大般若波羅蜜多經

02

At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! How can these good men and good women know when the gods from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Akanishtha Heaven in this three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system and the boundless worlds of the ten directions, together with countless dragons, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others possessed of great majestic virtue, have come to that place to bow in reverence, read and recite the profound prajnaparamita copied by them, make offerings to it with reverence, honor and praise it, circumambulate it with palms joined, and joyfully protect and keep it in mind?”

The Buddha told Śakra:

“Kauśika! If these good men and good women see wondrous light at the place where such a profound prajnaparamita scripture has been enshrined, smell an extraordinary fragrance there, or hear celestial music, they will know that gods, dragons, and others endowed with great spiritual power and surpassingly radiant majestic virtue have come to that place to bow in reverence, read and recite the profound prajnaparamita copied by them, make offerings to it with reverence, honor and praise it, circumambulate it with palms joined, and joyfully protect and keep it in mind.

“Furthermore, Kauśika! If these good men and good women cultivate pure conduct, adorn that place, and sincerely make offerings to such a profound prajnaparamita scripture, they should know that gods, dragons, and others endowed with great spiritual power and surpassingly radiant majestic virtue have come to that place to bow in reverence, read and recite the profound prajnaparamita copied by them, make offerings to it with reverence, honor and praise it, circumambulate it with palms joined, and joyfully protect and keep it in mind.

“Kauśika! Wherever such gods, dragons, and others endowed with great spiritual power and surpassingly radiant majestic virtue come, malevolent spirits and evil ghosts in that place become frightened and disperse, not daring to remain. For this reason, the minds of these good men and good women are always expansive, their understanding becomes surpassing and pure, their cultivation of wholesome karma increases manyfold, and whatever they undertake proceeds without obstruction.

Therefore, Kauśika, wherever this profound prajnaparamita scripture is placed, all impure things in the surrounding area should be removed; the place should be swept, cleansed, and adorned; fragrant water should be sprinkled; a precious seat should be spread out; and the scripture should be enshrined upon it. That place should be adorned with burning incense, scattered flowers, hanging curtains and canopies, precious banners and pennants, wind bells, interior ornaments, wondrous and rare pearls, garments and necklaces, gold, silver, precious objects, music and bright lamps, and silks of the five colors.

If one constantly makes offerings to the prajnaparamita in this way, countless gods, dragons, and others endowed with great spiritual power and surpassingly radiant majestic virtue will come to that place to bow in reverence, read and recite the profound prajnaparamita copied by them, make offerings to it with reverence, honor and praise it, circumambulate it with palms joined, and joyfully protect and keep it in mind.

“Furthermore, Kauśika! If these good men and good women constantly make offerings to such a profound prajnaparamita with reverence, honoring and praising it, they will assuredly experience no weariness in body or mind. Their bodies and minds will be joyful, light, pliant, gentle, peaceful, and secure, and they will constantly recollect the prajnaparamita.

While asleep, they will have no evil dreams, but only auspicious dreams. That is, they will see a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, whose body is the color of pure gold, endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great person and perfectly adorned with the eighty minor characteristics, emitting great radiance that illuminates everything, with śrāvakas and bodhisattvas surrounding him before and behind. They will see themselves amid the assembly, hearing the Buddha teach Dharma corresponding to generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita.

They will also hear teachings corresponding to inner emptiness through to the emptiness of the absence of self-nature, the four foundations of mindfulness, and, in full detail, through to the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha. They will also hear the meanings corresponding to generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita distinguished and explained. They will further hear the meanings corresponding to inner emptiness through to the emptiness of the absence of self-nature, the four foundations of mindfulness, and, in full detail, through to the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha distinguished and explained.

“Furthermore, in dreams they will see the Bodhi tree, lofty and broad, adorned with precious objects, banners, pennants, and precious canopies. They will approach the Bodhi tree, sit cross-legged, subdue the hostile māras, attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and turn the wondrous wheel of Dharma to liberate countless beings. They will also see countless hundreds of thousands of millions of kotis of banners, pennants, and precious canopies, and will discuss, investigate, and determine the meanings of various teachings: bringing sentient beings to maturity, purifying Buddha-fields, cultivating bodhisattva practices, subduing the armies of māras, completely eliminating habitual tendencies and karmic obstructions, and advancing toward the attainment of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

They will also dream of countless hundreds of thousands of millions of kotis of Buddhas throughout the ten directions, and hear the voices of those Buddhas declare: ‘In that world there is a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One of such-and-such a name, with so many hundreds of thousands of millions of kotis of banners, pennants, and precious canopies, surrounded with reverence by so many hundreds of thousands of millions of kotis of śrāvaka disciples who listen to the Dharma.’ They will also dream of countless hundreds of thousands of millions of kotis of Buddhas throughout the ten directions entering parinirvana.

After each of those Buddhas has entered nirvana, donors wishing to make offerings to the Buddha’s śarīra—relics—will use the seven precious substances to build countless hundreds of thousands of millions of kotis of precious stupas. At each precious stupa, throughout countless kalpas, they will present supremely wondrous offerings such as flower garlands, fragrant ointments, powdered incense, garments and necklaces, banners, pennants, precious canopies, wondrous and rare pearls, music, and bright lamps, making offerings with reverence, honoring and praising it.

