This rendering does not include the entire published text

The full text is available to download as pdf at:
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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 21

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.’

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.”

21.2

“Ānanda,” said the Blessed One, “this is because this perfection of wisdom has precedence over and is the guide of the other perfections, all the emptinesses, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the four truths of the noble ones, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the eight liberations, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.

21.3

“Ānanda, do you think that the generosity that is not dedicated to all-aspect omniscience is the perfection of generosity?

“No, Blessed Lord!” he replied.

21.4

“Do you think that the ethical discipline that is not dedicated to all-aspect omniscience [F.308.a] is the perfection of ethical discipline?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, Blessed Lord!” he replied.

21.5

“Do you think that the tolerance that is not dedicated to all-aspect omniscience is the perfection of tolerance?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, Blessed Lord!” he replied.

21.6

“Do you think that the perseverance that is not dedicated to all-aspect omniscience is the perfection of perseverance?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, Blessed Lord!” he replied.

21.7

“Do you think that the meditative concentration that is not dedicated to all-aspect omniscience is the perfection of meditative concentration?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, Blessed Lord!” he replied.

21.8

“Do you think that the wisdom that is not dedicated to all-aspect omniscience is the perfection of wisdom?” asked the Blessed One.

21.9

“No, Blessed Lord!” he replied. “But in that case, Blessed Lord, how is generosity dedicated to all-aspect omniscience when it is the perfection of generosity? How is ethical discipline dedicated to all-aspect omniscience when it is the perfection of ethical discipline? How is tolerance dedicated to all-aspect omniscience when it is the perfection of tolerance? How is perseverance dedicated to all-aspect omniscience when it is the perfection of perseverance? How is meditative concentration dedicated to all-aspect omniscience when it is the perfection of meditative concentration? How is wisdom dedicated to all-aspect omniscience [F.308.b] when it is the perfection of wisdom?”

21.10

21.11

Ānanda then asked, “Blessed Lord, why is generosity that is dedicated to all-aspect omniscience in a nondual manner, in a nonarising manner, and in a nonapprehending manner the perfection of generosity? Why is ethical discipline that is dedicated to all-aspect omniscience in a nondual manner, in a nonarising manner, and in a nonapprehending manner the perfection of ethical discipline? Why is tolerance that is dedicated to all-aspect omniscience in a nondual manner, in a nonarising manner, and in a nonapprehending manner the perfection of tolerance? Why is perseverance that is dedicated to all-aspect omniscience in a nondual manner, in a nonarising manner, and in a nonapprehending manner the perfection of perseverance? Why is meditative concentration that is dedicated to all-aspect omniscience in a nondual manner, in a nonarising manner, and in a nonapprehending manner the perfection of meditative concentration? [F.309.b] Why is wisdom that is dedicated to all-aspect omniscience in a nondual manner, in a nonarising manner, and in a nonapprehending manner the perfection of wisdom?”

21.12

The Blessed One replied, “It is because of the nondual manner of physical forms, it is because of the nondual manner of feelings, it is because of the nondual manner of perceptions, it is because of the nondual manner of formative predispositions, and it is because of the nondual manner of consciousness; it is because of the nondual manner of the eyes, it is because of the nondual manner of the ears, it is because of the nondual manner of the nose, it is because of the nondual manner of the tongue, it is because of the nondual manner of the body, and it is because of the nondual manner of the mental faculty; it is because of the nondual manner of sights, it is because of the nondual manner of sounds, it is because of the nondual manner of odors, it is because of the nondual manner of tastes, it is because of the nondual manner of tangibles, and it is because of the nondual manner of mental phenomena; it is because of the nondual manner of visual consciousness, it is because of the nondual manner of auditory consciousness, it is because of the nondual manner of olfactory consciousness, it is because of the nondual manner of gustatory consciousness, it is because of the nondual manner of tactile consciousness, and it is because of the nondual manner of mental consciousness; it is because of the nondual manner of visually compounded sensory contact, it is because of the nondual manner of aurally compounded sensory contact, it is because of the nondual manner of nasally compounded sensory contact, it is because of the nondual manner of lingually compounded sensory contact, it is because of the nondual manner of corporeally compounded sensory contact, and it is because of the nondual manner of mentally compounded sensory contact; it is because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, it is because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, it is because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, it is because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, it is because of the nondual manner [F.310.a] of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and it is because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; it is because of the nondual manner of the earth element, it is because of the nondual manner of the water element, it is because of the nondual manner of the fire element, it is because of the nondual manner of the wind element, it is because of the nondual manner of the space element, and it is because of the nondual manner of the consciousness element; it is because of the nondual manner of ignorance, it is because of the nondual manner of formative predispositions, it is because of the nondual manner of consciousness, it is because of the nondual manner of name and form, it is because of the nondual manner of the six sense fields, it is because of the nondual manner of sensory contact, it is because of the nondual manner of sensation, it is because of the nondual manner of craving, it is because of the nondual manner of grasping, it is because of the nondual manner of the rebirth process, it is because of the nondual manner of birth, and it is because of the nondual manner of aging and death; it is because of the nondual manner of the perfection of generosity, it is because of the nondual manner of the perfection of ethical discipline, it is because of the nondual manner of the perfection of tolerance, it is because of the nondual manner of the perfection of perseverance, it is because of the nondual manner of the perfection of meditative concentration, and it is because of the nondual manner of the perfection of wisdom; it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of internal phenomena, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of external phenomena, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of emptiness, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of great extent, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of ultimate reality, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, it is because of the nondual manner [F.310.b] of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of the unlimited, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of nonexclusion, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of inherent nature, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of all phenomena, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of nonentities, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of essential nature, and it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; it is because of the nondual manner of the applications of mindfulness, it is because of the nondual manner of the correct exertions, it is because of the nondual manner of the supports for miraculous ability, it is because of the nondual manner of the faculties, it is because of the nondual manner of the powers, it is because of the nondual manner of the branches of enlightenment, and it is because of the nondual manner of the noble eightfold path; it is because of the nondual manner of the truths of the noble ones, it is because of the nondual manner of the meditative concentrations, it is because of the nondual manner of the immeasurable attitudes, it is because of the nondual manner of the formless absorptions, it is because of the nondual manner of the liberations, it is because of the nondual manner of the serial steps of meditative absorption, it is because of the nondual manner of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, it is because of the nondual manner of the extrasensory powers, [F.311.a] it is because of the nondual manner of the meditative stabilities, and it is because of the nondual manner of the dhāraṇī gateways; it is because of the nondual manner of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, it is because of the nondual manner of the four fearlessnesses, it is because of the nondual manner of the four kinds of exact knowledge, it is because of the nondual manner of great compassion, and it is because of the nondual manner of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and it is because of the nondual manner of the fruit of having entered the stream, it is because of the nondual manner of the fruit of once-returner, it is because of the nondual manner of the fruit of non-returner, it is because of the nondual manner of arhatship, it is because of the nondual manner of individual enlightenment, and it is because of the nondual manner of unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.”

