THE MAHĀPRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 61
Chapter 16: PRAISING THE GREAT VEHICLE (6)
Subhūti, ordinary people of the previous life cannot be grasped; ordinary people of the next life cannot be grasped; ordinary people of the middle life cannot be grasped; within the equality of the three periods, ordinary people also cannot be grasped. Why? Subhūti, because within equality, ordinary people of past, future, and present cannot be grasped. Why? Because within equality, even the nature of equality cannot be grasped — how much less could past, future, and present ordinary people within equality be grasped! In this same way, the self, sentient beings, through the knower and the seer, also cannot be grasped.
Subhūti, Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas of the previous life cannot be grasped; Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas of the next life cannot be grasped; Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas of the middle life cannot be grasped; within the equality of the three periods, Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas also cannot be grasped. Why? Subhūti, because within equality, Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas of past, future, and present cannot be grasped. Why? Because within equality, even the nature of equality cannot be grasped — how much less could past, future, and present Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas within equality be grasped! In this same way, the self, sentient beings, through the knower and the seer, also cannot be grasped.
Subhūti, Great Bodhisattvas, when cultivating the perfection of wisdom, dwelling within this sign of equality of the three periods and diligently cultivating the wisdom of all-knowing without craving or attachment, will quickly accomplish fulfillment. Subhūti, this is called the characteristic of the Great Vehicle of equality of the three periods of the Great Bodhisattva. If a Great Bodhisattva dwells within such a characteristic of the Great Vehicle, then surpassing all gods, humans, and asuras in the world, one is capable of quickly attaining the wisdom of all-knowing and bringing benefit and happiness to all sentient beings.
At that time, the Elder Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“Well said, well said, World-Honored One! The Tathāgata, Worthy, Perfectly Enlightened One has expounded the Great Vehicle of the Great Bodhisattva very well and very correctly.
World-Honored One, the Great Vehicle as such is the most supreme, the most wondrous. Great Bodhisattvas of the past who cultivated within it attained the wisdom of all-knowing; Great Bodhisattvas of the future who cultivate within it will attain the wisdom of all-knowing; all Great Bodhisattvas in the immeasurable, innumerable, boundless worlds throughout the ten directions who are presently cultivating within it are presently attaining the wisdom of all-knowing. Therefore the Great Vehicle is the most supreme, the most wondrous — it is the true refuge and the supreme ground of the wisdom of all-knowing.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Well said, well said, just as you have spoken! All Great Bodhisattvas of past, future, and present rely on the Great Vehicle, diligently cultivate and study, and quickly attain the fruit of supreme enlightenment. Therefore the Great Vehicle is the most supreme and the most wondrous.”
Chapter 17: FOLLOWING ALONG
At that time, the Elder Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, previously the Tathāgata instructed the Venerable Subhūti to expound the perfection of wisdom for Great Bodhisattvas, but now why speak of the Great Vehicle?”
The Elder Subhūti then addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, just now when I spoke of the Great Vehicle, did I in no way oppose or go beyond the perfection of wisdom?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“You have just spoken of the Great Vehicle as being completely concordant with the perfection of wisdom, without any opposition or going beyond. Why? Subhūti, because all wholesome dharmas, the dharmas of the Bodhi factors, the dharmas of Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and all Buddhas — none of them are not encompassed within the perfection of wisdom.”
The Elder Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, what are all the wholesome dharmas, the Bodhi-factor dharmas, the Śrāvaka dharmas, the Pratyekabuddha dharmas, the Bodhisattva dharmas, and the dharmas of all Buddhas that are completely encompassed within the perfection of wisdom?”
The Buddha taught:
“Subhūti, whether the perfection of generosity, the perfection of pure precepts, the perfection of patience, the perfection of energy, the perfection of meditation, or the perfection of wisdom; or the four dhyānas, four immeasurables, four formless concentrations; or the four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five spiritual faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, noble eightfold path; or the dharma gate of liberation through emptiness, dharma gate of liberation through signlessness, wishlessness; or the five kinds of eyes, six supernatural powers; or the ten powers of the Buddha, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unshared qualities of the Buddha, wisdom of all-knowing, wisdom of the aspects of the path, wisdom of all aspects; or the dharma of non-forgetfulness, the nature of constant equanimity. Subhūti, all such wholesome dharmas, Bodhi factors, Śrāvaka dharmas, Pratyekabuddha dharmas, Bodhisattva dharmas, and all Buddha dharmas are completely encompassed within the perfection of wisdom.
