite space, they enter the concentration of cessation; emerging from the concentration of cessation, they enter the sphere of infinite consciousness; emerging from the sphere of infinite consciousness, they enter the concentration of cessation; emerging from the concentration of cessation, they enter the sphere of nothingness; emerging from the sphere of nothingness, they enter the concentration of cessation; emerging from the concentration of cessation, they enter the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; emerging from the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter the concentration of cessation;

and emerging from the concentration of cessation, they enter the first dhyana.

Śāriputra! While cultivating prajnaparamita, these great bodhisattvas use skillful means to enter and emerge from these excellent concentrations in forward and reverse order, progressively passing beyond them and abiding in them with mastery.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who, although they have attained the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path, and have cultivated the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha, the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, nevertheless do not appropriate the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, arhatship, pratyekabuddhahood,

or unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening.

Because these great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with skillful means, they cause sentient beings to develop the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path and enable them to attain the fruit of stream-entry through arhatship or the bodhi of a pratyekabuddha; or they cause sentient beings to cultivate the ten powers of a Buddha through the knowledge of all aspects and enable them to attain unsurpassed bodhi.

Śāriputra! The knowledges pertaining to the fruits of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are precisely the patient acceptance of the great bodhisattvas.

Śāriputra! You should know that only great bodhisattvas who abide at the stage of non-retrogression and are united with prajnaparamita can accomplish this.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who abide in the six paramitas and are born in the Tuṣita heaven. You should know that these great bodhisattvas will certainly become Buddhas during this Auspicious Kalpa.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who cultivate prajnaparamita and, although they have attained the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; attained the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path;

and cultivated the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha, the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects—and although their minds are directed toward bodhi without ever becoming weary or negligent—they have not yet directly comprehended the Noble Truths.

Śāriputra! You should know that these are great bodhisattvas bound to only one more birth.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who cultivate the six paramitas and travel throughout various worlds, from one Buddha-land to another, purifying Buddha-lands and guiding beings toward unsurpassed awakening.

Śāriputra! These great bodhisattvas must pass through immeasurable and innumerable great kalpas before attaining unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who abide in the six paramitas and constantly strive with diligence and vigor to benefit sentient beings. Their mouths never utter meaningless words, and their bodies and minds neither perform nor conceive meaningless acts.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who cultivate the six paramitas and constantly strive with diligence and vigor to benefit sentient beings. Traveling from one Buddha-land to another, they eliminate the three evil destinies for sentient beings.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who, although fully abiding in the six paramitas, always place the paramita of generosity foremost. Heroically cultivating the bodhisattva practices, they provide sentient beings with everything that brings delight and never grow negligent. To those who need food, they give food; to those who need drink, they give drink; to those who need vehicles, they give vehicles; to those who need clothing, they give clothing; and so forth. According to the needs of each, they fully provide other necessities, such as flowers, incense, necklaces, rooms, houses, bedding, beds, seats, lamps, grain, jewels, and so forth.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, there are great bodhisattvas who, although fully abiding in the six paramitas, always place the paramita of pure moral discipline foremost. Heroically cultivating the bodhisattva practices, they endow their bodies, speech, and minds with excellent disciplines and exhort sentient beings also to cultivate such disciplines, enabling them swiftly to bring them to perfection.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, although abiding fully in the six paramitas, always takes the paramita of patience as foremost, courageously cultivates the bodhisattva practices, completely abandons every angry thought, and exhorts sentient beings to cultivate patience in the same way so that they may swiftly perfect it.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, although abiding fully in the six paramitas, always takes diligence as foremost, courageously cultivates the bodhisattva practices, fully cultivates all wholesome dharmas, and exhorts sentient beings to cultivate diligence in the same way so that they may swiftly perfect it.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, although abiding fully in the six paramitas, always takes the paramita of meditative concentration as foremost, courageously cultivates the bodhisattva practices, fully cultivates all excellent concentrations, and exhorts sentient beings to cultivate such excellent concentrations so that they may swiftly perfect them.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, although abiding fully in the six paramitas, always takes the prajnaparamita as foremost, courageously cultivates the bodhisattva practices, fully cultivates all methods of contemplation, and exhorts sentient beings to cultivate such excellent wisdom so that they may swiftly perfect it.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, while practicing the prajnaparamita, manifests bodies resembling those of Buddhas and enters the realms of hell beings, animals, ghosts, humans, or devas, teaching them the true Dharma in the language appropriate to each kind of being.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, abiding in the six paramitas, manifests bodies resembling those of Buddhas and travels throughout Buddha-worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions, teaching the true Dharma to sentient beings and adorning and purifying Buddha-lands. In those Buddha-lands, the bodhisattva listens to the true Dharma and makes offerings with reverence, honor, respect, and praise.

