THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 596
Chapter: PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ (4)
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates cannot be established as having coming or going, abiding or not abiding. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise cannot be established as having coming or going, abiding or not abiding. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements… neither go nor come, neither abide nor do not abide. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates cannot be established as having a distance or a boundary beyond. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements likewise cannot be established as having a distance or a boundary beyond. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements have neither distance nor a boundary beyond; this is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates cannot be established as having attachment, anger, fear, or delusion. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements likewise cannot be established as having attachment, anger, fear, or delusion. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements… have no attachment, no anger, no fear, and no delusion; this is Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates do not give, do not take, do not maintain precepts, do not violate precepts, do not endure, do not not endure, do not make effort, do not become lazy, do not attain meditative concentration, do not have a disturbed mind, do not have sublime wisdom, and do not have evil wisdom… The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise do not give, do not take, do not maintain precepts, do not violate precepts, do not endure, do not not endure, do not make effort, do not become lazy, do not attain meditative concentration, do not have a disturbed mind, do not have sublime wisdom, and do not have evil wisdom. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements all do not give, do not take, do not maintain precepts, do not violate precepts, do not endure, do not not endure, do not make effort, do not become lazy, do not attain meditative concentration, do not have a disturbed mind, do not have sublime wisdom, and do not have evil wisdom. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates are neither inverted nor not inverted. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… are likewise neither inverted nor not inverted. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements are all neither inverted nor not inverted. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates do not possess the foundations of mindfulness, right abandonments, bases of supernatural power, faculties, powers, factors of awakening, or paths. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise do not possess the foundations of mindfulness, right abandonments, bases of supernatural power, faculties, powers, factors of awakening, or paths. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements all do not possess the foundations of mindfulness, right abandonments, bases of supernatural power, faculties, powers, factors of awakening, or paths. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates are ignorance and are not liberation. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… are likewise ignorance and are not liberation. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements are all ignorance and are not liberation. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates do not have meditative absorption, liberation, concentration, or attainment. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements all do not have meditative absorption, liberation, concentration, or attainment. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates are neither limited nor unlimited, neither supernatural powers nor not supernatural powers. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise are neither limited nor unlimited, neither supernatural powers nor not supernatural powers. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements all are neither limited nor unlimited, neither supernatural powers nor not supernatural powers. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates are neither emptiness nor non-emptiness, neither with characteristics nor without characteristics, neither with vows nor without vows. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise are neither emptiness nor non-emptiness, neither with characteristics nor without characteristics, neither with vows nor without vows. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements are also neither emptiness nor non-emptiness, neither with characteristics nor without characteristics, neither with vows nor without vows. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates are neither conditioned nor unconditioned, neither tainted nor untainted, neither worldly nor supramundane, neither bound nor free from bondage. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise are neither conditioned nor unconditioned, neither tainted nor untainted, neither worldly nor supramundane, neither bound nor free from bondage. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements all are neither conditioned nor unconditioned, neither tainted nor untainted, neither worldly nor supramundane, neither bound nor free from bondage. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates have no attachment, no non-attachment, no wisdom, and no non-wisdom. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise have no attachment, no non-attachment, no wisdom, and no non-wisdom. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements all have no attachment, no non-attachment, no wisdom, and no non-wisdom. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates do not grasp, do not move, and do not engage in conceptual elaboration. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise do not grasp, do not move, and do not engage in conceptual elaboration. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements all do not grasp, do not move, and do not engage in conceptual elaboration. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates have no perception and no non-perception. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise have no perception and no non-perception. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements all have no perception and no non-perception. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates are neither peaceful nor not peaceful. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise are neither peaceful nor not peaceful. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements… are neither peaceful nor not peaceful; this is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, the five aggregates are neither Nirvāṇa nor non-Nirvāṇa. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… likewise are neither Nirvāṇa nor not Nirvāṇa. The aggregates, sense bases, and elements all are neither Nirvāṇa nor not Nirvāṇa. This is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from the five aggregates is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever arises from the five aggregates are called Prajñāpāramitā. Whatever arises from the twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever arises from the twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements… are called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from dependent origination is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever arises from dependent origination are called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from inversion is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever arises from inversion are called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from the hindrances is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever arises from the hindrances are called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from the thirty-six modes of craving is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever arises from the thirty-six modes of craving are called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from the sixty-two views is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever arises from the sixty-two views are called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from meditative absorption, liberation, concentration, and attainment is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever arises from meditative absorption, liberation, concentration, and attainment are called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from the four immeasurables and the five supernatural powers is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever arises from the four immeasurables and the five supernatural powers are called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever belongs to wholesome roots and arises in the world is not Prajñāpāramitā. The Thusness, the nature of non-falsity, the unchanging nature, and the true reality of whatever belongs to wholesome roots and arises in the world are called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from Mindfulness Establishments, Right Efforts, Bases of Supernatural Powers, Faculties, Powers, Factors of Awakening, and Paths is not Prajñāpāramitā. The suchness, the nature of being free from falsehood, the nature of being unchanging, the true nature of whatever arises from Mindfulness Establishments, Right Efforts, Bases of Supernatural Powers, Faculties, Powers, Factors of Awakening, and Paths is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path is not Prajñāpāramitā. The suchness, the nature of being free from falsehood, the nature of being unchanging, the true nature of whatever arises from the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from pure morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberated knowledge and vision is not Prajñāpāramitā. The suchness, the nature of being free from falsehood, the nature of being unchanging, the true nature of whatever arises from pure morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberated knowledge and vision is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from unconditioned, stainless, unsupported supramundane dharmas is not Prajñāpāramitā. The suchness, the nature of being free from falsehood, the nature of being unchanging, the true nature of whatever arises from unconditioned, stainless, unsupported supramundane dharmas is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from the dharmas of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, non-arising, and non-creation is not Prajñāpāramitā. The suchness, the nature of being free from falsehood, the nature of being unchanging, the true nature of whatever arises from the dharmas of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, non-arising, and non-creation is called Prajñāpāramitā.
O Valiant Good One, whatever arises from the clarity of liberation, detachment, extinction, and Nirvāṇa is not Prajñāpāramitā. The suchness, the nature of being free from falsehood, the nature of being unchanging, the true nature of whatever arises from the clarity of liberation, detachment, extinction, and Nirvāṇa is called Prajñāpāramitā.
Why is this so? Valiant Good One, this Prajñāpāramitā does not belong to the aggregate of form, nor does it belong to the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. It does not belong to the eye faculty, nor does it belong to the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind faculties. It does not belong to the form sphere, nor does it belong to the sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma spheres. It does not belong to the eye element, nor does it belong to the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind elements. It does not belong to the form element, nor does it belong to the sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma elements. It does not belong to the eye consciousness element, nor does it belong to the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind consciousness elements. It does not belong to the earth element, nor does it belong to the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness elements. It does not belong to the Desire Realm, nor does it belong to the Form or Formless Realms. It does not belong to the conditioned, nor does it belong to the unconditioned. It does not belong to the worldly, nor does it belong to the supramundane. It does not belong to the defiled, nor does it belong to the undefiled. It does not belong to the realm of sentient beings, nor does it belong to the realm of non-sentient beings. Nor is there a Prajñāpāramitā existing separately apart from such dharmas.
O Valiant Good One, profound Prajñāpāramitā neither belongs to such dharmas nor does it not belong to them. Thus, the nature of suchness, the nature of being free from falsehood, the nature of being unchanging, the true nature of the dharmas mentioned above and not mentioned above is called Prajñāpāramitā.
