摩訶般若波羅蜜經

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling on Mount Gridhrakuta near the city of Rajagriha, together with a great Sangha of more than five thousand bhikshus. All were arhats whose outflows had been exhausted and whose afflictions had ended; their minds were liberated and their wisdom was liberated. Their minds and intentions were disciplined and gentle.

They were great dragons and elephants. They had accomplished what was to be done and attained their own benefit. They had completely purified themselves of the fetters, laid down the burden of delusion and karma, and were capable of bearing the true Dharma.

Through right knowledge, they had attained liberation. Only the Venerable Ananda remained at the stage of one who still had more to learn, having attained the fruit of stream-entry.

There were also five hundred bhikshunis, upasakas, and upasikas who had perceived the noble truths.

There were also great bodhisattvas who had all attained the dharani gateways and samadhi gateways. They practiced emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and had attained impartial acceptance and unobstructed retention. They had all attained the five superknowledges and were no longer indolent.

They had renounced fame and gain, and taught the Dharma without seeking recompense. Whatever words they spoke were revered and trusted by all. Having realized profound acceptance of the Dharma, they had attained the powers of fearlessness.

They were liberated from all demonic deeds and karmic obstructions and skillfully expounded the Dharma of causes and conditions. For countless kalpas they had made great vows. Their countenances were harmonious and joyful, and they always greeted others first.

Their speech was gentle, and amid the great assembly they were self-possessed and fearless. For countless hundreds of millions of kalpas they had skillfully taught the Dharma. They clearly knew that all dharmas are like illusions, mirages, the moon reflected in water, empty space, echoes, shadows, dreams, cities of gandharvas, images in a mirror, and magical transformations.

They had attained unobstructed fearlessness, clearly knew the mental activities of sentient beings, and delivered them through subtle, wondrous wisdom. These bodhisattvas had perfected great, unobstructed acceptance in accordance with reality. They vowed to receive and uphold immeasurable Buddha-worlds and were mindful of immeasurable worlds.

The Buddhas in right concentration were constantly present before them. They could invoke immeasurable Buddhas, eradicate all views and afflictions, and produce and freely course in hundreds of thousands of myriads of samadhis. These great bodhisattvas had perfected immeasurable virtues such as these.

Their names were Bodhisattva Bhadra, Bodhisattva Kenanagara, Bodhisattva Guide, Bodhisattva Naradatta, Bodhisattva Star Attainment, Bodhisattva Water Deva, Bodhisattva Lord of Devas, Bodhisattva Great Resolve, Bodhisattva Increasing Resolve, Bodhisattva Augmenting Resolve, Bodhisattva Unfailing Vision, Bodhisattva Excellent Advancement, Bodhisattva World-Victorious, Bodhisattva Ever Diligent, Bodhisattva Never Abandoning Vigor, Bodhisattva Sun Treasury, Bodhisattva Unfailing Resolve, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva Manjushri, Bodhisattva Bearer of the Jeweled Seal, Bodhisattva Ever-Raised Hand, and Bodhisattva Maitreya.

There were hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of nayutas of such great bodhisattvas. All these great bodhisattvas were bound to only one more birth and destined to succeed to Buddhahood.

At that time, the Blessed One personally arranged the lion throne, then sat upright in the full lotus posture, gathered his mindfulness, and entered the samadhi called King of All Gateways. Afterward, the Buddha serenely emerged from samadhi and, with his divine eye, surveyed the worlds. His entire body smiled, and from the thousand-spoked wheel marks on the soles of his feet he emitted six million kotis of rays of light.

From each of his ten toes, his two ankles, two calves, two knees, two thighs, waist, back, navel, abdomen, sides, chest, swastika mark, shoulders, arms, ten fingers, neck, mouth, forty teeth, nose, eyes, ears, white urna, and ushnisha—from every place upon the Buddha’s body—he emitted six million kotis of rays of light. From these rays issued a great radiance that universally illuminated the great trichiliocosm. It then illuminated Buddha-worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions, and from there the radiance passed beyond still more worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions.

Any sentient being who encountered this radiance was assured of attaining unsurpassed complete perfect enlightenment.

Every pore throughout the Buddha’s body also smiled and emitted rays of light that universally illuminated the great trichiliocosm and extended to worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions. Any sentient being who encountered this radiance was assured of attaining unsurpassed complete perfect enlightenment.

The Blessed One again emitted his customary radiance, which universally illuminated the great trichiliocosm and extended to worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions. Any sentient being who encountered this radiance was assured of attaining unsurpassed complete perfect enlightenment.

Joyfully smiling, the Blessed One displayed his broad and long tongue, which covered the entire great trichiliocosm, and emitted immeasurable thousands of myriads of kotis of rays of light. Each ray transformed into a thousand-petaled jeweled lotus of golden hue. Upon every jeweled lotus sat an emanated Buddha in the full lotus posture, proclaiming the six paramitas. Any sentient being who heard this teaching was assured of attaining unsurpassed complete perfect enlightenment. This radiance also illuminated worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions, where jeweled lotuses likewise appeared and emanated Buddhas taught the Dharma in the same way.

At that time, while still seated upon the lion throne, the Buddha entered the Lion’s Play Samadhi. Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, the entire great trichiliocosm quaked in six ways, causing all beings to become harmonious and joyful.

Within this great trichiliocosm, beings in the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, and those in the eight difficult circumstances were all reborn in the heavens, from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Heaven of Those Who Delight in Others’ Emanations. These devas remembered their former lives and were filled with great joy. Together they approached the place where the Buddha was dwelling, bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet, and sat to one side. Worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions also quaked in six ways, and beings in the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, and those in the eight difficult circumstances were all reborn in the six heavens of the desire realm.

