摩訶般若波羅蜜經

THE CHAPTER ON REBIRTH

FOURTH

Venerable Sariputra said: “World-Honored One! When great bodhisattvas practicing prajnaparamita are able to cultivate in such accord, from what realm do they die and take birth in this realm, and after dying in this realm, where will they be reborn?”

The Buddha said: “Sariputra! Those great bodhisattvas may be born into this realm from another realm, may descend here from the Tusita Heaven, or may be reborn from the human world into this human world.

Sariputra! Those bodhisattvas who are born here from other realms quickly come into accord with prajnaparamita. Because they are in accord with prajnaparamita, when they are born into this realm, all profound and wondrous dharmas reappear in accord with prajnaparamita. Wherever these bodhisattvas are born, they always encounter the Buddhas.

Sariputra! There are bodhisattvas bound to only one more birth who descend here from the Tusita Heaven. These bodhisattvas do not lose the six paramitas; wherever they are born, all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways manifest.

Sariputra! There are bodhisattvas who are reborn from the human world into the human world. These bodhisattvas have dull faculties and, except for those who have attained non-retrogression, cannot quickly come into accord with prajnaparamita; the dharani gateways and samadhi gateways cannot quickly manifest for them.

Sariputra! As to your question concerning where great bodhisattvas who are in accord with prajnaparamita will be reborn after dying in this realm, you should know that these great bodhisattvas, upon dying in one Buddha-land, will be born in another Buddha-land and will never be separated from the Buddhas.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, without employing skillful means, enter the first dhyana, the second dhyana, the third dhyana, and the fourth dhyana, while also practicing the six paramitas. Because they have attained dhyana, these great bodhisattvas are born among the Long-Lived Deities. They later descend from that heavenly palace and are born in the human world, where they encounter the Buddhas. Bodhisattvas of this kind do not possess keen faculties.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who enter the first through the fourth dhyana and also practice prajnaparamita. Because they do not employ skillful means, they relinquish dhyana and are born in the Desire Realm. Bodhisattvas of this kind also have dull faculties.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who enter the first through the fourth dhyana; enter the mental states of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; enter the concentration of the sphere of infinite space through the concentration of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; and practice the ten powers, great loving-kindness, and great compassion.

Through the power of skillful means, these great bodhisattvas are not reborn in accordance with the form dhyanas, the immeasurable states of mind, or the formless concentrations, but are born wherever a Buddha appears in the world, never departing from the practice of prajnaparamita. These bodhisattvas will attain Buddhahood during the Auspicious Kalpa.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who enter the first through the fourth dhyana; enter the mental states of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; and enter the concentration of the sphere of infinite space through the concentration of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Through the power of skillful means, they are not reborn in accordance with those dhyanas, but return to the Desire Realm to bring beings to maturity.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who enter the first through the fourth dhyana; enter the mental states of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; and enter the concentration of the sphere of infinite space through the concentration of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Through the power of skillful means, they are not reborn in accordance with those dhyanas, but are born in the heavens of the Desire Realm, such as the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the Trayastrimsa Heaven, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creation, or the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations, in order to bring the beings in those realms to maturity, purify Buddha-lands, and draw near to the Buddhas.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita and, through the power of skillful means, enter the first dhyana. When their lives end in this realm, they are born in the Brahma Heaven as Great Brahma Kings. Then, in Buddha-lands where a Buddha has newly attained unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment but has not yet turned the Dharma wheel, they exhort that Buddha to turn the Dharma wheel.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas bound to only one more birth who practice prajnaparamita and, through the power of skillful means, enter the first through the fourth dhyana; enter the mental states of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; enter the concentration of the sphere of infinite space through the concentration of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; and enter the samadhi of emptiness, the samadhi of signlessness, and the samadhi of wishlessness.

They are not reborn in accordance with those dhyanas, but are born where a Buddha has appeared in the world and cultivate the holy life; or they are born in the Tusita Heaven. When their lives there end, they do not lose right mindfulness and, fully endowed with roots of goodness and respectfully surrounded by countless hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of devas, they come to be born here and attain unsurpassed bodhi.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who attain the six superknowledges and are not born in the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, or the Formless Realm, but travel from one Buddha-land to another, reverently making offerings to, honoring, and praising the Buddhas.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who sport in supernormal powers as they travel from one Buddha-land to another. Wherever these bodhisattvas go, there is no vehicle of the sravakas or pratyekabuddhas, nor is there even the designation “Two Vehicles.”

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who sport in supernormal powers as they travel from one Buddha-land to another. Wherever these bodhisattvas go, the lifespan in that realm becomes immeasurable.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who sport in supernormal powers as they travel from one Buddha-land to another. Wherever the Three Jewels—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—are absent, they praise the virtues of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The beings there thus hear the names of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha and, after their lives end, are born in the presence of the Buddhas.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, when they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, attain the first through the fourth dhyana, the four immeasurable states of mind, and the four formless concentrations, and cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path and even the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. These bodhisattvas are not born within the three realms, but are always born wherever they can benefit beings.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, when they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, practice the six paramitas, ascend to the bodhisattva seat, and attain the stage of non-retrogression.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, when they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, immediately attain unsurpassed bodhi and turn the Dharma wheel. After benefiting beings, they immediately enter nirvana, and the true Dharma remains in the world for either one kalpa or less than one kalpa.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, when they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, immediately come into accord with prajnaparamita and, together with countless hundreds of thousands of kotis of bodhisattvas, travel from one Buddha-land to another to purify Buddha-lands.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, attain the four dhyanas, the four immeasurable states of mind, and the four formless concentrations, and then sport within them: they enter the first dhyana and emerge from the first dhyana; enter the concentration of cessation and emerge from the concentration of cessation; enter the second dhyana through the fourth dhyana; enter the concentration of cessation and emerge from the concentration of cessation; enter the concentration of the sphere of infinite space through the concentration of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; and enter the concentration of cessation.

