大般若波羅蜜多經

02

– Furthermore, Kausika! Earlier, did you not ask where great bodhisattvas who train in prajnaparamita should seek it? Kausika! Great bodhisattvas who train in prajnaparamita should not seek it in form, nor should they seek it apart from form. They should not seek it in feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, nor should they seek it apart from feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Thus, up to and including, they should not seek it in the knowledge of all things, nor should they seek it apart from the knowledge of all things. They should not seek it in the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects, nor should they seek it apart from the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects. Why is this so?

Kausika! Whether it is prajnaparamita, the seeking, form, or, speaking in detail, up to and including the knowledge of all aspects, none of these is conjoined or disjoined; they are without form, invisible, nonresistant, and have only one characteristic, namely, no characteristic. Why is this so?

Because great bodhisattvas who train in prajnaparamita are neither form nor apart from form; they are neither feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, nor apart from feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Thus, up to and including, they are neither the knowledge of all things nor apart from the knowledge of all things; they are neither the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects, nor apart from the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects.

They are neither the true suchness of form nor apart from the true suchness of form; they are neither the true suchness of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, nor apart from the true suchness of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Thus, up to and including, they are neither the true suchness of the knowledge of all things nor apart from the true suchness of the knowledge of all things; they are neither the true suchness of the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects, nor apart from the true suchness of the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects.

They are neither the dharma-nature of form nor apart from the dharma-nature of form; they are neither the dharma-nature of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, nor apart from the dharma-nature of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Thus, up to and including, they are neither the dharma-nature of the knowledge of all things nor apart from the dharma-nature of the knowledge of all things; they are neither the dharma-nature of the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects, nor apart from the dharma-nature of the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects. Why is this so?

Kausika! Because all such dharmas are nonexistent and cannot be apprehended. Because they are nonexistent and cannot be apprehended, great bodhisattvas who train in prajnaparamita are neither form nor apart from form; speaking in detail, up to and including, they are neither the knowledge of all aspects nor apart from the knowledge of all aspects.

They are neither the true suchness of form nor apart from the true suchness of form; speaking in detail, up to and including, they are neither the true suchness of the knowledge of all aspects nor apart from the true suchness of the knowledge of all aspects. They are neither the dharma-nature of form nor apart from the dharma-nature of form; speaking in detail, up to and including, they are neither the dharma-nature of the knowledge of all aspects nor apart from the dharma-nature of the knowledge of all aspects.

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

– Venerable sir! The prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is the great paramita, the immeasurable paramita, and the boundless paramita. Stream-enterers train herein and attain the fruit of stream-entry. Once-returners train herein and attain the fruit of once-returning. Non-returners train herein and attain the fruit of non-returning. Arhats train herein and attain arhatship. Pratyekabuddhas train herein and attain the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha. Great bodhisattvas train herein and bring immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of sentient beings to maturity, establishing them on the paths of the Three Vehicles according to their capacities; they are able to adorn and purify Buddha-fields and attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

Subhuti said:

– So it is, so it is, just as you have said. Kausika! Because form is great, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also great; because feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are great, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also great. Thus, up to and including, because the knowledge of all things is great, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also great; because the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects are great, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also great. Why is this so?

Kausika! Because the beginning, middle, and end of form, up to and including the knowledge of all aspects, cannot be apprehended, they are called great. Because they are great, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also called great. For this reason, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is called the great paramita.

Kausika! Because form is immeasurable, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also immeasurable; because feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are immeasurable, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also immeasurable. Thus, up to and including, because the knowledge of all things is immeasurable, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also immeasurable; because the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects are immeasurable, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also immeasurable.

Why is this so? Kausika! Because the measure of form, up to and including the knowledge of all aspects, cannot be apprehended.

Just as the measure of space cannot be apprehended, so too is form and so forth; therefore, they are called immeasurable.

Kausika! Because space is immeasurable, form and so forth are also immeasurable. Because form and so forth are immeasurable, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also immeasurable. For this reason, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is called the immeasurable paramita.

Kausika! Because form is boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless; because feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless. Thus, up to and including, because the knowledge of all things is boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless; because the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects are boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless.

Why is this so? Kausika! Because the limits and boundaries of form, up to and including the knowledge of all aspects, cannot be apprehended.

Just as the limits and boundaries of space cannot be apprehended, so too is form and so forth; therefore, they are said to be boundless.

Kausika! Because space is boundless, form is also boundless. Because form and so forth are boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless.

Furthermore, Kausika! Because the objects of cognition are boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless.

Shakra, Lord of the Gods, asked:

– Why is the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train also boundless because the objects of cognition are boundless?

