大般若波羅蜜多經

02

Furthermore, Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, relying upon the emptiness of intrinsic nature, he instructs and guides all kinds of sentient beings, causing them to cultivate diligent effort, saying: Good man! You should diligently strive in wholesome dharmas.

When cultivating generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When cultivating the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality.

When cultivating the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When abiding in the emptiness of the internal, the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the immutable, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence,

the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality.

When abiding in suchness, the dharma realm, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the immutable nature, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When abiding in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality.

When cultivating the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When cultivating all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When cultivating the Ground of Great Joy, the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Luminousness, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Dharma-Cloud Ground, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality.

When cultivating the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When cultivating the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When cultivating great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality.

When cultivating the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty secondary characteristics, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When cultivating the dharma of never-failing mindfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. When cultivating the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality.

When cultivating all other qualities of a Buddha, you should not conceive of these dharmas as having the characteristic of duality or nonduality. Why is this? Good man!

It is because all such dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature; within the principle of the emptiness of intrinsic nature, one should not conceive of duality or nonduality.

Subhuti! In this way, a great bodhisattva who practices prajnaparamita skillfully employs expedient means in carrying out the bodhisattva practices and brings sentient beings to maturity. After those sentient beings have been brought to maturity, the bodhisattva establishes them successively according to their capacities: some are caused to abide in the fruit of stream-entry, some in the fruit of once-returning, some in the fruit of non-returning, some in the fruit of arhatship, some in the realization of a pratyekabuddha, some on the ground of a great bodhisattva, and some in the fruit of unsurpassed enlightenment.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment they perfect such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, they see that sentient beings have minds that are frequently agitated and cannot become tranquil in relation to objects of desire.

They therefore employ expedient means to lead them into sublime samadhi, saying to them: Come, good man! You should cultivate sublime samadhi and should not give rise to distraction or the perception of concentration. Why is this?

Good man! It is because all these dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature; within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, no dharma can be apprehended that may be called distraction or called one-pointedness of mind. If you can abide in this sublime concentration, all the wholesome works you undertake will swiftly be brought to perfect fulfillment, and in accordance with your aspirations you will also abide in the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

What are the wholesome works you undertake? They are the arousing of sublime and pure bodily, verbal, and mental karma; or the cultivation of generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita; or the cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path; or the cultivation of the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness;

or abiding in the emptiness of the internal, the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the immutable, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

or abiding in suchness, the dharma realm, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the immutable nature, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; or abiding in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; or cultivating the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; or cultivating the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities; or cultivating all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; or proceeding toward the bodhisattva's true nature that is free from arising; or cultivating the grounds of a great bodhisattva;

or cultivating the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; or cultivating the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; or cultivating great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; or cultivating the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty secondary characteristics; or cultivating the dharma of never-failing mindfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity; or cultivating the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; or cultivating the path of the sravakas, the path of the pratyekabuddhas, the path of the bodhisattvas, and the path of the Tathagatas;

or cultivating the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the realization of a pratyekabuddha, and the fruit of the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas; or bringing sentient beings to maturity; or purifying Buddha-fields.

Through the power of sublime concentration, all such sublime and pure wholesome dharmas are swiftly brought to fulfillment, and in accordance with one's aspirations, one abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti! Thus, a great bodhisattva who practices prajnaparamita, endowed with skillful means, wishes to benefit sentient beings. Therefore, from the first arising of the aspiration until the ultimate end, the bodhisattva seeks to perform wholesome and beneficial deeds without interruption. Wishing to benefit sentient beings, the bodhisattva travels from one Buddha-land to another, reverently making offerings to, honoring, and praising the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones; in the presence of those Buddhas, the bodhisattva hears and receives the true Dharma. Casting off one body and taking up another throughout immeasurable kalpas until attaining the fruit of unsurpassed enlightenment, the bodhisattva never forgets it in the interim.

Subhuti! Those bodhisattvas attain dharanis, and their faculties of body, speech, and mind never decline. Why?