Furthermore, Subhūti, whether the Great Vehicle, or the perfection of wisdom, or meditation, energy, patience, pure precepts, perfection of generosity; or form, or feelings, perceptions, formations, consciousness; or the eye base, or ear, nose, tongue, body, mind bases; or the form base, or sound, smell, taste, touch, dharma bases; or the eye element, form element, eye consciousness element, and eye contact together with the feelings arising from eye contact as condition; or the ear element, sound element, ear consciousness element, and ear contact together with the feelings arising from ear contact as condition; or the nose element, smell element, nose consciousness element, and nose contact together with the feelings arising from nose contact as condition; or the tongue element, taste element, tongue consciousness element, and tongue contact together with the feelings arising from tongue contact as condition; or the body element, touch element, body consciousness element, and body contact together with the feelings arising from body contact as condition; or the mind element, dharma element, mind consciousness element, and mind contact together with the feelings arising from mind contact as condition; or the earth element, or water, fire, wind, space, consciousness elements; or the noble truth of suffering, or the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path; or ignorance, or formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, aging-and-death with sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; or the desire realm, form realm, formless realm; or wholesome dharmas, unwholesome dharmas; or determinate dharmas, indeterminate dharmas; or dharmas with outflows, dharmas without outflows; or conditioned dharmas, unconditioned dharmas; or worldly dharmas, supramundane dharmas; or the four dhyānas, or the four immeasurables, four formless concentrations; or the eight liberations, or the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, ten totalities; or the four foundations of mindfulness, or the four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five spiritual faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, noble eightfold path; or the dharma gate of liberation through emptiness, or the dharma gates of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness; or the five kinds of eyes, or the six supernatural powers; or the ten powers of the Buddha, or the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unshared qualities of the Buddha, wisdom of all-knowing, wisdom of the aspects of the path, wisdom of all aspects; or the dharma of non-forgetfulness, or the nature of constant equanimity; or all the dhāraṇī dharma gates, or all the samādhi dharma gates; or the Tathāgatas; or the dharma and discipline that the Buddha realized and has spoken; or inner emptiness, or outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, absolute emptiness, boundless emptiness, scattered emptiness, emptiness without change, emptiness of inherent nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of shared characteristics, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of the ungraspable, emptiness of non-nature, emptiness of self-nature, emptiness of non-nature-self-nature; or suchness, or the dharma realm, dharma nature, nature of non-falsity, nature of non-alteration, the inconceivable realm, empty space, cessation, departure, extinction, nature of equality, separation from birth, dharma-fixed, dharma-abiding, the realm of non-nature, the realm of signlessness, the realm of non-construction, the realm of non-action, peace, tranquility, original non-existence, ultimate reality, ultimate nirvāṇa — all such dharmas are neither concordant nor non-concordant, material or immaterial, visible or invisible, resistant or non-resistant, all sharing one characteristic — called the characteristic of having no characteristic.
Subhūti, because of this cause and condition, just now you spoke of the Great Vehicle as being completely concordant with the perfection of wisdom, without any opposition or going beyond. Why? Subhūti, because the Great Vehicle is not different from the perfection of wisdom, and the perfection of wisdom is not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the perfection of wisdom, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the perfections of meditation, energy, patience, pure precepts, and generosity; the perfections of meditation, energy, patience, pure precepts, and generosity are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the perfections of meditation, energy, patience, pure precepts, and generosity, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the four dhyānas; the four dhyānas are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the four dhyānas, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations; the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the eight liberations; the eight liberations are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the eight liberations, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities; the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the four foundations of mindfulness; the four foundations of mindfulness are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the four foundations of mindfulness, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five spiritual faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and noble eightfold path; the four right efforts through the noble eightfold path are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the four right efforts through the noble eightfold path, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the dharma gate of liberation through emptiness; the dharma gate of liberation through emptiness is not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the dharma gate of liberation through emptiness, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the dharma gates of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness; the dharma gates of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the dharma gates of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the five kinds of eyes; the five kinds of eyes are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the five kinds of eyes, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the six supernatural powers; the six supernatural powers are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the six supernatural powers, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the ten powers of the Buddha; the ten powers of the Buddha are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the ten powers of the Buddha, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unshared qualities of the Buddha, wisdom of all-knowing, wisdom of the aspects of the path, and wisdom of all aspects; the four fearlessnesses through the wisdom of all aspects are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the four fearlessnesses through the wisdom of all aspects, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the dharma of non-forgetfulness; the dharma of non-forgetfulness is not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the dharma of non-forgetfulness, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the nature of constant equanimity; the nature of constant equanimity is not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the nature of constant equanimity, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, the Great Vehicle is not different from the dharmas of aggregates, elements, bases, empty, non-empty; the dharmas of aggregates, elements, bases, empty, non-empty are not different from the Great Vehicle. Why? Because whether the Great Vehicle or the dharmas of aggregates, elements, bases, empty, non-empty, their nature is originally non-dual, for there are no two portions.
