大般若波羅蜜多經

02

Subhuti, you should know that it is as though a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One were to conjure the four assemblies, namely bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas; and suppose that the conjured Buddha, for one kalpa or more than one kalpa, proclaimed the true Dharma to those four assemblies. What do you think? Could such conjured assemblies attain the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, or the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, or receive a prediction of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment?

Subhuti replied:

– No, Blessed One. Why is this? Because all those conjured assemblies have no true existence. Only what is not unreal can attain a fruit or receive a prediction.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! All dharmas are likewise: they are empty in their original nature and have no true existence. Within them, which great bodhisattvas expound which dharmas for which sentient beings, enabling them to attain the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, or the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, or to receive a prediction of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment?

Subhuti, you should know that although great bodhisattvas proclaim the Dharma of emptiness for sentient beings, those sentient beings truly cannot be apprehended. Out of compassion for their having fallen into inverted dharmas, the bodhisattvas rescue them and cause them to abide in the Dharma free from inversion. Freedom from inversion means non-discrimination. Non-discrimination is freedom from inversion. If there is discrimination, there is inversion, and those who are thus continue to wander in cyclic existence.

Subhuti, you should know that inversion itself is the Dharma free from inversion. Within the Dharma free from inversion, there is no self and no sentient being; broadly speaking, there is no knower and no seer. There are also no form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; no eye ayatana through mind ayatana; no form ayatana through dharma ayatana; no eye dhatu through mind dhatu; no form dhatu through dharma dhatu; no eye-consciousness dhatu through mind-consciousness dhatu; no eye-contact through mind-contact; no feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through feelings arising with mind-contact as condition; no earth dhatu through consciousness dhatu; no causal condition through dominant condition; no dharmas arising from conditions;

no ignorance through aging and death; no perfection of giving through prajnaparamita; no inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of self-nature; no suchness through the inconceivable realm; no noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; no four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; no four dhyanas, four immeasurables, or four formless absorptions; no eight liberations through the ten totalities; no gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; no Ground of Pure Contemplation through the Tathagata Ground; no Ground of Utmost Joy through the Dharma Cloud Ground; no gateways of dharani or gateways of samadhi; no five kinds of eyes or six superknowledges;

no ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; no thirty-two major marks or eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being; no quality of never forgetting or nature of constant equanimity; no knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or knowledge of all aspects; no fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; no practices of great bodhisattvas; and no unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Subhuti! This nonexistence is itself the emptiness of intrinsic nature. When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita and abide therein, they see sentient beings fallen into inverted perceptions and, through skillful means, enable them to attain liberation.

That is, they free them from perceptions of self and no-self, of sentient beings and no sentient beings. More extensively, they free them from perceptions that there is a knower or that there is no knower, and from perceptions that there is a seer or that there is no seer. They also free them from perceptions of permanence and impermanence, pleasure and non-pleasure, purity and impurity.

They also free them from perceptions of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and of there being no form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. They also free them from perceptions of the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana, and of there being no eye ayatana through no mind ayatana. They also free them from perceptions of the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana, and of there being no form ayatana through no dharma ayatana.

They also free them from perceptions of the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu, and of there being no eye dhatu through no mind dhatu. They also free them from perceptions of the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu, and of there being no form dhatu through no dharma dhatu. They also free them from perceptions of the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu, and of there being no eye-consciousness dhatu through no mind-consciousness dhatu.

They also free them from perceptions of eye-contact through mind-contact, and of there being no eye-contact through no mind-contact. They also free them from perceptions of the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, and of there being no feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through no feelings arising with mind-contact as condition. They also free them from perceptions of the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu, and of there being no earth dhatu through no consciousness dhatu.

They also free them from perceptions of causal conditions through dominant conditions, and of there being no causal conditions through no dominant conditions. They also free them from perceptions of dharmas arising from conditions, and of there being no dharmas arising from conditions. They also free them from perceptions of ignorance through aging and death, and of there being no ignorance through no aging and death.

They also free them from perceptions of the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna, and of there being no perfection of generosity through no perfection of prajna. They also free them from perceptions that there is inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature, and that there is no inner emptiness through no emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature. They also free them from perceptions that there is suchness through the inconceivable realm, and that there is no suchness through no inconceivable realm.

They also free them from perceptions that there are the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, and that there are no Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, or the path. They also free them from perceptions that there are the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, and that there are no four foundations of mindfulness through no Noble Eightfold Path. They also free them from perceptions that there are the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, and that there are no four dhyanas, four immeasurables, or four formless concentrations.