Subhuti replied:

– Because the objects cognized by the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom are boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless.

Furthermore, Kausika! Because the objects cognized by the dharma-dhatu are boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless.

Shakra, Lord of the Gods, asked:

– Why is the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train also boundless because the objects cognized by the dharma-dhatu are boundless?

Subhuti replied:

– Because the dharma-dhatu is boundless, its objects of cognition are also boundless; because its objects of cognition are boundless, the dharma-dhatu is also boundless. Because the objects cognized by the dharma-dhatu are boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless.

Furthermore, Kausika! Because the objects cognized by true suchness are boundless, the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train is also boundless.

Shakra, Lord of the Gods, asked:

– Why is the prajnaparamita in which great bodhisattvas train also boundless because the objects cognized by true suchness are boundless?

Subhuti replied:

– Because suchness is boundless, its objects are also boundless; because its objects are boundless, suchness is also boundless. Because the objects of suchness are boundless, the prajnaparamita cultivated by the great bodhisattvas is also boundless.

Furthermore, Kausika, because sentient beings are boundless, the prajnaparamita cultivated by the great bodhisattvas is also boundless.

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, asked:

– Why is it that, because sentient beings are boundless, the prajnaparamita cultivated by the great bodhisattvas is also boundless?

Subhuti asked in reply:

– What do you think? When one speaks of “sentient beings,” of what dharma is the expression “sentient beings” a designation?

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, replied:

– When one speaks of “sentient beings,” the expression “sentient beings” is neither a designation of a dharma nor not a designation of a dharma. It is merely a provisional establishment encompassing an adventitious name, a name without any real entity, and a name without any objective basis.

Subhuti asked again:

– What do you think? In this profound prajnaparamita sutra, are sentient beings actually revealed to exist?

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, replied:

– No, Venerable One.

Subhuti said:

– Since this profound prajnaparamita sutra does not reveal sentient beings as actually existing, they are said to be boundless, for no boundary to them can be apprehended.

Kausika, what do you think? If the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones, were to abide for immeasurable and innumerable kalpas and speak the names of sentient beings, would any sentient being therein arise or cease?

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, replied:

– No, Venerable One. Why? Because the nature of sentient beings is originally pure and has never possessed any real existence.

Subhuti said:

– For this reason, I say that because sentient beings are boundless, the prajnaparamita cultivated by the great bodhisattvas is also boundless. Kausika, because of this cause and condition, the prajnaparamita cultivated in this manner by the great bodhisattvas is called boundless.

XXVIII. CHAPTER ON THE PREDICTION

At that time, within the assembly, the gods of the Desire Realm, such as Sakra, Lord of the Gods; the gods of the Form Realm, such as Brahma, the Heavenly King; the goddesses; and the rishi Isana simultaneously praised three times what the Venerable Subhuti had said: “The Venerable Subhuti, sustained by the Buddha’s spiritual power, has skillfully distinguished and revealed the profound prajnaparamita for us. The Buddha appears in the world for the sake of the supreme essential Dharma.

If any great bodhisattva practices in accordance with the teachings of this profound prajnaparamita and never departs from it, we shall revere and serve that bodhisattva just as we revere and serve the Buddha. Why? Because in this profound prajnaparamita sutra, there is no dharma that can be apprehended.

That is, herein there is no form that can be apprehended; no feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness that can be apprehended. Thus, up to and including, there is no knowledge of all things that can be apprehended; no knowledge of the aspects of the path or knowledge of all aspects that can be apprehended. Although none of these dharmas can be apprehended, the sacred teachings of the Three Vehicles—the Sravaka Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and the Supreme Vehicle—are nevertheless conventionally established.”

At that time, the Buddha told the sons of the gods:

– Sons of the gods, so it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. Although in this profound prajnaparamita sutra none of the dharmas such as form and so forth can be apprehended, the sacred teachings of the Three Vehicles are nevertheless conventionally established. If any great bodhisattva, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, skillfully practices according to the teachings of this profound prajnaparamita and never departs from it, you gods should always revere and serve that bodhisattva just as you revere and serve the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones. Why? Sons of the gods, although this profound prajnaparamita sutra extensively expounds the sacred teachings of the Three Vehicles, it teaches that the Tathagata cannot be apprehended as the perfection of generosity, nor can the Tathagata be apprehended apart from the perfection of generosity. Thus, up to and including, the Tathagata cannot be apprehended as the perfection of wisdom, nor can the Tathagata be apprehended apart from the perfection of wisdom. The Tathagata cannot be apprehended as internal emptiness, nor can the Tathagata be apprehended apart from internal emptiness. Thus, up to and including, the Tathagata cannot be apprehended as the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature, nor can the Tathagata be apprehended apart from the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature. The Tathagata cannot be apprehended as the four establishments of mindfulness, nor can the Tathagata be apprehended apart from the four establishments of mindfulness. To elaborate, up to and including, the Tathagata cannot be apprehended as the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha, nor can the Tathagata be apprehended apart from the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha. Thus, up to and including, the Tathagata cannot be apprehended as the knowledge of all things, nor can the Tathagata be apprehended apart from the knowledge of all things. The Tathagata cannot be apprehended as the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects, nor can the Tathagata be apprehended apart from the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects.

