大般若波羅蜜多經

02

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

“Blessed One! If, within the equality of all dharmas, all differentiated characteristics are utterly ungraspable, then should there not be no distinctions among ordinary beings, faith-followers, Dharma-followers, those of the Eighth Stage, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, assemblies of great bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, nor among all such dharmas and sentient beings?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. Within the equality of all dharmas, whether ordinary beings or noble ones, up to and including Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, there are no distinctions among dharmas or sentient beings.”

The venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! If, within the equality of all dharmas, there are no distinctions among ordinary beings, noble ones, dharmas, or sentient beings, why then do the Three Jewels appear in the world—the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel, and the Sangha Jewel?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! What do you think? Are the Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha different from the nature of equality?”

Subhuti replied:

“As I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has taught, the Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are in no way different from the nature of equality.

“Blessed One! Whether the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel, the Sangha Jewel, or the nature of equality, all such things are neither conjoined nor unconjoined; they are without form, invisible, without resistance, and of one characteristic—namely, the absence of characteristics. Yet within the absence of characteristics, the Buddha, the Blessed One, through skillful means, establishes distinctions among dharmas and so forth, saying: ‘This is an ordinary being; this is a faith-follower; this is a Dharma-follower; this is one of the Eighth Stage; 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, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One.’”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. Through skillful means concerning dharmas, the Tathagata is able to establish distinctions among dharmas and so forth within the absence of characteristics.

“Furthermore, Subhuti, what do you think? If Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones did not realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, or, even after realizing unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, did not establish for sentient beings the differentiated characteristics of dharmas, would sentient beings be able to know for themselves: ‘This is hell; this is the animal realm; this is the realm of ghosts; this is the human realm; this is the heaven of the Four Great Kings; this is the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; this is the Yama Heaven; this is the Tusita Heaven; this is the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations; this is the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Emanations; this is the Heaven of the Brahma Assembly; this is the Heaven of the Ministers of Brahma;

this is the Heaven of the Retinue of Brahma; this is the Great Brahma Heaven; this is the Heaven of Light; this is the Heaven of Lesser Light; this is the Heaven of Immeasurable Light; this is the Heaven of Utmost Radiant Purity; this is the Heaven of Purity; this is the Heaven of Lesser Purity; this is the Heaven of Immeasurable Purity; this is the Heaven of Universal Purity; this is the Heaven of Vastness; this is the Heaven of Lesser Vastness; this is the Heaven of Immeasurable Vastness; this is the Heaven of the Vast Fruit; this is the Heaven of Non-Perception; this is the Heaven Free from Affliction; this is the Heaven Free from Heat; this is the Heaven of Excellent Manifestation; this is the Heaven of Excellent Vision; this is the Akanistha Heaven;

this is the Sphere of Infinite Space; this is the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness; this is the Sphere of Nothingness; this is the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; 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 produced with eye-contact as condition; these are the feelings produced with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition; this is the earth dhatu; these are the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus; this is the causal condition; this is the immediately preceding condition; this is the objective condition; this is the dominant condition; these are dharmas arising from conditions; this is ignorance; these are volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress; these are worldly dharmas; these are supramundane dharmas;

these are contaminated dharmas; these are uncontaminated dharmas; these are conditioned dharmas; these are unconditioned dharmas; this is the perfection of generosity; these are the perfections of pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajnaparamita, skillful means, sublime vows, power, and knowledge; these are the four foundations of mindfulness; these are 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; 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 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; this is suchness;

these are the dharma-dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the reality-limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; this is the Noble Truth of suffering; these are the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path; these are the four meditative absorptions; these are the four immeasurables and the four formless attainments; these are the eight liberations; these are the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities; this is the dharani gateway; this is the samadhi gateway; this is the emptiness gateway to liberation; these are the signless and wishless gateways to liberation;

this is the Stage of Utmost Joy; these are the Stage of Freedom from Defilement, the Stage of Radiance, the Stage of Blazing Wisdom, the Stage Difficult to Conquer, the Stage of Direct Presence, the Stage of Far-Reaching, the Stage of Immovability, the Stage of Excellent Wisdom, and the Stage of the Dharma Cloud; these are the five kinds of eyes; these are the six superknowledges; these are the Buddha’s ten powers; these are 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; these are the thirty-two marks of a Great Being; these are the eighty subsidiary characteristics; this is the Dharma of never losing mindfulness;

this is the nature of perpetual equanimity; this is the knowledge of all things; these are the knowledge of the characteristics of paths and the knowledge of all characteristics; these are all sublime characteristics, vows, and knowledge; this is the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge; this is the Buddha Jewel; this is the Dharma Jewel; this is the Sangha Jewel; this is the Sravaka Vehicle; this is the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle; this is the Supreme Vehicle; this is a faith-follower; this is a Dharma-follower; this is one of the Eighth Stage; 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, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One’?