They also free them from perceptions that there are the eight liberations through the ten totalities, and that there are no eight liberations through no ten totalities. They also free them from perceptions that there are the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and that there are no liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, or wishlessness. They also free them from perceptions that there is the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata, and that there is no Stage of Pure Contemplation through no Stage of the Tathagata.

They also free them from perceptions that there is the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, and that there is no Stage of Utmost Joy through no Stage of the Dharma Cloud. They also free them from perceptions that there are all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways, and that there are no dharani gateways or samadhi gateways. They also free them from perceptions that there are the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, and that there are no five kinds of eyes or six superknowledges.

They also free them from perceptions that there are the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and that there are no ten powers of the Tathagata through no eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. They also free them from perceptions that there are the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty noble characteristics of a Great Being, and that there are no thirty-two excellent marks or eighty noble characteristics of a Great Being.

They also free them from perceptions that there are the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity, and that there are no Dharma of never forgetting or nature of constant equanimity. They also free them from perceptions that there are the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, and that there are no knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or knowledge of all aspects.

They also free them from perceptions that there is the fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, and that there is no fruit of stream-entry through no enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha. They also free them from perceptions that there are all the practices of great bodhisattvas, and that there are no practices of great bodhisattvas. They also free them from perceptions that there is the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas, and that there is no unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas.

They also free them from contaminated dharmas, such as the five appropriated skandhas…. They also free them from uncontaminated dharmas, such as the four foundations of mindfulness…. Why is this? Because uncontaminated dharmas, such as the four foundations of mindfulness…, in terms of ultimate truth, neither arise nor cease; they are signless, unconditioned, free from conceptual proliferation, and free from discrimination. Therefore, one must also be liberated from them. The true ultimate reality of these dharmas is itself the emptiness of intrinsic nature. This emptiness of intrinsic nature is precisely the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment realized by the Buddhas.

Subhuti, you should know that herein no self, up to and including a seer, can be apprehended; neither can form, up to and including consciousness, be apprehended; neither can the eye ayatana, up to and including the mind ayatana, be apprehended; neither can the form ayatana, up to and including the Dharma ayatana, be apprehended; neither can the eye dhatu, up to and including the mind dhatu, be apprehended; neither can the form dhatu, up to and including the Dharma dhatu, be apprehended; neither can the eye-consciousness dhatu, up to and including the mind-consciousness dhatu, be apprehended; neither can eye-contact, up to and including mind-contact, be apprehended;

neither can the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, up to and including the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, be apprehended; neither can the earth dhatu, up to and including the consciousness dhatu, be apprehended; neither can the causal condition, up to and including the dominant condition, be apprehended; neither can any dharma arising from conditions be apprehended; neither can ignorance, up to and including aging and death, be apprehended; neither can the perfection of generosity, up to and including the perfection of wisdom, be apprehended; neither can inner emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence, be apprehended; neither can suchness, up to and including the inconceivable realm, be apprehended;

neither can the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path be apprehended; neither can the four foundations of mindfulness, up to and including the Noble Eightfold Path, be apprehended; neither can the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, or the four formless concentrations be apprehended; neither can the eight liberations, up to and including the ten totalities, be apprehended; neither can the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness be apprehended; neither can the Stage of Pure Contemplation, up to and including the Stage of the Tathagata, be apprehended; neither can the Stage of Utmost Joy, up to and including the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, be apprehended; neither can any dharani gateway or samadhi gateway be apprehended;

neither can the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges be apprehended; neither can the ten powers of the Tathagata, up to and including the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, be apprehended; neither can the thirty-two excellent marks or the eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being be apprehended; neither can the Dharma of non-forgetfulness or the nature of constant equanimity be apprehended; neither can all-knowledge, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or knowledge of all aspects be apprehended; neither can the fruit of stream-entry, up to and including the bodhi of a pratyekabuddha, be apprehended; neither can any practice of a great bodhisattva be apprehended; nor can the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas be apprehended.

Subhuti, you should know that one does not seek and advance toward unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment for the sake of the path to unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment; one seeks and advances toward unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment solely because the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty. Before, after, and in the middle, this emptiness of intrinsic nature is always emptiness of intrinsic nature and has never been nonempty. Great bodhisattvas abide in the perfection of the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, wishing to liberate all classes of sentient beings from their conceptions of sentient beings and conceptions of dharmas, cultivate knowledge of the aspects of the paths.

