THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 425
Chapter 25: ŚAKRA (1)
At that time, in this Three-Thousand Great Thousand World of Endurance, there were the Four Great Heavenly Kings together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Heavenly Sons of the realm of the Four Great Heavenly Kings, all coming to assemble. There was the Heavenly Lord together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Heavenly Sons of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, all coming to assemble. There was the Heavenly King Suyāma together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Heavenly Sons of the Yāma Heaven, all coming to assemble. There was the Heavenly King Saṃtuṣita together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Heavenly Sons of the Tuṣita Heaven, all coming to assemble. There was the Heavenly King of Marvelous Transformation together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Heavenly Sons of the Heaven of Transformation by Others, all coming to assemble. There was the Heavenly King Īśvara together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Heavenly Sons of the Heaven of Freely Transforming Others’ Enjoyments, all coming to assemble. There was the Great Brahmā Heavenly King together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Great Brahmā Heavenly Beings, all coming to assemble. There were the Radiant Light Pure Heavens together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Heavenly Beings who had attained the second meditative absorption, all coming to assemble. There were the Universal Purity Heavens together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Heavenly Beings who had attained the third meditative absorption, all coming to assemble. There were the Vast Fruit Heavens together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Heavenly Beings who had attained the fourth meditative absorption, all coming to assemble. There were the Highest Form Heavens together with countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Pure Abode Heavenly Beings, all coming to assemble.
The Heavenly Beings from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Pure Abode Heavens possessed pure karmic results of maturation and bodies endowed with radiance, yet compared with the constantly manifest radiance of the Tathāgata’s body, they were not equal to one hundredth, not equal to one thousandth, not equal to one hundred-thousandth, not equal to one hundred-millionth, not equal to one hundred-millionth of one hundred-millionth, not equal to one thousand-millionth, not equal to one hundred-thousand-millionth, and so forth, even up to countless fractions, calculable fractions, conceivable fractions, comparable fractions, and ultimately not even equal to one extremely minute fraction. Why? Because the constantly manifest radiance of the Tathāgata’s body is brilliant and clear, among all lights it is the most honored, most excellent, most supreme, most wondrous, incomparable, unequaled, unsurpassed, and foremost. It obscures the light of the gods and causes it to disappear, just as a spark from the wick of a lamp is compared with Jambūnada gold.
At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, addressed Venerable Subhūti:
“Today, in this Three-Thousand Great Thousand World, the Heavenly Beings from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Pure Abode Heavens have all assembled and wish to hear the Venerable One expound the Perfection of Wisdom. Now is the appropriate time; please, Venerable One, teach and explain it. Venerable One, what is the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva? How does a Great Bodhisattva abide in the Prajñāpāramitā? How does a Great Bodhisattva learn the Prajñāpāramitā?”
Venerable Subhūti said to Śakra, Lord of the Gods:
“O Kāśika, all of you Heavenly Beings, listen well, listen well, and carefully contemplate! Relying on the Buddha’s spiritual power, I shall explain the Prajñāpāramitā to the Great Bodhisattvas according to the intention of the Tathāgata. Great Bodhisattvas should abide in this way and learn in this way.
“O Kāśika, those who have not yet generated the mind of Unsurpassed Bodhi should now generate it.
“O Kāśika, those who have already entered the Right Nature of Separation from Birth as Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas can no longer generate the great Bodhi mind. Why? O Kāśika, because those beings have already brought the process of birth and death to an end. If among these there are those who are able to generate the aspiration toward the highest unsurpassed enlightenment, I also rejoice with them. Why? O Kāśika, because those who are superior seek superior Dharma, and I absolutely do not hinder their exceedingly excellent qualities of conduct.