“Kauśika! When these good men and good women behold such auspicious dream signs, whether asleep or awake, their bodies and minds will be light, peaceful, and joyful. Celestial spirits and others will enrich their vital energy, causing their bodies to feel light. For this reason, they will no longer have much craving or attachment regarding food, medicine, clothing, or bedding, and their minds will place no great importance upon the four kinds of offerings. They will be like a yoga master who enters a surpassingly wondrous meditative concentration and, through the power of that concentration, refreshes and nourishes body and mind. After emerging from concentration, although encountering delicious food, the master’s mind remains light and tranquil. So it is with them. Why is this?

“Kauśika! It is because all the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, gods, dragons, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others endowed with great spiritual power and surpassing majestic virtue in this three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system and the other boundless worlds compassionately protect and keep these good men and good women in mind. They secretly infuse their bodies and minds with wondrous vital energy, making their resolve courageous and their bodies strong.

“Kauśika! If any good men or good women wish to obtain such meritorious benefits in their present lives, they should arouse the aspiration for omniscience and, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, listen wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita scripture, receive and retain it, read and recite it, diligently and devotedly study and practice it, reflect upon it in accordance with reason, copy and explain it, and disseminate it everywhere.”

O Kausika! If any good man or good woman, although unable to listen to, accept and uphold, read and recite, diligently cultivate and study, reflect upon in accordance with principle, or extensively expound and disseminate this profound prajnaparamita sutra for sentient beings, merely copies it, adorns it with various jewels, and offers it such supremely exquisite articles as flower garlands, scented ointments, powdered incense, garments, necklaces, banners, precious canopies, rare and exquisite pearls, music, and bright lamps, honoring, revering, and praising it, that person will also obtain the excellent merits and benefits previously described.

Why is this? O Kausika! It is because these good men and good women are able to bring vast benefit and happiness to immeasurable, boundless sentient beings.

Furthermore, O Kausika! If any good man or good woman, with a mind corresponding to the wisdom of all-knowledge and employing non-attainment as skillful means, wholeheartedly listens to, accepts and upholds, reads and recites, diligently cultivates and studies, reflects upon in accordance with principle, and extensively expounds and disseminates this profound prajnaparamita sutra for sentient beings;

or copies it, adorns it with various jewels, and offers it such supremely exquisite articles as flower garlands, up to and including bright lamps, that person will acquire an immeasurable, boundless accumulation of merit surpassing that of other sentient beings who, throughout their lives, offer immeasurable kinds of supremely exquisite food, garments, bedding, medicines, and wealth to all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones, and their assemblies of disciples throughout the worlds of the ten directions, honoring, revering, and praising them.

It also far surpasses that of other sentient beings who, after the Buddhas and their disciples have entered nirvana, make offerings to the sariras of the Buddhas and their disciples throughout the ten directions by constructing lofty, spacious, magnificent, and beautifully adorned stupas from the seven precious substances, and throughout their lives offering immeasurable, exquisite celestial flower garlands, up to and including bright lamps, honoring, revering, and praising them.

Why is this? O Kausika! It is because all the Buddhas of the ten directions and their assemblies of disciples are born from such profound prajnaparamita.

XXXV. CHAPTER ON SARIRAS

– Furthermore, O Kausika! Suppose the Buddha’s sariras filled this entire Jambudvipa and were set aside as one portion, while a copy of this profound prajnaparamita sutra were set aside as another portion. Of these two portions, which would you choose?

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, replied:

– Blessed One! I would certainly choose the profound prajnaparamita. Why? It is not that I have no faith in or acceptance of the sariras of the Buddhas, nor that I take no delight in making offerings to them, honoring, revering, and praising them. Rather, the adamantine bodies and sariras of the Buddhas are all born from such profound prajnaparamita and arise through the meritorious power of cultivating and being permeated by such profound prajnaparamita. Consequently, all beings throughout the world—devas, humans, asuras, and others—offer them immeasurable kinds of supremely exquisite articles, such as flower garlands, up to and including bright lamps, honoring, revering, and praising them.

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

– O Kausika! Profound prajnaparamita is without form, invisible, without resistance, and of a single characteristic, namely, no characteristic. Since a dharma without characteristics cannot be apprehended, how can you choose it? Why is this?

O Kausika! Profound prajnaparamita neither grasps nor relinquishes, neither increases nor decreases, neither gathers nor disperses, neither benefits nor harms, and is neither defiled nor purified. It is not identified with the dharmas of the Buddhas, the dharmas of the pratyekabuddhas, the dharmas of the arhats, or the dharmas of those in training, yet it does not abandon the dharmas of ordinary beings. It is not identified with the unconditioned realm, yet it does not abandon the conditioned realm. It is not identified with inner emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature. It is not identified with the four foundations of mindfulness, up to and including the wisdom of all aspects, yet it does not abandon defiled dharmas.