Thus, through the power of skillful means, great bodhisattvas enter the successive transcendent concentrations while practicing prajnaparamita.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, yet do not abide in or grasp the fruits of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, arhat, or pratyekabuddha. Because these bodhisattvas employ the power of skillful means to liberate beings, they bring forth the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path and, by means of these factors, enable beings to attain the fruit of stream-entry through the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood.

Sariputra! All the attainments of arhats and pratyekabuddhas, together with the wisdom of these noble ones, are contained within these great bodhisattvas’ patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.

Sariputra! You should know that great bodhisattvas such as these practice prajnaparamita in this manner and abide in the stage of non-retrogression in this manner.

Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who abide in the six paramitas and adorn the Tusita Heaven. You should know that these are bodhisattvas of the Auspicious Kalpa.

O Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who cultivate the four dhyanas through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha but have not yet realized the Four Truths. Know that these are bodhisattvas who are one birth away from Buddhahood.

O Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who have cultivated the path to unsurpassed bodhi for immeasurable asamkhyeya kalpas.

There are great bodhisattvas who abide in the six paramitas, constantly and diligently benefiting sentient beings, and who do not speak of matters that are of no benefit.

There are great bodhisattvas who abide in the six paramitas, constantly and diligently benefiting sentient beings, going from one Buddha-land to another Buddha-land to extinguish the three evil realms for sentient beings.

There are great bodhisattvas who abide in the six paramitas and, taking Dana as foremost, bring benefit and happiness to all sentient beings, giving them food and drink, clothing, beds and dwellings, incense and flowers, lamps and torches, pearls and jewels, providing sentient beings with whatever they require according to their needs.

There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, transform their bodily forms to resemble the Buddha and expound the Dharma for sentient beings in the hells, among animals, and among hungry ghosts.

There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing the six paramitas, transform their bodily forms to resemble those of the Buddhas and travel throughout worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions to expound the Dharma for sentient beings, to make offerings to the Buddhas and hear the Buddhadharma, and also to examine and select the pure and beautiful characteristics of various lands so that they may bring forth their own lands in surpassing excellence. The great bodhisattvas among these are all one birth away from Buddhahood.

There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing the six paramitas, perfect the thirty-two excellent marks and possess pure and keen faculties. Because the six faculties of these bodhisattvas are pure and keen, sentient beings cherish and revere them. Since sentient beings cherish and revere them, these bodhisattvas gradually deliver them through the Dharma of the Three Vehicles.

O Sariputra! For the reasons stated above, while practicing prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas must train in purity of body and purity of speech.

There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing the six paramitas, attain pure faculties yet do not become arrogant, nor do they slight others.

There are great bodhisattvas who, from the first arousal of the aspiration, abide in Dana-paramita until reaching the stage of nonretrogression and never fall into the three evil realms.

There are great bodhisattvas who, from the first arousal of the aspiration until reaching the stage of nonretrogression, never abandon the practice of the ten wholesome courses of action.

There are great bodhisattvas who abide in Dana-paramita and Sila-paramita and become Wheel-Turning Sage Kings, establishing sentient beings upon the path of the ten wholesome courses of action and also giving material wealth to sentient beings.

There are great bodhisattvas who abide in Dana-paramita and Sila-paramita and, for immeasurable thousands and myriads of lifetimes, become Wheel-Turning Sage Kings. They encounter immeasurable thousands and myriads of Buddhas and respectfully make offerings to, honor, and praise them all.

There are great bodhisattvas who always illuminate sentient beings with the true Dharma and also benefit by illuminating themselves; until they attain unsurpassed bodhi, they never depart from that illumination.

O Sariputra! Great bodhisattvas such as these are honored within the Buddhadharma. Therefore, while practicing prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas keep body, speech, and mind pure and do not allow deluded thoughts to arise.”

The Venerable Sariputra asked, “O Blessed One! What constitutes impurity in a bodhisattva’s bodily karma, verbal karma, and mental karma?”

The Buddha said, “O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva thinks, ‘This is body, this is speech, and this is mind,’ and perceives their characteristics and functions as such, this is called impurity of body, speech, and mind.

O Sariputra! While practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not perceive a body, does not perceive speech, and does not perceive a mind.

If one perceives body, speech, and mind, then because of that perception of their existence, body, speech, and mind can give rise to thoughts of stinginess and greed, violations of precepts, anger, indolence, distraction, and ignorance. Know that such a bodhisattva, while practicing prajnaparamita, cannot eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind.”

The Venerable Sariputra asked, “O Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind?”

The Buddha said, “If a great bodhisattva does not perceive body, speech, or mind, that great bodhisattva can eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind.

O Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva, from the first arousal of the aspiration, practices the ten wholesome courses of action without giving rise to the aspiration of a sravaka or the aspiration of a pratyekabuddha, that bodhisattva can eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind.

There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, purify the Buddha path and practice Dana-paramita, Sila-paramita, Ksanti-paramita, Virya-paramita, and Dhyana-paramita. These bodhisattvas eliminate the coarse karma of body, speech, and mind.”

The Venerable Sariputra asked, “O Blessed One! What is the Buddha path of a great bodhisattva?”

The Buddha said, “O Sariputra! Not perceiving body, speech, or mind; not perceiving Dana-paramita, Sila-paramita, Ksanti-paramita, Virya-paramita, Dhyana-paramita, or Prajnaparamita; and not perceiving sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, or Buddhas—this is called the Buddha path of a great bodhisattva. This means that all dharmas are unobtainable.

O Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing the six paramitas, cannot be overcome by anyone.”

The Venerable Sariputra asked, “O Blessed One! How is it that great bodhisattvas, while practicing the six paramitas, cannot be overcome by anyone?”

