The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom in Ten Thousand Lines
The Conclusion

Then the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! Are there not some among the classes of sentient beings who do not develop faith in this exegesis of the profound transcendent perfection of wisdom, who are not motivated by joy, confidence, and higher aspiration, who do not make offerings to the assembly with body and mind, who even depart from this assembly, and, in addition, who have abandoned it and are abandoning it?”449

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, among the classes of sentient beings, there are indeed some who do not develop faith in this exegesis of the profound transcendent perfection of wisdom, who are not motivated by joy, confidence, and higher aspiration, who do not make offerings to the assembly with body and mind, and who even walk away from this assembly. If you ask why, it is because they walked away in the past when this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom was explained, [F.378.b] and they also walk away at the present when this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom is being explained.

“They do not make offerings to the assembly with body and mind, and they accrue deeds that obscure wisdom. Those who have engaged in and accrued deeds that obscure wisdom abandon this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom. By obstructing this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom, they obstruct the omniscience of the lord buddhas of the past, future, and present. Those who have engaged in and accrued deeds that abandon omniscience, accrue deeds that are destitute of the sacred doctrine. Those who have engaged in and accrued deeds that are destitute of the sacred doctrine will roast450 among the denizens of the hells for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years, and for many hundreds of billion trillion years.

“Then they will proceed to the great hells, where they will be incinerated by an inferno; having been incinerated, they will become sentient denizens of the great hells in other world systems. They will be reborn therein, and they will burn therein for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years, and for many hundreds of billion trillion years. Then, from those great hells, they will again proceed to the great hells. Even after departing thence, they will once again be incinerated by an inferno, and having been incinerated, they will again become sentient denizens of the great hells in other world systems. Reborn therein, they will burn for many hundreds of billion trillion years. From the great hells, they will once again proceed to the great hells. [F.379.a] Moving from the great hells to the great hells, they will again be incinerated by an inferno, and after being incinerated, they will be cast by the wind of past actions into the eastern direction, and then cast [in the other directions], up to and including the intermediate directions. Then when they are reborn, they will again proceed from great hells to great hells. Again they will be incinerated by an inferno, and having been incinerated, they will pass away. Those who have engaged in and accrued deeds that are destitute of the sacred doctrine will once again be reborn and again they will proceed from great hells to great hells. Again they will experience the sufferings of the denizens of the hells in the great hells for many hundreds of billion trillion years.

“For as long as they are incinerated by an inferno, they will experience the sufferings of the denizens of the hells. Then, after being incinerated, they will pass away and be reborn in this world system. Here, they will be reborn in the world systems of all the ten directions, equal in fortune to those who are born within the animal realms. Just as they will be equal in fortune to those who are born within the animal realms, so they will be reborn within the world systems of the ten directions. Having been born therein, they will again experience the sufferings of those who frequent the world of Yama, the Lord of Death, for many hundreds of billion trillion years. Then, when the sufferings of those who frequent the world of Yama, the Lord of Death, have come to an end, they will be reborn equal in fortune to human beings, but among blind householders, or among outcaste householders, or among householders who are refuse scavengers.

“Being reborn in those states, they will become blind, lame, decrepit, or without a tongue, without arms, without legs, without ears, with leprosy [F.379.b] or morbid pallor, or else without all their limbs intact. They will always be reborn in worlds where the word ‘Buddha’ is unheard, where the word ‘Dharma’ is unheard, and where the word ‘Saṅgha’ is unheard. If you ask why, it is because they will have engaged in and accrued deeds that are destitute of the sacred doctrine, and the consequences of having adopted [such actions] will have been fully satisfied.”

Then the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! The inexpiable crimes are five in number. This engaging in and accruing of deeds that are destitute of the sacred doctrine would be the sixth!”451

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, those individuals are not said to be superior but utterly debased. When this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom is explained and demonstrated, they think they should oppose this transcendent perfection of wisdom, saying ‘This is not the Vinaya! This is not the teaching of the Teacher! This has not been spoken by the Tathā­gata! We and you should not undertake training in it!’ They themselves abandon it, and they also separate many sentient beings from it. They injure their own minds, and they also intend to injure the minds of others. Having poisoned their own minds, they also intend to poison the minds of others. They themselves have degenerated from the pathways to the higher realms and to liberation [from cyclic existence], and they intend to induce others also to degenerate from the pathways to the higher realms and to liberation [from cyclic existence]. They themselves neither understand nor comprehend this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom. They intend to abandon it, and they also induce others to do so.452

“Ānanda, I do not rejoice when [F.380.a] this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom is proclaimed to such individuals, and I am displeased when I hear them, let alone see them, let alone consort with them! If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because such individuals defame the sacred doctrine. They are like rotten trees and they side with evil. Ānanda, such individuals who intend [others] to listen to them will be destitute owing to their unethical behavior. Ānanda, any individuals who would defame the transcendent perfection of wisdom should comprehend the final outcome. Those who have committed the fault of defaming the sacred doctrine will become denizens of the hells, animals, or individuals frequenting the world of Yama, the Lord of Death.”

“Reverend Lord! The Blessed One has not spoken of the physical states of those individuals who will be reborn in the inferior realms, having defamed the sacred doctrine.”

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, leave aside this description of the physical states of those individuals who will be reborn in the inferior realms, having defamed the sacred doctrine! If you ask why, if one were to hear the description of the physical states of those individuals who have defamed the sacred doctrine, one would vomit blood from the mouth and die, or experience the sufferings of near death. Would that one might not, having heard this, be pained with sorrow, or become shriveled and withered! Such will be the physical states endured by those individuals who have defamed the sacred doctrine! The Blessed One has spared Venerable Ānanda this scenario.”

Then the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! How are the bodies of those who will be reborn in the inferior realms, having defamed the sacred doctrine and what sort of bodies will they assume?”