“O Kāśika, you have asked: What is the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva? Listen, and I shall explain it to you. O Kāśika, a Great Bodhisattva who generates a mind corresponding with All-Knowing Wisdom, using non-attainment as the method, contemplates form up to consciousness as impermanent, or as suffering, or as without self, or as empty, or as like a disease, like a boil, like an arrow, like an ulcer, like burning, like oppression, like decay, like rotting, like trembling, like destruction, like fear, like something to be detested, like calamity, like injustice, like an epidemic, like leprosy, like insecurity, like loss of confidence; contemplates the eye-base up to the mind-base; contemplates the form-base up to the dharma-base; contemplates the eye-element up to the mind-element; contemplates the form-element up to the dharma-element; contemplates the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; contemplates eye-contact up to mind-contact; contemplates the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact up to the feelings arising conditioned by mind-contact; and contemplates the earth element up to the consciousness element in the same way—O Kāśika, this is called the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva.
“Furthermore, O Kāśika, a Great Bodhisattva who generates a mind corresponding with All-Knowing Wisdom, using non-attainment as the method, contemplates form up to consciousness as peaceful, as separated, as unborn, as undying, as undefiled, as not purified, as non-constructed, as unconditioned; contemplates the eye-base up to the mind-base; contemplates the form-base up to the dharma-base; contemplates the eye-element up to the mind-element; contemplates the form-element up to the dharma-element; contemplates the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; contemplates eye-contact up to mind-contact; contemplates the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact up to the feelings arising conditioned by mind-contact; and contemplates the earth element up to the consciousness element in the same way—O Kāśika, this is called the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva.
“Furthermore, O Kāśika, a Great Bodhisattva who generates a mind corresponding with All-Knowing Wisdom, using non-attainment as the method, contemplates: ignorance conditions formations; formations condition consciousness; consciousness conditions name-and-form; name-and-form conditions the six sense bases; the six sense bases condition contact; contact conditions feeling; feeling conditions craving; craving conditions grasping; grasping conditions existence; existence conditions birth; birth conditions aging and death; and thus the great mass of suffering is gathered together. Using non-attainment as the method, the Bodhisattva contemplates: through the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; through the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases; through the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form ceases; through the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense bases cease; through the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases; through the cessation of contact, feeling ceases; through the cessation of feeling, craving ceases; through the cessation of craving, grasping ceases; through the cessation of grasping, existence ceases; through the cessation of existence, birth ceases; through the cessation of birth, aging and death cease; and thus the great mass of suffering also ceases. O Kāśika, this is called the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva.
“Furthermore, O Kāśika, a Great Bodhisattva who generates a mind corresponding with All-Knowing Wisdom, using non-attainment as the method, abides in inner emptiness up to emptiness of the non-existence of inherent nature; abides in suchness, the Dharma realm, ultimate reality, the inconceivable realm, the peaceful realm, and so forth—O Kāśika, this is called the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva.
“Furthermore, O Kāśika, a Great Bodhisattva who generates a mind corresponding with All-Knowing Wisdom, using non-attainment as the method, cultivates the four applications of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; cultivates the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; cultivates the ten powers of the Buddha up to the eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha; cultivates all samādhi teachings and all dhāraṇī teachings; cultivates All-Knowing Wisdom, Path-Aspect Wisdom, and All-Aspect Wisdom—O Kāśika, this is called the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva.
“Furthermore, O Kāśika, a Great Bodhisattva who generates a mind corresponding with All-Knowing Wisdom, using non-attainment as the method, practices generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and Prajñāpāramitā—O Kāśika, this is called the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva.
“Furthermore, O Kāśika, when practicing the Prajñāpāramitā, a Great Bodhisattva contemplates thus: only dharmas mutually support one another, mutually increase one another, and mutually perfect one another; through contemplation and examination, there is no possession of self. The Bodhisattva further contemplates thus: the dedication mind of Great Bodhisattvas does not combine with the Bodhi mind, and the Bodhi mind also does not combine with the dedication mind. This means that within the Bodhi mind, the dedication mind of a Great Bodhisattva has no possession and cannot be grasped. Within the dedication mind, the Bodhi mind also has no possession and cannot be grasped. Although Great Bodhisattvas truly observe all dharmas, they are completely empty with regard to all dharmas. O Kāśika, this is called the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva.”