Valiant Good One, what is the concept of suchness? Valiant Good One, suchness means the nature of all dharmas, which is not something that ordinary foolish beings can grasp, nor is it different from that. Yet the nature of all dharmas is seen by the Tathāgatas and the disciples of the Buddha who are Bodhisattvas. Because the true principle of the nature of dharma is always unchanging, it is called suchness. This suchness itself is what is called the profound Prajñāpāramitā of Bodhisattvas.
O Valiant Good One, profound Prajñāpāramitā, with regard to all such dharmas, does not increase, does not decrease; does not unite, does not separate; is neither deficient nor complete; neither benefits nor harms; does not move, does not proceed toward anything; is neither born nor destroyed; neither impure nor pure; neither flowing in transmigration nor returning from it; neither arising through accumulation nor disappearing; has no sign, yet is not without signs; is neither equal nor unequal; neither conventional nor ultimate; neither pleasant nor painful; neither permanent nor impermanent; neither pure nor impure; neither self nor non-self; neither solid nor false; neither a doer nor something done; neither receptive nor non-receptive; neither faith and understanding nor non-faith and non-understanding; neither self-nature nor absence of self-nature; neither death nor life, neither life nor death; neither rising nor sinking; neither continuous nor broken; neither harmonious nor non-harmonious; neither having greed nor being free from greed; neither having anger nor being free from anger; neither having delusion nor being free from delusion; neither inverted nor non-inverted; neither having an object of conditions nor lacking an object of conditions; neither exhausted nor not exhausted; neither wisdom nor non-wisdom; neither low nature nor high nature; neither having grace nor lacking grace; neither going forth nor returning; neither having nature nor lacking nature; neither loving nor hating; neither bright nor dark; neither diligent nor lazy; neither non-empty nor not non-empty; neither having signs nor lacking signs; neither having vows nor being without vows; neither created nor uncreated; neither concealed nor unconcealed; neither ignorance nor liberation; neither stillness nor non-stillness; neither Nirvāṇa nor non-Nirvāṇa; neither according to principle nor not according to principle; neither all-knowing nor not all-knowing; neither going out nor not going out; neither disciplined nor not disciplined; neither keeping precepts nor not violating precepts; neither scattered nor not scattered; neither excellent wisdom nor harmful wisdom; neither consciousness nor non-consciousness; neither abiding nor non-abiding; neither existing nor non-existing; neither attained nor not attained; neither direct realization nor non-direct realization; neither realization through accomplishment nor non-realization through accomplishment; neither penetrating understanding nor non-penetrating understanding. Profound Prajñāpāramitā does not exist because of any of these things with regard to all dharmas.
O Valiant Good One, just as a person in a dream says that they have seen various self-natures. The self-natures of dream objects spoken of in this way do not truly exist.
Why is this so? Valiant Good One, even the dream itself does not exist; how then could one say that the self-nature of dream objects exists? Likewise, although Prajñāpāramitā is spoken of conventionally as having various self-natures, this Prajñāpāramitā truly has no self-nature that can be explained.
O Valiant Good One, just as a dream does not appear in order to explain dharmas, so too Prajñāpāramitā does not appear in order to explain dharmas.
O Valiant Good One, just as a magician says that they have seen various self-natures of illusions. The self-natures of illusory objects spoken of in this way do not truly exist.
Why is this so? Valiant Good One, even an illusion does not exist; how then could one say that the self-nature of illusory objects exists? Although Prajñāpāramitā is conventionally spoken of as having various self-natures, this Prajñāpāramitā truly has no self-nature that can be spoken of.
O Valiant Good One, just as an illusion does not appear in order to give rise to dharmas, so too Prajñāpāramitā does not appear in order to bring forth dharmas.
O Valiant Good One, just as a person uses a shadow to speak of the various self-natures of shadows. The self-natures of shadows spoken of in this way do not truly exist.
Why is this so? Valiant Good One, even a shadow does not exist; how then could one speak of the self-nature of a shadow? Although Prajñāpāramitā is conventionally spoken of in such ways as having various self-natures, this Prajñāpāramitā truly has no self-nature that can be spoken of.