The Blessed One [F.380.b] replied, “Ānanda, those individuals who have engaged in and accrued deeds that are destitute of the sacred doctrine will experience the sufferings of the denizens of the hells over a long period of time, and similarly, they will experience the sufferings of the animals over a long period of time, and likewise they will experience the sufferings of the worlds of Yama, Lord of Death, over a long period of time. Such should be made apparent to the sentient beings of posterity.”

“Reverend Lord! It is as you have said! Reverend Lord! The sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who are of positive disposition are the supporters of the sacred doctrines of the buddhas. With the words ‘Would that I might not experience such sufferings over a long period of time in the inferior realms!’ they do not abandon the sacred doctrine even for the sake of their own lives.”453

Thereupon, the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! When sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who are skillful in disposition, restrained in their physical actions, and similarly restrained in their verbal and mental actions hear this teaching concerning individuals who abandon the sacred doctrine and defame the sacred doctrine, they might appropriately say, ‘Would that I might not experience such sufferings! I would not even behold the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas. I would not even hear the sacred doctrine. I would not even see the saṅgha of the Tathā­gata. I would not even venerate these [precious jewels]. I would not even be born in the buddhafields where buddhas emerge. Instead, I would become an impoverished person, or belong to an inferior household, such as the households of outcastes or the households of refuse scavengers, or else I would be blind, lame, or [succumb to other infirmities], up to and including deformity of the limbs!’ Reverend Lord! How do those who have obsessively carried out and accrued unendurable deeds of speech carry out and accrue deeds that are destitute of the sacred doctrine?” [F.381.a]

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, if you ask how those who have obsessively carried out and accrued unendurable deeds of speech carry out and accrue deeds that are destitute of the sacred doctrine, Ānanda, there are deluded persons who have received the renunciate ordination according to this Vinaya, which has been eloquently expressed, and who then intend to defame this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom within the assembly. Intending to oppose it, they defame the transcendent perfection of wisdom. By opposing it, they defame and oppose the enlightenment of the lord buddhas. By defaming the enlightenment of the buddhas, they defame omniscience, which the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas of the past, the future, and the present all have. By opposing omniscience, they oppose the sacred doctrine. By opposing the sacred doctrine, they oppose the saṅgha. By opposing the saṅgha, they oppose the genuine view concerning the world. By opposing the genuine view concerning the world, they oppose the four applications of mindfulness, and similarly, they oppose [all the other causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including omniscience. By opposing omniscience [and so forth], they acquire an innumerable, countless, and immeasurable number of demerits. By acquiring an innumerable, countless, and immeasurable number of demerits, they experience innumerable, countless, and immeasurable sufferings and discomforts among the denizens of the hells, among animals, and among anguished spirits.” [F.381.b]

Then the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! In what ways do those deluded persons who abandon this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom actually abandon it?”454

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, those deluded persons abandon this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom in four ways.”

“What are the four ways?”

The Blessed One replied, “They are as follows: (1) having no faith in the sacred doctrine, and lacking conviction and volition with regard to this profound doctrine, through the machinations of Māra; (2) falling into the clutches of evil associates; (3) being fixated upon and lacking perseverance with respect to the five psycho-physical aggregates; and (4) esteeming oneself and deprecating others. Ānanda, deluded persons who possess these four abandon this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom.”

Then the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! So, they would regress and become degenerate if they were to engage in such deeds destitute of the sacred doctrine. This is why bodhisattvas should restrain their verbal actions!”455

“Ānanda, it is so! It is as you have said.”

Thereupon the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! What is the extent of the stock of merit of those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who hear this teaching on the transcendent perfection of wisdom, and having heard it, then have faith in it, and retain, hold, recite aloud, master, and are attentive to it in the correct manner, and who commit it to writing and have it committed to writing?”456 [F.382.a]

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, when, on the one hand, there are some sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who retain, hold, recite aloud, master, and are attentive in the correct manner to this transcendent perfection of wisdom, committing it to writing and having it committed to writing, and, on the other hand, when there are tathāgatas who maintain the three miracles and teach the doctrine to sentient beings so that they retain, hold, recite aloud, master, and are attentive in the correct manner to the sūtras, the sayings in prose and verse, the prophetic declarations, the verses, the aphorisms, the contexts, the quotations, the tales of past lives, the narratives, the marvelous events, and the established instructions, the merits that the latter will amass will not approach even a hundredth part of the aforementioned merit accrued by those who retain this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and are attentive to it in the correct manner, and so forth. Indeed, this latter merit cannot be expressed as even a thousandth part, a hundred thousandth part, a billionth part, a ten billionth part, a hundred billionth part, or indeed as any other number, fraction, quantity, or material part.457

“Moreover, Ānanda, when, on the one hand, the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas of the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, and similarly, the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas of the world systems of the southern direction, the western direction, the northern direction, and similarly of the four intermediate directions, the nadir, and the zenith, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, maintain the three miracles and teach the doctrine, that is to say, the sūtras, the sayings in prose and verse, the prophetic declarations, [F.382.b] the verses, the aphorisms, the contexts, the quotations, the tales of past lives, the narratives, the marvelous events, and the established instructions to sentient beings, and when, on the other hand, there are also some sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who receive, retain, master, and recite this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and also teach its doctrine to others, the latter will be equal in their stock of merit to the lord buddhas. If you ask why, it is because even the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas of the world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, originate from this [transcendent perfection of wisdom]. Even the three miracles of the tathāgatas originate from this [transcendent perfection of wisdom]. Even the [branches of the scriptures], from the sūtras, the sayings in prose and verse, and prophetic declarations, up to and including the narratives and the established instructions, all originate from this [transcendent perfection of wisdom].