Sons of the gods, if any great bodhisattva, employing non-apprehension as skillful means with regard to all dharmas, diligently cultivates and studies the perfection of generosity in this way, and, to elaborate, up to and including the knowledge of all aspects, then that great bodhisattva skillfully and correctly practices this prajnaparamita and never departs from it. Therefore, you should revere and serve that great bodhisattva just as you revere and serve the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones.

Sons of the gods, you should know that long ago, in the time of the Buddha Dipankara, at a crossroads in the royal city of Many Flowers, I saw the Buddha Dipankara. I immediately offered him five lotus flowers, spread my hair over the mud, and sought to hear the most sublime Dharma. Because I employed non-apprehension as skillful means, I was able never to depart from the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom; never to depart from internal emptiness through the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature; never to depart from the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; never to depart from the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments; never to depart from all doors of samadhi and all doors of dharani;

never to depart from the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha; and never to depart from immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless other Buddha-dharmas.

At that time, the Buddha Dipankara then bestowed upon me the prediction of unsurpassed, perfect awakening, saying: “Good man, after innumerable kalpas in the future, during the Auspicious Kalpa in this realm, you shall become a Buddha named Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One, and shall proclaim the prajnaparamita to liberate immeasurable multitudes.”

At that time, all the gods addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One, how exceedingly rare! Sugata, how exceedingly rare! Such prajnaparamita is exceedingly rare, enabling the assemblies of great bodhisattvas swiftly to embrace the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, neither grasp nor reject any form; neither grasp nor reject any feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Thus, up to and including, they neither grasp nor reject the knowledge of all things; they neither grasp nor reject the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects.

At that time, the Buddha surveyed the entire harmonious fourfold assembly—that is, bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas—as well as the assemblies of great bodhisattvas and the gods from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Akanistha Heaven, all of whom had gathered together to bear common witness.

Then the Buddha looked upon Sakra, Lord of the Gods, and said:

– Kauśika! Whether a great bodhisattva, a bhikshu, bhikshuni, upasaka, upasika, a heavenly son or heavenly maiden, or a good man or good woman, without departing from the mind of all-knowledge and taking non-apprehension as skillful means, respectfully listens to, receives, retains, reads, and recites this prajnaparamita, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it properly, expounds it to others, and disseminates it everywhere, you should know that neither Mara nor any of Mara’s hosts can harm such a person. Why is this? Kauśika! It is because these good men and good women abide well in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness of form; they abide well in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. In this way, up to and including, they abide well in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness of the knowledge of all things; they abide well in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness of the knowledge of the path and the knowledge of all aspects. Emptiness cannot be used to harm emptiness, signlessness cannot be used to harm signlessness, and wishlessness cannot be used to harm wishlessness. Why is this? It is because all such dharmas are devoid of intrinsic nature, and neither the one who harms nor that which is harmed can be apprehended.

Furthermore, Kauśika! Neither humans nor nonhumans can harm these good men and good women. Why is this? Kauśika! It is because, taking non-apprehension as skillful means, these good men and good women skillfully cultivate minds of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity toward all sentient beings.

Furthermore, Kauśika! Throughout their lives, these good men and good women will not be afflicted by dangerous or adverse conditions, nor will they meet an untimely death. Why is this? Kauśika! It is because these good men and good women cultivate the perfection of generosity and truly nurture all sentient beings in peace.

Furthermore, Kauśika! In this great trichiliocosm, those devas from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Heaven of Abundant Fruit who have generated the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi but have not yet listened to, received, retained, read, recited, diligently cultivated and studied, or properly reflected upon this prajnaparamita should be caused, without departing from the mind of all-knowledge and taking non-apprehension as skillful means, sincerely to listen to, receive, retain, read, and recite this prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and study it, and reflect upon it properly.

Furthermore, Kauśika! If good men and good women, without departing from the mind of all-knowledge and taking non-apprehension as skillful means, sincerely listen to, receive, retain, read, and recite this prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and study it, and reflect upon it properly, then whether they are in an abandoned dwelling, in the wilderness, on a dangerous road, or in a perilous place, they will never tremble with fear or have their hair stand on end. Why is this? Kauśika! It is because these good men and good women, without departing from the mind of all-knowledge and taking non-apprehension as skillful means, skillfully cultivate internal emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature.

