The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom in Ten Thousand Lines
Non-abiding

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, the great armor of great bodhisattva beings consists of the five refined eyes. What are these five, you may ask? They comprise (1) the eye of flesh, (2) the eye of divine clairvoyance, (3) the eye of wisdom, (4) the eye of the sacred doctrine, and (5) the eye of the buddhas. These are called the five eyes.”

The venerable Su­bhūti then asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! What is the refined eye of flesh, possessed by great bodhisattva beings?”

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, [F.109.b] there are great bodhisattva beings who can indeed see with their eyes of flesh as far as a hundred yojanas. There are great bodhisattva beings who can indeed see with their eyes of flesh as far as two hundred yojanas. There are great bodhisattva beings who can indeed see with their eyes of flesh as far as three hundred yojanas. There are great bodhisattva beings who can indeed see with their eyes of flesh as far as four hundred, five hundred, and six hundred yojanas. Also, Su­bhūti, there are great bodhisattva beings who can indeed see with their eyes of flesh across one entire continent of Jambu­dvīpa. Again, Su­bhūti, there are great bodhisattva beings who can see with their eyes of flesh across two entire continents of Jambu­dvīpa, and in the same vein, there are also those who can see with their eyes of flesh across one world system comprising all four continents. Again, Su­bhūti, there are great bodhisattva beings who can indeed see with their eyes of flesh across an entire chiliocosm. Also, Su­bhūti, there are great bodhisattva beings who can indeed see with their eyes of flesh across an entire dichiliocosm. Again, Su­bhūti, there are great bodhisattva beings who can indeed see with their eyes of flesh across an entire great trichiliocosm.196 Su­bhūti, such is the refined eye of flesh possessed by great bodhisattva beings.”

Then he asked, “Reverend Lord! What is the refined eye of clairvoyance, possessed by great bodhisattva beings?”

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, there are great bodhisattva beings who perceive all within range of the clairvoyance of the gods of the Catur­mahā­rāja­kāyika realm. Similarly, there are great bodhisattva beings who perceive all within range of the clairvoyance of the gods from the Trayas­triṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇa­rata, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin realms as far as the Akaniṣṭha realm. [F.110.a] However, Su­bhūti, the gods of the Catur­mahā­rāja­kāyika realm do not reciprocally perceive the divine clairvoyance of the bodhisattvas, nor do the gods up to and including those of the Akaniṣṭha realm perceive it. Again, Su­bhūti, with their divine clairvoyance great bodhisattva beings can observe the death and rebirth of sentient beings, in accordance with their accumulated past actions, in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges. They also perceive those who are beautiful, those who are ugly, those dwelling in the blissful higher realms, those in the wretched lower realms, and those who are inferior, average or excellent, thinking, ‘Alas! These sentient beings are endowed with misconduct of body, endowed with misconduct of speech, endowed with misconduct of mind. They deprecate sublime beings. They possess wrong views. Alas! Due to the causes and conditions of adopting wrong views as correct, after their bodies have decayed and died, they will be reborn within inferior realms, falling into the lower abodes, among the denizens of the hells! Alas! These sentient beings are endowed with noble conduct of body, endowed with noble conduct of speech, and endowed with noble conduct of mind,’ and so on, up to, ‘Due to these causes and conditions, when their bodies have decayed, they will be reborn among the gods and humans, within the blissful and exalted world realms!’ Similarly, ‘They can see sentient beings in the world systems of all the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, according to the past deeds they have accumulated,’ and so on, up to ‘These will be reborn among the gods and humans in the world systems of the happy, exalted realms.’ Su­bhūti, such is the refined eye of clairvoyance, possessed by great bodhisattva beings.”

Then he asked, “Reverend Lord! What is the refined eye of wisdom, possessed by great bodhisattva beings?”