“Moreover, Ānanda, the stock of merit of those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who commit this transcendent perfection of wisdom to writing, or have it committed to writing, and then honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to this scripture with flowers, ribbons, and so forth, as well as with diverse musical sounds, is equal to that of those who honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings with flowers, ribbons, and so forth, as well as with diverse musical sounds, to the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas of the world systems of the ten directions and four times, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges. [F.383.a] If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because even the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas of the world systems of the ten directions and four times, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, have attained emancipation through this [transcendent perfection of wisdom].

“Moreover, Ānanda, the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who receive, retain, master, and recite this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom, and who are attentive to it in the correct manner and teach it extensively to others, should know that they will not become denizens of the hells, and they should know that they will not proceed into the animal realms or into the world of Yama. They should know that they are without fear of regressing to the level of the pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage should know that they abide on the irreversible level. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because this transcendent perfection of wisdom dispels all negativity and eradicates all ailments.

“Moreover, Ānanda, the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who commit this transcendent perfection of wisdom to writing, and then retain, hold, master, and recite this very transcendent perfection of wisdom, and are attentive to it in the correct manner, honoring, venerating, respecting, and making offerings to it with flowers, garlands, perfume, unguents, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and diverse musical sounds, should know that they will have nothing at all to fear. [F.383.b] If you ask why, it is because even the tathāgatas have attained emancipation through it, and even 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, which the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas possess, all originate from this [transcendent perfection of wisdom]. Indeed, Ānanda, even the other five transcendent perfections, which have received the name ‘transcendent perfection,’ originate from this [transcendent perfection of wisdom], and even the omniscience that the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas have attains its emancipation through this [transcendent perfection of wisdom].

“Ānanda, in this world, in a town, city, market, province, or palace circle, wherever anyone retains, holds, masters, and recites this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and is attentive to it in the correct manner, and commits it to writing, or has it committed to writing and then honors, venerates, and respects it, no human or non-human beings who seek to intrude [and cause harm] would have a chance. All sentient beings, too, would sequentially attain final nirvāṇa by means of any vehicle whatsoever among the three vehicles. Therefore, Ānanda, this transcendent perfection of wisdom is most important because through it the sentient beings of the world systems of the great trichiliocosm become established in accordance with the deeds of the buddhas. Ānanda, you should know that the attainment of buddhahood occurs in whichever world system the transcendent perfection of wisdom prevails.

“Ānanda, it resembles, for example, a priceless gemstone which is endowed with the following attributes: [F.384.a] No matter where this precious gemstone is placed, no human being seeking to intrude [and cause harm] would have a chance. When this precious gemstone is set in a place where men or women are possessed by non-human spirits, the non-human spirits would themselves swiftly depart because they would be unable to stand the brilliance of this precious gemstone. Similarly, when this precious gemstone is attached to the body of an invalid suffering from bile disorders, the bile disorders will be alleviated. Similarly, when this precious gemstone is attached to the body of a man or woman who is afflicted by wind disorders, or a man or woman afflicted by phlegm disorders or combined humoral disorders, immediately on touching it the ailments would be alleviated by the brilliance of this precious gemstone. Furthermore, this precious gemstone would illuminate the night. In the hot season, any location in which this precious gemstone is placed would become cool, and in the cold season any location in which this precious gemstone is placed would become warm. In any location where there are poisonous snakes or scorpions, and some man or woman were bitten by a poisonous snake [or scorpion], on being shown this precious gemstone, immediately after seeing it their poison would vanish. Ānanda, this precious gemstone would be endowed with such attributes.

“Furthermore, Ānanda, if this precious gemstone were attached to the body of a man or woman afflicted by pustules or blisters, or afflicted with an eye disease, or an ear, nose, tongue or throat disease, immediately on seeing it all their ailments would be alleviated. If this precious gemstone were immersed in a pool of water, all the water would come to possess the eight qualities [of pure water]. If it were wrapped in blue, yellow, red, white, purple, crystal, reddish yellow, or pale yellow cloth and then immersed in water, all the water would become identical in color‍—blue and so forth, up to pale yellow. [F.384.b] Ānanda, if this precious gemstone were immersed in turbid water, the water would become clear. Accordingly, Ānanda, this transcendent perfection of wisdom, like a precious gemstone, is the source of all positive attributes and it alleviates all negativity.” [B34]

Then, the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! Does this precious gemstone exist among the gods, or does it exist among humans?”458

The Blessed One replied to the venerable Ānanda as follows: “Ānanda, this precious gemstone indeed exists among the gods. This precious gemstone indeed exists among the human beings of Jambu­dvīpa. However, the precious gemstone that exists among the human beings of Jambu­dvīpa has few attributes, whereas the precious gemstone that exists among the god realms has immeasurable attributes. Even the basket in which the precious gemstone of the god realms is kept is endowed with its positive attributes. There are some who will acquire those same attributes even on touching this basket.

“Ānanda, this transcendent perfection of wisdom resembles the precious gemstone of the god realms. Those who commit this transcendent perfection of wisdom to writing should know that the locale in which [this scripture] is placed will experience no harm whatsoever. They should also observe that the attributes of the definitive transcendent perfection of wisdom, the gnosis of omniscience, and those of [the other transcendent perfections], from the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration down to and including the transcendent perfection of generosity, resemble the attributes of that precious gemstone. [The aspects of emptiness], from the emptiness of internal phenomena up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, also resemble this [precious gemstone]. [F.385.a] [The causal and fruitional attributes], from the four applications of mindfulness up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and all the attributes of reality, the abiding nature, the real nature, the finality of existence, and the inconceivable expanse, also resemble this [precious gemstone].

