大般若波羅蜜多經

02

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

“Blessed One! Does the Buddha teach that great bodhisattvas should constantly and diligently cultivate and study prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“Indeed! Indeed! I teach that great bodhisattvas should constantly and diligently cultivate and study prajnaparamita.

“Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who wish to attain complete mastery over all dharmas should study prajnaparamita. Why? Because profound prajnaparamita is endowed with great power, enabling great bodhisattvas to attain complete mastery over all dharmas.

“Subhuti, you should know that profound prajnaparamita is the gateway toward which all wholesome dharmas proceed, just as the great ocean is the place into which all streams flow. Therefore, Subhuti, sentient beings belonging to the Shravaka Vehicle, sentient beings belonging to the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and sentient beings belonging to the Bodhisattva Vehicle should all diligently cultivate and study this profound prajnaparamita.

“Subhuti! When diligently cultivating and studying this prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should constantly cultivate and study the perfection of generosity through the perfection of meditative concentration; they should constantly abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; they should constantly abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm; they should constantly abide in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; they should constantly cultivate and study the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; they should constantly cultivate and study the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions;

they should constantly cultivate and study the eight liberations through the ten totalities; they should constantly cultivate and study the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; they should constantly cultivate and study the stages of great bodhisattvas; they should constantly cultivate and study all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; they should constantly cultivate and study the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; they should constantly cultivate and study the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; they should constantly cultivate and study the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of perpetual equanimity;

they should constantly cultivate and study the knowledge of all dharmas, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; they should constantly cultivate and study all the practices of great bodhisattvas; they should constantly cultivate and study the fruit of the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas; they should constantly cultivate and study the wisdom of omniscience.

“Subhuti! Just as a skilled archer who also possesses strong armor and a bow and arrows that function as desired does not fear enemies, so too, great bodhisattvas who possess the skillful means of prajnaparamita and are endowed with all merits cannot be subdued by any armies of Mara, non-Buddhist practitioners, or followers of other teachings.

“Therefore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas who wish swiftly to realize the wisdom of omniscience should diligently cultivate and study profound prajnaparamita.

“Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who constantly and diligently cultivate and study prajnaparamita are continually and collectively kept in mind and protected by all the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, throughout the immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds in the ten directions.”

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! Why are great bodhisattvas who constantly and diligently cultivate and study profound prajnaparamita continually and collectively kept in mind and protected by all the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, throughout the immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds in the ten directions?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“Great bodhisattvas who can constantly and diligently cultivate and study prajnaparamita can practice the perfection of generosity through the wisdom of omniscience. For this reason, they are continually and collectively kept in mind and protected by all the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, throughout the immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds in the ten directions.”

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Why are these great bodhisattvas, when practicing the perfection of generosity through the wisdom of omniscience, continually and collectively kept in mind and protected by all the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, throughout the immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds in the ten directions?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“When these great bodhisattvas practice the perfection of generosity, they contemplate the perfection of generosity as unattainable. Likewise, when they practice the wisdom of omniscience, they contemplate the wisdom of omniscience as unattainable. Therefore, they are continually and collectively kept in mind and protected by all the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, throughout the immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds in the ten directions.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Because form is unattainable, all the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, throughout the innumerable worlds in the ten directions continually and collectively keep these great bodhisattvas in mind and protect them. Because feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are unattainable, they continually and collectively keep these great bodhisattvas in mind and protect them; and so on, through the wisdom of omniscience being unattainable, they continually keep these great bodhisattvas in mind and protect them.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! It is not on account of form that all the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, throughout the innumerable worlds in the ten directions collectively keep these great bodhisattvas in mind and protect them. It is not on account of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness that they collectively keep these great bodhisattvas in mind and protect them; and so on, it is not on account of the wisdom of omniscience that they collectively keep these great bodhisattvas in mind and protect them.”

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Although great bodhisattvas study a great many dharmas, there is nothing that they study.”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“Indeed! Indeed! Although great bodhisattvas study a great many dharmas, there is nothing that they study. Why? Because in reality, among them there is no dharma for a bodhisattva to cultivate and study.”

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! The Dharma corresponding to the six paramitas has been taught to great bodhisattvas, whether in brief or at length. Great bodhisattvas who wish swiftly to realize the wisdom of omniscience should listen attentively to, receive and retain, read and recite, and fully comprehend this Dharma corresponding to the six paramitas, whether it is taught in brief or at length. Having fully comprehended it, they should contemplate it in accordance with correct principle. Having contemplated it in accordance with correct principle, they should examine it thoroughly and correctly. Having examined it correctly, they should ensure that the mind and its mental factors are not shaken by the objects upon which they engage.”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“Indeed! Indeed! It is just as you have said. Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas diligently cultivate the teachings corresponding to the six paramitas that the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, have taught in brief or at length, they should know, just as they truly are, the expansive and concise characteristics of all dharmas.”

The Venerable Subhuti said:

“Blessed One! How should great bodhisattvas know, just as they truly are, the expansive and concise characteristics of all dharmas?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– Any great bodhisattva who knows, as it truly is, the characteristic of the suchness of form; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the form ayatana through the Dharma ayatana; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the form dhatu through the Dharma dhatu; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of eye-contact through mind-contact; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the feelings arising in dependence upon eye-contact, through those arising in dependence upon mind-contact; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the causal condition through the dominant condition; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of ignorance through aging and death; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of inner emptiness through the emptiness of the essential nature of non-nature; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the Noble Truth of suffering through the Noble Truths of its origin, cessation, and the path; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the four dhyanas through the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the eight liberations through the ten spheres of totality; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the liberation gateway of emptiness through the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of all dharani gateways through all samadhi gateways; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the Tathagata’s ten powers through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the Dharma of never forgetting and of the nature of constant equanimity; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of the fruit of stream-entry through the bodhi of a pratyekabuddha; who knows, as they truly are, the characteristics of the suchness of all practices of great bodhisattvas and of the fruit of the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment; and who knows, as it truly is, the characteristic of the suchness of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge—this great bodhisattva knows, as it truly is, the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! What is the characteristic of the suchness of form? What are the characteristics of the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? And so forth, up to what is the characteristic of the suchness of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, which great bodhisattvas know as it truly is and, by training in those dharmas, are able to know, as it truly is, the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– The suchness of form neither arises nor ceases; nor does it abide or differ, yet it can be disclosed. Therefore, this is called the characteristic of the suchness of form. The suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness neither arises nor ceases; nor does it abide or differ, yet it can be disclosed. Therefore, these are called the characteristics of the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. And so forth, up to the suchness of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, which neither arises nor ceases; nor does it abide or differ, yet it can be disclosed. This is called the characteristic of the suchness of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge. Great bodhisattvas who know these dharmas as they truly are and train in them will know, as it truly is, the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas.

Furthermore, Subhuti! A great bodhisattva knows, as it truly is, the characteristic of the ultimate reality of form and the characteristics of the ultimate reality of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to knowing, as it truly is, the characteristic of the ultimate reality of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge. That great bodhisattva then knows, as it truly is, the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas.

The Venerable Subhuti said:

– Blessed One! What is the characteristic of the ultimate reality of form? What are the characteristics of the ultimate reality of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? And so forth, up to what is the characteristic of the ultimate reality of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, which great bodhisattvas know as it truly is and, by training in those dharmas, know, as it truly is, the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– Form’s having no boundary is the characteristic of the ultimate reality of form. Because feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness have no boundary, this is said to be the characteristic of the ultimate reality of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. And so forth, because the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge has no boundary, this is said to be the characteristic of the ultimate reality of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge. Great bodhisattvas who know these dharmas as they truly are and train in them know, as it truly is, the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Any great bodhisattva who knows, as it truly is, the characteristic of form as the dharma-dhatu and the characteristics of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as the dharma-dhatu, up to knowing, as it truly is, the characteristic of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge as the dharma-dhatu, knows, as it truly is, the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! What is the characteristic of form as the dharma-dhatu, and what are the characteristics of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as the dharma-dhatu? And so forth, up to what is the characteristic of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge as the dharma-dhatu, which great bodhisattvas know as it truly is and, by training therein, know, as it truly is, the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– Form is like empty space: unobstructing, unhindered, neither arising nor ceasing, neither interrupted nor continuous, yet it can be disclosed. Therefore, this is called the characteristic of form as the dharma-dhatu. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are like empty space: unobstructing, unhindered, neither arising nor ceasing, neither interrupted nor continuous, yet they can be disclosed. Therefore, these are called the characteristics of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as the dharma-dhatu. And so forth, up to the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, which is like empty space: unobstructing, unhindered, neither arising nor ceasing, neither interrupted nor continuous, yet it can be disclosed. Therefore, this is called the characteristic of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge as the dharma-dhatu. Great bodhisattvas who know these as they truly are and train therein know, as it truly is, the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How do great bodhisattvas know the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– Any great bodhisattva who knows, as it truly is, that all dharmas neither combine nor disperse will know the characteristic of the breadth and narrowness of all dharmas.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! Which dharmas neither combine nor disperse?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– Form neither combines nor disperses; feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness neither combine nor disperse. The eye ayatana through the mind ayatana neither combine nor disperse. The form ayatana through the dharma ayatana neither combine nor disperse. The eye dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu neither combine nor disperse. The form dhatu through the dharma dhatu neither combine nor disperse. The eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu neither combine nor disperse. Eye-contact through mind-contact neither combine nor disperse. The feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition neither combine nor disperse. The earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu neither combine nor disperse. The causal condition through the dominant condition neither combine nor disperse. Ignorance through aging-and-death neither combine nor disperse. Greed, hatred, and delusion neither combine nor disperse. The Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm neither combine nor disperse. The perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna neither combine nor disperse. Inner emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of non-nature neither combine nor disperse. Suchness through the inconceivable realm neither combine nor disperse. The noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path neither combine nor disperse. The four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path neither combine nor disperse. The four dhyanas, four immeasurables, and four formless absorptions neither combine nor disperse. The four dhyanas, four immeasurables, and four formless absorptions neither combine nor disperse. The eight liberations through the ten totalities neither combine nor disperse. The liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness neither combine nor disperse. The Ground of Pure Contemplation through the Ground of the Tathagata neither combine nor disperse. The Ground of Utmost Joy through the Ground of the Dharma Cloud neither combine nor disperse. All dharani gates and samadhi gates neither combine nor disperse. The five kinds of eyes and six superknowledges neither combine nor disperse. The ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen unique qualities neither combine nor disperse. The thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics neither combine nor disperse. The Dharma of never-failing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity neither combine nor disperse. Knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects neither combine nor disperse. The fruit of stream-entry through the bodhi of a pratyekabuddha neither combine nor disperse. All practices of great bodhisattvas neither combine nor disperse. The fruit of the unsurpassed, complete awakening of all Buddhas neither combines nor disperses. Omniscient knowledge neither combines nor disperses. The conditioned realm neither combines nor disperses. The unconditioned realm neither combines nor disperses. Why is this? Because all these dharmas have no self-nature. If they have no self-nature, then they possess nothing. If they possess nothing, they cannot be said either to combine or to disperse. Because great bodhisattvas fully understand all dharmas in this way, they can fully understand the characteristics of breadth and narrowness.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! This is called the concise exposition of all the paramitas. If great bodhisattvas train therein, they can accomplish many things.

Blessed One! Great bodhisattvas who have first aroused the aspiration through great bodhisattvas on the tenth ground should constantly cultivate and train in this concise Dharma of the paramitas.

Blessed One! Great bodhisattvas who train in this concise Dharma of the paramitas understand, just as they truly are, the characteristics of breadth and narrowness of all dharmas.

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– So it is! So it is! It is just as you have said. Subhuti, you should know that only great bodhisattvas of keen faculties can enter this concise Dharma gate of the paramitas; bodhisattvas of dull faculties cannot enter it. Only those of keen faculties can enter it; those whose faculties are not keen cannot enter it. Only those who are diligent and energetic can enter it; the indolent cannot enter it. Only those endowed with right mindfulness can enter it; those not endowed with right mindfulness cannot enter it. Only those endowed with subtle and wondrous wisdom can enter it; those without wisdom cannot enter it.

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who wish to abide at the stage of non-retrogression should diligently seek to enter this Dharma gate. Great bodhisattvas who wish to abide on the tenth ground should likewise diligently seek to enter this Dharma gate. Great bodhisattvas who wish to attain omniscient knowledge should likewise seek to enter this Dharma gate.

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who train according to the purport of this prajnaparamita can thereby train in the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna. They can also train in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of non-nature.

They can also train in suchness through the inconceivable realm. They can also train in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. They can also train in the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path.

They can also train in the four dhyanas, four immeasurables, and four formless absorptions. They can also train in the eight liberations through the ten totalities. They can also train in the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.

They can also train in the bodhisattva grounds. They can also train in all dharani gates and samadhi gates. They can also train in the five kinds of eyes and six superknowledges.

They can also train in the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. They can also train in the Dharma of never-failing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity. They can also train in knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects.

They can also train in all practices of great bodhisattvas. They can also train in the fruit of the unsurpassed, complete awakening of all Buddhas. They can also train in omniscient knowledge.

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who train in exact accordance with the purport of profound prajnaparamita draw ever closer to the omniscient knowledge they seek.

Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas train according to the purport of this prajnaparamita, all their karmic obstructions and demonic hindrances are extinguished as soon as they arise. Therefore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas who wish swiftly to eliminate all karmic obstructions and demonic hindrances and properly preserve the power of skillful means should train in prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who practice this prajnaparamita, cultivate this prajnaparamita, and train in this prajnaparamita are together protected and kept in mind by all the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, who are presently teaching the Dharma throughout immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds in the ten directions. Why is this? Subhuti! It is because all Buddhas of the past, future, and present have appeared from prajnaparamita. Therefore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas who can practice prajnaparamita should think: “I too shall attain the dharmas attained by the Buddhas of the past, future, and present.”

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas should diligently cultivate and train in profound prajnaparamita. Those who diligently cultivate and train in profound prajnaparamita can swiftly attain omniscient knowledge.

Therefore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas should not relinquish the mental attention corresponding to profound prajnaparamita or the practice of prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva practices this prajnaparamita in accordance with reality for even the time of a finger-snap, that bodhisattva acquires an exceedingly great store of merit. Suppose someone were to teach and transform all sentient beings throughout a great trichiliocosm, causing them all to abide in generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita; or causing them to abide in liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation; or causing them to abide in the fruit of stream-entry through to the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha.

Although this person would acquire immeasurable merit, that merit would still not equal the merit acquired by one who truly practices profound prajnaparamita for the time of a finger-snap. Why is this? Subhuti!

It is because this prajnaparamita can give rise to all generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita; it can give rise to all liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation; and it can give rise to all fruits from stream-entry through to the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha. All the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, now present in countless worlds throughout the ten directions have appeared by relying upon profound prajnaparamita.

The Buddhas of the past and future are likewise.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva does not depart from the mental attention corresponding with this profound prajnaparamita and practices prajnaparamita for a moment, a morning, a day, half a month, a month, a season, a year, a hundred years, or even longer, that bodhisattva acquires an exceedingly great store of merit. This merit surpasses the merit acquired by teaching and transforming all sentient beings throughout as many worlds in the ten directions as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, causing them all to abide in generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita; or causing them to abide in liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation;

or causing them to abide in the fruit of stream-entry through to the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha.

Why is this? It is because this prajnaparamita gives rise to the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, of the past, future, and present, who reveal in accordance with reality generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita to sentient beings; reveal in accordance with reality liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation; reveal in accordance with reality the fruit of stream-entry through to the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; and reveal in accordance with reality the Buddhas’ attainment of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

Therefore, this merit far surpasses the other merit.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Any great bodhisattva who abides in accordance with the intent of profound prajnaparamita should be known as a great bodhisattva who will never again regress. Such a bodhisattva is constantly protected and kept in mind by the Buddhas and has perfected supreme skillful means; has attended upon and made offerings to immeasurable hundreds of thousands, hundreds of millions, and myriads of millions of Buddhas; has planted innumerable subtle and wondrous roots of virtue in the presence of those Buddhas; has received instruction from innumerable true spiritual friends; has cultivated the perfection of giving through prajnaparamita for a long time; and has long abided in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature.

Such a bodhisattva has long abided in suchness through the inconceivable realm; has long abided in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; has long cultivated the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; has long cultivated the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; has long cultivated the eight liberations through the ten totalities; has long cultivated the Dharma gates of liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; has long cultivated the bodhisattva stages; has long cultivated all dharani gates and samadhi gates; has long cultivated the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

has long cultivated the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; has long cultivated the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of path aspects, and the knowledge of all aspects; has long cultivated all the practices of great bodhisattvas; has long cultivated the Buddhas’ attainment of unsurpassed, complete awakening; and has long cultivated omniscient knowledge.

It should be known that this great bodhisattva abides on the Stage of Spiritual Youth; that all this bodhisattva’s aspirations are fulfilled; that this bodhisattva always beholds the Buddhas face to face and is never separated from them; that this bodhisattva is never separated from roots of virtue; that this bodhisattva is always able to bring to maturity those sentient beings who are to be taught; and that this bodhisattva always adorns and purifies the Buddha-land in which this bodhisattva dwells. Going from one Buddha-land to another, this bodhisattva makes offerings to, reveres, honors, and praises the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, and listens to, retains, and practices the Dharma of the Supreme Vehicle.

It should be known that this great bodhisattva has attained uninterrupted and inexhaustible eloquence, has attained subtle and wondrous dharanis, and has perfected the most sublime and wondrous physical body. This bodhisattva has received the Buddhas’ complete prediction of awakening and, in accordance with the inclinations of sentient beings, teaches and guides them to liberation with complete mastery.

It should be known that this great bodhisattva skillfully enters objects of cognition and skillfully enters modes of activity. This bodhisattva skillfully enters teachings expressed in words and teachings without words; skillfully enters speech and absence of speech; skillfully enters one language, two languages, and many languages; skillfully enters the language of women, the language of men, and the language of those who are neither women nor men; skillfully enters the language of the past, the language of the future, and the language of the present; skillfully enters meanings and texts; skillfully enters form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; skillfully enters the skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus;

skillfully enters dependent origination and the factors of dependent origination; skillfully enters the world and nirvana; skillfully enters the characteristics of dharmas, the characteristics of the conditioned, the characteristics of the unconditioned, and the characteristics of both the conditioned and unconditioned; skillfully enters modes of activity and what is not a mode of activity; skillfully enters the characteristic of characteristics and the characteristic of non-characteristic; skillfully enters existence and nonexistence; skillfully enters one’s own nature and the nature of others; skillfully enters conjunction, separation, and both conjunction and separation; skillfully enters correspondence, noncorrespondence, and both correspondence and noncorrespondence;

skillfully enters suchness, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, Dharma-nature, the Dharma realm, the fixed order of dharmas, and the abiding of dharmas; skillfully enters conditionality and nonconditionality; skillfully enters the noble truths; skillfully enters the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; skillfully enters the six paramitas; skillfully enters the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; skillfully enters the eight liberations through the ten totalities; skillfully enters dharani gates and samadhi gates; skillfully enters the three gates of liberation and all forms of emptiness; skillfully enters the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

skillfully enters the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; skillfully enters the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity; skillfully enters the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of path aspects, and the knowledge of all aspects; skillfully enters the conditioned realm and the unconditioned realm; and skillfully enters the realm and what is not the realm.

This bodhisattva skillfully enters mental attention directed toward form through mental attention directed toward consciousness; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the eye ayatana through mental attention directed toward the mind ayatana; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the form ayatana through mental attention directed toward the dharma ayatana; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the eye dhatu through mental attention directed toward the mind dhatu; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the form dhatu through mental attention directed toward the dharma dhatu; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the eye-consciousness dhatu through mental attention directed toward the mind-consciousness dhatu;

skillfully enters mental attention directed toward eye-contact through mental attention directed toward mind-contact; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through mental attention directed toward feelings arising with mind-contact as condition; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the earth dhatu through mental attention directed toward the consciousness dhatu; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the causal condition through mental attention directed toward the dominant condition; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward ignorance through mental attention directed toward aging and death;

skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the perfection of giving through mental attention directed toward prajnaparamita; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward inner emptiness through mental attention directed toward the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward suchness through mental attention directed toward the inconceivable realm; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the four foundations of mindfulness through mental attention directed toward the Noble Eightfold Path;

skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the eight liberations through mental attention directed toward the ten totalities; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the Dharma gates of liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the Stage of Pure Contemplation through mental attention directed toward the Stage of the Tathagata; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the Stage of Great Joy through mental attention directed toward the Stage of the Dharma Cloud; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward all dharani gates and samadhi gates;

skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the ten powers of the Tathagata through mental attention directed toward the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of path aspects, and the knowledge of all aspects;

skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the fruit of stream-entry through mental attention directed toward pratyekabuddha awakening; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward all the practices of great bodhisattvas; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward the Buddhas’ attainment of unsurpassed, complete awakening; and skillfully enters mental attention directed toward omniscient knowledge.

This bodhisattva skillfully enters mental attention directed toward form and the empty characteristic of form; skillfully enters mental attention directed toward feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness and the empty characteristics of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. In this way, through to omniscient knowledge, this bodhisattva skillfully enters omniscient knowledge and the empty characteristic of omniscient knowledge.

This bodhisattva skillfully enters the path of ease and the path without ease; skillfully enters arising and cessation; skillfully enters abiding and change; skillfully enters right view and wrong view; skillfully enters view and non-view; skillfully enters greed, hatred, and delusion; and skillfully enters non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion.

They skillfully penetrate all fetters and bonds, such as views, entanglements, hindrances, and latent tendencies, and skillfully penetrate the abandonment of all fetters and bonds, such as views, entanglements, hindrances, and latent tendencies. They skillfully penetrate name, skillfully penetrate form, and skillfully penetrate name-and-form. They skillfully penetrate the condition of an object and skillfully penetrate the predominant condition.

They skillfully penetrate the causal condition and skillfully penetrate the immediately antecedent condition. They skillfully penetrate formations and skillfully penetrate characteristics. They skillfully penetrate causes and skillfully penetrate effects.

They skillfully penetrate suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. They skillfully penetrate the hells and the path leading to the hells. They skillfully penetrate the animal realm and the path leading to the animal realm.

They skillfully penetrate the realm of hungry ghosts and the path leading to the realm of hungry ghosts. They skillfully penetrate the human realm and the path leading to the human realm; they skillfully penetrate the heavenly realm and the path leading to the heavenly realm. They skillfully penetrate stream-entry, the fruit of stream-entry, and the path leading to the fruit of stream-entry.

They skillfully penetrate once-returning, the fruit of once-returning, and the path leading to the fruit of once-returning. They skillfully penetrate non-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the path leading to the fruit of non-returning. They skillfully penetrate arhatship, the fruit of arhatship, and the path leading to the fruit of arhatship.

They skillfully penetrate the pratyekabuddha, the awakening of a pratyekabuddha, and the path leading to the awakening of a pratyekabuddha. They skillfully penetrate all great bodhisattvas and all the practices of great bodhisattvas. They skillfully penetrate all Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones, and the unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening of all Buddhas.

They skillfully penetrate the knowledge of all things and the path leading to the knowledge of all things; they skillfully penetrate the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the path leading to the knowledge of the aspects of the paths; they skillfully penetrate the knowledge of all aspects and the path leading to the knowledge of all aspects. They skillfully penetrate the faculties, skillfully penetrate the perfection of the faculties, and skillfully penetrate the superiority and inferiority of the faculties.

They skillfully penetrate wisdom; they skillfully penetrate swift wisdom, keen and agile wisdom, fortunate wisdom, powerful wisdom, penetrating wisdom, vast wisdom, profound wisdom, great wisdom, unequaled wisdom, true wisdom, and precious wisdom. They skillfully penetrate the past, skillfully penetrate the future, and skillfully penetrate the present. They skillfully penetrate skillful means and skillfully penetrate the aspirations of sentient beings.

They skillfully penetrate inclinations and skillfully penetrate predominant inclinations. They skillfully penetrate the characteristics of words and meanings and skillfully penetrate the noble dharmas. They skillfully penetrate the skillful means by which the Three Vehicles are established.

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita, cultivate profound prajnaparamita, and develop profound prajnaparamita obtain such kinds of supreme benefits.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How should great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita? How should they cultivate profound prajnaparamita? How should they develop profound prajnaparamita?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– Great bodhisattvas should contemplate form through consciousness as decaying, perishing, dispersing, lacking autonomy, insubstantial, and false by nature, and thereby practice profound prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! As to your question concerning how great bodhisattvas should cultivate profound prajnaparamita, the answer is that they should cultivate profound prajnaparamita as they would cultivate the emptiness of space. As to your question concerning how great bodhisattvas should develop profound prajnaparamita, the answer is that they should dismantle all dharmas and thereby develop profound prajnaparamita.

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! For how long should great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, cultivate profound prajnaparamita, and develop profound prajnaparamita?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– From the first arising of the aspiration until they are seated upon the sublime seat of awakening, great bodhisattvas should practice profound prajnaparamita, cultivate profound prajnaparamita, and develop profound prajnaparamita.

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! In what uninterrupted states of mind should great bodhisattvas abide while practicing profound prajnaparamita, cultivating profound prajnaparamita, and developing profound prajnaparamita?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– From the first arising of the aspiration until they are seated upon the sublime seat of awakening, great bodhisattvas should not allow any other mental attention to arise, but should abide solely in mental attention corresponding to the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, and thereby practice profound prajnaparamita, cultivate profound prajnaparamita, and develop profound prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva keeps the mind and mental factors unmoved with regard to objects, this is called practicing profound prajnaparamita, cultivating profound prajnaparamita, and developing profound prajnaparamita.

– Blessed One! Will great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita, cultivate profound prajnaparamita, and develop profound prajnaparamita attain all-knowing knowledge?

– Subhuti! No!

– Blessed One! Will great bodhisattvas who do not practice profound prajnaparamita, do not cultivate profound prajnaparamita, and do not develop profound prajnaparamita attain all-knowing knowledge?

– Subhuti! No!

– Blessed One! With regard to this profound prajnaparamita, will great bodhisattvas who both practice and do not practice it, both cultivate and do not cultivate it, and both develop and do not develop it attain all-knowing knowledge?

– Subhuti! No!

– Blessed One! With regard to profound prajnaparamita, will great bodhisattvas who neither practice nor do not practice it, neither cultivate nor do not cultivate it, and neither develop nor do not develop it attain all-knowing knowledge?

– Subhuti! No.

– Blessed One! How, then, should great bodhisattvas attain all-knowing knowledge?

– Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas should attain all-knowing knowledge in accordance with suchness.

– Blessed One! What is suchness?

– Subhuti! It is as the true limit.

– Blessed One! What is the true limit?

– Subhuti! It is as the dharma-dhatu.

– Blessed One! What is the dharma-dhatu?

– Subhuti! It is the sphere of a self, the sphere of a sentient being, the sphere of a living being, the sphere of one who is born, the sphere of one who is nurtured, the sphere of a person, and the sphere of a human being.

– Blessed One! What is the sphere of a self, and so forth, through the sphere of a human being?

– Subhuti! What do you think? Can a self, a sentient being, a living being, one who is born, one who is nurtured, an agent, or a human being be apprehended?

– Blessed One! No!

– Subhuti! Since a self, and so forth, through a human being are unapprehensible, how could one establish the sphere of a self, and so forth, through the sphere of a human being?

Subhuti! A great bodhisattva who does not construct prajnaparamita, does not construct all-knowing knowledge, and does not construct any dharma will certainly attain all-knowing knowledge.

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

– Is it only prajnaparamita that cannot be constructed, or can the perfection of meditative concentration through the perfection of generosity likewise not be constructed?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– Not only can prajnaparamita not be constructed, but the perfection of meditative concentration through the perfection of generosity also cannot be constructed. Neither the dharmas of the sravakas, the dharmas of the pratyekabuddhas, the dharmas of awakening, nor the dharmas of the Tathagatas can be constructed.

Subhuti! In brief, all dharmas, whether conditioned or unconditioned, cannot be constructed.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– If all dharmas cannot be produced, how can hell beings, animals, beings in the realm of hungry ghosts, humans, devas, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, Tathagatas, and all dharmas be produced?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– What do you think? Can the production of sentient beings and dharmas truly be apprehended?

Subhuti replied:

– No, Blessed One!

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– If the production of sentient beings and dharmas is truly ungraspable, how could I produce hell beings, animals, beings in the realm of hungry ghosts, humans, devas, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, Tathagatas, and all dharmas?

Subhuti! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should train in the fact that all dharmas cannot be produced, thereby progressing toward unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, should great bodhisattvas not train in form, and should they not train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? In the same way, should they not train even in the wisdom of all-knowledge?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should train in form as neither increasing nor decreasing, and should train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as neither increasing nor decreasing. In the same way, they should train even in the wisdom of all-knowledge as neither increasing nor decreasing.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, how should great bodhisattvas train in form as neither increasing nor decreasing? How should they train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as neither increasing nor decreasing? In the same way, how should they train even in the wisdom of all-knowledge as neither increasing nor decreasing?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should train in form by way of non-arising and non-cessation; they should train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness by way of non-arising and non-cessation. In the same way, they should train even in the wisdom of all-knowledge by way of non-arising and non-cessation.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, how should great bodhisattvas train in form by way of non-arising and non-cessation? How should they train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness by way of non-arising and non-cessation? How should they train even in the wisdom of all-knowledge by way of non-arising and non-cessation?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should train in form as not arising, not producing formations, and as neither cultivated nor controlled; they should train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as not arising, not producing formations, and as neither cultivated nor controlled. In the same way, they should train even in the wisdom of all-knowledge as not arising, not producing formations, and as neither cultivated nor controlled.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, how should great bodhisattvas train in form as not arising, not producing formations, and as neither cultivated nor controlled? How should they train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as not arising, not producing formations, and as neither cultivated nor controlled? In the same way, how should they train even in the wisdom of all-knowledge as not arising, not producing formations, and as neither cultivated nor controlled?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should contemplate the intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas as empty, and thereby train in form as not arising, not producing formations, and as neither cultivated nor controlled. They should contemplate the intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas as empty, and thereby train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as not arising, not producing formations, and as neither cultivated nor controlled. In the same way, they should contemplate the intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas as empty, and thereby train even in the wisdom of all-knowledge as not arising, not producing formations, and as neither cultivated nor controlled.

Fascicle 461

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