大般若波羅蜜多經

02

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

“Blessed One! If all sentient beings and their activities are utterly unobtainable, then for whose sake do the great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! The great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita by taking only the true limit as their measure.

“Subhuti, you should know! If the limit of sentient beings were different from the true limit, the great bodhisattvas should not practice the profound prajnaparamita. Because the limit of sentient beings is not different from the true limit, the great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! When the great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, without disrupting the Dharma of the true limit, they establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true limit.”

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! If the limit of sentient beings is itself the true limit, then how is it that, when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true limit without disrupting the Dharma of the true limit?

“Blessed One! If, while practicing the profound prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva establishes sentient beings and causes them to abide in the true limit, then he establishes the true limit and causes it to abide in the true limit. If he establishes the true limit and causes it to abide in the true limit, then he establishes intrinsic nature and causes it to abide in intrinsic nature. Yet, according to reason, intrinsic nature cannot be established so as to abide in intrinsic nature. How, then, can it be said that, when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true limit without disrupting the Dharma of the true limit?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! According to reason, the true limit should not be established so as to abide in the true limit, nor should intrinsic nature be established so as to abide in intrinsic nature. Nevertheless, because the great bodhisattvas possess skillful means when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, they are able to establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true limit, although the limit of sentient beings is not different from the true limit.

“Thus, Subhuti, the limit of sentient beings and the true limit are neither two nor different.”

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! What are the skillful means of great bodhisattvas when they practice the profound prajnaparamita, through whose mighty power they establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true limit without disrupting the characteristic of the true limit?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattvas have, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration, perfected such skillful means. Through the mighty power of these skillful means, they establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the practice of giving. After those sentient beings have come to abide in the practice of giving, the great bodhisattvas explain to them that the characteristics of giving at the beginning, middle, and end are no different, saying:

“‘This practice of giving is empty at the beginning, middle, and end alike. The giver, the recipient, and the fruit of giving are also all empty. All these are nonexistent and unobtainable within the true limit. You should not apprehend the giver, the recipient, the fruit of giving, and the true limit as different from one another. If you do not apprehend the act of giving, the giver, the recipient, the fruit of giving, and the true limit as different from one another, then the merit cultivated through giving will reach the Deathless, and you will attain the Deathless and, through the Deathless, attain liberation.’

“They further say:

“‘Although you create merit through giving, you should not apprehend the form skandha through the consciousness skandha.

“‘You should not apprehend the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana.

“‘You should not apprehend the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana.

“‘You should not apprehend the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu.

“‘You should not apprehend the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu.

“‘You should not apprehend the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu.

“‘You should not apprehend eye-contact through mind-contact.

“‘You should not apprehend the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as their condition.

“‘You should not apprehend the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu.

“‘You should not apprehend the causal condition through the dominant condition.

“‘You should not apprehend any dharmas that arise in dependence upon conditions.

“‘You should not apprehend ignorance through aging and death.

“‘You should not apprehend giving through prajnaparamita.

“‘You should not apprehend inner emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence.

“‘You should not apprehend suchness through the inconceivable realm.

“‘You should not apprehend the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

“‘You should not apprehend the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path.

“‘You should not apprehend the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, or the four formless concentrations.

“‘You should not apprehend the liberative gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.

“‘You should not apprehend the eight liberations through the ten totalities.

“‘You should not apprehend the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata.

“‘You should not apprehend the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud.

“‘You should not apprehend any dharani gateways or samadhi gateways.

“‘You should not apprehend the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges.

“‘You should not apprehend the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

“‘You should not apprehend great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, or great equanimity.

“‘You should not apprehend the thirty-two marks of a Great Being or the eighty minor characteristics.

“‘You should not apprehend the Dharma of never forgetting or the nature of constant equanimity.

“‘You should not apprehend the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, or the knowledge of all aspects.

“‘You should not apprehend the fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha.

“‘You should not apprehend the practices of great bodhisattvas.

“‘You should not apprehend the fruit of unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

“‘You should not apprehend contaminated or uncontaminated dharmas.

“‘You should not apprehend mundane or supramundane dharmas.