Because those great bodhisattvas always skillfully cultivate and perfect the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, they invariably reflect well upon whatever they do. Because they skillfully cultivate and perfect the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, they invariably reflect well upon whatever they do and are able to cultivate every path: the path of the shravakas, the path of the pratyekabuddhas, the path of the bodhisattvas, the path of the Tathagatas, the path leading to an excellent celestial state, the path leading to an excellent human state, and the path of the bodhisattvas’ extraordinary superknowledges.

Through this path of extraordinary superknowledges, the great bodhisattvas continually bring benefit and never regress. Abiding in these extraordinary superknowledges that are the result of karmic maturation, those great bodhisattvas continually bring supreme benefit and well-being to sentient beings. Although they pass through birth and death within the various realms of cyclic existence, these extraordinary superknowledges never decline.

Subhuti! Thus, the great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita, abiding in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and endowed with skillful means, are able skillfully to benefit and bring well-being to all kinds of sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When the great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they have already accomplished such skillful means from the first arising of the aspiration. Through the power of these skillful means, while abiding in the emptiness of intrinsic nature, they see sentient beings whose wisdom is meager, who are ignorant and deluded, and who create various evil karmas.

They therefore skillfully guide them into supreme wisdom, saying: “Good sons! You should cultivate prajnaparamita and contemplate that all dharmas are empty and quiescent in their intrinsic nature. If you constantly cultivate this prajnaparamita and contemplate all dharmas as empty in their intrinsic nature, all your practices of bodily, verbal, and mental karma will be directed toward nirvana.

Having attained the fruit of nirvana, you will certainly use nirvana to establish a future life. Good sons! All these dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature.

Within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, although neither sentient beings nor dharmas can be apprehended, your practice nevertheless will not regress. Why? Good sons!

Because within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, there are no dharmas that increase or decrease and no persons who increase or decrease. Why? Because the principle of the emptiness of intrinsic nature neither possesses intrinsic nature nor lacks intrinsic nature; it is free from all discrimination and has brought all conceptual proliferation to an end.

Therefore, within it there is neither increase nor decrease. Consequently, the deeds you perform are never lost. You should therefore cultivate prajnaparamita, contemplate the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and do what ought to be done.”

Subhuti! Thus, the great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita, endowed with skillful means, instruct and guide all kinds of sentient beings, causing them to cultivate prajnaparamita, contemplate the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and cultivate wholesome karma.

Subhuti! That great bodhisattva thus instructs and guides sentient beings to cultivate wholesome karma, never becoming negligent or abandoning it. That is, he himself always practices the ten wholesome paths of karma and also encourages others always to practice the ten wholesome paths of karma; he himself always undertakes and observes the five precepts and also encourages others always to undertake and observe the five precepts; he himself always undertakes and observes the eight precepts and also encourages others always to undertake and observe the eight precepts; he himself always undertakes and observes the precepts of renunciation and also encourages others always to undertake and observe the precepts of renunciation;

he himself always cultivates the four dhyanas and also encourages others always to cultivate the four dhyanas; he himself always cultivates the four immeasurables and also encourages others always to cultivate the four immeasurables; he himself always cultivates the four formless absorptions and also encourages others always to cultivate the four formless absorptions;

he himself always cultivates the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path, and also encourages others always to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path; he himself always cultivates the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and also encourages others always to cultivate the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness;

he himself always cultivates the paramitas of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, dhyana, prajna, skillful means, sublime aspiration, power, and wisdom, and also encourages others always to cultivate the paramitas of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, dhyana, prajna, skillful means, sublime aspiration, power, and wisdom;

he himself always abides in inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, absolute emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unobtainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, and also encourages others always to abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

he himself always abides in suchness, the dharma-dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the fixity of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the realm of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm, and also encourages others always to abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm; he himself always abides in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, and also encourages others always to abide in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path;

he himself always cultivates the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities, and also encourages others always to cultivate the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities; he himself always cultivates all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways, and also encourages others always to cultivate all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; he himself always cultivates the bodhisattva grounds and also encourages others always to cultivate the bodhisattva grounds; he himself always cultivates the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, and also encourages others always to cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

he himself always trains in the Buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, and eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha, and also encourages others always to train in the Buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, and eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha; he himself always trains in great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity, and also encourages others always to train in great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; he himself always trains in the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty secondary characteristics, and also encourages others always to train in the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty secondary characteristics;

he himself always trains in the Dharma of never forgetting and in the nature of perpetual equanimity, and also encourages others always to train in the Dharma of never forgetting and in the nature of perpetual equanimity; he himself always trains in the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, and also encourages others always to cultivate and train in the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects; he himself always arouses the knowledge of the fruit of stream-entry but does not abide therein, and he also always encourages others to arouse the knowledge of the fruit of stream-entry or enables them to abide therein;

he himself always arouses the knowledge of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship but does not abide therein, and he also encourages others to arouse the knowledge of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship or enables them to abide therein; he himself always arouses the knowledge of the fruit of a pratyekabuddha but does not abide therein, and he also encourages others to arouse the knowledge of the fruit of a pratyekabuddha or enables them to abide therein; he himself always arouses the path-practice leading to supreme enlightenment and also encourages others always to arouse the path-practice leading to supreme enlightenment.

Subhuti! In this way, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita with skillful means, they themselves cultivate wholesome karma and never become negligent or abandon it.

Subhuti! This is called the skillful means of great bodhisattvas when practicing prajnaparamita. Through the power of these skillful means, great bodhisattvas establish sentient beings in the realm of nirvana while being able not to destroy the characteristic of nirvana.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! If all dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature, and within the emptiness of intrinsic nature neither sentient beings nor dharmas can be apprehended, so that therein there is also nothing that is not Dharma, then why do great bodhisattvas seek to realize supreme enlightenment for the sake of sentient beings and constantly benefit them?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. All existent dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature; within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, neither sentient beings nor dharmas can be apprehended. Therefore, therein there is also nothing that is not Dharma.

“Subhuti! If all dharmas were not empty in their intrinsic nature, then when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should not abide in the principle of the emptiness of intrinsic nature, cultivate and realize supreme enlightenment, and teach the Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature in order to benefit sentient beings.

“Subhuti! Because all dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they abide in the principle that all dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature, cultivate and realize supreme enlightenment, and teach sentient beings the Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature for their benefit and well-being.

“Subhuti! What are the dharmas that are all empty in their intrinsic nature, whose emptiness of intrinsic nature great bodhisattvas, when practicing prajnaparamita, know as it truly is, and, abiding in that emptiness of intrinsic nature, teach the Dharma to sentient beings?

“Subhuti! Form is empty in its intrinsic nature; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are empty in their intrinsic nature. When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, after knowing as it truly is that the skandhas are thus empty in their intrinsic nature, they abide in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and proclaim to sentient beings the Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature in this way.

“Subhuti! The eye ayatana is empty in its intrinsic nature; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are empty in their intrinsic nature. The form ayatana is empty in its intrinsic nature; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object ayatanas are empty in their intrinsic nature. When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, after knowing as it truly is that the ayatanas are thus empty in their intrinsic nature, they abide in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and proclaim to sentient beings the Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature in this way.”

Subhuti, the eye dhatu is empty in its intrinsic nature; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus are empty in their intrinsic nature. The form dhatu is empty in its intrinsic nature; the sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental-object dhatus are empty in their intrinsic nature. The eye-consciousness dhatu is empty in its intrinsic nature; the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus are empty in their intrinsic nature.

Eye-contact is empty in its intrinsic nature; ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are empty in their intrinsic nature. Feelings arising with eye-contact as condition are empty in their intrinsic nature; feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition are empty in their intrinsic nature. The earth dhatu is empty in its intrinsic nature; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus are empty in their intrinsic nature.

When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having thus known in accordance with reality that these dhatus are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the causal condition is empty in its intrinsic nature; the immediately preceding condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition are empty in their intrinsic nature, and the dharmas arising from conditions are empty in their intrinsic nature. Ignorance is empty in its intrinsic nature; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress are empty in their intrinsic nature.

When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having thus known in accordance with reality that dependent arising is empty in its intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the perfection of generosity is empty in its intrinsic nature; the perfections of pure ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, prajna, skillful means, sublime vows, power, and wisdom are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that these perfections are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the four meditative absorptions are empty in their intrinsic nature; the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having thus known in accordance with reality that the meditative absorptions, immeasurables, and formless attainments are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the four foundations of mindfulness are empty in their intrinsic nature; the four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eight factors of the Noble Path are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that the four foundations of mindfulness and the other dharmas conducive to awakening are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the gateway to liberation through emptiness is empty in its intrinsic nature; the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that these gateways to liberation are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, inner emptiness is empty in its intrinsic nature; outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, absolute emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of specific characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence are empty in their intrinsic nature.

When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having thus known in accordance with reality that these modes of emptiness are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the Noble Truth of suffering is empty in its intrinsic nature; the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having thus known in accordance with reality that the Noble Truths are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the eight liberations are empty in their intrinsic nature; the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten spheres of totality are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having thus known in accordance with reality that the liberations, spheres of mastery, meditative attainments, and spheres of totality are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, all dharani gateways are empty in their intrinsic nature, and all samadhi gateways are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that the dharani gateways and samadhi gateways are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the bodhisattva ground of Great Joy is empty in its intrinsic nature; the bodhisattva grounds of Stainlessness, Luminosity, Radiant Wisdom, Very Difficult to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-Going, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having thus known in accordance with reality that the bodhisattva grounds are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the five kinds of eyes are empty in their intrinsic nature, and the six superknowledges are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that the various eyes and superknowledges are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the Buddha’s ten powers are empty in their intrinsic nature; the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, and eighteen distinct qualities of a Buddha are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that the powers, fearlessnesses, unobstructed understandings, and distinct qualities are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, great loving-kindness is empty in its intrinsic nature; great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that these great immeasurables are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the thirty-two marks of a Great Being are empty in their intrinsic nature, and the eighty secondary characteristics are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that these marks and secondary characteristics are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in emptiness and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the quality of never losing mindfulness is empty in its intrinsic nature, and the nature of constant equanimity is empty in its intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that the quality of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti, the wisdom of all things is empty in its intrinsic nature; the wisdom of the aspects of the paths and the wisdom of all aspects are empty in their intrinsic nature. When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having known in accordance with reality that these wisdoms are empty in their intrinsic nature, the bodhisattva abides in the emptiness of intrinsic nature and, for the sake of sentient beings, expounds this Dharma of the emptiness of intrinsic nature.

Subhuti! The fruit of stream-entry is empty in its intrinsic nature; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha are empty in their intrinsic nature. When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they know in accordance with reality that the fruits of the shravaka vehicle and the realization of a pratyekabuddha are empty in their intrinsic nature. Having known this, they abide in intrinsic emptiness and, for the sake of sentient beings, expound the Dharma of intrinsic emptiness in this way.

Subhuti! All the practices of great bodhisattvas are empty in their intrinsic nature; the unsurpassed perfect awakening of all Buddhas is empty in its intrinsic nature; and the eternal elimination of the entire continuum of habitual afflictive tendencies is empty in its intrinsic nature. When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they know in accordance with reality that the practices of great bodhisattvas, bodhi, and nirvana are empty in their intrinsic nature. Having known this, they abide in intrinsic emptiness and, for the sake of sentient beings, expound the Dharma of intrinsic emptiness in this way.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If the nature of inner emptiness were not intrinsically empty; if the nature of outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, final emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-transformation, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unobtainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the nonexistence of self-nature were not intrinsically empty,

then great bodhisattvas practicing prajnaparamita should not tell sentient beings that all dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature, for to speak in this way would destroy intrinsic emptiness.

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

This principle of emptiness is also called the Dharma-nature. Within it there is no dharma, no aggregation or dispersion, no decrease or increase, no arising or cessation, and no defilement or purification. All dharmas originally abide in this nature.

Abiding therein and seeking to attain unsurpassed perfect awakening, great bodhisattvas do not perceive dharmas as having any destination or as having no destination, because all dharmas are entirely without any abiding place; therefore, this is called the abiding of dharmas. Abiding therein and practicing prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas see that all dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature and thereby assuredly attain non-retrogression from unsurpassed perfect awakening.

Why? Because those great bodhisattvas do not perceive any dharma capable of creating an obstruction. Seeing that all dharmas are unobstructed, they give rise to no doubt regarding unsurpassed perfect awakening and therefore do not regress.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, a self is unobtainable, a sentient being is unobtainable, and the designation of a sentient being is unobtainable. A life-stream, a living being, one who is nurtured, one who matures, one who transmigrates, a mind-born being, a youth, an agent, one who causes action, one who creates karma, one who causes karma to be created, one who experiences karmic results, one who causes karmic results to be experienced, a knower, and a seer are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, form is unobtainable; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the eye ayatana is unobtainable; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the form ayatana is unobtainable; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object ayatanas are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the eye dhatu is unobtainable; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the form dhatu is unobtainable; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object dhatus are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the eye-consciousness dhatu is unobtainable; the ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness dhatus are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, eye-contact is unobtainable; ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the feelings arising in dependence upon eye-contact are unobtainable; the feelings arising in dependence upon ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the earth dhatu is unobtainable; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the causal condition is unobtainable; the immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, and predominant condition are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, all dharmas arising from conditions are unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, ignorance is unobtainable; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the perfection of generosity is unobtainable; the perfections of pure ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, inner emptiness is unobtainable; outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, final emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-transformation, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unobtainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the nonexistence of self-nature are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the four foundations of mindfulness are unobtainable; the four right efforts, four bases of supernormal power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and Noble Eightfold Path are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the Noble Truth of suffering is unobtainable; the Noble Truths of its origin, cessation, and the path are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the four meditative absorptions are unobtainable; the four immeasurables and four formless attainments are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the eight liberations are unobtainable; the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive meditative attainments, and ten spheres of totality are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, all dharani gateways are unobtainable; all samadhi gateways are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the gateway of liberation through emptiness is unobtainable; the gateways of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the bodhisattva ground of Great Joy is unobtainable; the bodhisattva grounds of Stainlessness, Luminosity, Radiant Wisdom, Difficult to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-Reaching, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud are also unobtainable.

Subhuti! Within intrinsic emptiness, the five kinds of eyes are unobtainable; the six superknowledges are also unobtainable.

Subhuti, within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the ten powers of a Buddha cannot be apprehended; the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti, within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the quality of never losing mindfulness cannot be apprehended; the nature of constant equanimity also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti, within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the knowledge of all things cannot be apprehended; the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti, within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the fruit of stream-entry cannot be apprehended; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti, within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, all the practices of great bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended; the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti, within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, material and immaterial phenomena cannot be apprehended; visible and invisible phenomena, resistant and non-resistant phenomena, contaminated and uncontaminated phenomena, and conditioned and unconditioned phenomena also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti, within the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the thirty-two marks of a Great Being cannot be apprehended; the eighty minor characteristics also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti, suppose that the Buddha magically produced the four assemblies of bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas, and that a magically produced Buddha expounded the essential Dharma to those four assemblies for hundreds of thousands of kotis and millions of kalpas. What do you think? Could such magically produced assemblies attain the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the realization of a pratyekabuddha, or unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?

Subhuti replied:

“Blessed One, no! Sugata, no! Why? Because those magically produced assemblies are utterly devoid of true existence, and it is not possible for unreal phenomena to attain any fruit.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, all phenomena are likewise empty in their intrinsic nature and utterly devoid of true existence. Within them, then, what is a great bodhisattva, for what sentient beings is what Dharma taught, and who can thereby be caused to attain the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the realization of a pratyekabuddha, or unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?

Subhuti, although great bodhisattvas expound to sentient beings that all phenomena are empty in their intrinsic nature, those sentient beings truly cannot be apprehended. Yet, out of compassion for their having fallen into error, the bodhisattvas rescue them and establish them in the Dharma free from error. To be free from error means to be free from conceptual discrimination. Where there is no conceptual discrimination, there is no error; where there is conceptual discrimination, there is error, for the two are of the same kind.

Subhuti, within that which is without conceptual discrimination and without error, there is no self, sentient being, life principle, living being, being that arises, being that is nurtured, being that matures, transmigrating being, mind-born being, youth, agent, one who causes another to act, doer of karma, one who causes another to perform karma, experiencer of karmic results, one who causes another to experience karmic results, knower, or seer.