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, with their eye of wisdom, great bodhisattva beings [F.110.b] do not conceive of anything that is conditioned, unconditioned, mundane, supramundane, contaminated, or uncontaminated. There is nothing at all that great bodhisattva beings see with their eye of wisdom, nothing that they hear, nothing that they recall, and nothing of which they are conscious. Su­bhūti, such is the refined eye of wisdom, possessed by great bodhisattva beings.”

Then he asked, “Reverend Lord! What is the refined eye of the sacred doctrine, possessed by great bodhisattva beings?”

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, with their eye of the sacred doctrine, great bodhisattva beings know that this individual person is a follower on account of faith, this one is a follower of the doctrine, this one abides in emptiness, this one abides in signlessness, and this one abides in aspirationlessness.

“[They know that] this individual is developing the five faculties through emptiness‍—the gateway to liberation‍—and afterward will acquire unimpeded meditative stability by means of these five faculties. Through unimpeded meditative stability, this individual will develop [insight into] the knowledge of liberation, and then, through that [insight into] the knowledge of liberation, will forsake the three fetters. If you ask what are these three fetters, they are (1) false views about perishable composites, (2) hesitation, and (3) a sense of moral and ascetic supremacy. By having abandoned those three fetters, this individual will be known as one who has entered the stream, and, after attaining the path of cultivation, will be tied to one more rebirth, wearing down attachment to the [world system of] desire and to malice. Then, through further development on the path of cultivation, this same individual will abandon attachment to [the world system of] desire and to malice in their entirety, and, having forsaken those two [modes of attachment], will no longer be subject to rebirth. [F.111.a] Then, through further development on the path of cultivation, this same individual will forsake the five fetters associated with the higher realms. If you ask what are these five fetters, they comprise (1) attachment to the world system of form, (2) attachment to the world system of formlessness, (3) fundamental ignorance, (4) pride, and (5) mental agitation. After abandoning these five formless absorptions, this individual is said to become an arhat.

“[They know that] this individual is developing the five faculties through signlessness‍—the gateway to liberation‍—and afterward will acquire unimpeded meditative stability by means of these five faculties. Through unimpeded meditative stability, this individual will develop [insight into] the knowledge of liberation, and then, through [insight into] the knowledge of liberation, will forsake the three fetters. If you ask what these three are, they comprise false views about perishable composites, hesitation, and a sense of moral and ascetic supremacy. By having abandoned those three fetters, this individual will be known as one who has entered the stream, and, after attaining the path of meditation, will be tied to one more rebirth, wearing down both attachment to the [world system of] desire and malice. Then, through further development on the path of cultivation, this same individual will abandon attachment to [the world system of] desire and to malice in their entirety, and, having forsaken those two [modes of attachment], will no longer be subject to rebirth. Then, through further development on the path of cultivation, this same individual will forsake the five fetters associated with the higher realms. If you ask what are these five fetters, they comprise attachment to the world system of form, attachment to the world system of formlessness, fundamental ignorance, pride, and mental agitation. After abandoning these five fetters, this individual is said to become an arhat.197

“[They know that] this individual is developing the five faculties through aspirationlessness‍—the gateway to liberation‍—and afterward will acquire unimpeded meditative stability by means of these five faculties. Through unimpeded meditative stability, this individual will develop [insight into] the knowledge of liberation, and then, through [insight into] the knowledge of liberation, will forsake the three fetters. [F.111.b] If you ask what are these three formless absorptions, they comprise false views about perishable composites, hesitation, and a sense of moral and ascetic supremacy.198 By having abandoned those three fetters, this individual will be known as one who has entered the stream, and, after attaining the path of cultivation, will be tied to one more rebirth, wearing down both attachment to the [world system of] desire and malice. Then, through further development of the path of cultivation, this [same individual] will abandon attachment to [the world system of] desire and malice in their entirety, and, having forsaken those two [modes of attachment], will no longer be subject to rebirth. Then, through further development on the path of cultivation, this same individual will forsake the five fetters associated with the higher realms. If you ask what are these five formless absorptions, they comprise attachment to the world system of form, attachment to the world system of formlessness, fundamental ignorance, pride, and mental agitation. After abandoning these five formless absorptions, this individual is said to become an arhat. Su­bhūti, such is the refined eye of the sacred doctrine, possessed by great bodhisattva beings.

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, whenever great bodhisattva beings cognize in that manner, they will know that all things associated with the origin of suffering are subject to cessation, and then, Su­bhūti, they will attain the five faculties, beginning with faith. Su­bhūti, such is the refined eye of the sacred doctrine, possessed by great bodhisattva beings.

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, whenever great bodhisattva beings cognize in that manner, they will know that this individual is a beginner bodhisattva, practicing the transcendent perfection of generosity, having just begun to set his or her mind on enlightenment, and so on, and similarly, that this one is practicing the transcendent perfection of wisdom. They will know that this one, skilled in the faculties of faith and perseverance, will consistently obtain an excellent corporeal form, and that this bodhisattva, steadfast on account of the roots of virtuous actions, will be reborn among the royal class, standing out like a tall sāl tree, [F.112.a] or among the priestly class, standing out like a tall sāl tree, or among the householder class, standing out like a tall sāl tree.199 They will know that this one will be reborn among the gods of the Catur­mahā­rāja­kāyika realm, and in the same vein, that that one will be reborn among the gods of the Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin realm. They will know that even though such individuals abide therein, they will continue to bring sentient beings to maturity; to honor sentient beings with everything that actualizes their happiness; to refine the fields as well; to please, honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to the tathāgatas, arhats, and genuinely perfect buddhas; and they will not descend to the levels of the śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. Indeed, they will know that these bodhisattvas will not regress until manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed and genuinely perfect enlightenment has been attained. Su­bhūti, such is the refined eye of the sacred doctrine, possessed by great bodhisattva beings.

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings know that this bodhisattva has been foreordained by the tathāgatas to attain unsurpassed and genuinely perfect enlightenment, and that one has not been so foreordained. These bodhisattvas will achieve their own benefit, and those will not. These bodhisattvas will regress, and those will not. The extrasensory powers of these bodhisattvas are perfected, while [the extrasensory powers] of those ones are unperfected. This bodhisattva, with perfected extrasensory powers, will proceed to honor, praise, venerate, respect, and make offerings to the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges. [F.112.b] This bodhisattva will attain the extrasensory powers, and that one will not. This bodhisattva will refine the fields in which enlightenment is attained, and that one will not. This bodhisattva has brought sentient beings to maturity, and that one has not. This bodhisattva is praised by the lord buddhas throughout the world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges. These bodhisattvas stand alongside and will stand alongside the lord buddhas, but those do not and will not. The lifespan of this bodhisattva who has attained enlightenment will be estimable, and the lifespan of that bodhisattva who has attained enlightenment will be innumerable. The monastic community of this bodhisattva who has attained enlightenment will be estimable, while the monastic community of that one will be innumerable. The bodhisattva community of this bodhisattva who has attained enlightenment will be estimable, while the bodhisattva community of that one will be innumerable. This bodhisattva will engage in austerities, and that one will not. This bodhisattva is in his final rebirth, and that one is not. This bodhisattva will come to sit upon the Seat of Enlightenment, and that one will not. This bodhisattva will withstand the demonic forces, and that one will not. Su­bhūti, such is the refined eye of the sacred doctrine, possessed by great bodhisattva beings.”

Then the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! [F.113.a] What is the refined eye of the buddhas, possessed by great bodhisattva beings?”

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings, immediately after attaining the mind set on enlightenment, become absorbed in adamantine meditative stability, and then attain omniscience. They are endowed with the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four assurances, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; with regard to all things, in all their aspects, there is nothing at all that the eye of the buddhas possessed by great bodhisattva beings does not see, hear, recall, or perceive with extrasensory power. Su­bhūti, such is the refined eye of manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed and genuinely perfect enlightenment, possessed by great bodhisattva beings.

“Su­bhūti, these are the five extremely refined eyes of great bodhisattva beings. Su­bhūti, the refinement of these five eyes, possessed by great bodhisattva beings should be known as donning the great armor.”

Then, the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One as follows: “Reverend Lord! In what things should great bodhisattva beings, who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, abide?”200

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in anything at all. If you ask why, it is because the act of abiding, the abider, and that in which they would abide are non-apprehensible.”201

Then, the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One as follows: [F.113.b] “Reverend Lord! According to my inquiry into the meaning of the words spoken by the Blessed One, Reverend Lord, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in physical forms. Similarly, they should not abide in feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness. They should not abide in the eyes. Similarly, they should not abide in the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mental faculty. Similarly, they should not abide in sights. Similarly, they should not abide in sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, and mental phenomena. They should not abide in visual consciousness, and they should not abide in [the other aspects of consciousness], up to and including mental consciousness. In the same vein, they should not abide in [the sensory elements], up to and including the sensory element of phenomena. They should not abide in sensory contact that is visually compounded. They should not abide in feelings that are visually compounded, and they should not abide in [the other aspects of feelings], up to and including feelings due to sensory contact that is mentally compounded. They should not abide in the earth element. They should not abide in the water element, the fire element, and the wind element. They should not abide in the space element. They should not abide in the consciousness element. They should not abide in fundamental ignorance, and they should not abide in [the other links of dependent origination], up to and including aging and death.

“If one were to ask why, Reverend Lord, it is because physical forms are empty of physical forms. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are empty of consciousness [and the other aggregates]. Reverend Lord! The emptiness of physical forms is not physical forms, and physical forms do not exist elsewhere apart from the emptiness of physical forms. This is because the nature of physical forms is also emptiness and emptiness indeed is physical forms. [F.114.a] Reverend Lord, for these reasons great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in physical forms.

“Similarly, the emptiness of feelings, the emptiness of perceptions, the emptiness of formative predispositions, and the emptiness of consciousness are not consciousness [and the other aggregates]. Consciousness [and those other aggregates] do not exist elsewhere, apart from the emptiness of consciousness [and so forth]. The nature of consciousness is indeed emptiness and emptiness indeed is consciousness. Reverend Lord, for these reasons great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in feelings, and they should not abide [in the other aggregates], up to and including consciousness.

“In the same vein, they should not abide in fundamental ignorance, and they should not abide in the other links of dependent origination], up to and including aging and death. If one were to ask why, it is because the emptiness of [the links of dependent origination], up to and including aging and death, is not aging and death [and the aforementioned links]. Also, aging and death do not exist elsewhere apart from the emptiness of aging and death. The nature of aging and death is also emptiness and emptiness indeed is aging and death. Reverend Lord, for these reasons great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in [the links of dependent origination], up to and including aging and death.

“Moreover, Reverend Lord, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in the four applications of mindfulness. If one were to ask why, it is because the applications of mindfulness are empty of the applications of mindfulness, and emptiness does not exist elsewhere, apart from the applications of mindfulness. Nor do the applications of mindfulness exist elsewhere, apart from emptiness. This is because the nature of the applications of mindfulness is indeed emptiness and emptiness indeed is the applications of mindfulness. [F.114.b] In the same vein, they should not abide in [the other causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. If one were to ask why, it is because the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are empty of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and emptiness does not exist elsewhere, apart from the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Nor do the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas exist elsewhere, apart from emptiness. The nature of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas is indeed emptiness and emptiness indeed is the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Reverend Lord, for these reasons great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. [B11]

“Moreover, Reverend Lord, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in the transcendent perfection of generosity. Similarly, they should not abide in the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, the transcendent perfection of tolerance, the transcendent perfection of perseverance, the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, and the transcendent perfection of wisdom. If one were to ask why, it is because those transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, are empty of the transcendent perfection of wisdom [and the aforementioned transcendent perfections]. Emptiness does not exist elsewhere, apart from the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Nor does the transcendent perfection of wisdom exist elsewhere, apart from emptiness. The nature of the transcendent perfection of wisdom is indeed emptiness and emptiness indeed is the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Reverend Lord, for these reasons great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in [the transcendent perfections], from the transcendent perfection of generosity [F.115.a] up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Reverend Lord, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in syllables. They should not abide in the words that syllables form. They should not abide in singular expressions, dual expressions, or plural expressions.202 If one were to ask why, it is because syllables are empty of syllables; in the same vein, the refrain indicated in the preceding [part of] this chapter should also be applied here.

“Moreover, Reverend Lord, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in the extrasensory powers. If one were to ask why, it is because the extrasensory powers are empty of the extrasensory powers. The extrasensory powers are not emptiness, and emptiness is not the extrasensory powers. However, emptiness does not exist elsewhere, apart from the extrasensory powers. Nor do the extrasensory powers exist elsewhere, apart from emptiness. The nature of the extrasensory powers is indeed emptiness and the nature of emptiness indeed is the extrasensory powers. Reverend Lord, for these reasons great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in extrasensory powers.

“Moreover, Reverend Lord, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in the notion that physical forms are impermanent. Similarly, they should not abide in the notions that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are impermanent. If one were to ask why, it is because [F.115.b] the impermanence of physical forms is empty of the impermanence of physical forms. That which is the impermanence of physical forms is not emptiness, and that which is emptiness is not the impermanence of physical forms. However, emptiness does not exist elsewhere, apart from the impermanence of physical forms. Nor does the impermanence of physical forms exist elsewhere, apart from emptiness. The impermanence of physical forms is indeed emptiness and emptiness indeed is the impermanence of physical forms. Similarly, the same refrain also should be applied extensively in the case of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness. Reverend Lord, for these reasons great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in the impermanence of physical forms, and so on, up to and including the impermanence of consciousness.

“In the same vein, they should not abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are imbued with happiness, nor should they abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are imbued with suffering. They should not abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are empty, nor should they abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are signless, and nor should they abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are aspirationless. Nor should they abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are calm. Nor should they abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are void. Nor should they abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are afflicted. Nor should they abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are non-arising. Nor should they abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are unceasing. Nor should they abide in the notion that the aggregates, from physical forms up to and including consciousness, are not entities. [F.116.a] If one were to ask why, it is exactly as stated above, in the context of the aggregate of physical forms.

“Moreover, Reverend Lord, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in the real nature of phenomena. If one were to ask why, it is because the real nature of phenomena is empty of the real nature of phenomena. Emptiness does not exist elsewhere, apart from the real nature of phenomena. Nor does the real nature of phenomena exist elsewhere, apart from emptiness. The real nature of phenomena is indeed emptiness and emptiness indeed is the real nature of phenomena. Reverend Lord, for these reasons great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in the real nature of phenomena. In the same vein, they should not abide in actual reality, the expanse of reality, the maturity of all things, and the finality of existence. If one were to ask why, it is exactly as stated above.

“Moreover, Reverend Lord, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should not abide in all the dhāraṇī gateways or in all the gateways of meditative stability. If one were to ask why, it is because the dhāraṇī gateways and the gateways of meditative stability are empty of the gateways of mnemonic incantation and the gateways of meditative stability. The same refrain should be extensively applied here, as before.

“Reverend Lord, when unskilled bodhisattvas who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom engage with physical forms while their mental faculties resort to notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ and when they engage with feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness in a similar manner, they engage in the conditioning of physical forms, and similarly, they engage in the conditioning of feelings, [F.116.b] in the conditioning of perceptions, in the conditioning of formative predispositions, and in the conditioning of consciousness. Engaging in such conditioning, they cannot grasp the transcendent perfection of wisdom, and they do not engage in union with the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Without perfecting the transcendent perfection of wisdom, they will not attain emancipation in omniscience.203

“Reverend Lord, when bodhisattvas practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, if, owing to their lack of skill in means, they engage with physical forms while their mental faculties resort to notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ and if they engage with feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness in a similar manner, they will engage in the conditioning of physical forms, and similarly, they will engage in the conditioning of feelings, they will engage in the conditioning of perceptions, they will engage in the conditioning of formative predispositions, and they will engage in the conditioning of consciousness. Engaging in such conditioning, they cannot grasp the transcendent perfection of wisdom, and they cannot engage in union with the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Without perfecting the transcendent perfection of wisdom, they will not attain emancipation in omniscience.204

“Reverend Lord, when unskilled bodhisattvas practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom while their mental faculties resort to notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ and so on, and if they engage in the dhāraṇī gateways and the gateways of meditative stability, they will engage in the conditioning of the dhāraṇī gateways and the gateways of meditative stability. Engaging in such conditioning, they cannot grasp the transcendent perfection of wisdom, and they cannot engage in union with the transcendent perfection of wisdom. [F.117.a] Without perfecting the transcendent perfection of wisdom, they will not attain emancipation in omniscience. If one were to ask why, it is because physical forms cannot be appropriated, and similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness cannot be appropriated. The non-appropriation of physical forms is not physical form, on account of the emptiness of its inherent existence. Similarly, the non-appropriation of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness is not consciousness [and the other aggregates], on account of the emptiness of their inherent existence. In the same vein, the dhāraṇī gateways and the gateways of meditative stability cannot be appropriated. On account of the emptiness of their inherent existence, the non-appropriation of the dhāraṇī gateways or the gateways of meditative stability is not the dhāraṇī gateways or the gateways of meditative stability. The transcendent perfection of wisdom also cannot be appropriated, on account of the emptiness of its inherent existence.

“Great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom in that manner should determine that all things are empty of inherent existence. They should determine that there is no mental wandering whatsoever, with respect to anything. This is the spacious, immeasurable, and indefinable method of great bodhisattva beings, known as the maṇḍala of the meditative stability of non-appropriation, which is not shared in common with all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“Omniscience, also, cannot be appropriated, on account of the emptiness of internal phenomena, on account of the emptiness of external phenomena, and similarly, on account of the emptiness of both external and internal phenomena, and on account of the emptiness of emptiness, [F.117.b] the emptiness of great extent, the emptiness of ultimate reality, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the unlimited, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the emptiness of that which is not be to abandoned, the emptiness of inherent existence, the emptiness of all intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of all things, the emptiness of non-apprehension, the emptiness of non-entities, the emptiness of essential nature, and the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities. If one were to ask why, it is because this omniscience cannot be acquired by means of indications. If one were to ask why, it is because indications are afflictive.

“What, one might ask, constitute those indications? Indications include sights. Indications include sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles and mental phenomena. In the same vein, the dhāraṇī gateways are indications. [other meditative experiences], up to and including the gateways of meditative stability, are indications. These are called indications. They are also afflictive, and they should not be acquired. They should not be experienced. Otherwise, the wandering mendicant Śreṇika also would not have gained faith in this omniscient pristine cognition.205

“What you may ask, is faith? It implies conviction, ideation, volition, reliance, attention, appraisal and scrutiny‍—all without any kind of sign or indication. Therefore, indications should not be acquired. The wandering mendicant Śreṇika indeed became a follower [of the Great Vehicle] endowed with faith, owing to the power of his volition, and he subsequently entered into it by understanding the emptiness of inherent existence. He did not appropriate physical forms, nor did he appropriate feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness in the manner of indications. If one were to ask why, it is because the appropriation of all things, which are empty of their own defining characteristics, did not arise. Again, if one were to ask why, it is because [F.118.a] he did not consider that understanding to be due to the attainment of clear realization of internal phenomena. Nor did he consider that understanding to be due to the attainment of clear realization of external phenomena, or due to the attainment of clear realization of both external and internal phenomena. Nor, on account of the emptiness of internal phenomena, did he consider that understanding to be anything other than clear realization.

“If one were to ask why, it is because he did not consider anything which could engender that understanding, any understanding that could be engendered, or anything from which that understanding could be engendered. He did not consider that understanding to be inside physical forms, nor inside feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. He did not consider that understanding to be outside physical forms, nor [outside the other aggregates], up to and including consciousness. He did not consider that understanding to be anything other than physical forms. He did not consider it to be anything other than feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness. In this manner, the wandering mendicant Śreṇika resolved that, intent on this sacred doctrine, he would become a follower with faith in the understanding of all phenomena, and that, owing his non-apprehension of all things, he would appropriate nothing at all, since he had taken reality as his standard and was not attentive to indications. Inasmuch as all things cannot be appropriated, he did not apprehend anything that he might have grasped or anything that he might have relinquished. Since he did not make assumptions about anything, he did not make assumptions even on the basis of nirvāṇa.

“Reverend Lord! Owing to the non-appropriation of all things, [bodhisattvas] do not grasp physical forms, and similarly, they do not grasp feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, [F.118.b] and consciousness. In the same vein, owing to the non-appropriation of all things, they do not grasp all the gateways of dhāraṇī and [other meditative attributes], up to and including the gateways of meditative stability. Owing to the non-existence of transmigration from one world to another at the time of death, they do not make assumptions even on account of this transcendent perfection of wisdom. Without having perfected [the causal attributes], from the four applications of mindfulness up to the noble eightfold path, and [the fruitional attributes], from the ten powers of the tathāgatas up to the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, they will not pass into final nirvāṇa prematurely. If one were to ask why, it is because they consider that those applications of mindfulness are not applications of mindfulness, and in the same vein because they consider that [all the other causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, are not the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and the rest]. This is the transcendent perfection of wisdom characterized by the non-appropriation of physical forms, possessed by great bodhisattva beings, and similarly the non-appropriation of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness, and so on, up to the non-appropriation of the dhāraṇī gateways and the gateways of meditative stability, and so on, from the non-appropriation of the applications of mindfulness up to the noble eightfold path, and, in the same vein, from the ten powers of the tathāgatas up to the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.

“Moreover, Reverend Lord, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should investigate: ‘What is this transcendent perfection of wisdom, whereby is this transcendent perfection of wisdom, whose is this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and for what purpose is this transcendent perfection of wisdom?’ [F.119.a] When great bodhisattva beings practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, they should determine that the non-existence and non-apprehension of anything at all denote the transcendent perfection of wisdom.”

Then, the venerable Śāradvatī­putra addressed the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Venerable Su­bhūti, what are the things that do not exist and that are non-apprehensible?”

He replied, “Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, it is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena, owing to the emptiness of external phenomena, owing to the emptiness of both external and internal phenomena, owing to the emptiness of emptiness, owing to the emptiness of great extent, owing to the emptiness of ultimate reality, owing to the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, owing to the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, owing to the emptiness of the unlimited, owing to the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, owing to the emptiness of that which is not be to abandoned, owing to the emptiness of inherent existence, owing to the emptiness of all intrinsic defining characteristics, owing to the emptiness of all things, owing to the emptiness of non-apprehension, owing to the emptiness of non-entities, owing to the emptiness of essential nature, and owing to the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, that the things associated with the transcendent perfection of wisdom are non-existent, and non-apprehensible. In the same vein, the things associated with the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, the things associated with the transcendent perfection of perseverance, and similarly, Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the things associated with the transcendent perfection of tolerance, the things associated with the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, and the things associated with the transcendent perfection of generosity are non-existent and non-apprehensible.