The Buddha said, “O Sariputra! If, while practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not conceive of the existence of form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; does not conceive of the existence of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; does not conceive of the existence of forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas; does not conceive of the existence of the eye-dhatu, ear-dhatu, nose-dhatu, tongue-dhatu, body-dhatu, mind-dhatu, form-dhatu, sound-dhatu, odor-dhatu, taste-dhatu, tangible-object-dhatu, dharma-dhatu, eye-consciousness-dhatu, ear-consciousness-dhatu, nose-consciousness-dhatu, tongue-consciousness-dhatu, body-consciousness-dhatu, or mind-consciousness-dhatu;

does not conceive of the existence of the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of bodhi, or the Noble Eightfold Path; does not conceive of the existence of Dana-paramita, Sila-paramita, Ksanti-paramita, Virya-paramita, Dhyana-paramita, or Prajnaparamita; does not conceive of the existence of the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, or the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; and does not conceive of the existence of the fruits from stream-entry through unsurpassed bodhi—when that bodhisattva practices in this way and increases the six paramitas, no one can overcome that bodhisattva.

O Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who abide in prajnaparamita and are fully endowed with wisdom. Through this wisdom, they do not fall into the evil realms, nor are they born among wicked and impoverished human beings. The bodies they receive are not despised by devas, humans, or asuras.”

The Venerable Sariputra asked, “O Blessed One! What is the wisdom of a great bodhisattva?”

The Buddha said, “Through that wisdom, a great bodhisattva sees Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions, hears the Buddhas expound the Dharma, sees the Sangha assemblies, and sees the magnificently pure Buddha-lands.

Through that wisdom, a great bodhisattva does not form conceptions of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, or sravakas, nor does that bodhisattva form conceptions of a self or of lands.

Through that wisdom, a great bodhisattva practices Dana-paramita through Prajnaparamita yet does not perceive Dana-paramita through Prajnaparamita; and practices the four foundations of mindfulness through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha yet does not perceive the four foundations of mindfulness through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.

The foregoing is called the wisdom of a great bodhisattva. Through that wisdom, a great bodhisattva can fully perfect all dharmas while still not perceiving the existence of any dharma.”

O Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, purify the physical eye, the divine eye, the wisdom eye, the Dharma eye, and the Buddha eye. This is also called the purification of the five eyes.”

The Venerable Sariputra said, “World-Honored One! What is the purification of a great bodhisattva’s physical eye?”

The Buddha said, “O Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see a hundred yojanas into the distance; some can see the whole of Jambudvipa; some can see two, three, or four continents; some can see throughout a small chiliocosm; and some bodhisattvas can see throughout the great trichiliocosm with their physical eyes. This is the purification of a great bodhisattva’s physical eye.”

World-Honored One! What is the purification of a great bodhisattva’s divine eye?

O Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas whose divine eyes see as the Four Heavenly Kings see, or as the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creation, the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations, and Brahma, up to and including the devas of Akanistha Heaven, see.

Moreover, with their divine eyes, great bodhisattvas see beings throughout worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges dying here and being born elsewhere. What they see is neither known nor perceived by the devas, from the Four Heavenly Kings up to the devas of Akanistha Heaven. This is precisely the purification of a great bodhisattva’s divine eye.

World-Honored One! What is the purification of a great bodhisattva’s wisdom eye?

O Sariputra! With the wisdom eye, a great bodhisattva does not conceive that there are dharmas that are conditioned or unconditioned, mundane or supramundane, contaminated or uncontaminated; yet there is no dharma that the bodhisattva does not see, no dharma that the bodhisattva does not hear, no dharma that the bodhisattva does not comprehend, and no dharma that the bodhisattva does not know. This is the purification of a great bodhisattva’s wisdom eye.

World-Honored One! What is the purification of a great bodhisattva’s Dharma eye?

O Sariputra! By means of the Dharma eye, a great bodhisattva knows: this person practices in accordance with faith; this person practices in accordance with the Dharma; this person practices the signless practice. The bodhisattva also knows: this person cultivates the gateway to liberation through emptiness; this person cultivates the gateway to liberation through signlessness; this person cultivates the gateway to liberation through wishlessness.

This person attains the five faculties, and by attaining the five faculties, attains the uninterrupted samadhi. By attaining the uninterrupted samadhi, this person attains the knowledge of liberation; by attaining the knowledge of liberation, this person eliminates the three fetters—belief in a self, doubt, and attachment to precepts and observances—and is called one who has attained the fruit of stream-entry. The bodhisattva also knows: this person has attained the path of cultivation, thereby weakening greed, hatred, and delusion, and has attained the fruit of once-returning; this person advances further on the path of cultivation, eliminates greed, hatred, and delusion belonging to the desire realm, and attains the fruit of non-returning;

this person advances further on the path of cultivation, eliminates greed, hatred, delusion, and conceit belonging to the form and formless realms, and attains the fruit of arhatship.

The bodhisattva also knows: this person cultivates the gateways to liberation through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; attains the five faculties; attains the uninterrupted samadhi; and thereby attains the knowledge of liberation. Through the knowledge of liberation, this person clearly knows that all afflictions, their causes, and their accumulated conditions are dharmas of quiescent cessation, and attains the fruit of a pratyekabuddha.

Thus does the bodhisattva’s purified Dharma eye see.

O Sariputra! By means of the Dharma eye, a great bodhisattva knows: this person has first given rise to the aspiration for bodhi, practices the six paramitas, and perfects the faculty of faith and the faculty of diligence; this person’s wholesome roots are pure and abundant, and through the power of skillful means assumes bodies in order to benefit beings—being born into a ksatriya family, a brahmin family, or a householder’s family, or being born in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, 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.

This person continually teaches, transforms, and brings beings to maturity, provides them fully with all necessities, purifies Buddha lands, and reverently makes offerings to the Buddhas, never falling to the levels of sravakas or pratyekabuddhas until attaining unsurpassed bodhi. Thus does the bodhisattva’s purified Dharma eye see and know.

