Mahaprajnaparamita_v391 – Shurangama Temple

THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 391
Chapter 71: BRINGING ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF SENTIENT BEINGS (2)

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while abiding in the noble truth of suffering, does not apprehend the noble truth of suffering, does not apprehend the one who abides, does not apprehend the object of abiding, does not apprehend the act of abiding, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet abides in the noble truth of suffering, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path, does not apprehend the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path, does not apprehend the one who abides, does not apprehend the object of abiding, does not apprehend the act of abiding, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet abides in the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, thus the Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, cultivates the path of the Bodhisattva until it is perfected, and can realize the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the four meditative absorptions, does not apprehend the four meditative absorptions, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the four meditative absorptions, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations, does not apprehend the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the eight liberations, does not apprehend the eight liberations, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the eight liberations, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the eight stages of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal bases, does not apprehend the eight stages of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal bases, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the eight stages of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal bases, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating all dhāraṇī gateways, does not apprehend all dhāraṇī gateways, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates all dhāraṇī gateways, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating all samādhi gateways, does not apprehend all samādhi gateways, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates all samādhi gateways, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the liberation gateway of emptiness, does not apprehend the liberation gateway of emptiness, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the liberation gateway of emptiness, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness, does not apprehend the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the stage of Extreme Joy, does not apprehend the stage of Extreme Joy, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the stage of Extreme Joy, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the stages of Stainlessness, Radiance, Flaming Wisdom, Difficult to Conquer, Manifestation, Far-Going, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud, does not apprehend the stage of Stainlessness up to the stage of Dharma Cloud, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the stage of Stainlessness up to the stage of Dharma Cloud, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the five kinds of eyes, does not apprehend the five kinds of eyes, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the five kinds of eyes, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the six supernatural powers, does not apprehend the six supernatural powers, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the six supernatural powers, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the ten powers of the Buddha, does not apprehend the ten powers of the Buddha, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the ten powers of the Buddha, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, does not apprehend the four fearlessnesses up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the four fearlessnesses up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the thirty-two marks of a Great Being, does not apprehend the thirty-two marks of a Great Being, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the thirty-two marks of a Great Being, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the eighty minor marks of excellence, does not apprehend the eighty minor marks of excellence, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the eighty minor marks of excellence, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the dharma of non-forgetfulness, does not apprehend the dharma of non-forgetfulness, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the dharma of non-forgetfulness, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the nature of always relinquishing, does not apprehend the nature of always relinquishing, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the nature of always relinquishing, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the wisdom of omniscience, does not apprehend the wisdom of omniscience, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the wisdom of omniscience, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the wisdom of the aspects of the path and the wisdom of all aspects, does not apprehend the wisdom of the aspects of the path and the wisdom of all aspects, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the wisdom of the aspects of the path and the wisdom of all aspects, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating all practices of the Great Bodhisattva, does not apprehend all practices of the Great Bodhisattva, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates all practices of the Great Bodhisattva, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

Subhūti, if the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, with skillful means, while cultivating the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, does not apprehend the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, does not apprehend the one who cultivates, does not apprehend the object of cultivation, does not apprehend the act of cultivation, and also does not depart from such dharmas, yet cultivates the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, then that Great Bodhisattva can perfectly accomplish the cultivation according to the path of the Bodhisattva.

At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how does a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, courageously exert effort and cultivate in accordance with the Bodhisattva path?”

The Buddha said:

“Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with form, nor separate from form; does not unite with feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, nor separate from feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the eye faculty, nor separate from the eye faculty; does not unite with the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties, nor separate from the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the form sphere, nor separate from the form sphere; does not unite with the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma spheres, nor separate from the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma spheres. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the eye element, nor separate from the eye element; does not unite with the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements, nor separate from the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the form element, nor separate from the form element; does not unite with the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements, nor separate from the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the eye-consciousness element, nor separate from the eye-consciousness element; does not unite with the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements, nor separate from the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with eye-contact, nor separate from eye-contact; does not unite with ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact, nor separate from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact, nor separate from the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact; does not unite with the feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact, nor separate from the feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the earth element, nor separate from the earth element; does not unite with the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, nor separate from the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with causes and conditions, nor separate from causes and conditions; does not unite with equal and uninterrupted conditions, objective conditions, and dominant conditions, nor separate from equal and uninterrupted conditions, objective conditions, and dominant conditions. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with phenomena arisen from conditions, nor separate from phenomena arisen from conditions. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with ignorance, nor separate from ignorance; does not unite with formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress; nor separate from formations up to aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the Perfection of Giving, nor separate from the Perfection of Giving; does not unite with Pure Discipline, Patience, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and the Perfection of Wisdom, nor separate from Pure Discipline, Patience, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and the Perfection of Wisdom. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with emptiness of the internal, nor separate from emptiness of the internal; does not unite with emptiness of the external, emptiness of both the internal and external, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate meaning emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, scattered emptiness, unchanging emptiness, original nature emptiness, own-character emptiness, common-character emptiness, emptiness throughout all phenomena, emptiness of the unattainable, emptiness of naturelessness, emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness; nor separate from emptiness of the external up to emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the four foundations of mindfulness, nor separate from the four foundations of mindfulness; does not unite with 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, nor separate from the four right efforts up to the eightfold noble path. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the noble truth of suffering, nor separate from the noble truth of suffering; does not unite with the noble truths of origin, cessation, and path, nor separate from the noble truths of origin, cessation, and path. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the four meditative absorptions, nor separate from the four meditative absorptions; does not unite with the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions, nor separate from the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the eight liberations, nor separate from the eight liberations; does not unite with the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten total spheres, nor separate from the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten total spheres. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the dhāraṇī gateways, nor separate from the dhāraṇī gateways; does not unite with the samādhi gateways, nor separate from the samādhi gateways. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the liberation gateway of emptiness, nor separate from the liberation gateway of emptiness; does not unite with the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness, nor separate from the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the first ground, the Ground of Perfect Joy, nor separate from the Ground of Perfect Joy; does not unite with the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Radiant Light, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground of Difficult Conquest, the Ground of Manifestation, the Ground of Far-Going, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Ground of Dharma Cloud, nor separate from the Ground of Stainlessness up to the Ground of Dharma Cloud. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the five kinds of eyes, nor separate from the five kinds of eyes; does not unite with the six supernormal powers, nor separate from the six supernormal powers. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the ten powers of a Buddha, nor separate from the ten powers of a Buddha; does not unite with the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, nor separate from the four fearlessnesses up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the thirty-two marks of a Great Being, nor separate from the thirty-two marks of a Great Being; does not unite with the eighty subsidiary marks of excellence, nor separate from the eighty subsidiary marks of excellence. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the quality of not forgetting, nor separate from the quality of not forgetting; does not unite with the nature of always abiding in equanimity, nor separate from the nature of always abiding in equanimity. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with omniscient wisdom, nor separate from omniscient wisdom; does not unite with path-aspect wisdom and all-aspect wisdom, nor separate from path-aspect wisdom and all-aspect wisdom. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with the fruit of Stream-entry, nor separate from the fruit of Stream-entry; does not unite with the fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, and the state of a Pratyekabuddha, nor separate from the fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, and the state of a Pratyekabuddha. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, does not unite with all the practices of a Great Bodhisattva, nor separate from all the practices of a Great Bodhisattva; does not unite with the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, nor separate from the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas. Why? Because all such phenomena lack an intrinsic nature by which they could be united or separated.

Śāriputra, in this way, a Great Bodhisattva who practices the Perfection of Wisdom courageously exerts effort in cultivating the path of Bodhi.”

At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, if all phenomena completely lack inherent nature by which they could be united or dispersed, then why do the Great Bodhisattvas expound, elucidate, and develop the Prajñāpāramitā, causing the Great Bodhisattvas to train and learn within it?

World-Honored One, if a Great Bodhisattva does not learn the Prajñāpāramitā, then they can never attain the object they seek, which is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?”

The Buddha said:

“Śāriputra, it is so, it is so, exactly as you have said! If a Great Bodhisattva does not learn the Prajñāpāramitā, they can never realize the object they seek, which is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Śāriputra, the Great Bodhisattvas must learn the Prajñāpāramitā in order to realize the object they seek, which is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Śāriputra, the object sought by the Great Bodhisattvas, the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, can only be realized through skillful means; it cannot be realized without skillful means.

