THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 525
Chapter 26: SKILLFUL MEANS (3)
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, this is what is called the condensed explanation of Prajñāpāramitā. The great Bodhisattvas who study within it can accomplish many things. World-Honored One, this condensed explanation of Prajñāpāramitā should be studied by Bodhisattvas who have newly begun their training, and even great Bodhisattvas abiding on the tenth ground should diligently and vigorously cultivate and study it. If a great Bodhisattva always diligently cultivates this condensed explanation of Prajñāpāramitā, then they can truly know the broad and narrow characteristics of all phenomena.
World-Honored One, this condensed explanation of Prajñāpāramitā is a wondrous Dharma gateway that only great Bodhisattvas of sharp faculties can realize and enter.”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“That Dharma gateway can be realized and entered without obstruction by great Bodhisattvas with sharp faculties, with average faculties, or with dull faculties. Great Bodhisattvas, whether their faculties are settled or unsettled, if they single-mindedly cultivate and study it, can all realize and enter it.
Subhūti, you should know that this Dharma gateway is extremely wondrous and pure. Those who are lazy, who have little diligence, who have lost right mindfulness, whose minds are scattered, and who cultivate wrong wisdom cannot realize and enter it. Those who are not negligent, who are always diligent, who possess complete right mindfulness, who collect and concentrate their minds, and who cultivate sublime wisdom can realize and enter it.
Subhūti, you should know that if great Bodhisattvas wish to abide among the irreversible Bodhisattvas and gradually reach the tenth ground, they should diligently employ skillful means to enter this Dharma gateway. If great Bodhisattvas wish to quickly attain the wisdom of omniscience, they must diligently employ skillful means to enter this Dharma gateway.
Subhūti, you should know that if a great Bodhisattva follows and studies what has been taught in this profound Prajñāpāramitā scripture, that great Bodhisattva can study generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, and Prajñāpāramitā; can study emptiness of the internal, up to emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature; can study suchness up to the inconceivable realm; can study the Noble Truth of suffering up to the Noble Truth of the path; can study the four applications of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; can study the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; can study the Dharma gateways of liberation: emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; can study the eight liberations up to the ten universal bases; can study the stages from the Ground of Great Joy up to the Ground of Dharma Cloud; can study all Dharma gateways of dhāraṇī and all Dharma gateways of samādhi; can study the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; can study the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; can study great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; can study the qualities of not forgetting and always maintaining equanimity; can study the wisdom of all aspects, the wisdom of the path-aspects, and the wisdom of all characteristics; can study all practices of great Bodhisattvas; can study the supreme unsurpassed enlightenment of all Buddhas; can study the wisdom of omniscience. After that great Bodhisattva has studied in this way, they can attain generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, Prajñāpāramitā, and up to the wisdom of omniscience.
Subhūti, you should know that if a great Bodhisattva studies according to what has been taught in this profound Prajñāpāramitā scripture, then with regard to all activities of Māra, that great Bodhisattva understands them clearly, and as soon as they arise, they are immediately extinguished.
Therefore, Subhūti, if a great Bodhisattva wishes to quickly eliminate all karmic obstacles and completely gather skillful means, they must study Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, you should know that whenever a great Bodhisattva diligently cultivates Prajñāpāramitā, at that very time that great Bodhisattva is protected and remembered by all present Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones who are teaching the true Dharma in infinite and boundless worlds. Why is this so? Because all Buddhas of the past, present, and future arise from this profound Prajñāpāramitā.
Therefore, Subhūti, if a great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, they should think: “The Dharma realized by the Buddhas of the past, present, and future, I too shall realize.”
Thus, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas should diligently cultivate this profound Prajñāpāramitā. If they diligently cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā, they will quickly attain the supreme enlightenment.
Therefore, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas should not practice profound Prajñāpāramitā while being separated from the intention associated with the wisdom of omniscience.
Subhūti, you should know that if a great Bodhisattva follows and practices this profound Prajñāpāramitā, even for the duration of a finger snap, that great Bodhisattva obtains extremely great merit. Suppose there is someone who uses skillful means to teach all sentient beings throughout a trichiliocosm, causing them all to abide in generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, and Prajñāpāramitā; or causing them to abide in liberation and purified knowledge and vision of liberation; or causing them to abide in the fruit of Stream-entry up to the fruit of Arhatship; or causing them to abide in Pratyekabuddha enlightenment. Although that person would obtain immeasurable and infinite merit, it still would not equal the merit of one who merely follows and practices this profound Prajñāpāramitā scripture for the duration of a finger snap. Why is this so? Because profound Prajñāpāramitā can produce all generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, and Prajñāpāramitā; it can produce all liberation and purified knowledge and vision of liberation; it can produce all fruits from Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment. All Buddhas of the past, present, and future appear from Prajñāpāramitā and liberate infinite and boundless sentient beings.
