大般若波羅蜜多經

02

At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! By what signs may these good men and good women know that devas, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, and others from other great trichiliocosms have come here to behold, pay homage to, read and recite, make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the profound prajnaparamita that they have copied and accepted and retained, joining their palms, circumambulating it to the right, and joyfully guarding and keeping it in mind?”

The Buddha then said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas:

“If these good men and good women see subtle and wondrous radiance shining at the place where the scripture of the profound prajnaparamita is kept, or smell an extraordinary and marvelous fragrance there, or hear exquisite music, they should know that devas, nāgas, and others endowed with majestic virtue and mighty spiritual powers have come to that place to behold, pay homage to, read and recite, make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the profound prajnaparamita that they have copied and accepted and retained, joining their palms, circumambulating it to the right, and joyfully guarding and keeping it in mind.

“Furthermore, Kauśika! If these good men and good women cultivate pure conduct, adorn and prepare that place, and wholeheartedly make offerings to the profound prajnaparamita, they should know that devas, nāgas, and others endowed with majestic virtue and mighty spiritual powers have come there to behold, pay homage to, read and recite, make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the profound prajnaparamita that they have copied and accepted and retained, joining their palms, circumambulating it to the right, and joyfully guarding and keeping it in mind.

“Kauśika! Whenever devas, nāgas, and others endowed with such majestic virtue and mighty spiritual powers come to that place, any evil Māras or malignant spirits present there become alarmed and terrified, disperse, and dare not remain. Through these causes and conditions, these good men and good women give rise to a vast, pure, and supreme resolve of faith and understanding; the wholesome deeds they cultivate increase and shine ever more brightly, and nothing they undertake is obstructed.

Therefore, wherever the profound prajnaparamita is kept, the surrounding impurities should be cleared away; the place should be swept, wiped clean, and sprinkled with fragrant water. A precious seat should be prepared, and the scripture placed upon it. Lamps should be lit and flowers offered; incense should be burned; banners, lamps, and bells should be hung in alternating array; and the place should be adorned with all kinds of rare treasures, gold, silver, precious objects, garments, necklaces, music, bright lamps, and various silken fabrics.

If one is able to make offerings to the scripture of the profound prajnaparamita in this way, devas, nāgas, and others endowed with majestic virtue and mighty spiritual powers will come to that place to behold, read and recite, make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the profound prajnaparamita that one has copied and accepted and retained, joining their palms, circumambulating it to the right, and joyfully guarding and keeping it in mind.

“Furthermore, Kauśika! If these good men and good women thus make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the profound prajnaparamita, their bodies and minds will certainly be free from weariness. They will attain ease and happiness; their bodies and minds will be harmonious and serene, light and unburdened.

Because their minds are fixed upon prajnaparamita, when they sleep at night they will have no evil dreams, but will see only auspicious dreams. They may see a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, whose golden-colored body is adorned with the excellent marks and characteristics, emitting brilliant rays that illuminate everywhere. Surrounded before and behind by śrāvakas and bodhisattvas, they hear the Buddha teach within the assembly on generosity, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, up to and including the teachings corresponding to unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening.

They also hear detailed explanations of generosity, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, up to and including the meanings corresponding to unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening. Or in their dreams they may see the Bodhi tree, lofty and vast, adorned with various precious substances, beneath which a great bodhisattva comes and sits in the full lotus posture, attains unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening, turns the wondrous Dharma wheel, and liberates sentient beings.

Or in their dreams they may see immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of great bodhisattvas discussing, deliberating upon, and discerning the meaning of all dharmas—namely, how sentient beings should be brought to maturity, Buddha lands adorned, bodhisattva practices cultivated, the armies of Māra subdued, afflictions and habitual tendencies eradicated, and unsurpassed, perfect, and complete awakening attained.

Or in their dreams they may see the worlds of the ten directions, each containing immeasurable myriads of koṭis of Buddhas, and may also hear the voices of those Buddhas, proclaiming that in a certain world there is such-and-such a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, respectfully surrounded by hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of great bodhisattvas and śrāvaka disciples who listen to the Dharma.

Or in their dreams they may see immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of Buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions entering nirvana. After each Buddha enters nirvana, benefactors make offerings to the Buddha’s relics. Using the seven wondrous precious substances, they construct immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of great stupas.

Moreover, at each of those stupas they make offerings with immeasurable quantities of the finest garlands, powdered incense, fragrant ointments, garments, necklaces, banners, lamps, incense, flowers, various rare treasures, music, bright lamps, and so forth; thus they make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the immeasurable stupas.

“Kauśika! When these good men and good women see such auspicious signs in dreams, whether asleep or awake, their bodies and minds are at ease and happy. Deities and other spirits augment their strength, causing them naturally to feel light in body.

Through these causes and conditions, they are not greatly attached to food and drink, medicines, garments, or bedding, and their minds habitually regard these four kinds of offerings lightly. It is like a practitioner of yoga who enters a sublime and excellent meditative absorption. Through the power of that absorption, body and mind are suffused with well-being; after emerging from absorption, although encountering delicious food, the practitioner still regards it lightly.

So it is with these people. Why is this so? Kauśika!