Having surveyed all the Buddha-lands in the ten directions whose pure, wondrous features are supremely excellent, the bodhisattva then brings forth a Buddha-land of utmost splendor and purity. Abiding therein, the bodhisattva guides and transforms great bodhisattvas bound to only one more birth, causing them swiftly to attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who practices the six paramitas and acquires the thirty-two marks of a Great Person. The bodhisattva’s faculties are keen and pure, and the bodhisattva’s appearance is dignified and majestic. All sentient beings who see this bodhisattva feel reverence and affection. The bodhisattva accordingly guides them in keeping with their faculties and aspirations, causing them gradually to attain the nirvana of the three vehicles.

Thus, Śāriputra, great bodhisattvas who practice the prajnaparamita should train in the purification of bodily, verbal, and mental karma.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who practices the six paramitas and, although endowed with keen faculties, neither esteems the self nor disparages others.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, from the initial arising of the aspiration, constantly abides in the paramitas of generosity and ethical discipline and, until attaining the stage of non-retrogression, never falls into an evil destiny at any time.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, from the initial arising of the aspiration until attaining the stage of non-retrogression, never abandons the ten wholesome courses of karma.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, abiding in the paramitas of generosity and ethical discipline, becomes a wheel-turning king endowed with the seven treasures, teaches and transforms by means of the Dharma rather than what is contrary to Dharma, guides sentient beings to cultivate the ten wholesome courses of karma, and also uses treasure to aid the poor.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, abiding in the paramitas of generosity and ethical discipline, becomes a holy wheel-turning king for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of lifetimes, constantly encounters immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, makes offerings to them with reverence, honor, respect, and praise, and finds it no hardship to relinquish and give away anything, whether internal or external.

Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who, abiding in the six paramitas, constantly becomes a light of Dharma for deluded sentient beings with wrong views and also illuminates the self with this Dharma until attaining unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. This light of Dharma is never abandoned. Therefore, all Buddha-dharmas are constantly made manifest to this great bodhisattva.

Therefore, Śāriputra, great bodhisattvas who practice the prajnaparamita do not allow the unwholesome karma of body, speech, or mind to arise even for a moment.

At that time, Śāriputra asked:

“Blessed One! What is meant by a great bodhisattva having unwholesome karma of body, speech, and mind?”

The Buddha told Śāriputra:

“If a great bodhisattva thinks, ‘This is my body,’ bodily karma consequently arises; ‘This is my speech,’ verbal karma consequently arises; and ‘This is my mind,’ mental karma consequently arises.

“Śāriputra! This is called a great bodhisattva having unwholesome karma of body, speech, and mind.

“Śāriputra! Great bodhisattvas who practice the prajnaparamita should not perceive body or bodily karma, speech or verbal karma, or mind or mental karma.

“Śāriputra! If great bodhisattvas practicing the prajnaparamita remain attached to body, speech, and mind, as well as to bodily, verbal, and mental karma, thoughts of miserliness, transgressing ethical discipline, anger, indolence, distraction, and corrupt wisdom will arise. If these thoughts arise, they are not called great bodhisattvas. Therefore, it is improper for great bodhisattvas practicing the prajnaparamita to give rise to such thoughts.

“Śāriputra! Great bodhisattvas who practice the six paramitas can purify the grave or minor karma of body, speech, and mind.”

At that time, Śāriputra asked:

“Blessed One! How can great bodhisattvas purify the grave or minor karma of body, speech, and mind?”

The Buddha told Śāriputra:

“Great bodhisattvas who practice the prajnaparamita do not apprehend the body or the grave and minor offenses of the body; they do not apprehend speech or the grave and minor offenses of speech; and they do not apprehend the mind or the grave and minor offenses of the mind.

“Śāriputra! In this way, great bodhisattvas who practice the prajnaparamita can purify the grave or minor karma of body, speech, and mind.