When these great bodhisattvas cultivate knowledge of the aspects of the paths, they attain all paths: namely, the path of the sravakas, the path of the pratyekabuddhas, the path of the bodhisattvas, and the path of the Buddhas.

Subhuti, you should know that when a great bodhisattva has perfected all the paths, the bodhisattva can then bring to maturity the sentient beings whom they undertake to guide and can also purify and adorn the Buddha-land they seek. Relinquishing the formations that sustain life, they proceed to realize unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. After realizing unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, they ensure that the Buddha-eye is never interrupted or lost. What is called the Buddha-eye? It is the emptiness of intrinsic nature. The Buddhas of the past, future, and present, abiding throughout the lands of the ten directions, teach the true Dharma for sentient beings. None of them fails to take this emptiness of intrinsic nature as the Buddha-eye.

Subhuti, you should know that it is absolutely impossible for Buddhas to appear in the world apart from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Whenever Buddhas appear in the world, none fails to teach the meaning of the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Sentient beings who are to be guided must hear the Buddha teach the principle of the emptiness of intrinsic nature before they can enter the Noble Path and attain its fruits.

Apart from the emptiness of intrinsic nature, there is no other skillful means. Therefore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas who wish to realize unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment should correctly abide in the principle of the emptiness of intrinsic nature and cultivate the six perfections and the other practices of great bodhisattvas. If they correctly abide in the principle of the emptiness of intrinsic nature and cultivate the six perfections and the other practices of great bodhisattvas, they will never regress from the wisdom of all-knowledge and will always bring benefit and happiness to all sentient beings.

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

– Blessed One! Great bodhisattvas are truly rare. Although they practice all dharmas as being empty in intrinsic nature, they never impair this emptiness of intrinsic nature. That is, they do not apprehend form, up to and including consciousness, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the eye ayatana, up to and including the mind ayatana, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the form ayatana, up to and including the Dharma ayatana, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the eye dhatu, up to and including the mind dhatu, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the form dhatu, up to and including the Dharma dhatu, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the eye-consciousness dhatu, up to and including the mind-consciousness dhatu, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend eye-contact, up to and including mind-contact, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, up to and including the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the earth dhatu, up to and including the consciousness dhatu, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the causal condition, up to and including the dominant condition, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend any dharma arising from conditions as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend ignorance, up to and including aging and death, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the perfection of generosity, up to and including the perfection of wisdom, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend inner emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend suchness, up to and including the inconceivable realm, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the four foundations of mindfulness, up to and including the Noble Eightfold Path, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, or the four formless concentrations as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the eight liberations, up to and including the ten totalities, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the Stage of Pure Contemplation, up to and including the Stage of the Tathagata, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the Stage of Utmost Joy, up to and including the Stage of the Dharma Cloud. Neither do they apprehend any dharani gateway or samadhi gateway as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the ten powers of the Tathagata, up to and including the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the thirty-two excellent marks or the eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the Dharma of non-forgetfulness or the nature of constant equanimity as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend all-knowledge, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or knowledge of all aspects as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the fruit of stream-entry, up to and including the bodhi of a pratyekabuddha, as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend any practice of a great bodhisattva as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature. Neither do they apprehend the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas as different from the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– So it is! So it is! It is just as you say: the great bodhisattvas are truly rare. Although they practice all dharmas as empty in their intrinsic nature, they never impair or lose this emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, you should know that form is not different from emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of intrinsic nature is not different from form. Form itself is emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of intrinsic nature itself is form. Thus, up to and including the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas, it is not different from emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of intrinsic nature is not different from the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas. The unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas itself is emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of intrinsic nature itself is the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas.

Subhuti, you should know that if form were different from emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of intrinsic nature were different from form, form were not emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of intrinsic nature were not form;

and likewise, up to and including the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas, if it were different from emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of intrinsic nature were different from the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas, the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas were not emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of intrinsic nature were not the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas, then, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattvas would not need to contemplate all dharmas as empty in their intrinsic nature, nor would they need to realize the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.

Because form is not different from emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of intrinsic nature is not different from form, form itself is emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of intrinsic nature itself is form;

and likewise, up to and including the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas, it is not different from emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of intrinsic nature is not different from the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas, the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas itself is emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of intrinsic nature itself is the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas, therefore, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattvas contemplate all dharmas as empty in their intrinsic nature and thereby realize the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.