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, then said to the Venerable Sariputra:

– So it is! So it is! It is exactly as the Greatly Virtuous One has said. Venerable One! If one knows in accordance with reality that profound prajnaparamita neither grasps nor relinquishes, up to and including that it is not identified with the wisdom of all aspects yet does not abandon defilement, this is truly to choose profound prajnaparamita and also truly to practice profound prajnaparamita. Yet this prajnaparamita does not follow a dualistic course, because it has no dual characteristics. Dhyana-paramita, up to and including dana-paramita, are likewise: they do not follow a dualistic course, because they have no dual characteristics.

At that time, the Buddha praised Sakra, Lord of the Devas, saying:

– Excellent! Excellent! It is exactly as you have said. Profound prajnaparamita, up to and including dana-paramita, do not follow a dualistic course. Why is this? O Kausika! It is because these six paramitas all have no dual characteristics.

O Kausika! Those who intend that profound prajnaparamita, up to and including dana-paramita, should have dual characteristics thereby intend that the dharma-dhatu, suchness, the nature of dharmas, the ultimate reality, and the inconceivable realm should also have dual characteristics. Why is this? O Kausika! It is because profound prajnaparamita, up to and including dana-paramita, and the dharma-dhatu, up to and including the inconceivable realm, are nondual and undivided.

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, again said:

– Blessed One! Such profound prajnaparamita should be worshiped with utmost sincerity by all beings throughout the world—devas, humans, asuras, and others—who should circumambulate it, make offerings to it, honor, revere, and praise it. Why is this? It is because all assemblies of great bodhisattvas rely upon this prajnaparamita, diligently and energetically cultivate and study it, and realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening.

Blessed One! When I sit upon the seat of the Lord of the Devas in the Hall of Excellent Dharma in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and expound the true Dharma to the assemblies of devas, immeasurable numbers of devaputras and others come before me, make offerings to me, honor, revere, and praise me, circumambulate and bow to me, then join their palms and withdraw. Yet when I am not seated upon that Dharma seat, the devaputras and others still come to that place.

Although they do not see me seated upon the Dharma seat, they nevertheless respectfully make offerings and say, “This is the seat from which Sakra, Lord of the Devas, expounds the Dharma to the devas and others. We should regard it as though the lord of the devas were present here, make offerings to it, circumambulate and bow to it, and then withdraw.”

Blessed One! The same is true of prajnaparamita. Wherever someone copies, accepts and upholds, reads and recites it, or extensively expounds and disseminates it for sentient beings, it should be known that immeasurable, innumerable devas, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others from this realm and from boundless other worlds throughout the ten directions always come and assemble there.

Even if no one is expounding the Dharma at that place, out of reverence for the Dharma they still make offerings to it, honor, revere, and praise it, bow to it, and then withdraw. Why is this? It is because all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones, all assemblies of great bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, sravakas, and all sentient beings attain happiness by relying upon prajnaparamita.

The Buddha’s sariras also become worthy of offerings through the merit gained by cultivating and being permeated by prajnaparamita.

Blessed One! Profound prajnaparamita serves as the cause, condition, and foundation for the practices of great bodhisattvas and the wisdom of all aspects that they realize, and skillfully brings them forth. Therefore I say: Suppose the Buddha’s sariras filled this entire Jambudvipa and were set aside as one portion, while a copy of this profound prajnaparamita sutra were set aside as another portion. Of these two portions, I would certainly choose such prajnaparamita.

World-Honored One! With regard to this profound prajnaparamita, when I uphold, read, recite, and rightly recollect it, because my mind accords with the Dharma, I perceive no signs that give rise to fear. Why is this? World-Honored One! It is because profound prajnaparamita is without form, without characteristics, without words, and without speech. Because prajnaparamita is without form, without characteristics, without words, and without speech, the perfections of meditation, vigor, patience, pure morality, and generosity, up to and including the knowledge of all aspects, are also without form, without characteristics, without words, and without speech.

World-Honored One! If this prajnaparamita possessed form, characteristics, words, and speech, rather than being without form, characteristics, words, and speech, then the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, could not have fully comprehended that all dharmas are without form, without characteristics, without words, and without speech, attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and taught his disciples that all dharmas are without form, without characteristics, without words, and without speech.

World-Honored One! Because this prajnaparamita is without form, characteristics, words, and speech, and does not possess form, characteristics, words, or speech, the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, fully comprehended that all dharmas are without form, without characteristics, without words, and without speech, attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and taught his disciples that all dharmas are without form, without characteristics, without words, and without speech.

World-Honored One! Therefore, prajnaparamita is worthy to receive from devas, humans, asuras, and others offerings of immeasurable varieties of supremely exquisite articles, such as flower garlands, lamps, and the like, as well as their reverence, honor, and praise.

World-Honored One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with reason, widely proclaims and disseminates it for sentient beings, or copies it, adorns it with various precious substances, and makes offerings to it with reverence, honor, and praise, that person will certainly never again fall into the realms of hell beings, animals, or hungry ghosts; nor be born in a barbarous borderland, disbelieve in the Buddha-Dharma, or hold wrong views.