Subhūti, because of this cause and condition, you have just spoken of the Great Vehicle as being completely concordant with the perfection of wisdom, without any opposition or going beyond. Speaking of the Great Vehicle is already speaking of the perfection of wisdom; speaking of the perfection of wisdom is already speaking of the Great Vehicle. These two dharmas have no discrimination or difference.
Chapter 18: WITHOUT ATTAINMENT (1)
At that time, the Elder Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life cannot be grasped; the Great Bodhisattva of the next life cannot be grasped; the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, because form is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the eye base is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the form base is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the eye element is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the form element, eye consciousness element, and eye contact together with the feelings arising from eye contact as condition are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the ear element is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the sound element, ear consciousness element, and ear contact together with the feelings arising from ear contact as condition are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the nose element is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the smell element, nose consciousness element, and nose contact together with the feelings arising from nose contact as condition are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the tongue element is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the taste element, tongue consciousness element, and tongue contact together with the feelings arising from tongue contact as condition are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the body element is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the touch element, body consciousness element, and body contact together with the feelings arising from body contact as condition are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the mind element is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the dharma element, mind consciousness element, and mind contact together with the feelings arising from mind contact as condition are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the earth element is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the noble truth of suffering is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because ignorance is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, and aging-and-death with sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the perfection of generosity is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the perfections of pure precepts, patience, energy, meditation, and wisdom are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the four dhyānas are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the eight liberations are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the four foundations of mindfulness are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five spiritual faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and noble eightfold path are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the dharma gate of liberation through emptiness is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the dharma gates of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the five kinds of eyes are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the six supernatural powers are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because inner emptiness is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, absolute emptiness, boundless emptiness, scattered emptiness, emptiness without change, emptiness of inherent nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of shared characteristics, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of the ungraspable, emptiness of non-nature, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of non-nature-self-nature are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because suchness is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the dharma realm, dharma nature, nature of non-falsity, nature of non-alteration, the inconceivable realms, empty space, cessation, departure, extinction, nature of equality, separation from birth, dharma-fixed, dharma-abiding, non-nature, signlessness, non-construction, non-action, peace, tranquility, original non-existence, ultimate reality, and ultimate nirvāṇa are boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, because the Śrāvaka vehicle is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless; because the Pratyekabuddha vehicle is boundless, know that the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless.
World-Honored One, within form itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from form, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the eye base itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the eye base, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the form base itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the form base, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the eye element itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the eye element, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the form element, eye consciousness element, and eye contact together with the feelings arising from eye contact as condition themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the form element, eye consciousness element, and eye contact together with the feelings arising from eye contact as condition, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the ear element itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the ear element, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the sound element, ear consciousness element, and ear contact together with the feelings arising from ear contact as condition themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the sound element, ear consciousness element, and ear contact together with the feelings arising from ear contact as condition, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the nose element itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the nose element, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the smell element, nose consciousness element, and nose contact together with the feelings arising from nose contact as condition themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the smell element, nose consciousness element, and nose contact together with the feelings arising from nose contact as condition, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the tongue element itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the tongue element, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the taste element, tongue consciousness element, and tongue contact together with the feelings arising from tongue contact as condition themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the taste element, tongue consciousness element, and tongue contact together with the feelings arising from tongue contact as condition, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the body element itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the body element, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the touch element, body consciousness element, and body contact together with the feelings arising from body contact as condition themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the touch element, body consciousness element, and body contact together with the feelings arising from body contact as condition, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the mind element itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the mind element, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the dharma element, mind consciousness element, and mind contact together with the feelings arising from mind contact as condition themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the dharma element, mind consciousness element, and mind contact together with the feelings arising from mind contact as condition, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the earth element itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the earth element, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the noble truth of suffering itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the noble truth of suffering, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within ignorance itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from ignorance, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, and aging-and-death with sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from formations through aging-and-death with sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the perfection of generosity itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the perfection of generosity, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the perfections of pure precepts, patience, energy, meditation, and wisdom themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the perfections of pure precepts, patience, energy, meditation, and wisdom, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the four dhyānas themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the four dhyānas, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the eight liberations themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the eight liberations, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the four foundations of mindfulness themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the four foundations of mindfulness, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five spiritual faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and noble eightfold path themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the four right efforts through the noble eightfold path, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the dharma gate of liberation through emptiness itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the dharma gate of liberation through emptiness, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the dharma gates of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the dharma gates of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the five kinds of eyes themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the five kinds of eyes, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the six supernatural powers themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the six supernatural powers, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the ten powers of the Buddha themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the ten powers of the Buddha, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, eighteen unshared qualities of the Buddha, wisdom of all-knowing, wisdom of the aspects of the path, and wisdom of all aspects themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the four fearlessnesses through the wisdom of all aspects, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the wisdom of the aspects of the path itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the wisdom of the aspects of the path, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the dharma of non-forgetfulness itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the dharma of non-forgetfulness, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the nature of constant equanimity itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the nature of constant equanimity, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within all the dhāraṇī dharma gates themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from all the dhāraṇī dharma gates, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within all the samādhi dharma gates themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from all the samādhi dharma gates, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within inner emptiness itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from inner emptiness, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, absolute emptiness, boundless emptiness, scattered emptiness, emptiness without change, emptiness of inherent nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of shared characteristics, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of the ungraspable, emptiness of non-nature, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of non-nature-self-nature themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from outer emptiness through emptiness of non-nature-self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within suchness itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from suchness, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the dharma realm, dharma nature, nature of non-falsity, nature of non-alteration, the inconceivable realms, empty space, cessation, departure, extinction, nature of equality, separation from birth, dharma-fixed, dharma-abiding, non-nature, signlessness, non-construction, non-action, peace, tranquility, original non-existence, ultimate reality, and ultimate nirvāṇa themselves, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the dharma realm, dharma nature through ultimate reality and ultimate nirvāṇa, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the Śrāvaka vehicle itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the Śrāvaka vehicle, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the Pratyekabuddha vehicle itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the Great Vehicle itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the Great Vehicle, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, within the transmigrator of the Śrāvaka vehicle itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the transmigrator of the Śrāvaka vehicle, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped. Within the transmigrator of the Pratyekabuddha vehicle and the Great Vehicle itself, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from the transmigrator of the Pratyekabuddha vehicle and the Great Vehicle, the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped.
World-Honored One, regarding all dharmas, I have used all skillful means, all locations, and all times to seek the Great Bodhisattva, yet there is entirely no object to cognize and ultimately it cannot be grasped — why does the World-Honored One tell me to use the perfection of wisdom to instruct and transmit to the Great Bodhisattvas?
World-Honored One, the Great Bodhisattva is only a conventional name; just as the self… ultimately does not arise; all dharmas are likewise, entirely without self-nature.
World-Honored One, form and other dharmas ultimately do not arise; if they ultimately do not arise, they do not bear the name ‘form.’
World-Honored One, how could I possibly use the perfection of wisdom, which ultimately does not arise, to instruct and transmit to the Great Bodhisattvas who ultimately do not arise?
World-Honored One, apart from ultimate non-arising, there is also no Great Bodhisattva capable of practicing the fruit of supreme enlightenment.
World-Honored One, if a Great Bodhisattva hears such a teaching and the mind has no terror, dread, fear, sinking, drowning, worry, or regret — know that such a Great Bodhisattva is capable of practicing the perfection of wisdom.”
At this time, Śāriputra asked Subhūti:
“For what reason do you say the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the next life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life cannot be grasped? For what reason do you say because form… is boundless, the Great Bodhisattva is also boundless? For what reason do you say within form… itself the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped; apart from form… the Great Bodhisattva has no ownership and cannot be grasped? For what reason do you say that regarding all dharmas, using all skillful means, all locations, all times to seek the Great Bodhisattva, there is entirely no object to cognize and ultimately cannot be grasped — so why instruct me to use the perfection of wisdom to teach and transmit to the Great Bodhisattvas? For what reason do you say the Great Bodhisattva is only a conventional name? For what reason do you say the self… ultimately does not arise? For what reason do you say all dharmas are likewise, entirely without self-nature? For what reason do you say form… and other dharmas ultimately do not arise? For what reason do you say that if they ultimately do not arise, they do not bear the name ‘form…’? For what reason do you say how could I use the perfection of wisdom that ultimately does not arise to instruct and transmit to the Great Bodhisattvas who ultimately do not arise? For what reason do you say that apart from ultimate non-arising, there is no Great Bodhisattva capable of practicing the fruit of supreme enlightenment? For what reason do you say that if a Great Bodhisattva hears such a teaching and the mind has no terror, dread, fear, sinking, drowning, worry, or regret, know that this is a Great Bodhisattva capable of practicing the perfection of wisdom?”
