GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 362
Chapter 61: NON-DUALITY OF MUCH LEARNING (12)
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, when a Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom, although regarding all dharmas he constantly delights in examining and choosing, he does not apprehend form, nor does he apprehend feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; he does not apprehend the eye faculty, nor does he apprehend the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind faculties; he does not apprehend the form domain, nor does he apprehend the sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma domains; he does not apprehend the eye element, nor does he apprehend the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind elements; he does not apprehend the form element, nor does he apprehend the sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma elements; he does not apprehend the eye-consciousness element, nor does he apprehend the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind-consciousness elements; he does not apprehend eye-contact, nor does he apprehend ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind-contact; he does not apprehend the feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact, nor does he apprehend the feelings arising dependent upon ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind-contact; he does not apprehend the earth element, nor does he apprehend the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness elements; he does not apprehend ignorance, nor does he apprehend formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress; he does not apprehend the Perfection of Giving, nor does he apprehend Purity of Precepts, Patience, Vigor, Meditative Absorption, or the Perfection of Wisdom; he does not apprehend the emptiness of the internal, nor does he apprehend the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of both internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the ultimate end, the emptiness of the absence of boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-alteration, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of own characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of what cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of non-existence, the emptiness of self-nature, or the emptiness of the self-nature of non-existence; he does not apprehend suchness, nor does he apprehend the Dharma Realm, the nature of Dharma, the nature of non-delusion, the nature of non-change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, fixed Dharma, abiding Dharma, ultimate reality, the realm of space, or the inconceivable realm; he does not apprehend the four foundations of mindfulness, nor does he apprehend the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, or the eightfold noble path; he does not apprehend the noble truth of suffering, nor does he apprehend the noble truths of origination, cessation, or the path; he does not apprehend the four meditative absorptions, nor does he apprehend the four immeasurables or the four formless absorptions; he does not apprehend the liberation door of emptiness, nor does he apprehend the liberation doors of signlessness or wishlessness; he does not apprehend the eight liberations, nor does he apprehend the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, or the ten totalities; he does not apprehend the samādhi dharma doors, nor does he apprehend the dhāraṇī dharma doors; he does not apprehend the five kinds of eyes, nor does he apprehend the six supernatural powers; he does not apprehend the ten powers of the Buddha, nor does he apprehend the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, or the eighteen uncommon Buddha qualities; he does not apprehend the dharma of never forgetting, nor does he apprehend the nature of always maintaining equanimity; he does not apprehend omniscient wisdom, nor does he apprehend path-wisdom or all-aspect wisdom; he does not apprehend the fruit of Stream-entry, nor does he apprehend the fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, or Arhatship; he does not apprehend the fruit of Pratyekabuddhahood; he does not apprehend all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas; he does not apprehend the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas.”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when a Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom, if he does not apprehend form, nor feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; if he does not apprehend the eye faculty, nor the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties; if he does not apprehend the form domain, nor the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma domains; if he does not apprehend the eye element, nor the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements; if he does not apprehend the form element, nor the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements; if he does not apprehend the eye-consciousness element, nor the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements; if he does not apprehend eye-contact, nor ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact; if he does not apprehend the feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact, nor the feelings arising dependent upon ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact; if he does not apprehend the earth element, nor the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements; if he does not apprehend ignorance, nor formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress; if he does not apprehend the Perfection of Giving, nor Purity of Precepts, Patience, Vigor, Meditative Absorption, and the Perfection of Wisdom; if he does not apprehend the emptiness of the internal, nor the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of both internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the ultimate end, the emptiness of the absence of boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-alteration, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of own characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of what cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of non-existence, the emptiness of self-nature, the emptiness of the self-nature of non-existence; if he does not apprehend