大般若波羅蜜多經

02

– Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and abiding in the Noble Truth of Suffering, apprehends neither the Noble Truth of Suffering, nor one who abides, nor that in which one abides, nor the act of abiding, yet does not apart from such dharmas abide in the Noble Truth of Suffering, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and abiding in the Noble Truths of Origin, Cessation, and the Path, apprehends neither the Noble Truths of Origin, Cessation, and the Path, nor one who abides, nor that in which one abides, nor the act of abiding, yet does not apart from such dharmas abide in the Noble Truths of Origin, Cessation, and the Path, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivate the bodhisattva path, bringing it to perfection, and are able to realize the fruit of supreme enlightenment.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the four dhyanas, apprehends neither the four dhyanas, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the four dhyanas, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations, apprehends neither the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivate the bodhisattva path, bringing it to perfection, and are able to realize the fruit of supreme enlightenment.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the eight liberations, apprehends neither the eight liberations, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the eight liberations, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality, apprehends neither the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivate the bodhisattva path, bringing it to perfection, and are able to realize the fruit of supreme enlightenment.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating all dharani gateways, apprehends neither all dharani gateways, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate all dharani gateways, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating all samadhi gateways, apprehends neither all samadhi gateways, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate all samadhi gateways, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivate the bodhisattva path, bringing it to perfection, and are able to realize the fruit of supreme enlightenment.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the gateway to liberation through emptiness, apprehends neither the gateway to liberation through emptiness, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the gateway to liberation through emptiness, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness, apprehends neither the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivate the bodhisattva path, bringing it to perfection, and are able to realize the fruit of supreme enlightenment.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the Ground of Great Joy, apprehends neither the Ground of Great Joy, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the Ground of Great Joy, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Luminosity, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Far-Reaching Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Ground of the Dharma Cloud, apprehends neither the Ground of Stainlessness through the Ground of the Dharma Cloud, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the Ground of Stainlessness through the Ground of the Dharma Cloud, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivate the bodhisattva path, bringing it to perfection, and are able to realize the fruit of supreme enlightenment.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the five kinds of eyes, apprehends neither the five kinds of eyes, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the five kinds of eyes, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the six superknowledges, apprehends neither the six superknowledges, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the six superknowledges, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivate the bodhisattva path, bringing it to perfection, and are able to realize the fruit of supreme enlightenment.

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while cultivating prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the Buddha’s ten powers, apprehends neither the Buddha’s ten powers, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet does not apart from such dharmas cultivate the Buddha’s ten powers, then that great bodhisattva can perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, apprehends neither the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet also does not depart from such dharmas while cultivating the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, then that great bodhisattva is able to perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, in this way, great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita with skillful means cultivate the bodhisattva path and bring it to perfection, thereby becoming able to realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the thirty-two marks of a Great Being, apprehends neither the thirty-two marks of a Great Being, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet also does not depart from such dharmas while cultivating the thirty-two marks of a Great Being, then that great bodhisattva is able to perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the eighty subsidiary characteristics, apprehends neither the eighty subsidiary characteristics, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet also does not depart from such dharmas while cultivating the eighty subsidiary characteristics, then that great bodhisattva is able to perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, in this way, great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita with skillful means cultivate the bodhisattva path and bring it to perfection, thereby becoming able to realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the Dharma of non-forgetfulness, apprehends neither the Dharma of non-forgetfulness, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet also does not depart from such dharmas while cultivating the Dharma of non-forgetfulness, then that great bodhisattva is able to perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the nature of perpetual equanimity, apprehends neither the nature of perpetual equanimity, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet also does not depart from such dharmas while cultivating the nature of perpetual equanimity, then that great bodhisattva is able to perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, in this way, great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita with skillful means cultivate the bodhisattva path and bring it to perfection, thereby becoming able to realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating all-knowledge, apprehends neither all-knowledge, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet also does not depart from such dharmas while cultivating all-knowledge, then that great bodhisattva is able to perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating knowledge of the paths and knowledge of all aspects, apprehends neither knowledge of the paths nor knowledge of all aspects, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet also does not depart from such dharmas while cultivating knowledge of the paths and knowledge of all aspects, then that great bodhisattva is able to perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, in this way, great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita with skillful means cultivate the bodhisattva path and bring it to perfection, thereby becoming able to realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating all the practices of a great bodhisattva, apprehends neither all the practices of a great bodhisattva, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet also does not depart from such dharmas while cultivating all the practices of a great bodhisattva, then that great bodhisattva is able to perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita with skillful means and cultivating the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas, apprehends neither the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas, nor one who cultivates, nor that which is cultivated, nor the act of cultivation, yet also does not depart from such dharmas while cultivating the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas, then that great bodhisattva is able to perfect the cultivation of the bodhisattva path.