“‘You should not apprehend conditioned or unconditioned dharmas.

“‘Why? Because all giving is empty of the intrinsic nature of giving. All givers are empty of the intrinsic nature of a giver. All recipients are empty of the intrinsic nature of a recipient. All fruits of giving are empty of the intrinsic nature of the fruit of giving. Since the intrinsic nature of giving is empty, the giver, recipient, and fruits of giving are all unobtainable.

“‘Why? Such dharmas each have distinct intrinsic natures, yet all are utterly empty. Within utter emptiness, all such dharmas are unobtainable. Because these dharmas are unobtainable, the dharmas attained are also unobtainable.’

“Furthermore, Subhuti! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattvas have, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration, perfected such skillful means. Through the mighty power of these skillful means, they establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in pure moral discipline.

After those sentient beings have come to abide in pure moral discipline, the great bodhisattvas say: ‘From this day onward, you should give rise to a compassionate mind toward all sentient beings, refrain from taking life, and, in the same way, refrain from wrong views and cultivate right view. Why? Because all such dharmas lack intrinsic nature; you should neither discriminate nor cling to them.

You should examine in accordance with reason: What dharma is called a living being whose life one might wish to take? And through what conditions might that life be taken? In the same way, what dharma is called the object of wrong view toward which one might wish to give rise to wrong view, and through what conditions might wrong view arise?

The intrinsic nature of all such things is empty.’

“Subhuti, you should know! When this great bodhisattva practices the profound prajnaparamita, he perfects such skillful means and therefore brings sentient beings fully to maturity. Through immeasurable Dharma gateways, he explains to them that giving and the fruit of pure moral discipline are both unobtainable, causing them to understand clearly that the intrinsic nature of giving and the fruit of pure moral discipline is empty.

Having clearly understood that the intrinsic nature of the cultivation of giving and the fruit of pure moral discipline is empty, sentient beings do not develop attachment even to the Dharma of emptiness. Because they do not cling, their minds are not distracted; because their minds are not distracted, sublime wisdom can arise. Through this sublime wisdom, after eliminating the latent tendencies and all bonds, they enter the realm of nirvana without remainder.”

Subhuti, you should know! Such teaching relies entirely upon the conventional truth and not upon the ultimate truth. Why? Because within emptiness, not even the slightest dharma can be apprehended. Whether one has attained nirvana, is attaining nirvana, or will attain nirvana; whether there is one who attains nirvana, or that by which one enters nirvana, and so forth—all such things are nonexistent and utterly empty. The nature of utter emptiness is itself nirvana, yet apart from this dharma of emptiness, there is no real dharma called nirvana.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, from the time they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment they perfect such skillful means. Through the majestic power of these skillful means, when they see sentient beings whose minds are filled with anger, they take pity on them and skillfully instruct them, saying: “From now on, you should cultivate patience, delight in the Dharma of patience, discipline your minds, and undertake the practice of patience.

The dharmas toward which you have become angry are all empty by nature; why, then, do you give rise to anger toward them? You should contemplate in accordance with reality: Because of what dharma do I become angry? Who is angry?

With whom am I angry? And so forth. All such dharmas are empty in their original nature.

The emptiness of the original nature of dharmas has never been otherwise than empty. Such emptiness was not created by the Tathagata, nor by bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, or shravakas; nor was it created by dragons or spirits, or, in full detail, by humans or nonhumans; nor was it created by the gods of the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, up to and including the gods of the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception.

You should contemplate in accordance with reality: From where does such anger arise? To whom does it belong? Toward whom does it arise? What fruit will it bring? What benefit does it yield in the present? All these dharmas are empty in their original nature; within emptiness there is no anger. Therefore, you should cultivate patience for your own benefit.”

Thus, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they perfect supreme skillful means and establish sentient beings in the principle of the emptiness of nature and the emptiness of cause and effect. They then progressively demonstrate, exhort, praise, and inspire them concerning unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment, enabling them to become fully established therein and quickly attain its realization.

Subhuti, you should know! Such teaching relies entirely upon the conventional truth and not upon the ultimate truth. Why? Because within the emptiness of original nature, the one who realizes, the dharma that is realized, the time of realization, and the place in which realization occurs are all truly nonexistent.

