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ཤེས་རབ་ཀྱི་ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ་སྟོང་ཕྲག་བརྒྱ་པ།

The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines
Chapter 20

Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā

འཕགས་པ་ཤེས་རབ་ཀྱི་ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ་སྟོང་ཕྲག་བརྒྱ་པ།

’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag brgya pa

The Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

Āryaśatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā

Toh 8

Degé Kangyur, (’bum, ka), folios 1.b–394.a; (’bum, kha), folios 1.b–402.a; (’bum, ga), folios 1.b–394.a; (’bum, nga), folios 1.b–381.a; (’bum, ca), folios 1.b–395.a; (’bum, cha), folios 1.b–382.a; (’bum, ja), folios 1.b–398.a; (’bum, nya), folios 1.b–399.a; (’bum, ta), folios 1.b–384.a; (’bum, tha), folios 1.b–387.a; (’bum, da), folios 1.b–411.a; and (’bum, a), folios 1.b–395.a (vols. 14–25).

Translated by Gareth Sparham
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2024

Current version v 1.0.18 (2024)

Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.26.1

This is a partial publication, only including completed chapters

84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.

This work is provided under the protection of a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution - Non-commercial - No-derivatives) 3.0 copyright. It may be copied or printed for fair use, but only with full attribution, and not for commercial advantage or personal compensation. For full details, see the Creative Commons license.

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Overview

History and Sources

History of the Long Perfection of Wisdom Sūtras

Source Texts of The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

·	Chinese
·	Sanskrit
·	Tibetan
·	Colophons

Structure and Content Compared to Those of the Other Long Perfection of Wisdom Sūtras

The Commentaries

·	1. Those Based on the Abhisamayālaṃkāra
·	2. The Two Bṛhaṭṭīkā Commentaries
·	3. Tibetan Commentaries

Translations and Studies in Western Languages

The Content of This First Installment of the English Translation

·	From the Abhisamayālaṃkāra Perspective
·	From the Perspective of the Bṛhaṭṭīkā Commentaries

Sources and Features of the Translation

tr.

The Translation

1.	Chapter 1: The Context
2.	Chapter 2: Śāriputra
3.	Chapter 3
4.	Chapter 4
5.	Chapter 5
6.	Chapter 6
7.	Chapter 7
8.	Chapter 8
9.	Chapter 9
10.	Chapter 10
11.	Chapter 11
12.	Chapter 12
13.	Chapter 13
14.	Chapter 14
15.	Chapter 15
16.	Chapter 16
17.	Chapter 17
18.	Chapter 18
19.	Chapter 19
20.	Chapter 20
21.	Chapter 21
22.	Chapter 22
23.	Chapter 23: Śakra
24.	Chapter 24: Dedication
25.	Chapter 25
26.	Chapter 26
27.	Chapter 27
28.	Chapter 28
29.	Chapter 29 [not yet published]
30.	Chapter 30 [not yet published]
31.	Chapter 31 [not yet published]
32.	Chapter 32 [not yet published]
33.	Chapter 33 [not yet published]
34.	Chapter 34 [not yet published]
35.	Chapter 35 [not yet published]
36.	Chapter 36 [not yet published]
37.	Chapter 37 [not yet published]
38.	Chapter 38 [not yet published]
39.	Chapter 39 [not yet published]
40.	Chapter 40 [not yet published]
41.	Chapter 41 [not yet published]
42.	Chapter 42 [not yet published]
43.	Chapter 43 [not yet published]
44.	Chapter 44 [not yet published]
45.	Chapter 45 [not yet published]
46.	Chapter 46 [not yet published]
47.	Chapter 47 [not yet published]
48.	Chapter 48 [not yet published]
49.	Chapter 49 [not yet published]
50.	Chapter 50 [not yet published]
51.	Chapter 51 [not yet published]
52.	Chapter 52 [not yet published]
53.	Chapter 53 [not yet published]
54.	Chapter 54 [not yet published]
55.	Chapter 55 [not yet published]
56.	Chapter 56 [not yet published]
57.	Chapter 57 [not yet published]
58.	Chapter 58 [not yet published]
59.	Chapter 59 [not yet published]
60.	Chapter 60 [not yet published]
61.	Chapter 61 [not yet published]
62.	Chapter 62 [not yet published]
63.	Chapter 63 [not yet published]
64.	Chapter 64 [not yet published]
65.	Chapter 65 [not yet published]
66.	Chapter 66 [not yet published]
67.	Chapter 67 [not yet published]
68.	Chapter 68 [not yet published]
69.	Chapter 69 [not yet published]
70.	Chapter 70 [not yet published]
71.	Chapter 71 [not yet published]
72.	Chapter 72 [not yet published]

ab.

Abbreviations

Notes

Bibliography

·	Primary Sources in Tibetan and Sanskrit
·	Secondary References in Tibetan and Sanskrit
·	Secondary References in English and Other Languages

Glossary

ci.

Citation Index

Summary

s.1

The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines is the longest of all the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras and fills no fewer than twelve volumes of the Degé Kangyur. Like the other two long sūtras, it is a detailed record of the teaching on the perfection of wisdom that the Buddha Śākyamuni gave on Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha, setting out all aspects of the path to enlightenment that bodhisattvas must know and put into practice, yet without taking them as having even the slightest true existence. Each point is emphasized by the exhaustive way that, in this version of the teaching, the Buddha repeats each of his many profound statements for every one of the items in the sets of dharmas that comprise deluded experience, the path, and the qualities of enlightenment.

s.2

The provisional version published here currently contains only the first thirteen chapters of the sūtra. Subsequent batches of chapters will be added as their translation and editing is completed.

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Acknowledgements

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The text was translated by Gareth Sparham, partly based on the translation of The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines by the late Gyurme Dorje and the Padmakara Translation Group. Geshe Lobsang Gyaltsen, 80th Abbot of Drepung Gomang monastery, and Geshe Kalsang Damdul, former Director of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, kindly provided learned advice.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Nathaniel Rich and John Canti edited the translation, John Canti wrote the provisional introduction, and Ven. Konchog Norbu copyedited the text. Celso Wilkinson, André Rodrigues, and Sameer Dhingra were in charge of the digital publication process.

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The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of those who offered leadership gifts to inaugurate our campaign, The Perfection of Wisdom for All. In chronological order of contributions received, these include:

Yan Xiu, Yan Li, Li Yifeng, and Wang Issa; Thirty, Twenty, Jamyang Sun, and Manju Sun; Anonymous; Ye Kong and family, Chen Hua, and Yizhen Kong; Wang Jing and family; Joseph Tse, Patricia Tse, and family; Zhou Tianyu, Chen Yiqin, Zhou Xun, Zhuo Yue, Chen Kun, Sheng Ye, and family, Zhao Xuan, Huang Feng, Lei Xia, Kamay Kan, Huang Xuan, Liu Xin Qi, Le Fei, Li Cui Zhi, Wang Shu Chang, Li Su Fang, Feng Bo Wen, Wang Zi Wen, Ye Wei Wei, Guo Wan Huai, and Zhang Nan; Ang Wei Khai and Ang Chui Jin; Jube, Sharma, Leo, Tong, Mike, Ming, Caiping, Lekka, Shanti, Nian Zu, Zi Yi, Dorje, Guang Zu, Kunga, and Zi Chao; Anonymous, Anonymous; An Zhang, Hannah Zhang, Lucas Zhang, and Aiden Zhang; Jinglan Chi and family; Anonymous; Dakki; Kelvin Lee and Doris Lim.