suchness, nor the Dharma Realm, the nature of Dharma, the nature of non-delusion, the nature of non-change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, fixed Dharma, abiding Dharma, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; if he does not apprehend the noble truth of suffering, nor the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path; if he does not apprehend the four foundations of mindfulness, nor 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; if he does not apprehend the four meditative absorptions, nor the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions; if he does not apprehend the eight liberations, nor the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities; if he does not apprehend the samādhi dharma doors, nor the dhāraṇī dharma doors; if he does not apprehend the liberation door of emptiness, nor the liberation doors of signlessness and wishlessness; if he does not apprehend the five kinds of eyes, nor the six supernatural powers; if he does not apprehend the ten powers of the Buddha, nor the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen uncommon Buddha qualities; if he does not apprehend the dharma of never forgetting, nor the nature of always maintaining equanimity; if he does not apprehend omniscient wisdom, nor path-wisdom and all-aspect wisdom; if he does not apprehend the fruit of Stream-entry, nor the fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, and Arhatship; if he does not apprehend the fruit of Pratyekabuddhahood; if he does not apprehend all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas; if he does not apprehend the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, how can he perfect the Perfection of Giving, Purity of Precepts, Patience, Vigor, Meditative Absorption, and Wisdom? How can he enter the right nature of non-arising of Great Bodhisattvas? If he does not enter the right nature of non-arising of Great Bodhisattvas, how can he adorn and purify Buddha realms? If he cannot adorn and purify Buddha realms, how can he bring about the complete maturation of sentient beings? If he cannot bring about the complete maturation of sentient beings, how can he attain omniscient wisdom? If he cannot attain omniscient wisdom, how can he turn the wheel of the true Dharma and perform Buddha activities? If he cannot turn the wheel of the true Dharma and perform Buddha activities, how can he liberate countless hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of sentient beings from the sufferings of birth and death and enable them to attain the everlasting bliss of Nirvāṇa?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of form, nor for the sake of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; rather, he practices the Perfection of Wisdom.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the eye faculty, nor for the sake of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the form domain, nor for the sake of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma domains.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the eye element, nor for the sake of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the form element, nor for the sake of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the eye-consciousness element, nor for the sake of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of eye-contact, nor for the sake of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact, nor for the sake of the feelings arising dependent upon ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the earth element, nor for the sake of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of ignorance, nor for the sake of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the Perfection of Giving, nor for the sake of Purity of Precepts, Patience, Vigor, Meditative Absorption, and the Perfection of Wisdom.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the emptiness of the internal, nor for the sake of the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of both internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the ultimate end, the emptiness of the absence of boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-alteration, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of own characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of what cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of non-existence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of non-existence.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of suchness, nor for the sake of the Dharma Realm, the nature of Dharma, the nature of non-delusion, the nature of non-change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, fixed Dharma, abiding Dharma, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the noble truth of suffering, nor for the sake of the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the four foundations of mindfulness, nor for the sake 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.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the four meditative absorptions, nor for the sake of the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the eight liberations, nor for the sake of the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the samādhi dharma doors, nor for the sake of the dhāraṇī dharma doors.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the liberation door of emptiness, nor for the sake of the liberation doors of signlessness and wishlessness.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the five kinds of eyes, nor for the sake of the six supernatural powers.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the ten powers of the Buddha, nor for the sake of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen uncommon Buddha qualities.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the dharma of never forgetting, nor for the sake of the nature of always maintaining equanimity.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of omniscient wisdom, nor for the sake of path-wisdom and all-aspect wisdom.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the fruit of Stream-entry, nor for the sake of the fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, and Arhatship.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the fruit of Pratyekabuddhahood.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas.
Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for the sake of the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas.”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, for what purpose does a Great Bodhisattva practice the Perfection of Wisdom?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva does not practice the Perfection of Wisdom for any purpose whatsoever. Why? Subhūti, because all dharmas have no purpose and no creation; the Perfection of Wisdom also has no purpose and no creation; unsurpassed perfect enlightenment also has no purpose and no creation; and the Great Bodhisattva also has no purpose and no creation. Therefore, Subhūti, a Great Bodhisattva should take the absence of purpose and the absence of creation as the means and practice the Perfection of Wisdom.”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas have no purpose and no creation, then the three vehicles should not be established as different: the Śrāvaka vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, and the Unsurpassed vehicle.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, it is not that the establishment of dharmas without purpose and without creation can be apprehended. Why? Subhūti, because there are ignorant, ordinary beings who have not learned, who cling to form and also cling to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; they cling to the eye faculty and also cling to the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties; they cling to the form domain and also cling to the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma domains; they cling to the eye element and also cling to the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements; they cling to the form element and also cling to the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements; they cling to the eye-consciousness element and also cling to the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements; they cling to eye-contact and also cling to ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact; they cling to the feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact and also cling to the feelings arising dependent upon ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact; they cling to the earth element and also cling to the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements; they cling to ignorance and also cling to formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress; they cling to the Perfection of Giving and also cling to Purity of Precepts, Patience, Vigor, Meditative Absorption, and the Perfection of Wisdom; they cling to the emptiness of the internal and also cling to the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of both internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the ultimate end, the emptiness of the absence of boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-alteration, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of own characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of what cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of non-existence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of non-existence; they cling to suchness and also cling to the Dharma Realm, the nature of Dharma, the nature of non-delusion, the nature of non-change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, fixed Dharma, abiding Dharma, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; they cling to the four foundations of mindfulness and also cling to 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; they cling to the noble truth of suffering and also cling to the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path; they cling to the four meditative absorptions and also cling to the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions; they cling to the liberation door of emptiness and also cling to the liberation doors of signlessness and wishlessness; they cling to the eight liberations and also cling to the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities; they cling to the samādhi dharma doors and also cling to the dhāraṇī dharma doors; they cling to the five kinds of eyes and also cling to the six supernatural powers; they cling to the ten powers of the Buddha and also cling to the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen uncommon Buddha qualities; they cling to the dharma of never forgetting and also cling to the nature of always maintaining equanimity; they cling to omniscient wisdom and also cling to path-wisdom and all-aspect wisdom; they cling to the fruit of Stream-entry and also cling to the fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, and Arhatship; they cling to the fruit of Pratyekabuddhahood; they cling to all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas; they cling to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas.
Subhūti, because these ignorant, ordinary beings who have not learned cling, they think that by thinking of form they attain form; by thinking of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness they attain feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; by thinking of the eye faculty they attain the eye faculty, and by thinking of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties they attain the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties; by thinking of the form domain they attain the form domain, and by thinking of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma domains they attain the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma domains; by thinking of the eye element they attain the eye element, and by thinking of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements they attain the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements; by thinking of the form element they attain the form element, and by thinking of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements they attain the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements; by thinking of the eye-consciousness element they attain the eye-consciousness element, and by thinking of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements they attain the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements; by thinking of eye-contact they attain eye-contact, and by thinking of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact they attain ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact; by thinking of the feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact they attain those feelings, and by thinking of the feelings arising dependent upon ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact they attain those feelings; by thinking of the earth element they attain the earth element, and by thinking of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements they attain the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements; by thinking of ignorance they attain ignorance, and by thinking of formations through aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress they attain formations through aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress; by thinking of the Perfection of Giving they attain the Perfection of Giving, and by thinking of Purity of Precepts, Patience, Vigor, Meditative Absorption, and the Perfection of Wisdom they attain Purity of Precepts through the Perfection of Wisdom; by thinking of the emptiness of the internal they attain the emptiness of the internal, and by thinking of the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of both internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the ultimate end, the emptiness of the absence of boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-alteration, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of own characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of what cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of non-existence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of non-existence they attain these emptinesses; by thinking of suchness they attain suchness, and by thinking of the Dharma Realm, the nature of Dharma, the nature of non-delusion, the nature of non-change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, fixed Dharma, abiding Dharma, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm they attain these; by thinking of the noble truth of suffering they attain the noble truth of suffering, and by thinking of the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path they attain the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path; by thinking of the four foundations of mindfulness they attain the four foundations of mindfulness, and by thinking 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 they attain these; and so forth, up to thinking of the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, whereby they attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas.
Subhūti, these ignorant, ordinary beings who have not learned think in this way: ‘Form certainly can be apprehended; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness certainly can also be apprehended. I will definitely attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, escape the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and enable them to attain the ultimate everlasting bliss of Nirvāṇa.’”