Why is this? Apart from emptiness of intrinsic nature, there is no dharma that is real or permanent, or that can be destroyed or severed. Within emptiness of intrinsic nature, there is likewise no dharma that is real or permanent, or that can be destroyed or severed.

Yet foolish and deluded beings, confused and inverted, give rise to conceptions that discriminate otherwise. That is, they discriminate form as different from emptiness of intrinsic nature; or they discriminate feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as different from emptiness of intrinsic nature. Thus, up to and including all the practices of the great bodhisattvas, they discriminate them as different from emptiness of intrinsic nature; or they discriminate the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas as different from emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Because these foolish beings discriminate dharmas as distinct from emptiness of intrinsic nature, they do not know form as it truly is, nor do they know feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as they truly are. Because they do not know them, they become attached to form and attached to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Because of this attachment, they perceive a self and what belongs to a self in form, and perceive a self and what belongs to a self in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

Because of these mistaken views, they grasp internal and external things and assume form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness in a subsequent existence. Consequently, they cannot escape birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and anguish throughout the realms, but wander back and forth through the three realms without end. For this reason, the great bodhisattvas abide in the perfection of emptiness of intrinsic nature and practice profound prajnaparamita.

They do not grasp form, nor do they destroy form as either empty or not empty; they do not grasp feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, nor do they destroy feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as either empty or not empty. Thus, up to and including all the practices of the great bodhisattvas, they do not grasp them, nor do they destroy all the practices of the great bodhisattvas as either empty or not empty.

They do not grasp the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas, nor do they destroy the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas as either empty or not empty. Why is this? Form does not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy form.

This itself is form; this itself is emptiness. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness do not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. These themselves are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; this itself is emptiness.

Thus, up to and including all the practices of the great bodhisattvas, they do not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy all the practices of the great bodhisattvas. These themselves are all the practices of the great bodhisattvas; this itself is emptiness. The unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas does not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas.

This itself is the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas; this itself is emptiness. It is just as space does not destroy space. The inner element of space does not destroy the outer element of space, and the outer element of space does not destroy the inner element of space.

So it is, Subhuti! Form does not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy form. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness do not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

Why is this? Because dharmas such as these are all without intrinsic nature and cannot be discriminated. This itself is emptiness; this itself is non-emptiness.

Thus, up to and including all the practices of the great bodhisattvas, they do not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy all the practices of the great bodhisattvas. The unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas does not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas. Why is this?

Because dharmas such as these are all without intrinsic nature and cannot be discriminated. This itself is emptiness; this itself is non-emptiness.

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

– Blessed One! If all dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature and are utterly without differentiation, then where do the great bodhisattvas abide as they proceed toward unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? The unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas has no dual mode of activity. Because it has no dual mode of activity, unsurpassed, complete enlightenment can be realized. I beseech the Blessed One to explain this for me.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is just as you say. The unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas has no dual mode of activity. Because it has no dual mode of activity, unsurpassed, complete enlightenment can be realized. Why is this? Because enlightenment is nondual and without discrimination. If one discriminates with regard to enlightenment and acts in terms of duality, one certainly cannot realize the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment one seeks.

Subhuti, you should know that the great bodhisattvas cannot act in terms of duality with regard to enlightenment, nor can they discriminate it. Abiding nowhere, they generate the aspiration and proceed toward unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. With regard to all dharmas, the great bodhisattvas neither act in terms of duality nor discriminate, and because there is no activity whatsoever, they can realize unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

Subhuti, you should know that the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment sought by bodhisattvas can be realized through not acting in terms of duality. The enlightenment of the great bodhisattvas is entirely without any object of activity. That is, they do not act with regard to form, nor do they act with regard to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

Thus, up to and including all the practices of the great bodhisattvas, they do not act with regard to them; nor do they act with regard to the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas. Why is this? Because the enlightenment of the great bodhisattvas does not take names and designations as its object or grasp at a self and what belongs to a self.

That is, they do not think: I act with regard to form; I act with regard to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Thus, up to and including all the practices of the great bodhisattvas, they do not think: I act with regard to all the practices of the great bodhisattvas; I act with regard to the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of all Buddhas.

Furthermore, Subhuti! In regard to enlightenment, the great bodhisattvas practice without grasping and practice without abandoning.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If the bodhisattva-mahasattvas possess bodhi, yet practice neither through grasping nor through relinquishing, then where shall the bodhisattva-mahasattvas practice bodhi?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! What do you think? Where would an emanation body of the Tathagata practice bodhi? Would it practice through grasping, or through relinquishing?