O Sariputra! By means of the Dharma eye, a great bodhisattva knows: this bodhisattva has regressed from the path to unsurpassed bodhi; this bodhisattva does not regress; this bodhisattva has received a prediction of Buddhahood; this bodhisattva has not yet received such a prediction; this bodhisattva has reached the stage of non-retrogression; this bodhisattva has not yet reached the stage of non-retrogression. The great bodhisattva also knows: this bodhisattva has perfected supernormal powers and flies to worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there reverently making offerings to the Buddhas; this bodhisattva has not yet attained supernormal powers but will attain them; this bodhisattva purifies Buddha lands; this bodhisattva has not yet purified Buddha lands;

this bodhisattva brings beings to maturity; this bodhisattva has not yet brought beings to maturity; this bodhisattva is praised by the Buddhas; this bodhisattva has not yet been praised by the Buddhas; this bodhisattva attends upon the Buddhas; this bodhisattva does not attend closely upon the Buddhas; this bodhisattva’s lifespan is immeasurable; this bodhisattva’s lifespan is measurable; when this bodhisattva attains Buddhahood, the assembly of bhiksus will be of measurable number; when this bodhisattva attains Buddhahood, the assembly of bhiksus will be immeasurable; when this bodhisattva attains Buddhahood, bodhisattvas will constitute the Sangha; when this bodhisattva attains Buddhahood, bodhisattvas will not constitute the Sangha;

this bodhisattva practices difficult ascetic practices; this bodhisattva does not practice difficult ascetic practices; this bodhisattva is a bodhisattva in the position of one more birth; this bodhisattva has not yet reached the position of one more birth; this bodhisattva has assumed the final body; this bodhisattva has not yet assumed the final body; this bodhisattva sits at the place of enlightenment; this bodhisattva is unable to sit at the place of enlightenment; this bodhisattva will vanquish Mara; this bodhisattva has no Mara to vanquish.

Such seeing and knowing constitute the purification of a great bodhisattva’s Dharma eye.

World-Honored One! What is the purification of a great bodhisattva’s Buddha eye?

O Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, from the time they resolve to seek the path to Buddhahood, successively enter the vajra samadhi and attain the knowledge of all modes. They then perfect the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, the eighteen distinctive qualities, great loving-kindness, and great compassion. With the knowledge of all modes, among all dharmas there is no dharma they do not see, no dharma they do not hear, no dharma they do not comprehend, and no dharma they do not know. You should know that this is the purification of the Buddha eye when a great bodhisattva attains unsurpassed bodhi.

O Sariputra! One who wishes to attain the five eyes must train in prajnaparamita.

Why is this? Because the six paramitas encompass all wholesome dharmas, namely the dharmas of sravakas, the dharmas of pratyekabuddhas, the dharmas of bodhisattvas, and the dharmas of Buddhas.

O Sariputra! If there is a true teaching capable of encompassing all wholesome dharmas, it is precisely prajnaparamita.

O Sariputra! Prajnaparamita can give rise to the five eyes. When bodhisattvas train in the five eyes, they attain unsurpassed bodhi.

O Sariputra! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, cultivate the paramita of supernormal powers and thereby attain mastery in miraculous abilities. They can cause the great earth to quake; transform one body into innumerable bodies and reunite innumerable bodies into one body; conceal or reveal themselves at will; pass through mountains, cliffs, trees, and rocks without obstruction, as though moving through empty space; walk upon water as though walking upon level ground; travel through the air like a bird in flight; enter and emerge from earth and stone as though plunging into and rising from water; emit fire and water from their bodies like a great mass of flames or a spring upon a snow mountain; touch the sun and moon with their hands; reach even to Brahma;

and always exercise mastery over their bodies.

Although manifesting such miraculous supernormal powers, these great bodhisattvas do not perceive any supernormal power, any manifestation of supernormal power, or any body. All are ungraspable because they are empty in intrinsic nature, detached in intrinsic nature, and unborn in intrinsic nature. Therefore, these great bodhisattvas do not think, ‘I have attained miraculous supernormal powers,’ except insofar as they are directed toward the aspiration for omniscience.

While practicing prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas attain such directly realized knowledge of miraculous supernormal powers.

O Shariputra! Because this bodhisattva’s divine ear is purified and surpasses the human ear, he hears two kinds of sounds: sounds of the heavenly realms and sounds of the human realm. Although this is so, this bodhisattva does not perceive any supernatural power of the divine ear. The divine ear, sounds, and his own body are all unobtainable. Because they are empty in their own nature, detached in their own nature, and unborn in their own nature, the bodhisattva does not think, “I possess the divine ear,” except when directed toward the mind of all-knowledge.

While practicing prajnaparamita, this bodhisattva attains such realization and knowledge of the supernatural power of the divine ear.

O Shariputra! This great bodhisattva knows, just as they truly are, the minds of other beings. If a mind is lustful, angry, deluded, attached to other things, acquisitive, distracted, disturbed, narrow, unliberated, or surpassed, this bodhisattva knows it correctly as a lustful mind, and so forth, through knowing it correctly as a surpassed mind.

If a mind is free from lust, free from anger, free from delusion, without attachment to other things, without acquisitiveness, collected, concentrated, expansive, liberated, or unsurpassed, he knows it correctly as a mind free from lust, and so forth, through knowing it correctly as an unsurpassed mind. Although he knows them just as they truly are, this bodhisattva does not perceive those minds. Why is this?

Because those minds do not possess any real characteristic of mind and are originally inconceivable. Because they are empty in their own nature, detached in their own nature, and unborn in their own nature, this bodhisattva does not think, “I have attained the realization of knowledge of others’ minds,” except when directed toward the mind of all-knowledge.

While practicing prajnaparamita, this bodhisattva attains such realization and knowledge of the supernatural power of knowing others’ minds.

O Shariputra! By means of the realized supernatural knowledge of former lives, this great bodhisattva recollects one day, one month, one year, one kalpa, and even innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of kalpas: “I dwelt in such a place, had such a name and clan, lived and ate in such a manner, lived for such a length of time, and experienced such suffering and happiness. Dying there, I was born elsewhere; dying elsewhere, I was born there.