At that time, among the sentient beings in this great trichiliocosm, the blind gained sight, the deaf gained hearing, the mute gained speech, the insane regained sanity, the disturbed became composed, the sick were healed, the disabled were freed from their impairments, the unclothed received clothing, and the hungry and thirsty received food and drink.

All beings brought forth wholesome minds and regarded one another as parents, brothers, and sisters of the same family. Together they practiced the ten wholesome courses of karma and purely cultivated the holy life without transgression. Their minds were tranquil and blissful, like those of a bhikshu who has entered the third dhyana. They all attained excellent wisdom, conducted themselves in accordance with the precepts, and caused no harm or distress to others.

Seated upon the lion throne, the Blessed One’s radiant form, awesome virtue, majestic grandeur, and supreme dignity surpassed the entire great trichiliocosm and worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions, just as Mount Sumeru towers radiantly above all other mountains.

When the Blessed One manifested his ordinary body to the sentient beings within the great trichiliocosm, humans, nonhumans, and devas of the desire realm and form realm brought celestial flowers, celestial incense, and celestial necklaces and scattered them over the Buddha. These precious flowers and fragrances remained suspended in the air and transformed into a great jeweled pavilion hung with strands of jewels and adorned with multicolored jeweled canopies that covered the great trichiliocosm. Because of this, the entire great trichiliocosm became golden in color, and the same occurred throughout worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions.

The sentient beings of this world and those of the worlds throughout the ten directions each thought that the Buddha was teaching the Dharma solely for them.

The Blessed One smiled joyfully, and from the Buddha’s mouth issued a radiance that universally illuminated the great trichiliocosm. Through this radiance, sentient beings all saw the Buddhas and Sanghas in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions. The sentient beings in those worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions also saw Buddha Shakyamuni and the great assembly in this great trichiliocosm.

To the east, beyond worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there was a land called Many Treasures, presided over by the Buddha Accumulation of Treasures. That Buddha was then teaching the prajnaparamita to the great bodhisattvas. In that land was a bodhisattva named Universal Radiance.

Seeing the light, the earth tremors, and the body of Buddha Shakyamuni, he approached the Buddha Accumulation of Treasures and asked about their cause. The Buddha Accumulation of Treasures told him that these were manifestations of the spiritual power of Buddha Shakyamuni, who dwelt in the Saha world, worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges to the west. Shakyamuni was about to proclaim the prajnaparamita for the assembly of great bodhisattvas.

Bodhisattva Universal Radiance said to the Buddha Accumulation of Treasures, “I now wish to go and bow to and make offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni, and to meet the great bodhisattvas.” The Buddha Accumulation of Treasures gave his consent and entrusted to Bodhisattva Universal Radiance a golden thousand-petaled lotus, saying, “Take this flower and offer it to Buddha Shakyamuni. You should go single-mindedly and reverently to the Saha world.

It is exceedingly difficult for bodhisattvas to be born in that land.”

Bodhisattva Universal Radiance received the golden thousand-petaled lotus, took leave of the Buddha Accumulation of Treasures, and, together with an innumerable assembly bearing flowers, incense, banners, and canopies, went to where Buddha Shakyamuni was. They bowed at his feet, and Universal Radiance said, “The Buddha Accumulation of Treasures sends his greetings and presents this flower as an offering.”

Buddha Shakyamuni received the golden thousand-petaled lotus and cast it toward the east as an offering to Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. That lotus transformed into flowers as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, filling all the worlds to the east, likewise as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Upon each lotus sat a conjured bodhisattva in full lotus posture, teaching the six paramitas. Anyone who heard this Dharma was assured of attaining unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

The assembly accompanying Bodhisattva Universal Radiance also presented their flowers, incense, banners, and canopies as offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni.

To the south, beyond worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there was a land called Freedom from All Sorrow, presided over by the Buddha Virtue Free from Sorrow. In that land was a bodhisattva named Freedom from Sorrow.

To the west, beyond worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there was a land called Extinction of Evil, presided over by the Buddha Treasure Mountain. In that land was a bodhisattva named Meaningful Intention.

To the north, beyond worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there was a land called Victorious Land, presided over by the Buddha Victorious King. In that land was a bodhisattva named Victorious Virtue.

In the nadir, beyond worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there was a land called Good Land, presided over by the Buddha Good Virtue. In that land was a bodhisattva named Supreme Flower.

In the zenith, beyond worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there was a land called Joyful Land, presided over by the Buddha Joyful Virtue. In that land was a bodhisattva named Joyful Virtue.

In their respective lands, the aforementioned bodhisattvas saw the light, the earth tremors, and the other signs. Together with their great assemblies, bearing flowers, incense, banners, and canopies, they came to the Saha world to reverently bow to and make offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni, just as Bodhisattva Universal Radiance had come from the east.

At that time, the great trichiliocosm became wondrously adorned, like the worlds Accumulation of Flowers and Universal Flowers.

Knowing that the great bodhisattvas, together with humans, devas, and the eight classes of beings from worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, had all assembled, the Tathagata addressed Shariputra, saying, “A great bodhisattva who wishes to know all dharmas by means of the knowledge of all modes must cultivate the prajnaparamita.”

Shariputra said, “World-Honored One, how should a great bodhisattva who wishes to know all dharmas by means of the knowledge of all modes cultivate the prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said, “Shariputra, a great bodhisattva abides in the prajnaparamita by the method of nonabiding.

“Because there is no dharma to relinquish, the perfection of dana is fulfilled, for the giver, the recipient, and the gift are all unobtainable.

“Because offense and absence of offense are both unobtainable, the perfection of shila is fulfilled.

“Because the mind remains unmoved, the perfection of kshanti is fulfilled.

“Because body and mind advance vigorously without indolence, the perfection of virya is fulfilled.

“Because there is neither distraction nor delusion, the perfection of dhyana is fulfilled.

“Because there is no attachment to any dharma, the perfection of prajna is fulfilled.

“A great bodhisattva abides in the prajnaparamita by the method of nonabiding. Because of nonarising, the bodhisattva fulfills the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eightfold noble path, the samadhi of emptiness, the samadhi of signlessness, the samadhi of wishlessness, the four dhyanas, the four immeasurable states of mind, the four formless concentrations, the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality.

“The bodhisattva also fulfills the nine contemplations of a corpse: the contemplation of a bloated corpse, the contemplation of a split-open corpse, the contemplation of a bleeding corpse, the contemplation of a putrefying corpse, the contemplation of a bluish corpse, the contemplation of a corpse devoured by worms, the contemplation of a dismembered corpse, the contemplation of bleached bones, and the contemplation of a corpse burned to ashes.

“The bodhisattva also fulfills the eight recollections: recollection of the Buddha, recollection of the Dharma, recollection of the Sangha, recollection of moral discipline, recollection of generosity, recollection of devas, mindfulness of exhalation and inhalation, and recollection of death.

“The bodhisattva also fulfills the ten contemplations: contemplation of impermanence, contemplation of suffering, contemplation of non-self, contemplation of the impurity of food, contemplation that nothing in the world is worthy of delight or attachment, contemplation of death, contemplation of impurity, contemplation of relinquishment, contemplation of dispassion, and contemplation of cessation.

“The bodhisattva also fulfills the eleven knowledges: knowledge of dharmas, inferential knowledge, knowledge of others’ minds, conventional knowledge, knowledge of suffering, knowledge of the origin of suffering, knowledge of cessation, knowledge of the path, knowledge of exhaustion, knowledge of nonarising, and knowledge in accordance with reality.

“The bodhisattva also fulfills the three gateways of samadhi: samadhi with initial and sustained application of thought, samadhi without initial but with sustained application of thought, and samadhi with neither initial nor sustained application of thought.

“The bodhisattva also fulfills the three faculties: the faculty of one who is about to know what is not yet known, the faculty of knowing, and the faculty of one who has known.

“Shariputra, a great bodhisattva who wishes to know all the virtues of a Buddha—such as the ten powers of knowledge, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, the eighteen distinctive qualities, great loving-kindness, and great compassion—must cultivate the prajnaparamita.

“A great bodhisattva who wishes to perfect the wisdom of the path, to use the wisdom of the path to perfect the wisdom of all aspects of the path, to use the wisdom of all aspects of the path to perfect omniscience, to use omniscience to perfect the knowledge of all modes, and to use the knowledge of all modes to eliminate the habitual tendencies of the afflictions, must cultivate the prajnaparamita.

“A great bodhisattva must train in the prajnaparamita in this way.

“Shariputra, a great bodhisattva who wishes to ascend to the stage of a bodhisattva, to surpass the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, to abide on the stage of nonretrogression, to possess the six superknowledges, to know the inclinations of all sentient beings, to possess wisdom surpassing that of all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, and to attain the gateways of dharani and the gateways of samadhi, must train in the prajnaparamita.

“A great bodhisattva who wishes, through a mind of sympathetic joy, to surpass the generosity, moral discipline, meditative samadhi, wisdom, liberation, knowledge and vision of liberation, and samadhi of liberation of all those who seek the shravaka or pratyekabuddha paths must train in the prajnaparamita.

“A great bodhisattva who practices only a small measure of generosity, moral discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, and wisdom, yet wishes through the power of skillful means and dedication of merit to attain immeasurable and boundless merit, must train in the prajnaparamita.

“A great bodhisattva who wishes to practice the dana paramita, shila paramita, kshanti paramita, virya paramita, and dhyana paramita must train in the prajnaparamita.

“A great bodhisattva who wishes, life after life, to possess a body resembling that of a Buddha, complete with the thirty-two marks of a great person and the eighty minor characteristics, must train in the prajnaparamita.

“One who wishes to be born into the family of the bodhisattvas, to attain the stage of a pure youth, and never to be separated from the Buddha must train in the prajnaparamita.

“One who wishes to offer roots of goodness to the Buddhas and to freely accomplish reverence, veneration, praise, and homage must train in the prajnaparamita.

“One who wishes to fulfill the needs of sentient beings for drink, food, clothing, bedding, lamps, dwellings, vehicles, and medicine must train in the prajnaparamita.”

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes to establish the beings in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges firmly in the six paramitas, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to plant a single wholesome root in the Buddha’s field of merit that will endure without exhaustion until he attains unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes the Buddhas of the ten directions to praise his name, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes, as soon as he forms the intention, for his body to reach worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and if he wishes, as soon as he utters a sound, for his voice to resound throughout worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes the worlds of the Buddhas never to perish, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If a great bodhisattva wishes to abide in inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, beginningless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of intrinsic characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of non-apprehension, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of existence, and the emptiness of both nonexistence and existence, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to know the causal condition, the immediately preceding condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition of all dharmas, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to know the suchness, Dharma-nature, and reality-limit of all dharmas, he must train in prajnaparamita.

Thus should a great bodhisattva abide in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes to count and know the number of particles of dust in the mountains and lands throughout the great trichiliocosm; if he wishes to divide a single strand of hair into one hundred parts and, with one part of that hair, exhaust all the water in the springs, ponds, rivers, streams, and oceans of the great trichiliocosm without disturbing any aquatic creature; if he wishes, with a single breath, to extinguish a fire blazing throughout the great trichiliocosm like the conflagration at the end of a kalpa; or if he wishes, with one finger, to halt mighty winds capable of shattering the great trichiliocosm and scattering all its Mount Sumerus as though blowing apart heaps of rotten grass, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes, by sitting cross-legged only once, to make his body pervade all space throughout the great trichiliocosm, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to lift the Mount Sumerus of the great trichiliocosm with a single strand of hair and cast them beyond innumerable worlds in other directions without disturbing the beings therein, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes, with a single portion of food, one set of robes, one stick of incense, one flower, one lamp, one banner, and one precious canopy, to make complete offerings to all Buddhas and Sanghas throughout worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, he must train in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes all beings in worlds throughout the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges to become fully endowed with moral discipline, samadhi, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation, and to attain the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, and even nirvana without remainder, he must train in prajnaparamita.

When practicing prajnaparamita and giving alms, a great bodhisattva should clearly know: Giving in this way brings an exceedingly great reward; giving in this way causes one to be born into a noble and virtuous family; giving in this way causes one to be born among the Four Heavenly Kings, in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creation, or the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations; giving in this way enables one to enter the first dhyana, the second dhyana, the third dhyana, the fourth dhyana, the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; through this giving, one attains the Noble Eightfold Path;

and through this giving, one attains the fruit of stream-entry and even Buddhahood.

He must therefore train in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita and gives alms, through the power of wisdom and skillful means he is able to perfect dana-paramita, sila-paramita, ksanti-paramita, virya-paramita, dhyana-paramita, and prajnaparamita.”

The Venerable Sariputra said, “World-Honored One! When a great bodhisattva gives alms, how does he perfect the six paramitas through the power of wisdom and skillful means?”

The Buddha said, “O Sariputra! Because the giver, the recipient, and the gift are all unapprehendable, he is able to perfect dana-paramita. Because he clings neither to transgression nor to the absence of transgression, he perfects sila-paramita. Because his mind remains unmoved, he perfects ksanti-paramita. Because he is diligent in body and mind, he perfects virya-paramita. Because he is neither distracted nor attached, he perfects dhyana-paramita. Because he knows that all dharmas are unapprehendable, he perfects prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain the merit and virtue of all Buddhas of the past, present, and future, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to reach the other shore of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to know the suchness, characteristics, and unborn limit of all dharmas of the past, present, and future, he must train in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes to stand foremost among all sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, to attend upon the Buddhas, to become a close retainer of the Buddhas, to acquire a great retinue, to acquire a retinue of bodhisattvas, and to purify the recompense of great generosity, he must train in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes thoughts of miserliness, breaches of moral discipline, anger, indolence, distraction, and ignorance never to arise, he must train in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes to establish all beings firmly in the merit of generosity, the merit of observing moral discipline, the merit of cultivating meditative concentration, the merit of exhorting others to the path, material merit, and Dharma merit, he must train in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain the five eyes, he must train in prajnaparamita. These are the five eyes: the physical eye, the divine eye, the wisdom eye, the Dharma eye, and the Buddha-eye.

If a great bodhisattva wishes to use the divine eye to see the Buddhas in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, to use the divine ear to hear the Dharma proclaimed by the Buddhas of the ten directions, and to comprehend the minds of the Buddhas, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to hear the Dharma proclaimed by the Buddhas of the ten directions and, having heard it, to retain it without forgetting until he attains unsurpassed bodhi, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to see the worlds of the Buddhas of the past, the worlds of the Buddhas of the future, and the worlds in the ten directions of the Buddhas of the present, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to hear the twelve divisions of the scriptures, from the sutras in prose to the discourses of exposition, whether heard or not heard by the sravakas, and, having heard them, to recite, accept, and retain them completely, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to hear all the True Dharma proclaimed in the past, being proclaimed now, and to be proclaimed in the future by the Buddhas in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and, having heard it, to faithfully accept, retain, practice, and expound it again to others, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes to emit light that illuminates throughout worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges even those places unreached by the light of the sun and moon, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes all beings throughout worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, in places where even the names Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are unknown, to attain right view and hear the names of the Three Jewels, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If one wishes that, through one’s power, among the beings in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions, the blind may see, the deaf may hear, the afflicted may be healed, and the hungry and thirsty may be satisfied, one must train in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes that, through his power, among the beings in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions, all those in the three evil destinies may attain human bodies, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If he wishes that, through his power, beings in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions may become firmly established in morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation, and may attain the fruit of stream-entry, up to and including unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If a great bodhisattva wishes to learn the dignified deportment of the Buddhas and to look about like a king of elephants, he must train in prajnaparamita.

A great bodhisattva may make this vow: “When I walk, may my feet remain four finger-widths above the ground without treading upon it. May immeasurable devas of the Desire Realm and Form Realm, from the Four Great Kings up to the devas of Akanistha Heaven, respectfully surround me and accompany me to the foot of the bodhi tree. I shall sit beneath the bodhi tree, and the devas shall spread out a seat for me.” If he wishes to attain this, he must train in prajnaparamita.

He may further vow: “When I attain Buddhahood, every place where I walk, stand, sit, or lie down shall become vajra.” If he wishes to attain this, he must train in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes, on the very day he leaves the household life, immediately to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and immediately turn the Dharma wheel, so that immeasurable and innumerable beings, freed from dust and defilement, may attain the pure Dharma eye with regard to all dharmas; so that immeasurable and innumerable beings, because they do not grasp any dharma, may attain undefiled liberation; and so that immeasurable and innumerable beings may attain non-retrogression from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If a great bodhisattva wishes that, when he attains Buddhahood, immeasurable and innumerable sravakas will constitute his Sangha, and that when he delivers a single Dharma discourse, all members of this Sangha will immediately attain arhatship, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If a great bodhisattva wishes that, when he attains Buddhahood, immeasurable and innumerable bodhisattvas will constitute his Sangha, and that when he delivers a single Dharma discourse, all members of this Sangha will attain non-retrogression, immeasurable lifespans, and perfect radiance, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If a great bodhisattva wishes that, when he attains Buddhahood, the very terms “three poisons,” “sensual desire,” “anger,” and “delusion” will not exist in his world, and that all beings will perfect right wisdom, wholesome generosity, wholesome morality, wholesome concentration, wholesome pure conduct, and wholesome loving-kindness and compassion, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If a great bodhisattva wishes that, when he attains Buddhahood, after he enters nirvana the true Dharma will never become extinct, and even the term “extinction” will not exist, he must train in prajnaparamita.

