大般若波羅蜜多經

XXV. CHAPTER ON SAKRA

01

At that time, in this Saha world-system of three thousand great thousand worlds, the Four Great Heavenly Kings, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of devas from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, all came and assembled; Sakra, Lord of the Devas, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of devas from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, all came and assembled; King Suyama, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of devas from the Yama Heaven, all came and assembled; King Santusita, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of devas from the Tusita Heaven, all came and assembled; King Sunirmita, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of devas from the Heaven of Delight in Emanations, all came and assembled;

King Vasavartin, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of devas from the Heaven of Mastery over the Emanations of Others, all came and assembled; King Mahabrahma, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of celestial beings from the Mahabrahma Heaven, all came and assembled; devas of the Heaven of Radiant Purity, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of celestial beings who had attained the second dhyana, all came and assembled; devas of the Heaven of Pervasive Purity, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of celestial beings who had attained the third dhyana, all came and assembled;

devas of the Heaven of Great Fruition, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of celestial beings who had attained the fourth dhyana, all came and assembled; and devas of the Akanistha Heaven, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of celestial beings from the Pure Abodes, all came and assembled.

The celestial beings from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to those of the Pure Abodes possessed bodies purified through the maturation of karma and radiating light; yet their light did not equal one hundredth of the light naturally emanating from the Tathagata’s body, nor one thousandth, nor one hundred-thousandth, nor one koti-th, nor one hundred-koti-th, nor one thousand-koti-th, nor one hundred-thousand-koti-th.

Thus, it did not equal even a fraction expressible by number, calculation, reckoning, analogy, or the minutest possible fraction. Why? Because the light naturally emanating from the Tathagata’s body was exceedingly brilliant—the most honored, supreme, unsurpassed, sublime, incomparable, peerless, highest, and foremost of all lights.

It eclipsed the light of the devas and caused it to disappear, just as the flame on a lampwick pales beside Jambu River gold.

At that time, Sakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed the Venerable Subhuti:

“Today, in this world-system of three thousand great thousand worlds, the assemblies of devas from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Pure Abodes have all come and gathered, wishing to hear the Venerable One expound the prajnaparamita. May the Venerable One discern that the time is right and teach it to us.

“Venerable One! What is the prajnaparamita of great bodhisattvas? How do great bodhisattvas abide in prajnaparamita? How do great bodhisattvas train in prajnaparamita?”

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti said to Sakra, Lord of the Devas:

“Kausika and assembled devas! Listen, listen well, and reflect carefully! Relying upon the Buddha’s spiritual power and in accordance with the Tathagata’s intent, I shall expound the prajnaparamita for great bodhisattvas. Great bodhisattvas should abide in it thus and train in it thus.

“Kausika and assembled devas! Those who have not yet aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi should now all arouse it.

“Kausika! Those who have already entered the certainty of the right path leading beyond birth as sravakas or pratyekabuddhas can no longer arouse the aspiration for great bodhi. Why? Kausika! Because they have already brought the cycle of birth and death to an end. If any among them are able to arouse the aspiration directed toward unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, I rejoice accordingly. Why? Kausika! Because those who are excellent should seek the excellent Dharma; I would never obstruct their supreme wholesome qualities.

“Kausika! You asked what the prajnaparamita of great bodhisattvas is. Listen, and I shall explain it to you.

Kausika! A great bodhisattva who arouses a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and, taking non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates form through consciousness as impermanent, or suffering, or non-self, or empty, or like a disease, or like a tumor, or like an arrow, or like a sore, or as tormenting, or oppressive, or ruinous, or decaying, or unstable, or swiftly perishing, or fearful, or repulsive, or fraught with calamity, or fraught with affliction, or like a pestilence, or like leprosy, or insecure, or unreliable.

The bodhisattva contemplates the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana; the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana; the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu; the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu; the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu; eye-contact through mind-contact; the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition. The bodhisattva likewise contemplates the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu.