I had such an appearance and such causes and conditions.” Yet this bodhisattva does not perceive any supernatural knowledge of former lives, nor the activity of that supernatural knowledge, nor his own body. All are unobtainable. Because they are empty in their own nature, detached in their own nature, and unborn in their own nature, this bodhisattva does not think, “I possess the supernatural knowledge of former lives,” except when directed toward the mind of all-knowledge.

While practicing prajnaparamita, this bodhisattva attains such realization and knowledge of the supernatural power of recollecting former lives.

O Shariputra! With the divine eye, this great bodhisattva sees beings at the time of death and afterward: whether their bodies are beautiful or ugly, whether their destinations are good or bad, and whether their bodies are large or small. He also sees beings in accordance with the causes and conditions of their karma.

There are beings who, having committed evil karma through body, speech, and mind, revile the noble ones; because of the causes and conditions of wrong views, upon death they fall into evil destinies and are born in the hells. There are beings who, having accomplished wholesome karma through body, speech, and mind, honor and trust the noble ones; because of the causes and conditions of right view, upon death they enter good destinies and are born in the heavenly realms.

Although he sees and knows in this way, this bodhisattva does not perceive any supernatural power of the divine eye, nor the activity of the divine eye, nor his own body. All are unobtainable. Because they are empty in their own nature, detached in their own nature, and unborn in their own nature, this bodhisattva does not think, “I possess the supernatural power of the divine eye,” except when directed toward the mind of all-knowledge.

While practicing prajnaparamita, this bodhisattva attains such realization and knowledge of the supernatural power of the divine eye.

This bodhisattva also clearly sees beings throughout worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions dying here and being born there, even to the point of being born in the heavenly realms. All four supernatural powers possess such penetrating capability. This is the bodhisattva’s supernatural power of the exhaustion of the outflows.

Although he attains the supernatural power of the exhaustion of the outflows, this bodhisattva does not fall into the ranks of shravakas or pratyekabuddhas. Until attaining unsurpassed bodhi, he does not rely upon any other teaching apart from prajnaparamita. This bodhisattva also does not perceive any supernatural power of the exhaustion of the outflows, nor the activity of that supernatural power, nor his own body.

All are unobtainable. Because they are empty in their own nature, detached in their own nature, and unborn in their own nature, this bodhisattva does not think, “I have attained the supernatural power of the exhaustion of the outflows,” except when directed toward all-knowledge.

While practicing prajnaparamita, this bodhisattva attains such realization and knowledge of the supernatural power of the exhaustion of the outflows.

O Shariputra! While practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva perfects the paramita of supernatural powers, and thereby the fruit of unsurpassed bodhi increases.

O Shariputra! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, abides in dana-paramita in order to purify omniscience, and because of ultimate emptiness, does not give rise to a miserly mind.

O Shariputra! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, abides in shila-paramita in order to purify omniscience, and because of ultimate emptiness, does not become attached to either guilt or guiltlessness.

O Shariputra! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, abides in kshanti-paramita in order to purify omniscience, and because of ultimate emptiness, does not become angry.

O Shariputra! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, abides in virya-paramita in order to purify omniscience, and because of ultimate emptiness, is always diligent in body and mind, neither indolent nor negligent.

O Shariputra! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, abides in dhyana-paramita in order to purify omniscience, and because of ultimate emptiness, is neither distracted nor intoxicated by the savor of meditation.

O Shariputra! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, abides in prajnaparamita in order to purify omniscience, and because of ultimate emptiness, does not give rise to a foolish mind.

O Shariputra! While practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva abides in the six paramitas in this way in order to purify omniscience: because of ultimate emptiness; because there is neither coming nor going; because there is neither giving nor receiving; because there is neither observance of precepts nor commission of offenses; because there is neither patience nor anger; because there is neither diligence nor laziness; because there is neither concentration nor distraction; and because there is neither wisdom nor ignorance.

At that time, the great bodhisattva does not discriminate between giving and not giving; does not discriminate between keeping precepts and violating precepts; does not discriminate between patience and anger; does not discriminate between diligence and indolence; does not discriminate between a concentrated mind and a distracted mind; does not discriminate between wisdom and ignorance; and does not discriminate between abuse and contempt on the one hand and reverence and respect on the other.

Why is this? Because within the unborn Dharma there is no one who receives abuse, and no one who receives contempt or reverence.

O Shariputra! By practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva attains such merits. Shravakas and pratyekabuddhas do not possess these merits. Thereby, the great bodhisattva fully brings beings to maturity, purifies Buddha lands, and attains omniscience.

O Shariputra! While practicing prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattva gives rise to a mind of equality toward all beings. Having given rise to a mind of equality toward all beings, the bodhisattva attains the Dharma of equality. Having attained the equality of all dharmas, the bodhisattva establishes all beings within that Dharma of equality.

In this very life, this great bodhisattva is cherished by all Buddhas of the ten directions and is also revered and cherished by all bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and shravakas.

Wherever this great bodhisattva is born, when the eye faculty directly sees forms, he does not become attached to forms; and so forth, when the mind faculty does not apprehend dharmas, he does not become attached to dharmas.

O Sariputra! A great bodhisattva who practices prajnaparamita in this way does not diminish unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

When the Buddha expounded this chapter on prajnaparamita, three hundred bhiksus in the Dharma assembly rose, offered their robes to the Buddha, and awakened the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi.

The Buddha smiled, and rays of many colors shone forth from his mouth.

Ananda immediately rose, adjusted his robes, knelt with palms joined, and asked the Buddha why he had smiled.

The Buddha said: “Ananda! Sixty-one kalpas from now, these three hundred bhiksus will become Buddhas, all bearing the name Great General. After relinquishing their present bodies, these three hundred bhiksus will be born in the land of the Buddha Aksobhya. Together with sixty thousand devas of the Desire Realm, they will awaken the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, renounce household life, and cultivate the Buddha Way within the true Dharma of the Buddha Maitreya.

