The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
Chapter 18
Toh 9
Degé Kangyur, vol. 26 (shes phyin, nyi khri, ka), folios 1.b–382.a; vol. 27 (shes phyin, nyi khri, kha), folios 1.b–393.a; and vol. 28 (shes phyin, nyi khri, ga), folios 1.b–381.a
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Translated by the Padmakara Translation Group
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2023
Current version v 1.1.13 (2024)
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines is among the most important scriptures underlying both the “vast” and the “profound” approaches to Buddhist thought and practice. Known as the “middle-length” version, being the second longest of the three long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras, it fills three volumes of the Kangyur. Like the two other long sūtras, it records the major teaching on the perfection of wisdom given by the Buddha Śākyamuni on Vulture Peak, detailing all aspects of the path to enlightenment while at the same time emphasizing how bodhisattvas must put them into practice without taking them—or any aspects of enlightenment itself—as having even the slightest true existence.
Acknowledgements
Translation by the Padmakara Translation Group. A complete draft by Gyurme Dorje was first edited by Charles Hastings, then revised and further edited by John Canti. The introduction was written by John Canti. We are grateful for the advice and help received from Gareth Sparham, Greg Seton, and Nathaniel Rich.
This translation is dedicated to the memory of our late colleague, long-time friend, and vajra brother Gyurme Dorje (1950–2020), who worked assiduously on this translation in his final years and into the very last months of his life. We would also like to express our gratitude to his wife, Xiaohong, for the extraordinary support she gave him on so many levels.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of Kris Yao and Xiang-Jen Yao, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Text Body
Chapter 18
Then the Blessed One said to Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, “Kauśika, when any noble sons or noble daughters who take up, uphold, recite, master, chant, 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 noble sons or noble daughters have gone there and are present there having chanted this profound perfection of wisdom, then those noble sons or noble daughters cannot be defeated. They will indisputably be victorious. Being victorious, they will be delivered from that conflict without anything being said or spoiled.
“Kauśika, when any noble sons or noble daughters have gone into the frontline of battle chanting this profound perfection of wisdom, it is impossible that their lives will be cut off once they are there. Such an occurrence is impossible! If some foes were to fire arrows at their bodies or strike them with weapons, their bodies would not be struck or penetrated. If you ask why, it is because those noble sons or noble daughters [F.68.a] will have practiced the six perfections for a long time, and they will have cultivated this very perfection of wisdom relying on this very perfection of wisdom. They will have subdued the weapons of their own desire and also the arrows of their own desire. They will have subdued the weapons of others’ desire and also the arrows of others’ desire. They will have subdued the weapons of their own hatred and also the arrows of their own hatred. They will have subdued the weapons of others’ hatred and also the arrows of others’ hatred. They will have subdued the weapons of their own delusion and also the arrows of their own delusion. They will have subdued the weapons of others’ delusion and also the arrows of others’ delusion. They will have subdued the weapons of their own wrong views and also the arrows of their own wrong views. They will have subdued the weapons of others’ wrong views and also the arrows of others’ wrong views. They will have subdued the weapons of their own obsessions and also the arrows of their own obsessions. They will have subdued the weapons of others’ obsessions and also the arrows of others’ obsessions. They will have subdued the weapons of their own latent impulses and also the arrows of their own latent impulses. They will have subdued the weapons of others’ latent impulses and also the arrows of others’ latent impulses. Kauśika, this formulation explains how, when noble sons or noble daughters go into battle, their bodies will not be struck or harmed by weapons or arrows.