“Kausika! This is called the prajnaparamita of great bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Kausika! A great bodhisattva who arouses a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and, taking non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates form through consciousness as quiescent, or secluded, or unborn, or unceasing, or undefiled, or unpurified, or inactive, or unconditioned. The bodhisattva contemplates the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana; the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana; the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu; the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu; the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu; eye-contact through mind-contact; the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition.

The bodhisattva likewise contemplates the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu.

“Kausika! This is called the prajnaparamita of great bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Kausika! A great bodhisattva who arouses a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and, taking non-apprehension as skillful means, contemplates: conditioned by ignorance, formations arise; conditioned by formations, consciousness arises; conditioned by consciousness, name-and-form arises; conditioned by name-and-form, the six ayatanas arise; conditioned by the six ayatanas, contact arises; conditioned by contact, feeling arises; conditioned by feeling, craving arises; conditioned by craving, grasping arises; conditioned by grasping, existence arises; conditioned by existence, birth arises; conditioned by birth, aging and death arise, culminating in the full accumulation of this great mass of suffering.

Taking non-apprehension as skillful means, the bodhisattva contemplates: through the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; through the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases; through the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form ceases; through the cessation of name-and-form, the six ayatanas cease; through the cessation of the six ayatanas, contact ceases; through the cessation of contact, feeling ceases; through the cessation of feeling, craving ceases; through the cessation of craving, grasping ceases; through the cessation of grasping, existence ceases; through the cessation of existence, birth ceases; through the cessation of birth, aging and death cease, culminating in the cessation of the full accumulation of this great mass of suffering.

“Kausika! This is called the prajnaparamita of great bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Kausika! A great bodhisattva who arouses a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and, taking non-apprehension as skillful means, abides in the emptiness of internal phenomena through the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature. The bodhisattva abides in suchness, the dharma dhatu, the ultimate reality, the inconceivable realm, the realm of peace and security, and so forth.

“Kausika! This is called the prajnaparamita of great bodhisattvas.

“Furthermore, Kausika! A great bodhisattva who arouses a mind associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and, taking non-apprehension as skillful means, cultivates the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; cultivates the liberation gateway of emptiness through the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness; cultivates the ten powers of a Buddha through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; cultivates all gateways of samadhi and gateways of dharani; and cultivates the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects.

“Kausika! This is called the prajnaparamita of great bodhisattvas.”

Furthermore, Kausika, any great bodhisattva who gives rise to a mind corresponding to the knowledge of all modes, and who, taking non-apprehension as the skillful means, cultivates generosity, pure ethical discipline, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita—

Kausika, this is called the great bodhisattva’s prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Kausika, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, he contemplates thus: These dharmas merely support one another, increase one another, and bring one another to perfection. In reflecting and examining, there is neither self nor what belongs to a self. He further contemplates thus: The great bodhisattvas’ mind of dedication does not unite with the mind of bodhi, nor does the mind of bodhi unite with the mind of dedication.

That is to say, within the mind of bodhi, the great bodhisattva’s mind of dedication is nonexistent and cannot be apprehended; within the mind of dedication, the mind of bodhi is likewise nonexistent and cannot be apprehended. Although great bodhisattvas contemplate all dharmas in accordance with reality, they have no seeing whatsoever with regard to any dharma.

Kausika, this is called the great bodhisattva’s prajnaparamita.

At that time, Sakra, Lord of the Gods, asked Subhuti:

“How is it that the great bodhisattva’s mind of dedication does not unite with the mind of bodhi, and that the mind of bodhi likewise does not unite with the mind of dedication?

“How is it that within the mind of bodhi, the great bodhisattva’s mind of dedication is nonexistent and cannot be apprehended, and that within the mind of dedication, the mind of bodhi is likewise nonexistent and cannot be apprehended?”

Subhuti replied:

“Kausika, the great bodhisattvas’ mind of dedication is not mind, and the mind of bodhi is also not mind. How could what is not mind dedicate what is not mind? How could mind dedicate what is not mind? How could what is not mind dedicate itself to mind? How could mind dedicate itself to mind? Why is this? Kausika, because what is not mind is inconceivable, and what is inconceivable is what is not mind; both these dharmas are nonexistent. Within nonexistence, there is no meaning of dedication.

“Kausika, mind has no intrinsic nature. Since the nature of mind is empty, mental factors are also nonexistent. Because mind and mental factors have no intrinsic nature, mind likewise has no meaning of a mind of dedication.

“Kausika, contemplation in this manner is called the great bodhisattva’s prajnaparamita.”

The Blessed One then praised Subhuti:

“Excellent! Excellent! You skillfully expound prajnaparamita to the great bodhisattvas, and you also skillfully instruct them, gladden them, and exhort them to cultivate prajnaparamita.”

The Venerable Subhuti said:

“Blessed One, having recognized the kindness shown to me, I cannot fail to repay it. Why is this? The Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past and their disciples expounded prajnaparamita to the great bodhisattvas, demonstrating and teaching it, praising and encouraging them, gladdening and consoling them, and guiding them to attain the ultimate.

At that time, the Blessed One also trained in this Dharma and therefore has now attained unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, turning the wheel of the wondrous Dharma for our benefit and well-being. We should now follow the Buddha’s teaching and expound prajnaparamita to the great bodhisattvas, demonstrating and teaching it, praising and encouraging them, gladdening and consoling them, and guiding them to attain the ultimate and swiftly realize unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

This is called repaying that kindness.”

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti said to Sakra, Lord of the Gods:

“Kausika, you asked how a great bodhisattva should abide in prajnaparamita. Listen attentively, and I shall explain. Great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita as they ought to abide, without abiding in characteristics.

“Kausika, form and the emptiness of form; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and the emptiness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of form, the emptiness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and are not divided into two parts.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, the eye ayatana and the emptiness of the eye ayatana, through to the mind ayatana and the emptiness of the mind ayatana; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of the eye ayatana, through to the emptiness of the mind ayatana, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, the form ayatana and the emptiness of the form ayatana, through to the dharma ayatana and the emptiness of the dharma ayatana; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of the form ayatana, through to the emptiness of the dharma ayatana, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, the eye dhatu and the emptiness of the eye dhatu, through to the mind dhatu and the emptiness of the mind dhatu; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of the eye dhatu, through to the emptiness of the mind dhatu, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, the form dhatu and the emptiness of the form dhatu, through to the dharma dhatu and the emptiness of the dharma dhatu; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of the form dhatu, through to the emptiness of the dharma dhatu, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, the eye-consciousness dhatu and the emptiness of the eye-consciousness dhatu, through to the mind-consciousness dhatu and the emptiness of the mind-consciousness dhatu; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of the eye-consciousness dhatu, through to the emptiness of the mind-consciousness dhatu, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, eye-contact and the emptiness of eye-contact, through to mind-contact and the emptiness of mind-contact; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of eye-contact, through to the emptiness of mind-contact, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition and the emptiness of the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition, through to the feelings arising with mind-contact as their condition and the emptiness of the feelings arising with mind-contact as their condition; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition, through to the emptiness of the feelings arising with mind-contact as their condition, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, the earth dhatu and the emptiness of the earth dhatu, through to the consciousness dhatu and the emptiness of the consciousness dhatu; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of the earth dhatu, through to the emptiness of the consciousness dhatu, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, ignorance and the emptiness of ignorance, through to aging-and-death and the emptiness of aging-and-death; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of ignorance, through to the emptiness of aging-and-death, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.

“Kausika, the cessation of ignorance and the emptiness of the cessation of ignorance, through to the cessation of aging-and-death and the emptiness of the cessation of aging-and-death; a bodhisattva and the emptiness of a bodhisattva—whether the emptiness of the cessation of ignorance, through to the emptiness of the cessation of aging-and-death, or the emptiness of a bodhisattva—all these are nondual and have no two distinct places.

“Kausika, great bodhisattvas should abide in prajnaparamita in this manner.”

Kausika! The perfection of giving is empty of the perfection of giving, and so on through the perfection of wisdom being empty of the perfection of wisdom; the bodhisattva is empty of the bodhisattva. Whether it is the emptiness of the perfection of giving, and so on through the emptiness of the perfection of wisdom, or the emptiness of the bodhisattva, all these are nondual and without any division into two.

Kausika! Great bodhisattvas should abide in the prajnaparamita in this way.

Kausika! The emptiness of the internal is empty of the emptiness of the internal, and so on through the emptiness of non-nature as intrinsic nature being empty of the emptiness of non-nature as intrinsic nature; the bodhisattva is empty of the bodhisattva. Whether it is the emptiness of the emptiness of the internal, and so on through the emptiness of the emptiness of non-nature as intrinsic nature, or the emptiness of the bodhisattva, all these are nondual and without any division into two.

Kausika! Great bodhisattvas should abide in the prajnaparamita in this way.

Kausika! The four foundations of mindfulness are empty of the four foundations of mindfulness, and so on through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha being empty of the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; the bodhisattva is empty of the bodhisattva. Whether it is the emptiness of the four foundations of mindfulness, and so on through the emptiness of the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, or the emptiness of the bodhisattva, all these are nondual and without any division into two.

Kausika! Great bodhisattvas should abide in the prajnaparamita in this way.

Kausika! All samadhi gateways are empty of all samadhi gateways; all dharani gateways are empty of all dharani gateways; the bodhisattva is empty of the bodhisattva. Whether it is the emptiness of all samadhi gateways, the emptiness of all dharani gateways, or the emptiness of the bodhisattva, all these are nondual and without any division into two.

Kausika! Great bodhisattvas should abide in the prajnaparamita in this way.

Kausika! The Sravaka Vehicle is empty of the Sravaka Vehicle; the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle and the Supreme Vehicle are empty of the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle and the Supreme Vehicle; the bodhisattva is empty of the bodhisattva. Whether it is the emptiness of the Sravaka Vehicle, the emptiness of the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle and the Supreme Vehicle, or the emptiness of the bodhisattva, all these are nondual and without any division into two.

Kausika! Great bodhisattvas should abide in the prajnaparamita in this way.

Kausika! A stream-enterer is empty of a stream-enterer, and so on through the Tathagata being empty of the Tathagata; the bodhisattva is empty of the bodhisattva. Whether it is the emptiness of a stream-enterer, and so on through the emptiness of the Tathagata, or the emptiness of the bodhisattva, all these are nondual and without any division into two.

Kausika! Great bodhisattvas should abide in the prajnaparamita in this way.

Kausika! The knowledge of all things is empty of the knowledge of all things; the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects are empty of the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects; the bodhisattva is empty of the bodhisattva. Whether it is the emptiness of the knowledge of all things, the emptiness of the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects, or the emptiness of the bodhisattva, all these are nondual and without any division into two.

Kausika! Great bodhisattvas should abide in the prajnaparamita in this way.

At that time, Shakra, Lord of the Gods, asked Subhuti:

“Why should a great bodhisattva, when practicing the prajnaparamita, not abide in any dharma whatsoever?”

Subhuti replied:

“Kausika! When great bodhisattvas practice the prajnaparamita, they should not abide in form; they should not abide in feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. They should not abide in the eye ayatana, through to the mind ayatana.

They should not abide in the form ayatana, through to the dharma ayatana. They should not abide in the eye dhatu, through to the mind dhatu. They should not abide in the form dhatu, through to the dharma dhatu.

They should not abide in the eye-consciousness dhatu, through to the mind-consciousness dhatu. They should not abide in eye-contact, through to mind-contact. They should not abide in the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through to the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition.

They should not abide in the earth dhatu, through to the consciousness dhatu. They should not abide in ignorance, through to aging and death. They should not abide in the cessation of ignorance, through to the cessation of aging and death.

