THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 16
Chapter 7: INSTRUCTION AND TRANSMISSION (6)
Furthermore, Subhūti, what do you think? What is called a Great Bodhisattva: is the very suchness of the Buddha’s ten powers a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the very suchness of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen exclusive Buddha dharmas a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of the Buddha’s ten powers? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen exclusive Buddha dharmas? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of the Buddha’s ten powers? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen exclusive Buddha dharmas? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of the Buddha’s ten powers within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen exclusive Buddha dharmas within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of the Buddha’s ten powers? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen exclusive Buddha dharmas? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One!
Furthermore, Subhūti, what do you think? What is called a Great Bodhisattva: is the very suchness of great loving-kindness a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the very suchness of great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of great loving-kindness? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of great loving-kindness? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of great loving-kindness within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of great loving-kindness? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One!
Furthermore, Subhūti, what do you think? What is called a Great Bodhisattva: is the very suchness of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the very suchness of the eighty accompanying characteristics a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of the eighty accompanying characteristics? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of the eighty accompanying characteristics? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of the eighty accompanying characteristics within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of the thirty-two marks of a Great Being? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of the eighty accompanying characteristics? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One!
Furthermore, Subhūti, what do you think? What is called a Great Bodhisattva: is the very suchness of the dharma of not forgetting a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the very suchness of the nature of always relinquishing a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of the dharma of not forgetting? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of the nature of always relinquishing? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of the dharma of not forgetting? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of the nature of always relinquishing? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of the dharma of not forgetting within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of the nature of always relinquishing within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of the dharma of not forgetting? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of the nature of always relinquishing? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One!
Furthermore, Subhūti, what do you think? What is called a Great Bodhisattva: is the very suchness of the wisdom of all-knowing a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the very suchness of the wisdom of the path-aspect and the wisdom of all aspects a Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of the wisdom of all-knowing? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is a Great Bodhisattva something different from the suchness of the wisdom of the path-aspect and the wisdom of all aspects? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of the wisdom of all-knowing? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva within the suchness of the wisdom of the path-aspect and the wisdom of all aspects? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of the wisdom of all-knowing within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is the suchness of the wisdom of the path-aspect and the wisdom of all aspects within the Great Bodhisattva? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of the wisdom of all-knowing? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One! Is there a Great Bodhisattva apart from the suchness of the wisdom of the path-aspect and the wisdom of all aspects? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One!
At that time, the Buddha said to the venerable Subhūti: “Through what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of form is not a Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of form is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness is not a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of form there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of form; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; that apart from the suchness of form there is no Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness there is no Great Bodhisattva?”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, form, or feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent. How much less can there be the suchness of form and the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that the very suchness of form is a Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of form is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of form there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of form; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; that apart from the suchness of form there is a Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Furthermore, Subhūti, through what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of the eye faculty is not a Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the eye faculty is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties is not a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the eye faculty there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the eye faculty; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties; that apart from the suchness of the eye faculty there is no Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties there is no Great Bodhisattva?”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, the eye faculty, or the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent. How much less can there be the suchness of the eye faculty and the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that the very suchness of the eye faculty is a Great Bodhisattva, that the very suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the eye faculty is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the eye faculty there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the eye faculty; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties; that apart from the suchness of the eye faculty there is a Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Furthermore, Subhūti, through what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of the form realm is not a Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the form realm is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms is not a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the form realm there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the form realm; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms; that apart from the suchness of the form realm there is no Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms there is no Great Bodhisattva?”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, the form realm, or the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent. How much less can there be the suchness of the form realm and the suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that the very suchness of the form realm is a Great Bodhisattva, that the very suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the form realm is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the form realm there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the form realm; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms; that apart from the suchness of the form realm there is a Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Furthermore, Subhūti, through what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of the eye consciousness realm is not a Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the eye consciousness realm is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms is not a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the eye consciousness realm there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the eye consciousness realm; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms; that apart from the suchness of the eye consciousness realm there is no Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms there is no Great Bodhisattva?”