The eye realm can certainly be apprehended; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind realms can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The form realm can certainly be apprehended; the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The eye element can certainly be apprehended; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The form element can certainly be apprehended; the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The eye-consciousness element can certainly be apprehended; the ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness elements can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
Eye-contact can certainly be apprehended; ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact can certainly be apprehended; the feelings arising conditioned by ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The earth element can certainly be apprehended; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
Ignorance can certainly be apprehended; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The perfection of generosity can certainly be apprehended; pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The emptiness of internal phenomena can certainly be apprehended; the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of both internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, the great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the ultimate, the emptiness without boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-change, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of own characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of what cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of non-existence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
Suchness can certainly be apprehended; the dharma realm, dharma nature, the nature of non-deception, the nature of non-transformation, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the established nature of phenomena, the abiding nature of phenomena, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The noble truth of suffering can certainly be apprehended; the noble truths of origin, cessation, and path can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The four foundations of mindfulness can certainly be apprehended; 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 can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The four meditative absorptions can certainly be apprehended; the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The eight liberations can certainly be apprehended; the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal bases can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
All samadhi dharma methods can certainly be apprehended; all dharani dharma methods can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The liberation through emptiness can certainly be apprehended; the liberation through signlessness and the liberation through wishlessness can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The five types of eyes can certainly be apprehended; the six supernatural abilities can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The ten powers of a Buddha can certainly be apprehended; the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of unobstructed knowledge, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The dharma of never forgetting can certainly be apprehended; the nature of always maintaining equanimity can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The wisdom of all aspects can certainly be apprehended; the wisdom of paths and the wisdom of all characteristics can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The fruit of stream-entry can certainly be apprehended; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship can certainly also be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The fruit of pratyekabuddhahood can certainly be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
All practices of great bodhisattvas can certainly be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
The unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas can certainly be apprehended. I determine that I will attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss.
Subhuti, those ignorant ordinary beings who have not learned, because of their mistaken views, think in this way; that is, they slander the Buddha. Why?
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek form, it cannot even be obtained; when seeking feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, and cause them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek the eye sense base, it cannot even be obtained; when seeking the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind sense bases, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek the form sense base, it cannot even be obtained; when seeking the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma sense bases, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek the eye element, it cannot even be obtained; when seeking the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek the form element, it cannot even be obtained; when seeking the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek the eye-consciousness element, it cannot even be obtained; when seeking the ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness elements, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek eye-contact, it cannot even be obtained; when seeking ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact, they cannot even be obtained; when seeking the feelings arising conditioned by ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek the earth element, it cannot even be obtained; when seeking the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Subhuti, because when the Buddha uses the five kinds of eyes to seek ignorance, it cannot even be obtained; when seeking formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress, they also cannot be obtained. How much less could there be anyone who determines that they will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and be liberated from the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvana of everlasting bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the perfection of giving and cannot find it; seeking the perfection of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the emptiness of the internal dharmas and cannot find it; seeking the emptiness of external dharmas, the emptiness of both internal and external dharmas, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned dharmas, the emptiness of unconditioned dharmas, the emptiness of the ultimate, the emptiness without boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-transformation, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of own characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness present in all dharmas, the emptiness that cannot be grasped, the emptiness of non-nature, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness, he still cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks suchness and cannot find it; seeking the dharma realm, dharma nature, the nature of non-delusion, the nature of non-change, the nature of equality, the nature of being free from arising, the fixed nature of dharmas, the abiding nature of dharmas, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm, he still cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the noble truth of suffering and cannot find it; seeking the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the four foundations of mindfulness and cannot find them; seeking the four right efforts, four bases of miraculous powers, five faculties, five powers, seven branches of enlightenment, and eightfold noble path, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the four meditative absorptions and cannot find them; seeking the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the eight liberations and cannot find them; seeking the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks all methods of samādhi and cannot find them; seeking all methods of dhāraṇī, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the liberation method of emptiness and cannot find it; seeking the liberation methods of signlessness and wishlessness, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the five kinds of eyes and cannot find them; seeking the six supernormal powers, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the ten powers of a Buddha and cannot find them; seeking the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the quality of never forgetting and cannot find it; seeking the nature of always renunciation, he also cannot find it. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks omniscient wisdom and cannot find it; seeking path-knowing wisdom and all-aspect wisdom, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the fruit of stream-entry and cannot find it; seeking the fruits of once-returner, non-returner, and arhatship, he also cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the fruition of a solitary buddha and cannot find it. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks all practices of great bodhisattvas and cannot find them. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss? Such a thing does not exist.
Venerable Subhūti, because the Buddha, using the five kinds of eyes, seeks the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas and cannot find it. How much less could there be someone who is determined to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, causing them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss?
The Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, using the five kinds of eyes, seek form and cannot find it; seek feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness and cannot find them; seek the eye faculty and cannot find it, and seek the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties and cannot find them; seek the form realm and cannot find it, and seek the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms and cannot find them; seek the eye consciousness realm and cannot find it, and seek the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness realms and cannot find them; seek eye contact and cannot find it, and seek ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact and cannot find them; seek the feelings arising dependent upon eye contact and cannot find them, and seek the feelings arising dependent upon ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact and cannot find them; seek the earth element and cannot find it, and seek the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements and cannot find them; seek ignorance and cannot find it, and seek formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress and cannot find them; seek the perfection of giving and cannot find it, and seek the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom and cannot find them; seek the emptiness of internal dharmas and cannot find it, and seek the emptiness of external dharmas, the emptiness of both internal and external dharmas, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned dharmas, the emptiness of unconditioned dharmas, the emptiness of the ultimate, the emptiness without boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-transformation, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of own characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness present in all dharmas, the emptiness that cannot be grasped, the emptiness of non-nature, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness and cannot find them; seek suchness and cannot find it, and seek the dharma realm, dharma nature, the nature of non-delusion, the nature of non-change, the nature of equality, the nature of being free from arising, the fixed nature of dharmas, the abiding nature of dharmas, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm and cannot find them; seek the noble truth of suffering and cannot find it, and seek the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path and cannot find them; seek the four foundations of mindfulness and cannot find them, and seek the four right efforts, four bases of miraculous powers, five faculties, five powers, seven branches of enlightenment, and eightfold noble path and cannot find them; seek the four meditative absorptions and cannot find them, and seek the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations and cannot find them; seek the liberation method of emptiness and cannot find it, and seek the liberation methods of signlessness and wishlessness and cannot find them; seek the eight liberations and cannot find them, and seek the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities and cannot find them; seek the samādhi methods and cannot find them, and seek the dhāraṇī methods and cannot find them; seek the five kinds of eyes and cannot find them, and seek the six supernormal powers and cannot find them; seek the ten powers of a Buddha and cannot find them, and seek the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha and cannot find them; seek the quality of never forgetting and cannot find it, and seek the nature of always renunciation and cannot find it; seek omniscient wisdom and cannot find it, and seek path-knowing wisdom and all-aspect wisdom and cannot find them; seek the fruit of stream-entry and cannot find it, and seek the fruits of once-returner, non-returner, and arhatship and cannot find them; seek the fruition of a solitary buddha and cannot find it; seek all practices of great bodhisattvas and cannot find them; seek the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas and cannot find it; and sentient beings also cannot attain it, then it is certainly impossible that there is attainment of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and escape from all the sufferings of birth and death of sentient beings, leading them to attain the ultimate nirvāṇa of eternal bliss. Then why, World-Honored One, did you attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and establish the three distinct classifications of sentient beings: those whose nature is definitely correct, those whose nature is definitely incorrect, and those whose nature is indeterminate?”
The Buddha said:
“Venerable Subhūti, using the five kinds of eyes, I observe in accordance with reality that there is definitely no self capable of attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment or establishing the three distinct classifications of sentient beings: those whose nature is definitely correct, those whose nature is definitely incorrect, and those whose nature is indeterminate. But foolish and deluded sentient beings, regarding what is not real, give rise to the perception of truly existing sentient beings. In order to eliminate these various false attachments, I therefore speak in dependence upon conventional truth, and do not rely upon ultimate meaning.”