We also acknowledge and express our deep gratitude to the 6,145 donors who supported the translation and publication of this text through contributions made throughout the campaign period.

Introduction

Overview

i.1

The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines is the longest of the three so-called “long” Perfection of Wisdom, or Prajñāpāramitā, sūtras. Indeed, not only is it the very longest of all Buddhist texts, but it is among the longest single works of literature in any language or culture. In the Degé Kangyur it fills twelve volumes, and comprises fourteen percent of the whole collection by number of pages.

History and Sources

History of the Long Perfection of Wisdom Sūtras

Source Texts of The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

Chinese

Sanskrit

Tibetan

Colophons

Structure and Content Compared to Those of the Other Long Perfection of Wisdom Sūtras

The Commentaries

1. Those Based on the Abhisamayālaṃkāra

2. The Two Bṛhaṭṭīkā Commentaries

3. Tibetan Commentaries

Translations and Studies in Western Languages

The Content of This First Installment of the English Translation

From the Abhisamayālaṃkāra Perspective

From the Perspective of the Bṛhaṭṭīkā Commentaries

Sources and Features of the Translation

The Translation

The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

Chapter 1: The Context

[V14] [F.1.b] [B1]

1.1

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing on Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha, with a large monastic gathering comprising some five thousand monks. All of them were arhats who had attained the cessation of contaminants, free of afflicted mental states, fully controlled, their minds thoroughly liberated, their wisdom well liberated, thoroughbreds, mighty elephants, their tasks accomplished, their work completed, their burdens relinquished, their own objectives fulfilled, the fetters binding them to the rebirth process completely severed, their minds thoroughly liberated through perfect instruction,56 supreme in their perfection of all mental powers, with the exception of just one person‍—the venerable Ānanda, a trainee who had entered the stream. Also present were some five hundred nuns‍—Yaśodharā and Mahāprajāpatī and so on‍— [F.2.a] and a great many laymen and laywomen, all of whom had seen the Dharma.

Chapter 2: Śāriputra

2.1

At that time, when the Blessed One thus understood that the world‍—with its gods, demons, and Brahmā deities, with its virtuous ascetics and brahmin priests, and with its many gods, humans, and asuras‍—had assembled, and that those many bodhisattva great beings who were mainly crown princes had assembled, he said to the venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Here, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to all phenomena in all their aspects should persevere in the perfection of wisdom.”

Chapter 3

3.1

Then the Blessed One addressed the venerable Subhūti: “Subhūti, commencing with the perfection of wisdom, be inspired to give a Dharma discourse to bodhisattva great beings on how bodhisattva great beings will go forth in the perfection of wisdom!”

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3.2

Thereupon, those bodhisattva great beings, those great śrāvakas, and those gods who were present thought, “Will the venerable Subhūti reveal the perfection of wisdom to these bodhisattva great beings through the strong and mighty armor of his own wisdom and inspired eloquence, or will he reveal it through the power of the Buddha?”

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Chapter 5

5.1

The venerable Subhūti then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, I thus [F.333.a] do not apprehend and do not find a bodhisattva or the perfection of wisdom. Blessed Lord, since I do not apprehend and do not find a bodhisattva great being or the perfection of wisdom, which bodhisattva great being should I teach and instruct, and in which perfection of wisdom? Blessed Lord, I do not apprehend, do not find, and do not observe an entity, so, Blessed Lord, without apprehending, finding, and observing an entity, what phenomenon should I teach and instruct, and in which phenomenon?278

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Chapter 6

6.1

The venerable Subhūti then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, if, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they engage unskillfully with physical forms, they are engaging with mental images. If they engage with feelings, they are engaging with mental images. If they engage with perceptions, they are engaging with mental images. If they engage with formative predispositions, they are engaging with mental images. If they engage with consciousness, they are engaging with a mental image.

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Chapter 7

7.1

Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, suppose someone were to ask if this illusory person, after training in the perfection of wisdom, will go forth to all-aspect omniscience or attain all-aspect omniscience. Blessed Lord, how should I respond to that question? Blessed Lord, suppose someone were to ask if this illusory person, after training in the perfection of meditative concentration, [F.221.b] will go forth to all-aspect omniscience or attain all-aspect omniscience. Blessed Lord, how should I respond to that question? Blessed Lord, suppose someone were to ask if this illusory person, after training in the perfection of perseverance, will go forth to all-aspect omniscience or attain all-aspect omniscience. Blessed Lord, how should I respond to that question? Blessed Lord, suppose someone were to ask if this illusory person, after training in the perfection of tolerance, will go forth to all-aspect omniscience or attain all-aspect omniscience. Blessed Lord, how should I respond to that question? Blessed Lord, suppose someone were to ask if this illusory person, after training in the perfection of ethical discipline, will go forth to all-aspect omniscience or attain all-aspect omniscience. Blessed Lord, how should I respond to that question? Blessed Lord, suppose someone were to ask if this illusory person, after training in the perfection of generosity, will go forth to all-aspect omniscience or attain all-aspect omniscience. Blessed Lord, how should I respond to that question?

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Chapter 8

8.1

Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, when you say ‘bodhisattva,’ what is the actual entity denoted by this word bodhisattva?”

8.2

The Blessed One replied to the venerable Subhūti as follows: “Subhūti, the actual entity denoted by the word bodhisattva is not an actual entity denoted by a word. If you ask why, it is because bodhi (enlightenment) does not arise nor does sattva (a being) arise. Subhūti, in enlightenment there is no word, and in a being there is no word. Therefore, the actual entity that is the word bodhisattva is not an actual entity that is a word.

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Chapter 9

9.1

“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is the four applications of mindfulness. If you ask what these four are, they are the application of mindfulness to the body, the application of mindfulness to feelings, the application of mindfulness to the mind, [F.178.a] and the application of mindfulness to phenomena.

9.2

“If you ask what the application of mindfulness to the body is, in this respect, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the inner body, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with the body. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with the body. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the outer and inner body, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with the body.

10.

Chapter 10

10.1

“Subhūti, you have asked, ‘How532 have bodhisattva great beings entered perfectly into the Great Vehicle?’ In this regard, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections and progress from level to level. Subhūti, if you ask how bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections and progress from level to level, it is like this: no phenomenon changes place, so no phenomenon at all goes or comes, changes place, or draws near. However, while they do not give rise to conceits [F.196.b] or think about the level of any phenomena, it is not that they do not refine the levels, it is that they do not observe those levels.

11.

Chapter 11

11.1

Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, the Great Vehicle is called a ‘Great Vehicle.’ It outshines the world with its gods, humans, and asuras and attains emancipation;574 that is why it is called a Great Vehicle.

11.2

“Blessed Lord, this Great Vehicle is the same as space. Just as space gives space to575 countless, immeasurable beings, similarly this Great Vehicle also gives space to countless, immeasurable beings. For this reason, Blessed Lord, this is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings. For this Great Vehicle, going and coming are not discerned,576 nor standing still. The limit of the past, the limit of the future, and a middle are also not discerned.

12.

Chapter 12

12.1

Then the venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, this elder Subhūti, who has been put in charge of the perfection of wisdom by the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha, thinks he is just to teach the Great Vehicle.”

12.2

The venerable Subhūti then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, I trust that I have not contradicted the perfection of wisdom while teaching the Great Vehicle.”

13.

Chapter 13

13.1

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra inquired of the venerable Subhūti, “Venerable Subhūti, when bodhisattva great [F.173.b] beings practice the perfection of wisdom, how do they investigate these phenomena? And, Venerable Subhūti, what is a bodhisattva? What is the perfection of wisdom? What is investigation?”

13.2

The venerable Śāradvatīputra having asked this, the venerable Subhūti then replied to him, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, you said, ‘What is a bodhisattva?’ A being (sattva) is enlightenment (bodhi), and therefore is called a bodhisattva. With that enlightenment they know the aspects of all phenomena, but they are not attached to those phenomena. If you ask which phenomena they know the aspects of, they know the aspects of physical forms, but they are not attached to them; they know the aspects of feelings, but they are not attached to them; they know the aspects of perceptions, but they are not attached to them; they know the aspects of formative predispositions, but they are not attached to them; and they know the aspects of consciousness, but they are not attached to it.

14.

Chapter 14

14.1

Then as many Great Kings as there are in this great billionfold world system, [F.283.a] together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. As many Śakras, mighty lords of the gods, as there are in this great billionfold world system, together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. As many Suyāma gods as there are in this great billionfold world system, together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. As many Saṃtuṣita 630 gods as there are in this great billionfold world system, together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. As many Nirmāṇarati gods as there are in this great billionfold world system, together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. As many Paranirmitavaśavartin gods as there are in this great billionfold world system, together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. As many Mahābrahmā gods as there are in this great billionfold world system, together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. As many Ābhāsvara gods as there are in this great billionfold world system, together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. As many Śubhakṛtsna gods as there are in this great billionfold world system, together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. As many Vṛhatphala gods as there are in this great billionfold world system, [F.283.b] together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. And as many gods in the realms of the Śuddhāvāsa 631 as there are in this great billionfold world system, together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods, all congregated there, in that same assembly. Yet the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Yāma realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Tuṣita realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Mahābrahmā realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Ābhāsvara realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, the radiance of the bodies of the gods of the Vṛhatphala realm originating through the ripening of their past actions, and the radiance of the bodies of gods in the Śuddhāvāsa realms originating through the ripening of their past actions––all those radiances‍—did not approach a hundredth part, did not approach a thousandth part, did not approach a hundred thousandth part, did not approach even a hundred thousand ten million billionth part of the natural radiance of the Tathāgata; they did not stand up to any number, fraction, calculation, or example of it. All those radiances of the gods, originating through the ripening of their past actions, [F.284.a] neither sparkled, nor gleamed, nor shone alongside the radiance of the Tathāgata’s body. The radiance of the Tathāgata’s body alone was the best among them. It was foremost. It was the greatest. It was superior. It was excellent. It was supreme. It was perfect. It was unsurpassed, and it was unexcelled.

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15.

Chapter 15

15.1

The gods then thought, “In what possible form should we accept those who hear the Dharma from the elder Subhūti to be?”

15.2

Then the venerable Subhūti, knowing in his mind the mental questioning of those gods, [F.363.b] said to those gods, “Gods, you should accept that my Dharma teaching is like an illusion, and, gods, that those who listen to the Dharma from me are also like an illusion. Gods, you should take my Dharma teaching as like a magical display, and, gods, you should accept that those who listen to the Dharma from me are also like a magical display. They do not hear anything at all, nor do they actualize anything at all.”

16.

Chapter 16

16.1

Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, thought, “While the elder Subhūti is teaching this cascade of the Dharma in this manner, what if, in order to worship this perfection of wisdom, I were660 to conjure up flowers and sprinkle, scatter, and shower them [F.43.b] upon the Lord Buddha, the bodhisattva great beings, the saṅgha of monks, and the elder Subhūti?”

16.2

Then all the gods in this billionfold world system––the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, the gods of the Yāma realm, the gods of the Tuṣita realm, the gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm, [F.44.a] and the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the gods of the Brahmakāyika realm, the gods of the Brahmapurohita realm, the gods of the Brahmapārṣadya realm, and the gods of the Mahābrahmā realm; the gods of the Ābha realm, the gods of the Parīttābha realm, the gods of the Apramāṇābha realm, and the gods of the Ābhāsvara realm; the gods of the Śubha realm, the gods of the Parīttaśubha realm, the gods of the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm; the gods of the Vṛha realm, the gods of the Parīttavṛha realm, the gods of the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the gods of the Vṛhatphala realm; and the gods of the Avṛha realm, the gods of the Atapa realm, the gods of the Sudṛśa realm, the gods of the Sudarśana realm, and the gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm, as many as there are––also thought, “While the elder Subhūti is teaching this cascade of the Dharma in this manner, what if, in order to worship this perfection of wisdom, I were to conjure up flowers and sprinkle, scatter, and shower them upon the Lord Buddha, the bodhisattva great beings, the saṅgha of monks, and the elder Subhūti.”

17.

Chapter 17

17.1

Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how wonderful it is that bodhisattva great beings who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom acquire these attributes that may be attained in this lifetime; that they bring beings to maturation, refine a buddhafield, [F.239.a] proceed from buddhafield to buddhafield to wait on the lord buddhas, and that the roots of virtue through which they seek to serve, respect, honor, and worship those lord buddhas are excellent; that their memory of the Dharmas that they hear from those lord buddhas does not weaken until they fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment; that they acquire the excellence of family, acquire the excellence of birth, acquire the excellence of lifespan, acquire the excellence of retinue, acquire the excellence of the major marks, acquire the excellence of luminosity, acquire the excellence of the eyes, acquire the excellence of voice, acquire the excellence of meditative stability, and acquire the excellence of dhāraṇī; that through skillful means they emanate themselves in the body of a buddha, journey from world system to world system, and having gone to places where a lord buddha has not arisen and appeared, describe the attributes of the perfection of generosity, describe the attributes of the perfection of ethical discipline, describe the attributes of the perfection of tolerance, describe the attributes of the perfection of perseverance, describe the attributes of the perfection of meditative concentration, and describe [F.239.b] the attributes of the perfection of wisdom; describe the attributes of the emptiness of internal phenomena, describe the attributes of the emptiness of external phenomena, describe the attributes of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, describe the attributes of the emptiness of emptiness, describe the attributes of the emptiness of great extent, describe the attributes of the emptiness of ultimate reality, describe the attributes of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, describe the attributes of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, describe the attributes of the emptiness of the unlimited, describe the attributes of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, describe the attributes of the emptiness of nonexclusion, describe the attributes of the emptiness of inherent nature, describe the attributes of the emptiness of all phenomena, describe the attributes of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, describe the attributes of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, describe the attributes of the emptiness of nonentities, describe the attributes of the emptiness of essential nature, and describe the attributes of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; describe the attributes of the four meditative concentrations, describe the attributes of the four immeasurable attitudes, describe the attributes of the four formless absorptions, and describe the attributes of the five extrasensory powers; describe the attributes of the four applications of mindfulness, describe the attributes of the four correct exertions, describe the attributes of the four supports for miraculous ability, describe the attributes of the five faculties, describe the attributes of the five powers, describe the attributes of the seven branches of enlightenment, and describe the attributes of the noble eightfold path; describe the attributes of the four truths of the noble ones, describe the attributes of the eight liberations, describe the attributes of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, [F.240.a] describe the attributes of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, describe the attributes of the meditative stabilities, describe the attributes of the dhāraṇī gateways, describe the attributes of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, describe the attributes of the four fearlessnesses, describe the attributes of the four kinds of exact knowledge, describe the attributes of great loving kindness, describe the attributes of great compassion, and describe the attributes of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and that through skillful means they teach beings the Dharma and discipline687 them in the three vehicles, namely, the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the buddhas.”