Could the various kinds of sentient beings know for themselves all such differentiated characteristics?”

Subhuti replied:

“No, Blessed One! No, Sugata! If the Buddha did not establish such differentiated characteristics for sentient beings, they would be unable to know such differentiated characteristics for themselves.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Therefore, although the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, through skillful means concerning dharmas without characteristics, establishes all kinds of differentiated characteristics for sentient beings, there is absolutely no disturbance whatsoever of the equal dharma-nature of all dharmas.”

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

“Blessed One, is it the case that the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, is entirely unmoved with respect to the equal Dharma-nature of all dharmas? If so, are all foolish ordinary beings likewise unmoved with respect to the equal Dharma-nature of all dharmas? If so, are those who practice in accordance with faith, those who practice in accordance with the Dharma, those at the eighth stage, Stream-enterers, Once-returners, Non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and great bodhisattvas likewise unmoved with respect to the equal Dharma-nature of all dharmas?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, so it is! So it is! Since all dharmas and all sentient beings do not transcend the equal Dharma-nature, they are entirely unmoved with respect to the equal Dharma-nature of all dharmas.

“Subhuti, you should know that the true suchness, Dharma-realm, Dharma-nature, nature free from falsity, unchanging nature, nature of equality, nature free from arising, fixed order of Dharma, abiding of Dharma, reality-limit, realm of space, and inconceivable realm of all Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones are precisely the true suchness, Dharma-realm, Dharma-nature, nature free from falsity, unchanging nature, nature of equality, nature free from arising, fixed order of Dharma, abiding of Dharma, reality-limit, realm of space, and inconceivable realm of foolish ordinary beings.

They are also the true suchness, Dharma-realm, Dharma-nature, nature free from falsity, unchanging nature, nature of equality, nature free from arising, fixed order of Dharma, abiding of Dharma, reality-limit, realm of space, and inconceivable realm of those who practice in accordance with faith, those who practice in accordance with the Dharma, those at the eighth stage, Stream-enterers, Once-returners, Non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and great bodhisattvas.

Why is this? Subhuti, it is because all dharmas and all sentient beings do not transcend true suchness, the Dharma-realm, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the fixed order of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the reality-limit, the realm of space, or the inconceivable realm.

“Subhuti, you should know that true suchness, through to the inconceivable realm, is without differentiation in nature.”

The venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If the equality of the Dharma-nature of all dharmas is the equality of the Dharma-nature of ordinary beings, and is also the equality of the Dharma-nature of faith-followers, Dharma-followers, those at the eighth stage, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, great bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, then, since the characteristics of all dharmas and sentient beings differ, their Dharma-natures should also differ. Thus, their Dharma-natures should also be different: because the characteristic of form differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the eye ayatana differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the form ayatana differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object ayatanas differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the eye dhatu differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the form dhatu differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object dhatus differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the eye-consciousness dhatu differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of eye-contact differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition differ, their natures should also differ; because the characteristics of the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the earth dhatu differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the causal condition differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, and dominant condition differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of dharmas arising from conditions differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of ignorance differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of greed differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of hatred and delusion differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the views and attachments of ordinary beings differs, its nature should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of the four dhyanas differ, their natures should also differ; because the characteristics of the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of the four foundations of mindfulness differ, their natures should also differ; because the characteristics of the four right efforts, four bases of spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and eight factors of the Noble Path differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the liberation gateway of emptiness differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the emptiness of the internal differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics 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 non-change, 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 differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the Noble Truth of suffering differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the Noble Truths of origin, cessation, and the path differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the perfection of generosity differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the prajnaparamitas of pure ethical discipline, patience, vigor, dhyana, prajna, skillful means, sublime vows, power, and knowledge differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of the eight liberations differ, their natures should also differ; because the characteristics of the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of all dharani gateways differ, their natures should also differ; because the characteristics of all samadhi gateways differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the Ground of Utmost Joy differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the Grounds of Stainlessness, Luminousness, Blazing Wisdom, Difficult to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-Going, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of the five kinds of eyes differ, their natures should also differ; because the characteristics of the six superknowledges differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of the Buddha’s ten powers differ, their natures should also differ; because the characteristics of the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being differ, their natures should also differ; because the characteristics of the eighty subsidiary signs differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the Dharma of never losing mindfulness differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristic of the nature of perpetual equanimity differs, its nature should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of the knowledge of all differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of the knowledge of the aspects of paths and the knowledge of all aspects differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristic of foolish ordinary beings differs, its nature should also differ; because the characteristics of faith-followers, Dharma-followers, those at the eighth stage, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, great bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different; because the characteristics of worldly and supramundane dharmas differ, their natures should also differ; because the characteristics of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas, conditioned and unconditioned dharmas, differ, their natures should also differ, and thus their Dharma-natures should also be different.