Furthermore, Subhūti, if a great Bodhisattva, without being separated from the intention associated with the wisdom of omniscience, practices profound Prajñāpāramitā for a short moment, or half a day, one day, half a month, one month, or for a period of time, or for one year, half a year, or one eon, a hundred eons, or countless great eons, then that great Bodhisattva gains more merit than a person who teaches sentient beings in worlds throughout the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, causing them to abide in generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, and Prajñāpāramitā; causing them to abide in liberation and purified knowledge and vision of liberation; causing them to abide in the fruit of Stream-entry up to Arhatship; and causing them to abide in the merit attained through Pratyekabuddha enlightenment. Why is this so? Because Prajñāpāramitā gives rise to all Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past, present, and future. For the sake of sentient beings, they establish generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, and Prajñāpāramitā; establish liberation and purified knowledge and vision of liberation; establish the fruit of Stream-entry up to Arhatship; establish Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; and establish the supreme unsurpassed enlightenment of Buddhas. This merit surpasses the merit of the previous person.
Furthermore, Subhūti, if a great Bodhisattva abides and lives according to the profound Prajñāpāramitā that has been taught, you should know that this great Bodhisattva already abides in the irreversible state, is constantly protected and remembered by Buddhas, has accomplished the supreme skillful means, has previously approached, made offerings to, and honored countless billions of Buddhas; has planted immeasurable excellent roots of virtue before Buddhas; has been protected by immeasurable true and pure spiritual friends; and has cultivated the six pāramitās of generosity and so forth for a long time, extending broadly up to the wisdom of omniscience.
Subhūti, you should know that this great Bodhisattva abides in the state of a Childlike True One; all aspirations are fulfilled; they always encounter Buddhas and never become separated from them; they never become separated from wholesome roots; they constantly bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings and often purify Buddha lands. From one Buddha land to another, they always make offerings, honor, respect, and praise the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones; they hear, uphold, and cultivate the teachings of the Bodhisattva vehicle.
Subhūti, you should know that this great Bodhisattva has attained inexhaustible eloquence, attained all supreme Dharma gateways of dhāraṇī, accomplished the most wondrous and supreme form body, received complete predictions from Buddhas, and according to their wishes, takes various forms in order to liberate sentient beings, all with complete freedom.
Subhūti, you should know that this great Bodhisattva has completely entered into objects of cognition and modes of conduct, all gateways of letters and non-letters, meanings of Dharma expressed through words and beyond words, concepts of one, two, and many, concepts of female and male and non-duality, concepts of all phenomena of past, present, and future, words and meanings, aggregates, sense fields, elements, dependent origination and its factors, the world, Nirvāṇa, the characteristics of the Dharma realm, characteristics of conditioned phenomena, characteristics of unconditioned phenomena, characteristics of activity, characteristics of non-activity, characteristics of characteristics, characteristics of non-characteristics, the nature of existence, the nature of emptiness, self-nature, other-nature, bondage, freedom from bondage, bondage and freedom from bondage, that which is in accordance and that which is not in accordance, accordance and non-accordance, suchness, the nature of non-deception, the nature of non-change, Dharma nature, Dharma realm, fixed Dharma, abiding Dharma, nature of cause, nature of non-cause, nature of conditions, nature of non-conditions, Noble Truths, meditative absorptions, immeasurables, formless attainments, generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā, the four applications of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path, the Dharma gateways of liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, the eight liberations up to the ten universal bases, all Dharma gateways of dhāraṇī, all samādhi gateways, the five kinds of eyes, the six supernatural powers, the stages of great Bodhisattvas, the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, excellent marks and characteristics, the quality of not forgetting, the quality of always maintaining equanimity, the wisdom of all aspects, the wisdom of the path-aspects, the wisdom of all characteristics, conditioned realms, unconditioned realms, realms and non-realms, emptiness and non-emptiness, attention to form up to attention to consciousness, extending broadly up to attention to the wisdom of omniscience, emptiness of the characteristics of form, emptiness of the characteristics of consciousness, extending broadly up to emptiness of the characteristics of the wisdom of omniscience, the path of tranquility and the path of non-tranquility, arising, abiding, change, cessation, right view, wrong view, views and non-views, greed, anger, ignorance, non-greed, non-anger, non-ignorance, cognitive bondage, afflictive bondage and their cessation, name, form, name-and-form, object condition, dominant condition, causal condition, equal and uninterrupted condition, modes of conduct, causes and effects, suffering, origin, cessation, path, the fruit of Stream-entry and the path to Stream-entry, the fruit of Once-returning and the path to Once-returning, the fruit of Non-returning and the path to Non-returning, the fruit of Arhatship and the path to Arhatship, Pratyekabuddha enlightenment and the path to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, unsurpassed enlightenment and the path to unsurpassed enlightenment, the wisdom of omniscience and the path to the wisdom of omniscience, the wisdom of the path-aspects and the path to the wisdom of the path-aspects, the wisdom of all characteristics and the path to the wisdom of all characteristics, faculties and complete faculties, superior and inferior faculties, swift wisdom, sharp wisdom, quick wisdom, penetrating wisdom, vast wisdom, profound wisdom, great wisdom, unobstructed wisdom, past, future, present, skillful means, joy, increasing joy, words and meanings, and the skillful establishment of the three vehicles.
Subhūti, you should know that if a great Bodhisattva practices profound Prajñāpāramitā, causes profound Prajñāpāramitā to arise, and cultivates profound Prajñāpāramitā, then they attain immeasurable and boundless excellent merits and beneficial qualities such as these.”