Śāriputra, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice the Prajñāpāramitā, if they see that the inherent nature of phenomena can be apprehended, then they should be able to grasp it. But when they do not see any inherent nature of phenomena that can be apprehended, then what would they grasp? That is, they do not grasp: ‘This is the Prajñāpāramitā; this is the Dhyāna pāramitā; this is the Vīrya pāramitā; this is the Kṣānti pāramitā; this is the Śīla pāramitā; this is the Dāna pāramitā; this is form; this is feeling, perception, formations, consciousness; this is the eye-base; this is the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases; this is the form-base; this is the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases; this is the eye-element; this is the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements; this is the form-element; this is the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements; this is the eye-consciousness element; this is the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements; this is eye-contact; this is ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact; this is the feelings arising from eye-contact as condition; this is the feelings arising from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition; this is the earth element; this is the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements; this is causal condition; this is immediately preceding condition; this is objective condition; this is dominant condition; this is phenomena arising from conditions; this is ignorance; this is formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress; this is the Dāna pāramitā; this is Śīla, Kṣānti, Vīrya, Dhyāna, and Prajñā pāramitā; this is inner emptiness; this is outer emptiness; this is inner-and-outer emptiness; this is emptiness of emptiness; this is great emptiness; this is ultimate-meaning emptiness; this is conditioned emptiness; this is unconditioned emptiness; this is emptiness of the ultimate end; this is emptiness without boundaries; this is scattered emptiness; this is unchanging emptiness; this is emptiness of intrinsic nature; this is emptiness of own characteristics; this is emptiness of common characteristics; this is emptiness in all phenomena; this is emptiness of what cannot be apprehended; this is emptiness of no nature; this is emptiness of inherent nature; this is emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature; this is the four foundations of mindfulness; this is the four right efforts; this is the four bases of miraculous powers; this is the five faculties; this is the five powers; this is the seven factors of enlightenment; this is the eightfold noble path; this is the noble truth of suffering; this is the noble truth of origin, cessation, and path; this is the four meditations; this is the four immeasurables; this is the four formless concentrations; this is the eight liberations; this is the eight spheres of mastery; this is the nine successive attainments; this is the ten total spheres; this is all dhāraṇī gateways; this is all samādhi gateways; this is the liberation gateway of emptiness; this is the liberation gateway of signlessness and wishlessness; this is the stage of Very Joyful; this is the stage of Free from Defilement; this is the stage of Radiant; this is the stage of Blazing Wisdom; this is the stage of Difficult to Overcome; this is the stage of Manifest; this is the stage of Far-Going; this is the stage of Immovable; this is the stage of Good Wisdom; this is the stage of Dharma Cloud; this is the five kinds of eyes; this is the six supernatural powers; this is the ten powers of a Buddha; this is the four fearlessnesses; this is the four kinds of unobstructed understanding; great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity; the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; this is the thirty-two marks of a Great Being; this is the eighty minor marks of excellence; this is the unforgetting quality; this is the constant quality of equanimity; this is all-knowing wisdom; this is path-aspect wisdom; this is all-aspect wisdom; this is the fruit of stream-entry; this is the fruit of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the state of a solitary buddha; this is all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas; this is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas; this is an ordinary being; this is a śrāvaka; this is a solitary buddha; this is a Bodhisattva; this is a Tathāgata.’

