大般若波羅蜜多經

03

Furthermore, Subhuti, the eighty beautiful characteristics are:

1. The Tathagata’s nails are narrow, long, thin, smooth, lustrous, pure, and translucent, like flowers or copper.

2. The Tathagata’s fingers and toes are rounded, slender, long, straight, and soft, with the joints not protruding.

3. The Tathagata’s fingers and toes are all even, without irregularity, and the spaces between them are closely joined.

4. The Tathagata’s hands and feet are perfectly rounded, soft, pure, radiant, smooth, and lotus-colored.

5. The Tathagata’s sinews and veins are firmly bound and lie deeply concealed, without showing.

6. Both of the Tathagata’s ankles are concealed and do not protrude.

7. When walking, the Tathagata advances calmly, like the lord of great elephants.

8. The Tathagata walks with perfectly composed deportment, like the lion king.

9. The Tathagata walks steadily and calmly, neither quickly nor slowly, like the lord of bulls.

10. The Tathagata walks, advances, and stops gently, like the lord of geese.

11. Whenever the Tathagata looks back, he always turns to the right, and his whole body turns with him, like the lord of great elephants.

12. The Tathagata’s bodily parts are straight, rounded, and well proportioned.

13. The Tathagata’s joints fit together without gaps, like the coils of a dragon.

14. The Tathagata’s kneecaps are well formed, firm, rounded, and beautiful.

15. The Tathagata’s private part bears beautiful markings and is endowed with majesty, perfection, and purity.

16. The Tathagata’s body is smooth and soft, radiant, pure, and beautiful; dust and dirt do not adhere to it.

17. The Tathagata’s countenance is exceedingly dignified, neither fearful nor timid.

18. The parts of the Tathagata’s body are firm, full, and well joined together.

19. The Tathagata’s bodily form is full, secure, and stable, never wavering or deteriorating.

20. The Tathagata’s bodily appearance resembles that of a heavenly king; it is exceedingly handsome, radiant, pure, and unobscured.

21. The Tathagata’s body is surrounded by a perfect halo of light, which naturally shines whenever he walks.

22. The Tathagata’s abdomen is square and symmetrical, soft, unprotruding, and discreetly concealed, adorned with all excellent characteristics.

23. The Tathagata’s navel is deep, spirals to the right, and is rounded, beautiful, pure, and lustrous.

24. The Tathagata’s navel is substantial, neither sunken nor protruding, and its circular spiral is exceedingly beautiful.

25. The Tathagata’s skin is free from sores, moles, and excrescences.

26. The Tathagata’s palms are full and soft, and the soles of his feet are level.

27. The lines on the Tathagata’s palms are deep, long, distinct, straight, smooth, and unbroken.

28. The Tathagata’s lips are bright red like the bimba fruit, with the upper and lower lips perfectly proportioned.

29. The Tathagata’s face is handsome and of moderate dimensions, neither long nor short, neither large nor small.

30. The Tathagata’s tongue is soft, thin, long, broad, and copper-red.

31. When the Tathagata speaks, his voice resounds far away, distinct and clear like the trumpeting of the lord of elephants.

32. The Tathagata’s voice is resonant, like an echo from a deep cavern.

33. The Tathagata’s nose is high and straight, and his nostrils are concealed.

34. The Tathagata’s teeth are square, even, white, and beautiful.

35. The Tathagata’s incisors are rounded, white, radiant, pure, and sharp.

36. The Tathagata’s eyes are deep blue, bright, and clear.

37. The Tathagata’s eyes are long and broad like blue lotuses, and exceedingly beautiful to behold.

38. The Tathagata’s upper and lower eyelashes are straight and never turn white.

39. The Tathagata’s eyebrows are long and never turn white, dense yet soft.

40. The Tathagata’s eyebrows are beautiful and orderly, azure like beryl.

41. The Tathagata’s eyebrows are high, distinct, and lustrous, shaped like the crescent moon.

42. The Tathagata’s ears are thick and broad, and his earlobes are long and rounded.

43. The Tathagata’s two ears are beautiful, even, and free from defects.

44. The Tathagata’s countenance causes those who behold it to feel neither discomfort nor defiled attachment, but to give rise to reverence and affection.