There is also no form, no feeling, perception, volitional formations, or consciousness; no eye ayatana, and no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana; no form ayatana, and no sound, odor, taste, tangible object, or mental-object ayatana; no eye dhatu, and no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu; no form dhatu, and no sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or mental-object dhatu; no eye-consciousness dhatu, and no ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu; no eye contact, and no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind contact; no feelings arising with eye contact as their condition, and no feelings arising with ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind contact as their condition; no earth dhatu, and no water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu;

no causal condition, no immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, or dominant condition; no phenomena arising from conditions; no ignorance, and no volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, dejection, or distress; no perfection of generosity, and no perfection of ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, or prajnaparamita;

no emptiness of the internal, no emptiness of the external, emptiness of the internal and external, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without bounds, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of non-change, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of the unapprehensible, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, or emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; no four foundations of mindfulness, and no four right efforts, four bases of miraculous power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, or eightfold noble path;

no noble truth of suffering, and no noble truth of its origin, cessation, or the path; no four meditative absorptions, and no four immeasurables or four formless attainments; no eight liberations, and no eight spheres of mastery, nine successive meditative attainments, or ten totalities; no dharani gateway whatsoever and no samadhi gateway whatsoever; no gateway of liberation through emptiness, and no gateway of liberation through signlessness or wishlessness; no Ground of Great Joy, no Ground Free from Defilement, Ground of Radiance, Ground of Blazing Wisdom, Ground Difficult to Conquer, Ground of Manifest Presence, Far-Going Ground, Immovable Ground, Ground of Excellent Wisdom, or Dharma Cloud Ground; no five kinds of eyes and no six superknowledges;

no ten powers of a Buddha, and no four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; no quality of never losing mindfulness and no nature of constant equanimity; no knowledge of all things, no knowledge of the aspects of the path, or knowledge of all aspects; no fruit of stream-entry, and no fruit of once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship, nor the realization of a pratyekabuddha; no practices of great bodhisattvas and no unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas;

no material or immaterial phenomena, no visible or invisible phenomena, resistant or non-resistant phenomena, contaminated or uncontaminated phenomena, or conditioned or unconditioned phenomena; no thirty-two marks of a Great Being and no eighty minor characteristics.”

Subhuti! This absence of anything possessed is precisely emptiness of intrinsic nature. When great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita, they abide therein and see sentient beings fallen into inverted conceptions.

Through skillful means, they enable them to attain liberation; that is, they liberate them from the conception of a self where there is no self; from the conceptions of a sentient being, a living being, one who arises, one who is nurtured, one who matures, one who transmigrates, a mind-born being, a youth, an agent, one who causes another to act, a creator of karma, one who causes another to create karma, an experiencer of karmic results, one who causes another to experience karmic results, a knower, and a seer, where there are no sentient beings through seers.

They also liberate them from the conception of form where there is no form, and from the conceptions of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness where there are no feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. They also liberate them from the conception of the eye ayatana where there is no eye ayatana, and from the conceptions of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas where there are no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatanas.

They also liberate them from the conception of the form ayatana where there is no form ayatana, and from the conceptions of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas where there are no sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma ayatanas. They also liberate them from the conception of the eye dhatu where there is no eye dhatu, and from the conceptions of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus where there are no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatus.

They also liberate them from the conception of the form dhatu where there is no form dhatu, and from the conceptions of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus where there are no sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma dhatus. They also liberate them from the conception of the eye-consciousness dhatu where there is no eye-consciousness dhatu, and from the conceptions of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus where there are no ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatus.

They also liberate them from the conception of eye-contact where there is no eye-contact, and from the conceptions of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact where there are no ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact. They also liberate them from the conception of feelings arisen with eye-contact as condition where there are no feelings arisen with eye-contact as condition, and from the conceptions of feelings arisen with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition where there are no feelings arisen with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition.

They also liberate them from the conception of the earth dhatu where there is no earth dhatu, and from the conceptions of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus where there are no water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatus. They also liberate them from the conception of the causal condition where there is no causal condition, and from the conceptions of the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition where there are no immediately antecedent, objective, or dominant conditions.