21.13

Ānanda then asked, “Why is it because of the nondual manner of physical forms, why is it because of the nondual manner of feelings, why is it because of the nondual manner of perceptions, why is it because of the nondual manner of formative predispositions, and why is it because of the nondual manner of consciousness? Why is it because of the nondual manner of the eyes, why is it because of the nondual manner of the ears, why is it because of the nondual manner of the nose, why is it because of the nondual manner of the tongue, why is it because of the nondual manner of the body, and why is it because of the nondual manner of the mental faculty? Why is it because of the nondual manner of sights, why is it because of the nondual manner of sounds, why is it because of the nondual manner of odors, why is it because of the nondual manner of tastes, why is it because of the nondual manner of tangibles, and why is it because of the nondual manner of mental phenomena? [F.311.b] Why is it because of the nondual manner of visual consciousness, why is it because of the nondual manner of auditory consciousness, why is it because of the nondual manner of olfactory consciousness, why is it because of the nondual manner of gustatory consciousness, why is it because of the nondual manner of tactile consciousness, and why is it because of the nondual manner of mental consciousness? Why is it because of the nondual manner of visually compounded sensory contact, why is it because of the nondual manner of aurally compounded sensory contact, why is it because of the nondual manner of nasally compounded sensory contact, why is it because of the nondual manner of lingually compounded sensory contact, why is it because of the nondual manner of corporeally compounded sensory contact, and why is it because of the nondual manner of mentally compounded sensory contact? Why is it because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, why is it because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, why is it because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, why is it because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, why is it because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and why is it because of the nondual manner of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact? Why is it because of the nondual manner of the earth element, why is it because of the nondual manner of the water element, why is it because of the nondual manner of the fire element, why is it because of the nondual manner of the wind element, why is it because of the nondual manner of the space element, and why is it because of [F.312.a] the nondual manner of the consciousness element? Why is it because of the nondual manner of ignorance, why is it because of the nondual manner of formative predispositions, why is it because of the nondual manner of consciousness, why is it because of the nondual manner of name and form, why is it because of the nondual manner of the six sense fields, why is it because of the nondual manner of sensory contact, why is it because of the nondual manner of sensation, why is it because of the nondual manner of craving, why is it because of the nondual manner of grasping, why is it because of the nondual manner of the rebirth process, why is it because of the nondual manner of birth, and why is it because of the nondual manner of aging and death? Why is it because of the nondual manner of the perfection of generosity, why is it because of the nondual manner of the perfection of ethical discipline, why is it because of the nondual manner of the perfection of tolerance, why is it because of the nondual manner of the perfection of perseverance, why is it because of the nondual manner of the perfection of meditative concentration, and why is it because of the nondual manner of the perfection of wisdom? Why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of internal phenomena, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of external phenomena, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of emptiness, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of great extent, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of ultimate reality, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, why is it because of the nondual manner [F.312.b] of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of the unlimited, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of nonexclusion, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of inherent nature, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of all phenomena, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of nonentities, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of essential nature, and why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities? Why is it because of the nondual manner of the applications of mindfulness, why is it because of the nondual manner of the correct exertions, why is it because of the nondual manner of the supports for miraculous ability, why is it because of the nondual manner of the faculties, why is it because of the nondual manner of the powers, why is it because of the nondual manner of the branches of enlightenment, and why is it because of the nondual manner of the noble eightfold path? Why is it because of the nondual manner of the truths of the noble ones, why is it because of the nondual manner of the meditative concentrations, why is it because of the nondual manner of the immeasurable attitudes, why is it because of the nondual manner of the formless absorptions, why is it because of the nondual manner of the eight liberations, why is it because of the nondual manner [F.313.a] of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, why is it because of the nondual manner of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, why is it because of the nondual manner of the extrasensory powers, why is it because of the nondual manner of the meditative stabilities, and why is it because of the nondual manner of the dhāraṇī gateways? Why is it because of the nondual manner of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, why is it because of the nondual manner of the four fearlessnesses, why is it because of the nondual manner of the four kinds of exact knowledge, why is it because of the nondual manner of great compassion, and why is it because of the nondual manner of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas? And why is it because of the nondual manner of the fruit of having entered the stream, why is it because of the nondual manner of the fruit of once-returner, why is it because of the nondual manner of the fruit of non-returner, why is it because of the nondual manner of arhatship, why is it because of the nondual manner of individual enlightenment, why is it because of the nondual manner of the knowledge of the aspects of the path, why is it because of the nondual manner of all-aspect omniscience, and why is it because of the nondual manner of unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment?” [B23]

21.14

“Ānanda,” replied the Blessed One, “it is because physical forms are empty of physical forms. If you ask why, it is because these two, physical forms and the perfections, are without duality and [F.313.b] cannot be divided into two. It is because feelings are empty of feelings. If you ask why, it is because these two, feelings and the perfections are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because perceptions are empty of perceptions. If you ask why, it is because these two, perceptions and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because formative predispositions are empty of formative predispositions. If you ask why, it is because these two, formative predispositions and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because consciousness is empty of consciousness. If you ask why, it is because these two, consciousness and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

21.15

“It is because the eyes are empty of the eyes. If you ask why, it is because these two, the eyes and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the ears are empty of the ears. If you ask why, it is because these two, the ears and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the nose is empty of the nose. If you ask why, it is because these two, the nose and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the tongue is empty of the tongue. If you ask why, it is because these two, the tongue and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the body is empty of the body. If you ask why, it is because these two, the body and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because mental faculty is empty of the mental faculty. If you ask why, it is because these two, the mental faculty and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because sights are empty of sights. If you ask why, it is because these two, sights and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because sounds are empty of sounds. If you ask why, it is because these two, sounds and the perfections, [F.314.a] are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because odors empty of odors. If you ask why, it is because these two, odors and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because tastes are empty of tastes. If you ask why, it is because these two, tastes and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because tangibles are empty of tangibles. If you ask why, it is because these two, tangibles and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because mental phenomena are empty of mental phenomena. If you ask why, it is because these two, mental phenomena and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because visual consciousness is empty of visual consciousness. If you ask why, it is because these two, visual consciousness and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because auditory consciousness is empty of auditory consciousness. If you ask why, it is because these two, auditory consciousness and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because olfactory consciousness is empty of olfactory consciousness. If you ask why, it is because these two, olfactory consciousness and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because gustatory consciousness is empty of gustatory consciousness. If you ask why, it is because these two, gustatory consciousness and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because tactile consciousness is empty of tactile consciousness, If you ask why, it is because these two, tactile consciousness and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because mental consciousness is empty of mental consciousness. If you ask why, it is because these two, mental consciousness [F.314.b] and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because visually compounded sensory contact is empty of visually compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, visually compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because aurally compounded sensory contact is empty of aurally compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, aurally compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because nasally compounded sensory contact is empty of nasally compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, nasally compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because lingually compounded sensory contact is empty of lingually compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, lingually compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because corporeally compounded sensory contact is empty of corporeally compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, corporeally compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because mentally compounded sensory contact is empty of mentally compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, mentally compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality [F.315.a] and cannot be divided into two. It is because feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

21.16

“It is because the earth element is empty of the earth element. If you ask why, it is because these two, the earth element and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the water element is empty of the water element. If you ask why, it is because these two, the water element and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the fire element is empty of the fire element. If you ask why, it is because these two, the fire element and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the wind element is empty of the wind element. If you ask why, it is because these two, the wind element and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. [F.315.b] It is because the space element is empty of the space element. If you ask why, it is because these two, the space element and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the consciousness element is empty of the consciousness element. If you ask why, it is because these two, the consciousness element and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

21.17

“It is because ignorance is empty of ignorance. If you ask why, it is because these two, ignorance and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because formative predispositions are empty of formative predispositions. If you ask why, it is because these two, formative predispositions and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because consciousness is empty of consciousness. If you ask why, it is because these two, consciousness and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because name and form are empty of name and form. If you ask why, it is because these two, name and form and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the six sense fields are empty of the six sense fields. If you ask why, it is because these two, the six sense fields and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because sensory contact is empty of sensory contact. If you ask why, it is because these two, sensory contact and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because sensation is empty of sensation. If you ask why, it is because these two, sensation and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because craving is empty of craving. If you ask why, it is because these two, craving and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because grasping is empty of grasping. [F.316.a] If you ask why, it is because these two, grasping and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the rebirth process is empty of the rebirth process. If you ask why, it is because these two, the rebirth process and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because birth is empty of birth. If you ask why, it is because these two, birth and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because aging and death are empty of aging and death. If you ask why, it is because these two, aging and death and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

21.18

“It is because the perfection of generosity is empty of the perfection of generosity. If you ask why, it is because these two, the perfection of generosity and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the perfection of ethical discipline is empty of the perfection of ethical discipline. If you ask why, it is because these two, the perfection of ethical discipline and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the perfection of tolerance is empty of the perfection of tolerance. If you ask why, it is because these two, the perfection of tolerance and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the perfection of perseverance is empty of the perfection of perseverance. If you ask why, it is because these two, the perfection of perseverance and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the perfection of meditative concentration is empty of the perfection of meditative concentration. If you ask why, it is because these two, the perfection of meditative concentration and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the perfection of wisdom [F.316.b] is empty of the perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, it is because these two, the perfection of wisdom and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

21.19

“It is because the emptiness of internal phenomena is empty of the emptiness of internal phenomena. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of internal phenomena and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of external phenomena is empty of the emptiness of external phenomena. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of external phenomena and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is empty of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of emptiness is empty of the emptiness of emptiness. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of emptiness and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of great extent is empty of the emptiness of great extent. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of great extent and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of ultimate reality is empty of the emptiness of ultimate reality. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of ultimate reality and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of conditioned phenomena is empty of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is empty of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of the unlimited [F.317.a] is empty of the emptiness of the unlimited. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of the unlimited and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is empty of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of nonexclusion is empty of the emptiness of nonexclusion. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of nonexclusion and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of inherent nature is empty of the emptiness of inherent nature. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of inherent nature and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of all phenomena is empty of the emptiness of all phenomena. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of all phenomena and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is empty of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is empty of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of nonentities is empty of the emptiness of nonentities. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of nonentities and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of essential nature is empty of the emptiness of essential nature. If you ask why, [F.317.b] it is because these two, the emptiness of essential nature and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is empty of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

