THE GREAT PRAJNAPARAMITA SUTRA
Chinese translation: Tang Dynasty, Tripitaka Master Xuanzang
– o0o –
VOLUME 39
Section 10: THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRAJÑĀ (2)
World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, practices the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the marks of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence of the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of permanence, impermanence of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the mark of permanence, impermanence of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the pleasure, suffering of the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of pleasure, suffering of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the pleasure, suffering of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the mark of pleasure, suffering of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the mark of self, no-self of the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of self, no-self of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the self, no-self of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the mark of self, no-self of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the purity, impurity of the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of purity, impurity of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the purity, impurity of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the mark of purity, impurity of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the empty, not-empty of the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of empty, not-empty of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the empty, not-empty of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the mark of empty, not-empty of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the signless, with-signs of the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of signless, with-signs of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the signless, with-signs of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the mark of signless, with-signs of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the wishless, with-wishes of the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of wishless, with-wishes of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the wishless, with-wishes of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the mark of wishless, with-wishes of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the tranquil, not-tranquil of the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the tranquil, not-tranquil of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the remote, not-remote of the Noble Truth of Suffering, or practices the mark of remote, not-remote of the Noble Truth of Suffering – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the remote, not-remote of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, or practices the mark of remote, not-remote of the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, practices ignorance, or practices the mark of ignorance – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the marks of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence of ignorance, or practices the mark of permanence, impermanence of ignorance – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the mark of permanence, impermanence of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the pleasure, suffering of ignorance, or practices the mark of pleasure, suffering of ignorance – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the pleasure, suffering of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the mark of pleasure, suffering of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the mark of self, no-self of ignorance, or practices the mark of self, no-self of ignorance – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the self, no-self of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the mark of self, no-self of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the purity, impurity of ignorance, or practices the mark of purity, impurity of ignorance – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the purity, impurity of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the mark of purity, impurity of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the empty, not-empty of ignorance, or practices the mark of empty, not-empty of ignorance – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the empty, not-empty of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the mark of empty, not-empty of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the signless, with-signs of ignorance, or practices the mark of signless, with-signs of ignorance – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the signless, with-signs of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the mark thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the wishless, with-wishes of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the mark of wishless, with-wishes of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the tranquil, not-tranquil of ignorance, or practices the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of ignorance – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the tranquil, not-tranquil of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the remote, not-remote of ignorance, or practices the mark of remote, not-remote of ignorance – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the remote, not-remote of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, or practices the mark of remote, not-remote of formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, practices the four Dhyānas, or practices the mark of the four Dhyānas – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the four Immeasurables and four Formless Absorptions, or practices the marks of the four Immeasurables and four Formless Absorptions – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the four Dhyānas, or practices the respective marks thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the four Immeasurables and four Formless Absorptions, or practices the respective marks thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, practices the four Foundations of Mindfulness, or practices the mark of the four Foundations of Mindfulness – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the four Right Efforts, four Bases of Supernatural Power, five Faculties, five Powers, seven Factors of Awakening, and eight Factors of the Noble Path, or practices the marks of the four Right Efforts through eight Factors of the Noble Path – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the four Foundations of Mindfulness, or practices the respective marks thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the four Right Efforts through eight Factors of the Noble Path, or practices the respective marks thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, practices the Perfection of Generosity, or practices the mark of the Perfection of Generosity – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, or practices the marks of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the Perfection of Generosity, or practices the respective marks thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the wishless, with-wishes of the Perfection of Generosity, or practices the mark of wishless, with-wishes of the Perfection of Generosity – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the wishless, with-wishes of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, or practices the mark of wishless, with-wishes of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the tranquil, not-tranquil of the Perfection of Generosity, or practices the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of the Perfection of Generosity – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the tranquil, not-tranquil of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, or practices the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the remote, not-remote of the Perfection of Generosity, or practices the mark of remote, not-remote of the Perfection of Generosity – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the remote, not-remote of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, or practices the mark of remote, not-remote of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, practices the five types of eyes, or practices the mark of the five types of eyes – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the six supernormal powers, or practices the mark of the six supernormal powers – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the five types of eyes, or practices the respective marks thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the six supernormal powers, or practices the respective marks thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, practices the ten powers of the Buddha, or practices the mark of the ten powers of the Buddha – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge, or practices the marks of the four fearlessnesses through all-aspect knowledge – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the ten powers of the Buddha, or practices the respective marks thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or practices the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the four fearlessnesses through all-aspect knowledge, or practices the respective marks thereof – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, gives rise to the thought “I am practicing the Perfection of Wisdom” – this already has the characteristic of attainment and is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or gives rise to the thought “I am a great Bodhisattva” – this already has the characteristic of attainment and is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or gives rise to the thought “That one is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom” – this already has the characteristic of attainment and is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or gives rise to the thought “That one is a great Bodhisattva” – this already has the characteristic of attainment and is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; or gives rise to the thought “Practicing the Perfection of Wisdom in this way is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom” – this already has the characteristic of attainment and is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva gives rise to such thoughts of practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, know that this is a great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom without skillful means.