“It is for this reason that the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas are described as ‘omniscient masters of all phenomena.’ They are worthy of honor, veneration, respect, and offering in the worlds of gods, humans, and antigods. If you ask why, it is because they are the repositories of the six transcendent perfections. In the same vein as before, the tathāgatas accept the offerings because they are the repositories [of the causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and of the gnosis of omniscience, great compassion, and great loving kindness. Similarly, they accept the offerings because they are the repositories of the transcendent perfections, in whom afflicted mental states and all involuntary reincarnation through propensities have been abandoned, and who likewise are without affliction or purification, without arising or ceasing, without acceptance or rejection, and without standing, sitting, going, coming, or abiding.

“Moreover, Ānanda, when, on the one hand, there are some sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who, for an eon, [F.385.b] a period exceeding an eon, a hundred eons, a thousand eons, a hundred thousand eons, many hundreds of eons, many thousands of eons, many hundred thousands of eons, or many hundreds of billion trillion eons, honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings with flowers, garlands, perfume, unguents, powders, religious robes, clothing, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and diverse musical sounds to the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas of the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, and similarly to the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas of the world systems of the southern, western, and northern directions, along with the nadir, the zenith, and likewise the four intermediate directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, and, on the other hand, there are some other sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who retain, hold, recite, and master this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and are attentive to it in the correct manner, committing it to writing, and having it committed to writing, and who then honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to this volume of the scripture with flowers, garlands, perfume, unguents, powders, religious robes, clothing, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and diverse musical sounds‍—among these stocks of merit, the stock of merit acquired through this transcendent perfection of wisdom is ‘supreme,’ ‘foremost,’ ‘superior,’ and ‘unsurpassed,’ in contrast to the aforementioned stock of merit acquired through [making offerings to] the tathāgatas. If you ask why, Ānanda, the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage whose stock of merit is acquired through [making offerings] to the tathāgatas, but lack the transcendent perfection of wisdom, are reborn among the gods and among human beings. They roam within cyclic existence and they do not perfect the transcendent perfection of wisdom. If they do not perfect the transcendent perfection of wisdom, [F.386.a] they will not perfect the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and in the same vein, they will not perfect [the other fruitional attributes and attainments], up to and including omniscience.

“Ānanda, those who retain, hold, and so forth, this transcendent perfection of wisdom and are attentive to it in the correct manner will perfect the definitive transcendent perfection of wisdom. Similarly, they will perfect [the other transcendent perfections], from the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration up to and including the transcendent perfection of generosity. Similarly, they will perfect the four applications of mindfulness, and they will perfect [the other causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Having transcended the levels of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, they will enter into the maturity of the bodhisattvas, and also attain the extrasensory powers of the bodhisattvas. Through these extrasensory powers of the bodhisattvas they will travel from buddhafield to buddhafield, and acquire a corporeal form through which they will refine the buddhafields and bring sentient beings to maturity. Alternatively, they will bring sentient beings to maturity assuming the kingly guise of a universal monarch, or by becoming the king of a nation, or by becoming a member of the royal class, tall as a great sāl tree, or by becoming a member of the priestly class, tall as a great sāl tree, or else by assuming the form of Śakra, by assuming the form of Brahmā, or by assuming the form of Vaiśravaṇa. Therefore, Ānanda, if they honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to this same transcendent perfection of wisdom, they will accumulate the causes of all fruitional attributes. They will acquire all excellences. [F.386.b] They will honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to the tathāgatas.

“Moreover, Ānanda, those wishing to behold, in the buddha body of form and the buddha body of reality, the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas who reside in the innumerable world systems of the ten directions, and who are alive at present, even now teaching the sacred doctrine, should retain, hold, and master this very transcendent perfection of wisdom, and extensively reveal it to others. Having been attentive to it in the correct manner, they will consequently behold the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas who reside in all the innumerable world systems of the ten directions.

“Moreover, Ānanda, the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who wish actually to behold the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas should retain, hold, recite, and master this very transcendent perfection of wisdom and be attentive to it in the correct manner. Ānanda, those in the past who became tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas also attained manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, dependent on this transcendent perfection of wisdom. Those who became the śrāvakas of those tathāgatas also attained the fruit of entering the stream dependent on this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and it was in the same way that they also attained [the other fruits], up to and including arhatship. Those tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas who will emerge in the future, and their śrāvakas who will also enter the stream and attain [the other fruits], up to and including arhatship, [F.387.a] will all do so dependent on this very transcendent perfection of wisdom.

“Those tathāgatas, arhats, and genuinely perfect buddhas who reside in the innumerable world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, and who are alive at present, even now teaching the sacred doctrine, all attained manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment dependent on this transcendent perfection of wisdom. Those śrāvakas [of the present] will also attain [the fruits], up to and including arhatship, and all those pratyekabuddhas of the present who abide in the innumerable, countless world systems of the ten directions will also attain individual enlightenment, manifestly perfect buddhahood, dependent on this same transcendent perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, it is because the three vehicles are extensively revealed in this transcendent perfection of wisdom.

“These [attainments] are all revealed in the manner of signlessness, and similarly they are revealed in the manner of non-arising and non-cessation, in the manner of non-affliction and non-purification, in the manner of non-conditioning, in the manner of non-acceptance and non-rejection, and in the manner of non-standing, non-sitting, non-grasping, and non-abandoning. Although they may be revealed according to the conventional ways of the world, in ultimate reality they are not like that. If you ask why, it is because this transcendent perfection of wisdom is neither immanent nor transcendent, it is neither plain nor contoured, it is neither flat nor uneven, it is neither with signs nor is it signless, it is neither mundane nor supramundane, it is neither conditioned nor is it unconditioned, it is neither virtuous nor non-virtuous, it is neither specified nor non-specified, and it is neither past, nor future, [F.387.b] nor present.”

Then the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! Do great bodhisattva beings exclusively practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, or do they also practice the other transcendent perfections?”