Subhuti, you should know! This is called the ultimate principle of reality—the emptiness of original nature. Wishing to benefit sentient beings, great bodhisattvas rely upon this ultimate principle of reality, the emptiness of original nature, as they practice profound prajnaparamita; yet they apprehend neither sentient beings nor their activities. Why? Because all dharmas are separate from sentient beings. Because sentient beings are separate from dharmas, they cannot be apprehended. Dharmas and sentient beings are established in mutual dependence; therefore, from the standpoint of ultimate truth, all are said to be empty.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, from the time they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment they perfect such skillful means. Through the majestic power of these skillful means, when they see sentient beings who are lazy in body and mind, who retreat and lack diligence, they skillfully exhort and guide them, causing them to arouse diligence in body and mind and cultivate wholesome dharmas, saying: “Good sons!

You should deeply believe and accept that within the emptiness of original nature, there is no dharma of laziness, no lazy person, no time of laziness, and no dharma through which laziness arises. All such things are empty in their original nature, without transgression and without any underlying basis. You should arouse diligence in body and mind, abandon laziness, and assiduously cultivate wholesome dharmas.

That is, cultivate generosity through prajnaparamita; or cultivate the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; or cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; or cultivate the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature; or abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm; or abide in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; or cultivate the eight liberations through the ten totalities; or cultivate the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata; or cultivate the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud;

or cultivate all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; or cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; or cultivate the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; or cultivate great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; or cultivate the thirty-two marks and eighty excellent characteristics of a Great Being; or cultivate the dharma of unfailing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; or cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; or cultivate the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha enlightenment; or cultivate all the practices of great bodhisattvas;

or cultivate the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas; or cultivate immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-dharmas.

You should be diligent and must not become lazy. If you become lazy, you will undergo immeasurable suffering.

Good sons! All these dharmas are empty in their original nature and are without any obstruction. You should contemplate in accordance with reality that within the emptiness of original nature there is no obstruction, no dharma of laziness, no lazy person, no time of laziness, and no causes and conditions of laziness, and so forth; none of these can be apprehended.”

Thus, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they perfect supreme skillful means and establish sentient beings, causing them to abide in the principle that all dharmas are empty in their original nature. Although they cause them to abide therein, they entertain no conception of duality. Why? Because the principle of the emptiness of original nature is nondual and undifferentiated; no conception of duality can arise with regard to a nondual dharma.

Furthermore, Subhuti! As these great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they rely upon the emptiness of original nature to teach and instruct all classes of sentient beings, causing them to cultivate and train diligently, saying: “Good sons! You should diligently cultivate and train in these wholesome dharmas. When practicing generosity through prajnaparamita, you should not conceive of these dharmas as either dual or nondual. In full detail, when cultivating immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-dharmas, you likewise should not conceive of these dharmas as either dual or nondual. Why? Good sons! Because all such dharmas are empty in their original nature. Because of the principle of the emptiness of original nature, one does not conceive of them as either dual or nondual.”

Thus, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they perfect supreme skillful means, practice the bodhisattva conduct, and bring sentient beings to maturity. Once those sentient beings have been brought to maturity, the bodhisattvas progressively teach them according to their capacities, causing them to become established in the fruit of stream-entry; or in the fruit of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, or pratyekabuddha enlightenment; or in the stages of great bodhisattvas; or in the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Furthermore, Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration they perfect such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, when they see sentient beings whose minds are greatly distracted, whose faculties are unrestrained amid objects of desire, and who produce impure karma, the bodhisattvas instruct and guide them by skillful means, causing them to enter supreme concentration, saying: “Good sons!

Come here! You should cultivate supreme samadhi. You should not give rise to distracted thoughts but should contemplate supreme concentration.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of all such dharmas is emptiness. Within intrinsic emptiness, no dharma can be apprehended; there is neither distraction nor one-pointedness.

If you can abide in this supreme concentration, the wholesome deeds you perform will quickly be brought to perfect fulfillment, and in accordance with your aspirations you will all abide in intrinsic emptiness.