At that time, through the Buddha’s spiritual power, the fourfold assembly gathered in the Dharma assembly saw a thousand Buddhas in each of the ten directions. The lands in those ten directions were all more splendid and pure than this Saha world. Ten thousand people vowed to cultivate pure conduct so that they might be born in the worlds of those Buddhas.

Knowing the aspirations in the minds of these good men, the Buddha smiled once more, and rays of light streamed forth from his mouth.

Ananda asked the Buddha the reason. The Buddha said that those ten thousand people would be born in the worlds throughout the ten directions and would never again be separated from the Buddhas. Thereafter, they would all become Buddhas, each bearing the name Tathagata King of Adornments.

CHAPTER ON PRAISING THE PARAMITA

FIVE

At that time, Sariputra, Mahamaudgalyayana, Subhuti, Mahakasyapa, together with the assembly of great bhiksus, the assembly of great bodhisattvas, the assembly of upasakas, and the assembly of upasikas, rose, knelt with palms joined, and said: “O World-Honored One! The great paramita is the prajnaparamita of the great bodhisattvas. The honored paramita, the foremost paramita, the supreme paramita, the wondrous paramita, the unsurpassed paramita, the unequaled paramita, the peerless paramita, and the space-like paramita are all the prajnaparamita of the great bodhisattvas.

“O World-Honored One! The paramita of the emptiness of intrinsic characteristics, the paramita of the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the paramita of the emptiness of all dharmas, the paramita of the emptiness of nonexistence and existence, the paramita that reveals all virtues, the paramita that perfects all virtues, and the indestructible paramita are all the prajnaparamita of the great bodhisattvas.

“O World-Honored One! A great bodhisattva who practices this prajnaparamita performs peerless giving, perfects the peerless dana paramita, and attains a peerless body and peerless dharmas. This is precisely unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. As with the dana paramita, so it is with the other five paramitas.

“The World-Honored One himself formerly practiced this prajnaparamita, thereby perfected the six paramitas, attained peerless dharmas, attained peerless form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, became a Buddha, and turned the peerless Dharma wheel.

“The Buddhas of the past also practiced this prajnaparamita, thereby perfected peerless giving, and so forth, up to turning the peerless Dharma wheel.

“The Buddhas of the future will also practice this prajnaparamita, will perfect peerless giving, and so forth, up to turning the peerless Dharma wheel.

“Therefore, great bodhisattvas who wish to cross over to the other shore of all dharmas must practice prajnaparamita.

“O World-Honored One! All beings in the world—devas, humans, and asuras—should honor, venerate, and make offerings to great bodhisattvas who practice prajnaparamita.”

The Buddha said: “So it is! So it is! Good men! All beings in the world—devas, humans, and asuras—should honor, venerate, and make offerings to those who practice prajnaparamita. Why is this? Because, through the coming and going of these bodhisattvas, wholesome destinies arise in the world, such as the human realm and the heavenly realms from that of the Four Heavenly Kings up to the Akanistha Heaven. Stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and Buddhas also arise. Through the coming and going of these bodhisattvas, necessities such as food and drink, clothing, lamps and torches, dwellings, and precious jewels arise in the world.

“Sariputra! All the pleasures and joys of the world, whether the pleasures of desire or the joy of freedom from desire, whether among humans or in the heavenly realms, exist because of these bodhisattvas.

“Why is this? Because while practicing the bodhisattva path, these great bodhisattvas abide in the six paramitas. They themselves practice giving and also use giving to bring sentient beings to fulfillment; and so forth, until they themselves practice prajnaparamita and also use prajnaparamita to bring sentient beings to fulfillment.

“Sariputra! Therefore, great bodhisattvas appear in the world for the peace and happiness of all sentient beings.”

CHAPTER ON THE MARK OF THE TONGUE

SIX

At that time, the World-Honored One manifested his broad and long tongue, covering the entire great trichiliocosm. From the mark of his tongue he emitted innumerable rays of immeasurable colors, illuminating worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions.

In worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the eastern direction, immeasurable and innumerable bodhisattvas saw this light and each asked their own Buddha about it. The Buddhas told them that this light had been emitted from the mark of the tongue of Sakyamuni Tathagata in the Saha world to the west, as he expounded prajnaparamita for the great bodhisattvas.

As in the eastern direction, so too in the other nine directions did the bodhisattvas ask and the Buddhas reply.

The bodhisattvas throughout the ten directions each asked their own Buddha for permission to travel to the Saha world to venerate Sakyamuni Buddha, meet the great bodhisattvas, and hear prajnaparamita. All the Buddhas consented.

The bodhisattvas throughout the ten directions brought precious flowers, precious incense, banners, canopies, gold, silver, pearls, and jewels to the Saha world. The devas from the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings up to the Akanistha Heaven also brought heavenly flowers, heavenly incense, heavenly trees, heavenly leaves, and many kinds of celestial lotuses, and together came to where Sakyamuni Buddha was.

The flowers scattered as offerings by the great bodhisattvas and devas remained suspended in the air and transformed into precious pavilions with four pillars, adorned with many colors and exceedingly magnificent.

Within Sakyamuni Buddha’s assembly, a hundred thousand kotis of people all rose, joined their palms, and said: “O World-Honored One! In the future, we too shall attain dharmas such as those attained by Sakyamuni Buddha; our assemblies of disciples and our teaching of the Dharma shall also be like his.”

Knowing that this great assembly had sincerely realized the patience regarding dharmas that are unborn, unceasing, unarisen, and uncreated, the Buddha smiled, and rays of many colors streamed forth from his mouth.

Ananda asked the Buddha the reason.

The Buddha said: “Ananda! These hundred thousand kotis of people have attained the patience of the unborn. Sixty-eight kotis of kalpas from now, during the kalpa called Accumulation of Flowers, they will become Buddhas, all bearing the name Tathagata Flower of Enlightenment.”