Subhuti, in this way, great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita with skillful means cultivate the bodhisattva path and bring it to perfection, thereby becoming able to realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

At that time, the Venerable Shariputra addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, how does a great bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita, courageously apply right effort to cultivate the path to enlightenment?”

The Buddha said:

“Shariputra, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita with skillful means, the bodhisattva neither joins form together nor separates form; neither joins feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness together nor separates feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Why? Because all such dharmas are devoid of any intrinsic nature that could be joined together or separated.

Shariputra, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita with skillful means, the bodhisattva neither joins the eye ayatana together nor separates the eye ayatana; neither joins the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas together nor separates the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas. Why? Because all such dharmas are devoid of any intrinsic nature that could be joined together or separated.

Shariputra, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita with skillful means, the bodhisattva neither joins the form ayatana together nor separates the form ayatana; neither joins the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas together nor separates the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas. Why? Because all such dharmas are devoid of any intrinsic nature that could be joined together or separated.

Shariputra, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita with skillful means, the bodhisattva neither joins the eye dhatu together nor separates the eye dhatu; neither joins the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus together nor separates the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus. Why? Because all such dharmas are devoid of any intrinsic nature that could be joined together or separated.

Shariputra, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita with skillful means, the bodhisattva neither joins the form dhatu together nor separates the form dhatu; neither joins the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus together nor separates the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus. Why? Because all such dharmas are devoid of any intrinsic nature that could be joined together or separated.

Shariputra, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita with skillful means, the bodhisattva neither joins the eye-consciousness dhatu together nor separates the eye-consciousness dhatu; neither joins the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus together nor separates the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus. Why? Because all such dharmas are devoid of any intrinsic nature that could be joined together or separated.

Shariputra, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita with skillful means, the bodhisattva neither joins eye-contact together nor separates eye-contact; neither joins ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact together nor separates ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact. Why? Because all such dharmas are devoid of any intrinsic nature that could be joined together or separated.”

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the feelings arisen with eye-contact as condition nor separate the feelings arisen with eye-contact as condition; they neither unite the feelings arisen with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition nor separate the feelings arisen with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the earth element nor separate the earth element; they neither unite the water, fire, air, space, and consciousness elements nor separate the water, fire, air, space, and consciousness elements. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the causal condition nor separate the causal condition; they neither unite the immediately antecedent condition, the object condition, and the dominant condition nor separate the immediately antecedent condition, the object condition, and the dominant condition. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite dharmas arisen from conditions nor separate dharmas arisen from conditions. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite ignorance nor separate ignorance; they neither unite formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress, nor separate formations through aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the perfection of generosity nor separate the perfection of generosity; they neither unite the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita nor separate the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the emptiness of the internal nor separate the emptiness of the internal; they neither unite 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 fundamental 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 intrinsic nature,

and the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence, nor separate the emptiness of the external through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence.

Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the four establishments of mindfulness nor separate the four establishments of mindfulness; they neither unite 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 nor separate the four right efforts through the Noble Eightfold Path. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the Noble Truth of suffering nor separate the Noble Truth of suffering; they neither unite the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path nor separate the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the four meditative absorptions nor separate the four meditative absorptions; they neither unite the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments nor separate the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the eight liberations nor separate the eight liberations; they neither unite the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities nor separate the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the dharani gateways nor separate the dharani gateways; they neither unite the samadhi gateways nor separate the samadhi gateways. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the gateway of liberation through emptiness nor separate the gateway of liberation through emptiness; they neither unite the gateways of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness nor separate the gateways of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the Ground of Great Joy nor separate the Ground of Great Joy; they neither unite the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Radiance, 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, nor separate the Ground of Stainlessness through the Dharma Cloud Ground. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the five kinds of eyes nor separate the five kinds of eyes; they neither unite the six superknowledges nor separate the six superknowledges. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the ten powers of a Buddha nor separate the ten powers of a Buddha; they neither unite the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, nor separate the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the thirty-two marks of a Great Person nor separate the thirty-two marks of a Great Person; they neither unite the eighty minor characteristics nor separate the eighty minor characteristics. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means, they neither unite the quality of never forgetting nor separate the quality of never forgetting; they neither unite the nature of perpetual equanimity nor separate the nature of perpetual equanimity. Why? Because such dharmas are all without any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means they neither unite the knowledge of all things nor separate the knowledge of all things; they neither unite the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects, nor separate the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects. Why? Because all such dharmas have no intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means they neither unite the fruit of stream-entry nor separate the fruit of stream-entry; they neither unite the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha, nor separate the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha. Why? Because all such dharmas have no intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means they neither unite all the practices of great bodhisattvas nor separate all the practices of great bodhisattvas; they neither unite the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas nor separate the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas. Why? Because all such dharmas have no intrinsic nature that could be united or separated.

Śāriputra! In this way, a great bodhisattva who practices prajnaparamita courageously applies right diligence in cultivating the path to enlightenment.

At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! If all dharmas are utterly devoid of any intrinsic nature that could be united or separated, how do great bodhisattvas bring forth prajnaparamita, and how do great bodhisattvas train therein?

“Blessed One! If great bodhisattvas do not train in prajnaparamita, they can never attain that which they seek—the supreme enlightenment.”

The Buddha said:

“Śāriputra! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say. If great bodhisattvas do not train in prajnaparamita, they can never attain that which they seek—the supreme enlightenment.

“Śāriputra! Great bodhisattvas must train in prajnaparamita before they can realize that which they seek—the supreme enlightenment.

“Śāriputra! The supreme enlightenment sought by great bodhisattvas can be realized only through skillful means; it cannot be realized without skillful means.

“Śāriputra! When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, if they perceived an intrinsic nature of any dharma that could be apprehended, they might grasp it. Yet since they perceive no intrinsic nature of any dharma that can be apprehended, what could they grasp?

That is to say, they do not grasp: ‘This is prajnaparamita; this is the perfection of meditative concentration; this is the perfection of diligence; this is the perfection of patience; this is the perfection of moral discipline; this is the perfection of generosity. This is form; these are feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. This is the eye ayatana; these are the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas.

This is the form ayatana; these are the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas. This is the eye dhatu; these are the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus. This is the form dhatu; these are the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus.

This is the eye-consciousness dhatu; these are the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus. This is eye-contact; these are ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact. These are the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition; these are the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as conditions.

This is the earth dhatu; these are the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus. This is the causal condition; these are the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition. These are dharmas arisen from conditions.

This is ignorance; these are volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress. This is the emptiness of the internal;

these are 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 non-change, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of defining 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.

These are the four foundations of mindfulness; these are the four right abandonments, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path. This is the Noble Truth of suffering; these are the Noble Truths of its origin, its cessation, and the path. These are the four meditative concentrations; these are the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions.

These are the eight liberations; these are the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities. This is the dharani gateway; this is the samadhi gateway. This is the gateway to liberation through emptiness; these are the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness.

This is the Stage of Great Joy; these are the Stage of Stainlessness, the Stage of Luminosity, the Stage of Blazing Wisdom, the Stage Difficult to Conquer, the Stage of the Manifest, the Far-Going Stage, the Immovable Stage, the Stage of Excellent Wisdom, and the Dharma Cloud Stage. These are the five kinds of eyes; these are the six superknowledges. These are the ten powers of a Buddha; these are the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

These are the thirty-two marks of a Great Being; these are the eighty subsidiary characteristics. This is the quality of never forgetting; this is the nature of constant equanimity. This is the knowledge of all things; these are the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects.

This is the fruit of stream-entry; these are the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha. These are all the practices of great bodhisattvas; this is the supreme enlightenment of the Buddhas. This is an ordinary being; this is a śrāvaka; this is a pratyekabuddha; this is a bodhisattva; this is a Tathagata.’

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, they know in accordance with reality that the nature of all dharmas cannot be apprehended. That is to say, prajnaparamita cannot be apprehended; the perfection of meditative concentration cannot be apprehended; the perfection of diligence cannot be apprehended; the perfection of patience cannot be apprehended; the perfection of moral discipline cannot be apprehended; and the perfection of generosity cannot be apprehended.

Form cannot be apprehended, and feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness cannot be apprehended. The eye ayatana cannot be apprehended, and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas cannot be apprehended. The form ayatana cannot be apprehended, and the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas cannot be apprehended.

The eye dhatu cannot be apprehended, and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus cannot be apprehended. The form dhatu cannot be apprehended, and the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus cannot be apprehended. The eye-consciousness dhatu cannot be apprehended, and the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus cannot be apprehended.

Eye-contact cannot be apprehended, and ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact cannot be apprehended. Feelings arising with eye-contact as condition cannot be apprehended, and feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition cannot be apprehended. The earth dhatu cannot be apprehended, and the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus cannot be apprehended.

The causal condition cannot be apprehended, and the immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, and dominant condition cannot be apprehended. Dharmas arising from conditions cannot be apprehended. Ignorance cannot be apprehended, and formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, dejection, and distress cannot be apprehended.

The emptiness of internal dharmas cannot be apprehended; the emptiness of external dharmas, the emptiness of internal and external dharmas, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned dharmas, the emptiness of unconditioned dharmas, ultimate 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 unapprehensible, the emptiness of the nature of emptiness, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of the nature of emptiness cannot be apprehended.

The four foundations of mindfulness cannot be apprehended, and the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eightfold noble path cannot be apprehended. The Noble Truth of suffering cannot be apprehended, and the Noble Truths of its origin, cessation, and the path cannot be apprehended. The four meditative concentrations cannot be apprehended, and the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations cannot be apprehended.

The eight liberations cannot be apprehended, and the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities cannot be apprehended. The dharani gateways cannot be apprehended, and the samadhi gateways cannot be apprehended. The emptiness gateway to liberation cannot be apprehended, and the signless and wishless gateways to liberation cannot be apprehended.

The Ground of Great Joy cannot be apprehended, and the Ground of Stainlessness, Ground of Luminousness, Ground of Radiant Wisdom, Ground Difficult to Conquer, Ground of Manifest Presence, Far-Going Ground, Immovable Ground, Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud Ground cannot be apprehended. The five kinds of eyes cannot be apprehended, and the six superknowledges cannot be apprehended. The Buddha’s ten powers cannot be apprehended, and the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha cannot be apprehended.

The thirty-two marks of a Great Being cannot be apprehended, and the eighty subsidiary characteristics cannot be apprehended. The dharma of never losing mindfulness cannot be apprehended, and the nature of perpetual equanimity cannot be apprehended. The knowledge of all things cannot be apprehended, and the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and knowledge of all aspects cannot be apprehended.

The fruit of stream-entry cannot be apprehended, and the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and pratyekabuddhahood cannot be apprehended. All practices of great bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended, and the supreme perfect awakening of the Buddhas cannot be apprehended. All ordinary beings cannot be apprehended, all śrāvakas cannot be apprehended, all pratyekabuddhas cannot be apprehended, all great bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended, and all Tathagatas cannot be apprehended.

Śāriputra! This perfection that cannot be apprehended is precisely the unobstructed perfection; such an unobstructed perfection is precisely prajnaparamita. Great bodhisattvas should train therein.

Śāriputra! When great bodhisattvas train therein, they do not even attain the training, much less supreme perfect awakening; much less do they attain prajnaparamita, the dharmas of bodhisattvas, the dharmas of the Buddhas, the dharmas of pratyekabuddhas, the dharmas of śrāvakas, or the dharmas of ordinary beings. Why is this? Śāriputra! It is because not even the slightest dharma possesses self-nature. In dharmas whose self-nature is the absence of nature, what can be called the dharmas of ordinary beings? What can be called the dharmas of stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, or Tathagatas?

Śāriputra! Since such dharmas cannot be apprehended, on the basis of what dharma could a pudgala be designated? Since a pudgala cannot be apprehended, how could it be said, “This is an ordinary being; this is a stream-enterer; this is a once-returner; this is a non-returner; this is an arhat; this is a pratyekabuddha; this is a great bodhisattva; this is a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One”?

At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If all dharmas are devoid of self-nature and are utterly nonexistent in reality, on what basis can it be known, “This is an ordinary being, and these are the dharmas of an ordinary being; this is a stream-enterer, and these are the dharmas of a stream-enterer; this is a once-returner, and these are the dharmas of a once-returner; this is a non-returner, and these are the dharmas of a non-returner; this is an arhat, and these are the dharmas of an arhat; this is a pratyekabuddha, and these are the dharmas of a pratyekabuddha; this is a great bodhisattva, and these are the dharmas of a great bodhisattva; this is a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One, and these are the dharmas of a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One”?

The Buddha said:

– Śāriputra! What do you think? Do form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness truly exist as foolish ordinary beings grasp them to exist?

Śāriputra replied:

– No, Blessed One! No, Well-Gone One! It is only because of cognitive distortion that foolish ordinary beings grasp them in this way.

– Śāriputra! Do the eye ayatana and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas truly exist as foolish ordinary beings grasp them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Well-Gone One! It is only because of cognitive distortion that foolish ordinary beings grasp them in this way.

– Śāriputra! Do the form ayatana and the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas truly exist as foolish ordinary beings grasp them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Well-Gone One! It is only because of cognitive distortion that foolish ordinary beings grasp them in this way.

– Śāriputra! Do the eye dhatu and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus truly exist as foolish ordinary beings grasp them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Well-Gone One! It is only because of cognitive distortion that foolish ordinary beings grasp them in this way.

– Śāriputra! Do the form dhatu and the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus truly exist as foolish ordinary beings grasp them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Well-Gone One! It is only because of cognitive distortion that foolish ordinary beings grasp them in this way.

– Śāriputra! Do the eye-consciousness dhatu and the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus truly exist as foolish ordinary beings grasp them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Well-Gone One! It is only because of cognitive distortion that foolish ordinary beings grasp them in this way.

– Sariputra, do eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, and the feelings arising with ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact as conditions, truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the earth dhatu, water dhatu, fire dhatu, wind dhatu, space dhatu, and consciousness dhatu truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the causal condition, the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the dharmas arising from conditions truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the perfection of generosity, the perfection of moral discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of prajna truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the emptiness of internal dharmas, the emptiness of external dharmas, the emptiness of internal and external dharmas, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned dharmas, the emptiness of unconditioned dharmas, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-transformation, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of specific 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 truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do 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 awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the Noble Truth of suffering, the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering, the Noble Truth of cessation, and the Noble Truth of the path truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten spheres of totality truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the dharani gateways and the samadhi gateways truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the gateway of liberation through emptiness, the gateway of liberation through signlessness, and the gateway of liberation through wishlessness truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the Ground of Great Joy, the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Radiance, 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 Ground of the Dharma Cloud truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the thirty-two marks of a Great Person and the eighty subsidiary characteristics truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the quality of never losing mindfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, arhatship, and the attainment of a pratyekabuddha truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do all the practices of great bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed awakening of the Buddhas truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

– Sariputra, do ordinary beings, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, great bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones truly exist as foolish ordinary beings conceive them to exist?

– No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! It is only because of cognitive inversion that foolish ordinary beings hold such conceptions.

The Buddha said:

– Sariputra, when great bodhisattvas cultivate the perfection of prajna, through skillful means they contemplate all dharmas as devoid of self-nature and entirely lacking true existence. Nevertheless, in accordance with worldly convention, they arouse the resolve directed toward unsurpassed awakening and expound the Dharma for sentient beings, enabling them to gain right understanding and abandon cognitive inversions.

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