That person will not fall into the ranks of the shravakas or pratyekabuddhas, but will certainly proceed toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, constantly behold the Buddhas, always hear the true Dharma, never be separated from virtuous friends, purify Buddha lands, and bring sentient beings to maturity. Passing from one Buddha land to another, that person will make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, and the assemblies of great bodhisattvas.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! Suppose the Buddha's sharira filled this entire trichiliocosm and one were to choose that as one portion, while a written copy of the profound prajnaparamita constituted another portion. Of these two portions, I would certainly choose the profound prajnaparamita.

Why is this? World-Honored One! It is because all Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, and all the Buddha's sharira throughout the trichiliocosm are born from this prajnaparamita.

Moreover, because the Buddha's sharira throughout the trichiliocosm has been permeated by the power and merit of cultivating prajnaparamita, it receives offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from devas, humans, asuras, and others. For this reason, good men and good women who make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddha's sharira will certainly not fall into the three evil destinies. They will always be born among devas or humans, enjoying every kind of peace, happiness, wealth, and nobility, and, according to their aspirations, will rely upon the Dharma of the Three Vehicles and proceed toward nirvana.

World-Honored One! Whether one beholds a Tathagata, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One, or beholds a written copy of the profound prajnaparamita, the merits of these two are equal and without difference. Why is this? It is because profound prajnaparamita and the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, are equal, nondual, and without distinction.

World-Honored One! Suppose a Tathagata, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One, abides in the threefold guidance and proclaims the true Dharma for sentient beings, namely, the Sutras through the Treatises; or suppose a good man or good woman upholds, reads, and recites this prajnaparamita and widely expounds it to others. The merits of these two are equal and without difference. Why is this? It is because whether a Tathagata, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One, gives the threefold guidance or expounds the twelve divisions of the teachings, all must arise in reliance upon prajnaparamita.

World-Honored One! Suppose all the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the worlds of the ten directions, abide in the threefold guidance and proclaim the true Dharma for sentient beings, namely, the Sutras through the Treatises; or suppose a good man or good woman upholds, reads, and recites this prajnaparamita and widely expounds it to others. The merits of these two are equal and without difference. Why is this? It is because whether all the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the worlds of the ten directions, give the threefold guidance or expound the twelve divisions of the teachings, all must arise in reliance upon prajnaparamita.

World-Honored One! Suppose a good man or good woman makes offerings of immeasurable varieties of supremely exquisite articles, such as flower garlands, lamps, and the like, and reveres, honors, and praises all the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the worlds of the ten directions; or suppose a good man or good woman copies the prajnaparamita scripture and likewise makes offerings to it with immeasurable supremely exquisite articles, revering, honoring, and praising it. The merits of these two are equal and without difference. Why is this? It is because those Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, are all born in reliance upon prajnaparamita.

World-Honored One! If a good man or good woman listens wholeheartedly to this prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently and assiduously cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with reason, and widely proclaims and disseminates it for sentient beings, that person will not in the future fall into the realms of hell beings, animals, or hungry ghosts, nor fall into the ranks of the shravakas or pratyekabuddhas. Why is this? It is because this good man or good woman will certainly abide on the stage of non-retrogression and remain far removed from all calamities, epidemics, suffering, and affliction.

World-Honored One! If a good man or good woman listens wholeheartedly to this prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently cultivates and studies it, reflects upon it in accordance with reason, copies and explains it, disseminates it everywhere, and makes offerings to it with immeasurable supremely exquisite articles, revering, honoring, and praising it, that person will certainly put an end to every fear. It is like a debtor who, fearing his creditor, draws near to and serves the king and, relying upon the king's power, escapes that fear. World-Honored One! The king represents prajnaparamita, while the debtor represents a good man or good woman who relies upon prajnaparamita and is freed from fear.

World-Honored One! It is like a person who relies upon the king and, because of the king's protection, receives offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from everyone. The Buddha's sharira is likewise: because it has been permeated through the cultivation of prajnaparamita, it receives offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from devas, humans, asuras, and others. World-Honored One! The king represents prajnaparamita, while the Buddha's sharira represents the person who relies upon the king.

“Blessed One! The Buddhas attain the knowledge of all aspects by relying upon prajnaparamita. Therefore I say that, if the Buddha’s śarīra relics filled the entire trichiliocosm and one were asked to choose one portion, while the profound Prajnaparamita Sutra were copied out and one were likewise asked to choose one portion, then between these two portions I would certainly choose the profound prajnaparamita.

Why is this? Blessed One! The Buddha’s śarīra relics are harder than vajra and possess all colors; the thirty-two marks of a great being, the eighty excellent characteristics adorning his body, the Buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, and even the Tathagata’s knowledge of all aspects are all accomplished through prajnaparamita.

“Blessed One! Through the awe-inspiring spiritual power of this prajnaparamita, the other five practices, generosity and so forth, are also called paramitas. Why is this? Blessed One! If there were no prajnaparamita, generosity and the others could not lead to ultimate perfection.

“Furthermore, Blessed One! If, in any royal capital, city, town, or village within the trichiliocosm or in other worlds, anyone receives and retains, reads and recites, copies and explains, makes offerings to, reveres, honors, and praises such prajnaparamita, the sentient beings in that place will not be harmed or afflicted by humans, nonhumans, and the like, except when they must undergo the ripened results of evil karma. The sentient beings there will successively cultivate and study the right practices of the Three Vehicles and, according to their aspirations, will swiftly attain the nirvana of the Three Vehicles.