It is because these good men and good women are compassionately guarded and kept in mind by all the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones, śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, and others throughout the great trichiliocosm and the worlds of the ten directions. By infusing their bodies and minds with subtle and wondrous power, they cause these people to become courageous and resolute in spirit and strong in body.

“Kauśika! If any good men or good women wish to obtain such supreme merits and benefits in the present life, they should arouse the aspiration for the knowledge of all modes and, taking non-attainment as skillful means, wholeheartedly listen to, accept and retain, read and recite, diligently cultivate and study, properly contemplate, copy, explain, expound, and widely disseminate this scripture of the extremely profound prajnaparamita.

“Kauśika! If any good men or good women, with respect to the scripture of the extremely profound prajnaparamita, do not listen to, accept and retain, read and recite, diligently cultivate and study, properly contemplate, or widely expound it for sentient beings, but merely copy it, adorn it with precious substances, and make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise it with immeasurable quantities of the finest garlands, up to and including bright lamps, they will also attain the supreme merits and benefits described above. Why is this? Kauśika! It is because these good men and good women are able to bring benefit and happiness universally to immeasurable and boundless sentient beings.”

Furthermore, Kausika! If any good men or good women, with minds associated with the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and employing non-attainment as skillful means, sincerely listen to, uphold, read, recite, diligently study and cultivate, reflect upon in accordance with principle, copy, explain, expound, and widely disseminate this profound Prajnaparamita scripture, and further make offerings to it of various kinds of supremely exquisite garlands, up to and including bright lamps, these good men and good women will acquire immeasurable and boundless merit, surpassing that of sentient beings who, throughout their lives, offer immeasurable food and drink, clothing, bedding, medicines, and other personal necessities to the Buddhas, bodhisattvas,

and assemblies of sravakas throughout all the worlds of the ten directions.

Their merit also surpasses that of those who use the seven supreme precious substances to build stupas as offerings to the relics of the Buddhas and their disciples after their nirvana, and who, throughout their lives, offer immeasurable supremely exquisite garlands, up to and including bright lamps, paying homage, showing reverence and respect, and rendering praise. Why is this so?

Kausika! It is because the Buddhas and their assemblies of disciples throughout the ten directions all arise and develop in dependence upon such profound Prajnaparamita.

VII. CHAPTER ON THE BUDDHA’S RELICS

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

“Kausika! Suppose all the Buddha’s relics throughout this Jambudvipa were placed in one portion, and a written copy of the profound Prajnaparamita scripture were placed in another portion. Of these two portions, which would you choose?”

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

“World-Honored One! I would choose the profound Prajnaparamita. Why? I always have faith in and rejoice in the relics of the Buddhas, making offerings to them, paying homage, showing reverence and respect, and rendering praise. Nevertheless, both the bodies and the relics of the Buddhas arise in dependence upon the profound Prajnaparamita scripture. Because they have been perfumed and cultivated by the meritorious power of Prajnaparamita, they are worthy of offerings, homage, reverence, respect, and praise from the entire world, including gods, humans, asuras, and others.”

Then Sariputra said to Sakra, Lord of the Gods:

“Kausika! Profound Prajnaparamita is without form, invisible, nonresistant, and of a single characteristic called signlessness. Since a signless dharma cannot be grasped, how can you choose it?

Why? Kausika! It is because profound Prajnaparamita neither grasps nor relinquishes, neither increases nor decreases, neither unites nor disperses, neither benefits nor harms, and is neither defiled nor purified.

It neither possesses the dharmas of the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and sravakas, nor abandons the dharmas of foolish ordinary beings; it neither possesses the unconditioned realm nor abandons the conditioned realm; it neither possesses the emptinesses nor abandons existences; it neither possesses Prajnaparamita, up to the knowledge of all aspects, nor abandons any defiled dharma.”

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, replied to Sariputra:

“So it is! So it is! It is truly just as you have said. Venerable One! If one knows in accordance with reality that profound Prajnaparamita is without form, invisible, nonresistant, and of a single characteristic called signlessness; that it neither grasps nor relinquishes, up to neither possessing the knowledge of all aspects nor abandoning any defiled dharma—this is truly to uphold profound Prajnaparamita and truly to practice profound Prajnaparamita. Why? It is because the paramitas of prajna, meditative concentration, vigor, patient acceptance, pure morality, and generosity do not belong to dual practices and do not belong to dual characteristics.”

At that time, the Buddha praised Sakra, Lord of the Gods:

“Excellent! Excellent! It is just as you have said. Profound Prajnaparamita, up to the paramita of generosity, does not belong to dual practices and does not belong to dual characteristics.

“Kausika! Whoever wishes to make profound Prajnaparamita, up to the paramita of generosity, possess dual characteristics also wishes to make suchness, up to the inconceivable realm, possess dual characteristics. Why? Kausika! It is because profound Prajnaparamita, up to the paramita of generosity, and suchness, up to the inconceivable realm, are all nondual and undivided.”