O Valiant Good One, just as a shadow does not appear in order to explain dharmas, so too this Prajñāpāramitā does not appear in order to explain dharmas.
O Valiant Good One, just as a person uses a mirage to explain the various self-natures of mirages. The self-nature of mirages spoken of in this way does not truly exist.
Why is this so? Valiant Good One, even the sun does not exist; how then could one speak of the self-nature of a mirage? Likewise, although Prajñāpāramitā is conventionally spoken of as having various self-natures, this Prajñāpāramitā truly has no self-nature that can be spoken of.
O Valiant Good One, just as a mirage does not appear in order to explain dharmas, so too Prajñāpāramitā does not appear in order to explain dharmas.
O Valiant Good One, just as a person standing in a mountain cave hears an echo in the cave but completely does not see it, or when they speak themselves, they hear the sound of their own voice. This Prajñāpāramitā, although it hears various words, the dharma that is heard completely has no self-nature. It is only when spoken that it can be heard and understood.
O Valiant Good One, just as an echo does not appear in order to explain dharmas, so too Prajñāpāramitā does not appear in order to explain dharmas.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, it is like when a person sees bubbles of water and then speaks of the various characteristics and natures of the aggregate of bubbles. Speaking of the characteristics of the gathering of water bubbles, whether inside or outside, is completely impossible to obtain.
Why is this so? O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, if the gathering of water bubbles itself is not truly existent, how much more so could there be an inherent nature that can be spoken of? Likewise, although Prajñāpāramitā is falsely spoken of as having various inherent natures, this Prajñāpāramitā does not have any inherent nature that can be spoken of.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, just as water bubbles do not appear because of the arising of phenomena, so too Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of the arising of phenomena.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, it is like when a person sees floating water bubbles and then speaks of the various inherent natures of floating water bubbles. Speaking of the inherent nature of floating water bubbles is not truly existent.
Why is this so? O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, if floating bubbles themselves are not truly existent, how much more so could there be an inherent nature that can be spoken of? Although Prajñāpāramitā is falsely spoken of as having various inherent natures, this Prajñāpāramitā truly has no inherent nature that can be spoken of.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, just as floating water bubbles do not appear because of the arising of phenomena, so too Prajñāpāramitā likewise does not appear because of the arising of phenomena.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, it is like a person peeling a banana tree in search of its core. Although truly no core of the tree is obtained, the banana sheaths can still be used. Likewise, although Prajñāpāramitā is not real in an ultimate sense, it can still be spoken of.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, it is like a person who wishes to point out the vastness of space. Although words are spoken, it is impossible to point it out. Likewise, in order to present Prajñāpāramitā, although it is spoken of, this Prajñāpāramitā cannot be presented.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, just as the vastness of space, even when explained through various words, is a phenomenon that is not truly existent and is difficult to present, so too, although Prajñāpāramitā is explained through every kind of verbal expression, this Dharma of Prajñāpāramitā has no truly existent phenomenon that can be presented.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, it is like a luminous reflection: although it can be clearly explained, there is no truly existent phenomenon that can be grasped. Although it cannot be grasped, there is understanding. Likewise, although Prajñāpāramitā relies on words and all expressions to be spoken of, there is no phenomenon that truly exists and can be grasped. Although it cannot be grasped, it illuminates all phenomena.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, it is like a maṇi jewel that has great radiance, yet the inside and outside of this radiance can never be grasped. Likewise, although Prajñāpāramitā illuminates the nature of all phenomena, both its inner and outer aspects cannot be grasped.
O Valiant Dũng Mãnh, it is like the light of a lamp: although it does not remain fixed, it can clearly illuminate, causing those with eyes to see forms and colors. Likewise, although Prajñāpāramitā has no place of abiding with regard to all phenomena, it can illuminate them clearly, causing the noble ones to see the true nature of phenomena.
At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“How wondrous! O World-Honored One, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, although speaking of Prajñāpāramitā, Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.”