“Blessed One! Such prajnaparamita brings great benefit to the trichiliocosm. Blessed One! Such prajnaparamita possesses great spiritual power. Wherever it is present, the Buddha is present and performs the deeds of a Buddha, constantly bringing benefit, peace, and happiness to all sentient beings.

“Blessed One! It is like a priceless great precious wish-fulfilling jewel endowed with immeasurable, sublime, awe-inspiring virtues. Wherever this jewel is present, humans and nonhumans cause no harm or affliction.

Suppose a man or woman were seized by a spirit and suffered anguish in body and mind. If this jewel were held up and shown to that person, then through the jewel’s awesome power, the spirit would immediately flee. If someone suffered from a fever disorder, a wind disorder, a phlegm disorder, or an illness caused by the combined action of fever, wind, and phlegm, then if the jewel were fastened to that person’s body, all such illnesses would be cured.

In the darkness of night, the jewel can cast light; when it is hot, it makes things cool; when it is cold, it makes things warm. Wherever this jewel is present, the seasons there remain temperate, being neither cold nor hot.

“Wherever this jewel is present, venomous snakes, scorpions, and the like dare not dwell. Suppose a man or woman were poisoned, suffering pain and falling unconscious. If this jewel were held up and shown to that person, then through its awesome power, the poison would immediately disappear.

“If sentient beings suffered bodily afflictions such as leprosy, malignant sores, suppurating ulcers, inflamed eyes, blindness, diseases of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, throat, or body, or diseases throughout the four limbs, then if this jewel were worn upon the body, all those diseases would be cured.

“If the water in ponds, lakes, springs, wells, and the like became turbid and foul or was about to dry up, placing this jewel in the water would cause it to become full, fragrant, clean, and pure, endowed with the eight excellent qualities.

“If the jewel were wrapped in cloth containing various intermingled colors—blue, yellow, red, white, crimson, purple, and emerald green—and then placed in water, the water would assume whatever colors appeared in that multicolored cloth.

“Such a priceless great precious wish-fulfilling jewel possesses boundless, awe-inspiring virtues that could never be fully praised. If it were kept in a chest, that chest would also become fully endowed with boundless, awe-inspiring virtues. Even if the chest were now empty, because it had once held the jewel, it would still be cherished and honored by many people.”

At that time, Ānanda asked Śakra, Lord of the Devas:

“Is such a jewel possessed only by the devas, or do humans also possess it?”

Śakra, Lord of the Devas, replied:

“Venerable Sir! This jewel exists both in the human realm and in the heavens. In the human realm, however, the jewel is small in form and heavy, while in the heavens it is large in form and light. In the human realm, its characteristics are incomplete, but in the heavens they are perfect and complete. The awe-inspiring virtues of the heavenly jewel surpass those of the human jewel immeasurably many times over.”

Śakra, Lord of the Devas, then addressed the Buddha again:

“Blessed One! Profound prajnaparamita is likewise so. It is the foundation of all virtues and can extinguish immeasurable evil and unwholesome dharmas. Wherever it is present, it removes all bodily and mental suffering from sentient beings, and humans, nonhumans, and the like cannot harm them.

“Blessed One! The so-called priceless great precious wish-fulfilling jewel is not merely an analogy for profound prajnaparamita; it is also an analogy for the Tathagata’s knowledge of all aspects, for the paramita of meditative concentration through to the paramita of generosity, for internal emptiness through to the emptiness of the absence of self-nature, for the four establishments of mindfulness through to the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, and for the dharma-dhatu, the nature of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the fixed order of dharmas, suchness, the true limit, and the inconceivable realm.

Why is this? Blessed One! It is because such merits are all elicited and revealed by the great, awe-inspiring spiritual power of prajnaparamita.

These merits are profound, vast, immeasurable, and boundless. Because the Buddha’s śarīra relics have been imbued and cultivated by these merits, after the Buddha’s nirvana they are worthy to receive offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from the entire world with its devas, humans, asuras, and others.

“Furthermore, Blessed One! The Buddha’s śarīra relics are supremely perfect, excellent, and pure. Because they rely upon the paramita of prajna through to the paramita of generosity; internal emptiness through to the emptiness of the absence of self-nature; the four establishments of mindfulness through to the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; the Dharma of never losing mindfulness; the nature of constant relinquishment; the complete severance of the continuing habitual tendencies of the afflictions;

and immeasurable and boundless other qualities of a Buddha, after the Buddha’s nirvana they are worthy to receive offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from the entire world with its devas, humans, asuras, and others.

“Blessed One! The Buddha’s śarīra relics are supremely perfect, excellent, and pure treasures of merit. Because they rely upon the paramitas, they are worthy to receive offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from the entire world with its devas, humans, asuras, and others.

“Blessed One! The Buddha’s śarīra relics are supremely perfect, excellent, and pure: neither defiled nor purified, neither arising nor ceasing, neither entering nor leaving, neither increasing nor diminishing, neither coming nor going, neither moving nor remaining still, neither here nor there. Because they rely upon the paramitas, after the Buddha’s nirvana they are worthy to receive offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from the entire world with its devas, humans, asuras, and others.