At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, asked Subhūti:
“How is it that the dedication mind of a Great Bodhisattva does not combine with the Bodhi mind, and the Bodhi mind also does not combine with the dedication mind?
“How is it that within the Bodhi mind the dedication mind of a Great Bodhisattva has no possession and cannot be grasped, and within the dedication mind the Bodhi mind also has no possession and cannot be grasped?”
Subhūti replied:
“O Kāśika, the dedication mind of a Great Bodhisattva is not mind. The Bodhi mind is also not mind. The non-mind should not dedicate the non-mind. The mind should not dedicate the non-mind. The non-mind should not dedicate the mind. The mind should not dedicate the mind. Why? O Kāśika, because non-mind is inconceivable, and the inconceivable is non-mind. These two dharmas have no possession; within non-possession there is no meaning of dedication.
“O Kāśika, mind has no inherent nature; the nature of mind is emptiness, therefore mental factors are also empty. Since mind and mental factors have no inherent nature, mind also has no meaning as the dedication mind.
“O Kāśika, if one contemplates in this way, it is called the Prajñāpāramitā of a Great Bodhisattva.”
At that time, the World-Honored One praised Subhūti:
“Excellent, excellent! You have skillfully explained the Prajñāpāramitā to the Great Bodhisattvas and have also skillfully encouraged and delighted the Great Bodhisattvas, urging them to cultivate the Prajñāpāramitā.”
Venerable Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, I have understood the kindness received and cannot fail to repay it. Why? Because the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and the disciples of the past have taught the six perfections to the Great Bodhisattvas, manifested teachings, instructed, praised, encouraged, congratulated, comforted, established them, and caused them to attain the ultimate goal. At that time, the World-Honored One also learned this Dharma and thus now attained the highest unsurpassed enlightenment, turned the wheel of the wondrous Dharma, and benefited us. Now, following the Buddha’s teaching, I explain the six perfections to the Great Bodhisattvas, manifest teachings, instruct, praise, encourage, congratulate, comfort, establish them, and cause them to attain the ultimate goal, so that they may quickly attain the highest unsurpassed enlightenment. This is called repaying that kindness.”
At that time, Venerable Subhūti said to Śakra, Lord of the Gods:
“O Kāśika, you asked how Great Bodhisattvas abide in the Prajñāpāramitā, did you not? Listen, and I shall explain. Great Bodhisattvas, with regard to the Prajñāpāramitā, should abide where they should abide and should not abide in characteristics.
“O Kāśika, form, the emptiness of form; feeling, perception, formations, consciousness, and the emptiness of feeling, perception, formations, consciousness; Bodhisattva and the emptiness of Bodhisattva; whether the emptiness of form, or the emptiness of feeling, perception, formations, consciousness, or the emptiness of Bodhisattva—all these are non-dual and have no place of duality.
“O Kāśika, Great Bodhisattvas should abide in this way with regard to the Prajñāpāramitā.
“O Kāśika, the eye-base and the emptiness of the eye-base; up to the mind-base and the emptiness of the mind-base; Bodhisattva and the emptiness of Bodhisattva; whether the emptiness of the eye-base up to the emptiness of the mind-base, or the emptiness of Bodhisattva—all these are non-dual and have no place of duality.”