If a great bodhisattva wishes that, when he attains Buddhahood, beings in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions who hear his name will assuredly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he must train in prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain such merits, he must train in prajnaparamita.

CHAPTER ON PRESENTING THE BOWLS

TWO

The Buddha told Sariputra: “If a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita and is able to accomplish these merits, the Four Great Kings will all rejoice greatly and think: ‘We should present four bowls to this bodhisattva, just as the heavenly kings of former times presented bowls to the Buddhas of former times.’

“At that time, the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, up to and including those of the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations, will also rejoice greatly and think: ‘We should attend upon and make offerings to this bodhisattva, so that the hosts of devas may increase and the hosts of asuras may diminish.’

“All the devas throughout the great trichiliocosm, from the realm of the Four Great Kings up to the realm of Akanistha, will rejoice greatly and think: ‘We should earnestly entreat this bodhisattva to turn the Dharma wheel.’

“O Sariputra! When this great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita and increases the six paramitas, good men and good women will all rejoice and think: ‘We should become this person’s parents, wife, children, relatives, and kin.’

“At that time, the devas from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to Akanistha Heaven will all rejoice greatly and think: ‘We should devise a way to cause this bodhisattva to remain free from sensual desire, to practice celibacy from the moment he first gives rise to the aspiration for enlightenment, and never to unite with objects of sensual desire. If he indulges in the five sensual pleasures, this will obstruct even rebirth in Brahma Heaven, how much more the attainment of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment!’

“O Sariputra! A great bodhisattva should be one who has severed sensual desire and left the household life; only such a person is worthy of attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, not one who has not severed sensual desire.”

Sariputra said: “Blessed One! Must a great bodhisattva have parents, wife, children, relatives, and kin?”

The Buddha said: “O Sariputra! Some bodhisattvas have parents, wives, children, and relatives. Some bodhisattvas, from the moment they first give rise to the aspiration for enlightenment, sever sensual desire and practice celibacy until they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, never engaging in sexual desire. Some bodhisattvas, through the power of skillful means, enjoy the five sensual pleasures and only afterward leave the household life and attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

“It is like a skilled illusionist who, through the art of illusion, conjures the objects of the five sensual pleasures and then delights and plays among them. What do you think? Does that illusionist truly enjoy those objects of the five sensual pleasures?”

“No, Blessed One.”

“O Sariputra! In the same way, through the power of skillful means, a great bodhisattva conjures the objects of the five sensual pleasures and appears to enjoy them in order to liberate beings.

“This great bodhisattva is not defiled by the five sensual pleasures. Moreover, in many ways he rebukes them: ‘The five sensual pleasures are a blazing fire; the five sensual pleasures are filthy and foul; the five sensual pleasures are destructive; the five sensual pleasures are like hostile enemies.’

“Therefore, one should know that a bodhisattva enjoys the five sensual pleasures only for the sake of liberating beings.”

“Blessed One! How should a great bodhisattva practice prajnaparamita?”

“O Sariputra! When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not perceive the designation ‘bodhisattva’; he does not perceive prajnaparamita; nor does he perceive that he practices prajnaparamita or does not practice prajnaparamita.

“Why is this? Because ‘bodhisattva’ is merely the designation ‘bodhisattva,’ and its nature is originally empty. Within emptiness there are no form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; apart from form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, there is also no emptiness. Emptiness itself is form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

“Why is this? Because ‘enlightenment’ is merely a designation; ‘bodhisattva’ is merely a designation; and ‘emptiness’ is merely a designation.

“Why is this? Because the true nature of all dharmas is originally neither arising nor ceasing, neither defiled nor pure.

“A great bodhisattva who practices prajnaparamita in this way does not perceive arising or ceasing, nor does he perceive defilement or purity.

“Why is this? Because designations are dharmas formed through the conjunction of causes and conditions and are spoken of merely as provisional names established through conceptual recollection and discrimination.

“Therefore, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, he does not perceive any designation. Because he does not perceive them, he does not become attached to them.

CHAPTER ON CORRECT CULTIVATION

THREE

The Buddha told Sariputra: “When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva should contemplate in this way:

“‘Bodhisattva’ is merely a designation; ‘Buddha’ is also merely a designation; ‘prajnaparamita’ is also merely a designation; and form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are also merely designations.”

O Sariputra! The self, a being, a living being, a person, one who is born, one who is nurtured, an agent, one who causes action, one who arises, one who causes arising, an experiencer, one who causes experience, a knower, and a seer—all are entirely unobtainable. Because they are unobtainable, they are empty. Because they are empty, they are proclaimed only by means of names.

The great bodhisattva likewise practices prajnaparamita in this manner: not seeing a self, not seeing a being, and so forth, up to not seeing a knower or a seer. Nor does the bodhisattva see the names by which these are proclaimed.

The great bodhisattva who practices prajnaparamita in this manner surpasses all sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, except with regard to the wisdom of a Buddha, because, in the nature of emptiness, any function is unobtainable.

Why is this? Because for this great bodhisattva, both the names of dharmas and that to which those names refer are entirely unobtainable.

O Sariputra! A great bodhisattva who is able to practice in this manner is practicing prajnaparamita.

Suppose there were as many bhiksus as there are bamboo stalks, reeds, sugarcane plants, sesame plants, rice plants, bean plants, thickets, and forests filling all Jambudvipa, and all possessed wisdom like Sariputra and Mahamaudgalyayana. If all their wisdom were compared with the wisdom of a bodhisattva practicing prajnaparamita, it would not equal one hundredth part, one thousandth part, or one part in a hundred thousand kotis; it would not even equal the smallest fraction expressible by analogy.

Why is this? Because by means of this wisdom the bodhisattva liberates all beings.

O Sariputra! Let alone as many Sariputras and Mahamaudgalyayanas as would fill Jambudvipa: suppose they filled the entire great trichiliocosm, or even as many worlds throughout the ten directions as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. If all their wisdom were compared with the wisdom of a bodhisattva practicing prajnaparamita, it would still not equal one hundredth part, or even the smallest fraction expressible by analogy.

O Sariputra! A great bodhisattva who practices prajnaparamita cultivates in a single day wisdom surpassing that of all sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.”

The Venerable Sariputra said, “Blessed One! The wisdom of the sravakas—the stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and arhats—the wisdom of the pratyekabuddhas, and the wisdom of the Buddhas do not differ or conflict with one another; they are all of the unborn nature of emptiness. If they are of the unborn nature of emptiness and do not conflict with one another, then they are not different. Why, then, does the Blessed One teach that the wisdom cultivated in a single day by a bodhisattva practicing prajnaparamita surpasses that of all sravakas and pratyekabuddhas?”

The Buddha said, “A great bodhisattva who practices prajnaparamita and cultivates wisdom for a single day thinks: ‘I practice the path of wisdom for the benefit of all beings. With omniscience concerning all aspects, I shall fully know all dharmas and liberate all beings.’

O Sariputra! What do you think? Does the wisdom of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas possess such qualities?”

“Blessed One, it does not.”

“O Sariputra! Do the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas conceive this thought, as the great bodhisattvas do: ‘I shall attain unsurpassed bodhi, liberate all beings, and cause them all to attain nirvana without remainder’?”

“Blessed One, they do not.”

“O Sariputra! For these reasons, you should know that when the wisdom of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas is compared with the wisdom of a great bodhisattva, it does not equal one hundredth part, or even the smallest fraction expressible by analogy.

O Sariputra! Do the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas conceive this thought, as the great bodhisattvas do: ‘I shall practice the six paramitas, bring beings to maturity, adorn the Buddha lands, perfect the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen unique qualities, and liberate immeasurable and innumerable beings, bringing them to the fruit of nirvana’?”

“Blessed One, they do not.”

“O Sariputra! Just as a firefly never thinks that it is like the orb of the sun rising and illuminating all Jambudvipa, so too the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas do not conceive the thought of a great bodhisattva: ‘I shall practice the six paramitas, and so forth, up to the eighteen unique qualities, attain unsurpassed bodhi, and bring immeasurable and innumerable beings to the fruit of nirvana.’”

The Venerable Sariputra said, “Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva surpass the stages of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas and reach the stage of non-retrogression, purifying the path to Buddhahood?”

The Buddha said, “O Sariputra! From the time a great bodhisattva first gives rise to the aspiration for bodhi, the bodhisattva practices the six paramitas and abides in emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. The bodhisattva can thereby surpass the stages of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas and reach the stage of non-retrogression, purifying the path to Buddhahood.”

“Blessed One! At what stage does a great bodhisattva abide so as to serve as a field of merit for the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas?”

“O Sariputra! From the time the bodhisattva first gives rise to the aspiration for bodhi and practices the six paramitas until sitting at the seat of awakening and attaining unsurpassed bodhi, throughout that entire period the bodhisattva constantly serves as a field of merit for the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

Why is this? Because, through the causes and conditions provided by the great bodhisattvas, the wholesome dharmas of the world arise. Such dharmas as the ten wholesome courses of action, the five precepts, the eight fasting precepts, the four dhyanas, the four immeasurable minds, the four formless concentrations, 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, the Noble Eightfold Path, the six paramitas, the eighteen kinds of emptiness, the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, the eighteen unique qualities, great loving-kindness, great compassion,

and omniscience concerning all aspects appear in the world through the causes and conditions provided by the great bodhisattvas.

Also through the causes and conditions provided by bodhisattvas, the great clans of ksatriyas, brahmins, and householders; the Four Heavenly Kings, and so forth, up to the Heaven of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and Buddhas all appear in the world.”

“Blessed One! Does a great bodhisattva purify the merit of giving?”

“O Sariputra! No, because it has been pure from the very beginning.

O Sariputra! A great bodhisattva is a great donor who gives such wholesome dharmas as the ten wholesome courses of action, the five precepts, and so forth, up to omniscience concerning all aspects.”

The Venerable Sariputra said, “Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva correctly cultivate prajnaparamita in correspondence with prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said, “O Sariputra! A great bodhisattva correctly cultivates the emptiness of form and correctly cultivates the emptiness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. This is called corresponding with prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, O Sariputra! A great bodhisattva correctly cultivates the emptiness of the eye and correctly cultivates the emptiness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. This is called corresponding with prajnaparamita.

A great bodhisattva correctly cultivates the emptiness of visible form and correctly cultivates the emptiness of sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharmas. This is called corresponding with prajnaparamita.

A great bodhisattva correctly cultivates the emptiness of the eye dhatu, the emptiness of the visible-form dhatu, and the emptiness of the eye-consciousness dhatu, and so forth, up to correctly cultivating the emptiness of the mind-consciousness dhatu. This is called corresponding with prajnaparamita.

A great bodhisattva correctly cultivates the emptiness of suffering and correctly cultivates the emptiness of its origin, its cessation, and the path. This is called corresponding with prajnaparamita.

A great bodhisattva correctly cultivates the emptiness of ignorance and correctly cultivates the emptiness of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging, and death. This is called corresponding with prajnaparamita.

A great bodhisattva correctly cultivates the emptiness of all dharmas, whether conditioned or unconditioned. This is called corresponding with prajnaparamita.”

Furthermore, Shariputra! When a great bodhisattva cultivates in accordance with the seven gateways of emptiness—emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the unattainable, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of existence, and emptiness of both nonexistence and existence—this is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Shariputra! When cultivating the seven gateways of emptiness, a great bodhisattva does not perceive form as either corresponding or not corresponding; does not perceive feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as either corresponding or not corresponding; does not perceive form as bearing the characteristic of arising or cessation; does not perceive feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as bearing the characteristic of arising or cessation; does not perceive form as bearing the characteristic of defilement or purity; does not perceive feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as bearing the characteristic of defilement or purity; does not perceive form as conjoined with feeling; does not perceive feeling as conjoined with perception;

does not perceive perception as conjoined with formations; and does not perceive formations as conjoined with consciousness.

Why is this? Because the nature of all dharmas is originally empty, no dharma is conjoined with any other dharma.

Shariputra! Within the emptiness of form there is no form, and within the emptiness of feeling, the emptiness of perception, the emptiness of formations, and the emptiness of consciousness, there are no feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness.

Shariputra! Because form is empty, it has no characteristic of being afflicted and subject to decay; because feeling is empty, it has no characteristic of experiencing; because perception is empty, it has no characteristic of cognizing; because formations are empty, they have no characteristic of an agent; and because consciousness is empty, it has no characteristic of awareness. Why is this? Because form is not other than emptiness, nor is emptiness other than form; form itself is emptiness, and emptiness itself is form. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness themselves are emptiness, and emptiness itself is feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

Shariputra! The empty characteristic of all dharmas is originally neither arisen nor ceased, neither defiled nor pure, neither increased nor diminished, and pertains neither to the past, the future, nor the present. Therefore, within this Dharma of emptiness there are no form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas; no eye-dhatu, up to and including no mind-consciousness-dhatu; no ignorance and no extinction of ignorance, up to and including no aging and death and no extinction of aging and death; no suffering, origin, cessation, or path; no wisdom and no attainment; no stream-enterer or fruit of stream-entry; no once-returner, non-returner, arhat, or Buddha;

and no fruit of once-returning, fruit of non-returning, fruit of arhatship, fruit of pratyekabuddhahood, or fruit of Buddhahood.

When a great bodhisattva cultivates in precisely this manner, this is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Shariputra! When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not perceive prajnaparamita as either corresponding or not corresponding, nor does the bodhisattva perceive dana-paramita, sila-paramita, kshanti-paramita, virya-paramita, or dhyana-paramita as either corresponding or not corresponding. The great bodhisattva also does not perceive form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; does not perceive eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; does not perceive forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas; and does not perceive the eye-dhatu, up to and including the mind-consciousness-dhatu, as either corresponding or not corresponding.

The great bodhisattva also does not perceive the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, up to and including omniscience, as either corresponding or not corresponding.

Thus, Shariputra, you should know that this is a great bodhisattva's being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Shariputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, emptiness is not conjoined with emptiness, signlessness is not conjoined with signlessness, and wishlessness is not conjoined with wishlessness. Why is this? Because in emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, there is neither conjunction nor non-conjunction.

When a great bodhisattva cultivates in precisely this manner, this is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Shariputra! When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva enters the emptiness of the individual characteristics of all dharmas. Having entered it, with regard to form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, the bodhisattva does not consider them conjoined or not conjoined. Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are not conjoined with the past limit, nor are they conjoined with the future limit, nor are they conjoined with the present. Why is this? Because the bodhisattva does not perceive the past limit, does not perceive the future limit, and does not perceive the present.

Shariputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, because the three temporal limits are empty designations, the past limit is not conjoined with the future limit, the future limit is not conjoined with the past limit, the present is not conjoined with the past or future limits, and the past and future limits are likewise not conjoined with the present. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita. Shariputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, omniscience is not conjoined with the past, the future, or the present. Why is this? Because the past, the future, and the present cannot even be perceived, much less be conjoined. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Shariputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, because form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness cannot be perceived; because the eye through the mind cannot be perceived; because forms through dharmas cannot be perceived; and because eye-consciousness through mind-consciousness cannot be perceived, form, feeling, and all the rest through mind-consciousness are not conjoined with omniscience. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Shariputra! When a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, because dana-paramita through prajnaparamita cannot be perceived, dana-paramita through prajnaparamita are not conjoined with omniscience. Because the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, up to and including the ten powers and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, cannot be perceived, none of them are conjoined with omniscience. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Shariputra! When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not cultivate form as existent or nonexistent; does not cultivate form as permanent or impermanent; does not cultivate form as suffering or bliss; does not cultivate form as self or non-self; does not cultivate form as quiescent extinction or not quiescent extinction; does not cultivate form as empty or not empty; does not cultivate form as possessing characteristics or being signless; and does not cultivate form as conditioned or unconditioned. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are likewise. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not entertain the notion, “I am practicing prajnaparamita,” or “I am not practicing prajnaparamita,” nor does the bodhisattva entertain the notion of neither practicing nor not practicing. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Shariputra! It is not for the sake of prajnaparamita that a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita. Nor is it for the sake of dana-paramita, sila-paramita, kshanti-paramita, virya-paramita, or dhyana-paramita; nor for the sake of attaining the stage of non-retrogression, bringing sentient beings to maturity, or purifying a Buddha-land; nor for the sake of the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, or the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha that a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita.

Nor is it for the sake of internal emptiness, external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, beginningless emptiness, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of the unattainable, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of existence, or emptiness of both nonexistence and existence; nor is it for the sake of suchness, the Dharma-nature, or the ultimate reality that a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita.