At that time, the devas from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Akanishtha Heaven in this great trichiliocosm called Endurance all reverently joined their palms and addressed the Buddha together:

– Blessed One! If any good men or good women, without departing from the mind of all-knowledge and taking non-apprehension as skillful means, constantly and sincerely listen to, receive, retain, read, and recite this profound prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and study it, reflect upon it properly, copy and explain it, and disseminate it widely, we hosts of devas shall constantly follow and protect them, preventing every calamity from invading or afflicting them. Why is this? Blessed One! It is because these good men and good women are themselves great bodhisattvas.

Blessed One! Owing to these great bodhisattvas, sentient beings are enabled to abandon forever the dangerous and evil destinies of hell beings, animals, hungry ghosts, and asuras.

Blessed One! Owing to these great bodhisattvas, devas, humans, yakshas, nagas, and others are enabled to abandon forever all suffering from calamities, illness, poverty, hunger, thirst, cold, heat, and so forth.

Blessed One! Owing to these great bodhisattvas, devas, humans, asuras, and others are enabled to abandon forever all undesirable circumstances; the places where they dwell are free from the perils of weapons and warfare, and all sentient beings cherish one another.

Blessed One! Owing to these great bodhisattvas, the ten wholesome courses of karma appear in the world; as do the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom; internal emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; the four foundations of mindfulness through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; and, up to and including, the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects.

Blessed One! Owing to these great bodhisattvas, there appear in the world the great kshatriya clans, the great brahmin clans, the great householder clans, the great clans of householders, minor kings, wheel-turning sage kings, and ministers and officials who assist their countries.

Blessed One! Owing to these great bodhisattvas, there appear in the world the devas of the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Heaven of Mastery over the Creations of Others; the devas of the Brahma Host Heaven up to the Akanishtha Heaven; and the devas of the Sphere of Infinite Space up to the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception.

Blessed One! Owing to these great bodhisattvas, there appear in the world stream-enterers and the fruit of stream-entry, up to arhats and the fruit of arhatship, as well as pratyekabuddhas and the bodhi of pratyekabuddhas.

Blessed One! Owing to these great bodhisattvas, there appear in the world great bodhisattvas who mature sentient beings, purify Buddha-fields, attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, and turn the wheel of the sublime Dharma to liberate immeasurable multitudes.

Blessed One! Owing to these great bodhisattvas, there appear in the world the Jewel of the Buddha, the Jewel of the Dharma, and the Jewel of the Bhikshu Sangha, bringing benefit and happiness to all sentient beings.

Blessed One! For this reason, we hosts of devas, together with asuras, nagas, yakshas, humans, nonhumans, and other powerful beings, constantly follow, revere, and protect these assemblies of great bodhisattvas, preventing every calamity from invading or afflicting them and ensuring that the great bodhisattvas’ listening to, receiving, retaining, reading, reciting, cultivating, studying, properly reflecting upon, and copying the prajnaparamita sutras is never interrupted.

At that time, the Blessed One said to Shakra, Lord of the Devas, and to the devas, nagas, asuras, and others:

– So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. Owing to these great bodhisattvas, sentient beings are enabled to abandon the evil destinies forever, and, up to and including, the Three Jewels appear in the world, bringing great benefit to sentient beings. Therefore, devas, nagas, spirits, humans, nonhumans, and other powerful beings constantly follow these great bodhisattvas, reverently make offerings to them, honor and praise them, and diligently protect them, preventing every calamity from invading or afflicting them. If you are able reverently to make offerings to, honor and praise, and diligently protect these great bodhisattvas, you should know that this is to reverently make offerings to, honor and praise, and diligently protect Me and all the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones throughout the ten directions. Therefore, you should always follow these great bodhisattvas, reverently make offerings to them, honor and praise them, and diligently protect them, never forgetting or abandoning them.

O sons of the devas! You should know that, even if the Buddha-realms throughout the great trichiliocosm were completely filled with shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, as dense as sugarcane, reeds, rushes, bamboo, forests, rice plants, sesame plants, thickets, and bushes, without the slightest space between them, and good men and good women were, throughout their entire lives, to reverently make offerings to those fields of merit with immeasurable kinds of the finest wondrous music, honoring and praising them;

yet if another person, for but a moment, were reverently to make offerings to, honor, and praise a great bodhisattva who had first generated the aspiration for enlightenment and did not depart from the six paramitas, then, compared with the latter merit, the former merit would not equal even one part in a hundred, one part in a thousand, or even one infinitesimal part.

Why is this? It is not because of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas that great bodhisattvas and Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones appear in the world. Rather, because of great bodhisattvas, shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones come to exist in the world.

Therefore, all of you—devas, nagas, asuras, humans, nonhumans, and others—should always protect, reverently make offerings to, honor, and praise this great bodhisattva, and never allow any calamity to assail or harm that bodhisattva. By doing so, you will acquire merit, always enjoy peace and happiness among devas and humans, and, until you attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, your merit will never be exhausted.

XXIX. CHAPTER ON EMBRACING AND UPHOLDING

01

At that time, Shakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! The great bodhisattvas are truly exceedingly wondrous and rare. With utmost sincerity, they listen to this prajnaparamita, receive and uphold it, read and recite it, diligently cultivate and study it, reflect upon it correctly, copy and explain it, and propagate it everywhere.

By embracing and upholding such rare qualities in the present life and such supreme merit, they bring sentient beings to maturity and adorn and purify Buddha-realms. Traveling from one Buddha-realm to another, they draw near to, attend upon, and venerate all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, and reverently offer to, honor, and praise them with whatever roots of virtue they cherish. Thus, they cause all their roots of virtue to grow and quickly reach perfection.

In the presence of the Buddhas, they hear the true Dharma and, throughout the period until they attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, never once forget it. They are swiftly able to embrace and attain perfection of lineage, perfection of parents, perfection of the body into which they are born, perfection of retinues, perfection of the marks and excellent characteristics, perfection of radiance, perfection of superior vision, perfection of superior hearing, perfection of voice, perfection of samadhi, and perfection of dharani.

“Furthermore, through the power of skillful means, great bodhisattvas transform their own bodies to resemble the body of a Buddha. Traveling from one world to another, they go to realms where no Buddha is present and proclaim and praise the Dharma of the paramita of generosity through the prajnaparamita; they proclaim and praise inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of self-nature; they proclaim and praise the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments; and they proclaim and praise the four foundations of mindfulness through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

“Furthermore, through the power of skillful means, great bodhisattvas proclaim the essential Dharma to sentient beings and, according to what is appropriate, establish them in the teachings of the Three Vehicles, enabling them to become forever liberated from the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death and to realize the realm of nirvana without remainder; or they rescue beings suffering in the lower realms, enabling them to be born in the realms of devas and humans and to enjoy wondrous peace and happiness.”

At that time, Shakra, Lord of the Devas, again addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! Such prajnaparamita is truly exceedingly wondrous and rare. If one can skillfully embrace and uphold such prajnaparamita, one thereby fully embraces and upholds the six paramitas; in an extensive explanation, one thereby fully embraces and upholds the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha. One also fully embraces and upholds the fruits of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhatship; the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; all practices of great bodhisattvas; the unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas; the knowledge of all phenomena; the knowledge of the aspects of the path; and the knowledge of all aspects.”

At that time, the Buddha said to Shakra, Lord of the Devas:

“Kausika! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. If one can skillfully embrace and uphold such prajnaparamita, one thereby fully embraces and upholds the six paramitas; in an extensive explanation, one thereby fully embraces and upholds the knowledge of all aspects.

“Furthermore, Kausika! If any good men or good women can skillfully and wholeheartedly listen to this prajnaparamita, receive and uphold it, read and recite it, diligently cultivate and study it, reflect upon it correctly, copy and explain it, and propagate it everywhere, those good men and good women will embrace and attain all kinds of supreme merit in this present life and in future lives. Kausika! You should listen carefully and attend well. The Tathagata will distinguish and explain this to you.”

Shakra, Lord of the Devas, said:

“I earnestly beseech the Great Sage to explain it. We now wish to hear.”

The Buddha said:

“Kausika! If followers of various non-Buddhist traditions, mighty heavenly maras and their retinues in the Desire Realm, or cruel and wicked persons of overweening pride should wish to conceive harmful intentions against such good men and good women, causing them to abandon, oppose, and malign prajnaparamita, then, as soon as those evil persons give rise to such intentions, calamity will befall them. They will bring about their own destruction and fail to fulfill their wishes. Why is this?

“Kausika! For immeasurable kalpas, these great bodhisattvas have cultivated the paramitas of generosity, pure ethical discipline, patient acceptance, diligence, dhyana, and prajnaparamita. If sentient beings, because of miserliness and greed, contend with one another for many kalpas, these great bodhisattvas relinquish all internal and external things and skillfully employ expedient means to teach those beings to abide in the paramita of generosity.

If sentient beings violate ethical discipline for many kalpas, these great bodhisattvas relinquish all internal and external things and skillfully employ expedient means to teach those beings to abide in the paramita of pure ethical discipline. If sentient beings remain angry for many kalpas, these great bodhisattvas relinquish all internal and external things and skillfully employ expedient means to teach those beings to abide in the paramita of patient acceptance.

If sentient beings remain indolent for many kalpas, these great bodhisattvas relinquish all internal and external things and skillfully employ expedient means to teach those beings to abide in the paramita of diligence. If sentient beings remain distracted for many kalpas, these great bodhisattvas relinquish all internal and external things and skillfully employ expedient means to teach those beings to abide in the paramita of dhyana.

If sentient beings remain deluded for many kalpas, these great bodhisattvas relinquish all internal and external things and skillfully employ expedient means to teach those beings to abide in prajnaparamita. If sentient beings, wandering through birth and death, are for many kalpas continually bound by the latent tendencies of greed, hatred, delusion, and so forth, which disturb their bodies and minds and cause them to commit all kinds of harmful deeds, these great bodhisattvas skillfully employ expedient means to teach them to eradicate completely the bonds of the latent tendencies of greed, hatred, delusion, and so forth.

They cause them to abide in the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments; or they cause them to abide in the four foundations of mindfulness through, in an extensive explanation, the Noble Eightfold Path; or they cause them to abide in the gates of liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or they cause them to abide in the fruit of stream-enterer through the fruit of arhatship; or they cause them to abide in the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; or they cause them to abide in the bodhisattva’s Ten Grounds; or they cause them to abide in the unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas.”

O Kausika! This is called the supreme merit of a great bodhisattva who, with utmost sincerity, listens to this prajnaparamita, receives and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently and devotedly cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with reason, transcribes, explains, and expounds it, disseminates it everywhere, and embraces it in the present Dharma.

O Kausika! Through these causes and conditions, this great bodhisattva will swiftly attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment in a future life, turn the wheel of the wondrous Dharma, and guide immeasurable beings. In accordance with their original vows, they will skillfully employ expedient means to establish beings in the Three Vehicles, causing them to cultivate and study until they ultimately attain nirvana without remainder.

O Kausika! This is called the supreme merit of a great bodhisattva who, with utmost sincerity, listens to this prajnaparamita, receives and retains it, reads and recites it, diligently and devotedly cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with reason, transcribes, explains, and expounds it, disseminates it everywhere, and embraces it for the future.

Furthermore, O Kausika! If good men and good women, with utmost sincerity, listen to this prajnaparamita, receive and retain it, read and recite it, diligently and devotedly cultivate and study it, reflect upon it in accordance with reason, transcribe, explain, and expound it, and disseminate it everywhere, then wherever they dwell, should evil maras and their retinues, followers of non-Buddhist traditions, or cruel and wicked persons of overweening pride who envy prajnaparamita seek to obstruct it, damage and destroy it, challenge it with captious questions, insult it, or oppose it, although they may harbor such intentions, they will never succeed.

This is because, upon hearing even the sound of prajnaparamita in that place, their evils will gradually be extinguished and their merit will gradually increase. Thereafter, by relying upon the Dharma of the Three Vehicles, they will bring all suffering to an end; or they will escape the evil realms and be born among gods and humans.

O Kausika! It is like a wondrous medicine called maki, whose potency can neutralize and destroy every poison. Wherever this wondrous medicine is present, venomous creatures dare not approach. Suppose a great venomous snake, hungry and searching for food, sees a living creature and wishes to devour it. Fearing death, that creature flees to a place where the wondrous medicine is found. When the snake detects the medicine's scent, it immediately slithers away. Why is this?

O Kausika! It is because this wondrous medicine possesses great awe-inspiring power, preserves life, and neutralizes all poisons. Know that prajnaparamita likewise possesses such great awe-inspiring power.

If good men and good women, with utmost sincerity, listen to prajnaparamita, receive and retain it, read and recite it, diligently cultivate and study it, reflect upon it in accordance with reason, transcribe, explain, and expound it, and disseminate it everywhere, then when evil maras and others seek to commit evil against this great bodhisattva, the majestic spiritual power of this prajnaparamita will cause that evil to vanish of itself in that very place, rendering them incapable of doing anything. Why is this? O Kausika! It is because this prajnaparamita possesses great awe-inspiring power, capable of repelling every evil and increasing wholesome dharmas.

O Kausika! Why is this prajnaparamita able to repel every evil and increase all wholesome dharmas?

O Kausika! It is because such prajnaparamita can extinguish craving, hatred, delusion, and ignorance, even the entire mass of great suffering; the hindrances, latent tendencies, defilements, and fetters; views of a self, views of sentient beings, views of a pudgala, views of annihilation, views of permanence, views of existence, views of nonexistence, and every kind of view leading to evil; stinginess, violation of precepts, anger, indolence, distraction, and delusion; perceptions of permanence, pleasure, self, and purity; and all craving, hatred, delusion, conceit, doubt, views, formations, and so forth.

O Kausika! Such prajnaparamita can extinguish attachment to form through attachment to consciousness; attachment to the eye through attachment to the mind; attachment to visible forms through attachment to dharmas; attachment to eye-consciousness through attachment to mind-consciousness; attachment to eye-contact through attachment to mind-contact; attachment to feeling born of eye-contact through attachment to feeling born of mind-contact; attachment to the perfection of generosity through attachment to prajnaparamita; attachment to inner emptiness through attachment to the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; attachment to the four foundations of mindfulness and, in full detail, through attachment to the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha;

attachment to the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects; and attachment to enlightenment and nirvana.

O Kausika! Such prajnaparamita can extinguish all evil dharmas such as these and increase all their corresponding antidotal dharmas. Therefore, prajnaparamita possesses great awe-inspiring power and is the most honored and the most excellent.

Furthermore, O Kausika! If good men and good women, with utmost sincerity, listen to this prajnaparamita, receive and retain it, read and recite it, diligently cultivate and study it, reflect upon it in accordance with reason, transcribe, explain, and expound it, and disseminate it everywhere, then these good men and good women will constantly be protected by the Four Great Heavenly Kings; Sakra, Lord of the Gods; the lord of the Saha world; the Great Brahma Heavenly King; the gods of the Pure Abodes; devas, nagas, yakshas, asuras, and all benevolent spirits throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world system.

They will prevent every calamity from invading, afflicting, or harming them, and all their wishes in accordance with the Dharma will be completely fulfilled. In worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the east, west, south, north, the four intermediate directions, the zenith, and the nadir, all Tathagatas, Arhats, and Perfectly Enlightened Ones will also constantly bear these good men and good women in mind and protect them, causing their evils gradually to be extinguished and their wholesome dharmas increasingly to grow.

That is, they will cause them to increase the perfection of generosity through prajnaparamita, employing nonapprehension as an expedient means; they will also cause them to increase contemplation of inner emptiness through contemplation of the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature, employing nonapprehension as an expedient means; they will also cause them to increase the four foundations of mindfulness and, in full detail, through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, employing nonapprehension as an expedient means; they will also cause them to increase all gateways of samadhi and all gateways of dharani, employing nonapprehension as an expedient means;

and they will also cause them to increase the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects, employing nonapprehension as an expedient means.

O Kausika! Through these causes and conditions, the words of these good men and good women will possess majestic authority, and all who hear them will respectfully accept them. Their discourse will be well-balanced, their speech free from error and confusion, and they will understand well how to repay kindness and always attend upon spiritual friends. They will not be obscured by stinginess, jealousy, resentment, afflictions, flattery, deceit, arrogance, and the like.

O Kausika! These good men and good women will themselves be able to abstain from taking life; they will also encourage others to abstain from taking life, commend in accord with the Dharma the practice of abstaining from taking life, and joyfully praise those who abstain from taking life. Thus, even to the point that they themselves will be able to abandon wrong views; they will also encourage others to abandon wrong views, commend in accord with the Dharma the practice of abandoning wrong views, and joyfully praise those who abandon wrong views.

They will themselves be able to practice the perfection of generosity; they will also encourage others to practice the perfection of generosity, commend in accord with the Dharma the practice of the perfection of generosity, and joyfully praise those who practice the perfection of generosity. Thus, even to the point that they themselves will be able to practice prajnaparamita; they will also encourage others to practice prajnaparamita, commend in accord with the Dharma the practice of prajnaparamita, and joyfully praise those who practice prajnaparamita.

They themselves are capable of practicing inner emptiness; they also exhort others to practice inner emptiness, commend in accord with it the method of practicing inner emptiness, and joyfully praise those who practice inner emptiness. Thus, up to their being capable of practicing the emptiness of non-nature and self-nature; they also exhort others to practice the emptiness of non-nature and self-nature, commend in accord with it the method of practicing the emptiness of non-nature and self-nature, and joyfully praise those who practice the emptiness of non-nature and self-nature.

They themselves are capable of cultivating all gateways of samadhi; they also exhort others to cultivate all gateways of samadhi, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating all gateways of samadhi, and joyfully praise those who cultivate all gateways of samadhi. They themselves are capable of cultivating all gateways of dharani; they also exhort others to cultivate all gateways of dharani, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating all gateways of dharani, and joyfully praise those who cultivate all gateways of dharani.