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the form realm, the emptiness of the form realm; up to the dharma realm, the emptiness of the dharma realm; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the form realm, up to the emptiness of the dharma realm, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the eye element, the emptiness of the eye element; up to the mind element, the emptiness of the mind element; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the eye element, up to the emptiness of the mind element, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the form element, the emptiness of the form element; up to the dharma element, the emptiness of the dharma element; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the form element, up to the emptiness of the dharma element, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the eye consciousness element, the emptiness of the eye consciousness element; up to the mind consciousness element, the emptiness of the mind consciousness element; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the eye consciousness element, up to the emptiness of the mind consciousness element, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, eye contact, the emptiness of eye contact; up to mind contact, the emptiness of mind contact; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of eye contact, up to the emptiness of mind contact, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the feelings that arise dependent upon eye contact, the emptiness of the feelings that arise dependent upon eye contact; up to the feelings that arise dependent upon mind contact, the emptiness of the feelings that arise dependent upon mind contact; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the feelings that arise dependent upon eye contact, up to the emptiness of the feelings that arise dependent upon mind contact, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the earth element, the emptiness of the earth element, up to the consciousness element, the emptiness of the consciousness element; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the earth element, up to the emptiness of the consciousness element, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, ignorance, the emptiness of ignorance, up to aging-and-death, the emptiness of aging-and-death; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of ignorance, up to the emptiness of aging-and-death, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the cessation of ignorance, the emptiness of the cessation of ignorance, up to the cessation of aging-and-death, the emptiness of the cessation of aging-and-death; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the cessation of ignorance, up to the emptiness of the cessation of aging-and-death, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the Perfection of Giving, the emptiness of the Perfection of Giving, up to the Perfection of Wisdom, the emptiness of the Perfection of Wisdom; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of Giving, up to the emptiness of the Perfection of Wisdom, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, internal emptiness, the emptiness of internal emptiness; up to emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature, the emptiness of the emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of internal emptiness, up to the emptiness of the emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the four foundations of mindfulness, the emptiness of the four foundations of mindfulness; up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, the emptiness of the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the four foundations of mindfulness, up to the emptiness of the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, all methods of samādhi, the emptiness of all methods of samādhi; all methods of dhāraṇī, the emptiness of all methods of dhāraṇī; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of all methods of samādhi, or the emptiness of all methods of dhāraṇī, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the Śrāvaka Vehicle, the emptiness of the Śrāvaka Vehicle; the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, the Unsurpassed Vehicle, the emptiness of the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle and the Unsurpassed Vehicle; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the Śrāvaka Vehicle, or the emptiness of the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle and the Unsurpassed Vehicle, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, the Stream-enterer, the emptiness of the Stream-enterer; up to the Tathāgata, the emptiness of the Tathāgata; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of the Stream-enterer, up to the emptiness of the Tathāgata, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
O Kāśika, all-knowing wisdom, the emptiness of all-knowing wisdom; path-knowing wisdom, all-aspects-knowing wisdom; the emptiness of path-knowing wisdom and all-aspects-knowing wisdom; the Bodhisattva, the emptiness of the Bodhisattva; or the emptiness of all-knowing wisdom, or the emptiness of path-knowing wisdom and all-aspects-knowing wisdom, or the emptiness of the Bodhisattva—all such things are without two, without a place of two.
O Kāśika, the Great Bodhisattvas should abide in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way.
At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, asked Subhūti:
“When a Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom, in what dharma should they not abide?”
Thiện Hiện đáp:
Này Kāśika, các Đại Bồ-tát khi tu hành Bát-nhã ba-la-mật-đa không nên trụ sắc, không nên trụ thọ, tưởng, hành, thức; không nên trụ nhãn xứ cho đến không nên trụ ý xứ; không nên trụ sắc xứ cho đến không nên trụ pháp xứ; không nên trụ nhãn giới cho đến không nên trụ ý giới; không nên trụ sắc giới cho đến không nên trụ pháp giới; không nên trụ nhãn thức giới cho đến không nên trụ ý thức giới; không nên trụ nhãn xúc cho đến không nên trụ ý xúc; không nên trụ các thọ do nhãn xúc làm duyên sinh ra cho đến không nên trụ các thọ do ý xúc làm duyên sinh ra; không nên trụ Địa giới cho đến không nên trụ thức giới; không nên trụ vô minh cho đến không nên trụ lão tử; không nên trụ sự tận diệt vô minh cho đến không nên trụ sự tận diệt lão tử; không nên trụ Bố thí ba-la-mật-đa cho đến không nên trụ Bát-nhã ba-la-mật-đa; không nên trụ pháp không bên trong cho đến không nên trụ pháp không không tánh tự tánh; không nên trụ bốn Niệm trụ cho đến không nên trụ mười tám pháp Phật bất cộng; không nên trụ tất cả pháp môn Tam-ma-địa; không nên trụ tất cả pháp môn Đà-la-ni; không nên trụ Thanh văn thừa; không nên trụ Độc giác thừa, Vô thượng thừa; không nên trụ Dự lưu cho đến không nên trụ Như Lai; không nên trụ trí Nhất thiết, không nên trụ trí Đạo tướng, trí Nhất thiết tướng. Vì sao? Này Kāśika, vì trụ như vậy là có sở đắc.