At that time, the World-Honored One said to Śāriputra:
“Indeed, indeed, just as you have said. I say that Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Why is this so? Śāriputra, the five aggregates are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements are also not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, ignorance is not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete. Formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress are also not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, permanence, impermanence, suffering, happiness, self, non-self, purity, impurity, stillness, non-stillness, inversion, non-inversion, the various coverings, views and activities, increase, decrease, arising and ceasing, abiding and destruction, gathering and arising, concealment and disappearance are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, self, sentient being, living being, being born, nurturer, creature, foolish ordinary person, mind-born body, youth, doer, one who causes others to act, one who initiates, one who causes initiation, receiver, one who causes reception, knower, one who causes knowing, seer, and one who causes seeing are not truly complete.
Śāriputra, truly existent phenomena, falsehood, coming and going, seeing existence and seeing nonexistence, inner and outer… are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, the earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm, the realm of sentient beings, and the Dharma realm are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, karmic results of maturation, causes and conditions, cessation, permanence, the three times, and the three periods are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, generosity, stinginess, maintaining precepts, breaking precepts, patience, anger, diligence, laziness, meditative concentration, distraction, sublime wisdom, evil wisdom, mind, thought, and consciousness; uninterrupted death and rebirth; defilement and purity are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, mindfulness establishments, right abandonments, bases of miraculous powers, faculties, powers, enlightenment factors, path factors, suffering, origin, cessation, path, meditative absorptions, liberations, concentrations, attainments, immeasurable supernatural powers, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, wholesome and unwholesome, contaminated and uncontaminated, worldly and transcendent, with fault and without fault, conditioned and unconditioned, determined and undetermined, black and white, opposing black and white, inferior, intermediate, superior, greed, hatred, and delusion are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, knowing, relying, abiding, examination and investigation, objects of reference, deceit, jealousy, stinginess, the non-arising of the two aspects of harmony, non-creation, calm abiding and insight, understanding, exhaustion through separation, destruction of defilement, abandonment, all supports, conventional truth, and ultimate truth are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, the Dharma of the Śrāvaka stage, the Pratyekabuddha stage, the wisdom of omniscience, unobstructed wisdom, naturally arisen wisdom, limitless wisdom, incomparable wisdom, the great vows of Bodhisattvas, the perfections of Śrāvakas, the perfections of Pratyekabuddhas, the immeasurable, boundless, incomparable wisdom of all phenomena, the true non-seeing of all phenomena, and the knowledge and vision of all phenomena are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, truth, coolness, stillness, extreme stillness, and the utmost extreme stillness are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, maturing sentient beings, adorning and purifying Buddha realms, possessing complete marks and characteristics, the various powers, fearlessnesses, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, from nirvāṇa up to all phenomena, whether wholesome or unwholesome, are not truly complete, therefore I say Prajñāpāramitā is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, just as vast space has no form, cannot be seen, is not false, has no inherent nature, and is not truly complete, so too Prajñāpāramitā is without form, without being seen, without opposition, without inherent nature, and is not truly complete.
Śāriputra, it is like a rainbow: although various beautiful colors appear, they have not the slightest true existence. Likewise, although Prajñāpāramitā relies on various kinds of language to be explained, the nature of that explanation cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, it is like space: although various measurements and instruments are used to measure it, one has never seen that it can truly be measured as being five fingers in extent or otherwise truly complete. Likewise, although Prajñāpāramitā relies on various signs and linguistic expressions for explanation, one has never seen even the slightest self-nature that is truly complete.
At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
Thus, this Prajñāpāramitā is extremely difficult to see!
The Buddha replied:
That is so! Because the one who wishes to see cannot see it.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus this Prajñāpāramitā is extremely difficult to awaken to!
The Buddha replied:
That is so! Because the one who awakens cannot grasp it.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, this Prajñāpāramitā cannot be expressed!
The Buddha replied:
That is so! The Dharma that is to be expressed is realized as having nothing attainable.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, this Prajñāpāramitā is not something that can be expressed.