Subhuti replied:

– No, Blessed One. An emanation body of the Tathagata has no real existence. How could it be said to possess bodhi or a sphere of practice, or either to grasp or relinquish!

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! What do you think? Where would the bodhi in the dreams of arhats be practiced? Would it be practiced through grasping, or through relinquishing?

Subhuti replied:

– No, Blessed One. The arhats have permanently eliminated all outflows; torpor, sleepiness, hindrances, and fetters have all been utterly eradicated. They have no dreams whatsoever, so how could there be bodhi in a dream, a sphere of practice, or either grasping or relinquishing!

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say. Arhats have no dreams whatsoever; torpor, sleepiness, and conceptual discrimination no longer remain. The bodhi of bodhisattva-mahasattvas practicing the profound prajnaparamita is likewise: it is practiced neither through grasping nor through relinquishing and has no sphere of practice whatsoever, because they fully comprehend the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of all dharmas.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If bodhisattva-mahasattvas practicing the profound prajnaparamita possess bodhi that is practiced neither through grasping nor through relinquishing and has no sphere of practice whatsoever—that is, if they do not practice with regard to form, nor with regard to feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; and likewise, up to not practicing with regard to any practice of the bodhisattva-mahasattvas, nor with regard to the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas—then, in order to benefit sentient beings, would the bodhisattva-mahasattvas not practice the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom; not practice inner emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence; not practice suchness through the inconceivable realm; not practice the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; not practice the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; not practice the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments; not practice the eight liberations through the ten totalities; not practice the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; not practice the Ground of Utmost Joy through the Ground of the Dharma Cloud; not practice any dharani gateway or samadhi gateway; not practice the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges; not practice the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; not practice the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty noble characteristics of a Great Being; not practice the dharma of unfailing mindfulness or the nature of constant equanimity; not practice the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, or the knowledge of all aspects; and not abide in the bodhisattvas’ supreme supernormal powers, mature sentient beings, and purify Buddha lands, yet still attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Although the bodhi of the bodhisattva-mahasattvas has no sphere of practice, in order to benefit sentient beings they must practice the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom; likewise, up to practicing the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects. They must abide in the bodhisattvas’ supreme supernormal powers, mature sentient beings, and purify Buddha lands; only then can they realize the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If the bodhi of the bodhisattva-mahasattvas has no sphere of practice, then, in order to benefit sentient beings, would the bodhisattva-mahasattvas not abide in the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom and continually cultivate them to completion; likewise, up to not abiding in the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects and continually cultivating them to completion; and not abiding in the bodhisattvas’ supreme supernormal powers, maturing sentient beings, and purifying Buddha lands, continually cultivating these to completion, yet still attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Although the bodhi of the bodhisattva-mahasattvas has no sphere of practice, in order to benefit sentient beings they must abide in the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom and continually cultivate them to completion; likewise, up to abiding in the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects and continually cultivating them to completion. They must abide in the bodhisattvas’ supreme supernormal powers, mature sentient beings, and purify Buddha lands, continually cultivating these to completion; only then can they realize the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Subhuti, you should know that if bodhisattva-mahasattvas have not fully perfected their roots of goodness, they can never attain the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment they seek.

Subhuti, you should know that if bodhisattva-mahasattvas wish to realize unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they must abide in the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of form; they must abide in the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; likewise, up to abiding in the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of all practices of the bodhisattva-mahasattvas; they must abide in the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas; they must abide in the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of all dharmas; they must abide in the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of all sentient beings.

They must cultivate the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom to completion; likewise, up to cultivating the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects to completion. After cultivating the bodhisattvas’ supreme supernormal powers, maturing sentient beings, and purifying Buddha lands to completion, only then can they realize unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

Subhuti, you should know that this principle of the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of all dharmas and the principle of the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of sentient beings are utterly quiescent. There is no dharma that can be deficient, increase or decrease, arise or cease, be annihilated or eternal, be defiled or purified, attain a fruit, or directly realize the truths.

Subhuti, you should know that it is in reliance upon conventional truth that bodhisattva-mahasattvas are said to cultivate prajnaparamita, fully comprehend the emptiness of intrinsic nature as it truly is, and realize unsurpassed, complete enlightenment; this is not said in reliance upon ultimate truth. Why? Because within true ultimate reality, no form can be apprehended; nor can feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness be apprehended. Likewise, up to no practice of the bodhisattva-mahasattvas can be apprehended; nor can the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas be apprehended.