“Moreover, Kauśika, if noble sons or noble daughters take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this profound perfection of wisdom, and if they are not separated from the mind set on all-aspect omniscience, whether any foes were to sprinkle them with poison, curse them, roast them in a firepit, strike them with weapons, pour poison into them, or throw them into water, all those perils would not harm them. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because this perfection of wisdom is the great knowledge. Kauśika, it is because [F.68.b] this perfection of wisdom is the unsurpassed knowledge incantation. {Ki.II-III: 55} Kauśika, it is because there is no knowledge higher than this perfection of wisdom. Noble sons or noble daughters who train in this knowledge do not harm themselves, nor do they harm others, nor do they harm both [themselves and others]. If you ask why, it is because when they train in it, they do not apprehend a self, and they do not apprehend [any other postulated subject], up to and including viewers. They do not apprehend physical forms. They do not apprehend feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. They do not apprehend the sense fields, the sensory elements, the links of dependent origination, the perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, the factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers [of the tathāgatas], the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, the distinct qualities of the buddhas, or [all the fruits and realizations], up to and including all-aspect omniscience. Since they do not apprehend such phenomena, they do not harm themselves, nor do they harm others, nor do they harm both [themselves and others]. They attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and observe the minds of all beings. If you ask why, the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas of the past, future, and present have also trained [and will train] in this same knowledge incantation, and they have attained [and will attain] consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Kauśika, even though this perfection of wisdom has not been taken up, upheld, recited, [F.69.a] mastered, and had attention correctly focused on it, no human or nonhuman being seeking to intrude will be able to intrude within the place where it is committed to writing, or the house, village, town, or city where it is kept. If you ask why, it is because, in order to worship this perfection of wisdom, the gods of the great trichiliocosm, including those of the Caturmahārājakāyika, Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, and all the other gods up to and including those of Akaniṣṭha, and also the gods of immeasurable countless world systems, including those of their Caturmahārājakāyika, Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, and Brahmapariṣadya realms, and all the other gods, up to and including those of Akaniṣṭha, as many as there are, will always guard, shelter, and nurture without interruption those noble sons or noble daughters who have committed to writing and upheld this perfection of wisdom. {Ki.II-III: 56} Once those gods have arrived there, they will serve, respect, honor, and worship this perfection of wisdom, and they will then depart. Kauśika, so it is that if any commit to writing and uphold this perfection of wisdom, they will have such qualities and excellent advantages in this life.
“Kauśika, similarly, those who have gone to the site of enlightenment, those in the retinue at the site of enlightenment, or whichever animals or human beings are present in the vicinity of the site of enlightenment, cannot be harmed or injured by human or nonhuman beings. If you ask why, it is because, seated thereon, the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas of the past [F.69.b] have indeed attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Seated thereon, the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas of the future and the present will indeed attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Seated thereon, even the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas who are alive at present in the world systems of the ten directions are attaining consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. And even after all these tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, earnestly rendering all beings fearless, free from enmity, and without ties, they have established, are establishing, and will establish immeasurable, countless beings in the excellence of the gods and humans; and they have established, are establishing, and will establish them in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and in arhatship, individual enlightenment, and unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, Kauśika, this very perfection of wisdom makes its location into an offering shrine for all beings, which is to be venerated, offered to, and respected with flowers, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and many ribbons.”
Śakra then asked, “Blessed Lord, if there were a noble son or noble daughter who were to commit this perfection of wisdom to writing, keep it in the form of a book, and serve, respect, honor, and make offerings to it [F.70.a] with flowers, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and many ribbons, and if there were another who would dedicate the bone relics of a tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened buddha within a stūpa fashioned of the seven kinds of precious materials, that is to say in a reliquary or container fashioned of the seven precious materials, and then serve, respect, honor, and make offerings to it with flowers, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and many ribbons, which of these two would increase manifold their stock of merit?” {Ki.II-III: 57}
“Kauśika,” replied the Blessed One, “I will ask you a counter-question on this matter and you should answer as best you can! Kauśika, in which path do you think the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas who have acquired all-aspect omniscience and manifested such a physical body have trained in order to acquire all-aspect omniscience and manifest such a physical body?”
Śakra answered, “Blessed Lord, it is after training in this very perfection of wisdom that the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas acquire all-aspect omniscience and also manifest such a physical body.”
“Kauśika, it is so! It is so!” replied the Blessed One. “It was after training in this very perfection of wisdom that I acquired all-aspect omniscience and also myself manifested such a physical body. Kauśika, it is not because of acquiring a body like this one of mine [F.70.b] that the tathāgatas come to be categorized as tathāgatas; it is because of acquiring all-aspect omniscience that the tathāgatas come to be categorized as tathāgatas. Kauśika, all-aspect omniscience has originated from the perfection of wisdom.
“Kauśika, a body such as this is the basis of the wisdom of all-aspect omniscience. Depending on that basis, the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas have acquired all-aspect omniscience. So, it is because this body is the basis of the wisdom of all-aspect omniscience that it becomes a shrine for all beings, and is to be paid homage, revered, presented with offerings, served, and respected. Kauśika, after I have passed into final nirvāṇa, my bone relics will be worshiped. Indeed my bone relics will themselves become a shrine, but my Dharma will not become a shrine.
“Kauśika, any noble son or noble daughter who were to commit this perfection of wisdom to writing, and uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, and were to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and many ribbons would worship the wisdom of all-aspect omniscience. So it is, Kauśika, that any noble son or noble daughter who wishes to make offerings to the tathāgatas should commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, and should serve, respect, honor, and make offerings to it with flowers, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and many ribbons. {Ki.II-III: 58} [F.71.a]
“Kauśika, if there were another who would insert the bone relics of a tathāgata who has passed into final nirvāṇa within a stūpa fashioned of the seven precious materials, or place it within a container fashioned of the seven precious materials, and honor it, serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping it with flowers, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and many ribbons, the one who has committed this perfection of wisdom to writing, and upheld, recited, mastered, and focused attention correctly on it, serving, respecting, honoring, and worshiping it with flowers, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and many ribbons, would increase manifold their stock of merit more than the other. If you ask why, Kauśika, the five [lesser] perfections have originated from it. The emptiness of internal phenomena, [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, the path, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas also have originated from it. The maturation of beings has also originated from it, the excellence of the buddhafields has also [F.71.b] originated from it, the spiritual family of bodhisattva great beings has also originated from it, the excellence of physical form has also originated from it, the excellence of resources has also originated from it, the excellence of the retinue has also originated from it, great loving kindness has also originated from it, great compassion has also originated from it, and great and lofty royal families, great and lofty priestly families, great and lofty householder families, the gods of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm and the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin realms, and [all other realms], up to and including Akaniṣṭha, have also originated from this. Those who have entered the stream to nirvāṇa, those who are destined for only one more rebirth, those who are no longer subject to rebirth, those who are arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and the all-aspect omniscience of the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas have also originated from this.”
Śakra then asked, “Blessed Lord, do those human beings of Jambudvīpa who do not serve, do not honor, do not respect, and do not worship this perfection of wisdom not know that the offerings made to the perfection of wisdom are more powerful?” {Ki.II-III: 59}
“Kauśika,” replied the Blessed One, “among those human beings of Jambudvīpa, how many do you think have unbroken devotion to the buddhas, unbroken devotion to the Dharma, and unbroken devotion to the saṅgha? How many are without hesitation concerning the buddhas, without hesitation concerning the Dharma, and without hesitation concerning the saṅgha? How many are utterly convinced about the buddhas, utterly convinced about the Dharma, and utterly convinced about the saṅgha?”
Śakra answered, “Blessed Lord, there are few human beings of Jambudvīpa who have unbroken devotion to the buddhas, unbroken devotion to the Dharma. and unbroken devotion to the saṅgha; [F.72.a] who are without hesitation concerning the buddhas, without hesitation concerning the Dharma, and without hesitation concerning the saṅgha; and who are utterly convinced about the buddhas, utterly convinced about the Dharma, and utterly convinced about the saṅgha.”
The Blessed One then asked, “Kauśika, among those human beings of Jambudvīpa, how many do you think have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment? How many have attained the three gateways of liberation? How many have attained the eight aspects of liberation? How many have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption? How many have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge? How many have attained the six extrasensory powers? Among those human beings of Jambudvīpa, how many do you think have entered the stream to nirvāṇa in order to abandon the three fetters? How many are destined for only one more rebirth in order to wear down desire, hatred, and delusion? How many are no longer subject to rebirth in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the lower realms? How many have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher realms? How many have actually entered upon individual enlightenment? How many have actually entered upon unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”
“Blessed Lord,” replied Śakra, “there are few human beings of Jambudvīpa who have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment. There are even fewer who have attained the three gateways of liberation. There are even fewer who have attained the eight aspects of liberation. There are even fewer who have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption. There are even fewer who have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge. [F.72.b] There are even fewer who have attained the six extrasensory powers. There are even fewer among the human beings of Jambudvīpa who have entered the stream to nirvāṇa in order to abandon the three fetters. There are even fewer who are destined for only one more rebirth in order to wear down desire, hatred, and delusion. {Ki.II-III: 60} There are even fewer who are no longer subject to rebirth in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the lower realms. There are even fewer who have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher realms. There are even fewer who have actually entered upon individual enlightenment, and there are even fewer who have actually entered upon unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”
“Kauśika, it is so! It is so!” said the Blessed One. “Among the human beings of Jambudvīpa, there are few who have unbroken devotion to the buddhas, unbroken devotion to the Dharma, and unbroken devotion to the saṅgha; who are without hesitation concerning the buddhas, without hesitation concerning the Dharma, and without hesitation concerning the saṅgha; and who are utterly convinced about the buddhas, utterly convinced about the Dharma, and utterly convinced about the saṅgha. There are even fewer who have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment. There are even fewer who have entered the stream to nirvāṇa. There are even fewer who are destined for only one more rebirth. There are even fewer who are no longer subject to rebirth. There are even fewer who have become arhats. There are even fewer who have actually entered upon individual enlightenment, [F.73.a] and there are even fewer who have actually entered upon unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. There are even fewer who are engaged in enlightenment.
“If you ask why, it is because formerly when they roamed through cyclic existence, they did not see the buddhas, they did not hear the Dharma, they did not venerate the saṅgha, they did not dispense gifts, they did not maintain ethical discipline, they did not cultivate tolerance, they did not undertake perseverance, they did not cultivate meditative concentration, and they did not cultivate wisdom. They did not hear of or cultivate the perfection of generosity, and they did not hear of or cultivate the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, or the perfection of wisdom. They did not hear of or cultivate the emptiness of internal phenomena, and they did not hear of or cultivate [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities. They did not hear of or cultivate the applications of mindfulness, and they did not hear of or cultivate [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path. They did not hear of or cultivate [the fruitional attributes], up to and including the distinct qualities of the buddhas. They did not hear of or cultivate [the fruits and realizations], up to and including all-aspect omniscience.
“Kauśika, as that perspective explains, among the human beings of Jambudvīpa there are thus very few who have unbroken devotion to the buddhas, unbroken devotion to the Dharma, and unbroken devotion to the saṅgha. {Ki.II-III: 61} There are even fewer who have [attained the causal and fruitional attributes and] actually entered upon [the fruits and realizations], up to and including individual enlightenment. There are even fewer who have actually entered upon unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and you should know that there are even fewer who are engaged in enlightenment with pure aspiration.
“Kauśika, leaving aside human beings, among the other living creatures of Jambudvīpa, [F.73.b] how many do you think have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment? How many have attained the three gateways of liberation? How many have attained the eight aspects of liberation? How many have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption? How many have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge? How many have attained the six extrasensory powers? Among those other living creatures of Jambudvīpa, how many do you think have entered the stream to nirvāṇa in order to abandon the three fetters? How many are destined for only one more rebirth in order to wear down desire, hatred, and delusion? How many are no longer subject to rebirth in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the lower realms? How many have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher realms? How many have actually entered upon individual enlightenment? Among the other living creatures of Jambudvīpa, how many are without hesitation concerning unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? How many are without hesitation concerning the buddhas, the Dharma, and the saṅgha? Among the other living creatures of Jambudvīpa, how many appreciate their mother, appreciate their father, appreciate virtuous ascetics, or appreciate brahmin priests? How many serve the venerable ones within the family? How many dispense gifts, maintain ethical discipline, and maintain the restoration and purification of vows? How many perceive and analyze desire as an inadmissible transgression? Similarly, how many perceive that the body is impermanent, perceive that it is without self, perceive that it is impure, and perceive there is no delight anywhere in the world? Among the other living creatures of Jambudvīpa, how many have actually entered upon unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”
“Blessed Lord,” replied Śakra, “among the other living creatures of Jambudvīpa, there are indeed extremely few that have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, that have attained the three gateways of liberation, [F.74.a] that have attained the eight aspects of liberation, that have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, that have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge, that have attained the six extrasensory powers, that have entered the stream to nirvāṇa in order to abandon the three fetters, that are destined for only one more rebirth in order to wear down desire, hatred, and delusion, that are no longer subject to rebirth in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the lower realms, that have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher realms, or that have actually entered upon individual enlightenment. Blessed Lord, among the other living creatures of Jambudvīpa, far fewer than that have actually entered upon unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”
“Kauśika, it is so! It is so! It is as you have said!” replied the Blessed One. “Kauśika, among the other living creatures of Jambudvīpa, there are few that have attained the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, that have attained the three gateways of liberation, that have attained the eight aspects of liberation, that have attained the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, that have attained the four kinds of exact knowledge, that have attained the six extrasensory powers, that have entered the stream to nirvāṇa in order to abandon the three fetters, that are destined for only one more rebirth in order to wear down desire, hatred, and delusion, that are no longer subject to rebirth in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the lower realms, that have become arhats in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the higher realms, that have actually entered upon individual enlightenment, and that have actually entered upon unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. There are even fewer than those that are engaged in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, [F.74.b] and there are even fewer than those that seek to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Kauśika, from here I see with my unobscured buddha eyes that although there are immeasurable, countless beings who are engaged in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment in all the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, since they lack the skillful means associated with the perfection of wisdom, there are only one or two who will be established on the level at which progress has become irreversible, but a larger number than that who will be established on the level of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is hard for those who are indolent, those who are without perseverance, those who are of feeble intent, those who are of inferior resolve, and those who are stupid to attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Kauśika, from here I see with my unobscured buddha eyes that although there are immeasurable, countless beings who are engaged in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment in all the world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, along with the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, since they lack the skillful means associated with the perfection of wisdom, there are only one or two who will be established on the level at which progress has become irreversible, but a larger number than that who will be established on the level of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is hard for those who are indolent, those who are without perseverance, those who are of feeble intent, those who are of inferior resolve, and those who are stupid to attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. {Ki.II-III: 62}