Why is this? Because when practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not destroy the characteristics of any dharma. Cultivation in precisely this manner is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Śāriputra! A great bodhisattva does not practice prajnaparamita for the sake of the six superknowledges: the divine eye, the divine ear, knowledge of others’ minds, recollection of past lives, supernormal powers, and the extinction of the outflows. Why is this? Because while practicing, the great bodhisattva does not even perceive prajnaparamita, much less the bodhisattva’s superknowledges. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Śāriputra! While practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not conceive: “Through the supernormal power of mastery, I shall fly to the eastern direction and throughout the ten directions to make offerings to Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.” Nor does the bodhisattva conceive: “With the divine ear, I shall hear Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions expound the Dharma; with the superknowledge of others’ minds, I shall know the thoughts of sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions;

and with the knowledge of past lives, I shall know the deeds performed throughout immeasurable lifetimes by sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions.” Nor does the bodhisattva think: “With the divine eye, I shall see sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges die here and be born elsewhere.” This is called a great bodhisattva practicing prajnaparamita in accord with prajnaparamita and thereby also being able to liberate immeasurable and innumerable sentient beings.

Śāriputra! When a great bodhisattva is able to practice prajnaparamita in this way, evil Māra cannot harm the bodhisattva; all worldly affairs proceed according to the bodhisattva’s wishes; and Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions protect this bodhisattva from falling into the practices of the śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. The devas, from those of the Four Great Kings’ Heaven up to those of the Akaniṣṭha Heaven, also protect this bodhisattva and increase the bodhisattva’s mastery. If this bodhisattva has committed grave offenses, their consequences will be lightly experienced in the present life. Why is this? Because this bodhisattva benefits sentient beings with a mind of equality. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Śāriputra! While practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva quickly attains the gateways of dharani and the gateways of samadhi. Wherever the bodhisattva is born, the bodhisattva always encounters the Buddhas and never becomes separated from them until attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Śāriputra! While practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not conceive that this dharma and that dharma are either joined or not joined, equal or unequal. Why is this? Because the great bodhisattva does not perceive this dharma and other dharmas as joined or equal, nor as not joined or unequal. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Śāriputra! While practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not think: “I shall quickly attain the Dharma-nature,” or “I shall not attain it.” Why is this? Because the Dharma-nature does not bear the characteristic of something attainable. This is called cultivation in accord with prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! While practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not perceive any dharma existing outside the Dharma-nature, nor does the bodhisattva think that the Dharma-nature is different from all dharmas, nor think that this dharma can or cannot attain the Dharma-nature. Why is this? Because the great bodhisattva does not perceive that by means of this dharma the Dharma-nature can or cannot be attained. When a great bodhisattva cultivates in precisely this manner, this is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Śāriputra! While a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, the Dharma-nature is not joined with emptiness, and emptiness is likewise not joined with the Dharma-nature. This is called being in accord with prajnaparamita.

Śāriputra! While a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, the eye-dhatu is not joined with emptiness, and emptiness is likewise not joined with the eye-dhatu; the form-dhatu is not joined with emptiness, and emptiness is likewise not joined with the form-dhatu; the eye-consciousness-dhatu is not joined with emptiness, and emptiness is likewise not joined with the eye-consciousness-dhatu. In the same way, up to the mind-dhatu, the dharma-dhatu, and the mind-consciousness-dhatu: they are not joined with emptiness, and emptiness is likewise not joined with the mind-dhatu, the dharma-dhatu, or the mind-consciousness-dhatu. Such accordance with emptiness is called the foremost accordance.

Śāriputra! A bodhisattva who practices the Dharma of emptiness does not fall into the practices of the śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, is able to purify a Buddha-land and bring sentient beings to maturity, and quickly attains unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Śāriputra! Among all gateways of accordance, accordance with prajnaparamita is foremost, most honored, most excellent, most wondrous, and unsurpassed. Why is this? Because the great bodhisattva who practices in accord with prajnaparamita abides precisely in emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. Know that this bodhisattva has either already received a prediction of buddhahood or is close to receiving one.

Śāriputra! A great bodhisattva who accords in this way is able to benefit immeasurable and innumerable sentient beings. Yet this great bodhisattva does not think: “I accord with prajnaparamita; the Buddhas will bestow upon me a prediction of buddhahood; I shall soon receive that prediction; I shall purify a Buddha-land; I shall become a Buddha and turn the Dharma wheel.” Why is this?

Because this great bodhisattva does not perceive any dharma existing outside the Dharma-nature, does not perceive any dharma that practices prajnaparamita, does not perceive any dharma that receives a prediction from a Buddha, and does not perceive any dharma that becomes a Buddha and turns the Dharma wheel. Why is this? Because while practicing prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattva does not give rise to the notion of a self, the notion of a sentient being, or even the notion of a knower or the notion of a seer.

Why is this? Because sentient beings are ultimately unborn and unextinguished; sentient beings have no arising and no cessation. If all dharmas have no characteristic of arising or cessation, how could there be any dharma that practices prajnaparamita?

Śāriputra! Therefore, because a great bodhisattva does not perceive sentient beings, this itself is the practice of prajnaparamita. Why is this? Because sentient beings are not apprehended, are unobtainable, and are free from all characteristics; this itself is the practice of prajnaparamita.

Śāriputra! Among all the gateways of accordance practiced by a great bodhisattva, accordance with emptiness is foremost. This accordance with emptiness surpasses all other gateways of accordance.

A great bodhisattva who cultivates the Dharma of emptiness in this way is able to give rise to great loving-kindness and does not give rise to thoughts of stinginess, transgressing the precepts, anger, indolence, distraction, or ignorance.”