Subhuti! Dharmas such as these are all established in reliance upon conventional truth, not in reliance upon ultimate truth.

Subhuti! From their initial generation of the aspiration, bodhisattva-mahasattvas practicing the profound prajnaparamita vigorously undertake the practices of bodhi for the sake of sentient beings, yet they apprehend nothing whatsoever in this aspiration; they also apprehend nothing whatsoever in sentient beings, in great bodhi, or in Buddhas and bodhisattvas. This is because all dharmas and all sentient beings are entirely unapprehendable.

Then the Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If all dharmas are utterly nonexistent and entirely unapprehendable, why do bodhisattva-mahasattvas undertake the practices of bodhi? How do they attain the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment they seek? Who undertakes the practices of bodhi? Who realizes attainment?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! What do you think? In the past, when you relied upon tranquility to eliminate the realms, eliminate the afflictions, and attain the undefiled faculties; when you abided in the uninterrupted concentration and attained the fruit of stream-entry, through the fruits of once-returning and non-returning, up to the fruit of arhatship—at that time, did you perceive any sentient being, any mind, any path, any fruits of the path, or any attainment?

Subhuti replied:

– No, Blessed One.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If at that time, when you relied upon tranquility to eliminate the realms, eliminate the afflictions, and attain the undefiled faculties, there was nothing to be attained with regard to sentient beings, mind, the path, or the fruits of the path, why is it said that you attained the fruit of arhatship?

Subhuti replied:

– Blessed One! I say so in reliance upon the conventional truth, not in reliance upon the ultimate truth.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. The great bodhisattvas are likewise: in reliance upon the conventional truth, it is said that they practice the path to enlightenment and attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, but this is not said in reliance upon the ultimate truth.

Subhuti, you should know that, in reliance upon the conventional truth, it is provisionally said that there are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Likewise, up to and including all practices of the great bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas, these are provisionally said to exist in reliance upon the conventional truth. In reliance upon the conventional truth, it is provisionally said that there are sentient beings, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas, but not in reliance upon the ultimate truth.

Subhuti, you should know that the great bodhisattvas do not perceive any dharma that increases or decreases, benefits or harms, with respect to unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. This is because all dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, you should know that when the great bodhisattvas contemplate the intrinsic nature of all dharmas as empty, even that cannot be apprehended, much less can the initial arising of the aspiration be apprehended. Even the very first arising of the aspiration cannot be apprehended, much less can the cultivation of the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna be apprehended; much less can abiding in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature be apprehended; much less can abiding in suchness through the inconceivable realm be apprehended; much less can abiding in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path be apprehended;

much less can the cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of the eight liberations through the ten totalities be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of the Ground of Utmost Joy through the Dharma Cloud Ground be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of all dharani gates and samadhi gates be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges be apprehended;

much less can the cultivation of the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of the teaching of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of all practices of the great bodhisattvas be apprehended; much less can the cultivation of the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas be apprehended.

Subhuti! It is impossible for the great bodhisattvas to have any attainment with respect to all the Buddha-Dharmas they cultivate and in which they abide.

Thus, Subhuti, the great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita skillfully cultivate the practices of great enlightenment, attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, and uninterruptedly bring benefit and happiness to sentient beings.

LXXIX. THE CHAPTER ON FREEDOM FROM DEFICIENCY

01

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! Great bodhisattvas diligently cultivate the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna; abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm; abide in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; cultivate the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; cultivate the eight liberations through the ten totalities; cultivate the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; cultivate the Ground of Utmost Joy through the Dharma Cloud Ground; cultivate all dharani gates and samadhi gates; cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; cultivate the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; cultivate the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being; cultivate the teaching of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; cultivate all practices of the great bodhisattvas; and cultivate the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas. Nevertheless, if the path to enlightenment they cultivate has not yet been perfected, they cannot attain the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment they seek.

Blessed One! How should great bodhisattvas cultivate the path to enlightenment so that it becomes perfect and they attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita and are endowed with supreme skillful means, then, through the power of these skillful means, while cultivating the perfection of generosity, they perceive neither an act of giving, nor a giver, nor a recipient. Yet neither do they depart from such dharmas while practicing the perfection of generosity. When great bodhisattvas give in this way, they are able to illuminate the three paths to enlightenment, and their cultivation of the path to enlightenment is swiftly accomplished.