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

“World-Honored One! The entire world, including gods, humans, asuras, and others, should sincerely bow to profound Prajnaparamita, circumambulate it clockwise, and make offerings to it, paying homage, showing reverence and respect, and rendering praise. Why? It is because all great bodhisattvas diligently study and cultivate Prajnaparamita and thereby attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“World-Honored One! It is like when I sit upon the throne of the Lord of the Gods in the Hall of the Excellent Dharma in the palace of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and expound the True Dharma to the assemblies of gods. Immeasurable divine sons and others come before me to hear my teaching and to make offerings to me, pay homage, show reverence and respect, render praise, circumambulate me clockwise, join their palms and bow, and then depart.

When I am not seated upon that Dharma throne, the divine sons and others still come to that place. Although they do not see me, they continue to make offerings and pay homage with the same reverence as when I am present, saying, ‘This is the throne from which Sakra, Lord of the Gods, expounded the Dharma to the gods and others. We should join our palms, make offerings, bow, circumambulate it clockwise, and then depart, just as when the Lord of the Gods is present.’

“World-Honored One! So it is with Prajnaparamita. Wherever someone copies, upholds, reads, recites, and universally expounds it to sentient beings, you should know that immeasurable and boundless gods, nagas, yaksas, asuras, and others from this realm and from boundless other worlds throughout the ten directions constantly come and assemble there.

Even if no one is expounding the Dharma, the gods and others, out of reverence and respect for the Dharma, still come to that place, make offerings, pay homage, show reverence and respect, render praise, bow, and then depart. Why? It is because all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, as well as all great bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, sravakas, and all sentient beings who enjoy complete peace and happiness, come into being through Prajnaparamita.

The Buddha’s relics likewise arise from the merit of cultivating, upholding, and making offerings to Prajnaparamita.

“World-Honored One! Profound Prajnaparamita serves as the cause, condition, basis of reliance, and guiding source for great bodhisattvas and their attainment of the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom. Therefore I say that, even if all the Buddha’s relics throughout this Jambudvipa were placed in one portion and a written copy of the profound Prajnaparamita scripture were placed in another portion, of these two portions I would rather choose profound Prajnaparamita.

“World-Honored One! When I uphold, read, recite, and correctly recollect this profound Prajnaparamita, my mind merges with the Dharma, and therefore I do not perceive any signs of alarm or fear whatsoever. Why? It is because profound Prajnaparamita is without characteristics, without words, and without exposition. Because profound Prajnaparamita is without characteristics, without words, and without exposition, the other five paramitas, beginning with meditative concentration, up to the knowledge of all aspects, are likewise without characteristics, without words, and without exposition.

“World-Honored One! If Prajnaparamita possessed characteristics, words, and exposition, rather than being without characteristics, words, and exposition, then the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, would not have known all dharmas to be without characteristics, without words, and without exposition, would not have attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, and would not have taught sentient beings that all dharmas are without characteristics, without words, and without exposition.”

World-Honored One! Because the profound prajnaparamita is without characteristics, words, or exposition, and is not possessed of characteristics, words, or exposition, the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, knows that all dharmas are without characteristics, words, or exposition, attains unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and teaches all dharmas to sentient beings as being without characteristics, words, or exposition.

World-Honored One! Such a profound prajnaparamita scripture should therefore be offered to, revered, honored, and praised by all devas, humans, asuras, and others throughout the world with immeasurable garlands of the finest flowers, lamps, and other offerings.

World-Honored One! If anyone listens wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, upholds, reads, and recites it, diligently studies and cultivates it, reflects upon it in accordance with principle, copies it, explains it, proclaims it, and widely disseminates it, and moreover offers to, reveres, honors, and praises it with immeasurable garlands of the finest flowers, lamps, and other offerings, that person will certainly not fall into the evil destinies, dwell in lowly borderlands, or descend to the ranks of shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and the like.

That person will assuredly advance toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, always behold the Buddhas, constantly hear the true Dharma, never be separated from good spiritual friends, adorn and purify Buddha lands, and bring sentient beings to maturity. Traveling from one Buddha land to another, that person will offer to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddha World-Honored Ones and the assemblies of great bodhisattvas with abundant and immeasurable offerings.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! Suppose the relics of the Buddhas throughout the trichiliocosm constituted one portion, while a written scripture of the profound prajnaparamita constituted another portion. Of these two portions, I would choose the profound prajnaparamita. Why? Because the relics of all Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, and the relics of the Buddhas throughout the trichiliocosm all arise from prajnaparamita.

Moreover, the relics of the Buddhas throughout the trichiliocosm are offered to, revered, honored, and praised by devas, humans, asuras, and others because they have been imbued through cultivation with the majestic virtue and power of prajnaparamita. For this reason, any good men or good women who offer to, revere, honor, and praise the relics of the Buddhas will certainly not fall into perilous destinies. They will always be born in favorable realms and enjoy abundant prosperity, nobility, peace, and happiness. In accordance with their aspirations, they will completely attain the nirvana of one of the three vehicles.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! If good men or good women behold a Tathagata, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One, or behold a scripture of the profound prajnaparamita, the merits of these two acts are equal and without difference. Why? Because the profound prajnaparamita and the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones are equal, nondual, and not divided into two.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! If a Tathagata, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One, after instructing and guiding sentient beings three times, proclaims the true Dharma to them—namely, the sutras through the expositions—or if good men or good women uphold and recite the profound prajnaparamita and expound it to others, the merits of these two acts are equal and without difference. Why? Because whether a Tathagata, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One instructs and guides three times, or proclaims the twelve divisions of the teachings, all arise in reliance upon prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! If Buddha World-Honored Ones as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the worlds of the ten directions, after instructing and guiding sentient beings three times, proclaim the true Dharma to them—namely, the sutras through the expositions—or if good men or good women uphold and recite the profound prajnaparamita and expound it to others, the merits of these two acts are equal and without difference. Why? Because whether the Buddha World-Honored Ones as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the worlds of the ten directions instruct and guide three times, or proclaim the twelve divisions of the teachings, all arise in reliance upon prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! If good men or good women offer to, revere, honor, and praise Buddha World-Honored Ones as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the worlds of the ten directions with immeasurable garlands of the finest flowers, lamps, and other offerings, while other good men or good women copy and uphold scriptures of the profound prajnaparamita and likewise offer to, revere, honor, and praise them with various garlands of the finest flowers, lamps, and other offerings, the merits of these two acts are equal and without difference. Why? Because all Buddha World-Honored Ones arise in reliance upon prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! If good men or good women listen wholeheartedly to this profound prajnaparamita, uphold, read, and recite it, diligently study and cultivate it, reflect upon it in accordance with principle, copy it, explain it, proclaim it, and widely disseminate it, they will not fall into the realms of hell beings, animals, or hungry ghosts, nor in future lives will they descend to the vehicles of shravakas or pratyekabuddhas.

Why? Because these good men and good women will certainly abide at the stage of non-retrogression and remain far removed from all calamities, misfortunes, illnesses, afflictions, alarm, and fear. It is like a debtor who becomes alarmed and trembles with fear upon encountering his creditor.

If that person then draws near to and serves the king, relying upon the king's power, he is freed from trembling and fear. The king symbolizes prajnaparamita, while the debtor symbolizes good men and good women who rely upon prajnaparamita and thereby become free from all suffering, distress, alarm, and fear.

World-Honored One! It is like a person who relies upon a king and, being protected by the king, is also offered to, revered, honored, and praised by the people of the world. The relics of the Buddhas are likewise offered to, revered, honored, and praised by devas, humans, asuras, and others because they have been imbued through cultivation with the profound prajnaparamita. The king symbolizes prajnaparamita, while the relics of the Buddhas symbolize the person who relies upon the king.

World-Honored One! The Buddhas' attainment of the wisdom of omniscience is also accomplished in reliance upon prajnaparamita. Therefore, I say: Suppose the relics of the Buddhas throughout this trichiliocosm were gathered into one portion, while scriptures of the profound prajnaparamita copied by others were gathered into another portion.

Of these two portions, I would choose prajnaparamita. Why? Because the relics of the Buddhas, firm as vajra and endowed with excellent color; the thirty-two marks and eighty minor characteristics adorning the bodies of the Tathagatas throughout the ten directions; and even the wisdom of all aspects are all accomplished through prajnaparamita.

The other five paramitas, beginning with generosity, are called practices that reach the other shore only through prajnaparamita. Why? Because without prajnaparamita, generosity and the others could not reach the other shore.

Furthermore, World-Honored One! Whether in this trichiliocosm or in another world, if within any country, capital, city, village, hamlet, or settlement there is someone who upholds, reads, recites, copies, expounds, offers to, and reveres the profound prajnaparamita, the sentient beings dwelling there will not be harmed or afflicted by any human, nonhuman, or other being, except when they must inevitably undergo the results of evil karma. The sentient beings there will successively study and cultivate the right practices of the three vehicles and, in accordance with their aspirations, ultimately attain the nirvana of one of the three vehicles.

Furthermore, O Blessed One! The profound prajnaparamita is endowed with great spiritual power and brings great benefit throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world. Wherever it is present, the Buddha is present and performs the deeds of a Buddha, bringing benefit, peace, and happiness to all sentient beings.

O Blessed One! It is like a priceless divine wish-fulfilling jewel, endowed with immeasurable, supreme, and wondrous powers. Wherever this divine jewel is present, humans and nonhumans can never cause harm. Suppose a man or woman is possessed by a spirit that torments body and mind. If someone brings this divine jewel, through the majestic power of the jewel, the spirit immediately departs. There may also be illnesses caused by fever, wind, phlegm, or a combination of fever, wind, and phlegm; if this divine jewel is worn upon the body, all such illnesses will be cured. In a dark place, this jewel produces light; where it is hot, it brings coolness; where it is cold, it brings warmth. Wherever this divine jewel is present, the climate there becomes temperate, neither cold nor hot.

Wherever this divine jewel is present, venomous snakes, scorpions, and the like dare not dwell. If a man or woman has been poisoned and suffers unbearable pain, and someone brings the divine jewel and shows it to that person, then through the majestic power of the jewel, the poison is naturally neutralized. If sentient beings suffer bodily afflictions such as leprosy, boils, sores, blindness, or diseases of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, throat, body, or joints, then if they wear this divine jewel, all those diseases will be cured.

If the water in ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, wells, and the like is turbid and foul or is about to dry up, and this divine jewel is placed in it, the water immediately becomes abundant, fragrant, pure, and endowed with the eight excellent qualities. If this divine jewel is wrapped in embroidered fabrics of various colors—blue, yellow, red, and white—and placed in the water, the water will assume the colors of the fabrics and become many-colored. Such is the priceless divine wish-fulfilling jewel: its majestic powers are boundless and cannot be fully described. If it is kept in a chest or bag, that receptacle also becomes fully endowed with boundless powers. Even if the chest or bag is empty, because it has held the divine jewel, it too is cherished and revered by many people.

The Venerable Ananda asked Sakra, Lord of the Gods:

“Does such a divine jewel exist only in the heavenly realms, or is it also found in the human realm?”

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, replied:

“This jewel exists in both the human and heavenly realms. In the human realm, it is small in form but heavy, whereas in the heavenly realms, it is large in form but light. Moreover, in the human realm, this divine jewel is imperfect, whereas in the heavenly realms, it is perfectly complete. The supreme powers of the heavenly divine jewel surpass those of the jewel in the human realm immeasurably and incalculably.”

Then Sakra, Lord of the Gods, again addressed the Buddha:

“O Blessed One! The profound prajnaparamita is likewise. It is inherently endowed with every majestic power and can eradicate immeasurable evil and unwholesome phenomena. Wherever it is present, all the physical and mental sufferings of sentient beings are eliminated, and humans, nonhumans, and the like cannot cause them harm.

“O Blessed One! The priceless divine wish-fulfilling jewel of which I have spoken is not merely an analogy for the profound prajnaparamita; it is also an analogy for the Tathagata’s knowledge of all knowledge. It is likewise an analogy for the perfection of meditative concentration through the perfection of generosity.

It is likewise an analogy for inner emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of an intrinsic nature. It is likewise an analogy for the four foundations of mindfulness through the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha. It is likewise an analogy for suchness through the inconceivable realm.

It is likewise an analogy for the quality of never forgetting and the nature of perpetual equanimity. It is likewise an analogy for the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects. It is likewise an analogy for all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways.

It is likewise an analogy for immeasurable and boundless Buddha qualities. Why is this? Because all such merits are disclosed and revealed by prajnaparamita, the great king of divine mantras, and these merits are profound, vast, immeasurable, and boundless.

Because the Buddha’s relics have been imbued through cultivation with all these merits, after the Buddha’s nirvana they receive offerings, reverence, veneration, and praise from the entire world, including gods, humans, asuras, and others.

“Furthermore, O Blessed One! The Buddha’s relics are the support of the utterly perfect, supreme, and pure perfection of wisdom, perfection of meditative concentration, perfection of diligence, perfection of patient acceptance, perfection of moral discipline, and perfection of generosity, as well as the complete severance of the continuity of the habitual tendencies of the afflictions and immeasurable, boundless other Buddha qualities. Therefore, after the Buddha enters nirvana, they receive offerings, reverence, veneration, and praise from the entire world, including gods, humans, asuras, and others.

“Furthermore, O Blessed One! The Buddha’s relics are the support of the utterly perfect, supreme, and pure perfection endowed with meritorious qualities and precious treasures. The Buddha’s relics are the support of the utterly perfect, supreme, and pure perfection that is neither defiled nor purified, neither arising nor ceasing, neither entering nor emerging, neither increasing nor diminishing, neither coming nor going, neither moving nor remaining, neither this nor that. The Buddha’s relics are the support of the utterly perfect, supreme, and pure perfection of the true nature of all dharmas. Therefore, after the Buddha’s nirvana, they receive offerings, reverence, veneration, and praise from the entire world, including gods, humans, asuras, and others.

“Furthermore, O Blessed One! Suppose all the Buddha’s relics throughout the three-thousandfold world, and Buddha’s relics as numerous as the sands of the Ganges gathered from throughout the ten directions, were collected into one portion, while written scriptures of the profound prajnaparamita were collected into another portion. Of these two portions, I would choose the prajnaparamita. Why is this? Because all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, and all Buddha relics arise from prajnaparamita, are imbued through the cultivation of prajnaparamita, and are supported by prajnaparamita. Thus, they receive offerings, reverence, veneration, and praise from the entire world, including gods, humans, asuras, and others.

“O Blessed One! If good men, good women, and others make offerings to, revere, venerate, and praise the Buddha’s relics, they will enjoy every kind of peace, happiness, and inexhaustible wealth and honor in the heavenly and human realms. In the human realm, they will belong to a great kshatriya family, or even a great householder family. In the heavenly realms, they will become gods of the Four Great Kings, or even gods of the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations. Thus, through these supreme roots of goodness, their suffering and affliction will cease until the end of their lives.

“O Blessed One! If good men, good women, and others listen wholeheartedly to the profound prajnaparamita, uphold, read, and recite it, diligently cultivate and study it, copy it, explain it, and contemplate it in accordance with reason, they will quickly perfect the profound prajnaparamita. By perfecting the profound prajnaparamita, they will perfect the perfection of meditative concentration through the perfection of generosity, as well as the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment through the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha.

“Thereby, they will be able to rise beyond the stages of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, enter the Bodhisattva’s certainty of rightness, and attain the supreme and wondrous supernormal powers of a bodhisattva. By means of these supernormal powers, they will travel freely among Buddha lands, going from one Buddha land to another to make offerings to, revere, venerate, and praise the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, while bringing sentient beings to maturity and adorning and purifying Buddha lands.”

They voluntarily vow to assume various bodies, and, wishing to benefit sentient beings, become great wheel-turning kings or lesser wheel-turning kings, great kings or lesser kings, Kshatriyas, Brahmins, Vaishyas, the god Shakra, Brahma kings, or beings of other kinds, solely to bring benefit, peace, and happiness to immeasurable sentient beings.

Therefore, O Blessed One, I always joyfully have faith in, make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the Buddha’s relics. Yet by making offerings to, revering, honoring, and praising the scriptures of the profound prajnaparamita, I acquire even more merit than through the former. For this reason, I am ready to choose and uphold the profound prajnaparamita.

O Blessed One, if good men, good women, and others make offerings to, revere, honor, and praise the profound prajnaparamita, all the Buddha’s teachings and the Dharma will flourish. They will also enjoy wealth, nobility, peace, happiness, and mastery, both worldly and supramundane. By doing so, they have made offerings to, revered, honored, and praised the Buddha’s relics and all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones.

At that time, the Buddha said to the god Shakra:

– So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said.

VIII. CHAPTER ON THE AGGREGATE OF MERIT

01

The god Shakra said to the Buddha:

– O Blessed One, if good men, good women, and others wish always to behold the form bodies and Dharma bodies of all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones throughout the immeasurable, innumerable worlds of the ten directions, they should listen wholeheartedly to the scriptures of the profound prajnaparamita, receive and uphold them, read and recite them, diligently cultivate and study them, contemplate them in accordance with reason, copy them, explain them, proclaim them, and circulate them widely. These good men, good women, and others will thereby always behold the form bodies and Dharma bodies of all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones throughout the ten directions, and, cultivating step by step, will swiftly perfect the profound prajnaparamita. They should then contemplate the Buddha by means of the dharma-nature cultivated in this way.

O Blessed One, all dharma-nature may be summarized as being of two kinds: first, conditioned; second, unconditioned.

What is called the conditioned dharma-nature? It is the wisdom that knows the emptiness of internal phenomena through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; the wisdom that knows the four foundations of mindfulness through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; the wisdom that knows wholesome and unwholesome phenomena; the wisdom that knows karmically determinate and indeterminate phenomena; the wisdom that knows contaminated and uncontaminated phenomena; the wisdom that knows conditioned and unconditioned phenomena; the wisdom that knows blameworthy and blameless phenomena; the wisdom that knows worldly and supramundane phenomena; and the wisdom that knows defiled and purified phenomena. Such immeasurable gateways of wisdom are all called the conditioned dharma-nature.

What is called the unconditioned dharma-nature? It is that all phenomena are unborn, unceasing, non-abiding, unchanging, undefiled, unpurified, neither increasing nor decreasing, signless and unconditioned, and without nature or intrinsic nature. This is called the unconditioned dharma-nature.

These good men, good women, and others should use these two kinds of dharma-nature to cultivate contemplation of the Buddha in relation to the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones.

At that time, the Buddha said to the god Shakra:

– So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. Kaushika, all Buddhas of the past, future, and present have relied, will rely, and presently rely upon prajnaparamita to realize supreme, perfect awakening. The shravaka disciples of all Buddhas of the past, future, and present have relied, will rely, and presently rely upon prajnaparamita to realize the fruits of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat. Pratyekabuddhas of the past, future, and present have relied, will rely, and presently rely upon prajnaparamita to realize the awakening of a pratyekabuddha. Why is this?

Kaushika, it is because, in the secret treasury of the profound prajnaparamita, even the teachings corresponding to the three vehicles, as explained here, all employ non-attainment as a skillful means; the absence of nature and characteristics as a skillful means; non-arising and non-cessation as a skillful means; non-defilement and non-purification as a skillful means; non-creation and non-action as a skillful means; non-entry and non-departure as a skillful means; non-increase and non-decrease as a skillful means; and non-grasping and non-relinquishment as a skillful means.

Such statements are all made in reliance upon conventional truth, not ultimate truth. Why is this? Because the profound prajnaparamita is not prajnaparamita, nor is it not prajnaparamita.

It is neither this shore nor the other shore, neither midstream nor dry land, neither water nor height nor depth. It is neither equality nor inequality; neither characterized nor uncharacterized; neither worldly nor supramundane; neither contaminated nor uncontaminated; neither conditioned nor unconditioned; neither wholesome nor unwholesome; neither karmically determinate nor indeterminate; neither past nor future nor present.

Kaushika, the profound prajnaparamita is not conjoined with the qualities of the Buddhas, the qualities of bodhisattvas, the qualities of pratyekabuddhas, or the qualities of shravakas; nor is it separate from the phenomena of ordinary beings.

Then the god Shakra again said to the Buddha:

– The profound prajnaparamita is the great paramita, the unsurpassed paramita, the peerless paramita. When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, although they know the differing realms and mental activities of all sentient beings, they apprehend no self and no sentient being, up to and including no knower and no seer. Nor do they apprehend form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, up to and including the feelings arising with the six contacts as conditions. Nor do they apprehend the paramita of generosity through the paramita of prajna. Likewise, up to and including the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha and immeasurable, boundless other qualities of a Buddha, they apprehend nothing. Why is this? Because the profound prajnaparamita does not manifest in relation to any phenomenon through reliance upon attainment. Why is this? Because the profound prajnaparamita is entirely devoid of intrinsic nature and is itself unobtainable. The attainer, the attained, and the characteristics of the two bases upon which they depend are all empty and unobtainable.

The Buddha said to the god Shakra:

– So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. Kaushika, when great bodhisattvas, employing non-attainment as a skillful means, cultivate and study the profound prajnaparamita for a long time, even bodhi and sattva cannot be attained, much less the state of a great bodhisattva. Since the state of a great bodhisattva cannot be attained, how could the qualities of a great bodhisattva be attained? Since even the qualities of a great bodhisattva cannot be attained, how much less could the supreme, perfect awakening of the Buddhas be attained?

The god Shakra again said to the Buddha:

– O Blessed One, should great bodhisattvas cultivate only the profound prajnaparamita, or should they also cultivate the other five paramitas?

The Buddha said:

– Great bodhisattvas, employing non-attainment as a skillful means, fully cultivate the six paramitas. When cultivating generosity, they see no gift, no giver, and no recipient.

When cultivating pure morality, they see no precepts to be purified, no observer of the precepts, and no transgressor of the precepts.

When cultivating patient acceptance, they see no patience to be attained, no patient person, and no angry person.

When cultivating diligence, they see no diligence, no diligent person, no indolent person, no task in which diligence should be exercised, and no body or mind capable of acting.

When cultivating meditative concentration, they see no meditative concentration, no person in meditative concentration, and no distracted person.

When cultivating prajnaparamita, they do not perceive prajnaparamita; they do not perceive a person endowed with subtle and perfect wisdom; they do not perceive a person possessed of much evil wisdom; nor do they perceive any differentiated contemplation of the nature and characteristics of dharmas by prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Kausika, the profound prajnaparamita of great bodhisattvas is the illumination and guide for cultivating all the paramitas. Free from attachment, it enables them swiftly to attain perfection.

Furthermore, Kausika, with regard to all dharmas, great bodhisattvas take non-attainment as skillful means and the profound prajnaparamita as their illumination and guide. Although they contemplate all dharmas, they remain unattached, thereby swiftly perfecting their cultivation. That is, taking non-attainment as skillful means and the profound prajnaparamita as their illumination and guide, they contemplate the skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus, up to the knowledge of all aspects, yet remain unattached. Through these causes and conditions, their cultivation swiftly attains perfection.

Kausika, it is like the trunks, branches, leaves, fruits, seeds, stalks, and flowers of the trees in Jambudvipa: although their forms and colors differ, the shade they cast is entirely without distinction and serves as a refuge for great merits. The first five paramitas are likewise. Although each differs in kind, because they are embraced by prajnaparamita, dedicated to the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, and practiced with non-attainment as skillful means, all their differentiated characteristics are wholly unobtainable, and they serve as the support for great merits.

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

“Blessed One, the profound prajnaparamita accomplishes vast and supreme merit, accomplishes every supreme merit, accomplishes perfect supreme merit, accomplishes immeasurable supreme merit, accomplishes innumerable supreme merit, accomplishes boundless supreme merit, accomplishes unequaled supreme merit, and accomplishes inexhaustible supreme merit.

“If good men or good women and others copy out this profound prajnaparamita, adorn it with precious objects, uphold and recite it, make offerings to it, revere, honor, and praise it, and reflect upon it properly and in accordance with reason, just as the sutra teaches; or if other good men or good women and others likewise copy out this profound prajnaparamita and also teach others to uphold it and circulate it everywhere—which of these two kinds of merit is greater?”

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

“I shall ask you a question in return. Answer according to your understanding. Suppose some good men or good women and others obtain relics of the Buddha from someone else, place them in a jeweled casket, and set them in an elevated place. They then offer the finest flower garlands, up to bright lamps, revering, honoring, and praising them.

“Suppose other good men or good women and others also obtain relics of the Buddha, but then distribute to others portions as small as mustard seeds. Those people respectfully receive them and enshrine them securely in accordance with the Dharma. They then offer immeasurable quantities of the finest flower garlands, up to bright lamps, revering, honoring, and praising them. What do you think? Of these two kinds of merit, which is more excellent?”

Sakra, Lord of the Gods, addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, according to my understanding of the Buddha’s teaching, of those two kinds of merit, the latter is more excellent. Why? Because the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, out of great compassion for all kinds of sentient beings, bring deliverance to those who make offerings to and revere the relics of the Buddhas.

“When a Tathagata is about to enter nirvana, through the power of a vajra-like samadhi, he shatters his vajra body into many fragments as small as mustard seeds. Then, through the empowerment of his supernormal power and vast, profound great compassion, after the Tathagata has entered nirvana, the Buddha’s relics become numerous pellets as small as mustard seeds. Whoever makes offerings to and reveres them acquires boundless merit, experiences abundant and supreme happiness among gods and humans, and ultimately brings all suffering to an end. Therefore, one who gives relics of the Buddha to others acquires the more excellent merit.”