They also liberate them from the conception of dharmas arisen from conditions where there are no dharmas arisen from conditions. They also liberate them from the conception of ignorance where there is no ignorance, and from the conceptions of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress where there are no formations through aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, or distress.

They also liberate them from the conception of the perfection of generosity where there is no perfection of generosity, and from the conceptions of the perfections of pure morality, patience, vigor, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita where there are no perfections of pure morality, patience, vigor, meditative concentration, or prajnaparamita. They also liberate them from the conception of the emptiness of the internal where there is no emptiness of the internal, and from the conceptions of the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion,

the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence where there is no emptiness of the external through emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence.

They also liberate them from the conception of the four foundations of mindfulness where there are no four foundations of mindfulness, and from the conceptions of the four right efforts, four bases of miraculous power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and Noble Eightfold Path where there are no four right efforts through Noble Eightfold Path. They also liberate them from the conception of the Noble Truth of suffering where there is no Noble Truth of suffering, and from the conceptions of the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path where there are no Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, or path.

They also liberate them from the conception of the four meditative concentrations where there are no four meditative concentrations, and from the conceptions of the four immeasurables and four formless absorptions where there are no four immeasurables or four formless absorptions. They also liberate them from the conception of the eight liberations where there are no eight liberations, and from the conceptions of the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive absorptions, and ten spheres of totality where there are no eight spheres of mastery, nine successive absorptions, or ten spheres of totality.

They also liberate them from the conception of all dharani gateways where there are no dharani gateways, and from the conception of samadhi gateways where there are no samadhi gateways. They also liberate them from the conception of the gateway to liberation through emptiness where there is no gateway to liberation through emptiness, and from the conceptions of the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness where there are no gateways to liberation through signlessness or wishlessness.

They also liberate them from the conception of the Stage of Great Joy where there is no Stage of Great Joy, and from the conceptions of the Stages of Stainlessness, Luminosity, Blazing Wisdom, Utterly Invincible, Face-to-Face, Far-Going, Immovable, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud where there are no Stages of Stainlessness through Dharma Cloud. They also liberate them from the conception of the five kinds of eyes where there are no five kinds of eyes, and from the conception of the six superknowledges where there are no six superknowledges.

They also liberate them from the conception of the ten powers of a Buddha where there are no ten powers of a Buddha, and from the conceptions of the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha where there are no four fearlessnesses through eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. They also liberate them from the conception of the quality of never forgetting where there is no quality of never forgetting, and from the conception of constant equanimity where there is no constant equanimity.

They also liberate them from the conception of the knowledge of all things where there is no knowledge of all things, and from the conceptions of the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects where there are no knowledge of the aspects of the path or knowledge of all aspects. They also liberate them from the conception of the fruit of stream-entry where there is no fruit of stream-entry, and from the conceptions of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha where there are no fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, or realization of a pratyekabuddha.

They also liberate them from the conception of all practices of great bodhisattvas where there are no practices of great bodhisattvas, and from the conception of the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas where there is no supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas. They also liberate them from the conceptions of material and nonmaterial dharmas where there are no material or nonmaterial dharmas, and from the conceptions of visible and invisible dharmas, resistant and nonresistant dharmas, contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas, and conditioned and unconditioned dharmas where there are no visible or invisible dharmas through conditioned or unconditioned dharmas.

They also liberate them from the conception of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being where there are no thirty-two marks of a Great Being, and from the conception of the eighty subsidiary characteristics where there are no eighty subsidiary characteristics. They also liberate them from contaminated dharmas such as the five appropriated skandhas and so forth, and they also liberate them from uncontaminated dharmas such as the four foundations of mindfulness and so forth.

Why is this? Subhuti! It is because uncontaminated dharmas such as the four foundations of mindfulness and so forth are likewise not, according to the truth of ultimate meaning, unborn, unceasing, signless, inactive, free from conceptual proliferation, and free from discrimination; therefore, they too must be relinquished.

The truth of ultimate meaning is precisely emptiness of intrinsic nature.

This emptiness of intrinsic nature is precisely what all Buddhas realize—the fruit of supreme enlightenment.

Fascicle 387

THE END