“Blessed One! How can the single characteristic of the Dharma-nature be established with regard to the differing characteristics of dharmas? When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how can he refrain from discriminating that dharmas and sentient beings possess various natures?

If a great bodhisattva does not discriminate that dharmas and sentient beings possess various natures, he should be unable to practice prajnaparamita. If he is unable to practice prajnaparamita, he should be unable to progress from one stage to another. If he is unable to progress from one stage to another, he should be unable to enter the bodhisattva’s assurance of the non-arising of dharmas and transcend the stages of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

If he is unable to enter the bodhisattva’s assurance of the non-arising of dharmas and transcend the stages of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, he should be unable to perfect the paramita of supernormal powers. If he is unable to perfect the paramita of supernormal powers, he should be unable to perfect the paramitas of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajna, skillful means, sublime vows, power, and knowledge.

If he is unable to perfect the paramitas from generosity through knowledge, he should be unable, through the play of supernormal powers, to travel from one Buddha-field to another and reverently make offerings to, honor, and praise the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones. He should also be unable to plant roots of virtue in the presence of the Buddhas. If he is unable to plant roots of virtue in the presence of the Buddhas, he should be unable to bring sentient beings to maturity and adorn and purify Buddha-fields.

If he is unable to bring sentient beings to maturity and adorn and purify Buddha-fields, he should be unable to attain unsurpassed perfect awakening.”

The Buddha said:

– “Subhuti! As you have said, if the equal Dharma-nature of all dharmas is the equal Dharma-nature of ordinary beings and is also the equal Dharma-nature of faith-followers, Dharma-followers, those at the eighth stage, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, great bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones, then, because the characteristics of all dharmas and sentient beings differ, their natures should also differ, and consequently their Dharma-natures should differ as well. How, then, can the single characteristic of the Dharma-nature be established with regard to the differing characteristics of dharmas and so forth? And when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, how can he refrain from discriminating that dharmas and sentient beings possess various natures?

“Subhuti, what do you think? Is the Dharma-nature of form emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the eye ayatana emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object ayatanas emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the eye dhatu emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the form dhatu emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object dhatus emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the eye-consciousness dhatu emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of eye-contact emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the feelings produced with eye-contact as condition emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the feelings produced with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the earth dhatu emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the causal condition emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the immediately preceding condition, objective condition, and dominant condition emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of dharmas arisen from conditions emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of ignorance emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of greed emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of hatred and delusion emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the views and attachments of ordinary beings emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the four meditative concentrations emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the four immeasurables and four formless attainments emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the four foundations of mindfulness emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the four right efforts, four bases of supernormal power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and eight factors of the noble path emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the emptiness gateway to liberation emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the signless and wishless gateways to liberation emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of inner emptiness emptiness? Is the Dharma-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-change, 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 emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the Noble Truth of suffering emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the paramita of generosity emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the paramitas of pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajna, skillful means, sublime vows, power, and knowledge emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the eight liberations emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, and ten totalities emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of all dharani gateways emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of all samadhi gateways emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the Stage of Utmost Joy emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the Stages of Stainlessness, Luminousness, Blazing Wisdom, Hard to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-Reaching, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the five kinds of eyes emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the six superknowledges emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the Tathagata’s ten powers emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the four fearlessnesses, four unhindered understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the eighty subsidiary characteristics emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the quality of never losing mindfulness emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of constant equanimity emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of the knowledge of all things emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of the knowledge of path aspects and the knowledge of all aspects emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of foolish ordinary beings emptiness?

Is the Dharma-nature of faith-followers, Dharma-followers, those at the eighth stage, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, great bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of mundane and supramundane dharmas emptiness? Is the Dharma-nature of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas, and conditioned and unconditioned dharmas emptiness?”

Subhuti replied:

– “Blessed One! So it is! Well-Gone One! So it is! The Dharma-nature of all dharmas is emptiness.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? Within emptiness, can the distinctive characteristics of the various dharmas and so forth be apprehended? That is, can the distinctive characteristics of form be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the eye ayatana be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the form ayatana be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the eye dhatu be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the form dhatu be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the eye-consciousness dhatu be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of eye-contact be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the earth dhatu be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the causal condition be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the predominant condition be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of dharmas arising from conditions be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of ignorance be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of greed be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of hatred and delusion be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the views and attachments of foolish ordinary beings be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the four dhyanas be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the four foundations of mindfulness be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eight factors of the Noble Path be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the emptiness gateway to liberation be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the signless and wishless gateways to liberation be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the emptiness of internal dharmas be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of 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-change, 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 emptiness-nature,

the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness-nature be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the Noble Truth of suffering be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, cessation, and the path be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the perfection of generosity be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the perfections of ethical discipline, patience, vigor, dhyana, prajnaparamita, skillful means, sublime aspiration, power, and wisdom be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the eight liberations be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of all dharani gateways be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of all samadhi gateways be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the Ground of Supreme Joy be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the Ground Free from Defilement, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Ground of Radiance, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Ground of Far-Reaching, the Ground of Immovability, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Ground of the Dharma Cloud be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the five kinds of eyes be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the six superknowledges be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the Tathagata’s ten powers be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of 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 be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the eighty subsidiary characteristics be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the quality of never forgetting be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of the nature of constant equanimity be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the knowledge of all things be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of foolish ordinary beings be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of faith-followers, Dharma-followers, those at the eighth stage, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, solitary buddhas, great bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones be apprehended? Can the distinctive characteristics of mundane and supramundane dharmas be apprehended?

Can the distinctive characteristics of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas, and conditioned and unconditioned dharmas, be apprehended?”

Subhuti replied:

“No, World-Honored One! No, Well-Gone One! Within emptiness, none of these distinctive characteristics can be apprehended.”

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Therefore, you should know that the equality of dharma-nature is not form, nor is it apart from form; it is not feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, nor is it apart from feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; it is not the eye ayatana, nor is it apart from the eye ayatana; it is not the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana, nor is it apart from the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana; it is not the form ayatana, nor is it apart from the form ayatana; it is not the sound, odor, taste, touch, or mental-object ayatana, nor is it apart from the sound, odor, taste, touch, or mental-object ayatana; it is not the eye dhatu, nor is it apart from the eye dhatu; it is not the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu, nor is it apart from the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu; it is not the form dhatu, nor is it apart from the form dhatu; it is not the sound, odor, taste, touch, or mental-object dhatu, nor is it apart from the sound, odor, taste, touch, or mental-object dhatu; it is not the eye-consciousness dhatu, nor is it apart from the eye-consciousness dhatu; it is not the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu, nor is it apart from the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu; it is not eye-contact, nor is it apart from eye-contact; it is not ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact, nor is it apart from ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact; it is not the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, nor is it apart from the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition; it is not the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition, nor is it apart from the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition; it is not the earth dhatu, nor is it apart from the earth dhatu; it is not the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu, nor is it apart from the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu; it is not the causal condition, nor is it apart from the causal condition; it is not the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, or the dominant condition, nor is it apart from the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, or the dominant condition; it is not the dharmas arising from conditions, nor is it apart from the dharmas arising from conditions; it is not ignorance, nor is it apart from ignorance; it is not formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or distress, nor is it apart from formations through aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress; it is not greed, nor is it apart from greed; it is not hatred or delusion, nor is it apart from hatred or delusion; it is not the various adherence to views, nor is it apart from the various adherence to views; it is not the four dhyanas, nor is it apart from the four dhyanas; it is not the four immeasurables or the four formless concentrations, nor is it apart from the four immeasurables or the four formless concentrations; it is not the four foundations of mindfulness, nor is it apart from the four foundations of mindfulness; it is not the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, or the eight factors of the Noble Path, nor is it apart from the four right efforts through the eight factors of the Noble Path; it is not the emptiness gateway to liberation, nor is it apart from the emptiness gateway to liberation; it is not the signlessness or wishlessness gateway to liberation, nor is it apart from the signlessness or wishlessness gateway to liberation; it is not the emptiness of internal dharmas, nor is it apart from the emptiness of internal dharmas; it is not 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 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 unobtainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, or the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, nor is it apart from the emptiness of external dharmas through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; it is not the Noble Truth of suffering, nor is it apart from the Noble Truth of suffering; it is not the Noble Truths of origin, cessation, or the path, nor is it apart from the Noble Truths of origin, cessation, or the path; it is not the perfection of generosity, nor is it apart from the perfection of generosity; it is not the perfection of pure morality, patience, diligence, dhyana, prajna, skillful means, sublime vows, power, or knowledge, nor is it apart from the perfection of pure morality through the perfection of knowledge; it is not the eight liberations, nor is it apart from the eight liberations; it is not the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, or the ten totalities, nor is it apart from the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, or the ten totalities; it is not all dharani gateways, nor is it apart from all dharani gateways; it is not all samadhi gateways, nor is it apart from all samadhi gateways; it is not the Ground of Great Joy, nor is it apart from the Ground of Great Joy; it is not 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, or the Dharma-Cloud Ground, nor is it apart from the Ground of Stainlessness through the Dharma-Cloud Ground; it is not the five kinds of eyes, nor is it apart from the five kinds of eyes; it is not the six superknowledges, nor is it apart from the six superknowledges; it is not the ten powers of a Buddha, nor is it apart from the ten powers of a Buddha; it is not the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, nor is it apart from the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; it is not the thirty-two marks of a Great Being, nor is it apart from the thirty-two marks of a Great Being; it is not the eighty subsidiary characteristics, nor is it apart from the eighty subsidiary characteristics; it is not the quality of never forgetting, nor is it apart from the quality of never forgetting; it is not the nature of perpetual equanimity, nor is it apart from the nature of perpetual equanimity; it is not the knowledge of all things, nor is it apart from the knowledge of all things; it is not the knowledge of the aspects of the paths or the knowledge of all aspects, nor is it apart from the knowledge of the aspects of the paths or the knowledge of all aspects; it is not an ignorant ordinary person, nor is it apart from an ignorant ordinary person; it is not a faith-follower, a Dharma-follower, one at the eighth stage, a stream-enterer, a once-returner, a non-returner, an arhat, a pratyekabuddha, a great bodhisattva, or a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, nor is it apart from a faith-follower through a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One; it is not worldly or supramundane dharmas, nor is it apart from worldly or supramundane dharmas; it is not contaminated or uncontaminated dharmas, conditioned or unconditioned dharmas, nor is it apart from contaminated or uncontaminated dharmas, conditioned or unconditioned dharmas.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! Is the equality of dharma-nature conditioned or unconditioned?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! The equality of dharma-nature is neither conditioned nor unconditioned. Yet apart from conditioned and unconditioned dharmas, it cannot be apprehended; and apart from unconditioned dharmas, conditioned dharmas also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti! Whether the realm of the conditioned or the realm of the unconditioned, these two realms are neither associated nor unassociated; they are without form, invisible, without resistance, and of a single characteristic, namely, no characteristic. All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones speak in dependence upon worldly convention, not on the basis of ultimate meaning. Why? Because bodily activity, verbal activity, and mental activity cannot exist within ultimate meaning; yet apart from bodily activity, verbal activity, and mental activity, ultimate meaning also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti! You should know that the equality of the dharma-nature of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas is itself called ultimate meaning. Therefore, when a great bodhisattva practices the perfection of prajna, without disturbing ultimate meaning, the bodhisattva carries out the practices of a great bodhisattva, brings sentient beings to maturity, purifies and adorns Buddha-fields, and is able to attain the fruit of unsurpassed awakening.

LXXVI. CHAPTER ON THE IMMOVABILITY OF DHARMA-NATURE

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! If the equal dharma-nature of all dharmas is empty of intrinsic nature, and if this emptiness of intrinsic nature, with respect to existent and nonexistent dharmas, is neither an agent nor something acted upon, then how does a great bodhisattva, when practicing the perfection of prajna, carry out the deeds a bodhisattva should perform without disturbing ultimate meaning—namely, benefiting sentient beings through generosity, kind speech, beneficial conduct, and cooperation?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. The equal Dharma-nature of all dharmas is their intrinsic emptiness, yet this intrinsic emptiness is neither an agent nor an object of action with respect to existent or nonexistent dharmas.

Subhuti! If sentient beings themselves knew that all dharmas are empty in their intrinsic nature, the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, and the assemblies of great bodhisattvas would not manifest supernormal powers and perform rare deeds. Although unmoving within the intrinsic emptiness of all dharmas, they enable sentient beings to abandon every kind of deluded and inverted conception, abide in the emptiness of all dharmas, and become liberated from the suffering of birth and death.

That is, they enable sentient beings to abandon the conception of a self, the conception of a sentient being, the conception of a living being, the conception of one capable of arising, the conception of one who is nurtured, the conception of one who matures, the conception of an agent of transmigration, the conception of a mind-born being, the conception of a youth, the conception of one capable of acting, the conception of one capable of causing others to act, the conception of one capable of creating karma, the conception of one capable of causing others to create karma, the conception of one capable of receiving karmic results, the conception of one capable of causing others to receive karmic results, the conception of a knower, the conception of one capable of causing others to know,

the conception of a seer, and the conception of one capable of causing others to see.

They also enable them to abandon conceptions of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; conceptions of the eye ayatana and of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas; conceptions of the form ayatana and of the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas; conceptions of the form dhatu and of the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus; conceptions of the eye-consciousness dhatu and of the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus; conceptions of eye-contact and of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact; conceptions of the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition and of the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition;

conceptions of the earth dhatu and of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus; conceptions of the causal condition, the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the predominant condition; conceptions of dharmas arising from conditions; conceptions of ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress; conceptions of worldly and supramundane dharmas; conceptions of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas; and conceptions of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas.

They cause them to abide in the unconditioned realm and become liberated from the suffering of birth and death. The unconditioned realm is precisely the emptiness of all dharmas; it is conventionally designated the unconditioned realm.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! By virtue of what emptiness are all dharmas said to be empty?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Because conceptions are empty, all dharmas are said to be empty.

Furthermore, Subhuti, what do you think? If a magically created body were in turn to create various things, would those things be real and not empty?

Subhuti replied:

– Blessed One! No! Sugata! No! Magically created things have absolutely no reality; they are all empty.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Magical creation and emptiness—these two dharmas are neither joined nor separated. Both dharmas are empty; because they are empty, they are empty. One should not distinguish one as emptiness and the other as magical creation. Why? Subhuti! Because within the nature of emptiness, neither emptiness nor magical creation can be apprehended, for all dharmas are ultimately empty.