“What are the wholesome deeds thus performed? They are the production of supremely pure karma of body, speech, and mind; the cultivation of generosity through prajnaparamita; and, in full detail, the cultivation of the practices of great bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed, complete awakening of the Buddhas, as well as the maturation of sentient beings and the purification and adornment of Buddha-fields. Through the power of supreme concentration, all such supremely pure and wholesome dharmas will quickly be brought to perfect fulfillment, and in accordance with your aspirations you will abide in intrinsic emptiness.”

Thus, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita employ skillful means for the benefit of all classes of sentient beings. From the moment they first arouse the aspiration until the very end, they perform beneficial and wholesome deeds without ever ceasing. Wishing to bring benefit and happiness to sentient beings, they journey from one Buddha-field to another, draw near to and make offerings to the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, and listen to the Buddhas teach the true Dharma. Throughout countless kalpas, they relinquish one body and assume another until they attain unsurpassed, complete awakening, and during that period they are certainly never forgetful. Having attained dharani, the faculties of these great bodhisattvas’ bodies, speech, and minds never diminish.

Why? Because these great bodhisattvas fully cultivate the knowledge of all aspects and completely accomplish the work of reflection. Because they fully cultivate the knowledge of all aspects and completely accomplish the work of reflection, they are able to cultivate every path: the path of the sravakas, the path of the pratyekabuddhas, the path of the bodhisattvas, the path of the Tathagatas, the path leading to excellent celestial births, the path leading to excellent human births, and the path of the bodhisattvas’ supreme superknowledges.

Because these great bodhisattvas abide in the path of supreme superknowledges, they constantly perform deeds that benefit sentient beings. Although they must wander through birth and death for many kalpas, their supreme superknowledges never diminish. Because their resultant superknowledges do not diminish, they constantly perform supremely beneficial deeds for themselves and others.

Thus, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita abide in intrinsic emptiness and, by skillful means, completely benefit all classes of sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration they perfect such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, they abide in intrinsic emptiness. When they see sentient beings of shallow wisdom who, through ignorance and delusion, commit much evil karma, the bodhisattvas instruct and guide them by skillful means, leading them into the profound prajnaparamita and saying: “Good sons!

You should cultivate prajnaparamita and contemplate that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is emptiness. If you can cultivate this prajnaparamita and contemplate that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is emptiness, then your cultivation of karma through body, speech, and mind will reach the deathless nectar. You will obtain the deathless nectar, and through the deathless nectar you will all attain liberation.

“Good sons! The intrinsic nature of all these dharmas is emptiness. Within intrinsic emptiness, although sentient beings and dharmas cannot be apprehended, cultivation nevertheless does not diminish.

Why? Good sons, the principle of intrinsic emptiness neither increases nor decreases. Within intrinsic emptiness, there is no dharma that increases or decreases and no person who increases or decreases.

Why? Because the principle of intrinsic emptiness neither possesses an intrinsic nature nor lacks an intrinsic nature; it is free from all discrimination and has put an end to all conceptual proliferation. Therefore, within it there is no dharma that increases or decreases and no person who increases or decreases, and for this reason the work to be done also does not diminish.

You should therefore cultivate prajnaparamita, contemplate intrinsic emptiness, and do what ought to be done.”

Thus, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita instruct and guide all classes of sentient beings through skillful means, causing them to abide in prajnaparamita, dwell in intrinsic emptiness, and cultivate wholesome karma.

Subhuti, you should know that while these great bodhisattvas thus instruct and guide sentient beings to cultivate wholesome karma, they are never negligent. That is to say: They themselves constantly practice the ten wholesome courses of karma and also encourage others to practice the ten wholesome courses of karma.

They themselves observe the five precepts of lay followers and also encourage others to observe the five precepts of lay followers.

They themselves observe the eight precepts of lay followers and also encourage others to observe the eight precepts of lay followers.

They themselves undertake and uphold the precepts of renunciation and also encourage others to undertake and uphold the precepts of renunciation.

They themselves cultivate the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; they also encourage others to cultivate the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions.

They themselves cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path and also encourage others to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path.