The Elder Subhūti answered Śāriputra:
“If, as the Venerable asks: ‘For what reason do you say the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the next life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life cannot be grasped?’ — then, Venerable Śāriputra, because sentient beings have no ownership, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because sentient beings are empty, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because sentient beings are remote, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because sentient beings have no self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Why? Venerable Śāriputra, because within the non-ownership, emptiness, remoteness, and no-self-nature of sentient beings, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, the non-ownership of sentient beings is not different; the emptiness of sentient beings is not different; the remoteness of sentient beings is not different; the no-self-nature of sentient beings is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the next life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life is not different.
Śāriputra, whether the non-ownership of sentient beings, or the emptiness of sentient beings, or the remoteness of sentient beings, or the no-self-nature of sentient beings, or the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the next life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life — all such dharmas are non-dual and have no two portions. Venerable Śāriputra, because of this reason, I say the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the next life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, because form has no ownership, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness have no ownership, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because form is empty, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness are empty, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because form is remote, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness are remote, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because form has no self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness have no self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Why? Śāriputra, because within the non-ownership, emptiness, remoteness, and no-self-nature of form, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness, the Great Bodhisattvas of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, the non-ownership of form, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness is not different; the emptiness of form, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness is not different; the remoteness of form, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness is not different; the no-self-nature of form, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the next life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life is not different.
Śāriputra, whether the non-ownership of form, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness; or the emptiness of form, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness; or the remoteness of form, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness; or the no-self-nature of form, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness; or the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the next life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life — all such dharmas are non-dual and have no two portions.
Śāriputra, because of this reason, I say the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the next life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, because the eye base has no ownership, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases have no ownership, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because the eye base is empty, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases are empty, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because the eye base is remote, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases are remote, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because the eye base has no self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases have no self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Why? Śāriputra, because within the non-ownership, emptiness, remoteness, and no-self-nature of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases, the Great Bodhisattvas of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, the non-ownership of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases is not different; the emptiness of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases is not different; the remoteness of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases is not different; the no-self-nature of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the next life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life is not different.
Śāriputra, whether the non-ownership of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases; or the emptiness of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases; or the remoteness of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases; or the no-self-nature of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases; or the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the next life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life — all such dharmas are non-dual and have no two portions.
Śāriputra, because of this reason, I say the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the next life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, because the form base has no ownership, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases have no ownership, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because the form base is empty, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases are empty, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because the form base is remote, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases are remote, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because the form base has no self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases have no self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Why? Śāriputra, because within the non-ownership, emptiness, remoteness, and no-self-nature of the form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases, the Great Bodhisattvas of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, the non-ownership of the form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases is not different; the emptiness of the form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases is not different; the remoteness of the form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases is not different; the no-self-nature of the form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the next life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life is not different.
Śāriputra, whether the non-ownership of the form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases; or the emptiness of the form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases; or the remoteness of the form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases; or the no-self-nature of the form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases; or the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the next life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life — all such dharmas are non-dual and have no two portions.
Śāriputra, because of this reason, I say the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the next life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, because the eye element has no ownership, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the form element, eye consciousness element, and eye contact together with the feelings arising from eye contact as condition have no ownership, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because the eye element is empty, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the form element, eye consciousness element, and eye contact together with the feelings arising from eye contact as condition are empty, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because the eye element is remote, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the form element, eye consciousness element, and eye contact together with the feelings arising from eye contact as condition are remote, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Because the eye element has no self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped; because the form element, eye consciousness element, and eye contact together with the feelings arising from eye contact as condition have no self-nature, the Great Bodhisattva of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped. Why? Śāriputra, because within the non-ownership, emptiness, remoteness, and no-self-nature of the eye element, form element, eye consciousness element, and eye contact together with the feelings arising from eye contact as condition, the Great Bodhisattvas of the previous, next, and middle life cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, the non-ownership of the eye element through the feelings arising from eye contact as condition is not different; the emptiness of the eye element through the feelings arising from eye contact as condition is not different; the remoteness of the eye element through the feelings arising from eye contact as condition is not different; the no-self-nature of the eye element through the feelings arising from eye contact as condition is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the next life is not different; the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life is not different.
Śāriputra, whether the non-ownership of the eye element through the feelings arising from eye contact as condition; or the emptiness of the eye element through the feelings arising from eye contact as condition; or the remoteness of the eye element through the feelings arising from eye contact as condition; or the no-self-nature of the eye element through the feelings arising from eye contact as condition; or the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the next life, or the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life — all such dharmas are non-dual and have no two portions.
Śāriputra, because of this reason, I say the Great Bodhisattva of the previous life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the next life cannot be grasped, the Great Bodhisattva of the middle life cannot be grasped.