The Buddha replied:
That is so! Because it is not a Dharma that appears through expression.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus this Prajñāpāramitā takes emptiness as its nature!
The Buddha replied:
That is so! The profound Prajñāpāramitā takes as its own nature the emptiness of the aggregates, sense fields, elements, and dependent origination; it takes as its own nature the emptiness of all distortions, hindrances, views, and patterns of attachment.
It takes as its own nature the emptiness of self, sentient beings, the stream of life, arising, nourishment, growth, the one who transmigrates in saṃsāra, mind-born beings, infants, the ability to act, the ability to cause others to act, the ability to receive karmic results, the ability to cause others to receive karmic results, the ability to create karma, the ability to cause others to create karma, the knower, the one who causes knowing, the seer, and the one who causes seeing.
It takes as its own nature the emptiness of the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness. It takes as its own nature the emptiness of the realm of sentient beings and the Dharma realm. It takes as its own nature the emptiness of the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm.
It takes as its own nature the emptiness of generosity and stinginess, maintaining precepts and violating precepts, patience and anger, diligence and laziness, meditative absorption and distraction, sublime wisdom and harmful wisdom.
It takes as its own nature the emptiness of the factors of enlightenment, the noble truths, calm abiding and insight, the immeasurables, supernatural powers, meditative absorptions, liberations, concentrations, attainments, and liberations.
It takes as its own nature the emptiness of complete detachment and the cessation of defilements. It takes as its own nature the emptiness of the knowledge of non-arising, the knowledge of cessation, and Nirvāṇa.
It takes as its own nature the emptiness of the Śrāvaka stage, the Pratyekabuddha stage, the Buddha stage, conventional knowledge and vision, ultimate knowledge and vision, non-attached wisdom, and the wisdom of omniscience.
Śāriputra said:
Thus, this Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of the completion and destruction of phenomena.
The Buddha replied:
That is so! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of completing arising phenomena, nor because of destroying phenomena that are without self.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus this Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena serving as conditions and means.
The Buddha replied:
That is so! Because all phenomena do not arise from objects of conditioning, the Prajñāpāramitā cannot be brought forth by any such phenomena that could serve as an object of conditioning.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of adding to or diminishing any phenomena.
The Buddha replied:
The profound Prajñāpāramitā is thus; it does not see any phenomenon that can be increased or decreased.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of transcending all phenomena.
The Buddha replied:
The Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be transcended.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of harming or benefiting all phenomena.
The Buddha replied:
That is so! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be harmed or benefited.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of gathering together or separating from all phenomena.
The Buddha taught:
That is so! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be united or separated.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of taking away phenomena in order to discipline them.
The Buddha taught:
That is so! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be taken away in order to discipline it.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of doing kindness or hostility toward phenomena.
The Buddha taught:
That is so! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon toward which one can show kindness or hostility.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena having arising or non-arising.
The Buddha taught:
That is so! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can arise or not arise.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of any slight correspondence or non-correspondence with phenomena.
The Buddha taught:
That is so! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can correspond or not correspond.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, the profound Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of any slight abiding together or not abiding together with phenomena.
The Buddha taught:
That is so! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can abide together or not abide together.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena having arising or non-arising.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can cause arising or non-arising.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena having circulation or non-circulation.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can cause circulation and non-circulation.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of any phenomenon having a function that serves as an instrument.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that functions for something else and appears in order to serve as an instrument.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena attaining the nature of equality or inequality.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can realize the nature of equality or inequality.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena involving taking and abandoning.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be taken or abandoned.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena having activity.
The Buddha taught:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that has activity toward another.
At that time, Śāriputra again addressed the Buddha, saying: This Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct!
Why? Śāriputra, because the aggregates of form, the sense bases, and the elements are profound, this Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound.
Because the factors of dependent origination are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound. Because inversions, the five hindrances, views and attachments, and the activities of craving are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is thus extremely profound.
Because the self, sentient beings, and so forth are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound.