“Blessed One! The Buddha’s śarīra relics are the supremely perfect, excellent, and pure true nature of all dharmas. Because they rely upon the paramitas, after the Buddha’s nirvana they are worthy to receive offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from the entire world with its devas, humans, asuras, and others.”

Moreover, Blessed One! Apart from speaking of the Buddha’s relics filling the trichiliocosm, suppose that the Buddha’s relics filled worlds throughout the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and one were asked to choose one portion; while a written copy of this profound prajnaparamita constituted the other portion. Between these two portions, I would certainly choose this prajnaparamita.

Why is this? Blessed One! It is because the relics of all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones are born from such profound prajnaparamita, are cultivated and perfumed by such profound prajnaparamita, and have such profound prajnaparamita as their support.

Therefore, they are worthy to receive offerings, reverence, honor, and praise from all devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others.

Blessed One! If a good man or good woman makes offerings to, reveres, honors, and praises the Buddha’s relics, that person will enjoy inexhaustible wealth, nobility, peace, and happiness among devas and humans. In the human realm, that person will be born into a great kshatriya family, a great brahmin family, a great householder family, or a great lay family. In the heavenly realms, that person will be born among the devas of the Four Great Kings, up to the Heaven of Devas Who Freely Enjoy the Creations of Others. Then, through such supreme roots of goodness, in that person’s final body all suffering will be completely ended.

Blessed One! If a good man or good woman listens wholeheartedly to this prajnaparamita, accepts and retains it, reads and recites it, copies and explains it, and reflects upon it in accordance with reason, then through this prajnaparamita that person will swiftly bring it to perfection. By perfecting prajnaparamita in this way, that person will also bring to perfection the perfection of meditation through the perfection of generosity, the four foundations of mindfulness through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.

Thereby, that person will skillfully transcend the stages of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, enter the Bodhisattva’s certainty of rightness, free from arising, and attain the Bodhisattva’s supreme superknowledges. Through miraculous transformations, that person will journey among Buddha-fields; travel from one Buddha-field to another; make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones; bring sentient beings to maturity; adorn and purify Buddha-fields; form supreme aspirations; and assume various kinds of bodies.

Wishing to benefit every kind of sentient being, that person may become a wheel-turning king, a lesser king, a kshatriya, a brahmin, Vaishravana, Shakra, a Brahma king, or another kind of being, bringing benefit, peace, and happiness to immeasurable sentient beings.

Therefore, Blessed One! It is not that I have no faith in or acceptance of the relics of the Buddhas, nor that I do not rejoice in making offerings to, revering, honoring, and praising them. Yet by making offerings to, revering, honoring, and praising such profound prajnaparamita, I acquire far more merit than by doing so to those relics. For this reason, I would certainly choose the profound prajnaparamita.

Blessed One! If a good man or good woman makes offerings to, reveres, honors, and praises such prajnaparamita, that person causes all Buddha-Dharmas to increase and also acquires the wealth, happiness, and freedom of the mundane and supramundane realms. In this way, that person has already made offerings to, revered, honored, and praised the Buddha’s relics.

Moreover, Blessed One! If anyone wishes constantly to behold the form body and Dharma-body of all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones throughout immeasurable, countless, boundless worlds in the ten directions, that person should listen wholeheartedly to such profound prajnaparamita, accept and retain it, read and recite it, diligently and energetically study and practice it, reflect upon it in accordance with reason, copy and explain it, and propagate it everywhere.

That person will then behold both bodies of all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones throughout immeasurable, countless, boundless worlds in the ten directions, and will gradually cultivate prajnaparamita, swiftly bringing it to perfection. At that time, that person should use the Dharma-nature to cultivate the contemplation of mindfulness of the Buddha.

Blessed One! The Dharma-nature is of two kinds: the first is conditioned, and the second is unconditioned. What is called the conditioned Dharma-nature?

It is knowledge of inner emptiness through knowledge of the emptiness of the absence of self-nature; knowledge of the four foundations of mindfulness through knowledge of the Noble Eightfold Path; knowledge of the three gates of liberation; knowledge of the ten powers of a Buddha through knowledge of the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; knowledge of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas; knowledge of determinate and indeterminate dharmas; knowledge of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas; knowledge of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas; knowledge of mundane and supramundane dharmas; and knowledge of defiled and purified dharmas.

Such immeasurable and numerous gateways of knowledge are all called the conditioned Dharma-nature.

What, then, is the unconditioned Dharma-nature? It is the self-nature of all dharmas: neither arising nor ceasing, neither abiding nor changing, neither defiled nor purified, neither increasing nor decreasing, signless and unconditioned. What is called the self-nature of all dharmas? The self-nature of all dharmas is the absence of self-nature. This is called the unconditioned Dharma-nature.

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. The Buddhas of the past, future, and present have attained, will attain, and now attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment in reliance upon prajnaparamita. The shravaka disciples of the Buddhas of the past, future, and present have attained, will attain, and now attain the fruits of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat in reliance upon profound prajnaparamita. The pratyekabuddhas of the past, future, and present have realized, will realize, and now realize the fruit of pratyekabuddha enlightenment in reliance upon prajnaparamita. Why is this?

