大般若波羅蜜多經

04

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

“World-Honored One! The Tathagata often speaks of the profound prajnaparamita. For what reason is the profound prajnaparamita called prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“The profound prajnaparamita reaches the ultimate other shore of all dharmas; therefore, it is called prajnaparamita.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Through the profound prajnaparamita, shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas are able to reach the other shore; therefore, it is called prajnaparamita.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! The profound prajnaparamita analyzes all dharmas into particles smaller than the most minute atom, yet ultimately does not perceive even the slightest thing that can truly be apprehended; therefore, it is called prajnaparamita.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! The profound prajnaparamita encompasses suchness, the Dharma realm, the Dharma-nature, and, in full exposition, up to the inconceivable realm; therefore, it is called prajnaparamita.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Within the profound prajnaparamita, there is not the slightest dharma that either combines or disperses, has form or is formless, is visible or invisible, offers resistance or offers no resistance; therefore, it is called prajnaparamita. Why is this so? Because the profound prajnaparamita neither combines nor disperses, has no form, is invisible, and has not even a single opposing characteristic, it is said to be signless.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! The profound prajnaparamita can give rise to all wondrous wholesome dharmas, can produce all wisdom and eloquence, can bring all worldly and supramundane peace and happiness, and can penetrate the profound principles of all dharmas; therefore, it is called prajnaparamita.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! The profound prajnaparamita possesses a true and firm meaning that cannot be shaken or destroyed. If a great bodhisattva practices the profound prajnaparamita, then all evil maras and their retinues, shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, non-Buddhist practitioners, brahmins, bad companions, and enemies will be unable to undermine him. Why is this so? Because the profound prajnaparamita teaches that the intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas are empty, and evil maras and the rest are all unapprehensible; therefore, it is called prajnaparamita.

“Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas should truly practice in accordance with this profound meaning of prajnaparamita; that is, they should contemplate and perceive that the intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas are empty, so that no adverse conditions can shake or undermine them.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who wish to practice in accordance with the profound meaning of prajnaparamita should practice the meanings of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, non-self, tranquility, and detachment. They should practice the meaning of insight into suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

They should practice the meaning of knowledge of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. They should practice the meanings of knowledge of Dharma, subsequent knowledge, and knowledge of others’ minds. They should practice the meanings of conventional knowledge and knowledge of ultimate truth.

They should practice the meanings of the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising. They should practice the meanings of knowledge of all that exists and knowledge of things as they truly are.

“Subhuti! To practice in accordance with the profound meaning of prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should practice prajnaparamita.”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! Within this wondrous and profound meaning of prajnaparamita, both meaning and non-meaning are unapprehensible. Why, then, must great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita in order to practice in accordance with the profound meaning of prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“To practice in accordance with the profound meaning of prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should think: ‘I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of greed. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of hatred. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of delusion. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of wrong views. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of wrong concentration. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of any attachment to views.’ Why is this so? Because the true nature and reality-limit of sensual desire, hatred, delusion, wrong views, wrong concentration, and even all attachments to views are neither meaning nor non-meaning with respect to any dharma.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! To practice in accordance with the profound meaning of prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should think thus: ‘I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of form. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of eye-contact through mind-contact.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through feelings arising with mind-contact as condition. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the causal condition through the dominant condition.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of ignorance through aging and death. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the perfection of giving through prajnaparamita. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of suchness through the inconceivable realm. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, or the four formless absorptions. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the eight liberations through the ten totalities. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of any dharani gateway or samadhi gateway.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the Tathagata’s ten powers through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being or the eighty minor characteristics.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the quality of never losing mindfulness or the nature of constant equanimity. I should not practice the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or the knowledge of all aspects. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha-bodhi.

I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of any practice of a great bodhisattva. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the Buddhas’ attainment of unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. I should not practice the meaning or non-meaning of the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.’ Why is this so?

Subhuti! Because when the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, he sought the meaning and non-meaning of all dharmas and found them entirely unapprehensible.”

Subhuti, you should know: Whether or not a Tathagata appears in the world, the Dharma-nature, the abiding of Dharma, the fixed order of Dharma, and the suchness of Dharma of all phenomena always abide; with respect to all phenomena, none is meaningful or meaningless.