CHAPTER ON THE THREE PROVISIONAL DESIGNATIONS

SEVEN

The Buddha said to Subhuti: “You should instruct the great bodhisattvas in prajnaparamita, in accordance with what great bodhisattvas ought to accomplish.”

Immediately, the entire assembly of bodhisattvas, sravakas, humans, and devas thought: Would Subhuti expound prajnaparamita to the great bodhisattvas through his own wisdom, or by relying upon the Buddha’s spiritual power?

Knowing the thoughts of the assembly, Subhuti said to Sariputra:

“Whenever disciples among the shravakas expound the Dharma or impart instruction, they do so entirely through the spiritual power of the Buddha.”

The teachings spoken by the Buddha do not contradict the characteristics of dharmas; they are like a shining lamp. Good men who cultivate and study in accordance with those teachings attain realization of those dharmas.

The shravakas and pratyekabuddhas truly have no ability to expound prajnaparamita to the great bodhisattvas.

Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! Among the bodhisattvas just spoken of, what dharma is called a bodhisattva?

“We do not perceive any definite dharma called a bodhisattva. How, then, is a bodhisattva to be instructed in prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! In truth, ‘prajnaparamita’ is merely a name. The bodhisattva and the name ‘bodhisattva’ are likewise merely names. These names are neither within, nor without, nor in between.

“Subhuti! It is like speaking of a self, a sentient being, one who lives, one who has a life, one who is born, one who knows, one who sees, one who acts, or one who initiates action: all these are dharmas that exist through the conjunction of conditions. These designations are originally neither born nor extinguished; they are spoken of only by means of conventional worldly names.

“Likewise, prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva, and the name ‘bodhisattva’ all exist through the conjunction of conditions. They too are originally neither born nor extinguished and are spoken of only by means of conventional worldly names.

“It is like the body, which exists through the conjunction of conditions. Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness also exist through the conjunction of conditions. They are all neither born nor extinguished and are spoken of only by means of conventional worldly names. Prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva, and the name ‘bodhisattva’ are likewise so.

“Subhuti! It is like the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, and dharmas; the eye-dhatu, the ear-dhatu, and so forth through the mind-consciousness-dhatu. All these twelve ayatanas and eighteen dhatus exist through the conjunction of conditions. They are originally neither born nor extinguished and are spoken of only by means of conventional worldly names. They are neither within, nor without, nor in between.

“Likewise, prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva, and the name ‘bodhisattva’ all exist through the conjunction of conditions. They are originally neither born nor extinguished and are spoken of only by means of conventional worldly names; they are neither within, nor without, nor in between.

“Subhuti! It is like the parts of the inner body called the head, neck, shoulders, arms, back, waist, thighs, and feet, and external things called grass, trees, branches, leaves, stalks, and shoots. They all exist through the conjunction of conditions. They are originally neither born nor extinguished and are spoken of only by means of conventional worldly names. They too are neither within, nor without, nor in between.

“Prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva, and the name ‘bodhisattva’ are likewise so. They all exist through the conjunction of conditions. They are originally neither born nor extinguished and are spoken of only by means of conventional worldly names; they are neither within, nor without, nor in between.

“Subhuti! It is like the names of the Buddhas of the past, which exist through the conjunction of conditions. They too are neither born nor extinguished and are spoken of only by means of names; they are neither within, nor without, nor in between. Prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva, and the name ‘bodhisattva’ are likewise so.

“It is like reflections and echoes, dreams and illusions, mirages and magical transformations, which all exist through the conjunction of conditions and are spoken of only by means of names. Those things and their names are originally neither born nor extinguished; they are neither within, nor without, nor in between. Prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva, and the name ‘bodhisattva’ are likewise so. They all exist through the conjunction of conditions, are neither born nor extinguished, and are neither within, nor without, nor in between.

“Subhuti! One should train thus: when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, the name ‘prajnaparamita,’ the acceptance of prajnaparamita, and the true Dharma of prajnaparamita are all merely provisional designations.

“When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not perceive the names of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as permanent or impermanent, suffering or happiness, self or non-self, defiled or pure. Nor does the bodhisattva perceive the names of these five skandhas as empty, signless, wishless, quiescent, born, extinguished, within, without, or in between.

“As with the five skandhas, so it is with the eye faculty, visible form, eye-consciousness, eye-contact, and the feelings produced by eye-contact, and so forth through the mind faculty, dharmas, mind-consciousness, mind-contact, and the feelings produced by the conditions of mind-contact. A great bodhisattva does not perceive any of them as permanent or impermanent, and so forth through being in between.

“Why is this? Because when practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not perceive prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva, or the name ‘bodhisattva’ within either the nature of the conditioned or the nature of the unconditioned. Regarding these dharmas, the great bodhisattva does not give rise to discriminating thoughts.

“This great bodhisattva, practicing prajnaparamita, abides in the indestructible Dharma. When cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness and so forth through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, the bodhisattva does not perceive prajnaparamita or the name ‘prajnaparamita,’ nor does the bodhisattva perceive the bodhisattva or the name ‘bodhisattva.’

“When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva knows only the true characteristic of all dharmas. This true characteristic is neither defiled nor pure.

“When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva should know that names are provisional designations. Having known that names are provisional designations, the bodhisattva does not cling to form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; does not cling to the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind, nor to forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas; does not cling to the eye-dhatu through the mind-consciousness-dhatu; does not cling to eye-contact and the conditions of contact through mind-contact and the conditions of mind-contact that produce feelings that are painful, pleasant, or neither painful nor pleasant; does not cling to the nature of the conditioned or the nature of the unconditioned;

does not cling to dana, shila, kshanti, virya, dhyana, or prajnaparamita; does not cling to the thirty-two marks; does not cling to the body of a bodhisattva; does not cling to the physical eye, divine eye, wisdom eye, Dharma eye, or Buddha eye; does not cling to the perfection of wisdom or the perfection of supernormal powers; does not cling to inner emptiness and so forth through the emptiness of nonexistence and existence; does not cling to bringing sentient beings to fulfillment; does not cling to purifying Buddha-lands; and does not cling to skillful means.