They should not abide in the perfection of giving, through to the perfection of wisdom. They should not abide in the emptiness of the internal, through to the emptiness of non-nature as intrinsic nature. They should not abide in the four foundations of mindfulness, through to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.

They should not abide in any samadhi gateway; they should not abide in any dharani gateway. They should not abide in the Sravaka Vehicle; they should not abide in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle or the Supreme Vehicle. They should not abide in a stream-enterer, through to the Tathagata.

They should not abide in the knowledge of all things; they should not abide in the knowledge of the aspects of the paths or the knowledge of all aspects. Why? Kausika!

Because abiding in this way entails apprehending something as attained.

“Furthermore, Kausika! When great bodhisattvas practice the prajnaparamita, they should not abide in the notion, ‘This is form,’ through to, ‘This is consciousness.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is the eye ayatana,’ through to, ‘This is the mind ayatana.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is the form ayatana,’ through to, ‘This is the dharma ayatana.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is the eye dhatu,’ through to, ‘This is the mind dhatu.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is the form dhatu,’ through to, ‘This is the dharma dhatu.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is the eye-consciousness dhatu,’ through to, ‘This is the mind-consciousness dhatu.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is eye-contact,’ through to,

‘This is mind-contact.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘These are the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition,’ through to, ‘These are the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is the earth dhatu,’ through to, ‘This is the consciousness dhatu.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is ignorance,’ through to, ‘This is aging and death.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is the cessation of ignorance,’ through to, ‘This is the cessation of aging and death.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is the perfection of giving,’ through to, ‘This is the perfection of wisdom.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is the emptiness of the internal,’ through to,

‘This is the emptiness of non-nature as intrinsic nature.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘These are the four foundations of mindfulness,’ through to, ‘These are the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.’ They should not abide in the notions, ‘These are all the samadhi gateways,’ or, ‘These are all the dharani gateways.’ They should not abide in the notions, ‘This is the Sravaka Vehicle,’ ‘This is the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle,’ or, ‘This is the Supreme Vehicle.’ They should not abide in the notion, ‘This is a stream-enterer,’ through to, ‘This is the Tathagata.’ They should not abide in the notions, ‘This is the knowledge of all things,’ ‘This is the knowledge of the aspects of the paths,’ or, ‘This is the knowledge of all aspects.’ Why?

Kausika! Because abiding in this way entails apprehending something as attained.”

Furthermore, Kausika, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should not abide in form through consciousness as permanent or impermanent, pleasant or painful, self or non-self, pure or impure, empty or not empty, quiescent or not quiescent, secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded.

They should not abide in the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded.

They should not abide in the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in eye-contact through mind-contact as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded.

They should not abide in the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in ignorance through aging and death as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in the cessation of ignorance through the cessation of aging and death as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded.

They should not abide in the perfection of generosity through prajnaparamita as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in the emptiness of internal phenomena through the emptiness of the absence of an intrinsic nature as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in the four establishments of mindfulness through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded.

They should not abide in any gateway of samadhi or any gateway of dharani as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in the Sravaka Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or the Supreme Vehicle as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. They should not abide in a stream-enterer through a Tathagata as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded.

They should not abide in the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or the knowledge of all aspects as permanent or impermanent, and so forth, through secluded or not secluded. Why? Kausika, because abiding in this way entails apprehension.

Furthermore, Kausika, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should not abide in the fruit of stream-entry as revealing either the conditioned or the unconditioned. They should not abide in the fruit of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, pratyekabuddhahood, bodhisattva awakening, or the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas as revealing either the conditioned or the unconditioned. Why? Kausika, because abiding in this way entails apprehension.

Furthermore, Kausika, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should not abide in the notion that a stream-enterer is a field of merit. They should not abide in the notion that a once-returner, non-returner, arhat, pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, or Tathagata is a field of merit. Why? Kausika, because abiding in this way entails apprehension.

Furthermore, Kausika, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should not abide in the first bhumi, nor should they abide in the tenth bhumi. Why? Kausika, because abiding in this way entails apprehension. Why? Because abiding in this way involves movement and change.