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas should relinquish all attachment to what is meaningful or meaningless in order to practice the profound principle of prajnaparamita.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Why is prajnaparamita neither meaningful nor meaningless with respect to all phenomena?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– Because it is directed toward realizing the unconditioned Dharma, profound prajnaparamita is neither meaningful nor meaningless with respect to all phenomena.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Do not all sages and noble ones take the unconditioned Dharma as the ultimate meaning?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– So it is! So it is! It is as you say. All sages and noble ones take the unconditioned Dharma as the ultimate meaning, yet the unconditioned Dharma neither increases nor decreases with respect to all phenomena.

Subhuti! Just as space, true suchness, and the dharmadhatu neither increase nor decrease with respect to all phenomena, so too the profound prajnaparamita practiced by great bodhisattvas neither increases nor decreases with respect to all phenomena. Therefore, prajnaparamita is neither meaningful nor meaningless with respect to all phenomena.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Must great bodhisattvas not train in unconditioned prajnaparamita before they can attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom?

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– So it is! So it is! It is as you say. Great bodhisattvas must train in profound prajnaparamita before they can attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, because they employ the nondual Dharma as skillful means.

Subhuti again asked:

– Is the nondual Dharma used to attain the nondual Dharma?

The Buddha replied:

– No.

Subhuti again asked:

– Is the nondual Dharma used to attain the nondual Dharma?

The Buddha replied:

– No.

Subhuti said:

– If neither the dualistic Dharma nor the nondual Dharma is used to attain the nondual Dharma, how are great bodhisattvas to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom?

The Buddha replied:

– Subhuti! Both the dualistic Dharma and the nondual Dharma are unobtainable. Therefore, neither the dualistic Dharma nor the nondual Dharma can be used to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom. Yet the Dharma of nonattainment can attain nonattainment. Why? Because both profound prajnaparamita and the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom are unobtainable.

LXIX. CHAPTER ON THE PARABLE OF THE TREE

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! Such is the extreme profundity of prajnaparamita that great bodhisattvas are able to accomplish a difficult task: Although they apprehend neither sentient beings nor the activities of sentient beings, for the sake of sentient beings they aspire to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom swiftly.

Blessed One! It is like a person wishing to plant a tree in empty space, where there is no form, nothing visible, no object, and no support; this would be exceedingly difficult. Likewise, is it not exceedingly difficult for great bodhisattvas, while apprehending neither sentient beings nor their activities, to seek attainment of the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom for the sake of sentient beings?

The Buddha replied:

– Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is as you say. Prajnaparamita is extremely profound. Great bodhisattvas are able to accomplish the difficult task of apprehending neither sentient beings nor their activities, yet seeking to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom swiftly for the sake of sentient beings.

Subhuti, you should know: Although great bodhisattvas do not perceive any truly existent sentient beings, nor do they perceive their activities, foolish and deluded sentient beings perversely cling to them as truly existent, sink into samsara, and undergo suffering without end. Therefore, the bodhisattva aspires to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom swiftly in order to rescue them, employing skillful means to deliver them.

It is like a person planting a tree in fertile soil. Although that person does not know what the roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits of the tree will be like, after planting it, the person waters it at appropriate times and diligently tends it. The tree gradually grows, and its roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits flourish abundantly.

By making use of the tree’s products, many people are cured of illness and gain peace and happiness. Likewise, although they do not perceive any resultant rewards of sentient beings, great bodhisattvas, for the sake of sentient beings, aspire to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom swiftly and successively cultivate generosity, pure ethical discipline, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajnaparamita, and countless other factors conducive to enlightenment.

When they have perfected the cultivation of these qualities, they attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and enable sentient beings to enjoy the resultant rewards of the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits, thereby benefiting them all.

Subhuti, you should know: The benefit of the branches and leaves means that sentient beings, by relying upon this bodhisattva, are freed from the lower realms. The benefit of the flowers means that, by relying upon this bodhisattva, sentient beings are born into a great kshatriya family, a great brahmin family, a great merchant family, or a great householder family, or are born in the heaven of the Four Great Kings, and so forth, up to the Heaven of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception.