21.20

“It is because the applications of mindfulness are empty of the applications of mindfulness. If you ask why, it is because these two, the applications of mindfulness and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the correct exertions are empty of the correct exertions. If you ask why, it is because these two, the correct exertions and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the supports for miraculous ability are empty of the supports for miraculous ability. If you ask why, it is because these two, the supports for miraculous ability and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the faculties are empty of the faculties. If you ask why, it is because these two, the faculties and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the powers are empty of the powers. If you ask why, it is because these two, the powers and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the branches of enlightenment are empty of the branches of enlightenment. If you ask why, it is because these two, the branches of enlightenment and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the path is empty of the path. If you ask why, it is because these two, the path and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

21.21

It is because the truths of the noble ones [F.318.a] are empty of the truths of the noble ones. If you ask why, it is because these two, the truths of the noble ones and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the meditative concentrations are empty of the meditative concentrations. If you ask why, it is because these two, the meditative concentrations and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the immeasurable attitudes are empty of the immeasurable attitudes. If you ask why, it is because these two, the immeasurable attitudes and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the formless absorptions are empty of the formless absorptions. If you ask why, it is because these two, the formless absorptions and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the liberations are empty of the liberations. If you ask why, it is because these two, the liberations and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the serial steps of meditative absorption are empty of the serial steps of meditative absorption. If you ask why, it is because these two, the serial steps of meditative absorption and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are empty of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation. If you ask why, it is because these two, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the extrasensory powers [F.318.b] are empty of the extrasensory powers. If you ask why, it is because these two, the extrasensory powers and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the meditative stabilities are empty of the meditative stabilities. If you ask why, it is because these two, the meditative stabilities and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the dhāraṇī gateways are empty of the dhāraṇī gateways. If you ask why, it is because these two, the dhāraṇī gateways and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

21.22

“It is because the powers of the tathāgatas are empty of the powers of the tathāgatas. If you ask why, it is because these two, the powers of the tathāgatas and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the fearlessnesses are empty of the fearlessnesses. If you ask why, it is because these two, the fearlessnesses and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the kinds of exact knowledge are empty of the kinds of exact knowledge. If you ask why, it is because these two, the kinds of exact knowledge and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because great compassion is empty of great compassion. If you ask why, it is because these two, great compassion and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the distinct qualities of the buddhas are empty of the distinct qualities of the buddhas. If you ask why, it is because these two, the distinct qualities of the buddhas and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

21.23

“It is because the fruit of having entered the stream is empty of the fruit of having entered the stream. If you ask why, [F.319.a] it is because these two, the fruit of having entered the stream and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the fruit of once-returner is empty of the fruit of once-returner. If you ask why, it is because these two, the fruit of once-returner and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the fruit of non-returner is empty of the fruit of non-returner. If you ask why, it is because these two, the fruit of non-returner and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because arhatship is empty of arhatship. If you ask why, it is because these two, arhatship and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because individual enlightenment is empty of individual enlightenment. If you ask why, it is because these two, individual enlightenment and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because the knowledge of the aspects of the path is empty of the knowledge of the aspects of the path. If you ask why, it is because these two, the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two. It is because unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment is empty of unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, it is because these two, unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment and the perfections, are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete Buddha has not yet proclaimed all the good qualities of the perfection of wisdom that I have heard from the Blessed Lord––those good qualities of sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, as many as there are, and those good qualities, as many as there are, that I, in the presence of the Blessed Lord, have taken up, upheld, recited, mastered, and propagated.

21.29

21.30

“Blessed Lord, it is by having taken up, upheld, recited, and having focused attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom that great and lofty royal families appear in the world, great and lofty priestly families appear in the world, and great and lofty householder families appear in the world; that the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm appear in the world, the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm appear in the world, the gods of the Yāma realm appear in the world, the gods of the Tuṣita realm appear in the world, the gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm appear in the world, [F.323.b] and the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm appear in the world; that the gods of the Brahmakāyika realm appear in the world, the gods of the Brahmapurohita realm appear in the world, the gods of the Brahmapārṣadya realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Mahābrahmā realm appear in the world; that the gods of the Ābha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Parīttābha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Apramāṇābha realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Ābhāsvara realm appear in the world; that the gods of the Śubha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Parīttaśubha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Apramāṇaśubha realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm appear in the world; that the gods of the Vṛha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Parīttavṛha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Apramāṇavṛha realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Vṛhatphala realm appear in the world; and that the gods of the Avṛha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Atapa realm appear in the world, the gods of the Sudṛśa realm appear in the world, the gods of the Sudarśana realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm appear in the world.

21.31

“Blessed Lord, it is by having taken up, upheld, recited, and having focused attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom that those who have entered the stream appear in the world, once-returners appear in the world, non-returners appear in the world, arhats appear in the world, pratyekabuddhas appear in the world, and bodhisattva great beings appear in the world. Blessed Lord, it is by having taken up, [F.324.a] upheld, recited, and having focused attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom that the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddhas appear in the world.”

21.32

“Kauśika,” said the Blessed One, “I do not speak exhaustively about the good qualities of those sons or daughters of good families who have taken up, upheld, recited, mastered, and focused their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of ethical discipline; those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of meditative stability; those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of wisdom; those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, [F.324.b] and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of liberation; and those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation.

21.33

“You should know that those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, have done the practice for the purpose of becoming a tathāgata.720

21.34

“Kauśika, with regard to the aggregate of ethical discipline, the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and the aggregate of ethical discipline, the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation of those sons and daughters of good families, Kauśika, the aggregate of ethical discipline, the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas [F.325.a] would come nowhere near even a hundredth part, would come nowhere near even a thousandth part, would come nowhere near even a hundred thousandth part, would come nowhere near even a ten millionth part, would come nowhere near even a hundred ten millionth part, would come nowhere near even a thousand ten millionth part, would come nowhere near even a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would come nowhere near even a hundred thousand ten million billionth part, would come nowhere near to any number, would come nowhere near to any fraction, would come nowhere near to any calculation, would come nowhere near to any example, and would not stand up to any comparison of the aggregate of ethical discipline, the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation that they have. If you ask why, it is because the minds of those sons and daughters of good families are liberated from the levels of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and yet nothing at all has been fully understood.

21.35

“Kauśika, I do speak about the good qualities attained accordingly in this lifetime and in later lives by those sons or daughters of good families who write out, take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with many flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments.”

21.36

Śakra said, “Blessed Lord, I will always guard, protect, and defend without interruption those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, and who commit this perfection of wisdom to writing [F.325.b] and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments.”

21.37

“Kauśika,” replied the Blessed One, “when sons or daughters of good families chant this perfection of wisdom by heart, many hundreds of thousands of gods will delightedly arrive to hear the Dharma, and when those sons or daughters of good families are teaching the Dharma endowed with the perfection of wisdom the gods will indeed think that they should reinforce that inspired eloquence,721 and also when those Dharma teachers get tired of speaking, the gods will think that they should reinforce that inspired eloquence by just that honoring of them.

21.38

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, and who commit it to writing and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, will acquire these good qualities in this lifetime as well.

21.39

“Moreover, Kauśika, when those sons or daughters of good families are teaching the perfection of wisdom to the four assemblies, they will not become discouraged by the thought that someone might seek to censure them and look for an opportunity to inflict harm. If you ask [F.326.a] why, it is because this same perfection of wisdom will guard, protect, and defend those sons or daughters of good families. If you ask why, it is because in this perfection of wisdom all that is mundane and supramundane, contaminated and uncontaminated, common and uncommon, virtuous and nonvirtuous, and conditioned and unconditioned, and the attributes of the śrāvakas, the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas, the attributes of the bodhisattvas, and the attributes of the buddhas, are undifferentiated.

21.40

21.41

“Moreover, Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom will not become disheartened and will not feel intimidated; they will not be afraid, will not be frightened, and will not become terrified. If you ask why, it is because those sons or daughters of good families do not observe any sort of thing that might become disheartened, feel intimidated, be afraid, be frightened, or become terrified.

21.42

21.43

“Moreover, Kauśika, any son or daughter of good family who takes up, upholds, recites, masters, [F.327.a] and focuses their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, and who commits it to writing and honors, venerates, respects, and worships it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, will be greatly valued by723 their fathers, friends, mothers, kings, ministers, virtuous ascetics, and brahmin priests. They will also be greatly valued, and will be held dear, by the lord buddhas who reside in the world systems of the ten directions, as many as there are, and the bodhisattva great beings, pratyekabuddhas, arhats, non-returners, once-returners, and those who have entered the stream, as many as there are. They will also be greatly valued, and will be held dear, by the world with its gods, demons, and Brahmā deities, with the beings who are its virtuous ascetics and brāhmin priests, and with its gods, humans, and asuras.

21.44

“They will not be robbed of inspired eloquence, will not be robbed of the perfection of generosity, will not be robbed of the perfection of ethical discipline, will not be robbed of the perfection of tolerance, will not be robbed of the perfection of perseverance, will not be robbed of the perfection of meditative concentration, and will not be robbed of the perfection of wisdom; they will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of internal phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of external phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of [F.327.b] the emptiness of emptiness, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of great extent, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of ultimate reality, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of the unlimited, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of nonexclusion, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of inherent nature, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of all phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of nonentities, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of essential nature, and will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; they will not be robbed of the cultivation of the applications of mindfulness, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the correct exertions, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the supports for miraculous ability, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the faculties, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the powers, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the branches of enlightenment, and will not be robbed of the cultivation of the noble eightfold path; they will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four truths of the noble ones, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four meditative concentrations, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four immeasurable attitudes, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the [F.328.a] four formless absorptions, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the eight liberations, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the extrasensory powers, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the meditative stabilities, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the dhāraṇī gateways, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four fearlessnesses, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four kinds of exact knowledge, will not be robbed of the cultivation of great compassion, and will not be robbed of the cultivation of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and they will not be robbed of the cultivation of the requirement to bring beings to maturation, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the requirement to refine a buddhafield, and will not be robbed of the cultivation of all-aspect omniscience. They will have the power to give a response to the arguments that have been raised by others, as many as there are, in accordance with the Dharma.

21.45

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, and who commit it to writing and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, [F.328.b] victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, will acquire these good qualities in his lifetime as well. [B24]

21.46

“Moreover, Kauśika, the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm in the great billionfold world system who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and also the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, the Brahmapārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment think they should come to where those sons or daughters of good families who have committed this perfection of wisdom to writing, made it into a book, and upheld it are, and, having recited, taken up, mastered, paid homage to, and bowed before this perfection of wisdom, again take their leave. The gods of the Śuddhāvāsa realms––the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm––also think they should come there, and, having recited, taken up, mastered, paid homage to, and bowed before this perfection of wisdom, depart.