“Why is this? Because all these dharmas are empty. Therefore, there is no one who clings, no dharma to which one clings, and no place of clinging.

“When practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva does not cling to any dharma and thereby increases the six paramitas, reaches the stage of a non-retrogressing bodhisattva, and perfects great supernormal powers. The bodhisattva travels from one Buddha-land to another to make offerings to the Buddhas, liberate sentient beings, purify Buddha-realms, and hear the Buddhas expound the Dharma. Having heard it, the bodhisattva retains it without ever forgetting it, even until attaining unsurpassed bodhi, and acquires dharani gateways and samadhi gateways.

“Therefore, when practicing prajnaparamita, a great bodhisattva should clearly know that the names of all dharmas are provisional designations.

“Subhuti! Are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness the bodhisattva?”

“No, Blessed One!”

“Subhuti! Are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, and dharmas; and eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness the bodhisattva?”

“No, Blessed One!”

“Subhuti! Are the earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, space element, and consciousness element the bodhisattva?”

“No, Blessed One!”

“Subhuti! Are ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense entrances, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging, and death the bodhisattva?”

“No, Blessed One!”

“Subhuti! Is the suchness-characteristic of the five skandhas, and so forth through the suchness-characteristic of the twelve links of dependent origination, the bodhisattva?”

No, Blessed One!

Subhuti, apart from that suchness-characteristic, is there a bodhisattva?

No, Blessed One!

Subhuti, what meaning do you perceive that leads you to say that all the aforementioned dharmas, as well as separation from those dharmas, are not the bodhisattva?

Blessed One! Even sentient beings are ultimately unfindable, much less the bodhisattva. Even form is unfindable, much less could form or separation from form be the bodhisattva; how much less could the suchness-characteristic of form or separation from the suchness-characteristic of form be the bodhisattva. The same applies through the twelve links of dependent origination: neither the twelve links of dependent origination nor separation from them is the bodhisattva; how much less could their suchness-characteristic or separation from the suchness-characteristic of the twelve links of dependent origination be the bodhisattva.

Excellent, excellent! It is exactly so. Subhuti, because the great bodhisattva and sentient beings are unfindable, prajnaparamita is also unfindable. One must train in this way.

Subhuti, are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness the meaning of the bodhisattva?

Blessed One! They are not.

Subhuti, are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—permanent or impermanent, pleasurable or painful, self or non-self—the meaning of the bodhisattva?

Blessed One! They are not.

Subhuti, are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—empty or not empty, characterized or signless, conditioned or unconditioned—the meaning of the bodhisattva? The same applies through aging and death.

Blessed One! They are not.

Subhuti, what meanings do you perceive that lead you to say that the five skandhas through the twelve links of dependent origination are not the meaning of the bodhisattva, and that the five skandhas through the twelve links of dependent origination—permanent or impermanent, through conditioned or unconditioned—are all not the meaning of the bodhisattva?

Blessed One! Even the five skandhas through the twelve links of dependent origination are ultimately unfindable, much less could they be the meaning of the bodhisattva. The five skandhas through the twelve links of dependent origination, from permanence through the unconditioned, are ultimately unfindable, much less could they be the meaning of the bodhisattva.

Excellent, excellent! It is exactly so. Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, the meaning of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, through the meaning of the unconditioned, is entirely unfindable. One must train in prajnaparamita in this way.

Subhuti, you have said that you do not see any definite dharma called a bodhisattva.

You should know that dharmas do not see dharmas. Dharmas do not see the Dharma-nature. Nor does the Dharma-nature see dharmas. The Dharma-nature does not see the earth element, and the earth element does not see the Dharma-nature; the same applies through the consciousness element. The Dharma-nature does not see the eye, form, and the nature of eye-consciousness, through the nature of mind-consciousness; nor do the eye, form, and the nature of eye-consciousness, through the nature of mind-consciousness, see the Dharma-nature.

Subhuti, the conditioned nature does not see the unconditioned nature, nor does the unconditioned nature see the conditioned nature. Why is this? Because apart from the conditioned, the unconditioned cannot be spoken of; and apart from the unconditioned, the conditioned cannot be spoken of.

It is exactly so. Subhuti, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, he sees nothing whatsoever in any dharma. At that time, the bodhisattva is neither alarmed nor afraid, feels no regret, and his mind does not sink into dejection.

Why is this? Because this great bodhisattva does not see the five skandhas, the twelve ayatanas, or the eighteen dhatus; he does not see even the twelve links of dependent origination; he does not see a self or a sentient being, through a knower or a seer; he does not see the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, or the Formless Realm; he does not see shravakas or pratyekabuddhas; he does not see bodhisattvas or the dharmas of bodhisattvas; and he does not see the Buddha, the Buddha-Dharma, or the path to Buddhahood.

Because he sees none of all dharmas, the bodhisattva is neither alarmed nor afraid, feels no regret, and does not sink into dejection.

Blessed One! For what reason does this bodhisattva’s mind neither regret nor sink into dejection?

Subhuti, all the mental states and mental factors of the great bodhisattva are unfindable and cannot be seen. Therefore, the bodhisattva’s mind neither sinks into dejection nor feels regret.

Blessed One! For what reason is the bodhisattva’s mind neither alarmed nor afraid?

Subhuti, this bodhisattva’s mind and mind-consciousness are both unfindable and cannot be seen. Therefore, the bodhisattva is neither alarmed nor afraid.

It is exactly so. Subhuti, because all dharmas are unfindable, a great bodhisattva should practice prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, wherever the great bodhisattva is, he does not see prajnaparamita, does not see a bodhisattva, does not see the designation “bodhisattva,” and does not see the mind of a bodhisattva. This is precisely the teaching given to great bodhisattvas.