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, if great bodhisattvas, from the initial arising of the aspiration, always perfectly uphold the ten wholesome courses of karma, never give rise to the aspiration for the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha vehicles, and always arouse great compassion for sentient beings,

“Śāriputra, I declare that these great bodhisattvas can also purify the grave or minor karma of body, speech, and mind.

“Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who practices the six paramitas and purifies the path to enlightenment.”

Śāriputra then asked:

“Blessed One! What is called the path to enlightenment of a great bodhisattva?”

The Buddha told Śāriputra:

“When great bodhisattvas practice the prajnaparamita, they do not apprehend any grave or minor karma of body, speech, or mind; they do not apprehend the paramita of generosity, the paramita of pure ethical discipline, the paramita of patience, the paramita of diligence, the paramita of meditative concentration, or the prajnaparamita; they do not apprehend the śrāvaka vehicle, the pratyekabuddha vehicle, or the bodhisattva vehicle of perfect enlightenment.

“Śāriputra! This is called the path to enlightenment of a great bodhisattva. Why? Because the path to enlightenment is unattached to all dharmas.

“Śāriputra! There is also a great bodhisattva who practices the six paramitas and advances toward the path to enlightenment, whom no one can obstruct.”

Śāriputra then asked:

“Blessed One! Why is it that no one can obstruct a great bodhisattva who practices the six paramitas from advancing toward the path to enlightenment?”

The Buddha said to Śāriputra:

– When great bodhisattvas practice the six paramitas, they do not cling to the form skandha, nor do they cling to the skandhas of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; they do not cling to the eye ayatana, nor do they cling to the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana; they do not cling to the form ayatana, nor do they cling to the sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or dharma ayatana; they do not cling to the eye dhatu, the form dhatu, or the eye-consciousness dhatu; they do not cling to the ear dhatu, the sound dhatu, or the ear-consciousness dhatu; they do not cling to the nose dhatu, the odor dhatu, or the nose-consciousness dhatu; they do not cling to the tongue dhatu, the taste dhatu, or the tongue-consciousness dhatu; they do not cling to the body dhatu, the tangible-object dhatu, or the body-consciousness dhatu; they do not cling to the mind dhatu, the dharma dhatu, or the mind-consciousness dhatu; they do not cling to the Noble Truth of suffering, nor do they cling to the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, or path; they do not cling to ignorance, nor do they cling to formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or distress; they do not cling to the four establishments of mindfulness, nor do they cling to the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, or the eightfold noble path; they do not cling to the paramita of generosity, nor do they cling to the paramitas of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditation, or prajnaparamita; they do not cling to the Buddha’s ten powers, nor do they cling to the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of unobstructed understanding, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; they do not cling to the knowledge of all things, nor do they cling to the knowledge of the aspects of the paths or the knowledge of all aspects; they do not cling to the fruit of stream-entry, nor do they cling to the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship; they do not cling to the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood; they do not cling to any practice of great bodhisattvas; and they do not cling to the unsurpassed, perfect awakening of the Buddhas.

O Sariputra! For this reason, as great bodhisattvas practice the six paramitas, their aspiration toward the path of bodhi increasingly grows, and no one can obstruct them.

O Sariputra! Furthermore, great bodhisattvas who abide in prajnaparamita can swiftly perfect the knowledge of omniscience. Because they attain superior knowledge, they never fall into perilous and evil destinies, never assume lowly bodies among gods or humans, and are forever free from poverty. The bodies they assume are handsome and beautiful, their faculties are complete, and they are esteemed by gods, humans, and asuras.

Then Sariputra asked:

– Blessed One! What is called the great bodhisattvas’ attainment of superior knowledge?

The Buddha said to Sariputra:

– By attaining this knowledge, great bodhisattvas see all the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones throughout Buddha worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions. They hear all the true Dharma taught by those Buddhas, see all the assemblies of sravakas and bodhisattvas gathered there, and also see the adornments of those lands. By attaining this knowledge, great bodhisattvas do not conceive the notion of a world, the notion of a Buddha, the notion of the Dharma, the notion of the Sangha of sravakas, the notion of the Sangha of bodhisattvas, the notion of a pratyekabuddha, the notion of a self, the notion of a non-self, or the notion of an adorned Buddha land. By attaining this knowledge, although great bodhisattvas practice the paramita of generosity, they do not cling to the paramita of generosity; although they practice the paramita of pure morality, they do not cling to the paramita of pure morality; although they practice the paramita of patience, they do not cling to the paramita of patience; although they practice the paramita of diligence, they do not cling to the paramita of diligence; although they practice the paramita of meditation, they do not cling to the paramita of meditation; and although they practice prajnaparamita, they do not cling to prajnaparamita. Although they practice the four establishments of mindfulness, they do not cling to the four establishments of mindfulness; and so on, up to although they practice the eightfold noble path, they do not cling to the eightfold noble path. Although they practice the Buddha’s ten powers, they do not cling to the Buddha’s ten powers; and so on, up to although they practice the knowledge of all aspects, they do not cling to the knowledge of all aspects.