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, the eye consciousness realm, or the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent. How much less can there be the suchness of the eye consciousness realm and the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that the very suchness of the eye consciousness realm is a Great Bodhisattva, that the very suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the eye consciousness realm is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the eye consciousness realm there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the eye consciousness realm; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms; that apart from the suchness of the eye consciousness realm there is a Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Furthermore, Subhūti, through what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of eye contact is not a Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of eye contact is not a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact is not a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of eye contact there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of eye contact; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact; that apart from the suchness of eye contact there is no Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact there is no Great Bodhisattva?”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, eye contact, or ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent. How much less can there be the suchness of eye contact and the suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that the very suchness of eye contact is a Great Bodhisattva, that the very suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of eye contact is a Great Bodhisattva; that something different from the suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of eye contact there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact there is a Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is eye contact; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact; that apart from the suchness of eye contact there is a Great Bodhisattva; that apart from the suchness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition is not a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition is not a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition; apart from the suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition there is no Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition, or the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent; how much less can there be the suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition and the suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how can one say that the very suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition is a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition; apart from the suchness of the feelings arisen from eye-contact as condition there is a Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of the feelings arisen from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of the earth element is not a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the earth element is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements is not a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the earth element there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the earth element; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements; apart from the suchness of the earth element there is no Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, the earth element, or the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent; how much less can there be the suchness of the earth element and the suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how can one say that the very suchness of the earth element is a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the earth element is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the earth element there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the earth element; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements; apart from the suchness of the earth element there is a Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of causes and conditions is not a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of causes and conditions is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions is not a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of causes and conditions there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of causes and conditions; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions; apart from the suchness of causes and conditions there is no Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions there is no Great Bodhisattva?
“World-Honored One, causes and conditions, or equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent; how much less can there be the suchness of causes and conditions and the suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how can one say that the very suchness of causes and conditions is a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of causes and conditions is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of causes and conditions there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of causes and conditions; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions; apart from the suchness of causes and conditions there is a Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of equal and uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions is not a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions; apart from the suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti said: “World-Honored One, phenomena arisen through conditions ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent; how much less can there be the suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions! Since this suchness does not exist, how can one say that the very suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions; apart from the suchness of phenomena arisen through conditions there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of ignorance is not a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging, and death is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of ignorance is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of formations up to aging and death is not a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of ignorance there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of formations up to aging and death there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of ignorance; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of formations up to aging and death; apart from the suchness of ignorance there is no Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of formations up to aging and death there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, ignorance, or formations up to aging and death, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent; how much less can there be the suchness of ignorance and the suchness of formations up to aging and death! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how can one say that the very suchness of ignorance is a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of formations up to aging and death is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of ignorance is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of formations up to aging and death is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of ignorance there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of formations up to aging and death there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of ignorance; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of formations up to aging and death; apart from the suchness of ignorance there is a Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of formations up to aging and death there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of the perfection of giving is not a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the perfection of giving is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom is not a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the perfection of giving there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the perfection of giving; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom; apart from the suchness of the perfection of giving there is no Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, the perfection of giving, or pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent; how much less can there be the suchness of the perfection of giving and the suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how can one say that the very suchness of the perfection of giving is a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the perfection of giving