Furthermore, Kausika, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should not, upon first giving rise to the aspiration, abide in the thought: “I shall perfect the perfection of generosity through prajnaparamita.” They should not, upon first giving rise to the aspiration, abide in the thought: “I shall cultivate the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path.” They should not, upon first giving rise to the aspiration, abide in the thought: “I shall cultivate the three gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.” They should not abide in the thought: “When I have perfected the initial stage of practice,

I shall enter the bodhisattva’s certainty of rightness.” They should not abide in the thought: “Having entered the certainty of rightness, I shall abide at the bodhisattva level of non-retrogression.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall perfect the five superknowledges of a bodhisattva.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall abide in the perfection of the five superknowledges of a bodhisattva, constantly travel to immeasurable and innumerable Buddha-fields, reverently bow to and behold the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, make offerings to and serve them, listen to the true Dharma, contemplate it in accordance with reason, and expound it for others to hear.” Why?

Kausika, because abiding in this way entails apprehension.

Furthermore, Kausika, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should not abide in the thought: “I shall adorn pure lands like the Buddha-fields throughout the ten directions.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall magically transform pure lands like the Buddha-fields throughout the ten directions.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall teach and transform all kinds of sentient beings, enabling them to attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, enter nirvana, or enjoy happiness among gods and humans.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall travel to the immeasurable and innumerable lands of the Buddhas and make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones.

I shall further offer boundless flowers, incense, necklaces, banners, canopies, clothing, bedding, seats, food, drink, lamps, hundreds of thousands of kotis and nayutas of varieties of celestial music, and immeasurable fine jewels.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall guide immeasurable, boundless, and innumerable sentient beings, causing them never to regress from the fruit of unsurpassed bodhi.” Why? Kausika, because abiding in this way entails apprehension.

Furthermore, Kausika, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should not abide in the thought: “I shall perfect the purified physical eye, divine eye, wisdom eye, Dharma eye, and Buddha eye.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall perfect all gateways of meditative concentration and attain mastery in abiding in those concentrations.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall perfect all gateways of retention and attain mastery in every gateway of retention.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall perfect the ten powers of a Tathagata, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity,

and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.” They should not abide in the thought: “I shall perfect the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics adorning the body, so that all sentient beings who see me will rejoice and never tire of beholding me, and thereby attain benefit and happiness.” Why?

Kausika, because abiding in this way entails apprehension.

Furthermore, Kauśika, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should not abide in the thought, “This is the eighth person; this is one who follows through faith; this is one who follows the Dharma.” They should not abide in the thought, “This is a stream-enterer who will undergo at most seven more births; this is a once-returner; this is a non-returner.” They should not abide in the thought, “This is the foremost person, whose afflictions will be exhausted only when life ends.” They should not abide in the thought, “This is a stream-enterer who is assured of not falling into unwholesome states;

this is a once-returner who will come to this world and bring suffering completely to an end.” They should not abide in the thought, “This is one proceeding toward the fruit of non-returning; this is one who has attained the fruit of non-returning and will attain nirvana there.” They should not abide in the thought, “This is an arhat who has ended future existence and will certainly enter nirvana without remainder in this very life.” They should not abide in the thought, “This is a pratyekabuddha.” They should not abide in the thought, “This is a Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One.” They should not abide in the thought, “I have passed beyond the stages of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas and now abide in the bodhisattva stage.” They should not abide in the thought,

“I shall perfect the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects; I shall understand all dharmas and all characteristics and completely eradicate every continuing habitual tendency of the binding afflictions.” They should not abide in the thought, “I shall attain the unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment that I seek, become a Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, turn the wheel of the sublime Dharma, perform the deeds of a Buddha, liberate immeasurable and innumerable sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate peace and bliss of nirvana.” They should not abide in the thought, “I shall cultivate well the four bases of spiritual power and abide in such a supreme samadhi.