Thus, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita perfect the path to enlightenment by means of skillful means, they attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

Thus, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita and are endowed with supreme skillful means, then, through the power of these skillful means, they cultivate the perfections of pure ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna, and, in full detail, up to all the practices of the great bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas. Each of these should be extensively explained according to their inclination.

At that time, the Venerable Sariputra addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How do great bodhisattvas, while practicing the profound prajnaparamita, courageously and diligently cultivate the path to enlightenment in the right manner?

The Buddha said:

– O Sariputra! When a great bodhisattva practices the profound prajnaparamita, through skillful means, the bodhisattva neither unites with form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, nor separates from form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; neither unites with the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana, nor separates from the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana; neither unites with the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana, nor separates from the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana; neither unites with the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu, nor separates from the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu; neither unites with the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu, nor separates from the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu; neither unites with the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu, nor separates from the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu; neither unites with eye-contact through mind-contact, nor separates from eye-contact through mind-contact; neither unites with the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, nor separates from the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition; neither unites with the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu, nor separates from the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu; neither unites with the causal condition through the dominant condition, nor separates from the causal condition through the dominant condition; neither unites with dharmas arising from conditions, nor separates from dharmas arising from conditions; neither unites with ignorance through aging and death, nor separates from ignorance through aging and death. Why is this? Because all such dharmas lack any intrinsic nature by which they could unite or separate.

O Sariputra! When a great bodhisattva practices the profound prajnaparamita, through skillful means, the bodhisattva neither unites with the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom, nor separates from the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom; neither unites with internal emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature, nor separates from internal emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; neither unites with suchness through the inconceivable realm, nor separates from suchness through the inconceivable realm; neither unites with the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, nor separates from the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path;

neither unites with the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, nor separates from the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; neither unites with the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions, nor separates from the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; neither unites with the eight liberations through the ten totalities, nor separates from the eight liberations through the ten totalities; neither unites with the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, nor separates from the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness;

neither unites with the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata, nor separates from the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata; neither unites with the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, nor separates from the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud; neither unites with all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways, nor separates from all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; neither unites with the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, nor separates from the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

neither unites with the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, nor separates from the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; neither unites with the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being, nor separates from the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being; neither unites with the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity, nor separates from the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity;

neither unites with the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, nor separates from the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; neither unites with the fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, nor separates from the fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; neither unites with all the practices of great bodhisattvas, nor separates from all the practices of great bodhisattvas; neither unites with the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas, nor separates from the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Why is this? Because all such dharmas lack any intrinsic nature by which they could unite or separate.

O Sariputra! When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, they thus courageously and diligently cultivate the path to enlightenment in the proper manner.

Sariputra again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If all dharmas lack any intrinsic nature by which they could unite or separate, why do great bodhisattvas apply themselves to the study and cultivation of prajnaparamita? Blessed One! If great bodhisattvas do not study prajnaparamita, they will never attain the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment that they seek.

The Buddha said:

– O Sariputra! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say. If great bodhisattvas do not study prajnaparamita, they will never attain the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment that they seek.

O Sariputra! Great bodhisattvas who seek unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment must possess skillful means before they can realize it; it cannot be realized without skillful means.

O Sariputra! When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, if they perceive an intrinsic nature of a dharma that can be attained, they should apprehend it; but since they perceive no intrinsic nature of any dharma that can be attained, what could they apprehend? That is to say, they do not apprehend: This is the perfection of wisdom through the perfection of generosity.

This is form through consciousness. This is the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana. This is the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana.

This is the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu. This is the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu. This is the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu.

This is eye-contact through mind-contact. These are the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition. This is the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu.

This is the causal condition through the dominant condition. These are dharmas arising from conditions. This is ignorance through aging and death.

This is internal emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature. This is suchness through the inconceivable realm. These are the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

These are the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path. These are the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions. These are the eight liberations through the ten totalities.

These are the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. This is the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata. This is the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud.

These are all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways. These are the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges. These are the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

These are the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being. These are the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity. These are the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects.

This is the fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha. These are all the practices of great bodhisattvas. This is the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas.

This is an ordinary being. This is a sravaka. This is a pratyekabuddha.

This is a bodhisattva. This is a Tathagata.

Fascicle 474

END