Because conceptual proliferation and the absence of conceptual proliferation are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound. Because generosity and stinginess, keeping precepts and breaking precepts, patience and anger, diligence and laziness, meditative absorption and distraction, sublime wisdom and harmful wisdom are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound.
Because mindfulness establishments, right abandonments, bases of miraculous power, faculties, powers, factors of awakening, and factors of the path are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is thus extremely profound.
Because suffering, its origin, cessation, the path of liberation, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound.
Because the three times—the past, future, and present—being equal are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound.
Because the powers, the grounds of fearlessness, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and so forth are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound.
Because the immeasurable miraculous powers are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound.
Because the wisdom that does not cling to the three times, the wisdom that exhausts all Buddha teachings, the unborn wisdom, the wisdom of cessation, the unconditioned wisdom, and the wisdom free from defilements are profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound. Because the wisdom that abandons all hindrances is profound, the Prajñāpāramitā is extremely profound.
Śāriputra, just as the great ocean is deep, vast, and immeasurable, so too is this Prajñāpāramitā deep, vast, and limitless. It is called “deep” because it is the attainment of immeasurable merits and virtues.
Śāriputra, just as the immeasurable great ocean is a place where many kinds of great treasures gather, so too the Prajñāpāramitā gathers immeasurable and countless jewels and treasures of the great Dharma.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear in order to reveal all phenomena.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be revealed and thereby appear.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena having wisdom or non-wisdom.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be called wisdom or non-wisdom.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena having containment.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that contains.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena having acceptance.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be accepted.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena having a place of reliance.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be relied upon.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena involving grasping.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be grasped.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the profound Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena involving holding onto.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that gives rise to holding onto.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena involving attachment.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can give rise to attachment.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena involving stopping.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can stop together with another.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, in this way, the Prajñāpāramitā does not appear because of phenomena having continuity or interruption.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that continues or is interrupted.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā does not arise because of attachment, anger, and delusion toward phenomena, nor because of being free from attachment, anger, and delusion.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon in which attachment, anger, and delusion arise, or in which attachment, anger, and delusion are abandoned.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā does not arise because of phenomena producing one who knows and one who causes knowing.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that gives rise to understanding or causes understanding.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā does not arise because of phenomena knowing the nature and the absence of nature.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can know the nature or the absence of nature.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā does not arise because of phenomena having purity.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any pure phenomenon.
At that time, Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
The profound Prajñāpāramitā is pure by its own nature.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! Why is this so? Śāriputra, because the aggregates, sense bases, and elements are pure by their own nature, the Prajñāpāramitā is likewise pure by its own nature. Because dependent origination, distortions, views, attachment, actions, greed, anger, delusion, and so forth are pure by their own nature, the Prajñāpāramitā is likewise pure by its own nature. Because self and sentient beings, the stream of life, arising, nourishment, growth, the one who undergoes transmigration, the mind-born, the child, the ability to act, the ability to cause others to act, the ability to create karma, the ability to cause others to create karma, the ability to experience karmic results, the ability to cause others to experience karmic results, knowing, and seeing are pure by their own nature, the Prajñāpāramitā is pure by its own nature. Because annihilation, permanence, and infinity are pure by their own nature, the Prajñāpāramitā is pure by its own nature. Because generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom are pure by their own nature, the Prajñāpāramitā is pure by its own nature. Because mindfulness establishments, right abandonments, bases of supernatural power, faculties, powers, factors of awakening, paths, meditative concentrations, liberations, absorptions, attainments, loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity are pure by their own nature, the Prajñāpāramitā is pure by its own nature. Because emptiness, distortions, suffering, origin, cessation, path, supernatural powers, noble paths, the Śrāvaka stage, the Pratyekabuddha stage, the Buddha stage, the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha treasures, the teachings of the Śrāvaka vehicle, the teachings of the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, the teachings of the Bodhisattva vehicle, liberation, knowledge and vision of liberation, and Nirvāṇa are pure by their own nature, the Prajñāpāramitā is pure by its own nature. Because past, future, and present phenomena, unobstructed knowledge and vision, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha and so forth are pure by their own nature, the Prajñāpāramitā is pure by its own nature. Because the desire realm, form realm, formless realm, earth, water, fire, wind, space, consciousness element, sentient-being realm, and Dharma realm are pure by their own nature, the Prajñāpāramitā is pure by its own nature.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā is without form, without seeing, and without obstruction.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see even the slightest phenomenon that has form, has seeing, or has obstruction.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā has no activity.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The one who can act cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā has no direction toward which it proceeds.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be approached.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā cannot be established.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be established.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā is precisely that which is not shared in common.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The profound Prajñāpāramitā does not see any phenomenon that can be shared in common.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā is signless.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! Because the characteristics of all phenomena cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā is without illumination.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! The thing that can illuminate cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, thus the Prajñāpāramitā is limitless.