21.47

“Moreover, Kauśika, the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm in the world systems of the ten directions who have set out [F.329.a] for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and also the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, the Brahmapārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and the gods of the Śuddhāvāsa realms––the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm‍—and other than them, also many greatly splendid gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, think they should come there, and, having recited, taken up, mastered, paid homage to, and bowed before this perfection of wisdom, depart.

21.48

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families should have the following thought: ‘May this generosity be a gift of the Dharma to those gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, the Brahmapārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm who have set out [F.329.b] for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, as well as the gods of the Śuddhāvāsa realms––the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm‍—and, other than them, to the greatly splendid gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas who have come here in order to recite, uphold, master, pay homage to, and worship this perfection of wisdom.’ Having recited, upheld, mastered, worshiped, paid homage to, and bowed before this perfection of wisdom, they depart.

21.49

“Kauśika, the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, the Brahmapārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm; and the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm in the great billionfold world system, and the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, [F.330.a] the Brahmapārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm; and the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm in the world systems of the ten directions, will guard, protect, and defend those sons and daughters of good families. Kauśika, unless there is the maturation of a past action, those looking for an opportunity to inflict harm on them will not find an opportunity to inflict harm.

21.50

“Those sons and daughters of good families will, because of this, acquire such good qualities as these in this lifetime as well.

21.51

“Kauśika, those gods who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment also think they should come to worship this perfection of wisdom and to guard, protect, and defend those sons and daughters of good families. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because those sons or daughters of good families have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and they remain available for the purpose of protecting all beings, bringing all beings to maturity, and for the benefit and happiness of all beings.”

21.52

Śakra then asked, “Blessed Lord, how will those sons or daughters of good families know, ‘The gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Yāma realm have arrived here,’ [F.330.b] ‘The gods of the Tuṣita realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm have arrived here’; ‘The gods of the Brahmakāyika realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Brahmapurohita realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Brahmapārṣadya realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Mahābrahmā realm have arrived here’; ‘The gods of the Ābha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Parīttābha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Apramāṇābha realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Ābhāsvara realm have arrived here’; ‘The gods of the Śubha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Parīttaśubha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Apramāṇaśubha realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm have arrived here’; ‘The gods of the Vṛha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Parīttavṛha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Apramāṇavṛha realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Vṛhatphala realm have arrived here’; and ‘The gods of the Avṛha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Atapa realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Sudṛśa realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Sudarśana realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm have arrived here,’ from world systems in all the ten directions, to recite, take up, master, pay homage to, bow before, serve, respect, honor, and worship this perfection of wisdom?”

21.53

“Kauśika,” [F.331.a] replied the Blessed One, “if those sons or daughters of good families behold a great light where this perfection of wisdom has been placed, those sons or daughters of good families should know with certainty, ‘The gods with the great power of the powerful, great miraculous abilities, great authority, and great splendor have come in order to recite, uphold, master, pay homage to, bow before, serve, respect, honor, and worship this perfection of wisdom.’ ”

21.54

“Moreover, Kauśika, if those sons or daughters of good families maintain scrupulous conduct,724 on account of their scrupulous conduct those gods will, having arrived and having recited, taken up, mastered, served, respected, honored, and worshiped this perfection of wisdom, become utterly overjoyed. The gods whose power is feeble, as many as there are in that place, will be unable to bear the splendor, glory, and majesty of the gods with the great power of the powerful, and they will think that they should depart from that place. The more the gods with the great power of the powerful, great miraculous abilities, great authority, and great splendor think that they should come there, the more those sons or daughters of good families will become those with great conviction.725

21.55

“In the vicinity of that place, without having deviated from conducting themselves scrupulously, in order to carry out worship of this perfection of wisdom, those sons or daughters of good families should sprinkle the ground of that area with scented water and adorn the ground of that area in many ways: scattering flowers and perfume, placing censers [F.331.b] wafting incense, and stretching out a canopy of brocade with an attached fringe of silk tassels.

21.56

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families will not tire, and they will not be exhausted. Those sons or daughters of good families will experience ease of body, lightness of body, and radiance726 of body, and those sons or daughters of good families will also experience ease of mind, lightness of mind, and radiance of mind.

21.57

“Therefore, since even when they go to bed at night, with an aspiration for this perfection of wisdom, they have a confident belief, they do not dream dreams of wickedness. While dreaming, in their dreams they will see the body of the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete Buddha, excellently adorned with the thirty-two major marks of a great person and embellished with the eighty minor signs, with a golden body, surrounded by the community of monks and with the bodhisattvas spread out in front, teaching the Dharma. They will also hear from the Tathāgata the teaching of the Dharma––of the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom; of the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, the emptiness of great extent, the emptiness of ultimate reality, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the unlimited, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the emptiness of nonexclusion, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of that which [F.332.a] cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of nonentities, the emptiness of essential nature, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; of the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path; and of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight liberations, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.

21.58

“They will also hear the meaning of that perfection of generosity being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that perfection of ethical discipline being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that perfection of tolerance being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that perfection of perseverance being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that perfection of meditative concentration being differentiated, and will hear the meaning of that perfection of wisdom being differentiated. They will hear the meaning of that emptiness of internal phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of external phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that [F.332.b] emptiness of external and internal phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of emptiness being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of great extent being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of ultimate reality being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of conditioned phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of unconditioned phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of the unlimited being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of nonexclusion being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of inherent nature being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of all phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of nonentities being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of essential nature being differentiated, and will hear the meaning of that emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities being differentiated. They will hear the meaning of those four applications of mindfulness being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four correct exertions being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four supports for miraculous ability being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those five faculties being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those five powers being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those seven branches of enlightenment [F.333.a] being differentiated, and will hear the meaning of that noble eightfold path being differentiated. And they will hear the meaning of those four truths of the noble ones being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four meditative concentrations being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four immeasurable attitudes being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four formless absorptions being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those eight liberations being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those nine serial steps of meditative absorption being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those extrasensory powers being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those meditative stabilities being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those dhāraṇī gateways being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those ten powers of the tathāgatas being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four fearlessnesses being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four kinds of exact knowledge being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that great loving kindness being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that great compassion being differentiated, and will hear the meaning of those eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas being differentiated.