is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the perfection of giving there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the perfection of giving; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom; apart from the suchness of the perfection of giving there is a Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, what meaning do you observe when you say that the very suchness of inner emptiness is not a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, supreme-meaning emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without boundaries, scattered emptiness, emptiness of unchangeability, emptiness of inherent nature, emptiness of own characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of what cannot be grasped, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of inner emptiness is not a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence is not a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of inner emptiness there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence there is no Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of inner emptiness; within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; apart from the suchness of inner emptiness there is no Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, inner emptiness, or outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent; how much less can there be the suchness of inner emptiness and the suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how can one say that the very suchness of inner emptiness is a Great Bodhisattva; the very suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of inner emptiness is a Great Bodhisattva; different from the suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of inner emptiness there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence there is a Great Bodhisattva; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of inner emptiness; within the Great Bodhisattva there is the suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; apart from the suchness of inner emptiness there is a Great Bodhisattva; apart from the suchness of outer emptiness up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, upon what meaning do you rely when you say that the very suchness of the four foundations of mindfulness is not the Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path is not the Great Bodhisattva; that it is different from the suchness of these practices and therefore is not the Great Bodhisattva; that within the suchness of these practices there is no Great Bodhisattva; that within the Great Bodhisattva there is no suchness of these practices; and that apart from these suchnesses there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, just as the four foundations of mindfulness, or the four right efforts and so forth up to the eightfold noble path, ultimately cannot be obtained, because their nature is nonexistent, how much less can there be the suchness of the four foundations of mindfulness and the suchness of the four right efforts up to the eightfold noble path! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that the very suchness of the four foundations of mindfulness is the Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of the four right efforts up to the eightfold noble path is the Great Bodhisattva; that the Great Bodhisattva is different from these suchnesses; that there is a Great Bodhisattva within these suchnesses; that these suchnesses exist within the Great Bodhisattva; or that apart from these suchnesses there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, upon what meaning do you rely when you say that the very suchness of the noble truth of suffering is not the Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of the noble truths of origin, cessation, and the path is not the Great Bodhisattva; that they are different from these suchnesses; that there is no Great Bodhisattva within these suchnesses; that these suchnesses do not exist within the Great Bodhisattva; or that apart from these suchnesses there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied: “World-Honored One, just as the noble truth of suffering, and likewise the noble truths of origin, cessation, and the path, ultimately cannot be obtained because their nature is nonexistent, how much less can there be the suchness of these noble truths! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that the suchness of the noble truth of suffering is the Great Bodhisattva, or that the suchness of the noble truths of origin, cessation, and the path is the Great Bodhisattva; that the Great Bodhisattva is different from these suchnesses; that there is a Great Bodhisattva within them; that they exist within the Great Bodhisattva; or that apart from them there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, upon what meaning do you rely when you say that the very suchness of the four meditations is not the Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions is not the Great Bodhisattva; that they are different from these suchnesses; that there is no Great Bodhisattva within these suchnesses; that these suchnesses are not within the Great Bodhisattva; or that apart from these suchnesses there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied: “World-Honored One, just as the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions ultimately cannot be obtained because their nature is nonexistent, how much less can there be the suchness of these states! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that their suchness is the Great Bodhisattva, that the Great Bodhisattva is different from them, that there is a Great Bodhisattva within them, that they exist within the Great Bodhisattva, or that apart from them there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, upon what meaning do you rely when you say that the very suchness of the eight liberations is not the Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten universal bases is not the Great Bodhisattva; that they are different from these suchnesses; that there is no Great Bodhisattva within these suchnesses; that these suchnesses are not within the Great Bodhisattva; or that apart from these suchnesses there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied: “World-Honored One, just as the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten universal bases ultimately cannot be obtained because their nature is nonexistent, how much less can there be their suchness! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that their suchness is the Great Bodhisattva, that the Great Bodhisattva is different from them, that there is a Great Bodhisattva within them, that they exist within the Great Bodhisattva, or that apart from them there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, upon what meaning do you rely when you say that the very suchness of the liberation-door of emptiness is not the Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of the liberation-doors of signlessness and wishlessness is not the Great Bodhisattva; that they are different from these suchnesses; that there is no Great Bodhisattva within these suchnesses; that these suchnesses are not within the Great Bodhisattva; or that apart from these suchnesses there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied: “World-Honored One, just as the liberation-door of emptiness, and likewise the liberation-doors of signlessness and wishlessness, ultimately cannot be obtained because their nature is nonexistent, how much less can there be their suchness! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that the suchness of the liberation-door of emptiness is the Great Bodhisattva, that the suchness of the liberation-doors of signlessness and wishlessness is the Great Bodhisattva, that the Great Bodhisattva is different from them, that there is a Great Bodhisattva within them, that they exist within the Great Bodhisattva, or that apart from them there is a Great Bodhisattva?”
Again, Subhūti, upon what meaning do you rely when you say that the very suchness of the dhāraṇī methods is not the Great Bodhisattva; that the very suchness of the samādhi methods is not the Great Bodhisattva; that they are different from these suchnesses; that there is no Great Bodhisattva within these suchnesses; that these suchnesses are not within the Great Bodhisattva; or that apart from these suchnesses there is no Great Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti replied: “World-Honored One, just as the dhāraṇī methods and the samādhi methods ultimately cannot be obtained because their nature is nonexistent, how much less can there be their suchness! Since these suchnesses do not exist, how could one say that the suchness of the dhāraṇī methods is the Great Bodhisattva, that the suchness of the samādhi methods is the Great Bodhisattva, that the Great Bodhisattva is different from them, that there is a Great Bodhisattva within them, that they exist within the Great Bodhisattva, or that apart from them there is a Great Bodhisattva?”