They themselves are capable of cultivating the four dhyanas; they also exhort others to cultivate the four dhyanas, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the four dhyanas, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the four dhyanas. They themselves are capable of cultivating the four immeasurables; they also exhort others to cultivate the four immeasurables, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the four immeasurables, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the four immeasurables.

They themselves are capable of cultivating the four formless absorptions; they also exhort others to cultivate the four formless absorptions, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the four formless absorptions, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the four formless absorptions.

They themselves are capable of cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness; they also exhort others to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness. Thus, up to their being capable of cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path; they commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path and joyfully praise those who cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path.

They themselves are capable of cultivating the three gateways to liberation; they also exhort others to cultivate the three gateways to liberation, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the three gateways to liberation, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the three gateways to liberation.

They themselves are capable of cultivating the eight liberations; they also exhort others to cultivate the eight liberations, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the eight liberations, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the eight liberations.

They themselves are capable of entering the nine successive absorptions in forward and reverse order; they also exhort others to enter the nine successive absorptions in forward and reverse order, commend in accord with it the method of entering the nine successive absorptions in forward and reverse order, and joyfully praise those who enter the nine successive absorptions in forward and reverse order.

They themselves are capable of cultivating the ten powers of a Buddha; they also exhort others to cultivate the ten powers of a Buddha, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the ten powers of a Buddha, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the ten powers of a Buddha. Thus, up to their being capable of cultivating the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; they also exhort others to cultivate the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.

They themselves are capable of cultivating the quality of never losing mindfulness and the constant abiding in equanimity; they also exhort others to cultivate the quality of never losing mindfulness and the constant abiding in equanimity, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the quality of never losing mindfulness and the constant abiding in equanimity, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the quality of never losing mindfulness and the constant abiding in equanimity.

They themselves are capable of cultivating the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; they also exhort others to cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, commend in accord with it the method of cultivating the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects.

Kausika, these good men and good women practice generosity through prajnaparamita, employ non-attainment as skillful means, and dedicate the merit equally and jointly with all sentient beings toward unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

Kausika, these good men and good women constantly think: “If I do not practice the perfection of generosity, I shall be born into an impoverished and lowly family and possess no influence. With what, then, could I bring all sentient beings to maturity and purify a Buddha-land, much less attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom?

“If I do not preserve the perfection of pure discipline, I shall be born in the lower realms and will not even obtain a lowly human body. With what, then, could I bring all sentient beings to maturity and purify a Buddha-land, much less attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom?

“If I do not cultivate the perfection of patience, my faculties will be impaired and my appearance ugly, and I shall not obtain the complete and perfect physical body of a bodhisattva. If I obtain the complete and perfect physical body of a bodhisattva and cultivate the bodhisattva practices, sentient beings who behold me will experience great joy and faithfully accept what I teach; they will certainly attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. But if I do not obtain this complete and perfect physical body, with what could I bring all sentient beings to maturity and purify a Buddha-land, much less attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom?

“If I am indolent and do not arouse the perfection of diligence, I shall not attain the bodhisattva’s supreme path. With what, then, could I bring all sentient beings to maturity and purify a Buddha-land, much less attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom?

“If my mind is distracted and I do not enter the perfection of dhyana, I shall be unable to arouse the bodhisattva’s supreme concentration. With what, then, could I bring all sentient beings to maturity and purify a Buddha-land, much less attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom?

“If I am without wisdom and do not study prajnaparamita, I shall not acquire the skillful means that surpass the Two Vehicles. With what, then, could I bring all sentient beings to maturity and purify a Buddha-land, much less attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom?”

Kausika, these good men and good women constantly give rise to this thought: “I should not follow the power of avarice, for if I follow the power of avarice, my perfection of generosity will not be fulfilled. I should not follow the power of transgressing the precepts, for if I follow that power of avarice, my perfection of pure discipline will not be fulfilled. I should not follow the power of anger, for if I follow the power of anger, my perfection of patience will not be fulfilled.

I should not follow the power of indolence, for if I follow the power of indolence, my perfection of diligence will not be fulfilled. I should not follow the power of a distracted mind, for if I follow the power of a distracted mind, my perfection of dhyana will not be fulfilled. I should not follow the power of wrong wisdom, for if I follow the power of wrong wisdom, my prajnaparamita will not be fulfilled.

If my cultivation of the perfections of generosity, pure discipline, patience, diligence, dhyana, and prajnaparamita is not fulfilled, I shall certainly be unable to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.”

Kausika, any good men and good women whose minds never depart from the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, who employ non-attainment as skillful means, and who listen wholeheartedly to this prajnaparamita, accept and retain it, read and recite it, diligently cultivate and study it, reflect upon it in accordance with reason, copy and explain it, and disseminate it everywhere will certainly attain such supreme merit and virtue in this very life and in lives to come.

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