The benefit of the fruit means that this great bodhisattva personally realizes unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment and enables sentient beings to abide in the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, or unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. These sentient beings diligently cultivate wholesome qualities and, following the paths of the three vehicles, successively attain the nirvana of the three vehicles.

This is called the benefit of the resultant rewards.

Subhuti! Although great bodhisattvas bring about such great benefit, they never perceive any truly existent sentient being who attains nirvana; they perceive only the cessation of deluded conceptions and suffering.

Thus, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita apprehend neither sentient beings nor their activities. Yet, in order to eliminate their deluded, inverted attachment to self, bodhisattvas aspire to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom swiftly. Therefore, this is an exceedingly difficult task.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! Great bodhisattvas should be regarded as Buddhas. Why? Because by relying upon great bodhisattvas, we can forever bring all hell realms, animal realms, and hungry ghost realms to an end, and can also forever eliminate all calamities, poverty, deprivation, lowly conditions, and the sufferings of the three realms.

The Buddha told Subhuti:

– So it is! So it is! It is as you say. Great bodhisattvas should be regarded as Buddhas. If there were no bodhisattvas in the world, there would be no Tathagatas of the three times, nor would there be pratyekabuddhas or shravakas. Nor could all hell realms, animal realms, and hungry ghost realms, together with calamities, poverty, deprivation, lowly conditions, and the sufferings of the three realms, ever be brought to an end. Therefore, Subhuti, what you have said—that great bodhisattvas are like Buddhas—is indeed correct.

Furthermore, Subhuti, you should know that the great bodhisattvas are themselves Tathagatas. Why is this? Subhuti, if this true suchness produces Tathagatas, then this same true suchness also produces pratyekabuddhas; this same true suchness also produces sravakas; this same true suchness also produces sages and noble ones; and this same true suchness also produces form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

This same true suchness also produces the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana. This same true suchness also produces the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana. This same true suchness also produces the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu.

This same true suchness also produces the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu. This same true suchness also produces the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu. This same true suchness also produces eye-contact through mind-contact.

This same true suchness also produces the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition. This same true suchness also produces the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu. This same true suchness also produces the causal condition through the dominant condition.

This same true suchness also produces ignorance through aging and death. This same true suchness also produces the perfection of giving through the perfection of wisdom. This same true suchness also produces the emptiness of internal phenomena through the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature.

This same true suchness also produces the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. This same true suchness also produces the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path. This same true suchness also produces the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations.

This same true suchness also produces the eight liberations through the ten totalities. This same true suchness also produces the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. This same true suchness also produces the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata.

This same true suchness also produces the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud. This same true suchness also produces all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways. This same true suchness also produces the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges.

This same true suchness also produces the ten powers of a Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha. This same true suchness also produces the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty minor characteristics. This same true suchness also produces the quality of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity.

This same true suchness also produces the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects. This same true suchness also produces all the practices of great bodhisattvas. This same true suchness also produces the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas.

This same true suchness also produces omniscient knowledge. This same true suchness also produces the conditioned realm. This same true suchness also produces the unconditioned realm.

This same true suchness also produces all dharmas. This same true suchness also produces all sentient beings. This same true suchness also produces all great bodhisattvas.

Thus, Subhuti, whether it is the true suchness of a Tathagata, the true suchness of a pratyekabuddha, the true suchness of a sravaka, the true suchness of all sages and noble ones, the true suchness of such dharmas as form and so forth, the true suchness of all sentient beings, or the true suchness of all great bodhisattvas, all these instances of true suchness are in reality without difference. Because they are without difference, they are called true suchness.

When great bodhisattvas train in and perfect this true suchness, they are able to attain omniscient knowledge. Because they have attained omniscient knowledge, they are called Tathagatas. Therefore, you should know that great bodhisattvas are themselves Tathagatas, for all dharmas and all sentient beings take true suchness as their standard.

Subhuti, thus should great bodhisattvas train in profound prajnaparamita. Whoever trains in profound prajnaparamita trains in the true suchness of all dharmas. Whoever trains in the true suchness of all dharmas gains mastery in entering the true suchness of all dharmas.