“Kausika! It is because the teachings corresponding to the Three Vehicles are extensively explained within the secret treasury of such prajnaparamita. Nevertheless, everything taught herein employs nonattainment as a skillful means; the absence of self-nature and the absence of characteristics as a skillful means; non-arising and non-ceasing as a skillful means; non-defilement and non-purification as a skillful means; non-creating and non-acting as a skillful means; non-entering and non-emerging as a skillful means; non-increase and non-decrease as a skillful means; and non-grasping and non-relinquishing as a skillful means.

All such teachings are expressed according to conventional truth, not ultimate truth. Why is this? Because such prajnaparamita is neither this shore nor the other shore; neither both shores nor the middle of the current; neither high nor low; neither equal nor unequal; neither possessing characteristics nor lacking characteristics; neither mundane nor supramundane; neither contaminated nor uncontaminated; neither conditioned nor unconditioned; neither wholesome nor unwholesome; neither determinate nor indeterminate; neither past nor future nor present.

“Kausika! Such prajnaparamita is not identical with the qualities of a Buddha, not identical with the qualities of a great bodhisattva, not identical with the qualities of a pratyekabuddha, and not identical with the qualities of a shravaka; yet neither does it abandon the qualities of ordinary beings.”

Shakra, Lord of the Devas, again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! Such prajnaparamita is the Great Paramita, the Supreme Paramita, and the Incomparable Paramita. When great bodhisattvas cultivate such prajnaparamita, although they know the different mental activities and spheres of all sentient beings, they apprehend no self; they apprehend no sentient being, up to and including no knower or seer; they apprehend no form, up to and including consciousness; they apprehend no eye, up to and including mind; they apprehend no form, up to and including dharmas; they apprehend no eye-consciousness, up to and including mind-consciousness; they apprehend no eye-contact, up to and including mind-contact; they apprehend no feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, up to and including feelings arising with mind-contact as condition;

they apprehend no generosity paramita, up to and including prajnaparamita; they apprehend no internal emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; they apprehend no four foundations of mindfulness, up to and including the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; they apprehend no bodhi; they apprehend no nirvana; and they apprehend no Buddhas or the dharmas of the Buddhas.

Why is this?

“Blessed One! This is because, with regard to all dharmas, this prajnaparamita does not arise in dependence upon anything that can be apprehended. Why? Because profound prajnaparamita has no intrinsic nature whatsoever, possesses nothing, and cannot be grasped. The apprehender, the apprehended, and the characteristics and natures of the two bases are all empty and cannot be apprehended.”

The Buddha then said to Sakra, Lord of the Gods:

“Just so! Just so! It is exactly as you have said. Kausika, although great bodhisattvas have studied and cultivated profound prajnaparamita for many kalpas, they still do not attain bodhi, much less attain any bodhisattva-dharma.”

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! Do great bodhisattvas practice only prajnaparamita, or do they also practice the other five paramitas?”

The Buddha replied:

“Kausika! Great bodhisattvas fully cultivate the six paramitas, employing non-apprehension as skillful means. That is, when great bodhisattvas cultivate the generosity paramita, they apprehend neither the generosity paramita nor the giver or recipient. When they cultivate the morality paramita, they apprehend neither the morality paramita nor one who observes the precepts or one who violates them. Thus, up to when they cultivate prajnaparamita, they apprehend neither prajnaparamita nor one endowed with sublime wisdom or one endowed with evil wisdom.

“Furthermore, Kausika! When profound prajnaparamita is foremost and serves as their guide, all the paramitas cultivated by great bodhisattvas swiftly reach perfection. When such great bodhisattvas practice generosity, with profound prajnaparamita foremost and serving as their guide, they cultivate the generosity paramita without attachment and thus swiftly reach perfection. Thus, up to when they practice wisdom, with profound prajnaparamita foremost and serving as their guide, they cultivate prajnaparamita without attachment and thus swiftly reach perfection.

“Furthermore, Kausika! Because these great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with regard to all dharmas, employing non-apprehension as skillful means, they are free from attachment, thereby causing their cultivation swiftly to reach perfection. That is, with regard to form they employ non-apprehension as skillful means, and so on, up to with regard to the knowledge of all aspects they employ non-apprehension as skillful means.

“Kausika! Although the trees, branches, stalks, trunks, flowers, leaves, fruits, and seeds in Jambudvipa have many different shapes and colors, the shade they cast is without distinction. In the same way, although the first five paramitas differ from one another, because they are embraced by prajnaparamita, dedicated to the knowledge of all aspects, and cultivated with non-apprehension as skillful means, all their distinctive characteristics are inapprehensible.”

At that time, Sakra, Lord of the Gods, again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! Thus, prajnaparamita accomplishes vast and supreme merit, accomplishes all supreme merit, accomplishes perfect supreme merit, accomplishes immeasurable supreme merit, accomplishes incalculable supreme merit, accomplishes boundless supreme merit, and accomplishes incomparable supreme merit.