21.59

“They will also see the tree of enlightenment; will see the bodhisattva great being approach the tree of enlightenment; [F.333.b] will see him fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment; will see him, having fully awakened, turning the wheel of the Dharma; and will also see many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas discussing the Dharma together,727 saying, ‘All-aspect omniscience should be achieved like this, many beings should be brought to maturity like this, a buddhafield should be refined like this, and Māra along with his entourage should be defeated like this.’

21.60

“They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the eastern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the southern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the western direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand [F.334.a] ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the northern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the intermediate northeastern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the intermediate southeastern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the intermediate southwestern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such [F.334.b] a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the intermediate northwestern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the direction below. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the direction above. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion bodhisattvas and as many as a hundred thousand ten million billion śrāvakas.’

21.61

“They will see many [F.335.a] hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the eastern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the southern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the western direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, [F.335.b] garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the northern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the intermediate northeastern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the intermediate southeastern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, [F.336.a] garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the intermediate southwestern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the intermediate northwestern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the direction below passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many [F.336.b] hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundred thousand ten million billion buddhas in the direction above passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundred thousand ten million billion stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags.

21.62

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families will dream these types of auspicious dreams.”

21.63

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families will fall asleep easily and they will awaken easily. Their bodies will have a vitality. They will not have a strong attachment to the basic necessities: they will not have a strong attachment to food, they will not have a strong attachment to clothing, and they will not have a strong attachment to medications used to treat ill health. They will think about the basic necessities less: they will think about food less, they will think about clothing less, and they will think about medications used to treat ill health less. To illustrate, Kauśika, it is just like [F.337.a] the mind of a monk who practices yoga, on arising from meditative stability, saturated with attention. It does not have a strong attachment to food; it thinks about food less. Similarly, Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families will also not have a strong attachment to food and will think about food less.

21.64

“If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because nonhumans supply the bodies they have with vitality. As many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas as there are in the eastern direction, they all supply their bodies with vitality. As many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas as there are in the southern direction, they all supply their bodies with vitality. As many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas as there are in the western direction, they all supply their bodies with vitality. As many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas as there are in the northern direction, they all supply their bodies with vitality. As many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas [F.337.b] as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas as there are in the intermediate northeastern direction, they all supply their bodies with vitality. As many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas as there are in the intermediate southeastern direction, they all supply their bodies with vitality. As many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas as there are in the intermediate southwestern direction, they all supply their bodies with vitality. As many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas as there are in the intermediate northwestern direction, they all supply their bodies with vitality. As many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas [F.338.a] as there are in the direction below, they all supply their bodies with vitality. And as many lord buddhas as there are, as many bodhisattvas as there are, and as many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas as there are in the direction above, they all supply their bodies with vitality.

21.65

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families who want to acquire these good qualities right here in this lifetime should earnestly listen to, take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this very perfection of wisdom. They should not be separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience.

21.66

“Kauśika, even if those sons or daughters of good families have not taken up, have not upheld, have not recited, have not mastered, and have not focused their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, those sons or daughters of good families should commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and make it into a book, and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments. In that manner, Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families will have undertaken something for the benefit of many beings and for the happiness of many beings.728

21.67

“Kauśika, if any son or daughter of good family were to take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, and, having committed it to writing, were to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, the merit of that son of good family [F.338.b] or daughter of good family would increase even more than if they did that, while it would not do so were they even, for the duration of their lives, to have served, respected, honored, and worshiped the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas, along with their communities of śrāvakas residing in the world systems of all the ten directions, with many of the basic necessities: food, bedding, medications used to treat ill health, and even also, for the duration of their lives, were they to have served, respected, honored, and worshiped stūpas made of the seven precious materials with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, after those tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas, along with their communities of śrāvakas, had passed into nirvāṇa.”

21.68

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

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.719

“Consummates” renders yongs su sgrub pa, *saṃvartayitā (“the one that causes to be fully accomplished”). It appears to be a gloss of, rather than an alternative rendering of, the earlier kun tu ’dren pa (pariṇāyakā). It is not attested in the Skt editions.

n.720

“Have done the practice for the purpose of becoming a tathāgata” renders de bzhin gshegs pa’i don du zhugs pa, ŚsP II-4:81, tathāgatapratipannās; Kimura 2–3:80, tathāgatapratimās (“are similar to a tathāgata”). Gilgit 149v13 is damaged.

n.721

“Reinforce that inspired eloquence” renders spobs pa nye bar bsgrub pa (pratibhānam upasaṃhartavyaṃ).

n.722

“Treasury” renders gter (nidhi).

n.723

“Greatly valued” renders dgos par bya ba (*prayas?), “a desideratum”; cf. Twenty-Five Thousand kha F.95.b, dgongs par bya ba.

n.724

“Maintain scrupulous conduct” renders gtsang sbra’i spyod pa dang ldan pa, caukṣasamācāra (“habitually clean”), explained by Haribhadra (cf. MDPL, s.v. caukṣasamācāra) as “extremely purified because of not doing any wrong.”

n.725

“With great conviction” renders mos pa rgya chen po (udārādhimuktika).

n.726

“Radiance” renders gsal ba; cf. Mvy, s.v. gsal ba, which gives paṭu as one meaning “(physically) adept”; ŚsP II-4:88, kathanīyata (“worth speaking of”).

n.727

“Discussing together” renders yang dag par (emend ’gro to bgro) bgro bar byed pa (saṃgāyamāna). Cf. MDPL, s.v. saṃgāyamāna, which glosses this as “ascertaining the meaning of the book.”

n.728

“Will have undertaken something” renders zhugs pa yin, ŚsP II-4:94, pratipanno bhaviṣyati.

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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Secondary References in Tibetan and Sanskrit

shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. Toh 9, Degé Kangyur vols. 26–28 (shes phyin, nyi khri, ka–a), folios ka.1.b–ga.381.a.

shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vols. 26–28.

shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines, the “eight-chapter” (le’u brgyad ma) Tengyur version]. Toh 3790, Degé Tengyur vols. 82–84 (shes phyin, ga–ca), folios ga.1.b–ca.342.a.

Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. Sanskrit text based on the edition by Takayasu Kimura. Tokyo: Sankibo Busshorin 2007–9 (1–1, 1–2), 1986 (2–3), 1990 (4), 1992 (5), 2006 (6–8). Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL). Page references: {Ki.}

Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. Dutt, Nalinaksha. Calcutta Oriental Series 28. London: Luzac, 1934. Reprint edition, Sri Satguru Publications, 1986. Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL). Page references: {Dt.nn}

Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. Sanskrit text of the Anurādhapura fragment, based on the edition by Oskar von Hinüber, “Sieben Goldblätter einer Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā aus Anurādhapura,” in Nachrichten der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Göttingen, Phil.-Hist.Kl. 1983, pp. 189–207. Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL).

Aṣṭasāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines]. Sanskrit text based on the edition by P. L. Vaidya, in Buddhist Sanskrit Texts, vol. 4. Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute, 1960. Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL).

Daṃṣṭrasena. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum pa rgya cher ’grel pa (Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitābṛhaṭṭīkā) [“An Extensive Commentary on The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines”], Toh 3807, Degé Tengyur vols. 91–92. Also in Tengyur Pedurma (TPD) (bstan ’gyur [dpe bsdur ma]), [Comparative Edition of the Tengyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 120 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 1994–2008, vol. 54 (TPD 54), pp. 627–1439, and vol. 55, pp. 2–550.

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Phangthangma (dkar chag ’phang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.

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Butön (bu ston rin chen grub). bde bar gshegs pa’i bstan pa’i gsal byed chos kyi ’byung gnas gsung rab rin po che’i mdzod. In gsung ’bum/_rin chen grub/ zhol par ma/ ldi lir bskyar par brgyab pa/ [The Collected Works of Bu-ston: Edited by Lokesh Chandra from the Collections of Raghu Vira], vol. 24, pp. 633–1056. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1965–71.

Chomden Rigpai Raltri (bcom ldan rig pa’i ral gri). bstan pa rgyas pa rgyan gyi nyi ’od. BDRC MW1CZ1041 (scanned dbu med MS from Drépung) and MW00EGS1017426 (modern computerized version).

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Karma Chakmé (gnas mdo karma chags med). yum chen mo shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i ’bum tig. In gsung ’bum karma chags med (gnas mdo dpe rnying nyams gso khang), 34:223–50. [nang chen rdzong]: gnas mdo gsang sngags chos ’phel gling gi dpe rnying nyams gso khang, 2010. http://purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW1KG8321_A2E762 . [BDRC bdr:MW1KG8321_A2E762].

Kongtrül Lodrö Thaye (kong sprul blo gros mtha’ yas / yon tan rgya mtsho). shes bya kun khyab [“The Treasury of Knowledge”]. Beijing: Mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2002. Translated, along with the auto-commentary, by the Kalu Rinpoche Translation Group in The Treasury of Knowledge series (TOK). Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 1995 to 2012. Mentioned here is Ngawang Zangpo 2010 (Books 2, 3, and 4).

Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorje. zab pa dang rgya che ba’i dam pa’i chos kyi thob yig rin chen ’byung gnas dum bu gnyis pa. In vol. 2, gsung ’bum ’gyur med rdo rje. 16 vols. Dehra Dun: D.g. Khochhen Tulku, 1998. Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC), purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW22096. [BDRC bdr:MW22096]

Nordrang Orgyan (nor brang o rgyan). chos rnam kun btus. 3 vols. Beijing: Krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2008.

Olkha Lelung Lobsang Trinlé (’ol kha / dga’ sle lung blo bzang ’phrin las). Narthang Catalog (Detailed). bka’ ’gyur rin po che’i gsung par srid gsum rgyan gcig rdzu ’phrul shing rta’i dkar chag ngo mtshar bkod pa rgya mtsho’i lde mig. Scans in: Narthang Kangyur (snar thang bka’ ’gyur), vol. 102, pp. 663–909. Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC), http://purl.bdrc.io/resource/W22703 [BDRC bdr:W22703]. Transcribed in: bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 106, pp. 71–306.

Rongtönpa (rong ston shes bya kun rig). sher phyin ’bum TIk. Manduwala, Dehra Dun: Luding Ladrang, Pal Ewam Chodan Ngorpa Centre, 1985. http://purl.bdrc.io/resource/W1KG11807. [BDRC bdr:W1KG11807]. For translation see Martin 2012.

Zhang Yisun et al. bod rgya tshig mdzod chen mo. 3 vols. Subsequently reprinted in 2 vols. and 1 vol. Beijing: Mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1985. Translated in Nyima and Dorje 2001 (vol. 1).

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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 21

Toh 8

Imprint

Text Body

The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines
Chapter 21