Through the increased potency of this samadhi, I shall cause my lifespan to extend for as many great kalpas as there are grains of sand in the Ganges throughout the worlds.” They should not abide in the thought, “I shall obtain an immeasurable, boundless lifespan.” They should not abide in the thought, “I shall accomplish the thirty-two marks, each adorned with a hundred merits.” They should not abide in the thought, “I shall accomplish the eighty excellent characteristics, each possessing immeasurable and innumerable rare and supreme qualities.” They should not abide in the thought, “I shall dwell in a magnificently adorned pure land, as vast as the expanse of worlds in the ten directions equal in number to the sands of the Ganges.” They should not abide in the thought,

“I shall sit upon the vajra seat, which is as vast as a trichiliocosm.” They should not abide in the thought, “I shall rest beneath the Bodhi tree, which is lofty and expansive, adorned with various precious jewels, and emits a subtle, wondrous fragrance.

When sentient beings smell it, their greed, hatred, delusion, and so forth will swiftly be eliminated, and their immeasurable and boundless bodily illnesses will also be healed. Whoever smells the fragrance of this Bodhi tree will abandon the mental orientation of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas and will certainly attain the fruit of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.” They should not abide in the thought, “May I obtain a magnificently pure Buddha-land.

In that land, even the name ‘form skandha’ will not be heard, nor will the names ‘feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness skandhas’ be heard. The name ‘eye ayatana’ will not be heard, nor will the names ‘ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas’ be heard. The name ‘form ayatana’ will not be heard, nor will the names ‘sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and dharma ayatanas’ be heard.

The name ‘eye dhatu’ will not be heard, nor will the names ‘ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus’ be heard. The name ‘form dhatu’ will not be heard, nor will the names ‘sound, odor, taste, tangible object, and dharma dhatus’ be heard. The name ‘eye-consciousness dhatu’ will not be heard, nor will the names ‘ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus’ be heard.

The name ‘eye-contact’ will not be heard, nor will the names ‘ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact’ be heard. The names of feelings arising with eye-contact as condition will not be heard, nor will the names of feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition be heard. The name ‘earth dhatu’ will not be heard, nor will the names ‘water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus’ be heard.

The name ‘ignorance’ will not be heard, nor will the names ‘formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, and aging-and-death’ be heard. Only the name ‘generosity paramita,’ through to the name ‘prajnaparamita,’ will be heard. Only the name ‘emptiness of the internal,’ through to the name ‘emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature,’ will be heard.

Only the name ‘suchness,’ through to the name ‘inconceivable realm,’ will be heard. Only the name ‘four foundations of mindfulness,’ and, in detail, through to the name ‘eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha,’ will be heard. There, the names ‘stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, arhat, pratyekabuddha, ordinary being,’ and so forth will never be heard.

Only the names ‘great bodhisattva, Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One,’ and so forth will be heard.” Why is this? Kauśika, it is because abiding in this way entails apprehending something as existent. Why?

When all Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, they comprehend that all dharmas are utterly nonexistent. When all great bodhisattvas abide on the stage of non-retrogression, they likewise see that all dharmas are utterly nonexistent.

Kauśika, this is called how great bodhisattvas should abide in what ought to be abided in with regard to prajnaparamita, without abiding in characteristics.

Kauśika, with regard to profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should train in this way: they should abide as appropriate without abiding in characteristics, taking non-apprehension as their skillful means.

At that time, Śāriputra thought, “If great bodhisattvas, when practicing prajnaparamita, should not abide in any dharma, then how do they abide in prajnaparamita?”

The Venerable Subhūti knew Śāriputra’s thought and immediately said:

“What do you think? Where do the minds of the Tathagatas abide?”

Śāriputra replied:

“The minds of the Tathagatas have absolutely no abiding place. Why? Subhūti, the minds of the Tathagatas do not abide in form, nor do they abide in feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness.

They do not abide in the eye ayatana, nor do they abide in the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana. They do not abide in the form ayatana, nor do they abide in the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma ayatana. They do not abide in the eye dhatu, nor do they abide in the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu.