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, great bodhisattva beings practice all six transcendent perfections but they train without apprehending anything. They practice the transcendent perfection of generosity but they do not apprehend this transcendent perfection of generosity. They do not apprehend the dispenser of generosity and they do not apprehend the recipient of generosity. They practice the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline but they do not apprehend this transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, and in the same vein they practice the other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, but they do not apprehend this transcendent perfection of wisdom [and the rest].

“They do not apprehend those who possess wisdom and they do not apprehend those whose wisdom is confused. However, this transcendent perfection of wisdom has primacy over all [the other] transcendent perfections. It is thus that great bodhisattva beings who dispense generosity perfect the transcendent perfection of generosity. Similarly, this same transcendent perfection of wisdom has primacy for those great bodhisattva beings who keep [the vows of] ethical discipline. It is thus that they perfect the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline. This same transcendent perfection of wisdom has primacy for those great bodhisattva beings who practice tolerance. It is thus that they perfect the transcendent perfection of tolerance. The same transcendent perfection of wisdom has primacy for those great bodhisattva beings who undertake perseverance. [F.388.a] It is thus that they perfect the transcendent perfection of perseverance. The same transcendent perfection of wisdom has primacy for those great bodhisattva beings who become absorbed in the meditative concentrations. It is thus that they perfect the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration. The same transcendent perfection of wisdom has primacy for those great bodhisattva beings who inspect phenomena. It is thus that they perfect the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Yet they do so without apprehending physical forms, and in the same vein, they do so without apprehending [any other phenomena, attributes. or attainments], up to and including omniscience.

“Ānanda, just as the shade of the trees of Jambu­dvīpa, with their different foliage, different flowers, and different fruits, is reckoned to be shade, and apart from that, no other details or distinctions are apprehensible, in the same way, Ānanda, the five [other transcendent] perfections which are acquired through the transcendent perfection of wisdom are dedicated to [the attainment of] omniscience, and also no [other] details or distinctions are apprehensible.”

Then the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! This transcendent perfection of wisdom is endowed with great enlightened attributes in order that infinite enlightened attributes might be possessed. Reverend Lord! This transcendent perfection of wisdom perfects all enlightened attributes and is endowed with innumerable enlightened attributes in order that infinite enlightened attributes might be possessed.”459

The Blessed One replied to the venerable Ānanda as follows: “Ānanda, it is so! It is just as you have said.”[F.388.b]

Then the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! If, on the one hand, there are some sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who commit this transcendent perfection of wisdom to writing, or have it committed to writing, and then make it into a volume of scripture, hold it, recite it, or similarly honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to it with flowers, garlands, perfume, unguents, incense, butter lamps, powders, religious robes, clothing, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and diverse musical sounds, and in addition they are also attentive to this transcendent perfection of wisdom in the correct manner, and if, on the other hand, there are other sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who commit this transcendent perfection of wisdom to writing, or have it committed to writing, and, having made it into a volume of scripture, then bestow it upon others, which of these two would have the greater merit?”

The Blessed One replied to the venerable Ānanda as follows: “Ānanda, I will ask you a question and you should answer as best you can! Ānanda, in your opinion, which of these two has the greater merit‍—those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who continuously honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to the relics of the tathāgatas with flowers, and so forth, up to and including ribbons and diverse musical sounds, or those other sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who share a mustard seed-size relic of the tathāgatas with others, so that they too receive a mustard seed-size relic of the tathāgatas, and then honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to that [relic] with flowers, and so forth, up to and including ribbons and diverse musical sounds?” [F.389.a]

The venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! As I understand the meaning of the words spoken by the Lord, those who bestow a mustard seed-size relic of the tathāgatas on others will have much greater merit, considering that the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas become absorbed in the adamantine meditative stability and demonstrate the dissolution of the adamantine body. If one were to ask why, Reverend Lord, it is because the roots of virtue of any who make offerings to a mustard seed-size relic of the tathāgatas who have passed into final nirvāṇa will not come to an end‍—rather, all their sufferings will come to an end.”

The Blessed One replied to the venerable Ānanda as follows: “Ānanda, it is so! It is just as you have said. Ānanda, the merit of those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who commit this transcendent perfection of wisdom to writing, or have it committed to writing, and then bestow it upon others out of joy in the sacred doctrine, is much greater than that of those who commit this transcendent perfection of wisdom to writing, or have it committed to writing, and, having made it into a volume of scripture, then honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to it with flowers, and so forth, up to and including ribbons and diverse musical sounds.

“Moreover, Ānanda, the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage [F.389.b] who resolutely wish to attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment should honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to this same transcendent perfection of wisdom which has just been taught, and they should retain, hold, recite, and master it, and be attentive to it in the correct manner. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because great bodhisattva beings also will attain emancipation through the transcendent perfection of wisdom, and even the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas have attained emancipation through it. So it is, Ānanda, that the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, or the vehicle of the śrāvakas should honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to this very transcendent perfection of wisdom with flowers, and so forth, up to and including ribbons and diverse musical sounds.”

Then the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! When any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas teach, explain, analyze, elucidate, and genuinely demonstrate this transcendent perfection of wisdom, saying, ‘Come! Child of enlightened heritage, you should earnestly apply this transcendent perfection of wisdom, as it has been taught,’ in that case, Reverend Lord, how much merit would those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage accrue on that basis?”460

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage would accrue much merit on that basis. Ānanda, do you think that if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to establish the sentient beings of Jambu­dvīpa in the fruit of entering the stream, [F.390.a] in your opinion, Ānanda, would those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage accrue much merit on that basis?”461

“Yes, they would, Reverend Lord!”