At that time, the Venerable Subhuti said to Śāriputra:
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding form, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward form; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and the sufferings of future lives.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the eye base, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the eye base; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the form base, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the form base; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and the sufferings of future lives.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the eye, form, and eye-consciousness elements, and eye-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the eye element through the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the ear, sound, and ear-consciousness elements, and ear-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by ear-contact, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the ear element through the feelings arising conditioned by ear-contact – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the nose, smell, and nose-consciousness elements, and nose-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by nose-contact, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the nose element through the feelings arising conditioned by nose-contact – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the tongue, taste, and tongue-consciousness elements, and tongue-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by tongue-contact, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the tongue element through the feelings arising conditioned by tongue-contact – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the body, touch, and body-consciousness elements, and body-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by body-contact, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the body element through the feelings arising conditioned by body-contact – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the mind, dharma, and mind-consciousness elements, and mind-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by mind-contact, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the mind element through the feelings arising conditioned by mind-contact – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the earth element, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the earth element; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the Noble Truth of Suffering, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the Noble Truth of Suffering; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding ignorance, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward ignorance; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward formations through old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the four Dhyānas, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the four Dhyānas; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the four Immeasurables and four Formless Absorptions, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the four Immeasurables and four Formless Absorptions – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the four Foundations of Mindfulness, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the four Foundations of Mindfulness; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the four Right Efforts, four Bases of Supernatural Power, five Faculties, five Powers, seven Factors of Awakening, and eight Factors of the Noble Path, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the four Right Efforts through eight Factors of the Noble Path – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the Perfection of Generosity, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the Perfection of Generosity; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the Perfections of Ethics through Wisdom – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the five types of eyes, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the five types of eyes; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the six supernormal powers, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the six supernormal powers – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the ten powers of the Buddha, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the ten powers of the Buddha; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward the four fearlessnesses through all-aspect knowledge – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
If a great Bodhisattva without skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding Śrāvakas and Śrāvaka dharmas, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward Śrāvakas and Śrāvaka dharmas; or abides in a notion of perception-belief regarding Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, Tathāgatas, and the dharmas of these beings, then immediately gives rise to strenuous effort toward Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, Tathāgatas, and their dharmas – because of this strenuous effort, one cannot be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, and future suffering.
Śāriputra, such a great Bodhisattva cannot even realize the nirvāṇa of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas – let alone realizing Supreme Awakening; this is impossible.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva gives rise to such practices of the Perfection of Wisdom, know that this is a great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom without skillful means.
At that time Śāriputra asked Subhuti:
How is it known that great Bodhisattvas are practicing the Perfection of Wisdom with skillful means?
Subhuti replied:
If a great Bodhisattva with skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, does not practice form, does not practice the mark of form – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the marks of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the permanence, impermanence of form, does not practice the mark of permanence, impermanence of form – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the permanence, impermanence of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the mark of permanence, impermanence of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the pleasure, suffering of form, does not practice the mark of pleasure, suffering of form – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the pleasure, suffering of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the mark of pleasure, suffering of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the self, no-self of form, does not practice the mark of self, no-self of form – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the self, no-self of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the mark of self, no-self of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the purity, impurity of form, does not practice the mark of purity, impurity of form – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the purity, impurity of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the mark of purity, impurity of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the empty, not-empty of form, does not practice the mark of empty, not-empty of form – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the empty, not-empty of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the mark of empty, not-empty of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the signless, with-signs of form, does not practice the mark of signless, with-signs of form – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the signless, with-signs of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the mark of signless, with-signs of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the wishless, with-wishes of form, does not practice the mark of wishless, with-wishes of form – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the wishless, with-wishes of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the mark of wishless, with-wishes of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the tranquil, not-tranquil of form, does not practice the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of form – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the tranquil, not-tranquil of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the remote, not-remote of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, does not practice the mark of remote, not-remote of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
Śāriputra, know that this is a great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom with skillful means. Why? Śāriputra, because form and the nature of form are empty; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness and the nature of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are empty. Śāriputra, that form is not form; emptiness is form; emptiness is not form; form does not depart from emptiness; emptiness does not depart from form; form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form; with feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness it is likewise.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva with skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, does not practice the eye base, does not practice the mark of the eye base – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases, does not practice the marks of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the eye base, does not practice the respective marks thereof – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases, does not practice the respective marks thereof – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
Śāriputra, know that this is a great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom with skillful means. Why? Śāriputra, because the eye base and the nature of the eye base are empty; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases and the nature of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases are empty. Śāriputra, that eye base is not the eye base; emptiness is the eye base; emptiness is not the eye base; the eye base does not depart from emptiness; emptiness does not depart from the eye base; the eye base itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is the eye base; with the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases it is likewise.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva with skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, does not practice the form base, does not practice the mark of the form base – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases, does not practice the marks of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the form base, does not practice the respective marks thereof – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom; does not practice the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases, does not practice the respective marks thereof – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
Śāriputra, know that this is a great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom with skillful means. Why? Śāriputra, because the form base and the nature of the form base are empty; the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases and the nature of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases are empty. Śāriputra, that form base is not the form base; emptiness is the form base; emptiness is not the form base; the form base does not depart from emptiness; emptiness does not depart from the form base; the form base itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is the form base; with the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases it is likewise.
– o0o –
End Of Volume 39