45. The Tathagata’s forehead is broad, full, even, and beautifully shaped.

46. The upper and lower portions of the Tathagata’s body are full and rounded like those of the lion king, majestic and without peer.

47. The hair on the Tathagata’s head is long, deep blue, thick, and never turns white.

48. The hair on the Tathagata’s head is fragrant, pure, soft, glossy, and curls to the right.

49. The Tathagata’s hair is orderly, neither tangled nor matted.

50. The Tathagata’s hair is strong, does not break, and never falls out.

51. The Tathagata’s hair is smooth, lustrous, and beautiful, and no dust adheres to it.

52. The Tathagata’s bodily form is firm and full, surpassing that of Narayana.

53. The Tathagata’s body is tall, majestic, and upright.

54. The apertures of the Tathagata’s body—his ears, nose, and so forth—are pure, rounded, and beautiful.

55. The Tathagata’s body possesses unsurpassed strength, unequaled by anyone.

56. All delight in beholding the Tathagata’s bodily appearance and never grow weary of it.

57. The Tathagata’s face is moderately long and broad, lustrous and radiant like the full autumn moon.

58. The Tathagata’s countenance is serene and radiant; he smiles before speaking and looks only forward, never backward.

59. The Tathagata’s countenance is lustrous and joyful, entirely free from such faults as grimacing or changing to blue or red.

60. The Tathagata’s body is pure, without impurity or foul odor.

61. Every pore of the Tathagata’s body emits a sublime and delightful fragrance.

62. The Tathagata’s mouth always emits the most excellent fragrance.

63. The shape of the Tathagata’s head is rounded and beautiful, like the matulunga fruit or a celestial parasol.

64. The hair on the Tathagata’s body is radiant, pure, and deep blue like a peacock’s neck, with a beautiful rosy-red sheen like red copper.

65. The Tathagata’s Dharma voice is loud or soft according to the assembly, neither increasing nor diminishing, always in accord with principle and never erroneous.

66. No one can see the crown of the Tathagata’s head.

67. The divisions between the Tathagata’s fingers and toes are distinct, dignified, and beautiful, like the color of red copper.

68. When the Tathagata walks, his feet remain four finger-widths above the ground, yet footprints appear.

69. The Tathagata stands firmly by himself without needing support; his body neither leans nor inclines to either side.

70. The Tathagata’s majestic virtue inspires awe in all; those who hate him rejoice upon seeing him, and those who are fearful attain peace and security upon seeing him.

71. The Tathagata’s voice is neither too loud nor too soft; according to the inclinations of sentient beings, he joyfully speaks to them.

72. The Tathagata teaches the Dharma to the various kinds of sentient beings according to their inclinations and languages.

73. The Tathagata teaches the Dharma in a single language, yet all kinds of sentient beings can understand it.

74. The Tathagata always teaches the Dharma in due sequence, assuredly grounded in causes and conditions, and his words are always skillful.

75. When the Tathagata observes the various kinds of sentient beings, he praises the good and reproves the wicked, yet harbors neither attachment nor aversion.

76. Whenever something must be done, the Tathagata first examines it and then acts, fully observing proper standards and enabling beings to understand what is wholesome and pure.

77. No sentient being can fully observe all the excellent marks of the Tathagata.

78. The bone at the crown of the Tathagata’s head is firm, rounded, and full.

79. The Tathagata’s countenance is ever youthful and never ages, as each excellent part replaces the former one.

80. The Tathagata’s hands, feet, and chest all bear auspicious marks of virtue spiraling to the right, resembling embroidered designs and bright red in color.

These are the eighty beautiful characteristics.

Subhuti, because the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, has perfected such excellent marks, the light from his body can, at will, completely illuminate the entire trichiliocosm. Whenever the Tathagata directs his attention to it, this light can immediately illuminate innumerable worlds. Yet, out of compassion for sentient beings, the Tathagata withdraws his light so that it ordinarily shines only one fathom around his face. If he were to emit the full light of his body, the light of the sun and moon would be entirely eclipsed, and sentient beings would be unable to distinguish day from night, fortnights, months, or years, and their activities could not be accomplished.

If the Buddha’s voice were allowed to range freely, it could pervade the entire trichiliocosm; or, when directed by intention, it could immediately pervade innumerable worlds. Yet, because the Buddha wishes to benefit sentient beings, that voice accords with the size of each assembly, neither diminishing nor increasing.

Subhuti! Such extraordinary merit was completely perfected by Me formerly, when I cultivated prajnaparamita while abiding at the bodhisattva stage. Therefore, I am now adorned with the perfect major and minor marks, and all sentient beings who behold Me rejoice and attain extraordinary benefit and well-being.

Therefore, Subhuti, while practicing profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas can aid sentient beings through the two kinds of giving: the giving of material wealth and the giving of Dharma. This is a rare and wondrous quality.

Subhuti! How do great bodhisattvas aid sentient beings through affectionate speech? Subhuti! While practicing profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas first use gentle voices to teach sentient beings about the perfection of giving. They next teach them about the perfection of pure morality, then about the perfection of patient endurance, then about the perfection of diligence, then about the perfection of meditative concentration, and finally about the perfection of wisdom, thereby seeking ways to aid them.

Subhuti! While practicing profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas aid every kind of sentient being by explaining the six paramitas in detail with gentle voices. Why? Because these six paramitas can encompass all wholesome dharmas.

Subhuti! How do great bodhisattvas aid sentient beings through beneficial conduct?

Subhuti! While practicing profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas spend a long time employing every kind of skillful means to encourage sentient beings to cultivate diligently the perfections of giving, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom, together with other extraordinary wholesome dharmas, without indolently abandoning them.

Subhuti! How do great bodhisattvas rescue and aid sentient beings through shared activity?

Subhuti! While practicing profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas, through extraordinary supernormal powers and the power of their great vows, manifest themselves dwelling among beings in the hells, the animal realm, the realm of ghosts, the human realm, the heavenly realms, and so forth. They engage in the same activities as those beings, seeking ways to help them attain extraordinary benefit and well-being.

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas can aid sentient beings through giving, affectionate speech, beneficial conduct, and shared activity. This is a rare and wondrous quality.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye I observe worlds throughout the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and see great bodhisattvas who, while practicing profound prajnaparamita, instruct other great bodhisattvas: Come here, good sons. You should skillfully train in generating the written characters of dharanis.

That is, you should learn to generate freely one character, two characters, and so forth up to ten characters; then twenty or thirty characters; then a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand characters; and so forth up to innumerable characters. You should also skillfully learn to incorporate every expression of language into one character, two characters, and so forth up to ten characters; then into twenty or thirty characters; then into a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand characters; and so forth up to innumerable characters, employing them all freely.

You should further skillfully learn to encompass all characters within a single character and to encompass a single character within all characters, employing them freely. You should further skillfully learn how a single character can encompass the forty-two letters and how the forty-two letters can encompass a single character.

Subhuti! This great bodhisattva should skillfully learn how the forty-two letters enter a single character and how a single character also enters the forty-two letters. Having trained in this way, that bodhisattva develops skill in characters.

After developing skill in characters, the bodhisattva further develops skill in that which is without characters. Just as the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones are skilled in dharmas and skilled in characters, so, because this bodhisattva is skilled in dharmas and characters, the bodhisattva is also skilled in that which is without characters. Through such skill, the bodhisattva can teach sentient beings both the Dharma expressed in characters and the Dharma without characters, speaking of the Dharma expressed in characters for the sake of the Dharma without characters.

Why? Because apart from characters and that which is without characters, there is no other Buddha-Dharma; transcending all characters is called the true Buddha-Dharma. Why?

Because all dharmas and all sentient beings are utterly empty, empty without limit.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If all dharmas and all sentient beings are utterly empty, empty without limit, and transcend written characters, then the intrinsic nature of all dharmas and all sentient beings is utterly unapprehensible. How, then, do great bodhisattvas cultivate the perfection of giving through the perfection of wisdom? How do they cultivate the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable states, and the four formless absorptions? How do they cultivate the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path? How do they cultivate the Dharma gateways of liberation through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness? How do they abide in internal emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature? How do they abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm? How do they abide in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path? How do they cultivate the eight liberations through the ten spheres of totality? How do they cultivate the Ground of Great Joy through the Dharma-Cloud Ground? How do they cultivate all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways? How do they cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six supernormal powers? How do they cultivate the ten powers of a Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha? How do they cultivate the quality of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity? How do they cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects? How do they cultivate the thirty-two major marks and the eighty minor characteristics? How do they abide in the fruition of the six paramitas and the six supernormal powers in order to expound the true Dharma to sentient beings?

World-Honored One! All sentient beings are unapprehensible. The activities of sentient beings are also unapprehensible.

Because all sentient beings are unapprehensible, form through consciousness are also unapprehensible; the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana are also unapprehensible; the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana are also unapprehensible; the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu are also unapprehensible; the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu are also unapprehensible; the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu are also unapprehensible; eye-contact through mind-contact are also unapprehensible; the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, are also unapprehensible; the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu are also unapprehensible;

the causal condition through the dominant condition are also unapprehensible; all dharmas arising from causes and conditions are also unapprehensible; ignorance through aging and death are also unapprehensible; the perfection of giving through the perfection of wisdom are also unapprehensible; the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments are also unapprehensible; the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path are also unapprehensible; the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are also unapprehensible; inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of self-nature are also unapprehensible; suchness through the inconceivable realm are also unapprehensible;

the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path are also unapprehensible; the eight liberations through the ten universal spheres are also unapprehensible; the Ground of Pure Contemplation through the Tathagata Ground are also unapprehensible; the Ground of Extreme Joy through the Dharma Cloud Ground are also unapprehensible; all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways are also unapprehensible; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges are also unapprehensible; the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha are also unapprehensible; the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity are also unapprehensible;

knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects are also unapprehensible; the fruit of stream-entry through the awakening of a pratyekabuddha are also unapprehensible; all practices of great bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening of the Buddhas are also unapprehensible; the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics of a Buddha are also unapprehensible.

World-Honored One! Within unapprehensible dharmas, there are no sentient beings or their activities; there are no form through consciousness or their activities; there are no eye ayatana through mind ayatana or their activities; there are no form ayatana through dharma ayatana or their activities; there are no eye dhatu through mind dhatu or their activities; there are no form dhatu through dharma dhatu or their activities; there are no eye-consciousness dhatu through mind-consciousness dhatu or their activities; there are no eye-contact through mind-contact or their activities; there are no feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, or their activities; there are no earth dhatu through consciousness dhatu or their activities;

there are no causal condition through dominant condition or their activities; there are no dharmas arising from causes and conditions or their activities; there are no ignorance through aging and death or their activities; there are no perfection of giving through perfection of wisdom or their activities; there are no four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, or four formless attainments, nor their activities; there are no four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path or their activities; there are no liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness or their activities; there are no inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of self-nature or their activities; there are no suchness through the inconceivable realm or their activities;

there are no Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path or their activities; there are no eight liberations through ten universal spheres or their activities; there are no Ground of Pure Contemplation through Tathagata Ground or their activities; there are no Ground of Extreme Joy through Dharma Cloud Ground or their activities; there are no dharani gateways or samadhi gateways, nor their activities; there are no five kinds of eyes or six superknowledges, nor their activities; there are no ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha or their activities; there are no Dharma of never forgetting or nature of constant equanimity, nor their activities;

there are no knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or knowledge of all aspects, nor their activities; there are no fruit of stream-entry through the awakening of a pratyekabuddha or their activities; there are no practices of great bodhisattvas or the unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening of the Buddhas, nor their activities; there are no thirty-two excellent marks or eighty beautiful characteristics of a Buddha, nor their activities.

World-Honored One! Since all dharmas pertaining to sentient beings and their activities are unapprehensible and utterly nonexistent, when great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, what dharmas do they teach sentient beings?

World-Honored One! It should not be thought that great bodhisattvas themselves abide in what is contrary to Dharma and teach sentient beings what is contrary to Dharma, exhort sentient beings to abide in what is contrary to Dharma, or establish sentient beings by means of inverted dharmas. Why? Because when great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, they do not even attain awakening, much less the factors conducive to awakening; they do not even attain the state of a great bodhisattva, much less the dharmas of a great bodhisattva.

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– Just so! Just so! It is as you say. All sentient beings are ungraspable, and the activities of sentient beings are also ungraspable; all dharmas are ungraspable, and the activities of all dharmas are also ungraspable. Because they are ungraspable, they are utterly nonexistent; because they are nonexistent, one knows that inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, beginningless-and-endless emptiness, emptiness of dispersion and nondispersion, emptiness of essential nature, emptiness of individual and common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the ungraspable, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence are empty. One knows that suchness, the Dharma realm, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm are empty. One knows that the noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of cessation, and the noble truth of the path are empty. One knows that the form skandha through the consciousness skandha are empty; the eye ayatana through the mental ayatana are empty; the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana are empty; the eye dhatu through the mental dhatu are empty; the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu are empty; the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mental-consciousness dhatu are empty; eye-contact through mental contact are empty; the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the feelings arising with mental contact as condition, are empty; the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu are empty; the causal condition through the dominant condition are empty; dharmas arising from causes and conditions are empty; ignorance through aging and death are empty; the self and sentient being through the knower and the seer are empty; the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajnaparamita are empty; the four dhyanas, four immeasurables, and four formless concentrations are empty; the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path are empty; the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are empty; the eight liberations through the ten totalities are empty; the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata are empty; the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud are empty; all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways are empty; the five kinds of eyes and six superknowledges are empty; the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha are empty; the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity are empty; the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects are empty; the fruit of stream-entry through the bodhi of a pratyekabuddha are empty; a great bodhisattva’s right certainty of freedom from arising is empty; the maturation of sentient beings and the adornment of Buddha lands are empty; all practices of great bodhisattvas are empty; the fruit of the unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas is empty; and the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty secondary characteristics are empty.

Subhuti! When practicing profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas see that all dharmas are utterly empty and expound to sentient beings the dharmas that help them abandon inverted views. Although they expound the dharmas to sentient beings, they have absolutely no attainment with regard to sentient beings and absolutely no attainment with regard to any dharma. They neither increase nor diminish, neither grasp nor relinquish, the characteristics of emptiness. For this reason, although they expound the dharmas, there is nothing that is expounded.

Subhuti! When this great bodhisattva contemplates all dharmas in this way, he attains unobstructed knowledge. By means of this knowledge, he neither destroys the dharmas nor discriminates them as dual, but explains them to sentient beings in accordance with reality, helping them abandon inverted views, deluded conceptions, and attachments, and enabling them, according to their capacities, to attain the fruits of the three vehicles and realize the ultimate, ever-blissful nirvana. It is as when a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One magically creates a Buddha. That Buddha can in turn magically create immeasurable hundreds of thousands, hundreds of millions, and myriads of millions of beings.

At that time, the magically created Buddha instructs the magically created beings, enabling them to practice the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajnaparamita; or enabling them to practice the four dhyanas, four immeasurables, and four formless concentrations; or enabling them to practice the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; or enabling them to practice the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or enabling them to abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; or enabling them to abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm; or enabling them to abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path;

or enabling them to practice the eight liberations through the ten totalities; or enabling them to practice the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata; or enabling them to practice the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud; or enabling them to practice all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; or enabling them to practice the five kinds of eyes and six superknowledges; or enabling them to practice the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; or enabling them to practice the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty secondary characteristics of a Great Being; or enabling them to practice the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity;

or enabling them to practice the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; or enabling them to abide in the fruit of stream-entry through the bodhi of a pratyekabuddha; or enabling them to abide in the supreme stage of a bodhisattva; or enabling them to abide in the fruit of the unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Subhuti! What do you think? At that time, do the magically created Buddha and his magically created disciples discriminate among or destroy the dharmas?

Subhuti replied:

– No, Blessed One! For all magically created dharmas are free from discrimination.

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– For this reason, you should know that great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita are likewise. They expound appropriate Dharma to sentient beings. Although they neither discriminate among nor destroy the characteristics of dharmas, they can nevertheless establish sentient beings in accordance with reality and enable them to abide in the appropriate stage. Although they have absolutely no attainment with regard to sentient beings or any dharma, they enable sentient beings to be liberated from deluded conceptions, inverted views, and attachments by taking neither bondage nor liberation as skillful means. Why is this? Subhuti! Because the essential nature of form through the essential nature of consciousness is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose essential nature is neither bound nor liberated is not form through consciousness. Why is this? Because form through consciousness are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The essential nature of the eye ayatana through the essential nature of the mental ayatana is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose essential nature is neither bound nor liberated is not the eye ayatana through the mental ayatana. Why is this? Because the eye ayatana through the mental ayatana are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The essential nature of the form ayatana through the essential nature of the dharma ayatana is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose essential nature is neither bound nor liberated is not the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana. Why is this? Because the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The essential nature of the eye dhatu through the essential nature of the mental dhatu is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose essential nature is neither bound nor liberated is not the eye dhatu through the mental dhatu. Why is this? Because the eye dhatu through the mental dhatu are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the form dhatu through the intrinsic nature of the Dharma dhatu is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the form dhatu nor the Dharma dhatu. Why? Because the form dhatu through the Dharma dhatu is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the eye-consciousness dhatu through the intrinsic nature of the mind-consciousness dhatu is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the eye-consciousness dhatu nor the mind-consciousness dhatu. Why? Because the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of eye-contact through the intrinsic nature of mind-contact is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither eye-contact nor mind-contact. Why? Because eye-contact through mind-contact is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the intrinsic nature of the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition nor the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition. Why? Because the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the earth dhatu nor the consciousness dhatu. Why? Because the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the causal condition through the intrinsic nature of the predominant condition is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the causal condition nor the predominant condition. Why? Because the causal condition through the predominant condition is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of all dharmas arising from causes and conditions is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is not a dharma arising from causes and conditions. Why? Because all dharmas arising from causes and conditions are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of ignorance through the intrinsic nature of aging and death is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither ignorance nor aging and death. Why? Because ignorance through aging and death is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the perfection of generosity through the intrinsic nature of prajnaparamita is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the perfection of generosity nor prajnaparamita. Why? Because the perfection of generosity through prajnaparamita is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is not the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, or the four formless absorptions. Why? Because the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the four foundations of mindfulness through the intrinsic nature of the Noble Eightfold Path is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the four foundations of mindfulness nor the Noble Eightfold Path. Why? Because the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the gateway to liberation through emptiness and the intrinsic nature of the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness are neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is not the gateways to liberation through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. Why? Because the gateways to liberation through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of inner emptiness through the intrinsic nature of the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither inner emptiness nor the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature. Why? Because inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of suchness through the intrinsic nature of the inconceivable realm is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither suchness nor the inconceivable realm. Why? Because suchness through the inconceivable realm is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is not the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Why? Because the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the eight liberations through the intrinsic nature of the ten totalities is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the eight liberations nor the ten totalities. Why? Because the eight liberations through the ten totalities are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the intrinsic nature of the Stage of the Tathagata is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the Stage of Pure Contemplation nor the Stage of the Tathagata. Why? Because the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the Stage of Great Joy through the intrinsic nature of the Stage of the Dharma Cloud is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the Stage of Great Joy nor the Stage of the Dharma Cloud. Why? Because the Stage of Great Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the dharani gateways and the intrinsic nature of the samadhi gateways are neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is not the dharani gateways or the samadhi gateways. Why? Because the dharani gateways and the samadhi gateways are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is not the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges. Why? Because the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the Tathagata’s ten powers through the intrinsic nature of the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is neither the Tathagata’s ten powers nor the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha. Why? Because the Tathagata’s ten powers through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the thirty-two excellent marks of a Great Being and the intrinsic nature of the eighty minor characteristics is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is not the thirty-two excellent marks or the eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being. Why? Because the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty minor characteristics are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the quality of never losing mindfulness and the intrinsic nature of constant equanimity is neither bound nor released. Whatever dharma has an intrinsic nature that is neither bound nor released is not the quality of never losing mindfulness or constant equanimity. Why? Because the quality of never losing mindfulness and constant equanimity are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose intrinsic nature is neither bound nor liberated is not the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or the knowledge of all aspects. Why? Because the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of the fruit of stream-entry through the intrinsic nature of pratyekabuddha enlightenment is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose intrinsic nature is neither bound nor liberated is not the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha enlightenment. Why? Because the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha enlightenment is utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of all the practices of great bodhisattvas and the intrinsic nature of the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment are neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose intrinsic nature is neither bound nor liberated is not all the practices of great bodhisattvas or the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. Why? Because all the practices of great bodhisattvas and the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose intrinsic nature is neither bound nor liberated is not a wholesome or an unwholesome dharma. Why? Because wholesome and unwholesome dharmas are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of determinate dharmas and the intrinsic nature of indeterminate dharmas is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose intrinsic nature is neither bound nor liberated is not a determinate or an indeterminate dharma. Why? Because determinate and indeterminate dharmas are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose intrinsic nature is neither bound nor liberated is neither contaminated nor uncontaminated. Why? Because contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of mundane dharmas and the intrinsic nature of supramundane dharmas is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose intrinsic nature is neither bound nor liberated is not a mundane or a supramundane dharma. Why? Because mundane and supramundane dharmas are utterly quiescent.

Subhuti! The intrinsic nature of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas is neither bound nor liberated. Any dharma whose intrinsic nature is neither bound nor liberated is neither conditioned nor unconditioned. Why? Because conditioned and unconditioned dharmas are utterly quiescent.

Therefore, Subhuti, while practicing the profound prajnaparamita, although great bodhisattvas expound the dharmas to sentient beings, they ultimately apprehend neither sentient beings nor the nature of any dharma. Why? Because sentient beings and all dharmas are unfindable.

Furthermore, Subhuti! While practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas use non-apprehension as a skillful means to abide in the non-apprehension of all dharmas. That is, using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of form through the emptiness of consciousness; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the eye ayatana through the emptiness of the mental ayatana; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the form ayatana through the emptiness of the dharma ayatana; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the eye dhatu through the emptiness of the mental dhatu;

using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the form dhatu through the emptiness of the dharma dhatu; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the eye-consciousness dhatu through the emptiness of the mental-consciousness dhatu; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of eye-contact through the emptiness of mental contact; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition, through the emptiness of feelings arising with mental contact as their condition; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the earth dhatu through the emptiness of the consciousness dhatu;

using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the causal condition through the emptiness of the dominant condition; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of dharmas arising from causes and conditions; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of ignorance through the emptiness of aging and death; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the perfection of generosity through the emptiness of prajnaparamita; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions;

using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the four foundations of mindfulness through the emptiness of the Noble Eightfold Path; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the emptiness of the internal through the emptiness of the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of suchness through the emptiness of the inconceivable realm; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path;

using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the eight liberations through the emptiness of the ten totalities; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the Ground of Pure Contemplation through the emptiness of the Tathagata Ground; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the Ground of Extreme Joy through the emptiness of the Dharma Cloud Ground; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the Tathagata’s ten powers through the emptiness of the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects;

using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of the fruit of stream-entry through the emptiness of pratyekabuddha enlightenment; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of all the practices of great bodhisattvas and the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of determinate and indeterminate dharmas; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas; using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of mundane and supramundane dharmas;

using non-apprehension as a skillful means, they abide in the emptiness of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas.

Subhuti, you should know! Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness have no abiding place; the emptiness of form through the emptiness of consciousness also has no abiding place. Why?

Because form through consciousness have no intrinsic nature and are unobtainable; the emptiness of form through the emptiness of consciousness likewise has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable. A dharma that has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable has no abiding place. Thus, up to and including all the practices of great bodhisattvas and the Buddha's attainment of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment have no abiding place; the emptiness of all the practices of great bodhisattvas and the Buddha's attainment of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment likewise has no abiding place.

Why? Because all the practices of great bodhisattvas and the Buddha's attainment of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment have no intrinsic nature and are unobtainable; the emptiness of all the practices of great bodhisattvas and the Buddha's attainment of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment likewise has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable. A dharma that has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable has no abiding place.

Wholesome and unwholesome dharmas have no abiding place; the emptiness of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas likewise has no abiding place. Why? Because wholesome and unwholesome dharmas have no intrinsic nature and are unobtainable; the emptiness of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas likewise has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable.

A dharma that has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable has no abiding place. Determinate and indeterminate dharmas have no abiding place; the emptiness of determinate and indeterminate dharmas likewise has no abiding place. Why?

Because determinate and indeterminate dharmas have no intrinsic nature and are unobtainable; the emptiness of determinate and indeterminate dharmas likewise has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable. A dharma that has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable has no abiding place. Contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas have no abiding place; the emptiness of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas likewise has no abiding place.

Why? Because contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas have no intrinsic nature and are unobtainable; the emptiness of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas likewise has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable. A dharma that has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable has no abiding place.

Mundane and supramundane dharmas have no abiding place; the emptiness of mundane and supramundane dharmas likewise has no abiding place. Why? Because mundane and supramundane dharmas have no intrinsic nature and are unobtainable; the emptiness of mundane and supramundane dharmas likewise has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable.

A dharma that has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable has no abiding place. Conditioned and unconditioned dharmas have no abiding place; the emptiness of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas likewise has no abiding place. Why?

Because conditioned and unconditioned dharmas have no intrinsic nature and are unobtainable; the emptiness of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas likewise has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable. A dharma that has no intrinsic nature and is unobtainable has no abiding place.

Subhuti, you should know! It is not that a dharma without nature abides in a dharma without nature; it is not that a dharma possessing nature abides in a dharma possessing nature; it is not that a dharma without nature abides in a dharma possessing nature; nor is it that a dharma possessing nature abides in a dharma without nature. It is not that a dharma of self-nature abides in a dharma of self-nature; it is not that a dharma of other-nature abides in a dharma of other-nature; it is not that a dharma of self-nature abides in a dharma of other-nature; nor is it that a dharma of other-nature abides in a dharma of self-nature. Why? Because all these dharmas are unobtainable. Where could an unobtainable dharma abide?

Therefore, Subhuti, when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas use the emptiness of these dharmas to cultivate and master all dharmas, and they are also able to teach sentient beings in accordance with reality. Any great bodhisattva who can practice the profound prajnaparamita in this way commits no error in relation to the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, sravakas, and all noble sages. Why?

Because all Buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, sravakas, and all noble sages are able to awaken in accordance with this Dharma-nature. Having awakened, they correctly explain it for sentient beings to hear. Although they expound the dharmas for sentient beings to hear, they neither disturb nor transgress Dharma-nature.

Why? Because the true nature of all dharmas is precisely the true dharmadhatu, suchness, and the limit of reality. This dharmadhatu, suchness, and limit of reality can neither be disturbed nor transgressed.

Why? Because this dharmadhatu, suchness, and limit of reality have no intrinsic nature and are utterly unobtainable. What is unobtainable can neither be disturbed nor transgressed.

Fascicle 470

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