The Buddha replied:
That is correct! Why is this so? Śāriputra, because the aggregates, sense bases, and elements are limitless, the Prajñāpāramitā is also limitless. Because dependent origination, distortions, views, attachment, actions, greed, anger, delusion, and so forth are limitless, the Prajñāpāramitā is also limitless. Because annihilation, permanence, the time before, the time after, and the time in between are limitless, the Prajñāpāramitā is also limitless. Because generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom are limitless, the Prajñāpāramitā is also limitless. Because mindfulness establishments, right abandonments, bases of supernatural power, faculties, powers, factors of awakening, paths, non-distortion, and infinity are limitless, the Prajñāpāramitā is also limitless. Because meditative concentration, liberation, absorption, attainment, objects of reference, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation are limitless, the Prajñāpāramitā is also limitless. Because the Śrāvaka stage, the Pratyekabuddha stage, the Buddha stage, the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha treasures, the teachings of the Śrāvaka vehicle, the teachings of the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, and the teachings of the Bodhisattva vehicle are limitless, the Prajñāpāramitā is also limitless. Because self, sentient beings, and so forth; the desire realm, form realm, formless realm, immeasurable supernatural powers, the various hindrances, past, future, present, knowledge and vision, non-attachment, non-seeing, earth, water, fire, wind, space, consciousness element, sentient-being realm, Dharma realm, and so forth are limitless, the Prajñāpāramitā is also limitless.
Śariputra, the profound Prajñāpāramitā, its beginning, middle, and end cannot all be grasped; with regard to all phenomena, there is also no attainment.
Śariputra, the profound Prajñāpāramitā has no boundary.
Śariputra, just as the vast expanse of the boundary of space cannot be grasped, so too the boundary of the Prajñāpāramitā cannot be grasped.
Śariputra, you should know that the beginning, middle, and end of the Prajñāpāramitā have neither boundaries nor directions or realms.
Śariputra, dependent origination, distortions, the various hindrances, views, attachments, actions, greed, anger, delusion, self, sentient beings… generosity, pure conduct, patience, diligence, meditative absorption, Prajñā, the factors of enlightenment, meditative absorptions, liberations, concentrations, attainments, immeasurable supernatural powers, wisdom and liberation, knowledge and vision of liberation, the teachings of ordinary beings, the teachings of Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, and other Dharma gates are without boundaries; therefore, one should know that the Prajñāpāramitā is also without boundaries.
Śariputra, the boundary of the profound Prajñāpāramitā cannot be grasped, and therefore it is called without boundary. Because non-attainment itself cannot be grasped, it is called without boundary.
Śariputra, the profound Prajñāpāramitā, because it has no boundary, is called boundless; because it is boundless, it is called without boundary.
Śariputra, the profound Prajñāpāramitā, its nature of self and the nature of grasping cannot be grasped, and therefore it is called without borders and without shores. Because all phenomena have no boundary and no shore, one should know that the Prajñāpāramitā is also without boundary. Because vast space has no boundary and no shore, one should know that all phenomena are also without boundary and without shore.