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is no form that is not a magical creation, and there is no feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no eye ayatana that is not a magical creation, and there is no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no form ayatana that is not a magical creation, and there is no sound, odor, taste, touch, or dharma ayatana that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no eye dhatu that is not a magical creation, and there is no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no form dhatu that is not a magical creation, and there is no sound, odor, taste, touch, or dharma dhatu that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no eye-consciousness dhatu that is not a magical creation, and there is no ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There are no feelings arising with eye-contact as condition that are not magical creations, and there are no feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition that are not magical creations. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no earth dhatu that is not a magical creation, and there is no water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no causal condition that is not a magical creation, and there is no immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, or predominant condition that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There are no dharmas arising from conditions that are not magical creations. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no ignorance that is not a magical creation, and there are no formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or distress that are not magical creations. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no perfection of generosity that is not a magical creation, and there is no prajnaparamita of pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajna, skillful means, sublime vows, powers, or knowledge that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There are no four establishments of mindfulness that are not magical creations, and there are no four right efforts, four bases of supernormal power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, or eight factors of the Noble Path that are not magical creations. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no gateway to liberation through emptiness that is not a magical creation, and there is no gateway to liberation through signlessness or wishlessness that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no emptiness of the internal that is not a magical creation, and there is no emptiness of the external, emptiness of the internal and external, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without bounds, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of the unchanging, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the unapprehensible, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, or emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no Noble Truth of suffering that is not a magical creation, and there is no Noble Truth of its origin, cessation, or the path that is not a magical creation. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There are no four meditative concentrations that are not magical creations, and there are no four immeasurables or four formless absorptions that are not magical creations. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There are no eight liberations that are not magical creations, and there are no eight spheres of mastery, nine successive absorptions, or ten spheres of totality that are not magical creations. All these magical creations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no dharani gateway that is not a magical transformation, and there is no samadhi gateway that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no Ground of Utmost Joy that is not a magical transformation; there is no Ground of Stainlessness, Ground of Luminousness, Ground of Blazing Wisdom, Ground Difficult to Conquer, Ground of Direct Presence, Far-Going Ground, Immovable Ground, Ground of Excellent Wisdom, or Ground of Dharma Cloud that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Subhuti! There is none of the five kinds of eyes that is not a magical transformation, and there is none of the six superknowledges that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Subhuti! There is none of the Buddha’s ten powers that is not a magical transformation; there is none of the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Subhuti! There is none of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being that is not a magical transformation, and there is none of the eighty subsidiary characteristics that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no quality of never losing mindfulness that is not a magical transformation, and there is no nature of constant equanimity that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no knowledge of all things that is not a magical transformation, and there is no knowledge of the aspects of the path or knowledge of all aspects that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no fruit of stream-entry that is not a magical transformation; there is no fruit of once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship, nor the attainment of a pratyekabuddha, that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Subhuti! There is no practice of a great bodhisattva that is not a magical transformation, and there is no supreme awakening of the Buddhas that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Subhuti! The various kinds of pudgalas are designated in dependence upon such dharmas: ordinary persons, followers through faith, followers of the Dharma, those in the eighth stage, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, great bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Awakened Ones. Among all these, there is no dharma that is not a magical transformation. All such magical transformations are empty.

Then the Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! The skandhas, ayatanas, dhatus, dependent origination, dependently arisen phenomena, the factors of dependent origination, and so forth, which belong to the world, are all magical transformations. Are the paramitas; the thirty-seven factors conducive to awakening; the three gateways to liberation; all forms of emptiness; the Noble Truths; the four dhyanas, four immeasurables, and four formless absorptions; the eight liberations, eight spheres of mastery, nine successive absorptions, and ten totalities; the dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; the ten bodhisattva grounds; the five kinds of eyes and six superknowledges;

the Buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and eighty subsidiary characteristics; the quality of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; the knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the path, and knowledge of all aspects; the attainments realized through these dharmas; and the various kinds of pudgalas designated in dependence upon these dharmas—are these too not magical transformations?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! All worldly and supramundane dharmas are magical transformations. Among them, however, some dharmas are transformations manifested by shravakas, some are transformations manifested by pratyekabuddhas, some are transformations manifested by bodhisattvas, some are transformations manifested by Tathagatas, some are transformations produced by afflictions, and some are transformations produced by wholesome dharmas.

“Subhuti! For this reason, it is said that all dharmas are alike in being magical transformations, without distinction.”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! There are fruits of abandonment: the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the attainment of a pratyekabuddha, and the attainment of a Tathagata, in which the continuing afflictive habitual tendencies are forever eliminated. Are these too not magical transformations?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! If such dharmas are conjoined with the two characteristics of arising and cessation, they too are all magical transformations.”

“Blessed One! What dharma is not a magical transformation?”

“Subhuti! Any dharma that is not conjoined with the characteristics of arising and cessation is not a magical transformation.”

“Blessed One! What dharma is not conjoined with the characteristics of arising and cessation?”

“Subhuti! The undeceiving dharma is nirvana. This dharma is not conjoined with the characteristics of arising and cessation; therefore, it is not a magical transformation.”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“As the Blessed One has taught, the Dharma-nature is equal in all things; all is empty, immovable, and without any duality that can be apprehended. There is not even the slightest dharma that is not empty of its own nature. How, then, can it be said that nirvana is not a magical transformation?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! So it is! So it is! It is just as you have said. There is not even the slightest dharma that is not empty of its own nature. This emptiness of own-nature is not made by shravakas, not made by pratyekabuddhas, not made by bodhisattvas, not made by Tathagatas, nor made by anyone else. Whether Buddhas appear or do not appear, its nature is always empty; this itself is nirvana. Therefore, I say that nirvana is not a magical transformation. It is not that there truly exists a dharma called nirvana of which it may be said that it is unarisen, unceasing, and not a magical transformation.”

Fascicle 397

THE END