18.

Chapter 18

18.1

Then the Blessed One said to Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, “Kauśika, when any sons or daughters of good families [F.262.b] who take up, uphold, recite, master, chant by heart,699 and focus their attention correctly on this profound perfection of wisdom are present in a place of conflict, in the frontline of battle, if those sons or daughters of good families have gone there and are present there having chanted this profound perfection of wisdom by heart, then those sons or daughters of good families will not be defeated. They will indisputably be victorious. Being victorious, they will be delivered from that conflict without being humiliated or injured.700

19.

Chapter 19

19.1

Then the Blessed One said to Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, “Kauśika, it is so, it is so! The merit of those sons or daughters of good families will increase greatly. The increase in the merit of those sons or daughters of good families who commit this perfection of wisdom to writing, make it into a book, take it up, uphold it, recite it, master it, and focus their attention correctly on it, and in addition serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, is, because of that, immeasurable, incalculable, inconceivable, incomparable, and inestimable.

20.

Chapter 20

20.1

Then a hundred or so rival tīrthikas and wandering mendicants intent on looking for an opportunity to inflict harm approached the place where the Blessed One was. Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, had the thought, ‘These rival tīrthikas and wandering mendicants intent on looking for an opportunity to inflict harm have approached the place where the Blessed One is. So that when the perfection of wisdom is being preached, those rival tīrthikas and wandering mendicants do not, having approached the Blessed One, create obstacles, I should by all means chant by heart as much of this perfection of wisdom as I have taken up from the Blessed One.’

20.2

Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, chanted by heart as much of the perfection of wisdom as he had taken up from the Blessed One. Thereupon, those rival tīrthikas and wandering mendicants circumambulated the Blessed One from afar, in a clockwise direction, and then went back on the same path and through the same [F.301.b] door.

20.3

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra thought, “What is the reason those rival tīrthikas and wandering mendicants circumambulated the Blessed One from afar, in a clockwise direction, and then went back on the same path and through the same door?”

20.4

The Blessed One, knowing in his mind the thought occurring to the venerable Śāradvatīputra, said to the venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, this is Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, focusing his thoughts, as he habitually does, on the perfection of wisdom. For that reason those rival tīrthikas and wandering mendicants, having circumambulated me from afar, in a clockwise direction, have gone back on that same path and through that same door. Śāradvatīputra, among those rival tīrthikas and wandering mendicants I do not see any with a bright mind. All those rival tīrthikas and wandering mendicants have malicious thoughts and are only intent on looking for an opportunity to inflict harm, even though they think only this assembly is the one they should come into. Śāradvatīputra, I do not see among the beings of this world, with its gods, demons, Brahmā deities, virtuous ascetics, and brahmin priests, any, while this perfection of wisdom is being taught, who would approach with thoughts of hatred, intent on looking for an opportunity to harm. It is impossible.

20.5

“If you ask why, Śāradvatīputra, it is because this perfection of wisdom is taken care of716 by the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm; the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; and the gods of the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, [F.302.a] the Brahmapārṣadya realm, the Mahābrahmā realm, the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, the Ābhāsvara realm, the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, the Śubhakṛtsna realm, the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, the Vṛhatphala realm, the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm in this great billionfold world system‍—all of them, as many as there are‍—and by as many śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas as there are, and by as many bodhisattvas as there are. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom.

20.6

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, this perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, all of them, in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom. This perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, [F.302.b] all of them, in the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom. This perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, all of them, in the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom. This perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, all of them, in the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom. This perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, [F.303.a] garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, all of them, in the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom. This perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, all of them, in the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom. This perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, all of them, in the world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom. This perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, [F.303.b] and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, all of them, in the world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom. This perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, all of them, in the world systems of the direction below, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom. This perfection of wisdom is taken care of by however many lord buddhas there are, along with their communities of śrāvakas, and however many pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas there are, all of them, in the world systems of the direction above, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. If you ask why, it is because absolutely all of them have originated from the perfection of wisdom.”

20.7

Then evil Māra had the thought, “It is certain that from among these four assemblies of the tathāgata, arhat, [F.304.a] perfectly complete buddha that are present here, and these gods living in the desire realm and these gods living in the form realm that are also present, that there are bodhisattva great beings who will be prophesied to attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, so I should go to where the Blessed One is and create an obstacle.”

20.8

Evil Māra, wishing to go to where the Blessed One was, then conjured up a massive army with four cohorts. Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, had the thought, “Oh! This evil Māra has conjured up a massive army with four cohorts with the wish to go to where the Blessed One is. However, this array of evil Māra’s massive army with four cohorts cannot be compared with the array of King Bimbisāra’s army with four cohorts, it cannot be compared with the arrays of the massive armies with four cohorts of King Prasenajit, the Śākyas, or the Licchavis. This evil Māra has for a long time been looking for an opportunity to inflict harm on the Blessed One, seeking for an opportunity to inflict harm with the intention of hurting beings who are engaging correctly,717 so I should focus on this perfection of wisdom as is my habit and chant it by heart.”

20.9

Thinking like that, Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, focused on this perfection of wisdom as was his habit and chanted it clearly from memory, and as Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, clearly chanted this perfection of wisdom by heart, so too, did those evil [F.304.b] māras go back on that same path and through that same door.

20.10

Then those gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, up to the gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm, as many as there were in that assembly, conjured up many divine flowers and sets of robes that stayed in the sky, from where they sprinkled them over where the Blessed One was. Having showered them over where the Blessed One was, they said, “May the human beings of Jambudvīpa practice this perfection of wisdom for a long time, because, for as long as these human beings of Jambudvīpa practice this perfection of wisdom, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete Buddha will not disappear, the Dharma will remain for a long time, and the precious jewel of the Saṅgha will become manifest in the world. For as long as these human beings of Jambudvīpa practice this perfection of wisdom, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas in this great billionfold world system, up to the world systems of the ten directions will not disappear, the Dharma will remain for a long time, and the precious jewel of the Saṅgha will continue to become manifest in the world. The more distinguished conduct of bodhisattva great beings will also exist. Know that the place where the sons or daughters of good families commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and make it into a book, the place where they uphold it, is endowed with luminosity.718 Know that that place has a protector and is free from darkness.”

20.11

Then the Blessed One said to Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, and to the other gods, up to [F.305.a] those of Akaniṣṭha, “Kauśika, it is so, it is so! Gods, it is so, it is so! For as long as these human beings of Jambudvīpa practice this perfection of wisdom, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete Buddha will not disappear, the Dharma will remain for a long time, and the precious jewel of the Saṅgha will become manifest in the world. For as long as these human beings of Jambudvīpa practice this perfection of wisdom, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas in this great billionfold world system, up to the world systems of the ten directions will not disappear, the Dharma will remain for a long time, and the precious jewel of the Saṅgha will become manifest in the world. The more distinguished conduct of bodhisattva great beings will also exist. I know that the place where the sons or daughters of good families commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and make it into a book, the place where they uphold it, is endowed with luminosity. I know that that place has a protector and is free from darkness.”

20.12

Then those gods, having conjured up many divine flowers and showered them over where the Blessed One was, made this statement: “Blessed Lord, Māra and the gods included within the class of māras who seek an opportunity to inflict harm will find no opportunity to inflict harm on any sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom. Blessed Lord, we too [F.305.b] will always guard, protect, and defend those sons or daughters of good families without interruption. If you ask why, it is because we consider those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom as the Teacher or as amounting to the Teacher’s equal.”

20.13

Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom are not endowed with feeble roots of virtue.

20.14

“Blessed Lord, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom have fulfilled their duties under the conquerors of the past. Blessed Lord, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom will have venerated many buddhas, and they will have been taken care of by spiritual mentors. If you ask why, Blessed Lord, it is because it is through this, namely, the perfection of wisdom, that they must seek for all-aspect omniscience; because it is through this, Blessed Lord, namely, [F.306.a] all-aspect omniscience, that they must seek for the perfection of wisdom.

20.15

“If you ask why, Blessed Lord, it is because the perfection of wisdom is not one thing and all-aspect omniscience another, and all-aspect omniscience is not one thing and the perfection of wisdom another, so the perfection of wisdom and all-aspect omniscience are without duality and cannot be divided into two.”

20.16

“Kauśika, so it is, so it is!” said the Blessed One. “Kauśika, the all-aspect omniscience of the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas has originated from the perfection of wisdom. The perfection of wisdom has originated from all-aspect omniscience. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because the perfection of wisdom is not one thing and all-aspect omniscience another, and all-aspect omniscience is not one thing and the perfection of wisdom another, so, in that case, the perfection of wisdom and all-aspect omniscience are without duality and cannot be divided into two.”

20.17

This completes the twentieth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines.”

21.

Chapter 21

21.1

Then the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “In the manner the Blessed Lord proclaims the name of the perfection of wisdom he does not proclaim the name of the perfection of generosity, [F.306.b] does not proclaim the name of the perfection of ethical discipline, does not proclaim the name of the perfection of tolerance, does not proclaim the name of the perfection of perseverance, and does not proclaim the name of the perfection of meditative concentration. In the manner the Blessed Lord proclaims the name of the perfection of wisdom he does not proclaim the emptiness of internal phenomena, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of external phenomena, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of emptiness, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of great extent, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of ultimate reality, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of the unlimited, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of nonexclusion, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of inherent nature, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of all phenomena, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of nonentities, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of essential nature, [F.307.a] and does not proclaim the name of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities. In the manner the Blessed Lord proclaims the name of the perfection of wisdom he does not proclaim the name of the applications of mindfulness, does not proclaim the name of the correct exertions, does not proclaim the name of the supports for miraculous ability, does not proclaim the name of the faculties, does not proclaim the name of the powers, does not proclaim the name of the branches of enlightenment, and does not proclaim the name of the noble eightfold path; does not proclaim the name of the truths of the noble ones, does not proclaim the name of the meditative concentrations, does not proclaim the name of the immeasurable attitudes, does not proclaim the name of the formless absorptions, does not proclaim the name of the eight liberations, does not proclaim the name of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, does not proclaim the name of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, does not proclaim the name of the extrasensory powers, does not proclaim the name of the meditative stabilities, and does not proclaim the name of the [F.307.b] dhāraṇī gateways. In the manner the Blessed Lord proclaims the name of the perfection of wisdom he does not proclaim the name of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, does not proclaim the name of the four fearlessnesses, does not proclaim the name of the four kinds of exact knowledge, does not proclaim the name of great compassion, and does not proclaim the name of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.”

22.

Chapter 22

22.1

Then the Blessed One asked Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, “Kauśika, if you could possess Jambudvīpa, filled to the brim with the relics of the tathāgatas, and if someone were to present you with this perfection of wisdom, written in the form of a book, which of these would you take?”

22.2

“Blessed Lord,” replied Śakra, “if someone were to present me with Jambudvīpa, filled to the brim with the relics of the tathāgatas, and if someone were to present me with this perfection of wisdom, written in the form of a book, I would take just this perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, [F.339.a] Blessed Lord, it is not that I do not honor those relics of the tathāgatas, it is not that I do not have confidence729 in them, and it is not that I do not think highly730 of them. Blessed Lord, it is not that I do not want to honor, or that I do not want to venerate, or that I do not want to respect, or that I do not want to worship the relics of the tathāgatas. Blessed Lord, those relics of the tathāgatas have also originated from the perfection of wisdom and that is why the relics of the tathāgatas should be honored, should be venerated, should be respected, and should be worshiped. Those relics have been brought into being731 by the perfection of wisdom. That is why those relics of the tathāgatas get to be worshiped.

23.

Chapter 23: Śakra

23.1

Then the Blessed One said to Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, “Kauśika, if any sons or daughters of good families were to have established the beings of Jambudvīpa in the paths of the ten virtuous actions, do you think, Kauśika, that for this reason those sons or daughters of good families would have greatly increased their merit?”

“Greatly, Blessed Lord! Greatly, Well-Gone One!”

23.2

The Blessed One then said, “Kauśika, if any were to bestow a book of this perfection of wisdom on others so that they might recite it, write it out, or chant it by heart, they would even more greatly increase their merit than that. If you ask why, it is because in this perfection of wisdom it reveals extensively such attributes as those uncontaminated attributes, having trained in which sons or daughters of good families have entered, enter, and will enter into the maturity of the perfect nature 759 have attained, [F.371.b] attain, and will attain the fruit of having entered the stream; have attained, attain, and will attain the fruit of once-returner; have attained, attain, and will attain the fruit of non-returner; and have attained, attain, and will attain arhatship; those who follow the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas have attained, attain, and will attain individual enlightenment; and those who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment have entered, enter, and will enter into the maturity of the bodhisattvas, and have fully awakened, fully awaken, and will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

24.

Chapter 24: Dedication

24.1

Then the bodhisattva great being Maitreya said to the elder Subhūti, [F.117.b] “Venerable monk Subhūti, that which is the basis of meritorious action associated with the rejoicing of a bodhisattva great being;772 that which is the basis of meritorious action associated with a bodhisattva great being’s rejoicing, which is dedicated, having made common cause with all beings, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment by way of not apprehending anything; that which is the foundation of meritorious action associated with the rejoicing of all beings; and that which is the basis of meritorious action arisen from the generosity, and the basis of meritorious action arisen from the ethical discipline and arisen from the meditation of the followers of the vehicle of the śrāvakas and the followers of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas‍—from among these, just that basis of meritorious action associated with a bodhisattva great being’s rejoicing, which is dedicated, having made common cause with all beings, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment is said to be supreme, is said to be the best, is said to be the foremost, is said to be excellent, is said to be perfect, is said to be the greatest, is said to be unsurpassed, is said to be unexcelled, is said to be unequaled, and is said to be equal to the unequaled.

25.

Chapter 25

25.1

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom sheds light owing to its utter purity. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom is worthy of homage. Blessed Lord, I pay homage to the perfection of wisdom. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom is unsullied by all the three realms. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom dispels all the blindness of afflictive mental states and views, rendering visual distortion nonexistent.787 Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom, among the factors conducive to enlightenment, is supreme.788 Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom secures happiness so that all fears, enmity, and harms may be purified. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom brings light to all beings so that they might acquire the five eyes. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom teaches the path to those who are going astray so that they might turn back from the extremes. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom establishes all-aspect omniscience, so that all the afflicted mental states and their connecting propensities789 might be abandoned. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom generates the attributes of the buddhas so it is the mother of bodhisattva great beings. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom, because of the emptiness of its intrinsic defining characteristics, has neither arisen nor ceased. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom is the antidote to saṃsāra because it is neither permanent, nor has it perished. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom is the protector790 of beings without a protector [F.178.b] because it bestows the entirety of the precious doctrine. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom works as the ten powers 791 because it cannot be crushed. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom turns the wheel of the Dharma, that turns three times in twelve ways,792 because it is subject to neither promulgation nor reversal. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom displays the essential nature of all phenomena because of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities.

26.

Chapter 26

26.1

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, where do those bodhisattva great beings who have a resolute belief in this profound perfection of wisdom pass away before coming here? For how long have these sons or daughters of good families set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment? How many tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas have they served? For how long have those with a resolute belief in this profound perfection of wisdom as reality and as method803 practiced the perfection of generosity? For how long have they practiced the perfection of ethical discipline? For how long have they practiced the perfection of tolerance? For how long have they practiced the perfection of perseverance? For how long have they practiced the perfection of meditative concentration? And for how long have they practiced the perfection of wisdom?”

27.

Chapter 27

27.1

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, this purity is profound.”

“That is because of absolute purity,” said the Blessed One.

27.2

“Because of the purity of what is it profound?” asked Śāradvatīputra.

27.3

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “purity is profound because of the purity of physical forms, purity is profound because of the purity of feelings, purity is profound because of the purity of perceptions, purity is profound because of the purity of formative predispositions, and purity is profound because of the purity of consciousness. Śāradvatīputra, purity is profound because of the purity of the eyes, purity is profound because of the purity of the ears, purity is profound because of [F.122.a] the purity of the nose, purity is profound because of the purity of the tongue, purity is profound because of the purity of the body, and purity is profound because of the purity of the mental faculty. Śāradvatīputra, purity is profound because of the purity of sights, purity is profound because of the purity of sounds, purity is profound because of the purity of odors, purity is profound because of the purity of tastes, purity is profound because of the purity of tangibles, and purity is profound because of the purity of mental phenomena. Śāradvatīputra, purity is profound because of the purity of visual consciousness, purity is profound because of the purity of auditory consciousness, purity is profound because of the purity of olfactory consciousness, purity is profound because of the purity of gustatory consciousness, purity is profound because of the purity of tactile consciousness, and purity is profound because of the purity of mental consciousness. Śāradvatīputra, purity is profound because of the purity of visually compounded sensory contact, purity is profound because of the purity of aurally compounded sensory contact, purity is profound because of the purity of nasally compounded sensory contact, purity is profound because of the purity of lingually compounded sensory contact, purity is profound because of the purity of corporeally compounded sensory contact, and purity is profound because of the purity of mentally compounded sensory contact. Śāradvatīputra, purity is profound because of the purity of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, purity is profound because of the purity of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, purity is profound because of the purity of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, [F.122.b] purity is profound because of the purity of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, purity is profound because of the purity of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and purity is profound because of the purity of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact. Śāradvatīputra, purity is profound because of the purity of the earth element, purity is profound because of the purity of the water element, purity is profound because of the purity of the fire element, purity is profound because of the purity of the wind element, purity is profound because of the purity of the space element, and purity is profound because of the purity of the consciousness element. Śāradvatīputra, purity is profound because of the purity of ignorance, purity is profound because of the purity of formative predispositions, purity is profound because of the purity of consciousness, purity is profound because of the purity of name and form, purity is profound because of the purity of the six sense fields, purity is profound because of the purity of sensory contact, purity is profound because of the purity of sensation, purity is profound because of the purity of craving, purity is profound because of the purity of grasping, purity is profound because of the purity of the rebirth process, purity is profound because of the purity of birth, and purity is profound because of the purity of aging and death. Purity is profound because of the purity of the perfection of generosity, purity is profound because of the purity of the perfection of ethical discipline, purity is profound because of the purity of the perfection of tolerance, purity is profound because of [F.123.a] the purity of the perfection of perseverance, purity is profound because of the purity of the perfection of meditative concentration, and purity is profound because of the purity of the perfection of wisdom; purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of internal phenomena, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of external phenomena, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of emptiness, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of great extent, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of ultimate reality, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of the unlimited, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of nonexclusion, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of inherent nature, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of all phenomena, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of nonentities, purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of essential nature, and purity is profound because of the purity of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; purity is profound because of the purity of the applications of mindfulness, purity is profound because of the purity of the correct exertions, [F.123.b] purity is profound because of the purity of the supports for miraculous ability, purity is profound because of the purity of the faculties, purity is profound because of the purity of the powers, purity is profound because of the purity of the branches of enlightenment, and purity is profound because of the purity of the noble eightfold path; and purity is profound because of the purity of the truths of the noble ones, purity is profound because of the purity of the meditative concentrations, purity is profound because of the purity of the immeasurable attitudes, purity is profound because of the purity of the formless absorptions, purity is profound because of the purity of the eight liberations, purity is profound because of the purity of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, purity is profound because of the purity of emptiness, purity is profound because of the purity of signlessness, purity is profound because of the purity of wishlessness, purity is profound because of the purity of the extrasensory powers, purity is profound because of the purity of the meditative stabilities, purity is profound because of the purity of the dhāraṇī gateways, purity is profound because of the purity of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, purity is profound because of the purity of the four fearlessnesses, purity is profound because of the purity of the four kinds of exact knowledge, purity is profound because of the purity of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, purity is profound because of the purity of enlightenment, purity is profound because of the purity of the buddhas, purity is profound because of the purity of knowledge of all the dharmas, [F.124.a] purity is profound because of the purity of the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and purity is profound because of the purity of all-aspect omniscience.”

ab.

Abbreviations

Bṭ1	Anonymous/Daṃṣṭrāsena. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum gyi rgya cher ’grel (Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitābṛhaṭṭīkā) [Bṛhaṭṭīkā]. Toh 3807, Degé Tengyur vols. 91–92 (shes phyin, na, pa).
Bṭ3	Vasubandhu/Daṃṣṭrāsena. ’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum dang / nyi khri lnga sgong pa dang / khri brgyad stong pa rgya cher bshad pa (Āryaśatasāhasrikāpañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāṣṭādaśa-sāhasrikāprajñāpāramitābṭhaṭṭīkā) [Bṛhaṭṭīkā]. Degé Tengyur vol. 93 (shes phyin, pha), folios 1b–292b.
C	Choné (co ne) Kangyur and Tengyur.
D	Degé (sde dge) Kangyur and Tengyur.
Edg	Edgerton, Franklin. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary. New Haven, 1953.
Eight Thousand	Conze, Edward. The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines & Its Verse Summary. Bolinas, Calif.: Four Seasons Foundation, 1973.
Ghoṣa	Ghoṣa, Pratāpachandra, ed. Śatasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā. Asiatic Society of Bengal. Calcutta, 1902–14.
Gilgit	Gilgit Buddhist Manuscripts (revised and enlarged compact facsimile edition). Vol. 1. by Raghu Vira and Lokesh Chandra. Bibliotheca Indo-Buddhica Series No. 150. Delhi 110007: Sri Satguru Publications, a division of Indian Books Center, 1995.
K	Peking (pe cing) 1684/1692 Kangyur
LSPW	Conze, Edward. The Large Sutra on Perfection Wisdom. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, 1975. First paperback printing, 1984.
MDPL	Conze, Edward. Materials for a Dictionary of the Prajñāpāramitā Literature. Tokyo: Suzuki Research Foundation, 1973.
MW	Monier-Williams, Monier. A Sanskrit-English dictionary: Etymologically and Philologically Arranged with Special Reference to Cognate Indo-European Languages. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1899.
Mppś	Lamotte, Étienne. Le Traité de la Grande Vertu de Sagesse de Nāgārjuna (Mahāprajñā-pāramitā-śāstra). Vol. I and II: Bibliothèque du Muséon, 18. Louvain: Institut Orientaliste, 1949; reprinted 1967. Vol III, IV and V: Publications de l’Institut Orientaliste de Louvain, 2, 12 and 24. Louvain: Institut Orientaliste, 1970, 1976 and 1980.
Mppś English	Gelongma Karma Migme Chodron. The Treatise on the Great Virtue of Wisdom of Nāgārjuna. Gampo Abbey Nova Scotia, 2001. English translation of Étienne Lamotte (1949–80).
Mvy	Mahāvyutpatti (bye brag tu rtogs par byed pa chen po. Toh. 4346, Degé Tengyur vol. 306 (bstan bcos sna tshogs, co), folios 1b-131a.
N	Narthang (snar thang) Kangyur and Tengyur.
PSP	Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā. Edited by Takayasu Kimura. Tokyo: Sankibo Busshorin 2007–9 (1-1, 1-2), 1986 (2-3), 1990 (4), 1992 (5), 2006 (6-8). Available online (input by Klaus Wille, Göttingen) at GRETIL.
S	Stok Palace (stog pho brang bris ma) Kangyur.
Skt	Sanskrit.
Tib	Tibetan.
Toh	Tōhoku Imperial University A Complete Catalogue of the Tibetan Buddhist Canons. (bkaḥ-ḥgyur and bstan-ḥgyur). Edited by Ui, Hakuju; Suzuki, Munetada; Kanakura, Yenshō; and Taka, Tōkan. Tohoku Imperial University, Sendai, 1934.
Z	Zacchetti, Stefano. In Praise of the Light. Bibliotheca Philologica et Philosophica Buddhica, Vol. 8. The International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology. Tokyo: Soka University, 2005.
le’u brgyad ma	shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [Haribhadra’s “Eight Chapters”]. Toh 3790, vols. 82–84 (shes phyin, ga, nga, ca). Citations are from the 1976–79 Karmapae chodhey gyalwae sungrab partun khang edition, first the Tib. vol. letter in italics, followed by the folio and line number.
ŚsP	Śatasāhasrikāprajñaparamitā. Edited by Takayasu Kimura. Tokyo: Sankibo Busshorin 2009 (II-1), 2010 (II-2, II-3), 2014 (II-4). Available online (input by Klaus Wille, Göttingen) at GRETIL.

Notes

n.1

Evidence mentioned in the traditional histories for the same teaching to have been recorded in sūtras of different length is that the interlocutors are the same, and that all versions contain the same prophecy made about Gaṅgadevī, related in chapter 43 of the present text. See Butön, folios 73.b–74.a.

n.2

The six “mother” Prajñāpāramitā sūtras (yum drug), so called because they include all eight implicit topics of the Abhisamayālaṃkara, are the five long sūtras (in one hundred thousand, twenty-five thousand, eighteen thousand, ten thousand, and eight thousand lines, Toh 8–12), along with the Verse Summary (Ratnaguṇasaṅcayagāthā, Toh 13), which is said to have been taught subsequently in the Magadha dialect.

n.3

Butön, folio 99.b; translation in Stein and Zangpo, p. 229.

n.4

See The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines (Toh 9) introduction, and The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines (Toh 10) introduction.

n.5

See the 84000 Knowledge Base page on the Degé Kangyur’s Perfection of Wisdom section.

n.6

See Falk 2011; Falk and Karashima (2012 and 2013); and Salomon 2018, pp. 335–58.

n.7

This hypothesis, favored by most modern scholars as well as by traditional Nepalese exegetes, is also supported by the fact that one of the seven Chinese translations of the Eight Thousand, the Dao xing jing (道行經), or Dao xing banruo jing (道行般若經; Taishō 224), was the earliest ever of the Prajñāpāramitā texts to be translated (by Lokakṣema and others in 179 ᴄᴇ)‍—a century before the first “long” group of sūtras was brought to China from Khotan. Nevertheless, traditional scholarship in both China and Tibet favored the idea that the Eight Thousand was an abridgement or extract of the long sūtras. See Zacchetti 2015, p. 177.

n.8

See von Hinüber 2014 and Zacchetti 2015, p. 187. Critical editions of parts of the manuscript have been published by Conze (1962 and 1974), Zacchetti (2005), and Choong (2006).

n.56

bka’ yang dag pas, here and in the Twenty-Five Thousand, is one Tibetan rendering in the canonical texts of the Skt. samyagājñā, the other being the more widespread yang dag pa’i shes pas (“by perfect understanding”), as in the equivalent phrase in the Eighteen Thousand, 1.2 and as recommended in Mahāvyutpatti 1087. See also The Jewel Cloud (Toh 231), 1.2 and n.21. Vetter, p. 67, n. 53, says it “deviates from the translation” of it as a verb (kun shes pa, “fully understand”).

n.278

This is the same as Eighteen Thousand 8.1; Twenty-Five Thousand 5.1 omits.

n.532

Earlier, 8.377, this question is introduced by “because of just what” (ci tsam gyis na): “Blessed Lord, because of just what should bodhisattva great beings be known to have entered perfectly into the Great Vehicle?”

n.574

“Great Vehicle” is derived from mahā-yā and “attains emancipation” or, more literally, “goes forth” from nir-yā.

n.575

“Space” renders ākāśa and “accommodation” avakāśa.

n.576

“Discerned” renders mchis, an honorific, attaching to the one being spoken to. Kimura, Ghoṣa, and Gilgit all have dṛś; Ten Thousand, 13.13, mi mngon lags. However, below (ga F.295.b, 11.107), the nonhonorific form put in the mouth of the Blessed One is myed, “are nonexistent.”

n.630

The Tibetan here reads dga’ ldan (Skt. Tuṣita), the name of the realm, but the parallel in Toh 9 reads rab dga’ ldan (Skt. Saṃtuṣita), the name of the god who presides over the realm. Here, we have elected to follow the reading in Toh 9.

