SUTRA OF THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ
VOLUME 370
Chapter 64: LEARNING THROUGH ALL PATHS OF PRACTICE (5)
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, if all categories of the factors of enlightenment and all Bodhisattva paths of enlightenment, all of these are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, without form, without perception, without opposition, of one mark, called the mark of emptiness, then how can such factors of enlightenment uphold enlightenment?
World-Honored One, all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, without form, without perception, without opposition, of one mark, called the dharma of the marklessness; how can they take up or abandon other dharmas?
World-Honored One, it is like space: with regard to all dharmas, it neither takes up nor abandons, because its own nature is empty. All dharmas are also like this; their own natures are all empty. They do not take up or abandon other dharmas. Then why can it be said that the factors of enlightenment can uphold enlightenment?
The Buddha said:
Subhūti, it is so, it is so, just as you have said! Because the own nature of all dharmas is empty, there is neither taking up nor abandoning. However, sentient beings are unable to clearly understand the emptiness of the own nature of all dharmas. Therefore, out of compassion for them, through skillful means I explain that the factors of enlightenment can uphold enlightenment.
Furthermore, Subhūti, whether form, or feeling, perception, formations, consciousness; whether the eye faculty, or ear, nose, tongue, body, mind faculties; whether the form sphere, or sound, smell, taste, touch, dharma spheres; whether the eye element, or ear, nose, tongue, body, mind elements; whether the form element, or sound, smell, taste, touch, dharma elements; whether the eye consciousness element, or ear, nose, tongue, body, mind consciousness elements; whether eye contact, or ear, nose, tongue, body, mind contacts; whether the feelings arising conditioned by eye contact, or feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, mind contacts; whether the earth element, or water, fire, wind, space, consciousness elements; whether the nature of the cause condition, or the nature of the immediately preceding condition, objective condition, and dominant condition; whether ignorance, or formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress; whether the perfection of giving, or morality, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, and the perfection of wisdom; whether internal emptiness, or external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, emptiness of ultimate reality, emptiness without boundaries, scattered emptiness, emptiness of non-transformation, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of own characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of what cannot be grasped, emptiness of no nature, emptiness of self-nature, emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness; whether suchness, or the dharma realm, dharma nature, 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, the inconceivable realm; whether the first meditation, or the second, third, and fourth meditations; whether immeasurable loving-kindness, or immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; whether the sphere of infinite space, or the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; whether the four foundations of mindfulness, or the four right efforts, four bases of miraculous powers, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, eightfold noble path; whether the noble truth of suffering, or the noble truths of origin, cessation, and path; whether the liberation door of emptiness, or the liberation doors of signlessness and wishlessness; whether the eight liberations, or the eight stages of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, the ten universal bases; whether all samādhi dharma doors, or all dhāraṇī dharma doors; whether the stage of Joy, or the stage of Freedom from Defilement, the stage of Radiance, the stage of Blazing Wisdom, the stage of Difficult to Overcome, the stage of Manifestation, the stage of Far-Reaching, the stage of Immovability, the stage of Excellent Wisdom, the stage of Dharma Cloud; whether the five kinds of eyes, or the six supernormal powers; whether the Buddha’s ten powers, or the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, and eighteen unique Buddha qualities; whether great loving-kindness, or great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; whether the dharma of not forgetting, or the nature of constant equanimity; whether omniscient wisdom, or path-knowledge wisdom and all-aspect knowledge wisdom; whether the fruit of stream-entry, or the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the rank of the solitary Buddha; whether all practices of great Bodhisattvas; whether the complete and permanent cutting off of all continuous habitual tendencies; whether the supreme unsurpassed enlightenment of all Buddhas; whether the realm of conditioned phenomena, or the realm of unconditioned phenomena— all such dharmas, within this noble Dharma-Vinaya, are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, without form, without perception, without opposition, of one mark, which is the mark of emptiness. The Buddha speaks of them in order to benefit sentient beings, enabling them to obtain correct understanding and enter the true nature of dharmas; therefore, this is spoken according to conventional truth and not according to ultimate truth.
Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas should learn the wisdom-knowledge regarding all such dharmas. Having learned wisdom-knowledge, they then truly understand that such dharmas should be gathered and upheld, and such dharmas should not be gathered and upheld.
Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, after great Bodhisattvas learn wisdom-knowledge and truly understand it, with regard to which dharmas should they not gather and uphold? And with regard to which dharmas should they gather and uphold?
The Buddha said:
Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas, having learned the dharmas of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and truly understood them through wisdom-knowledge, should not gather and uphold them. Regarding all dharmas corresponding to omniscient wisdom, having learned wisdom-knowledge and fully understood all characteristics, they should gather and uphold them.
Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas should learn such profound Prajñāpāramitā within this noble Dharma-Vinaya.
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, the Buddha speaks of the noble Dharma-Vinaya. What is called the noble Dharma-Vinaya?
The Buddha said:
Subhūti, whether all Śrāvakas, all Pratyekabuddhas, all great Bodhisattvas, or all Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones—all of them are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with greed, hatred, and delusion; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the view of a self, attachment to precepts and practices, and doubt; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with sensual desire and hatred; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with attachment to form, attachment to the formless, agitation, conceit, and ignorance; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the first meditation; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the second, third, and fourth meditations; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with immeasurable loving-kindness; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the concentration of the sphere of infinite space; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the concentrations of the spheres of infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the four foundations of mindfulness; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the four right efforts, four bases of miraculous powers, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and eightfold noble path; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the noble truth of suffering; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the noble truths of origin, cessation, and path; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the liberation door of emptiness; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the liberation doors of signlessness and wishlessness; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the eight liberations; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the eight stages of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten universal bases; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the five kinds of eyes; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the six supernormal powers; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the perfection of giving; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with morality, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, and the perfection of wisdom; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with internal emptiness; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, emptiness of ultimate reality, emptiness without boundaries, scattered emptiness, emptiness of non-transformation, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of own characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of what cannot be grasped, emptiness of no nature, emptiness of self-nature, emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with suchness; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the dharma realm, dharma nature, 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; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the stage of Joy; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the stages of Freedom from Defilement, Radiance, Blazing Wisdom, Difficult to Overcome, Manifestation, Far-Reaching, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with all samādhi dharma doors; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with all dhāraṇī dharma doors; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the Buddha’s ten powers; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, and eighteen unique Buddha qualities; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with great loving-kindness; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the dharma of not forgetting; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the nature of constant equanimity; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with omniscient wisdom; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with path-knowledge wisdom and all-aspect knowledge wisdom; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the realm of conditioned phenomena; all are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated, with the realm of unconditioned phenomena.
Subhūti, these dharmas are called the noble Dharma-Vinaya; therefore, it is called the noble Dharma-Vinaya. Why? Subhūti, because all these dharmas are without form, without perception, without opposition, of one mark, called the mark of emptiness. The noble ones directly see them as they truly are.
Subhūti, the formless and the formless are neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated; the imperceptible and the imperceptible; the unobstructed and the unobstructed; the one mark and the one mark; the mark of emptiness and the mark of emptiness—also neither associated nor not associated, neither joined nor separated.
Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas should constantly cultivate and learn this profound Prajñāpāramitā, which is without form, without perception, without opposition, of one mark, the mark of emptiness. Having learned it, they do not grasp the marks of all dharmas.
The Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, should great Bodhisattvas learn the mark of form, and should they also learn the marks of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? Should they learn the mark of the eye faculty, and should they also learn the marks of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties? Should they learn the mark of the form sphere, and should they also learn the marks of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma spheres? Should they learn the mark of the eye element, and should they also learn the marks of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements? Should they learn the mark of the form element, and should they also learn the marks of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements? Should they learn the mark of the eye consciousness element, and should they also learn the marks of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements? Should they learn the mark of eye contact, and should they also learn the marks of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contacts? Should they learn the marks of feelings arising conditioned by eye contact, and should they also learn the marks of feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contacts? Should they learn the mark of the earth element, and should they also learn the marks of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements? Should they learn the mark of ignorance, and should they also learn the marks of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress? Should they learn the mark of the perfection of giving, and should they also learn the marks of morality, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, and the perfection of wisdom? Should they learn the mark of internal emptiness, and should they also learn the marks of external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, emptiness of ultimate reality, emptiness without boundaries, scattered emptiness, emptiness of non-transformation, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of own characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of what cannot be grasped, emptiness of no nature, emptiness of self-nature, emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness? Should they learn the mark of suchness, and should they also learn the marks of the dharma realm, dharma nature, 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? Should they learn the mark of the first meditation, and should they also learn the marks of the second, third, and fourth meditations? Should they learn the mark of immeasurable loving-kindness, and should they also learn the marks of immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity? Should they learn the mark of the sphere of infinite space, and should they also learn the marks of the spheres of infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception? Should they learn the mark of the four foundations of mindfulness, and should they also learn the marks of the four right efforts, four bases of miraculous powers, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and eightfold noble path? Should they learn the mark of the liberation door of emptiness, and should they also learn the marks of the liberation doors of signlessness and wishlessness? Should they learn the mark of the noble truth of suffering, and should they also learn the marks of the noble truths of origin, cessation, and path? Should they learn the marks of the eight liberations, and should they also learn the marks of the eight stages of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten universal bases? Should they learn the marks of the five kinds of eyes, and should they also learn the marks of the six supernormal powers? Should they learn the marks of all samādhi dharma doors, and should they also learn the marks of all dhāraṇī dharma doors? Should they learn the mark of the stage of Joy, and should they also learn the marks of the stages of Freedom from Defilement, Radiance, Blazing Wisdom, Difficult to Overcome, Manifestation, Far-Reaching, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud? Should they learn the marks of the Buddha’s ten powers, and should they also learn the marks of the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, and eighteen unique Buddha qualities? Should they learn the mark of great loving-kindness, and should they also learn the marks of great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity? Should they learn the mark of the dharma of not forgetting, and should they also learn the mark of the nature of constant equanimity? Should they learn the mark of omniscient wisdom, and should they also learn the marks of path-knowledge wisdom and all-aspect knowledge wisdom? Should they learn the mark of the fruit of stream-entry, and should they also learn the marks of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the rank of the solitary Buddha? Should they learn the marks of all practices of great Bodhisattvas, and should they also learn the mark of supreme enlightenment? Should they learn the mark of knowing suffering, abandoning its origin, realizing cessation, and cultivating the path, and should they also learn the marks of observing dependent origination in forward and reverse order? Should they learn the marks of all noble beings, and should they also learn the marks of all noble dharmas? Should they learn the mark of the realm of conditioned phenomena, and should they also learn the mark of the realm of unconditioned phenomena?
World-Honored One, if great Bodhisattvas do not learn the marks of such dharmas, then they should also not learn the marks of practices. If great Bodhisattvas cannot learn the marks of dharmas and the marks of practices, then how can they surpass all Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas? If they cannot surpass all Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, how can they enter the Bodhisattva’s right nature of freedom from arising? If they do not enter the Bodhisattva’s right nature of freedom from arising, how can they attain omniscient wisdom? If they cannot attain omniscient wisdom, how can they turn the wheel of the true Dharma? If they cannot turn the wheel of the true Dharma, how can they establish sentient beings through the Śrāvaka vehicle, Pratyekabuddha vehicle, or unsurpassed vehicle, causing them to escape the endless sufferings of birth and death?
The Buddha said:
Subhūti, if all dharmas truly possessed marks, then great Bodhisattvas should learn them. But because all dharmas truly have no marks, are without form, without perception, without opposition, of one mark, which is the mark of emptiness, therefore great Bodhisattvas do not learn dharmas with marks, nor do they learn dharmas without marks. Why? Subhūti, because whether the Tathāgata appears in the world or does not appear in the world, the dharma realm always abides, all dharmas have one mark, which is the mark of emptiness. Such emptiness is neither a mark of existence nor a mark of non-existence.
The Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, if all dharmas are neither the mark of existence nor the mark of non-existence, neither the mark of one nor the mark of difference, then how can great Bodhisattvas cultivate Prajñāpāramitā? If they cannot cultivate Prajñāpāramitā, how can they surpass all Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas? If they cannot surpass all Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, how can they enter the Bodhisattva’s right nature of freedom from arising? If they do not enter the Bodhisattva’s right nature of freedom from arising, how can they bring forth the Bodhisattva’s patient endurance of unborn dharmas? If they do not bring forth the Bodhisattva’s patient endurance of unborn dharmas, how can they manifest the Bodhisattva’s spiritual powers? If they cannot manifest the Bodhisattva’s spiritual powers, how can they bring about the complete accomplishment of sentient beings and adorn and purify Buddha lands? If they cannot bring about the complete accomplishment of sentient beings and adorn and purify Buddha lands, how can they realize omniscient wisdom? If they cannot realize omniscient wisdom, how can they turn the wheel of the true Dharma? If they cannot turn the wheel of the true Dharma, then indeed they cannot establish sentient beings so that they attain the fruit of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship; indeed they cannot establish sentient beings so that they attain the rank of solitary Buddha; indeed they cannot establish sentient beings so that they attain supreme enlightenment; indeed they cannot establish sentient beings so that they abide in the nature of observing precepts and performing meritorious deeds, or abide in the nature of cultivation and performing meritorious deeds, and enjoy wealth, happiness, freedom, and ease in the realms of gods and humans.
The Buddha said:
Subhūti, it is so, it is so, just as you have said! All dharmas are neither the mark of existence nor the mark of non-existence, neither the mark of one nor the mark of difference. If great Bodhisattvas know that all dharmas—whether the mark of existence, the mark of non-existence, the mark of one, or the mark of difference—are all the same mark, namely the mark of emptiness, then cultivating and learning this mark of emptiness is cultivating and learning Prajñāpāramitā.
The Venerable Subhūti again said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, why is cultivating and learning this mark of emptiness by great Bodhisattvas the cultivation and learning of Prajñāpāramitā?
The Buddha said:
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning all dharmas, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti said:
World-Honored One, how is cultivating the abandonment of all dharmas by great Bodhisattvas the cultivation of Prajñāpāramitā?
The Buddha said:
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning form and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning the eye faculty and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning the form sphere and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma spheres, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning the eye element and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning the form element and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning the eye consciousness element and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning eye contact and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contacts, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning feelings arising conditioned by eye contact and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contacts, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning the earth element and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning causes and conditions and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of immediately preceding conditions, objective conditions, and dominant conditions, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning ignorance and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandonment of A-yuha and Nir-yuha, and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of contemplation of impurity, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning the first meditation and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of the second, third, and fourth meditations, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas cultivate abandoning immeasurable loving-kindness and also abandon this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating abandonment of immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, and also abandoning this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the meditative concentration of the Infinite Space Realm, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the meditative concentration of the Infinite Consciousness Realm, the Nothingness Realm, and the Neither Perception nor Non-Perception Realm, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of mindfulness of the Buddha, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of mindfulness of the Dharma, mindfulness of the Sangha, mindfulness of morality, mindfulness of generosity, mindfulness of the devas, mindfulness with skillful means, mindfulness without skillful means, mindfulness of tranquility, and mindfulness of inhalation and exhalation, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the perception of impermanence, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the perception of suffering and impermanence, the perception of suffering and non-self, the perception of impurity, the perception of aversion toward eating, the perception that all worldly existence is not delightful, the perception of death, the perception of cessation, the perception of separation, and the perception of extinction, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the perception of self, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the perception of sentient beings, the perception of the stream of life, the perception of the ability to arise, the perception of nourishment, the perception of growth, the perception of the agent of transmigration, the perception of being mind-born, the perception of being a child of a noble family, the perception of the ability to act, the perception of the ability to cause others to act, the perception of the ability to receive one’s own karmic results, the perception of the ability to cause others to receive karmic results, the perception of knowing, the perception of causing others to know, the perception of seeing, and the perception of causing others to see, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the perception of permanence and non-permanence, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the perception of pleasure and non-pleasure, the perception of self and non-self, the perception of purity and non-purity, the perception of separation and non-separation, the perception of tranquility and non-tranquility, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the four foundations of mindfulness, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the liberation gate of Emptiness, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the liberation gate of Signlessness and the liberation gate of Wishlessness, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eight liberations, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the eight bases of mastery, the nine sequential concentrations, and the ten universal bases, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of samādhi accompanied by examination and investigation, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of samādhi without examination but with investigation, and samādhi without examination and without investigation, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the noble truth of suffering, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the noble truths of origin, cessation, and path, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the knowledge of suffering, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the knowledge of origin, the knowledge of cessation, the knowledge of the path, the knowledge of exhaustion, the unsurpassed knowledge, the knowledge of Dharma, the knowledge of categories, worldly knowledge, knowledge of others’ minds, and true knowledge, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the perfection of generosity, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and Prajñāpāramitā itself, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the emptiness of internal phenomena, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of both internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of finality, the emptiness without boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-transformation, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of own characteristics, the emptiness of shared characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of what cannot be grasped, the emptiness of no essence, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the First Stage, the Stage of Joy, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the Stage of Freedom from Defilement, the Stage of Radiance, the Stage of Blazing Wisdom, the Stage of Difficult Victory, the Stage of Manifestation, the Stage of Far-Going, the Stage of Immovability, the Stage of Excellent Wisdom, and the Stage of Dharma Cloud, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the five types of eyes, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the six supernatural powers, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the ten powers of the Buddha, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of unobstructed understanding, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of great loving-kindness, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity, and even relinquishes this cultivation itself, this is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the Dharma of non-forgetting, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the nature that is always relinquishing, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of all samādhi methods, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of all dhāraṇī methods, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the omniscient wisdom, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the wisdom of the aspects of the Path and the wisdom of all aspects, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the fruit of Stream-entry, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, and the state of a Solitary Buddha, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of all practices of the Great Bodhisattva, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the unsurpassed enlightenment, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the wisdom of all wisdom, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the complete and permanent cutting off of all continuous accumulations of afflictive habits, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the conditioned realm, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the unconditioned realm, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of form, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; when he cultivates the relinquishment of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
The Buddha said:
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there is form, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of form, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye sense-base, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā? When he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind sense-bases, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there is an eye sense-base, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind sense-bases, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye sense-base, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind sense-bases, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the form sense-object, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā? When he cultivates the relinquishment of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma sense-objects, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there is a form sense-object, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma sense-objects, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the form sense-object, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma sense-objects, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye element, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā? When he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there is an eye element, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye element, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the form element, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā? When he cultivates the relinquishment of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there is a form element, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the form element, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye-consciousness element, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā? When he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there is an eye-consciousness element, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the eye-consciousness element, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of eye-contact, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā? When he cultivates the relinquishment of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there is eye-contact, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of eye-contact, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of feelings arising from eye-contact as condition, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā? When he cultivates the relinquishment of feelings arising from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact as conditions, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there are feelings arising from eye-contact as condition, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are feelings arising from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact as conditions, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of feelings arising from eye-contact as condition, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of feelings arising from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-contact as conditions, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the earth element, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā? When he cultivates the relinquishment of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there is an earth element, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of the earth element, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.
World-Honored One, why is it that when the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of causes and conditions, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā? When he cultivates the relinquishment of the immediately preceding condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā?
Venerable Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if he thinks there are causes and conditions, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. If he thinks there are immediately preceding conditions, objective conditions, and dominant conditions, and there is something that relinquishes this cultivation, then that is not cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Venerable Subhūti, because it is not through having conceptual perception that one can cultivate Prajñāpāramitā. Therefore, Venerable Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva cultivates the relinquishment of causes and conditions, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā; if he cultivates the relinquishment of immediately preceding conditions, objective conditions, and dominant conditions, and also relinquishes this very cultivation, that is cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.