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to describe, teach, elucidate, analyze, and genuinely demonstrate these noble meanings and noble words of the transcendent perfection of wisdom to others, saying, ‘Come! Child of enlightened heritage, you should retain, hold, master, recite, and be attentive to it in the correct manner! You should earnestly apply this transcendent perfection of wisdom, as it has been taught!’ they would have much greater merit than those [who establish sentient beings in entering the stream]. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because those who enter the stream are distinguished through this transcendent perfection of wisdom.462

“Ānanda, if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to establish as many sentient beings as there are in all the world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, in the fruit of entering the stream‍—not to mention the sentient beings of Jambu­dvīpa, and similarly, not to mention the sentient beings of the four continents, not to mention the sentient beings of the world systems of a chiliocosm, not to mention the sentient beings of the world systems of a dichiliocosm, and, Ānanda, not to mention the sentient beings of the world systems of a great trichiliocosm‍—in that case, Ānanda, do you think that those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage would accrue much merit on that basis?”

“Yes, they would, Reverend Su­gata!”[F.390.b]

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, if there are any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who describe, teach, elucidate, analyze, and genuinely demonstrate these noble meanings and noble words of the transcendent perfection of wisdom to others, the merit of those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage would be much greater than the merit of the aforementioned sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage [who establish sentient beings in entering the stream]. They should be expected to become a revealer [of the sacred doctrine], or some other revealer, one who is worthy of veneration, or one who is renunciate in conduct. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because the genuinely perfect buddhas of the past indeed attained omniscience having trained in this transcendent perfection of wisdom. The tathāgatas who will emerge in the future, also, will attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment dependent on this transcendent perfection of wisdom. The tathāgatas, arhats, and genuinely perfect buddhas who reside in the world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, and who are alive at present, even now teaching the sacred doctrine, have all attained manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment having trained in this same transcendent perfection of wisdom.

“All the other learned renunciants, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas who have appeared also did so through having trained in this same transcendent perfection of wisdom. Moreover, all great bodhisattva beings of the present who transcend the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and enter into the maturity of the irreversible bodhisattvas, do so through having trained in this same transcendent perfection of wisdom. Also, those who follow the vehicle of the śrāvakas [F.391.a] have attained and will attain arhatship through having trained in this same transcendent perfection of wisdom. Similarly, those who follow the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas have attained and will attain individual enlightenment through having trained in this same transcendent perfection of wisdom, while those who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas will also enter upon the maturity of the bodhisattvas through it.

“Ānanda, so it is that the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who wish to honor, wish to venerate, wish to respect, and wish to make offerings in the presence of the tathāgatas with diverse flowers, and so forth, up to and including ribbons and diverse musical sounds, should commit this transcendent perfection of wisdom to writing, or have it committed to writing, and then, having made it into a volume of scripture, honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to it with diverse flowers, and so forth, up to and including ribbons and diverse musical sounds.

“Considering this objective, when I had attained manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, I wondered whom I should honor, venerate, respect, make offerings to, and rely upon, but at that time, Ānanda, I did not see anyone like me or superior to me in the worlds, replete with all their gods, humans, and antigods‍—sentient beings including divinities, including Māra, including Brahmā, and including virtuous ascetics and brāhmin priests‍—and then it occurred to me, ‘I should honor, venerate, respect, make offerings to, and rely upon the sacred doctrine which is calm, abundant, and through which manifestly perfect buddhahood is attained.’ Ānanda, if you ask what is that [sacred doctrine], it is this very transcendent perfection of wisdom.

“Ānanda, since even now I honor, venerate, respect, make offerings to, and rely upon this same transcendent perfection of wisdom, Ānanda, [F.391.b] the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who wish to attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment should honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to this transcendent perfection of wisdom with flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and ribbons. It also goes without saying that those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who would enter the vehicle of the śrāvakas or those who would enter the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas should also honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings to this transcendent perfection of wisdom with flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and ribbons. If you ask why, it is because it is through the transcendent perfection of wisdom that the bodhisattvas have appeared, through the bodhisattvas that the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas have appeared, and through the tathāgatas that the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas have appeared.

“Ānanda, so it is that the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who are followers of the Great Vehicle, as well as the followers of the vehicle of the śrāvakas and the followers of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, should honor, venerate, respect, and make offerings with flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and ribbons to this same transcendent perfection of wisdom, in which they have all trained, and through which sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage have attained, are attaining, and will attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment.

“Ānanda, [F.392.a] do you think that if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to establish all the sentient beings of Jambu­dvīpa, as many as they are, in the fruit of entering the stream, in your opinion, Ānanda, would those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage accrue much merit on that basis?”463

“Yes, they would, Reverend Lord! Yes, they would, Reverend Su­gata!”

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to extensively describe, teach, analyze, elucidate, and genuinely demonstrate these noble meanings and noble words of the transcendent perfection of wisdom to others, saying, ‘Come! Child of enlightened heritage, you should retain, hold, recite, and master it, and be attentive to it in the correct manner! You should earnestly apply this transcendent perfection of wisdom, as it has been taught!’ they would have much greater merit than those [who establish sentient beings in entering the stream]. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because those who enter the stream are distinguished through this transcendent perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Ānanda, if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to establish the sentient beings of Jambu­dvīpa, as many as they are, in the fruit of being tied to one more rebirth, in the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, in arhatship, and in individual enlightenment, in your opinion, Ānanda, would those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage accrue much merit on that basis?”

“Yes, they would, Reverend Lord! Yes, they would, Reverend Su­gata!”

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to extensively describe, explain, genuinely demonstrate, and so forth, these noble meanings and noble words of the transcendent perfection of wisdom to others, [F.392.b] saying, ‘Come! Child of enlightened heritage, you should retain this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and so forth. You should earnestly apply this transcendent perfection of wisdom, as it has been taught!’ they would have much greater merit than those [who establish sentient beings in those fruits]. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because [those fruits], up to and including individual enlightenment, are distinguished through this transcendent perfection of wisdom. The same goes for all the sentient beings of the world systems of the ten directions, as many as the sands of the River Ganges.