Śāriputra, the Great Bodhisattvas practicing the Prajñāpāramitā understand truly that the nature of all phenomena cannot be apprehended. Therefore, the Prajñāpāramitā cannot be apprehended; the Dhyāna pāramitā cannot be apprehended; the Vīrya pāramitā cannot be apprehended; the Kṣānti pāramitā cannot be apprehended; the Śīla pāramitā cannot be apprehended; the Dāna pāramitā cannot be apprehended; form cannot be apprehended; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness cannot be apprehended; the eye-base cannot be apprehended; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases cannot be apprehended; the form-base cannot be apprehended; the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases cannot be apprehended; the eye-element cannot be apprehended; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements cannot be apprehended; the form-element cannot be apprehended; the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements cannot be apprehended; the eye-consciousness element cannot be apprehended; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements cannot be apprehended; eye-contact cannot be apprehended; ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact cannot be apprehended; feelings arising from eye-contact as condition cannot be apprehended; feelings arising from ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact as condition cannot be apprehended; the earth element cannot be apprehended; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements cannot be apprehended; causal condition cannot be apprehended; immediately preceding condition, objective condition, and dominant condition cannot be apprehended; phenomena arising from conditions cannot be apprehended; ignorance cannot be apprehended; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress cannot be apprehended; the Dāna pāramitā cannot be apprehended; Śīla, Kṣānti, Vīrya, Dhyāna, and Prajñā pāramitā cannot be apprehended; inner emptiness cannot be apprehended; outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate-meaning emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate end, emptiness without boundaries, scattered emptiness, unchanging emptiness, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of own characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness in all phenomena, emptiness of what cannot be apprehended, emptiness of no nature, emptiness of inherent nature, and emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature cannot be apprehended; the four foundations of mindfulness cannot be apprehended; the four right efforts, four bases of miraculous powers, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and eightfold noble path cannot be apprehended; the noble truth of suffering cannot be apprehended; the noble truths of origin, cessation, and path cannot be apprehended; the four meditations cannot be apprehended; the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations cannot be apprehended; the eight liberations cannot be apprehended; the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, and ten total spheres cannot be apprehended; all dhāraṇī gateways cannot be apprehended; all samādhi gateways cannot be apprehended; the liberation gateway of emptiness cannot be apprehended; the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness cannot be apprehended; the stage of Very Joyful cannot be apprehended; the stages of Free from Defilement, Radiant, Blazing Wisdom, Difficult to Overcome, Manifest, Far-Going, Immovable, Good Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud cannot be apprehended; the five kinds of eyes cannot be apprehended; the six supernatural powers cannot be apprehended; the ten powers of a Buddha cannot be apprehended; the four fearlessnesses, four kinds of unobstructed understanding, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha cannot be apprehended; the thirty-two marks of a Great Being cannot be apprehended; the eighty minor marks of excellence cannot be apprehended; the unforgetting quality cannot be apprehended; the constant quality of equanimity cannot be apprehended; all-knowing wisdom cannot be apprehended; path-aspect wisdom and all-aspect wisdom cannot be apprehended; the fruit of stream-entry cannot be apprehended; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the state of a solitary buddha cannot be apprehended; all practices of Great Bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended; the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas cannot be apprehended; all ordinary beings cannot be apprehended; all śrāvakas cannot be apprehended; all solitary buddhas cannot be apprehended; all Bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended; all Tathāgatas cannot be apprehended.

Śāriputra, that pāramitā which cannot be apprehended is precisely the unobstructed pāramitā; and such unobstructed pāramitā is the Prajñāpāramitā. The Great Bodhisattvas should learn within it.

Śāriputra, when the Great Bodhisattvas learn within it, they do not even attain the act of learning; how much less do they attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, how much less do they attain the Bodhisattva dharmas, how much less do they attain the Buddha dharmas, how much less do they attain the solitary buddha dharmas, how much less do they attain the śrāvaka dharmas, how much less do they attain the ordinary being’s dharmas. Why? Śāriputra, because there is not even the slightest phenomenon that possesses inherent nature. Within such phenomena whose nature is emptiness, what is the dharma of ordinary beings? What is the dharma of stream-enterers? What is the dharma of once-returners? What is the dharma of non-returners? What is the dharma of arhats? What is the dharma of solitary buddhas? What is the dharma of Bodhisattvas? What is the dharma of Tathāgatas?

Śāriputra, since such phenomena cannot be apprehended, relying on what dharma can one proclaim that there is a pudgala (person)? Since the pudgala cannot be apprehended, how can one say: ‘This is an ordinary being; this is a stream-enterer; this is a once-returner; this is a non-returner; this is an arhat; this is a solitary buddha; this is a Great Bodhisattva; this is a Tathāgata Arhat Samyaksaṃbuddha’?”

Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, if all phenomena lack inherent nature and are completely not truly existent, then based on what can one clearly know: ‘This is an ordinary being; this is the dharma of ordinary beings; this is a stream-enterer; this is the dharma of stream-enterers; this is a once-returner; this is the dharma of once-returners; this is a non-returner; this is the dharma of non-returners; this is an arhat; this is the dharma of arhats; this is a solitary buddha; this is the dharma of solitary buddhas; this is a Great Bodhisattva; this is the dharma of Great Bodhisattvas; this is a Tathāgata Arhat Samyaksaṃbuddha; this is the dharma of Tathāgata Arhat Samyaksaṃbuddhas’?”

The Buddha said:

“Śāriputra, what do you think? Is there truly form, truly feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as foolish ordinary beings conceive and cling to?”

Śāriputra replied: