THE GREAT PRAJNAPARAMITA SUTRA
Chinese translation: Tang Dynasty, Tripitaka Master Xuanzang
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VOLUME 41
Section 10: THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRAJÑĀ (4)
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva with skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, does not practice the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the marks of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the permanence, impermanence of the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of permanence, impermanence of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the permanence, impermanence of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the mark of permanence, impermanence of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the pleasure, suffering of the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of pleasure, suffering of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the pleasure, suffering of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the mark of pleasure, suffering of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the self, no-self of the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of self, no-self of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the self, no-self of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the mark of self, no-self of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the purity, impurity of the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of purity, impurity of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the purity, impurity of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the mark of purity, impurity of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the empty, not-empty of the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of empty, not-empty of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the empty, not-empty of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the mark of empty, not-empty of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the signless, with-signs of the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of signless, with-signs of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the signless, with-signs of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the mark of signless, with-signs of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the wishless, with-wishes of the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of wishless, with-wishes of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the wishless, with-wishes of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the mark of wishless, with-wishes of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the tranquil, not-tranquil of the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the tranquil, not-tranquil of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the mark of tranquil, not-tranquil of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the remote, not-remote of the Perfection of Generosity, does not practice the mark of remote, not-remote of the Perfection of Generosity – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the remote, not-remote of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, does not practice the mark of remote, not-remote of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
Śāriputra, know that this is a great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom with skillful means. Why? Śāriputra, because the Perfection of Generosity and the nature of the Perfection of Generosity are empty; the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom and the nature of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom are empty. Śāriputra, that Perfection of Generosity is not the Perfection of Generosity; emptiness is the Perfection of Generosity; emptiness is not the Perfection of Generosity; the Perfection of Generosity does not depart from emptiness; emptiness does not depart from the Perfection of Generosity; the Perfection of Generosity itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is the Perfection of Generosity; with the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, it is likewise.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva with skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, does not practice the five types of eyes, does not practice the mark of the five types of eyes – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the six supernormal powers, does not practice the marks of the six supernormal powers – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the five types of eyes, does not practice the respective marks thereof – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the six supernormal powers, does not practice the respective marks thereof – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
Śāriputra, know that this is a great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom with skillful means. Why? Śāriputra, because the five types of eyes and the nature of the five types of eyes are empty; the six supernormal powers and the nature of the six supernormal powers are empty. Śāriputra, that five types of eyes are not the five types of eyes; emptiness is the five types of eyes; emptiness is not the five types of eyes; the five types of eyes do not depart from emptiness; emptiness does not depart from the five types of eyes; the five types of eyes themselves are emptiness; emptiness itself is the five types of eyes; with the six supernormal powers, it is likewise.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva with skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, does not practice the ten powers of the Buddha, does not practice the mark of the ten powers of the Buddha – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge, does not practice the marks of the four fearlessnesses through all-aspect knowledge – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the ten powers of the Buddha, does not practice the respective marks thereof – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Does not practice the permanence, impermanence, pleasure, suffering, self, no-self, purity, impurity, empty, not-empty, signless, with-signs, wishless, with-wishes, tranquil, not-tranquil, or remote, not-remote of the four fearlessnesses through all-aspect knowledge, does not practice the respective marks thereof – this is practicing the Perfection of Wisdom.
Śāriputra, know that this is a great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom with skillful means. Why? Śāriputra, because the ten powers of the Buddha and the nature of the ten powers of the Buddha are empty; the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, all-aspect knowledge, and the nature of the four fearlessnesses through all-aspect knowledge are empty. Śāriputra, that ten powers of the Buddha are not the ten powers of the Buddha; emptiness is the ten powers of the Buddha; emptiness is not the ten powers of the Buddha; the ten powers of the Buddha do not depart from emptiness; emptiness does not depart from the ten powers of the Buddha; the ten powers of the Buddha themselves are emptiness; emptiness itself is the ten powers of the Buddha; with the four fearlessnesses through all-aspect knowledge, it is likewise.
Śāriputra, this is how a great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom with skillful means and has the capacity to realize Supreme Awakening. Śāriputra, that great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, does not grasp at “is,” does not grasp at “is not,” does not grasp at “both is and is not,” does not grasp at “neither is nor is not.” Toward the not-grasping itself, one also does not grasp.
At that time Śāriputra asked Subhuti:
For what reason does that great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, have no grasping regarding all dharmas?
Subhuti replied:
Because the own-nature of all dharmas is unobtainable. Why? Because all dharmas take non-nature as their own-nature. For this reason, if a great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, grasps at “is,” grasps at “is not,” grasps at “both is and is not,” grasps at “neither is nor is not,” or grasps at the non-grasping – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Why is this? Because all dharmas are completely without own-nature and therefore cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, that great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, does not grasp at practicing it, does not grasp at not practicing it, does not grasp at both practicing and not practicing, does not grasp at neither practicing nor not practicing; toward the non-grasping, one also does not grasp.
Śāriputra asked Subhuti:
For what reason does that great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, have absolutely no grasping regarding the Perfection of Wisdom?
Subhuti replied:
Because the own-nature of the Perfection of Wisdom is unobtainable. Why? Because the Perfection of Wisdom takes non-nature as its own-nature. For this reason, if a great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, grasps at practicing, grasps at not practicing, grasps at both practicing and not practicing, grasps at neither practicing nor not practicing, or grasps at the non-grasping – this is not practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Why is this? Because the Perfection of Wisdom is completely without own-nature and therefore cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, that great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, has absolutely no grasping or attachment toward all dharmas and the Perfection of Wisdom. This is called the great Bodhisattva’s samādhi of no grasping and no attachment toward all dharmas. This samādhi is subtle, excellent, vast, and boundless – it has the capacity to gather and produce limitless, unobstructed effects – something that all Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas do not possess.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva constantly abides in this samādhi without abandoning it, they will quickly realize Supreme Awakening.
Śāriputra asked Subhuti:
Do great Bodhisattvas constantly abide without abandoning just this one samādhi to quickly realize Supreme Awakening, or is it by constantly abiding without abandoning other samādhis as well that great Bodhisattvas quickly realize Supreme Awakening?
Subhuti replied:
Not only this one samādhi, but there are also other samādhis. If great Bodhisattvas constantly abide in all of these without abandoning, they will quickly realize Supreme Awakening.
Śāriputra asked:
What are those samādhis?
Subhuti replied:
They are: the Steadfast-Action samādhi, the Jewel Seal samādhi, the Lion’s Roaming samādhi, the Wondrous Moon samādhi, the Moon-Banner-Mark samādhi, the All-Dharma Ocean samādhi, the Consecration samādhi, the Dharma-Realm Decisiveness samādhi, the Decisive-Banner-Mark samādhi, the Diamond-Simile samādhi, the Entering-Dharma-Seal samādhi, the King-of-Samādhis samādhi, the Good-Abiding samādhi, the Excellent-Established Samādhi-King samādhi, the Radiance-Emission samādhi, the Non-Forgetfulness samādhi, the Radiance-Emission Non-Forgetfulness samādhi, the Energy-Power samādhi, the Majesty-Power samādhi, the Equal-Courage samādhi, the Entering-All-Words-Decisiveness samādhi, the Entering-All-Names-Decisiveness samādhi, the Perceiving-All-Directions samādhi, the Dhāraṇī Seal samādhi, the Equal-Entry-into-All-Dharmas Ocean Seal samādhi, the Royal Seal samādhi, the Pervading-the-Void samādhi, the Diamond-Discourse samādhi, the Three-Wheel-Purity samādhi, the Limitless Light samādhi, the Non-Attachment Non-Obstruction samādhi, the Severing-All-Dharma-Illusions samādhi, the Relinquishing Precious Objects samādhi, the Universal Illumination samādhi, the Non-Compliance samādhi, the Markless-Abiding samādhi, the Non-Discursive-Thought samādhi, the Subduing-the-Four-Māras samādhi, the Stainless Lamp samādhi, the Boundless Light samādhi, the Generating Light samādhi, the Universal Illumination samādhi, the Pure Firm Clarity samādhi, the Lion’s Surging samādhi, the Lion’s Stretching samādhi, the Lion’s Yawning samādhi, the Stainless-Light samādhi, the Wondrous Joy samādhi, the Flash-Lamp samādhi, the Inexhaustible samādhi, the Supreme-Banner-Mark samādhi, the Imperial-Mark samādhi, the Flowing-with-Clear-Correct samādhi, the Full-Majestic-Light samādhi, the Departing-Exhaustion samādhi, the Immovable samādhi, the Tranquility samādhi, the Gapless samādhi, the Sun-Lamp samādhi, the Moon-Purity samādhi, the Pure Eye samādhi, the Pure Light samādhi, the Moon Lamp samādhi, the Emitting Light samādhi, the Should-Do and Should-Not-Do samādhi, the Wisdom-Mark samādhi, the Diamond Garland samādhi, the Dwelling-Mind samādhi, the Universal Brightness samādhi, the Wondrous Establishment samādhi, the Jewel Accumulation samādhi, the Wondrous-Dharma Seal samādhi, the Equal-Nature-of-All-Dharmas samādhi, the Abandoning-Dust-and-Attachment samādhi, the Dharma-Courage-Perfection samādhi, the Entering-Dharma-Summit samādhi, the Jewel-Nature samādhi, the Abandoning-Clamor-Nature samādhi, the Dispersion samādhi, the Discrimination samādhi, the Non-Alteration samādhi, the Classless samādhi, the Entering-Names-and-Marks samādhi, the Actionless samādhi, the Entering-Decisive-Names samādhi, the Markless-Action samādhi, the Departing-Defilement-Darkness samādhi, the Complete-Practice samādhi, the Immovable samādhi, the Transcending-the-Realm samādhi, the Gathering-All-Merit samādhi, the No-Mental-Abiding samādhi, the Decisive-Abiding samādhi, the Pure-Wondrous-Flower samādhi, the Possessing-Awakening-Factors samādhi, the Uninhibited-Eloquence samādhi, the Boundless-Lamp samādhi, the Unequal-Equal samādhi, the Transcending-All-Dharmas samādhi, the Judging-All-Dharmas samādhi, the Removing-Doubt samādhi, the Non-Abiding samādhi, the One-Mark-Majesty samādhi, the Drawing-Out-Characteristics samādhi, the One-Characteristic samādhi, the Departing-All-Characteristics samādhi, the Wondrous-Action samādhi, the Reaching-the-Base-of-All-Existence-and-Remote-Departure samādhi, the Entering-All-Conventional-Expressions samādhi, the Firm-Jewel samādhi, the Non-Grasping-Attachment-to-All-Dharmas samādhi, the Flash-Majestic samādhi, the Elimination samādhi, the Unsurpassed samādhi, the Dharma-Torch samādhi, the Wisdom-Lamp samādhi, the Advancing-Toward-Non-Retreat Supernormal samādhi, the Sound-Liberation-Text samādhi, the Blazing-Wisdom-Torch samādhi, the Purifying-Mark samādhi, the Markless samādhi, the Unstained-Patient-Mark samādhi, the Possessing-All-Wondrous-Marks samādhi, the Possessing-All-Dhāraṇī samādhi, the Not-Delighting-in-All-Suffering-and-Joy samādhi, the Inexhaustible-Action-Mark samādhi, the Subduing-All-Right-and-Wrong-Natures samādhi, the Severing-Aversion-and-Attachment samādhi, the Departing-From-Conflict-and-Harmony samādhi, the Stainless-Brightness samādhi, the Extremely-Firm samādhi, the Full-Moon-Clear-Light samādhi, the Great-Majesty samādhi, the Heatless-Flash-Light samādhi, the Capable-of-Illuminating-All-Worlds samādhi, the Capable-of-Saving-All-Worlds samādhi, the Equal-Nature-of-Concentration samādhi, the Equal-Principle-of-No-Defilement-and-Defilement samādhi, the Equal-Principle-of-No-Contention-and-Contention samādhi, the No-Nest-No-Sign-No-Attachment samādhi, the Decisive-Abiding-in-True-Suchness samādhi, the Emerging-in-Emptiness samādhi, the Burning-All-Afflictions samādhi, the Great-Wisdom-Torch samādhi, the Generating-the-Ten-Powers samādhi, the Opening-and-Expounding samādhi, the Destroying-the-Demon-Armies samādhi, and so on.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva constantly abides in these samādhis without abandoning, they will quickly realize Supreme Awakening. Furthermore, there are countless other samādhi gates and dhāraṇī gates; if a great Bodhisattva diligently and skillfully studies all of these, they will also quickly realize Supreme Awakening.
At that time, the Venerable Subhuti, relying on the spiritual power of the Buddha, said to Śāriputra:
If any great Bodhisattva is established in such samādhis, know that they have already received the predictions of all Buddhas of the past, and also receive the predictions of all Buddhas of the ten directions in the present. Śāriputra, that great Bodhisattva, though established in such samādhis, does not see those samādhis, does not become attached to those samādhis, and does not think: “I have already entered those samādhis, I am entering those samādhis, I will enter those samādhis; only I can enter them and not others.” If one has such discursive thinking, the power of concentration will not manifest at all.
Śāriputra asked Subhuti:
Is there really a distinct great Bodhisattva who, by being established in such samādhis, has received the predictions of the Buddhas of the past and present?
Subhuti replied:
No! Śāriputra, why? Śāriputra, because the Perfection of Wisdom is not different from the samādhis; the samādhis are not different from the Perfection of Wisdom; the great Bodhisattva is not different from the Perfection of Wisdom and the samādhis; the Perfection of Wisdom and the samādhis are not different from the great Bodhisattva. The Perfection of Wisdom itself is the samādhis; the samādhis themselves are the Perfection of Wisdom. The great Bodhisattva itself is the Perfection of Wisdom and the samādhis; the Perfection of Wisdom and the samādhis themselves are the great Bodhisattva. Why is this? Because the nature of all dharmas is all-equal.
Śāriputra asked:
If the nature of all dharmas is all-equal, can this samādhi appear and manifest?
Subhuti replied:
It cannot appear and manifest.
Śāriputra asked:
Does that great Bodhisattva have analytical thought about this samādhi?
Subhuti replied:
That great Bodhisattva has no analytical thought.
Śāriputra asked:
Why does that Bodhisattva have no analytical thought?
Subhuti replied:
Because that great Bodhisattva no longer discriminates.
Śāriputra asked:
Why does that great Bodhisattva not discriminate?
Subhuti replied:
Because the nature of all dharmas is without possession. Therefore, that great Bodhisattva, regarding concentration, does not give rise to discrimination. For this reason, toward all dharmas and all samādhis, that great Bodhisattva has no analytical thought. Why? Because all dharmas and all samādhis are without possession; within what is without possession, there is no basis for any analytical thought, discrimination, or explanation to arise.
At that time the Bhagavat praised Subhuti:
Excellent, excellent, just as you have said! Therefore I have said that you abide in the undisputed dharma-concentration, foremost among the assembly of Śrāvakas, and for this I say you are in accord with the wondrous meaning.
Subhuti, a great Bodhisattva who wishes to study the Perfection of Wisdom should study thus; who wishes to study the Perfections of Meditation, Energy, Patience, Ethics, and Generosity should study thus!
Subhuti, a great Bodhisattva who wishes to study the four Dhyānas should study thus; who wishes to study the four Immeasurables and four Formless Absorptions should study thus.
Subhuti, a great Bodhisattva who wishes to study the four Foundations of Mindfulness should study thus; who wishes to study the four Right Efforts, four Bases of Supernatural Power, five Faculties, five Powers, seven Factors of Awakening, and eight Factors of the Noble Path should study thus.
Subhuti, a great Bodhisattva who wishes to study the five types of eyes should study thus; who wishes to study the six supernormal powers should study thus.
Subhuti, a great Bodhisattva who wishes to study the ten powers of the Buddha should study thus; who wishes to study the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge should study thus.
Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, by studying thus, is a great Bodhisattva genuinely studying the Perfection of Wisdom – through to genuinely studying all-aspect knowledge?
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
By studying thus, a great Bodhisattva is genuinely studying the Perfection of Wisdom – taking non-attainment as the means – through to genuinely studying all-aspect knowledge.
Śāriputra again addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, is a great Bodhisattva who studies thus, taking non-attainment as the means, studying the Perfection of Wisdom – through to taking non-attainment as the means to study all-aspect knowledge?
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
A great Bodhisattva who studies thus, taking non-attainment as the means to study the Perfection of Wisdom – through to taking non-attainment as the means to study all-wisdom.
Śāriputra asked:
The non-attainment of which dharmas is it that is unobtainable?
The Buddha taught:
Self is unobtainable, ultimately pure; sentient beings, stream of life, born and raised and nurtured, grown, the being who transmigrates, born from mind, youth, the capacity to act, the capacity to cause others to act, the capacity to create karma, the capacity to cause others to create karma, self-reception of karmic results, causing others to receive karmic results, understanding, cognition – are unobtainable, ultimately pure. Form is unobtainable, ultimately pure; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The eye base is unobtainable, ultimately pure; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The form base is unobtainable, ultimately pure; the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The eye element, form element, eye-consciousness element, and eye-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact are unobtainable, ultimately pure; the ear element, sound element, ear-consciousness element, and ear-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by ear-contact are unobtainable, ultimately pure; the nose element, smell element, nose-consciousness element, and nose-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by nose-contact are unobtainable, ultimately pure; the tongue element, taste element, tongue-consciousness element, and tongue-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by tongue-contact are unobtainable, ultimately pure; the body element, touch element, body-consciousness element, and body-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by body-contact are unobtainable, ultimately pure; the mind element, dharma element, mind-consciousness element, and mind-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by mind-contact are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The earth element is unobtainable, ultimately pure; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The desire realm is unobtainable, ultimately pure; the form realm and formless realm are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The Noble Truth of Suffering is unobtainable, ultimately pure; the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path are unobtainable, ultimately pure. Ignorance is unobtainable, ultimately pure; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The four Dhyānas are unobtainable, ultimately pure; the four Immeasurables and four Formless Absorptions are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The four Foundations of Mindfulness are unobtainable, ultimately pure; the four Right Efforts, four Bases of Supernatural Power, five Faculties, five Powers, seven Factors of Awakening, and eight Factors of the Noble Path are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The Perfection of Generosity is unobtainable, ultimately pure; the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The five types of eyes are unobtainable, ultimately pure; the six supernormal powers are unobtainable, ultimately pure. The ten powers of the Buddha are unobtainable, ultimately pure; the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge are unobtainable, ultimately pure. Stream-entry is unobtainable, ultimately pure; once-return, non-return, and arahantship are unobtainable, ultimately pure. Pratyekabuddha is unobtainable, ultimately pure; Bodhisattva is unobtainable, ultimately pure; Tathāgata is unobtainable, ultimately pure.
Śāriputra addressed:
World-Honored One, what is meant by “ultimately pure”?
The Buddha taught:
Dharmas do not appear, do not arise, do not perish, do not exhaust, are without defilement, without purity, without attainment, without fabrication. This is called the meaning of “ultimately pure.”
Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, when a great Bodhisattva studies thus, what dharma are they studying?
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
When a great Bodhisattva studies thus, regarding all dharmas, there is nothing to study – why is this? Because all dharmas do not truly exist as ordinary deluded beings imagine them, such that one could study them.
Śāriputra asked:
If so, how do all dharmas exist?
The Buddha taught:
All dharmas exist as non-possession. If, regarding such non-possession, one cannot penetrate it, this is called ignorance.
Śāriputra asked:
The non-possession of which dharmas, when not penetrated, is called ignorance?
The Buddha taught:
Form is a dharma of non-possession; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are dharmas of non-possession – because of inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, emptiness that is ultimate, emptiness without limit, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of non-alteration, emptiness of original nature, emptiness of own-characteristics, emptiness of shared characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the ungraspable, emptiness of non-existence, emptiness of own-nature, and emptiness of the non-existent own-nature – all are empty.
Śāriputra, the eye base is a dharma of non-possession; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, the eye element, form element, eye-consciousness element, and eye-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty. The ear element, sound element, ear-consciousness element, and ear-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by ear-contact are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty. The nose element, smell element, nose-consciousness element, and nose-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by nose-contact are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty. The tongue element, taste element, tongue-consciousness element, and tongue-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by tongue-contact are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty. The mind element, dharma element, mind-consciousness element, and mind-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by mind-contact are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, the earth element is a dharma of non-possession; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, the desire realm is a dharma of non-possession; the form realm and formless realm are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, the Noble Truth of Suffering is a dharma of non-possession; the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, ignorance is a dharma of non-possession; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, greed, hatred, and delusion are dharmas of non-possession; all views are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, the four Dhyānas are dharmas of non-possession; the four Immeasurables and four Formless Absorptions are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, the four Foundations of Mindfulness are dharmas of non-possession; the four Right Efforts, four Bases of Supernatural Power, five Faculties, five Powers, seven Factors of Awakening, and eight Factors of the Noble Path are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, the Perfection of Generosity is a dharma of non-possession; the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty. Śāriputra, the five types of eyes are dharmas of non-possession; the six supernormal powers are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, the ten powers of the Buddha are dharmas of non-possession; the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge are dharmas of non-possession – because inner emptiness through emptiness of the non-existent own-nature are all empty.
Śāriputra, foolish ordinary beings, if they cannot penetrate such dharmas of non-possession, this is called ignorance. Through the power of ignorance and craving, they discriminate and cling to the two extremes of annihilation and permanence. Therefore, not knowing and not seeing the non-possessing nature of all dharmas, they discriminate all dharmas; through discrimination they become attached to form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – through to becoming attached to all-aspect knowledge; through attachment, they discriminate the non-possessing nature of all dharmas. Therefore, toward all dharmas, they neither know nor see.
Śāriputra asked:
Toward which dharmas do they neither know nor see?
The Buddha taught:
Toward form they neither know nor see; toward feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness they neither know nor see; through to toward all-aspect knowledge they neither know nor see – therefore they fall into the ranks of the deluded ordinary beings and cannot escape.
Śāriputra asked:
Where are they that they cannot escape?
The Buddha taught:
They are in the desire realm, in the form realm, in the formless realm – they cannot escape. Because they cannot escape, they cannot accomplish the noble dharmas of Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas. Because they cannot accomplish them, they cannot have faithful acceptance.
Śāriputra asked:
Toward which dharmas can they not have faithful acceptance?
The Buddha taught:
Toward the emptiness of form they cannot have faithful acceptance; toward the emptiness of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness they cannot have faithful acceptance; through to toward the emptiness of all-aspect knowledge they cannot have faithful acceptance. Because they do not have faithful acceptance, they cannot be established.
Śāriputra asked:
Toward which dharmas are they unable to be established?
The Buddha taught:
They are unable to be established in the four Foundations of Mindfulness, four Right Efforts, four Bases of Supernatural Power, five Faculties, five Powers, seven Factors of Awakening, and eight Factors of the Noble Path. Unable to be established in the Perfections of Generosity, Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom. Unable to be established in the non-retreat level, the five types of eyes, the six supernormal powers, the ten powers of the Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge. Therefore they are called deluded ordinary beings – because toward all dharmas they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra asked:
Toward which dharmas do they grasp at having nature?
The Buddha taught:
Śāriputra, toward form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the eye base, toward the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases, they grasp at having nature. Toward the form base, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the eye element, form element, eye-consciousness element, and eye-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact, they grasp at having nature. Toward the ear element, sound element, ear-consciousness element, and ear-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by ear-contact, they grasp at having nature. Toward the nose element, smell element, nose-consciousness element, and nose-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by nose-contact, they grasp at having nature. Toward the tongue element, taste element, tongue-consciousness element, and tongue-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by tongue-contact, they grasp at having nature. Toward the body element, touch element, body-consciousness element, and body-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by body-contact, they grasp at having nature; toward the mind element, dharma element, mind-consciousness element, and mind-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by mind-contact, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the earth element, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the Noble Truth of Suffering and the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward greed, hatred, delusion, and all views, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the four Dhyānas, four Immeasurables, and four Formless Absorptions, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the four Foundations of Mindfulness, four Right Efforts, four Bases of Supernatural Power, five Faculties, five Powers, seven Factors of Awakening, and eight Factors of the Noble Path, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the Perfections of Generosity, Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the five types of eyes and the six supernormal powers, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, toward the ten powers of the Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge, they grasp at having nature.
Śāriputra, deluded ordinary beings, because toward all dharmas they grasp at having nature, cannot have faithful acceptance toward the emptiness of all dharmas. Because they lack faith, they cannot accomplish the noble dharmas of Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas that are already present. Therefore they cannot be established in those noble dharmas. For this reason, Śāriputra, great Bodhisattvas who wish to study the Perfection of Wisdom, wish to accomplish omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge, should take non-attainment as the means and study thus.
At that time Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, are there great Bodhisattvas who study thus but this is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom, so they cannot accomplish all-wisdom?
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
There are great Bodhisattvas who study thus but this is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom, so they cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra asked:
World-Honored One, for what reason are there great Bodhisattvas who study thus but this is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom, so they cannot accomplish all-wisdom?
The Buddha taught:
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the Perfection of Wisdom, the Perfections of Meditation, Energy, Patience, Ethics, and Generosity – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom. Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to form, to feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the eye base, to the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the form base, to the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the eye, form, and eye-consciousness elements, and eye-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the ear, sound, and ear-consciousness elements, and ear-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by ear-contact – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the nose, smell, and nose-consciousness elements, and nose-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by nose-contact – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the tongue, taste, and tongue-consciousness elements, and tongue-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by tongue-contact – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the body, touch, and body-consciousness elements, and body-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by body-contact – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the mind, dharma, and mind-consciousness elements, and mind-contact along with the feelings arising conditioned by mind-contact – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the earth element, to the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the Noble Truth of Suffering, to the Noble Truths of Arising, Cessation, and Path – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to ignorance, to formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the four Dhyānas, to the four Immeasurables and four Formless Absorptions – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the four Foundations of Mindfulness, to the four Right Efforts, four Bases of Supernatural Power, five Faculties, five Powers, seven Factors of Awakening, and eight Factors of the Noble Path – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the five types of eyes, to the six supernormal powers – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, if a great Bodhisattva without skillful means discriminates and attaches to the ten powers of the Buddha, to the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge – then that great Bodhisattva, though studying thus, is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom and cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra, for this reason there are great Bodhisattvas who study thus but this is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom, so they cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
Śāriputra asked:
Are there indeed such great Bodhisattvas who study thus but this is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom, so they cannot accomplish all-wisdom?
The Buddha taught:
That is so – great Bodhisattvas who study thus but this is not studying the Perfection of Wisdom, so they cannot accomplish all-wisdom.
At that time Śāriputra again addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, how does a great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, study the Perfection of Wisdom such that they can accomplish all-wisdom?
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
If a great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, does not see the Perfection of Wisdom – through to does not see all-aspect knowledge – this is studying the Perfection of Wisdom and can accomplish all-wisdom. Why? Because they take non-attainment as the means.
Śāriputra asked:
Of which dharmas does that great Bodhisattva take non-attainment as the means?
The Buddha taught:
That great Bodhisattva takes non-attainment of the Perfection of Generosity, takes non-attainment of the Perfections of Ethics, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom as the means; through to takes non-attainment of the ten powers of the Buddha, non-attainment of the four fearlessnesses, four analytical knowledges, great lovingkindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unique Buddha dharmas, omniscience, path-aspect knowledge, and all-aspect knowledge as the means.
Śāriputra asked:
That great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, why does one take non-attainment as the means?
The Buddha taught:
That great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, because of inner emptiness takes non-attainment as the means; through to because emptiness of the non-existent own-nature is all empty, takes non-attainment as the means.
Śāriputra, such a great Bodhisattva, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, is studying the Perfection of Wisdom and can accomplish all-wisdom.