Those who gain mastery in entering the true suchness of all dharmas attain the knowledge that distinguishes the superior and inferior faculties of all sentient beings. Those who attain the knowledge that distinguishes the superior and inferior faculties of all sentient beings can fully know the differing understandings of all sentient beings. Those who can fully know the differing understandings of all sentient beings know the karma and karmic results of all sentient beings.

Those who know the karma and karmic results of all sentient beings perfect the knowledge of aspirations. Those who perfect the knowledge of aspirations can cultivate and purify the wondrous knowledge of the three times. Those who can cultivate and purify the wondrous knowledge of the three times can perfect omniscient knowledge.

Those who can perfect omniscient knowledge can practice correctly in accordance with the bodhisattva conduct. Those who can practice correctly in accordance with the bodhisattva conduct can always benefit sentient beings through gifts of material wealth and gifts of Dharma. Those who can benefit sentient beings through gifts of material wealth and gifts of Dharma can truly bring sentient beings to maturity.

Those who can truly bring sentient beings to maturity can truly adorn and purify Buddha-fields. Those who can truly adorn and purify Buddha-fields can attain omniscient knowledge. Those who can attain omniscient knowledge can truly turn the wondrous wheel of Dharma.

Those who can truly turn the wondrous wheel of Dharma can establish sentient beings firmly upon the paths of the three vehicles. Those who can establish sentient beings firmly upon the paths of the three vehicles can enable sentient beings to enter the realm of nirvana without remainder.

Thus, Subhuti, seeing such immeasurable merits that benefit both themselves and others, great bodhisattvas who wish to make the great aspiration for enlightenment they have already aroused firm and irreversible should diligently cultivate the skillful means of prajnaparamita.

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

“Blessed One, any great bodhisattva who can arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment and correctly practice profound prajnaparamita should be honored, revered, and worshiped by devas, humans, asuras, and others throughout the world.”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“So it is! So it is! It is just as you have said. Any great bodhisattva who arouses the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment and correctly practices profound prajnaparamita should be honored, revered, and worshiped by devas, humans, asuras, and others throughout the world.”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“If, for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, great bodhisattvas have only just aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, how much merit do they acquire?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“Suppose all sentient beings filling a small chiliocosm were brought to the stage of a sravaka or a pratyekabuddha. What do you think? Would the merit of these sentient beings be great?”

Subhuti replied:

“Blessed One, it would be exceedingly great. The merit they acquired would be immeasurable and boundless.”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“The merit acquired by those sentient beings, when compared with the merit acquired by the one great bodhisattva about whom you have just asked—who has newly aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment in order to benefit all sentient beings—does not equal even one hundredth part, one thousandth part, or even one part in a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas. Why is this? Because sravakas and pratyekabuddhas come into being in dependence upon great bodhisattvas; great bodhisattvas do not come into being in dependence upon sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“Furthermore, Subhuti, set aside the merit acquired by all sentient beings filling a small chiliocosm or a medium chiliocosm through their all reaching the stage of a sravaka or a pratyekabuddha. Suppose all sentient beings in a great trichiliocosm reached the stage of a sravaka or a pratyekabuddha. What do you think? Would the merit acquired by these sentient beings be great?”

Subhuti replied:

“Blessed One, it would be exceedingly great. The merit they acquired would be immeasurable and boundless.”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– The merit attained by those sentient beings, compared with the merit acquired by a single great bodhisattva who has newly aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment in order to benefit all sentient beings, as you asked, does not equal even one hundredth, one thousandth, and so forth, up to not even one part in a hundred thousand or one part in hundreds of billions upon billions. Why is this? Because sravakas and pratyekabuddhas all come into being in dependence upon great bodhisattvas. Great bodhisattvas do not come into being in dependence upon sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Set aside the merit acquired by all the sentient beings filling the great trichiliocosm through attaining the stage of a sravaka or pratyekabuddha. Suppose all the sentient beings filling the great trichiliocosm were to abide in the Stage of Pure Contemplation. What do you think—would the merit of these sentient beings be great?

Subhuti replied:

– Blessed One! It would be exceedingly great. The merit attained by them would be immeasurable and boundless.

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– The measure of merit attained by those sentient beings, compared with the merit acquired by a single great bodhisattva who has newly aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment in order to benefit all sentient beings, as you asked, does not equal even one hundredth, one thousandth, and so forth, up to not even one part in a hundred thousand or one part in hundreds of billions upon billions. Why is this? Because sravakas and pratyekabuddhas all come into being in dependence upon great bodhisattvas. Great bodhisattvas do not come into being in dependence upon sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Set aside the merit acquired by all the sentient beings filling the great trichiliocosm through abiding in the Stage of Pure Contemplation. Suppose all the sentient beings filling the great trichiliocosm were to abide in the Stage of Spiritual Lineage, the Eighth Stage, the Stage of Complete Vision, the Stage of Attenuation, the Stage of Freedom from Desire, or the Stage of One Who Has Completed the Task; and suppose all the sentient beings throughout the great trichiliocosm were to abide in the stage of a pratyekabuddha. What do you think—would the merit attained by these sentient beings be great?

Subhuti replied:

– Blessed One! It would be exceedingly great. The merit they attained would be immeasurable and boundless.

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– The measure of merit attained by those sentient beings, compared with the merit acquired by a single great bodhisattva who has newly aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment in order to benefit all sentient beings, as you asked, does not equal even one hundredth, one thousandth, and so forth, up to not even one part in a hundred thousand or one part in hundreds of billions upon billions. Why is this? Because sravakas and pratyekabuddhas come into being in dependence upon great bodhisattvas. Great bodhisattvas do not come into being in dependence upon sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Suppose all the sentient beings filling the great trichiliocosm were newly to arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment in order to benefit all sentient beings. The measure of merit attained by these great bodhisattvas, compared with the measure of merit acquired by a great bodhisattva who has entered the bodhisattva's certainty of the non-arising of dharmas, does not equal even one hundredth, one thousandth, and so forth, up to not even one part in a hundred thousand or one part in hundreds of billions upon billions.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Suppose all the sentient beings filling the great trichiliocosm were to enter the bodhisattva's certainty of the non-arising of dharmas. The measure of merit attained by these great bodhisattvas, compared with the merit acquired by a single great bodhisattva practicing the approach to enlightenment, does not equal even one hundredth, one thousandth, and so forth, up to not even one part in a hundred thousand or one part in hundreds of billions upon billions.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Suppose all the sentient beings filling the great trichiliocosm were to practice the approach to enlightenment. The measure of merit attained by these great bodhisattvas, compared with the merit possessed by a single Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, does not equal even one hundredth, one thousandth, and so forth, up to not even one part in a hundred thousand or one part in hundreds of billions upon billions.

Then the Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! What do great bodhisattvas who have newly aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment contemplate?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! These great bodhisattvas constantly contemplate the knowledge of all-knowledge.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– What does the knowledge of all-knowledge take as its nature? What does it take as its object? What does it take as its predominant condition? What does it take as its mode of activity? What does it take as its characteristic?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– The knowledge of all-knowledge takes the absence of intrinsic nature as its nature, because it is without characteristic, without cause, without that which arouses awareness, unborn, and unmanifest. As for your questions concerning what the knowledge of all-knowledge takes as its object, its predominant condition, its mode of activity, and its characteristic: Subhuti, the knowledge of all-knowledge takes the absence of intrinsic nature as its object, right mindfulness as its predominant condition, quiescence as its mode of activity, and the dharmadhatu as its characteristic.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Is it only the knowledge of all-knowledge that takes the absence of intrinsic nature as its nature, or do form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do eye-contact through mind-contact also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the causal condition through the predominant condition also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do ignorance through aging and death also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do inner emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do suchness through the inconceivable realm also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the eight liberations through the ten totalities also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the ten powers of a Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty minor characteristics also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha enlightenment also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Do all the practices of great bodhisattvas also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature? Does the unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas also take the absence of intrinsic nature as its nature? Does the conditioned realm also take the absence of intrinsic nature as its nature? Does the unconditioned realm also take the absence of intrinsic nature as its nature?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– It is not only the knowledge of all-knowledge that takes the absence of intrinsic nature as its nature; form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness also take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature. Thus, up to and including the conditioned realm and the unconditioned realm, all take the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Why does omniscient wisdom take non-nature as its nature? Why do form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness also take non-nature as their nature? Thus, up to and including the conditioned realm and the unconditioned realm, why do they also take non-nature as their nature?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– The intrinsic nature of omniscient wisdom is empty. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is empty takes non-nature as its nature. The intrinsic nature of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness is also empty. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is empty takes non-nature as its nature. Thus, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the conditioned realm and the unconditioned realm, it too is empty. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is empty takes non-nature as its nature.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Why is the intrinsic nature of omniscient wisdom empty? Why is the intrinsic nature of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness also empty? Thus, up to and including the intrinsic nature of the conditioned realm and the unconditioned realm, why is it also empty?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– Omniscient wisdom has no compounded intrinsic nature. Whatever dharma has no compounded intrinsic nature takes non-nature as its nature. Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness likewise have no compounded intrinsic nature. Whatever dharma has no compounded intrinsic nature takes non-nature as its nature. Thus, up to and including the conditioned realm and the unconditioned realm, they too have no compounded intrinsic nature. Whatever dharma has no compounded intrinsic nature takes non-nature as its nature.

Subhuti! For this reason, great bodhisattvas should know that all dharmas take non-nature as their nature.

Furthermore, Subhuti! All dharmas take emptiness as their intrinsic nature, signlessness as their intrinsic nature, and wishlessness as their intrinsic nature. Subhuti! For this reason, great bodhisattvas should know that all dharmas take non-nature as their nature.

Furthermore, Subhuti! All dharmas take suchness as their intrinsic nature, the ultimate reality as their intrinsic nature, and the dharma realm as their intrinsic nature. Subhuti! For this reason, great bodhisattvas should know that all dharmas take non-nature as their nature.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– If all dharmas are without nature, what skillful means must great bodhisattvas who have newly aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment perfect so that they may practice the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of non-nature, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may abide in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice the eight liberations through the ten totalities, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice the bodhisattva stages, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may attain the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice the ten powers of a Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice all the practices of great bodhisattvas, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands? What skillful means must they perfect so that they may practice omniscient wisdom, mature sentient beings, and adorn Buddha lands?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– These great bodhisattvas must perfect supreme skillful means. Although they know that all dharmas take non-nature as their nature, they must always diligently mature sentient beings and adorn Buddha lands. Although they always diligently mature sentient beings and adorn Buddha lands, they constantly and clearly know that all sentient beings and all Buddha lands take non-nature as their nature.

Subhuti! Although these great bodhisattvas practice the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna and train in the path to enlightenment, they know that the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna and the path to enlightenment all take non-nature as their nature. Thus, up to and including their practice of omniscient wisdom while training in the path to enlightenment, they know that omniscient wisdom and the path to enlightenment both take non-nature as their nature.

Subhuti! In this way, these great bodhisattvas cultivate the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna and train in the path to enlightenment; and, stated extensively, in this way they cultivate omniscient wisdom and train in the path to enlightenment. If they have not yet perfected the ten powers of a Tathagata, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity;

the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of paths, the knowledge of all aspects, and immeasurable, boundless other Buddha-dharmas, then their training in the path to enlightenment is said to be not yet complete.

If their training in this path has become complete, then in a single instant corresponding with prajnaparamita, they immediately realize omniscient wisdom. At that time, the continuum of the subtle habitual tendencies of the afflictions never arises again; that is, it is completely eliminated, and they are called a Buddha. Then, with the luminous and unobstructed Buddha-eye, they universally contemplate all dharmas throughout the ten directions and the three times and find that not even a nonexistent dharma can be apprehended, much less an existent dharma.

Thus, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas should practice prajnaparamita and believe and understand that all dharmas take non-nature as their nature.

Subhuti! This is called a great bodhisattva's perfection of supreme skillful means: namely, while practicing prajnaparamita, one contemplates that no nonexistent dharma can be apprehended, much less any existent dharma.

Subhuti! When practicing the perfection of giving, with regard to the act of giving, the giver, the recipient, the gift, the karmic result of giving, and the mind of bodhi, that great bodhisattva does not perceive them as empty, much less as existent. Thus, even when attaining the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, with regard to all-knowing wisdom, the one who realizes it, the Dharma realized, the reason for realization, the time of realization, and the place of realization, that bodhisattva does not perceive them as empty, much less as existent.

Why is this? Subhuti! It is because this great bodhisattva constantly reflects: All dharmas have non-nature as their nature. Such non-nature is not made by a Buddha, not made by a bodhisattva, not made by a pratyekabuddha, not made by a sravaka, and not made by anyone whatsoever. This is because all dharmas have no creator, being utterly removed from any creator.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Is it not the case that the dharma-nature of all dharmas is utterly removed?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! So it is! The dharma-nature of all dharmas is utterly removed.

Subhuti again asked:

– If all dharmas are utterly removed from dharma-nature, how can an utterly removed dharma know whether another utterly removed dharma exists or does not exist?

World-Honored One! An existent dharma cannot know a nonexistent dharma, and a nonexistent dharma cannot know an existent dharma. An existent dharma cannot know an existent dharma, and a nonexistent dharma cannot know a nonexistent dharma.

World-Honored One! If, in this way, all dharmas have non-knowing as their nature, how can a great bodhisattva practicing the profound prajnaparamita reveal the various dharmas as either existent or nonexistent: form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as either existent or nonexistent; the eye ayatana through the mental ayatana as either existent or nonexistent; the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana as either existent or nonexistent; the eye dhatu through the mental dhatu as either existent or nonexistent; the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu as either existent or nonexistent; the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mental-consciousness dhatu as either existent or nonexistent; eye-contact through mental contact as either existent or nonexistent;

the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mental contact as condition as either existent or nonexistent; the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu as either existent or nonexistent; the causal condition through the dominant condition as either existent or nonexistent; ignorance through aging and death as either existent or nonexistent; the perfection of giving through prajnaparamita as either existent or nonexistent; the emptiness of internal dharmas through the emptiness of the non-nature of self-nature as either existent or nonexistent; suchness through the inconceivable realm as either existent or nonexistent; the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path as either existent or nonexistent;

the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path as either existent or nonexistent; the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations as either existent or nonexistent; the eight liberations through the ten totalities as either existent or nonexistent; the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness as either existent or nonexistent; the ground of pure contemplation through the ground of the Tathagata as either existent or nonexistent; the Ground of Utmost Joy through the Ground of the Dharma Cloud as either existent or nonexistent; all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways as either existent or nonexistent; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges as either existent or nonexistent;

the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha as either existent or nonexistent; the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty minor characteristics as either existent or nonexistent; the dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity as either existent or nonexistent; the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects as either existent or nonexistent; the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha-bodhi as either existent or nonexistent; all practices of great bodhisattvas as either existent or nonexistent; the fruition of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas as either existent or nonexistent;

the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom as either existent or nonexistent; and the conditioned realm and the unconditioned realm as either existent or nonexistent?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– Great bodhisattvas practicing the profound prajnaparamita reveal dharmas as either existent or nonexistent in accordance with the conventional, not in accordance with the ultimate truth.

Subhuti again asked:

– Are the conventional and the ultimate truth different from each other?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– They are not different, nor does the ultimate truth exist apart from the conventional. Why is this? Because the suchness of the conventional is itself the ultimate truth. Deluded beings, through inverted and false attachments, neither see nor know this suchness. To benefit them, great bodhisattvas reveal dharmas as either existent or nonexistent in accordance with conventional characteristics, not in accordance with the ultimate truth.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With regard to dharmas such as the skandhas and so forth, countless sentient beings form the notion that they truly exist or truly do not exist, failing to comprehend that dharmas are neither existent nor nonexistent. To benefit them, great bodhisattvas reveal the skandhas and so forth as either existent or nonexistent, thereby enabling those sentient beings to comprehend that dharmas such as the skandhas and so forth are neither existent nor nonexistent. They do not seek to cause them to become attached to the characteristics of true existence or true nonexistence.

Thus, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas should diligently abandon attachment to existence and nonexistence in order to practice the profound prajnaparamita.

Fascicle 463

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