Furthermore, Kāśika, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in the thought “this is form” up to “this is consciousness”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the eye sphere” up to “this is the mind sphere”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the form sphere” up to “this is the dharma sphere”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the eye element” up to “this is the mind element”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the form element” up to “this is the dharma element”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the eye-consciousness element” up to “this is the mind-consciousness element”; they should not abide in the thought “this is eye contact” up to “this is mind contact”; they should not abide in the thought “these are feelings arisen dependent upon eye contact” up to “these are feelings arisen dependent upon mind contact”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the earth element” up to “this is the consciousness element”; they should not abide in the thought “this is ignorance” up to “this is old age and death”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the cessation of ignorance” up to “this is the cessation of old age and death”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the perfection of giving” up to “this is the perfection of wisdom”; they should not abide in the thought “this is inner emptiness” up to “this is emptiness of the emptiness of intrinsic nature”; they should not abide in the thought “these are the four foundations of mindfulness” up to “these are the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha”; they should not abide in the thought “these are all methods of samādhi, these are all methods of dhāraṇī”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the Śrāvaka vehicle; this is the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, the Unsurpassed Vehicle”; they should not abide in the thought “this is Stream Enterer” up to “this is Tathāgata”; they should not abide in the thought “this is the wisdom of all, this is the wisdom of the path-aspects, this is the wisdom of all aspects.” Why? Kāśika, because abiding in this way is to have something obtained.
Furthermore, Kāśika, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in form up to consciousness as permanent or impermanent, pleasant or unpleasant, self or not-self, pure or impure, empty or not empty, peaceful or not peaceful, separated or not separated; they should not abide in the eye sphere up to the mind sphere as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the form sphere up to the dharma sphere as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the eye element up to the mind element as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the form element up to the dharma element as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in eye contact up to mind contact as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in feelings arisen dependent upon eye contact up to feelings arisen dependent upon mind contact as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the earth element up to the consciousness element as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in ignorance up to old age and death as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the cessation of ignorance up to the cessation of old age and death as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the perfection of giving up to the perfection of wisdom as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in inner emptiness up to emptiness of the emptiness of intrinsic nature as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in all methods of samādhi and all methods of dhāraṇī as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the Śrāvaka vehicle, Pratyekabuddha vehicle, and Unsurpassed Vehicle as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in Stream Enterer up to Tathāgata as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated; they should not abide in the wisdom of all, the wisdom of the path-aspects, and the wisdom of all aspects as permanent or impermanent up to separated or not separated. Why? Kāśika, because abiding in this way is to have something obtained.
Furthermore, Kāśika, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in the fruit of Stream Enterer, whether presented as conditioned or presented as unconditioned; they should not abide in the fruits of Once Returner, Non-Returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, and the supreme unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas, whether presented as conditioned or presented as unconditioned. Why? Kāśika, because abiding in this way is to have something obtained.
Furthermore, Kāśika, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in the fruit of Stream Enterer as a field of merit; they should not abide in Once Returner, Non-Returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, or Tathāgata as fields of merit. Why? Kāśika, because abiding in this way is to have something obtained.
Furthermore, Kāśika, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in the First Ground up to the Tenth Ground. Why? Kāśika, because abiding in this way is to have something obtained. Why? Because abiding in this way involves movement.
Furthermore, Kāśika, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, at the time of first generating the aspiration they should not abide in the thought: “I will perfect the perfection of giving up to the perfection of wisdom”; at the time of first generating the aspiration they should not abide in the thought: “I will cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path”; at the time of first generating the aspiration they should not abide in the thought: “I will cultivate the liberation methods of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha”; they should not abide in the thought: “Having completed my practices, I will enter the correct nature of separation from birth as a Bodhisattva”; they should not abide in the thought: “Having entered the correct nature of separation from birth, I will dwell on the irreversible Bodhisattva ground”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will perfect the five supernormal powers of a Bodhisattva”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will dwell in the perfection of the five supernormal powers of a Bodhisattva, constantly traveling through immeasurable and countless Buddha-fields, respectfully honoring, beholding, making offerings to, and serving the World-Honored Buddhas, listening to the true Dharma, contemplating it properly, and extensively teaching it to others.” Why? Kāśika, because abiding in this way is to have something obtained.
Furthermore, Kāśika, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in the thought: “I will adorn pure lands like the Buddha-fields in the ten directions”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will transform pure lands like the Buddha-fields in the ten directions”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will teach sentient beings and cause them to attain supreme unsurpassed enlightenment, or enter Nirvāṇa, or obtain happiness in the realms of gods and humans”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will go to immeasurable and countless Buddha lands to make offerings, pay homage, honor, respect, and praise the World-Honored Buddhas. I will also offer limitless flowers, incense, necklaces, banners, canopies, garments, bedding, seats, food, drink, lamps, hundreds of thousands of millions of kinds of heavenly music, and immeasurable precious jewels”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will establish innumerable, immeasurable, and boundless sentient beings so that they do not regress from supreme unsurpassed enlightenment.” Why? Kāśika, because abiding in this way is to have something obtained.
Furthermore, Kāśika, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in the thought: “I will accomplish the pure physical eye, divine eye, wisdom eye, Dharma eye, and Buddha eye”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will accomplish the methods of meditative concentration and freely enter and emerge from these concentrations”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will accomplish the methods of dhāraṇī and gain mastery over all such methods”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will accomplish the ten powers of the Tathāgata, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will accomplish the thirty-two marks of excellence and the eighty minor marks that adorn my body, causing sentient beings who see me to rejoice and gaze without weariness, thereby attaining benefit and happiness.” Why? Kāśika, because abiding in this way is to have something obtained.
Furthermore, Kāśika, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in the thought: “This is the eighth person, this is one who follows faith, this is one who follows Dharma”; they should not abide in the thought: “This is a Stream Enterer who at most returns for seven more births; this is one heading toward Once Returner, one heading toward Non-Returner”; they should not abide in the thought: “This is a person of the highest level who will eliminate defilements only when life ends”; they should not abide in the thought: “This is the Dharma of Stream Enterer, who is certain not to fall into lower realms; this is Once Returner, who comes to this world and ends suffering”; they should not abide in the thought: “This is one heading toward Non-Returner, this is the fruit of Non-Returner, who attains Nirvāṇa there”; they should not abide in the thought: “This is an Arhat who has ended future existence and will certainly enter complete Nirvāṇa in this very life”; they should not abide in the thought: “This is a Pratyekabuddha”; they should not abide in the thought: “This is a Tathāgata, Arhat, Fully Enlightened One”; they should not abide in the thought: “I have surpassed the grounds of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and dwell on the Bodhisattva ground”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will possess the wisdom of all, the wisdom of the path-aspects, and the wisdom of all aspects, understand all phenomena and all aspects, completely cut off all bonds of defilements and continuous habits”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will attain the supreme unsurpassed enlightenment I have sought, become a Tathāgata, Arhat, Fully Enlightened One, turn the wheel of the sublime Dharma, perform the deeds of Buddhas, liberate immeasurable and countless sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate bliss of Nirvāṇa”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will skillfully cultivate the four bases of miraculous powers and, having dwelled in such excellent concentration, through the power increased by this concentration, extend my lifespan to countless great kalpas equal in number to the sands of the Ganges”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will obtain a lifespan with no limit”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will accomplish the thirty-two marks, each adorned by a hundred merits”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will accomplish the eighty minor marks, each having immeasurable and countless rare and excellent qualities”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will dwell in a pure land whose magnificence extends as vast as the worlds of the ten directions equal in number to the sands of the Ganges”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will sit upon the vajra throne, whose size equals three thousand great thousand worlds”; they should not abide in the thought: “I will rest beneath the Bodhi tree, whose height and breadth are adorned with jewels, which emits a subtle and wonderful fragrance; sentient beings who smell it have greed, anger, and delusion quickly eliminated, and countless limitless bodily illnesses are also healed. Those who smell the fragrance of this Bodhi tree from afar abandon the aspirations of the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha vehicles and certainly attain supreme unsurpassed enlightenment”; they should not abide in the thought: “May I obtain an adorned and purified Buddha-field. That realm is pure, where the names of the form aggregate, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness aggregates are not heard; where the names of the eye sphere, nor ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind spheres are not heard; where the names of the form sphere, nor sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma spheres are not heard; where the names of the eye element, nor ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements are not heard; where the names of the form element, nor sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements are not heard; where the names of the eye-consciousness element, nor ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements are not heard; where the names of eye contact, nor ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact are not heard; where the names of feelings arisen dependent upon eye contact, nor feelings arisen dependent upon ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact are not heard; where the names of the earth element, nor water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements are not heard; where the names of ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, and old age and death are not heard; only the names of the perfection of giving up to the perfection of wisdom are heard; only the names of inner emptiness up to emptiness of the emptiness of intrinsic nature are heard; only the names of suchness up to the name of the inconceivable realm are heard; only the names of the four foundations of mindfulness, broadly explained, up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha are heard. There, the names of Stream Enterer, Once Returner, Non-Returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha, ordinary beings, and so forth are completely not heard; only the names of Great Bodhisattvas and Tathāgatas, Arhats, Fully Enlightened Ones, are heard.” Why? Kāśika, because abiding in this way is to have something obtained. Why? Because all Tathāgatas, Arhats, Fully Enlightened Ones, upon attaining supreme unsurpassed enlightenment, understand that all phenomena are without possession, and all assemblies of Great Bodhisattvas dwelling on the irreversible ground also see that phenomena are without possession.
Kāśika, this is how Great Bodhisattvas regarding Prajñāpāramitā should abide where they should abide, without abiding in signs.
Kāśika, regarding this profound Prajñāpāramitā, the Great Bodhisattvas, according to the place where they should abide, should not abide in signs; using non-attainment as a means, they should train in this way.
At that time, Śāriputra thought: “If Great Bodhisattvas, when practicing Prajñāpāramitā, should not abide in any phenomena, then why should they abide in Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Venerable Subhūti, knowing Śāriputra’s thought, said:
“What do you think? Where do the minds of the Tathāgatas abide?”
Śāriputra replied:
“The minds of the Tathāgatas have absolutely no place of abiding. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because the mind of the Tathāgata does not abide in form, does not abide in feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; does not abide in the eye sphere, nor in the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind spheres; does not abide in the form sphere, nor in sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma spheres; does not abide in the eye element, nor in the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements; does not abide in the form element, nor in sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements; does not abide in the eye-consciousness element, nor in the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements; does not abide in eye contact, nor in ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact; does not abide in feelings arisen dependent upon eye contact; does not abide in feelings arisen dependent upon ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact; does not abide in conditioned realms; does not abide in unconditioned realms; does not abide in the four foundations of mindfulness; broadly explained, it does not abide in the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; it does not abide in the wisdom of all, nor in the wisdom of the path-aspects and the wisdom of all aspects. Why? Because all phenomena cannot be grasped.