They themselves cultivate the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness and also encourage others to cultivate the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.

They themselves cultivate generosity through prajnaparamita and also encourage others to cultivate generosity through prajnaparamita.

They themselves abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence and also encourage others to abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence.

They themselves abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm and also encourage others to abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm.

They themselves abide in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path and also encourage others to abide in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

They themselves cultivate the eight liberations through the ten totalities and also encourage others to cultivate the eight liberations through the ten totalities.

They themselves cultivate the bodhisattva stages and also encourage others to cultivate the bodhisattva stages.

They themselves cultivate the dharani gateways and the samadhi gateways and also encourage others to cultivate the dharani gateways and the samadhi gateways.

They themselves train in the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges and also encourage others to train in the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges.

They themselves train in the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha and also encourage others to train in the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

They themselves train in great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity and also encourage others to train in great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity.

They themselves train in the quality of never losing mindfulness and in the nature of constant equanimity; they also encourage others to train in the quality of never losing mindfulness and in the nature of constant equanimity.

They themselves cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; they also encourage others to cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects.

They themselves cultivate the thirty-two marks and the eighty excellent characteristics of a Great Being; they also encourage others to cultivate the thirty-two marks and the eighty excellent characteristics of a Great Being.

They themselves diligently cultivate the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha enlightenment, yet do not abide in the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha enlightenment; they also encourage others diligently to cultivate the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha enlightenment, or cause them to abide in the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha enlightenment.

They themselves give rise to the practices of great bodhisattvas and also encourage others to give rise to the practices of great bodhisattvas.

They themselves give rise to the path and fruition of the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas and also encourage others to give rise to the path and fruition of the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Thus, Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, through skillful means they themselves constantly and diligently cultivate wholesome karma, never growing indolent, and they instruct and guide sentient beings likewise to cultivate wholesome karma constantly and diligently, never growing indolent.

Subhuti, this is called the great bodhisattvas, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, using skillful means and, through the mighty power of those skillful means, establishing sentient beings so that they abide in ultimate reality without impairing the characteristic of ultimate reality, and swiftly realize unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

At that time, Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! If the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, and within the emptiness of intrinsic nature both sentient beings and dharmas are unobtainable, since even what is not a dharma does not exist therein, how can great bodhisattvas seek swiftly to realize the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge for the sake of sentient beings?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say: the intrinsic nature realized in all dharmas is empty. Within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, both sentient beings and dharmas are unobtainable, because even what is not a dharma does not exist therein.

“Subhuti, you should know that if the nature of all dharmas were not empty, then great bodhisattvas, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, should not abide in the principle that intrinsic nature is empty, seek swiftly to realize the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, and, for the benefit of sentient beings, teach the Dharma that intrinsic nature is empty. Because the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, great bodhisattvas, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, abide in the principle that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, seek swiftly to realize the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, and, for the benefit of sentient beings, teach the Dharma that intrinsic nature is empty.

“What does it mean that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, such that great bodhisattvas, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, know the emptiness of intrinsic nature precisely as it really is and, abiding in that emptiness of intrinsic nature, teach the Dharma to sentient beings?

“Subhuti, you should know that the intrinsic nature of form through consciousness is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of eye-contact through mind-contact is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of causal conditions through dominant conditions is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of dharmas arising through conditions is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of ignorance through aging and death is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of generosity through prajnaparamita is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of inner emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of suchness through the inconceivable realm is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the eight liberations through the ten totalities is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the dharani gateways and the samadhi gateways is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the Tathagata’s ten powers through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the quality of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the thirty-two marks and the eighty excellent characteristics is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha enlightenment is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of all the practices of great bodhisattvas is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of severing the entire continuity of the habitual tendencies of the afflictions is empty.

“The intrinsic nature of the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge is empty.

“When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they know precisely as they really are that the intrinsic nature of the five skandhas, such as form and so forth, and, extensively, through the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, is empty. Then, abiding in the emptiness of intrinsic nature, they teach sentient beings the true Dharma that intrinsic nature is empty in this way.