n.631

ŚsP II-2:115, gnas gtsang ma’i lha’i bu, śuddhāvāsakāyikā devaputrās.

n.660

On the Skt yan nv aham with an optative construction, rendered na de la…gtor bar bya, see Edg, s.v. yan nu.

n.687

“Discipline” renders ’dul (vinī).

n.699

“Chant by heart” renders kha ton byed (svādhyāya). It means to repeat it to oneself aloud in order to commit it fully to memory, and having done so, to keep it in mind.

n.700

“Without being humiliated or injured” renders ma smas ma nyams (akṣataś cānupahataś ca).

n.716

Kimura 2–3:74, parigṛhītā; Gilgit 148r3, anuparigṛhītā; ŚsP II 4–46, udgṛhītā (“taken up”).

n.717

“Engaging correctly” renders yang dag par brtson (saṃyukta).

n.718

“Endowed with luminosity” renders snag ba dang ldan pa, probably a translation of (dig) ālokajātā (“where light has been born”). Conze has “born of light.”

n.729

“Not have confidence” renders myi rton pa, apratyaya; Edg, s.v. apratyaya, “discontent, ill-will.”

n.730

“Not think highly” renders btsun par myi bgyid pa, abahumānatā.

n.731

“Brought into being” renders bsgrubs pa, paribhāvita.

n.759

“Maturity of the perfect nature” renders yang dag pa’i skyon med pa nyid (samyaktvanyāma/niyāma). MDPL, s.v. samyaktvaniyāma, glosses this with “certainty that he will win salvation by the methods appropriate to the Disciples.”

n.772

The idea is that the meritorious action is a foundation, somewhat like building up a store of goodwill. The bodhisattvas’ good deeds (the object in which one should rejoice) are supreme because whatever they do, they do for the sake of others, while ordinary good deeds, and even the meditation and so on of śrāvakas, is for a personal benefit.

n.787

“Rendering visual distortion nonexistent” renders rab rib ma mchis par dgyid pa; Kimura 2–3:142, vitimirakarī.

n.788

“Supreme” renders mchog tu bgyid pa (agrakārī); alternatively, “renders [them] supreme.” Bṭ1 comments, “It means that it is the foremost cause that brings about the attainment of enlightenment.”

n.789

Emend ba’i to ba (Kimura 2–3:142, sarvavāsanānusaṃdhikleśa); alternative translations such as “propensities for afflictive mental states that cause linking up” do not fit the context. Cf. the footnote to Hundred Thousand ka F.41.a–42.a, n.104.

n.790

“Protector” renders mgon dgyid pa (nāthakarī).

n.791

“Works as the ten powers” renders bstob bcu bgyid pa (daśabalakarī).

n.792

The canonical explanation (see, for example, The Sūtra of the Wheel of Dharma, Toh 337, 1.3–1.14 and n.21) is that the three times are when the Buddha (1) proclaims what the four truths are; (2) teaches that they must be comprehended, eliminated, realized, and cultivated; and (3) states that he himself has comprehended, eliminated, realized, and cultivated them. At the end of each truth The Sūtra of the Wheel of Dharma says, “I reflected thoroughly, the vision arose, and the insight, knowledge, understanding, and realization arose.” In explaining the twelve ways or aspects, Haribhadra (Wogihara 382, translated in Sparham, vol. 2, p. 264) explains this same canonical passage as follows: “Paying proper attention to phenomena not heard about before, a wisdom eye without outflows that directly perceives reality has dawned, knowledge free from doubt, an understanding of the way things are, and an intellectual awareness that is purified have dawned.” For each of the three times there are these four aspects: the Buddha directly perceives reality with an uncontaminated wisdom eye (= “the vision”), knows with an understanding free from doubt (= “the insight”), understands the way things are (bhūtārtha) (= “the knowledge”), and has a purified intellectual awareness (buddhi) (= “realization”).

n.803

“As reality and as method” renders don dang tshul gyis, Kimura 2–3:149, arthataś ca nayataś ca.

Bibliography

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ci.

Citation Index

2.2

1 reference to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

“How then, Lord, should bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to all dharmas in all forms make an effort at the perfection of wisdom?”

2.3

14 references to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

Venerable Śāriputra having thus inquired, the Lord,

“Śāriputra, here bodhisattva great beings, having stood in the perfection of wisdom by way of not taking their stand on it,”

“having stood in the perfection of wisdom by way of not taking their stand on it,”

“should complete the perfection of giving.”

“by way of not giving up anything, because a gift, a giver, and a recipient are not apprehended.”

“should complete the perfection of giving by way of not giving up anything.”

“Should complete the perfection of morality because no downfall is incurred and no compounded downfall is incurred”—

“Because there is no disturbance”—

“Because there is no relaxing of physical or mental effort”—

“should complete… the perfection of perseverance”

“Because there is no experience”—

“Because all phenomena are not apprehended”—

“should complete the perfection of wisdom.”

2.4

4 references to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

“Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings, having stood in the perfection of wisdom, should perfect the four applications of mindfulness,”

“perfect the four applications of mindfulness.”

“because the applications of mindfulness cannot be apprehended.”

3.1

1 reference to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

The Lord… said…, “Subhūti, starting with the perfection of wisdom, be confident in your readiness to give a Dharma discourse to the bodhisattva great beings about how bodhisattva great beings go forth in the perfection of wisdom.”

3.2

1 reference to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

“Will venerable Subhūti instruct… on account of armor in which reposes the power of his own intellect and ready speech?”

4.1

2 references to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

“Lord, bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend form should train in the perfection of wisdom,”

“Lord, bodhisattva great beings who want to comprehend form,”

5.1

2 references to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

“Lord, given that I do not find, do not apprehend, and do not see a bodhisattva or the perfection of wisdom, to which bodhisattva will I give advice and instruction in what perfection of wisdom?”

“Lord, given that I do not find, do not apprehend, and do not see any real basis…—Lord, while not finding, not apprehending, and not seeing any real basis, which dharma will advise and instruct which dharma?”

6.1

2 references to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

“Lord, if bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom without skillful means practice form,”

“if… without skillful means [bodhisattva great beings] practice form they practice a causal sign; they do not practice the perfection of wisdom,”

7.1

2 references to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

“Lord, suppose someone were to ask, ‘Does this illusory being, having trained in the perfection of wisdom, go forth to the knowledge of all aspects or reach the knowledge of all aspects?’ ”

“Lord, suppose someone were to ask,”

8.2

4 references to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

“Subhūti, the meaning of the word bodhisattva is an absence of a basis in reality,”

“Subhūti, it is because bodhi and sattva are not produced. Awakening and a being do not have an arising or an existence. They cannot be apprehended.”

“Subhūti, awakening has no basis in reality and a being has no basis in reality.”

“Therefore, a bodhisattva’s basis in reality is an absence of a basis in reality.”

14.1

1 reference to this passage can be found in the commentary Toh 3808, The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines.

Reload this text to be read alongside this commentary

“all the Four Mahārājas stationed in the great billion world systems together with many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion gods were assembled in that very retinue,”

The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines Chapter 20

Toh 8

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Text Body

The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines
Chapter 20