“Blessed One! Suppose there are good men and good women who copy and uphold such profound prajnaparamita, adorn it with precious substances, make offerings to it with immeasurable varieties of the finest articles, honor, revere, and praise it, expound it in accordance with this sutra, and reflect upon it properly and in accordance with principle. Suppose there are other good men and good women who copy this sutra of profound prajnaparamita and give copies to others to uphold, thereby circulating it everywhere. Blessed One! Of these two accumulations of merit, which is greater?”

The Buddha replied:

“Kausika! I shall ask you a question in return; answer as you see fit. Suppose there are good men and good women who obtain relics of the Buddha from others, place them in a precious reliquary, and set it upon a high place; they then make offerings to them with immeasurable varieties of the finest articles, such as flower garlands, up to and including lamps, honoring, revering, and praising them.

Suppose there are other good men and good women who likewise obtain relics of the Buddha from others and then distribute mustard-seed-sized portions to other people, enabling them reverently to receive the relics, enshrine them in accordance with the Dharma, and make offerings to them with all kinds of the finest articles, such as flower garlands, up to and including lamps, honoring, revering, and praising them. Kausika!

What do you think? Of these two accumulations of merit, which is greater?”

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, replied:

“Blessed One! According to my understanding of the meaning spoken by the Buddha, of these two accumulations of merit, that of the latter persons is greater. Why?

Because the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, perceive that sentient beings who honor and make offerings to the relics of the Buddhas will attain liberation. Therefore, when they are about to enter nirvana, they employ the power of the vajra-like samadhi to shatter their vajra bodies into fragments as small as mustard seeds. They then empower these relics with their vast and profound spiritual power of great compassion, so that after a Tathagata has entered nirvana, sentient beings who obtain even one relic the size of a mustard seed and honor and make offerings to it will gain boundless merit, enjoy abundant prosperity, happiness, and peace among gods and humans, and ultimately eliminate all suffering.

Therefore, the merit of those who distribute the relics to others is more excellent.”

The Buddha then said to Sakra, Lord of the Gods:

“Excellent! Excellent! It is exactly as you have said. Kausika! This prajnaparamita is likewise so. Compared with personally upholding it, the merit gained by giving it to others and circulating it everywhere is greater. Why? Because those who give it to others can enable immeasurable and boundless sentient beings to experience the joy of the Dharma.

“Furthermore, Kausika! If anyone truthfully analyzes and explains to others the meaning and purport taught in this profound prajnaparamita, enabling them to gain correct understanding, that person acquires an accumulation of merit a hundred thousand times more excellent than the merit gained by giving it to others.

“Kausika! One should venerate such a Dharma teacher as one venerates the Buddha and revere this greatly wise fellow practitioner of the holy life as one reveres the Buddha. Why is this?”

Kausika! You should know that the prajnaparamita is none other than the Buddhas, and you should know that the Buddhas are none other than the prajnaparamita. You should know that the prajnaparamita is not different from the Buddhas, and you should know that the Buddhas are not different from the prajnaparamita.

Why is this so? Because all Buddhas of the three times rely upon the prajnaparamita and cultivate and study it with single-minded diligence; only then do they attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. Those who cultivate the holy life according to the lineage of the sravakas or pratyekabuddhas also rely upon the prajnaparamita and cultivate and study it with single-minded diligence, thereby attaining the fruition of a sravaka or the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha.

Persons of the bodhisattva lineage likewise rely upon the prajnaparamita and cultivate and study it diligently and energetically; they transcend the stages of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, enter the bodhisattvas’ certainty of the unconditioned, successively cultivate the bodhisattva practices, and come to abide on the stage of a non-retrogressing bodhisattva.

Therefore, Kausika, if good men or good women wish to make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, here and now, they should copy out such profound prajnaparamita scriptures and make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise them.

Kausika! When I first attained Buddhahood, I contemplated this meaning and thought: “Upon whom should I rely and abide? Who is able to receive my offerings and reverence?” Thinking thus, I saw no deva, Mara, Brahma, human, nonhuman, or any other being in the world who was equal to me, much less one who surpassed me.

I then thought: “Relying upon this Dharma, I attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. This Dharma is profound, wondrous, and quiescent. I should once again rely upon and abide in this Dharma, making offerings to it and revering it.” This Dharma is precisely the prajnaparamita.

Kausika! Even though I have attained Buddhahood, I must still rely upon the prajnaparamita, make offerings to it, and revere it. How much more, then, should good men and good women who seek unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment rely upon this profound prajnaparamita, diligently and energetically cultivate and study it, and make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise it! Why is this so?

Kausika! It is because this profound prajnaparamita gives birth to the assembly of great bodhisattvas. From this assembly of great bodhisattvas arise the Tathagatas, Arhats, and Perfectly Enlightened Ones. Relying upon the Tathagatas, Arhats, and Perfectly Enlightened Ones, sravakas and pratyekabuddhas then arise.

Therefore, Kausika, whether followers of the bodhisattva vehicle, the pratyekabuddha vehicle, or the sravaka vehicle, or good men and good women, all should diligently cultivate and study this prajnaparamita, and with immeasurable kinds of supremely exquisite offerings—from flower garlands to bright lamps—make offerings to it, revere, honor, and praise it.

Fascicle 430

End