“Furthermore, Subhuti, if the intrinsic nature of the nature of inner emptiness were not empty, through to if the intrinsic nature of the nature of the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence were not empty, then great bodhisattvas, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, should not teach sentient beings that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty. If they taught in that way, they would thereby impair the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Yet the principle of the emptiness of intrinsic nature cannot be impaired; it is neither eternal nor annihilated. Why? Because the principle of the emptiness of intrinsic nature has no direction or location, comes from nowhere, and goes nowhere.

This principle of emptiness is called the abiding of dharmas. Within it there is no dharma, no aggregation, no dispersion, no decrease, no increase, no arising, no cessation, no defilement, and no purification; its intrinsic nature abides in all dharmas.

“Great bodhisattvas abide therein and seek swiftly to realize the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge. They do not perceive any dharma for which realization is sought, nor do they perceive any dharma for which realization is not sought. Because all dharmas have no abiding place, this is called the abiding of dharmas. Great bodhisattvas abide therein and practice profound prajnaparamita. Having seen that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, they are assuredly irreversible from unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

“Why? Because these great bodhisattvas do not perceive any dharma that could constitute an obstruction. Because they see all dharmas as unobstructed, they give rise to no doubt concerning unsurpassed, complete enlightenment and do not regress from it.

“Furthermore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas abide in the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of all dharmas and contemplate that the emptiness of intrinsic nature is entirely unobtainable. That is to say, the self, a sentient being, and, extensively, through a knower and a seer, as well as their activities, are all unobtainable.

“Form through consciousness and their activities are also unobtainable.

“The eye ayatana through the mind ayatana and their activities are also unobtainable.

“The form ayatana through the dharma ayatana and their activities are also unobtainable.

“The eye dhatu through the mind dhatu and their activities are also unobtainable.

“The form dhatu through the dharma dhatu and their activities are also unobtainable.”

The eye-consciousness element through the mind-consciousness element, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Eye-contact through mind-contact, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The earth element through the consciousness element, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The causal condition through the dominant condition, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Dharmas arising in dependence upon conditions, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Ignorance through aging and death, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Generosity through prajnaparamita, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The emptiness of internal phenomena through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Suchness through the inconceivable realm, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, the four formless attainments, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The eight liberations through the ten universal spheres, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The Stage of Purified Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The dharani gateways, the samadhi gateways, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The five kinds of eyes, the six superknowledges, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The Dharma of non-forgetfulness, the nature of constant equanimity, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, knowledge of all aspects, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

All practices of great bodhisattvas, the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Worldly and supramundane dharmas, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Conditioned and unconditioned dharmas, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

The thirty-two marks and eighty excellent characteristics of a Great Being, and their activity, are also unapprehensible.

Subhuti, you should know! Suppose a Tathagata, Arhat, Completely and Perfectly Enlightened One were to conjure the four assemblies of bhiksus, bhiksunis, male lay followers, and female lay followers. Suppose further that a conjured Buddha were to live for one kalpa or more than one kalpa and teach the true Dharma to those four conjured 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, the fruit of enlightenment, or even receive the prediction of non-retrogression from unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment?

Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! They could not attain them. Why? Because all these conjured assemblies are unreal. Unreal dharmas cannot receive a prediction of non-retrogression.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! All dharmas are likewise: their intrinsic nature is empty, and they are certainly not real. For which great bodhisattvas, and for which sentient beings, could any dharmas be taught that would enable them to attain the fruit of stream-entry through receiving the prediction of non-retrogression?

Subhuti, you should know! Although great bodhisattvas teach the Dharma of emptiness for sentient beings, sentient beings are truly unapprehensible. Out of compassion for those who have fallen into inverted dharmas, they rescue them and establish them in dharmas free from inversion. A dharma free from inversion is a dharma free from conceptual discrimination; freedom from conceptual discrimination is freedom from inversion. Whoever still discriminates remains inverted and remains subject to the concordant result.

Subhuti, you should know! Inversion itself is the dharma free from inversion. Within freedom from inversion, there is no self or sentient being, and, to speak more fully, no knower or seer. Nor are there the form skandha through the consciousness skandha. There are not even the thirty-two marks and eighty excellent characteristics.

Subhuti, you should know! This nonexistence is emptiness of intrinsic nature. When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they abide herein.

Seeing sentient beings fallen into inverted perceptions, they employ skillful means to lead them to liberation. That is, they liberate them from perceiving a self where there is no self and, to speak more fully, from perceiving a seer and knower where there is no seer or knower. They also liberate them from perceiving form where there is no form and, to speak more fully, from perceiving the eighty excellent characteristics where there are no eighty excellent characteristics.

They also cause them to be liberated from the five appropriated skandhas and other contaminated dharmas, and from the four foundations of mindfulness and other uncontaminated dharmas.

Why? Because the four foundations of mindfulness and other uncontaminated dharmas are not ultimate truth; they are unborn, unceasing, signless, unconditioned, free from conceptual proliferation, and free from discrimination. Therefore, one should be liberated from all the aforementioned dharmas.

True ultimate truth is emptiness of intrinsic nature. Here, emptiness of intrinsic nature is the realization through cultivation of the unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Subhuti, you should know! Herein, no self through a seer can be apprehended.

No form skandha through consciousness skandha can be apprehended.

No eye ayatana through mind ayatana can be apprehended.

No form ayatana through dharma ayatana can be apprehended.

No eye element through mind element can be apprehended.

No form element through dharma element can be apprehended.

No eye-consciousness element through mind-consciousness element can be apprehended.

No eye-contact through mind-contact can be apprehended.

No feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, can be apprehended.

Nor can the earth element through the consciousness element be apprehended.

No causal condition through dominant condition can be apprehended.

No dharmas arising in dependence upon conditions can be apprehended.

There is no ignorance through aging and death.

There is no generosity through prajnaparamita.

No emptiness of internal phenomena through emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature can be apprehended.

No suchness through the inconceivable realm can be apprehended.

None of the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path can be apprehended.

No four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path can be apprehended.

No four dhyanas, four immeasurables, or four formless attainments can be apprehended.

No gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness can be apprehended.

No eight liberations through the ten universal spheres can be apprehended.

No Stage of Purified Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata can be apprehended.

No Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud can be apprehended.

No dharani gateways or samadhi gateways can be apprehended.

No five kinds of eyes or six superknowledges can be apprehended.

No ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha can be apprehended.

No great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, or great equanimity can be apprehended.

No Dharma of non-forgetfulness or nature of constant equanimity can be apprehended.

No knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or knowledge of all aspects can be apprehended.

No fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha can be apprehended.

No practices of great bodhisattvas or unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas can be apprehended.

No thirty-two marks or eighty excellent characteristics of a Great Being can be apprehended.

Subhuti, you should know! The great bodhisattvas do not seek to attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment for the sake of that fruition itself; they seek to attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment solely because the original nature of all dharmas is emptiness. This emptiness of original nature is empty by nature at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end; there is no part that is not empty.

Abiding in the paramita of emptiness of original nature, the great bodhisattvas practice the wisdom of the aspects of the paths because they wish to liberate all sentient beings from attachment to the notion of sentient beings and the notion of dharmas. When these great bodhisattvas practice the wisdom of the aspects of the paths, they practice all paths: the path of the sravakas, the path of the pratyekabuddhas, the path of the bodhisattvas, and the path of the Tathagatas.

Subhuti, you should know! Having perfected all the paths, these great bodhisattvas bring sentient beings to maturity, adorn and purify Buddha lands, attain long lives, and realize unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Only after realizing unsurpassed, complete enlightenment can they ensure that the Buddha eye is never interrupted or extinguished.

What is the Buddha eye? It is emptiness of original nature. The Buddhas of the past, future, and present who abide throughout the worlds of the ten directions and expound the true Dharma for sentient beings all take this emptiness of original nature as the Buddha eye.

Subhuti, you should know! Certainly, no Buddha appears in the world apart from emptiness of original nature. Whenever Buddhas appear in the world, they teach the meaning of emptiness of original nature. Their essential purpose is to instruct sentient beings so that, upon hearing the Buddhas teach the meaning of emptiness of original nature, they may enter the noble path and realize the noble fruits. Apart from emptiness of original nature, there is no other means.