“Moreover, Ānanda, if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to encourage all the sentient beings of Jambu­dvīpa, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, to acquire unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, and then were to extensively teach, explain, analyze, elucidate, and genuinely demonstrate these noble meanings and noble words of the transcendent perfection of wisdom to others, saying, ‘Come! Child of enlightened heritage, you should train in this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and when you have trained therein, you will attain the attributes of omniscience,’ their merit would be equivalent. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because all great bodhisattva beings in the world systems of the ten directions, as many as they are, from those who have first begun to set their mind on enlightenment and continuing as far as those who abide on the tenth level, will attain emancipation through this transcendent perfection of wisdom. The same goes for all the world systems of the ten directions, as many as the sands of the River Ganges.

“Moreover, Ānanda, if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to establish all the sentient beings of Jambu­dvīpa, as many as they are, on the irreversible level, in your opinion, Ānanda, [F.393.a] would those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage accrue much merit on that basis?”464

“Yes, they would, Reverend Lord! Yes, they would, Reverend Su­gata!”

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, if any sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to extensively describe, genuinely demonstrate, and so forth, these noble meanings and noble words of the transcendent perfection of wisdom to others, saying, ‘Come! Child of enlightened heritage, you should retain this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and so forth. You should earnestly apply this transcendent perfection of wisdom, as it has been taught! Child of enlightened heritage, when you have trained in this transcendent perfection of wisdom, as it has been taught, you will attain the attributes of omniscience, and at that time, you will attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment,’ in that case, their merit would be much greater than that. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because the irreversible level of great bodhisattva beings and the [other attainments], up to and including unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, have also originated from the transcendent perfection of wisdom. The same goes for all the world systems of the ten directions, as many as they are, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges.

“Moreover, Ānanda, if, on the one hand, some sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to encourage all the sentient beings of Jambu­dvīpa, as many as they are, to acquire unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, and then were to describe, genuinely demonstrate, and so forth, these noble meanings and noble words of the transcendent perfection of wisdom to them, saying, ‘Come! Child of enlightened heritage, you should retain this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and so forth. You should earnestly apply this transcendent perfection of wisdom, as it has been taught! When you have earnestly applied the transcendent perfection of wisdom, as it has been taught, [F.393.b] you will train in the transcendent perfection of wisdom. When you have trained in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, you will attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment,’ and if, on the other hand, someone were to teach, genuinely demonstrate, and so forth, this transcendent perfection of wisdom to those irreversible bodhisattvas, saying, ‘Come! Child of enlightened heritage, you should retain this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and so forth. You should earnestly apply this transcendent perfection of wisdom, as it has been taught! When you have earnestly applied it, you will gradually attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment,’ in that case, the latter would have much greater merit than the former. The same goes extensively for all the world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges.

“Moreover, Ānanda, if, on the one hand, there were some sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage teaching these noble meanings and noble words of the transcendent perfection of wisdom to those sentient beings of Jambu­dvīpa, as many as they are, and all those sentient beings of the four continents, as many as they are, who could not be turned back from unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, and if, on the other hand, there were some son of enlightened heritage or daughter of enlightened heritage teaching these noble meanings and noble words of the transcendent perfection of wisdom to one among them who would say, ‘Thus should I swiftly attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, and, having attained manifestly perfect buddhahood, I should also lead forth those sentient beings who have fallen into the three inferior realms!’ in that case the latter son of enlightened heritage or daughter of enlightened heritage would have much greater merit. If you ask why, it is because the irreversible great bodhisattva beings do not require even a single demonstration of the sacred doctrine‍—they are intent on perfect enlightenment [F.394.a] and cannot be averted from unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, whereas this one should be embraced because he or she is distressed [at the sufferings of beings] in cyclic existence, and engages in [acts of] great compassion.”

Then the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! The more great bodhisattva beings approach unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, the more they wish to teach and grant instruction in the transcendent perfection of generosity, and similarly, the more they wish to teach and grant instruction 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, and similarly, the more they wish to teach and grant instruction in [the aspects of emptiness], from the emptiness of internal phenomena up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, and similarly, the more they wish to teach and grant instruction in [the causal attributes], from the four applications of mindfulness up to and including the noble eightfold path, and similarly, the more they wish to teach and grant instruction in 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, and the more they wish to benefit sentient beings with food, clothing, bedding, mats, medications which cure ailments, and [other] useful resources. The sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who would benefit those bodhisattvas, attracting them with the sacred doctrine and attracting them with worldly needs, accrue much greater merit than the aforementioned sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who do not. If one were to ask why, Reverend [F.394.b] Lord, it is because I consider that those great bodhisattva beings who teach and grant instruction in the transcendent perfection of generosity, and similarly, who teach and grant instruction in the other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, have much greater merit.”

Then, the Blessed One replied to the venerable Ānanda as follows: “Ānanda, you who encourage the sons of enlightened heritage or the daughters of enlightened heritage who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas. Well done! The sublime śrāvakas who wish to benefit sentient beings should encourage great bodhisattva beings who would attain unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment. They should assist and protect great bodhisattva beings, attracting them with the sacred doctrine and attracting them with worldly needs. If you ask why, it is because the monastic community of the śrāvakas of the tathāgatas originated from the bodhisattvas, while the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas also originated from them, and the Great Vehicle also originated from them.465

“Ānanda, if bodhisattvas did not develop the mind set on unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, great bodhisattva beings would not train in the six transcendent perfections. If they did not train in [the causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, they would not attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment because they would not have trained in the six transcendent perfections and the [other causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. If they did not attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, there would be no unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, [F.395.a] or the enlightenment of the pratyekabuddhas, or the enlightenment of the śrāvakas. Ānanda, it is because the bodhisattvas train in the six transcendent perfections and in [the other causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, that great bodhisattva beings who would attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment will actually attain manifestly perfect buddhahood.”