Thus, Venerable Subhūti, the mind of the Tathāgata has absolutely no place of abiding regarding all phenomena, and yet it is not that it does not abide.”
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti said to Śāriputra:
“The Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā are likewise. Although they abide in Prajñāpāramitā, like the Tathāgata they have absolutely no place of abiding regarding all phenomena, and yet it is not that they do not abide. Why? Venerable Śāriputra, because although the Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā abide in Prajñāpāramitā, regarding form they neither abide nor do not abide, and so forth up to the wisdom of all, they neither abide nor do not abide. Why? Venerable Śāriputra, because phenomena such as form have no twofold characteristics.
Venerable Śāriputra, regarding this profound Prajñāpāramitā, the Great Bodhisattvas should train using this characteristic of neither abiding nor not abiding, with non-attainment as a means.”
At that time, some gods in the assembly secretly thought: “The magical formulas of the Yakṣas and others, although secret, we can still understand. Yet the Venerable Subhūti, regarding this Prajñāpāramitā, although he uses words to point it out and explain it, we are completely unable to understand it.”
The Venerable Subhūti, knowing the thoughts of the gods, immediately said to them:
“Gods, do you not understand these words I have spoken?”
The gods replied:
“That is so, that is so!”
The Venerable Subhūti again said to the gods:
“I have never spoken a single word within the meaning corresponding to this profound Prajñāpāramitā, and you have not heard anything either; so what is there for you to understand? Why? Gods, within the meaning corresponding to profound Prajñāpāramitā, written words and speech are all far removed. Therefore, the speaker, the listener, and the one who can understand within this cannot be grasped; the profound and wondrous attainment of supreme unsurpassed enlightenment by all Tathāgatas, Arhats, Fully Enlightened Ones is also like this.
Gods, just as the transformation body of the Tathāgatas, Arhats, Fully Enlightened Ones manifests a transformation body, gathers the four assemblies, and teaches. What do you think? In this, is there truly a speaker, a listener, or one who can understand?”
The gods replied:
“Great Venerable, no!”
Subhūti said:
“Exactly so! Gods, all phenomena are like transformations. Now, within the meaning corresponding to this profound Prajñāpāramitā, the speaker, the listener, and the one who can understand cannot be grasped.
Gods, just as a person in a dream sees a Buddha teaching the true Dharma to a great assembly. What do you think? In this, is there truly a speaker, a listener, or one who can understand?”
The gods said:
“Great Venerable, no!”
Subhūti said:
“Exactly so! Gods, all phenomena are like things seen in a dream. Now, within the meaning corresponding to this profound Prajñāpāramitā, the speaker, the listener, and the one who can understand cannot be grasped.
Gods, just as there are two people in a mountain cave, each standing on one side, simultaneously making sounds praising the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. What do you think? Can these two echoes hear each other and know each other?”
The Devas replied:
Venerable Great One, no!
Subhūti said:
That is so! Devas, all phenomena are like echoes. Now, within the meaning that accords with this profound Prajñāpāramitā, the speaker, the listener, and the one who is able to understand cannot be apprehended.
Devas, just as a skilled magician or the disciple of such a person, at a crossroads, can conjure into being the four assemblies and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, created through that magic, expounds the true Dharma to the four assemblies created through magic. What do you think? In this, is there truly a speaker, a listener, or one who can understand?
The Devas replied:
Venerable Great One, no!
Subhūti said:
That is so! Devas, all phenomena are like illusions. Now, within the meaning that accords with this profound Prajñāpāramitā, the speaker, the listener, and the one who is able to understand cannot be apprehended.
Devas, because of this reason, within the meaning that accords with this profound Prajñāpāramitā, I have never spoken a single word; you also have not heard [anything]. Then how could there be anything to understand?