Therefore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas who wish swiftly to attain the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom should abide in the principle of emptiness of original nature and cultivate the six paramitas and the practices of great bodhisattvas. If they abide in emptiness of original nature and cultivate the six paramitas and the practices of great bodhisattvas, they will certainly never regress from the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom and will always benefit all sentient beings.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! The great bodhisattvas are exceedingly rare and extraordinary. Although they practice in accordance with the emptiness of original nature of all dharmas, they never impair or destroy emptiness of original nature. That is, they do not apprehend form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as different from emptiness of original nature, and they do not apprehend even the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment as different from emptiness of original nature.

Blessed One! Is form itself emptiness of original nature, and is emptiness of original nature itself form? Is it likewise the case that the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment itself is emptiness of original nature, and emptiness of original nature itself is the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. The great bodhisattvas are exceedingly rare. Although they practice in accordance with the emptiness of original nature of all dharmas, they never impair or destroy emptiness of original nature.

Subhuti, you should know! Form is not different from emptiness of original nature, and emptiness of original nature is not different from form. Form itself is emptiness of original nature, and emptiness of original nature itself is form. Likewise, the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment is not different from emptiness of original nature, and emptiness of original nature is not different from the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. The Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment itself is emptiness of original nature, and emptiness of original nature itself is the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

Subhuti, you should know! If form were different from emptiness of original nature and emptiness of original nature were different from form; if form were not emptiness of original nature and emptiness of original nature were not form; and likewise, if the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment were different from emptiness of original nature and emptiness of original nature were different from the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment;

if the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment were not emptiness of original nature and emptiness of original nature were not the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, then when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas should not contemplate the original nature of all dharmas as empty, nor could they attain the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom.

Subhuti, you should know! Because form is not different from emptiness of original nature and emptiness of original nature is not different from form; because form itself is emptiness of original nature and emptiness of original nature itself is form; and likewise, because the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment is not different from emptiness of original nature and emptiness of original nature is not different from the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment;

because the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment itself is emptiness of original nature and emptiness of original nature itself is the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, therefore, when practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas contemplate the original nature of all dharmas as empty and are thereby able to attain the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom.

Why is this? Apart from emptiness of original nature, there is not a single dharma that truly exists, endures permanently, or undergoes destruction. Within emptiness of original nature, there is likewise not a single dharma that truly exists, endures permanently, or undergoes destruction.

It is only because foolish, deluded, and confused people entertain divergent thoughts that they discriminate form as different from emptiness of original nature, and likewise discriminate even the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment as different from emptiness of original nature. Because these foolish people discriminate dharmas as different from emptiness of original 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 cling to form and cling to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Because of this clinging, they apprehend a self and what belongs to a self in form, and apprehend a self and what belongs to a self in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Because they falsely apprehend internal and external entities, they continue to assume bodies in subsequent lives endowed with form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

Consequently, they cannot be liberated from the courses of birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and affliction. They come and go within the three realms, revolving ceaselessly. For this reason, great bodhisattvas abide in the paramita of emptiness of original nature and practice the profound prajnaparamita.

They neither grasp nor appropriate form, nor do they destroy form as either empty or nonempty. Likewise, with regard to the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they do not destroy the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment as either empty or nonempty.

Why is this? Form does not destroy emptiness, nor does emptiness destroy form by distinguishing, “This is form; this is emptiness.” Likewise, the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment does not destroy emptiness, nor does emptiness destroy the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment by declaring, “This is the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment; this is emptiness.”

It is just as space does not destroy space. The realm of inner space does not destroy the realm of outer space, and the realm of outer space does not destroy the realm of inner space.

So it is, Subhuti! Form does not destroy emptiness, nor does emptiness destroy form. Likewise, the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment does not destroy emptiness, nor does emptiness destroy the Buddhas’ unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Why is this? Because all such dharmas are without intrinsic nature, it is impossible to distinguish, “This is empty; this is nonempty,” for the original nature of all dharmas is empty. Within emptiness of original nature, there is no discrimination.

Fascicle 533

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