Then the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! As I understand the teaching spoken by the Lord, as long as this transcendent perfection of wisdom is active in the world, Reverend Lord, the Precious Jewel of the Buddha, the Precious Jewel of the Dharma, and the Precious Jewel of the Saṅgha will not vanish from the world. Likewise, so long will the paths of the ten virtuous actions emerge in the world. So long will the four meditative concentrations, and similarly, the four immeasurable aspirations and the four formless absorptions emerge in the world. So long will the transcendent perfection of generosity, the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, the transcendent perfection of tolerance, the transcendent perfection of perseverance, and the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration emerge in the world. So long will [the causal and fruitional attributes], from the four applications of mindfulness up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, emerge in the world. Likewise, so long will the understanding of all phenomena and the understanding of the aspects of the path emerge in the world. Likewise, so long will the royal class, like a tall sāl tree; the priestly class, like a tall sāl tree; and the householder class, like a tall sāl tree, emerge in the world. Likewise, so long will the gods of the Catur­mahā­rāja­kāyika realm emerge in the world. [F.395.b] Likewise, so long will the gods of [all the other realms], up to and including Akaniṣṭha, emerge in the world. Likewise, so long will those who have entered the stream, those who are tied to one more rebirth, those who are no longer subject to rebirth, as well as arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas, all emerge in the world. So long, subsequently, will the gnosiss of buddhahood emerge in the world. So long will the maturation of sentient beings and the refinement of the buddhafields, and so forth, emerge in the world. So long will all non-virtuous attributes be diminished. So long will all virtuous attributes that should be cultivated be perfected. So long will the god realms be enhanced and the antigod realms be diminished. So long will the way of the buddhas not be interrupted, and so long will the way of the sacred doctrine and the way of the saṅgha not be interrupted. So long will the promulgations of the doctrinal wheel, and so forth, emerge in the world.”

The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, it is so! You have spoken correctly. As long as the transcendent perfection of wisdom is active in the world, so long will the Precious Jewel of the Buddha not vanish from the world, and in the same vein, so long will [all those other attributes], up to and including the promulgation of the doctrinal wheel, emerge in the world. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because this transcendent perfection of wisdom is of great benefit, even when heard only minimally, let alone when it is retained, held, recited, mastered, and attended to correctly, that is to say, honored, venerated, respected, and presented with offerings of flowers, fruits, perfume, unguents, powders, incense, butter lamps, parasols, victory banners, ribbons [F.396.a] and diverse musical sounds!466

“If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because all those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage, and the male and female gods, whose ears have heard this transcendent perfection of wisdom, will, on the basis of this very root of virtue, attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment. If you ask why, Ānanda, it is because the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas who emerged in the past, along with their monastic assemblies of śrāvakas, indeed attained manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment and passed into final nirvāṇa, in the expanse beyond sorrow, where there is no residue of the psycho-physical aggregates, having trained in this very transcendent perfection of wisdom.

“Also, the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas who will emerge in the future, along with their monastic assemblies of śrāvakas, will all attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment and pass into final nirvāṇa, in the expanse beyond sorrow, where there is no residue of the psycho-physical aggregates, having trained in this very transcendent perfection of wisdom.

“Also, all the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas who reside, along with their monastic community of śrāvakas, in the world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, and who are alive at present, even now teaching the sacred doctrine, attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment and will pass into final nirvāṇa, in the expanse beyond sorrow, where there is no residue of the psycho-physical aggregates, having trained in this transcendent perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, Ānanda, [F.396.b] it is because all the attributes of the aspects of enlightenment are gathered in the transcendent perfection of wisdom. All the attributes of the buddhas, the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas, and the attributes of the śrāvakas are also gathered therein. All virtuous attributes are indeed attained therein, and all things are subsumed therein.

“Moreover, Ānanda, you have revered me with benevolent actions of body, benevolent actions of speech, and benevolent actions of mind. So it is that you have rejoiced in, had confidence in, and paid homage to this, my physical body, while I am alive and present, here and now. But after I have passed away, you should rejoice, have faith in, and pay homage to this transcendent perfection of wisdom. Ānanda, after I have passed into final nirvāṇa, in any event, you should not squander this transcendent perfection of wisdom. After I have passed into final nirvāṇa, in any event, I shall entrust it to your hands, twice or thrice, so that not even a single syllable will vanish. Ānanda, you should know that, for as long as this transcendent perfection of wisdom is active in the world, so long will the tathāgatas reside in the world. You should know that so long will the tathāgatas teach the sacred doctrine to sentient beings in the world. Ānanda, you should know that so long will sentient beings behold the tathāgatas, and inseparably hear the sacred doctrine from the tathāgatas. You should know that so long will renunciate modes of conduct be maintained in the presence of the tathāgatas. So long will beings listen to this transcendent perfection of wisdom, so long will they commit it to writing or have it committed to writing, and master, describe, retain, hold, recite, teach, and be attentive to it in the correct manner‍—honoring, venerating, respecting, making offerings, and praising it with flowers, [F.397.a] garlands, perfume, unguents, incense, butter lamps, powders, butter, oil, lamps, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and many other useful necessities of offering.”

When the Blessed One had spoken these words, the great bodhisattva being Maitreya and all the remaining great bodhisattva beings rejoiced, along with the venerable Su­bhūti, the venerable Śāradvatī­putra, the venerable Maudgalyāyana, the venerable Pūrṇa­maitrāyaṇī­putra, the venerable Mahākāśyapa, the venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, the venerable Kātyāyana, the venerable Ānanda, and all the remaining fully ordained monks and the complete assembly, as well as mundane beings, including gods, humans, antigods, and gandharvas.

Manifest praise to the teachings spoken by the Blessed One!