The Buddha praised Sakra, Lord of the Gods:

“Excellent! Excellent! It is just as you have said. Kausika, if one personally upholds prajnaparamita and makes offerings to and reveres it, or if one widely circulates it among others, of these two kinds of merit, the latter is greater. Why? Because by transmitting it to others, one brings benefit and happiness to immeasurable, innumerable sentient beings.

“Furthermore, Kausika, if someone truthfully analyzes and explains to others the principles taught in the profound prajnaparamita, enabling them to attain liberation, that person acquires merit more excellent than even a hundred-thousandth part of the merit of one who merely circulates it. One should revere such a Dharma teacher as one reveres the Buddha, and serve and honor that teacher as one would a practitioner of the holy life. Why? Because the profound prajnaparamita is itself the Buddhas, and the Buddhas are themselves the profound prajnaparamita.

“The profound prajnaparamita is not different from the Buddhas, and the Buddhas are not different from the profound prajnaparamita. Why? Because all Buddhas of the three times rely upon prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and study it, and realize unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

“You should know that a practitioner of the holy life is one who abides on the stage of a non-retrogressing great bodhisattva. Great bodhisattvas also rely upon prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and study it, and realize unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

“Those belonging to the sravaka lineage also rely upon prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and study it, and attain arhatship.

“Those belonging to the pratyekabuddha lineage also rely upon prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and study it, and realize pratyekabuddha enlightenment.

“Those belonging to the bodhisattva lineage also rely upon prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and study it, transcend the ranks of sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and others, enter the bodhisattva’s right determination that transcends birth, gradually cultivate all bodhisattva practices, and come to abide on the stage of non-retrogression.

“Therefore, Kausika, if good men or good women and others wish to offer immeasurable quantities of the finest flower garlands, up to bright lamps, to a Buddha presently dwelling in the world, and to revere, honor, and praise that Buddha, they should copy out the scripture of the profound prajnaparamita and offer immeasurable quantities of the finest flower garlands, up to bright lamps, to it, revering, honoring, and praising it.

“Kausika, when I had just realized unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, I contemplated this matter and thought: ‘Upon whom should I rely in order to abide? Who is worthy to receive My offerings and reverence?’ Thinking in this way, I saw no god, Mara, Brahma, human, nonhuman, or any other being equal to Me, much less one superior to Me. I then thought: ‘I should rely upon the Dharma of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment that I have realized. This Dharma is profound, quiescent, and subtle. I shall rely upon this Dharma and abide in it, making offerings to and revering it.’ This Dharma is the profound prajnaparamita.”

Kausika! Even after attaining Buddhahood, I still rely upon prajnaparamita, making offerings to and reverently honoring it. How much more, then, should good men and good women and others who seek unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment rely upon the profound prajnaparamita, diligently cultivate and study it, and make offerings to, reverently honor, venerate, and praise it? Why is this? Kausika! It is because the profound prajnaparamita gives rise to the assembly of great bodhisattvas. From this assembly of great bodhisattvas arise the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones. Furthermore, relying upon the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, sravakas and pratyekabuddhas arise.

Therefore, Kausika, good men and good women and others belonging to the bodhisattva vehicle, the pratyekabuddha vehicle, or the sravaka vehicle should all diligently cultivate and study prajnaparamita, and with countless kinds of supremely exquisite flower garlands, even to bright lamps, make offerings to, reverently honor, venerate, and praise it. Why is this? It is because those of the sravaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva vehicles must essentially rely upon prajnaparamita, diligently cultivating and studying it, in order to reach the ultimate end.

Furthermore, Kausika! Suppose good men and good women and others teach and transform every kind of sentient being in Jambudvipa, causing them all to abide in the ten wholesome courses of karma. What do you think? Would these good men and good women and others thereby acquire much merit?

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, it would be very great. World-Honored One, it would be very great.”

The Buddha said:

“Kausika! Suppose good men and good women and others copy out the scriptures of the profound prajnaparamita, read and recite them to others, or copy them out and circulate them widely. The merit acquired by these good men and good women and others would be greater than that previously mentioned.

Why is this? Kausika! It is because within the secret treasury of the profound prajnaparamita are contained all uncontaminated dharmas.

Good men and good women and others have studied, are studying, or will study therein; or they have entered, are entering, or will enter the fixed state of correctness free from arising belonging to the sravaka lineage, gradually progressing until they have realized, are realizing, or will realize the fruit of arhatship; or they have entered, are entering, or will enter the fixed state of correctness free from arising belonging to the pratyekabuddha lineage, gradually progressing until they have realized, are realizing, or will realize pratyekabuddha enlightenment;

or they have entered, are entering, or will enter the fixed state of correctness free from arising belonging to the bodhisattva lineage, gradually cultivating the bodhisattva practices until they have realized, are realizing, or will realize unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“Kausika! All uncontaminated dharmas are taught within the secret treasury of the profound prajnaparamita, namely: the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom; internal emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature; suchness through the inconceivable realm; the realm of cessation through the unconditioned realm; the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; the eight liberations and the nine successive meditative attainments; the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata;

the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; the quality of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; the wisdom of all things, the wisdom of the aspects of the paths, and the wisdom of all aspects; and immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-dharmas.

All contaminated dharmas are also taught herein.

Fascicle 503

END