They do not abide in the form dhatu, nor do they abide in the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma dhatu. They do not abide in the eye-consciousness dhatu, nor do they abide in the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu. They do not abide in eye-contact, nor do they abide in ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact.

They do not abide in feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, nor do they abide in feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition. They do not abide in the conditioned dhatu, nor do they abide in the unconditioned dhatu. They do not abide in the four foundations of mindfulness and, in detail, through to the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

They do not abide in the knowledge of all things, nor do they abide in the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects. Why? Because no dharma can be apprehended.

“Thus, Subhūti, with regard to all dharmas, the minds of the Tathagatas have absolutely no abiding place, yet neither do they not abide.”

The Venerable Subhūti then said to Śāriputra:

“It is likewise so when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita. Although they abide in prajnaparamita, like the Tathagatas, with regard to all dharmas they have absolutely no abiding place, yet neither do they not abide. Why? Śāriputra, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, although they abide in prajnaparamita, with regard to form they neither abide nor do they not abide; and so on, through to the knowledge of all aspects, with regard to which they likewise neither abide nor do they not abide. Why? Śāriputra, it is because dharmas such as form have no dual characteristics.

“Śāriputra, with regard to profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should train in this way, in accordance with this characteristic of neither abiding nor not abiding, taking non-apprehension as their skillful means.”

At that time, the devas in the assembly thought to themselves, “Although the mantric formulas of the yakṣas and others are secret, we are still able to understand them. Yet although the Venerable Subhūti uses various words to explain this prajnaparamita, we are completely unable to understand it.”

The Venerable Subhuti, knowing the thoughts in the minds of the devas, said to them:

“Devas! Are you unable to understand what I have said?”

The devas replied:

“Indeed! Indeed!”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the devas:

“I have never uttered a single word concerning the meaning associated with this profound prajnaparamita. Since you have heard nothing, what is there for you to understand? Why is this? Devas, within the meaning associated with profound prajnaparamita, words, letters, and speech are all transcended. Therefore, the speaker, the listener, and one capable of understanding are all unobtainable herein. The profound and subtle realization of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment by all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones is likewise.

“Devas, it is like an emanation of the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones that manifests the fourfold assembly, who all gather together while it teaches the Dharma. What do you think? Is there truly a speaker, a listener, or one capable of understanding herein?”

The devas replied:

“No, Venerable One!”

Subhuti said:

“Indeed, devas! All dharmas are like magical transformations. Now, within the meaning associated with this profound prajnaparamita, the speaker, the listener, and one capable of understanding are all unobtainable.

“Devas, it is like a person in a dream who sees a Buddha expounding the true Dharma to a great assembly. What do you think? Is there truly a speaker, a listener, or one capable of understanding herein?”

The devas replied:

“No, Venerable One!”

Subhuti said:

“Indeed, devas! All dharmas are like dreams. Now, within the meaning associated with this profound prajnaparamita, the speaker, the listener, and one capable of understanding are all unobtainable.

“Devas, it is like two people inside a mountain cave, each standing on one side and both uttering praises of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. What do you think? Can these two echoes hear and know each other?”

The devas replied:

“No, Venerable One!”

Subhuti said:

“Indeed, devas! All dharmas are like echoes. Now, within the meaning associated with this profound prajnaparamita, the speaker, the listener, and one capable of understanding are all unobtainable.

“Devas, it is like a skilled illusionist or his disciple who, at a crossroads, conjures through illusion the fourfold assembly and a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One. The Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One conjured through illusion expounds the true Dharma to the fourfold assembly conjured through illusion. What do you think? Is there truly a speaker, a listener, or one capable of understanding herein?”

The devas replied:

“No, Venerable One!”

Subhuti said:

“Indeed, devas! All dharmas are like illusions. Now, within the meaning associated with this profound prajnaparamita, the speaker, the listener, and one capable of understanding are all unobtainable.

“Devas, for this reason, I have never uttered a single word concerning the meaning associated with this profound prajnaparamita. Since you have heard nothing, what is there for you to understand?”

Volume 425

THE END