At that time, Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how do great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā? How do they cause profound Prajñāpāramitā to arise? How do they cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“Great Bodhisattvas should contemplate the aggregate of form up to the aggregate of consciousness as peaceful, as destructible, as not autonomous, as having a deceptive nature, and as not solid, and thus practice profound Prajñāpāramitā. Extending broadly, they should contemplate the wisdom of omniscience as peaceful, destructible, not autonomous, deceptive in nature, and not solid, and thus practice profound Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, you asked how great Bodhisattvas cause profound Prajñāpāramitā to arise. Just as one causes the emptiness of space to arise, so do great Bodhisattvas cause profound Prajñāpāramitā to arise.
Subhūti, you asked how great Bodhisattvas cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā. Just as cultivation is the practice of relinquishment, so do great Bodhisattvas cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā.”
The Venerable Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, for how long must great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, cause profound Prajñāpāramitā to arise, and cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“From the time great Bodhisattvas first generate the aspiration until they sit upon the wondrous Bodhi seat, they should practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, cause profound Prajñāpāramitā to arise, and cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā.”
The Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, in what thoughts do great Bodhisattvas abide so that their practice of profound Prajñāpāramitā, arising of profound Prajñāpāramitā, and cultivation of profound Prajñāpāramitā are uninterrupted?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“From the time great Bodhisattvas first generate the aspiration until the ultimate end, they do not contain any other intentions, but always abide in the intention associated with the wisdom of omniscience: they should practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, cause profound Prajñāpāramitā to arise, and cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, you should know that only when that great Bodhisattva causes the mind and mental factors not to move toward objects can it be called practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, causing profound Prajñāpāramitā to arise, and cultivating profound Prajñāpāramitā.”
“World-Honored One, do great Bodhisattvas who cultivate and cause profound Prajñāpāramitā to arise attain the wisdom of omniscience?”
“No, Subhūti!”
“World-Honored One, do great Bodhisattvas who do not practice, do not cause to arise, and do not cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā attain the wisdom of omniscience?”
“No, Subhūti!”
“World-Honored One, do great Bodhisattvas who both practice, cause to arise, and cultivate, and also do not practice, do not cause to arise, and do not cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā attain the wisdom of omniscience?”
“No, Subhūti!”
“World-Honored One, do great Bodhisattvas who neither practice, nor cause to arise, nor cultivate, nor are not practicing, nor are not causing to arise, nor are not cultivating profound Prajñāpāramitā attain the wisdom of omniscience?”
“No, Subhūti!”
“World-Honored One, how do great Bodhisattvas attain the wisdom of omniscience?”
“Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas must attain the wisdom of omniscience in accordance with suchness.”
“World-Honored One, what does it mean to be in accordance with suchness?”
“Subhūti, it means to be in accordance with ultimate reality.”
“World-Honored One, what does it mean to be in accordance with ultimate reality?”
“Subhūti, it means to be in accordance with the Dharma realm.”
“World-Honored One, what does it mean to be in accordance with the Dharma realm?”
“Subhūti, it means to be in accordance with the realm of self, up to the realm of the individual person (pudgala).”
“World-Honored One, what is the realm of self up to the realm of the individual person?”
“Subhūti, what do you think? Can self up to the individual person be grasped?”
“World-Honored One, no.”
“Subhūti, if self up to the individual person cannot be grasped, then how could I establish the realm of self up to the realm of the individual person?
Thus, Subhūti, if a great Bodhisattva does not conceptually establish Prajñāpāramitā, does not conceptually establish the wisdom of omniscience, and does not conceptually establish all phenomena, then that great Bodhisattva will certainly attain the wisdom of omniscience.”
Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, is it only Prajñāpāramitā that cannot be falsely posited, or is Dhyāna-pāramitā… also unable to be falsely posited?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Not only is Prajñāpāramitā unable to be falsely posited, but also Dhyāna-pāramitā and the five pāramitās cannot be falsely posited. Likewise, the Dharma of the Śrāvakas, the Dharma of the Pratyekabuddhas, the Dharma of the Bodhisattvas, the Dharma of the Buddhas, conditioned phenomena, unconditioned phenomena—all these dharmas cannot be falsely posited.”
Venerable Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas cannot be falsely posited, then why is it falsely posited that this is hell, this is a sentient being in the animal realm, this is a hungry ghost, this is a human, this is a deva, this is a Stream-enterer, this is a Once-returner, this is a Non-returner, this is an Arhat, this is a Pratyekabuddha, this is a Bodhisattva, this is a Buddha, this is all dharmas?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“What do you think? Can falsely posited sentient beings and falsely posited dharmas truly be apprehended?”
Subhūti replied:
“No, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“If falsely posited sentient beings and falsely posited dharmas truly cannot be apprehended, how could I falsely posit ‘this is hell,’ and so forth, up to ‘this is all dharmas’? Therefore, Subhūti, when great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, they should train in all dharmas as being unable to be falsely posited, in order to proceed toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.”
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, should they not train in form? Should they not train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? Extensively stated, should they not train in the wisdom of omniscience?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“When great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, they should train in form as neither increasing nor decreasing; they should train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as neither increasing nor decreasing; extensively stated, they should train in the wisdom of omniscience as neither increasing nor decreasing.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, why should they train in form as neither increasing nor decreasing, train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as neither increasing nor decreasing, and train in the wisdom of omniscience as neither increasing nor decreasing? How is this so?”
The Buddha said:
“When great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, because there is no arising and no ceasing, they train in form; because there is no arising and no ceasing, they train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; extensively stated, because there is no arising and no ceasing, they train in the wisdom of omniscience.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, why, because there is no arising and no ceasing, do they train in form? Why, because there is no arising and no ceasing, do they train in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? Up to why, because there is no arising and no ceasing, do they train in the wisdom of omniscience?”
The Buddha said:
“When great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, they should train in all formations as not arising, not created, whether abandoned or cultivated.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, why should they train in all formations as not arising, not created, whether abandoned or cultivated?”
The Buddha said:
“When great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, they contemplate the own-nature characteristics of all dharmas as empty; therefore, they should train in all formations as not arising, not created, whether abandoned or cultivated.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, how do they contemplate the own-nature characteristics of all dharmas as empty?”
The Buddha said:
“When great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, they should contemplate form together with the emptiness of the characteristic of form; they should contemplate feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness together with the emptiness of the characteristics of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Extensively stated, they should contemplate the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddha together with the emptiness of the characteristic of the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddha; they should contemplate the wisdom of omniscience together with the emptiness of the characteristic of the wisdom of omniscience.
Thus, Subhūti, when great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, they should contemplate the own-nature characteristics of all dharmas as empty.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if one contemplates form together with the emptiness of the characteristic of form; contemplates feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness together with the emptiness of the characteristics of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; extensively stated, contemplates the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas and the wisdom of omniscience together with the emptiness of the characteristic of the wisdom of omniscience, then how does a great Bodhisattva practice profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“If great Bodhisattvas completely have no object upon which to practice, that is practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā.”
Venerable Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, for what reason is it that a great Bodhisattva completely having no object upon which to practice is practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Because profound Prajñāpāramitā cannot be apprehended, great Bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended, the practice cannot be apprehended, the practitioner, the causes and conditions of practice, the time of practice, and the place of practice cannot be apprehended.
Therefore, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas completely having no object upon which to practice is practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, because within it all conceptual fabrications cannot be apprehended.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“If a great Bodhisattva completely has no object upon which to practice, and that is practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, then how do newly learning great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Newly learning great Bodhisattvas, from the moment they first generate the aspiration, always train in all dharmas as having no object of attainment. Having trained in this way, they use the absence of an object of attainment as a means to cultivate giving pāramitā up to Prajñāpāramitā; extensively stated, they use the absence of an object of attainment as a means to cultivate the wisdom of omniscience.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“Why are two called having an object of attainment? Why is non-two called having no object of attainment?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“The eye and form are two, up to the mind and dharmas are two. Extensively stated, the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas and the Buddhas themselves are two. Thus, whatever involves conceptual fabrication is called two, and whatever is two has an object of attainment.
The eye and not the eye, and not form, are non-two; up to not mind and not dharmas are non-two. Extensively stated, not the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas and not Buddha are non-two. Thus, whatever is free from conceptual fabrication is called non-two, and whatever is non-two has no object of attainment.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, is it because there is an object of attainment that there is no object of attainment, or is it because there is no object of attainment that there is no object of attainment?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“It is not because there is an object of attainment that there is no object of attainment, nor is it because there is no object of attainment that there is no object of attainment. Rather, the natures of having an object of attainment and having no object of attainment are equal, and therefore they are called having no object of attainment.
Thus, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas diligently cultivate within the equality of having an object of attainment and having no object of attainment.
Subhūti, you should know that when great Bodhisattvas train in this way, it is called training in the meaning of having no object of attainment in profound Prajñāpāramitā, and they are able to be free from faults.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā without clinging to having an object of attainment and without clinging to having no object of attainment, how do such Bodhisattvas cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā so that they can progress from one stage to another, successively perfect them, and thereby attain the wisdom of omniscience?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“When great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, not abiding in having an object of attainment and not abiding in having no object of attainment while practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, they can progress from one stage to another, gradually perfecting them until attaining the wisdom of omniscience. Why? Because profound Prajñāpāramitā has no object of attainment, and the wisdom of omniscience also has no object of attainment. The practitioner of profound Prajñāpāramitā, the place of practice, and the time of practice also have no object of attainment; this absence of an object of attainment also has no object of attainment.
Subhūti, you should know that great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā in this way.”
Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if profound Prajñāpāramitā cannot be grasped, and the wisdom of Omniscience also cannot be grasped; if the person who practices profound Prajñāpāramitā, the time of practice, and the place of practice cannot be grasped; and if this inability to grasp cannot itself be grasped, then when practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, how do the great Bodhisattvas delight in discriminating and choosing all dharmas, saying: ‘This is form, this is feeling, perception, formations, consciousness,’ and extending further, ‘this is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, this is the purified wisdom of Omniscience’?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“When the Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, although they delight in discriminating all dharmas, they do not grasp form, do not grasp feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, and extending further, they do not grasp the wisdom of Omniscience.”
Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when the great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, if they do not grasp form, do not grasp feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, and extending further, do not grasp the wisdom of Omniscience, then how can they perfect the six pāramitās? If they do not perfect the six pāramitās, how can they enter the Bodhisattva stage of rightness that is free from birth? How can they adorn and purify Buddha-fields and bring sentient beings to accomplishment? If they cannot adorn and purify Buddha-fields and bring sentient beings to accomplishment, how can they attain the wisdom of Omniscience? If they do not attain the wisdom of Omniscience, how can they turn the wondrous Dharma wheel and perform the deeds of the Buddhas? If they do not turn the wondrous Dharma wheel and perform the deeds of the Buddhas, how can they liberate sentient beings from the suffering of birth and death so that they may attain the ultimate bliss of Nirvāṇa?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“When the great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, they do not practice profound Prajñāpāramitā because of form; they do not practice profound Prajñāpāramitā because of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Extending further, they do not practice profound Prajñāpāramitā because of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, nor do they practice profound Prajñāpāramitā because of the wisdom of Omniscience.
At that time, Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, for what purpose do the great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“The great Bodhisattvas do not practice profound Prajñāpāramitā for the sake of accomplishing anything. Why? Because all dharmas completely have no object of creation. Profound Prajñāpāramitā also has no object of creation. The unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas also has no object of creation. The great Bodhisattvas themselves also have no object of creation. Thus, Subhūti, the great Bodhisattvas use the absence of an object of creation as the means for practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā.”
Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas have no object of creation, then the distinctions among the vehicles—Śrāvaka, Pratyekabuddha, and unsurpassed [Buddhahood]—should not be established.”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“It is not because dharmas without an object of creation can establish distinctions; rather, dharmas with an object of creation are needed in order to establish them. Why? Because foolish ordinary beings lacking wisdom cling to form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and extending further, they cling to the wisdom of Omniscience. Because of this attachment, when they think of form, they obtain form; when they think of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, they obtain feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Extending further, when they think of the wisdom of Omniscience, they obtain the wisdom of Omniscience. Because of thoughts based on attainment, they think: ‘I will certainly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and rescue sentient beings from the great suffering of birth and death so that they may attain the ultimate peaceful bliss of Nirvāṇa.’
“Subhūti, you should know that these foolish ordinary beings lacking wisdom think in this way because of inversion and delusion. This is slandering the Buddha. Why? Because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks form and cannot grasp it; seeks feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness and cannot grasp them; seeks the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas and cannot grasp it; seeks sentient beings and cannot grasp them. Those foolish ordinary beings are blind, without the eye of wisdom, and therefore cling to dharmas. If they were to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and liberate sentient beings from the great suffering of birth and death so that they attain the eternal bliss of Nirvāṇa, such a thing certainly does not exist.”
Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones seek form with the five kinds of eyes and cannot grasp it; seek feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness and cannot grasp them; extending further, seek the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas and cannot grasp it; seek sentient beings and cannot grasp them, then they should not attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment or rescue sentient beings from the great suffering of birth and death so that they attain the eternal bliss of Nirvāṇa. If this is so, how did the World-Honored One attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and establish sentient beings in the three distinct categories: those of determined rightness, those of determined wrongness, and those who are undetermined?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“Using the five kinds of eyes, I observe things as they truly are, and it is certain that I truly have not attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, nor have I established sentient beings in the three distinct categories. However, because sentient beings are ignorant and deluded, they regard unreal dharmas as real dharmas and regard nonexistent sentient beings as truly existing beings. In order to eliminate these false views, I rely on conventional truth when speaking, and I do not rely on ultimate truth.”
Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, does the Tathāgata not abide in ultimate truth in order to attain great Bodhi?”
“No, Subhūti!”
“World-Honored One, does the Tathāgata not abide in deluded and inverted thoughts in order to attain great Bodhi?”
“No, Subhūti!”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the Tathāgata does not abide in ultimate truth to attain great Bodhi, and also does not abide in deluded and inverted thoughts to attain great Bodhi, then does the Tathāgata not attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?”
The Buddha said:
“No! Although I attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, there is no object in which I abide. This means that I do not abide in the conditioned realm, nor do I abide in the unconditioned realm.
“Subhūti, you should know that it is like people created through the Buddha’s miraculous transformation. Although they do not abide in the conditioned realm, nor do they abide in the unconditioned realm, they nevertheless perform activities such as going, coming, sitting, and lying down. These people created through the Buddha’s transformation may practice generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā; or abide in inner emptiness up to emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness; or abide in suchness up to the inconceivable realm; or abide in the noble truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and path; or cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; or cultivate the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; or cultivate the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or cultivate the eight liberations up to the ten universal bases; or attain the stages from Joyful Stage up to Dharma Cloud Stage; or cultivate all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways; or cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six supernormal powers; or cultivate the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; or cultivate great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; or cultivate the quality of never forgetting and the nature of always relinquishing; or cultivate the wisdom of all, the wisdom of the paths, and the wisdom of all aspects; or cultivate the practices of great Bodhisattvas; or attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, and perform the deeds of the Buddhas. They establish sentient beings in the three distinct categories.
“What do you think? Do these people created by the Buddhas truly have acts of going, coming, sitting, and lying down, and do they truly establish sentient beings into the three distinct categories?”
Subhūti replied:
“No, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“Indeed, indeed! The Buddhas and World-Honored Ones know that all dharmas are like transformations. They say that all dharmas are also like transformations. Although there are objects of creation, they are not real; although they liberate sentient beings, there is no one who is liberated. It is like a transformed person who again transforms and liberates other sentient beings.
“Thus, Subhūti, the great Bodhisattvas practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā should be like people created through the Buddha’s miraculous transformation. Although they perform actions, they do not cling to them.”
Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas are like transformations, then the Buddhas are also like this. In that case, what difference is there between the Buddhas and those created through transformation?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“The Buddhas, those created through transformation, and all dharmas are truly not different. Why? Because all the deeds accomplished by the Buddhas can also be accomplished by those created through the Buddha’s transformation. The deeds accomplished by those created through the Buddha’s transformation can also be accomplished by the Buddhas and World-Honored Ones. Therefore, the Buddhas, those created through transformation, and all dharmas are truly not different.”
Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if there were no people created through the transformations of the Buddhas, then the Buddha alone could perform the deeds. But if there were no Buddhas, could those transformed beings alone perform these deeds?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“They could also do so.”
Subhūti again asked:
“World-Honored One, how is this possible?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“There was a Tathāgata named Well-Silent Wisdom who had already liberated all those who were to be liberated. At that time, there was no Bodhisattva who had received a prediction of Buddhahood from the Buddha, so he transformed a Buddha to remain in the world. When he himself entered the realm of Great Nirvāṇa beyond all extremes, that transformed Buddha performed the deeds of a Buddha in the world for half a kalpa. After more than half a kalpa had passed, that transformed Buddha predicted unsurpassed Bodhi for a Bodhisattva and then manifested entering Nirvāṇa. At that time, all gods, humans, and asuras said: ‘That Buddha has now entered Nirvāṇa,’ but the body of that transformed Buddha truly neither arose nor ceased.
“Thus, Subhūti, the great Bodhisattvas practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā should have faith that all dharmas are like transformations.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the bodies of the Buddhas are not different from transformations, how can they serve as truly pure fields of merit? If sentient beings, for the sake of liberation, respectfully revere and make offerings to the Buddhas until Nirvāṇa, that merit is inexhaustible. If they respectfully revere and make offerings to transformation Buddhas, that merit should likewise ultimately be inexhaustible.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“The bodies of the Buddhas arise from the nature of Dharma and can serve as truly pure fields of merit for donors. The transformation bodies of the Buddhas are the same. They all cause donors to respectfully revere and make offerings until the end of birth and death, and that merit is inexhaustible.
Subhūti, you should know that, setting aside the measure of merit obtained through respectfully revering and making offerings to the Buddhas and the transformation bodies of Buddhas, if good men and good women hold loving-kindness toward the Buddhas, respectfully contemplate and remember their truly pure virtues, then until the end of birth and death, the roots of goodness of those good men and good women will also be inexhaustible.
Subhūti, you should know that, setting aside the measure of merit obtained through loving-kindness, respectful contemplation, and remembrance of those truly pure virtues, if good men and good women make offerings to the Buddha—even if it is only a single flower cast into the sky—then until the end of birth and death, those good men and good women will obtain immeasurable roots of goodness.
Subhūti, you should know that, setting aside the measure of merit obtained through loving-kindness, respectful contemplation, and remembrance of those truly pure virtues, and setting aside even the offering of a single flower cast into the sky, if good men and good women merely recite ‘Namo Buddha, Greatly Compassionate One,’ then until the end of birth and death, the roots of goodness of those good men and good women will also be inexhaustible. They will always enjoy the blessings and happiness of the realms of gods and humans until, in the end, they attain Parinirvāṇa.
Thus, Subhūti, respectfully revering and making offerings to the Buddhas and the transformation bodies of Buddhas bring such vast benefits. Therefore, Subhūti, you should know that the Buddhas and the transformation bodies of Buddhas are equally donors and truly pure fields of merit, because the nature of Dharma of all phenomena is taken as the measure.
Furthermore, Subhūti, great bodhisattvas take the nature of Dharma of all phenomena as the measure and, using skillful means, practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā. After entering into the nature of Dharma of all phenomena, they do not destroy the nature of Dharma of phenomena. That is, they do not discriminate: ‘This is Prajñā-pāramitā up to Dāna-pāramitā; this is the nature of Dharma of Prajñā-pāramitā up to Dāna-pāramitā.’ Expanding further, they do not discriminate: ‘This is the wisdom of omniscience; this is the nature of Dharma of the wisdom of omniscience.’
Subhūti, you should know that when great bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, they should not discriminate that the natures of Dharma of different phenomena are different, thereby destroying the nature of Dharma.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if great bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā should not discriminate among the natures of Dharma of phenomena, and if doing so would destroy the nature of Dharma, then why does the World-Honored One himself speak of different natures of Dharma of phenomena and thereby destroy the nature of Dharma? The Buddha often says: ‘This is form up to consciousness; this is the eye faculty up to the mind faculty; this is the realm of form up to the realm of phenomena; this is the eye element up to the element of mental consciousness; these are the six contacts; these are the six feelings; these are the six elements; these are the four conditions; this is ignorance up to aging and death; this is internal phenomena; this is external phenomena; this is wholesome phenomena; this is unwholesome phenomena; this is contaminated phenomena; this is uncontaminated phenomena; this is worldly phenomena; this is supramundane phenomena; this is common phenomena; this is uncommon phenomena; this is conditioned phenomena; this is unconditioned phenomena.’ The Buddha has often spoken of such different phenomena. Does the World-Honored One not thereby destroy the nature of phenomena?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“I do not destroy the nature of Dharma of phenomena. I only use names and characteristics as skillful means and provisionally speak in order to enable sentient beings to enter the equal nature of Dharma, escape birth and death, and attain Nirvāṇa.
Therefore, Subhūti, although the Tathāgata speaks of different phenomena, this is not called destroying the nature of Dharma of phenomena.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the Buddha only uses names and characteristics to provisionally explain the nature of Dharma of phenomena, causing sentient beings to enter the equal nature of Dharma, then why does the Buddha use names and characteristics to speak about what has no names or characteristics and say that this does not destroy it?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“I follow conventional truth and provisionally establish names and characteristics for phenomena. For the sake of sentient beings, I use skillful means to explain them. Because there is no attachment, there is no destruction.
Subhūti, you should know that it is like ignorant people who, upon hearing the explanation of suffering, become attached to names and characteristics and do not understand that this is merely provisional speech. The Tathāgatas and the disciples of the Tathāgatas do not, after hearing about suffering, become attached to names and characteristics. Rather, they know things as they truly are, speaking only according to convention, and there are no truly existing names and characteristics of phenomena.
Subhūti, you should know that if noble ones become attached to names because of names, become attached to characteristics because of characteristics, then they would also become attached to emptiness as emptiness, to signlessness as signlessness, to wishlessness as wishlessness, to suchness as suchness, to ultimate reality as ultimate reality, to the Dharma realm as the Dharma realm, and to the unconditioned as the unconditioned.
Subhūti, you should know that all these phenomena only have false names and only have false characteristics; they are not real. Even noble ones do not become attached to them, but merely make use of names and characteristics.
Thus, Subhūti, great bodhisattvas abide in all phenomena but only make use of names and characteristics. They practice Prajñāpāramitā, yet within it they do not become attached.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“If all phenomena only have names and characteristics, then why do great bodhisattvas arouse the mind of Bodhi and endure various hardships to practice the bodhisattva path? That is, why do they themselves endure hardship to cultivate giving up to Prajñā-pāramitā, and, broadly speaking, endure hardship to cultivate the wisdom of omniscience until it is perfected?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“All phenomena only have names and characteristics. Those names and characteristics are merely provisionally established, and the nature of names and characteristics is empty. Because sentient beings, due to inverted views, cling to them, they undergo the cycle of birth and death and suffer various afflictions, unable to become liberated. Therefore, bodhisattvas, wishing to benefit them, arouse the mind of Bodhi, endure hardships, practice the bodhisattva path, gradually attain the wisdom of omniscience, turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, and use the teachings of the three vehicles as skillful means to rescue them from birth and death and cause them to abide in the realm of Nirvāṇa. Yet names and characteristics neither arise nor cease, neither abide nor differ, and can be provisionally established.”
At that time, Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when the Buddha says the wisdom of omniscience, is the wisdom of omniscience truly the wisdom of omniscience?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“I say that the wisdom of omniscience is the wisdom of omniscience.”
Venerable Subhūti again said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, it is commonly said that the wisdom of omniscience is summarized into three kinds: the wisdom of all, the wisdom of the path-aspects, and the wisdom of all aspects. These three kinds of wisdom—what differences are there among their characteristics?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“The wisdom of all is the wisdom shared with the wisdom of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas. The wisdom of the path-aspects is the wisdom shared with the wisdom of great bodhisattvas. The wisdom of all aspects is the wondrous wisdom unique to the Tathāgatas, the Worthy Ones, the Fully Enlightened Ones.”
Venerable Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, why is the wisdom of all the wisdom shared with Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“The wisdom of all is the differentiated knowledge of the inner and outer phenomena. Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas can also clearly understand this differentiated knowledge of inner and outer phenomena, but they cannot know the characteristics of the wisdom of all and all types of characteristics of all phenomena. Therefore, the wisdom of all is the wisdom shared with Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why is the wisdom of the path-aspects the wisdom shared with great bodhisattvas?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Great bodhisattvas should learn and know all characteristics of the paths, namely the characteristics of the Śrāvaka path, the characteristics of the Pratyekabuddha path, the characteristics of the bodhisattva path, and the characteristics of the Tathāgata path. Regarding these paths, great bodhisattvas should always cultivate and study them, causing them to become perfected. Although they cause these paths to accomplish what must be done, they cannot cause them to realize ultimate reality. Therefore, the wisdom of the path-aspects is the wisdom shared with great bodhisattvas.”
Venerable Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, after great bodhisattvas cultivate the path of the Tathāgata and perfect it, would they not realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Great bodhisattvas bring sentient beings to accomplishment and adorn and purify Buddha realms. If their great vows have not yet been perfected through cultivation, they still have not realized ultimate reality. Only after they are perfected can they realize ultimate reality.”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, do great bodhisattvas abide in the path and thereby realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“No.”
Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, do great bodhisattvas abide in what is not the path and thereby realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“No.”
Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, do great bodhisattvas abide in both the path and what is not the path and thereby realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“No.”
Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, do great bodhisattvas abide in what is neither the path nor what is not the path and thereby realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“No.”
Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, if this is so, where do great bodhisattvas abide in order to realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“What do you think? Do you abide in the path and thereby exhaust all outflows and attain liberation of mind?”
Subhūti said:
“No, World-Honored One.”
“Subhūti, do you abide in what is not the path and thereby exhaust all outflows and attain liberation of mind?”
“World-Honored One, no.”
“Subhūti, do you abide in both the path and what is not the path and thereby exhaust all outflows and attain liberation of mind?”
“World-Honored One, no.”
“Subhūti, do you abide in neither the path nor what is not the path and thereby exhaust all outflows and attain complete liberation of mind?”
“World-Honored One, no.”
“Then where do you abide in order to exhaust all outflows and attain complete liberation of mind?”
Subhūti replied:
“World-Honored One, I do not abide anywhere in order to exhaust all outflows and attain complete liberation of mind. Rather, I exhaust all outflows and attain complete liberation of mind precisely because I do not abide anywhere.”
The Buddha said to Venerable Subhūti:
The Great Bodhisattvas are likewise so: while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, they completely do not abide anywhere and realize true reality.
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, why is the wisdom of all aspects called the wisdom of all aspects?
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
Knowing that all dharmas share one single aspect, namely the aspect of quiescent cessation, is why it is called the wisdom of all aspects.
Furthermore, Subhūti, the characteristics and appearances of practices can manifest the dharmas. The Tathāgata knows all of them exactly as they truly are, therefore it is called the wisdom of all aspects.
Venerable Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, regarding the wisdom of all, the wisdom of the path-aspects, and the wisdom of all aspects—when these three wisdoms cut off afflictions, are there differences among them? Are there residual cessation and non-residual cessation?
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
There is no difference when cutting off afflictions. However, the Tathāgata has completely eradicated all continuous habitual tendencies of afflictions, whereas Hearers and Solitary Realizers have not yet completely eradicated the continuous habitual tendencies.
Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, when the afflictions have been cut off, is the unconditioned attained?
The Buddha said:
Yes.
Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, if Hearers and Solitary Realizers have not attained the unconditioned, are their afflictions cut off?
The Buddha said:
No.
Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, are there distinctions within the unconditioned dharma?
The Buddha said:
No.
Venerable Subhūti said:
If the unconditioned dharma has no distinctions, then why does the Buddha say that all Tathāgatas have completely eradicated the continuous habitual tendencies, while Hearers and Solitary Realizers have not completely eradicated the continuous habitual tendencies?
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
The continuous habitual tendencies are truly not afflictions. However, although the Hearers and Solitary Realizers have cut off afflictions, there still remain a small portion of appearances resembling greed, hatred, and delusion that arise through body and speech. This is what is called continuous habitual tendencies. This continuity causes ignorant ordinary beings to give rise to what is harmful; whereas the continuity of Hearers and Solitary Realizers gives rise to what is not harmful. All such continuous habitual tendencies have been completely eradicated by the Tathāgata.
At that time, Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, the path and Nirvāṇa both lack inherent nature. Then why does the Buddha say: “This is a Stream-enterer up to a Solitary Realizer; this is a Bodhisattva; this is a Tathāgata”?
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
Those from Stream-enterers up to Solitary Realizers, the Bodhisattvas, and all Buddhas are all manifestations of the unconditioned.
Venerable Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, within the unconditioned dharma, are there truly differences between Stream-enterers up to Tathāgatas?
The Buddha said:
No!
Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, if that is so, why does the Buddha say that Stream-enterers up to Tathāgatas are all manifestations of the unconditioned?
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
I speak based on conventional truth, revealing that there are Stream-enterers and so forth. These different manifestations are not established according to ultimate truth, because within ultimate truth there is nothing that can be expressed through language, conceptual discrimination, or both. However, because conventional verbal expressions are used to cut off certain dharmas, conventional expressions are provisionally established for the dharmas of future times.
Venerable Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, if the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, then even the past does not exist, much less the future. Why then is a future life provisionally established?
The Buddha said:
That is correct, that is correct, exactly as you have said! The intrinsic nature of all existing dharmas is empty; even the past does not exist, much less the future! If a future life truly existed, such a thing would certainly not occur. But sentient beings do not understand that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty. For their benefit, by means of skillful methods, it is provisionally said: “This is the past life; this is the future life.” Yet within the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of dharmas, neither the past nor the future can be grasped.
Thus, Subhūti, after the Great Bodhisattvas have understood that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, they then train in the profound Perfection of Wisdom.
Subhūti, you should know that when the Great Bodhisattvas understand that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty and practice the Perfection of Wisdom, they do not cling to those dharmas. This means they do not cling to the internal or external, wholesome or unwholesome, worldly or supramundane, contaminated or untainted, conditioned or unconditioned, the Dharma of Hearers or the Dharma of Solitary Realizers, the Dharma of Bodhisattvas or the Dharma of Buddhas. They merely rely on conventional truth and provisionally establish them as existing; they do not rely on ultimate truth, and therefore they do not cling.