“Moreover, Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, it is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena, and similarly, owing to the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, that physical forms are non-existent and non-apprehensible. Similarly, Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are also non-existent and non-apprehensible. Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, even the emptiness of internal phenomena is non-existent and non-apprehensible, [F.119.b] and in the same vein, Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, are non-existent and non-apprehensible. Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the applications of mindfulness are non-existent and non-apprehensible. In the same vein, [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path, and [the fruitional attributes], from the ten powers of the tathāgatas up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, are non-existent and non-apprehensible. Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the six extrasensory powers are non-existent and non-apprehensible. The real nature is non-existent and non-apprehensible. Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the reality of phenomena, the abiding nature of phenomena, the maturity of all things and [other unconditioned phenomena], up to and including the finality of existence, are non-existent and non-apprehensible. Entering the stream is non-existent and non-apprehensible, and the same goes for [the other fruits], up to and including arhatship, which are non-existent and non-apprehensible. The pratyekabuddhas are non-existent and non-apprehensible. The bodhisattvas are non-existent and non-apprehensible. Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the buddhas are non-existent and non-apprehensible. Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, even omniscience is non-existent and non-apprehensible.

“Śāradvatī­putra, when great bodhisattva beings practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, they should investigate and make their determination accordingly. When they investigate and make their determination in that manner, if they are not disheartened, if they are not intimidated, if they are not afraid, if they are not terrified, and if they will not be terrified, one should know that these great bodhisattva beings will never be separated from the transcendent perfection of wisdom.”

Then, the venerable Śāradvatī­putra addressed the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Venerable Su­bhūti, why should one know that these great bodhisattva beings will never be separated from the transcendent perfection of wisdom?”

The venerable Su­bhūti then replied to the venerable Śāradvatī­putra as follows: “Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, physical forms are without the nature of physical forms, [F.120.a] and this is correctly and definitively cognized when great bodhisattva beings practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Similarly, Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are without the nature of consciousness [and the other aggregates], and this is correctly and definitively cognized when great bodhisattva beings practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Similarly, Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the transcendent perfection of generosity, the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, the transcendent perfection of tolerance, the transcendent perfection of perseverance, the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, and the transcendent perfection of wisdom are without the nature of the transcendent perfection of wisdom [and the other transcendent perfections], and this is correctly and definitively cognized by great bodhisattva beings. In the same vein, [the fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and [the unconditioned phenomena], up to and including the finality of existence, are without the nature of the finality of existence [and the aforementioned], and this is correctly and definitively cognized when great bodhisattva beings practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, it is for this reason that one should know great bodhisattva beings to be never separated from the transcendent perfection of wisdom.”

Then, the venerable Śāradvatī­putra addressed the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Venerable Su­bhūti, what is the nature of physical forms? What is the nature of feelings, perceptions, and formative predispositions? What is the nature of consciousness? In the same vein, Venerable Su­bhūti, what is the nature of the finality of existence, and so forth?”

The venerable Su­bhūti then replied to the venerable Śāradvatī­putra as follows: “Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the nature of physical forms is non-entity. Similarly, the nature of feelings, perceptions, [F.120.b] formative predispositions, and consciousness is non-entity. In the same vein, the nature of [all attributes and unconditioned phenomena], up to and including the finality of existence, is non-entity. Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, it is for this reason that one should know that physical forms are without the nature of physical forms, and in the same vein, that [unconditioned phenomena], up to and including the finality of existence, are without the defining characteristics of the finality of existence [and so forth]. One should know that even defining characteristics are without their nature, and their nature is without defining characteristics.”

Then, the venerable Śāradvatī­putra asked the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Venerable Su­bhūti, will great bodhisattva beings who undertake this training attain emancipation in omniscience?”

“Yes, Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, it is as you have said! Great bodhisattva beings who undertake this training will attain emancipation in omniscience. If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, it is because all things are unborn [in cyclic existence] and unemancipated [in nirvāṇa].”

“Venerable Su­bhūti, why are all things unborn and unemancipated?”

“Venerable Śāradvatī­putra, physical forms are empty of the nature of physical forms, and in that regard, there is no birth; nor is the emancipation of nirvāṇa apprehensible. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are empty of the nature of consciousness [and the other aggregates], and in that regard, there is no birth; nor is the emancipation of nirvāṇa apprehensible. In the same vein, [all attributes and unconditioned phenomena], up to and including the finality of existence, are empty of the nature of the finality of existence [and so forth], and in that regard, there is no birth; nor is the emancipation of nirvāṇa apprehensible.”