O Sariputra! This is called the great bodhisattvas’ attainment of superior knowledge. By attaining this knowledge, great bodhisattvas swiftly perfect all Buddha-dharmas. Although they know all dharmas, they apprehend no dharma whatsoever, because their intrinsic nature is empty.

O Sariputra! Furthermore, great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita can purify the five kinds of eyes: the physical eye, the divine eye, the wisdom eye, the Dharma eye, and the Buddha eye.

Then Sariputra asked:

– Blessed One! What is called the purity of a great bodhisattva’s physical eye?

The Buddha said to Sariputra:

– Some great bodhisattvas can see one hundred yojanas with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see two hundred yojanas with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see three hundred yojanas with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see four hundred, five hundred, six hundred, and up to one thousand yojanas with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see the continent of Jambudvipa with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see two great continents with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see three great continents with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see four great continents with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see a small chiliocosm with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see a medium chiliocosm with the physical eye. Some great bodhisattvas can see a great trichiliocosm with the physical eye.

O Sariputra! This is called the purity of a great bodhisattva’s physical eye.

Then Sariputra asked again:

– Blessed One! What is called the purity of a great bodhisattva’s divine eye?

The Buddha told Sariputra:

– With the divine eye, great bodhisattvas can see whatever can be seen by the divine eyes of all the gods of the Four Great Kings; they can see whatever can be seen by the divine eyes of all the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Transformation, and the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Transformations; they can see whatever can be seen by the divine eyes of all the gods of the Brahma Assembly; and so on, up to whatever can be seen by the divine eyes of all the gods of Akanistha Heaven.

O Sariputra! Some great bodhisattvas can see with the divine eye things that cannot be seen by the divine eyes of any gods, from those of the Four Great Kings up to those of Akanistha Heaven.

O Sariputra! With the divine eye, great bodhisattvas can see sentient beings throughout worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions dying here and being born there.

O Sariputra! This is the purity of a great bodhisattva’s divine eye.

Then Sariputra asked again:

– Blessed One! What is called the purity of a great bodhisattva’s wisdom eye?

The Buddha said to Sariputra:

– With the wisdom eye, great bodhisattvas do not see any dharma, whether conditioned or unconditioned, contaminated or uncontaminated, mundane or supramundane, culpable or blameless, defiled or pure, possessing form or formless, resistant or nonresistant, past, future, or present, bound to the Desire Realm, bound to the Form Realm, or bound to the Formless Realm, wholesome, unwholesome, or indeterminate, to be abandoned through seeing, to be abandoned through cultivation, or not to be abandoned, pertaining to one in training, pertaining to one beyond training, or pertaining to neither one in training nor one beyond training; and so on, up to the intrinsic nature or distinctions of all dharmas.

O Sariputra! This great bodhisattva’s wisdom eye does not see any dharma that can be seen, heard, understood, or known.

O Sariputra! This is the purity of a great bodhisattva’s wisdom eye.

Then Sariputra asked:

– Blessed One! What is called the purity of a great bodhisattva’s Dharma eye?

The Buddha said to Sariputra:

– The Dharma-eye of a great bodhisattva can know, in accordance with reality, the distinctions among the various kinds of pudgalas: this one is a faith-follower; this one is a Dharma-follower; this one practices signlessness; this one abides in emptiness; this one abides in signlessness; this one abides in wishlessness. This one, through the liberation gateway of emptiness, gives rise to the five faculties; through the five faculties, gives rise to uninterrupted concentration; through uninterrupted concentration, gives rise to the knowledge and vision of liberation; and through possessing the knowledge and vision of liberation, permanently eliminates the three fetters—identity view, attachment to precepts and observances, and doubt. By permanently eliminating these three fetters, one attains the fruit of Stream-entry. By cultivating the path and diminishing sensual craving and anger, one attains the fruit of Once-returning. Furthermore, by cultivating the superior path and completely eliminating sensual craving and anger, one attains the fruit of Non-returning. Furthermore, by cultivating the supremely superior path and completely eliminating the five higher fetters—craving for form, craving for the formless, ignorance, conceit, and restlessness—one attains the fruit of arhatship. This one, through the liberation gateway of signlessness, gives rise to the five faculties. Through the five faculties, one gives rise to uninterrupted concentration, and so on, until one completely eliminates the five higher fetters and attains the fruit of arhatship. This one, through the liberation gateway of wishlessness, gives rise to the five faculties. Through the five faculties, one gives rise to uninterrupted concentration, and so on, until one completely eliminates the five higher fetters and attains the fruit of arhatship. The same applies through two or through all three.

O Sariputra! This is the purified Dharma-eye of a great bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Sariputra, the Dharma-eye of a great bodhisattva can know, in accordance with reality, that all phenomena which arise through accumulation are phenomena subject to cessation. Through knowing thus, the bodhisattva attains the five kinds of eyes.

O Sariputra! This is called the purified Dharma-eye of a great bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Sariputra, the Dharma-eye of a great bodhisattva can know, in accordance with reality: This great bodhisattva, from the first arising of the aspiration, cultivates the perfection of generosity, up to and including the perfection of prajna. Having perfected the faculty of faith, the faculty of diligence, and skillful means, this great bodhisattva acquires a mind-made body and increases wholesome qualities. This great bodhisattva is always born into eminent families, such as a kshatriya family, a brahmin family, an elder's family, or a householder's family; or is born among the gods of the Four Great Kings, up to and including the Heaven of Enjoying the Creations of Others.

Abiding there, this great bodhisattva teaches and transforms sentient beings, fully provides them with every kind of excellent thing according to their inclinations, purifies and adorns Buddha-fields, and makes offerings to, reveres, honors, and praises the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones. This great bodhisattva does not fall to the stage of a sravaka or a pratyekabuddha and never regresses until attaining unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

O Sariputra! This is the purified Dharma-eye of a great bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Sariputra, the Dharma-eye of a great bodhisattva can know, in accordance with reality: This great bodhisattva has received a prediction of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment; this great bodhisattva has not yet received a prediction of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. This great bodhisattva has attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment; this great bodhisattva has not yet attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

This great bodhisattva has reached the stage of non-retrogression; this great bodhisattva has not yet reached the stage of non-retrogression. This great bodhisattva has perfected the superknowledges; this great bodhisattva has not yet perfected the superknowledges. Having perfected the superknowledges, this great bodhisattva can travel throughout the ten directions to Buddha-worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges to make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones; not yet having perfected the superknowledges, this great bodhisattva cannot travel throughout the ten directions to Buddha-worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges to make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones.

This great bodhisattva has attained the superknowledges; this great bodhisattva has not yet attained the superknowledges. This great bodhisattva has attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas; this great bodhisattva has not yet attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. This great bodhisattva has attained superior faculties; this great bodhisattva has not yet attained superior faculties.

This great bodhisattva has purified and adorned Buddha-fields; this great bodhisattva has not yet purified and adorned Buddha-fields. This great bodhisattva has taught and transformed sentient beings; this great bodhisattva has not yet taught and transformed sentient beings. This great bodhisattva has attained great vows; this great bodhisattva has not yet attained great vows.

This great bodhisattva has been praised by the Buddhas; this great bodhisattva has not yet been praised by the Buddhas. This great bodhisattva has drawn near to the Buddhas; this great bodhisattva has not yet drawn near to the Buddhas. This great bodhisattva has an immeasurable lifespan; this great bodhisattva has a limited lifespan.

When this great bodhisattva attains enlightenment, there will be an immeasurable Sangha of bhikshus; when this great bodhisattva attains enlightenment, there will be a Sangha of bhikshus of limited size. When this great bodhisattva attains enlightenment, there will be a Sangha of bodhisattvas; when this great bodhisattva attains enlightenment, there will be no Sangha of bodhisattvas. This great bodhisattva exclusively cultivates practices benefiting others; this great bodhisattva also cultivates practices benefiting oneself.

This great bodhisattva undertakes difficult ascetic practices; this great bodhisattva does not undertake difficult ascetic practices. This great bodhisattva is bound to only one more birth; this great bodhisattva is bound to many more births. This great bodhisattva already abides in the final body; this great bodhisattva does not yet abide in the final body.

This great bodhisattva has sat upon the wondrous seat of enlightenment; this great bodhisattva has not yet sat upon the wondrous seat of enlightenment. Demons come to test this great bodhisattva; no demons come to test this great bodhisattva.

O Sariputra! This is the purified Dharma-eye of a great bodhisattva.

At that time, Sariputra again asked:

– Blessed One! What is called the purified Buddha-eye of a great bodhisattva?

The Buddha said to Sariputra:

– With the mind of enlightenment uninterrupted, a great bodhisattva enters the vajra-like concentration, attains the knowledge of all aspects, and perfects the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and the liberated Buddha-eye, which is unobstructed and unhindered. Through this Buddha-eye, the great bodhisattva surpasses all spheres of knowledge of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. There is nothing the bodhisattva does not see, nothing the bodhisattva does not hear, nothing the bodhisattva does not comprehend, and nothing the bodhisattva does not know. The bodhisattva sees all characteristics of all dharmas.

O Sariputra! This is called the purified Buddha-eye of a great bodhisattva.

O Sariputra! Only when a great bodhisattva realizes unsurpassed enlightenment does the bodhisattva attain such a purified Buddha-eye.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain the five purified eyes in this way, the bodhisattva should diligently cultivate the six perfections. Why? Because these six perfections encompass all wholesome dharmas, namely, all wholesome dharmas of sravakas, all wholesome dharmas of pratyekabuddhas, all wholesome dharmas of bodhisattvas, and all wholesome dharmas of Tathagatas.

O Sariputra! If someone were to ask the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Completely and Perfectly Enlightened One, to speak truthfully about which Dharma can encompass all wholesome dharmas,

the Buddha would immediately reply: It is the prajnaparamita. Why? Because this prajnaparamita is the mother of all wholesome dharmas and can give rise to the virtues of the other five perfections and the five kinds of eyes.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain the five purified eyes, the bodhisattva should train in the prajnaparamita. If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain the fruit of unsurpassed enlightenment, the bodhisattva should train in the five purified eyes in this way.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva can train in the five purified eyes in this way, the bodhisattva will certainly attain the fruit of unsurpassed enlightenment.

Śāriputra! Furthermore, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, he can bring forth the six superknowledges as perfections: the direct knowledge of supernormal powers, the direct knowledge of the divine ear, the direct knowledge of others’ minds, the direct knowledge of recollecting past lives at will, the direct knowledge of the divine eye, and the direct knowledge of the extinction of the outflows as a perfection.

At that time, Śāriputra asked:

“Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how does he bring forth the direct knowledge of supernormal powers?”

The Buddha told Śāriputra:

“A great bodhisattva, through the direct knowledge of supernormal powers, can manifest various kinds of miraculous transformations: he can cause the great earth and all things within worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions to quake; transform one into many and many into one; appear or disappear and move swiftly without obstruction; pass through mountains, walls, and ramparts as though through empty space; travel through the sky like a bird in flight; enter and emerge from the earth as though entering and emerging from water; walk upon water as though walking upon land; emit smoke and flames from his body like a fire blazing upon a plateau; and cause streams of water to flow from his body like melting snow mountains.

His majestic power and spiritual might are difficult for even the sun and moon to equal. He can reach out and touch the moon and conceal its light, and can even transport his body freely to the Pure Abodes. Such are his boundless and innumerable miraculous transformations.

“Śāriputra! Although this great bodhisattva possesses such wisdom and power in the exercise of supernormal abilities, he does not become conceited on that account. He does not apprehend the nature of the direct knowledge of supernormal powers, does not apprehend the act of directly knowing supernormal powers, and does not apprehend that such direct knowledge of supernormal powers can be attained. With regard to either apprehending or not apprehending, he remains unattached. Why? Because intrinsic nature is empty, intrinsic nature is relinquished, and intrinsic nature has always been unobtainable.

“Śāriputra! This great bodhisattva does not think: ‘I shall bring forth the knowledge of supernormal powers for my own amusement,’ but does so solely to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.

“Śāriputra! This is called a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, brings forth the direct knowledge of supernormal powers.”

At that time, Śāriputra again asked:

“Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how does he bring forth the direct knowledge of the divine ear?”

The Buddha said to Śāriputra:

“A great bodhisattva, through the supreme, pure, superhuman direct knowledge of the divine ear, can hear, just as they truly are, the various sounds made by sentient and insentient beings in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions. That is, he hears all the sounds of hell beings, animals, beings in the realm of ghosts, humans, devas, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas; sounds reproaching samsara; sounds praising nirvana; sounds turning away from the conditioned; sounds proceeding toward bodhi; sounds expressing revulsion toward the contaminated; sounds delighting in the uncontaminated; sounds praising the Three Jewels; sounds subduing false paths; sounds of discussion, analysis, and decisive discernment;

sounds of reading and reciting scriptures; sounds exhorting beings to abandon unwholesome dharmas; sounds exhorting beings to cultivate wholesome dharmas; sounds of rescuing those in suffering and peril; sounds of gladness and joy; and so forth.

Whether such sounds are loud or soft, the bodhisattva hears them all without obstruction or impediment.

“Śāriputra! Although this great bodhisattva possesses such power of the divine ear, he does not become conceited on that account. He does not apprehend the nature of the direct knowledge of the divine ear, does not apprehend the act of directly knowing through the divine ear, and does not apprehend that such direct knowledge of the divine ear can be attained. With regard to either apprehending or not apprehending, he remains unattached. Why? Because intrinsic nature is empty, intrinsic nature is relinquished, and intrinsic nature has always been unobtainable.

“Śāriputra! This great bodhisattva does not think: ‘I shall bring forth the knowledge of the divine ear for my own amusement,’ but does so solely to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.

“Śāriputra! This is called a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, brings forth the direct knowledge of the divine ear.”

At that time, Śāriputra again asked:

“Blessed One! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how does he bring forth the direct knowledge of others’ minds?”

The Buddha said to Śāriputra:

“A great bodhisattva, through the direct knowledge of others’ minds, can know, just as they truly are, the minds and mental factors of the various sentient beings in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions. He knows them all: if a sentient being has a mind with greed, he knows truly that the mind has greed; if the mind is free from greed, he knows truly that it is free from greed; if the mind has hatred, he knows truly that it has hatred; if the mind is free from hatred, he knows truly that it is free from hatred; if the mind has delusion, he knows truly that it has delusion; if the mind is free from delusion, he knows truly that it is free from delusion; if the mind has craving, he knows truly that it has craving;

if the mind is free from craving, he knows truly that it is free from craving; if the mind has grasping, he knows truly that it has grasping; if the mind is free from grasping, he knows truly that it is free from grasping; if the mind is concentrated, he knows truly that it is concentrated; if the mind is distracted, he knows truly that it is distracted; if the mind is narrow, he knows truly that it is narrow; if the mind is expansive, he knows truly that it is expansive; if the mind is exalted, he knows truly that it is exalted; if the mind is inferior, he knows truly that it is inferior; if the mind is tranquil, he knows truly that it is tranquil; if the mind is not tranquil, he knows truly that it is not tranquil; if the mind is restless, he knows truly that it is restless;

if the mind is not restless, he knows truly that it is not restless; if the mind is concentrated in samadhi, he knows truly that it is concentrated in samadhi; if the mind is not concentrated in samadhi, he knows truly that it is not concentrated in samadhi; if the mind is liberated, he knows truly that it is liberated; if the mind is not liberated, he knows truly that it is not liberated; if the mind has outflows, he knows truly that it has outflows; if the mind is without outflows, he knows truly that it is without outflows; if the mind has deficiencies, he knows truly that it has deficiencies; if the mind has no deficiencies, he knows truly that it has no deficiencies; if the mind is surpassable, he knows truly that it is surpassable;

if the mind is unsurpassed, he knows truly that it is unsurpassed.

“Śāriputra! Although this great bodhisattva possesses such power of knowing others’ minds, he does not become conceited on that account. He does not apprehend the nature of the direct knowledge of others’ minds, does not apprehend the act of directly knowing others’ minds, and does not apprehend that such direct knowledge of others’ minds can be attained. With regard to either apprehending or not apprehending, he remains unattached. Why? Because intrinsic nature is empty, intrinsic nature is relinquished, and intrinsic nature has always been unobtainable.

“Śāriputra! This great bodhisattva thinks: ‘I shall bring forth the knowledge of others’ minds for my own amusement,’ except for the purpose of attaining the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.

“Śāriputra! This is called a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, brings forth the direct knowledge of others’ minds.”

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