“Kauśika, so it is that if noble sons or noble daughters who actually enter upon unsurpassed, complete enlightenment wish to attain consummate buddhahood swiftly and easily in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they should repeatedly listen to this perfection of wisdom. [F.75.a] They should take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it. They should commit it to writing and they should serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, incense, garlands, perfume, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and many ribbons. In addition, they should also take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on all the virtuous attributes that are gathered within this perfection of wisdom. That is to say they should take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of wisdom, the emptiness of internal phenomena, [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, the applications of mindfulness, [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path, [the fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and also all the immeasurable attributes of the buddhas that are included within this perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because those noble sons or noble daughters will know that when in the past the Tathāgata was engaged in the conduct of a bodhisattva, he also trained in the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of generosity, the emptiness of internal phenomena, [F.75.b] [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, the four applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, the path, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers [of the tathāgatas], the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and [all the fruits and realizations], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, and that they themselves should also train in his wake. That is to say, this perfection of wisdom is their teacher, and the other [attributes], up to and including the immeasurable attributes of the buddhas, are also their teacher. This perfection of wisdom has been revealed by the lord buddhas, and it has also been revealed by the pratyekabuddhas, the arhats, those will no longer be reborn, those who are destined for only one more rebirth, and those who have entered the stream to nirvāṇa. Training in this perfection of wisdom; training in the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity; training in the emptiness of internal phenomena; training in [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities; training in this applications of mindfulness; training in the [other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path; [F.76.a] training in [the fruitional attributes], up to and including the distinct qualities of the buddhas; and training in [all the fruits and realizations], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, the lord buddhas, the pratyekabuddhas, the arhats, those who will no longer be reborn, those who are destined for only one more rebirth, and those who have entered the stream to nirvāṇa have also gone beyond, are going beyond, and will go beyond.
“Kauśika, so it is that those noble sons or noble daughters should rely on this very perfection of wisdom, whether the tathāgatas are present or whether the tathāgatas have passed into final nirvāṇa. If you ask why, Kauśika, this perfection of wisdom is itself the support of all śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattva great beings. It is the support of all living phenomena, up to and including the gods, humans, and asuras. All these should similarly rely on the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity, and on [all the other attributes, fruits, and realizations], up to and including all-aspect omniscience. If you ask why, Kauśika, this all-aspect omniscience [and so forth] is the support of all śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattva great beings. It is the support of all living beings, up to and including the gods, humans, and asuras. {Ki.II-III: 63} [B32]
“Kauśika, if any noble son or noble daughter were to make a stūpa of the seven precious materials, about one yojana in height and half a yojana in width, in order to worship a tathāgata who had passed into final nirvāṇa, and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship it for the duration of their lives with divine flowers, [F.76.b] garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, religious garments, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and many divine musical sounds, do you think, Kauśika, that the merit of that noble son or noble daughter would for that reason increase manifold?”
“It would, Blessed Lord! It would, Sugata!” Śakra replied.
The Blessed One then said, “Kauśika, if any noble son or noble daughter were to commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and then take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, teaching it extensively to others, without being separated from the mind set on all-aspect omniscience, and in addition were to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various musical sounds, the merit of that one would increase manifold to a greater extent than the former.
“Kauśika, leaving aside that one stūpa, if any noble son or noble daughter were to fill this Jambudvīpa with stūpas made of the seven precious materials, about one yojana in height and half a yojana in width, in order to worship a tathāgata who had passed into final nirvāṇa, and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship these stūpas for the duration of their lives with divine flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, religious garments, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and many divine musical sounds, do you think, Kauśika, that the merit of that noble son or noble daughter would for that reason increase manifold?” [F.77.a]
“It would, Blessed Lord! It would, Sugata!” Śakra replied.
The Blessed One then said, “Kauśika, if any noble son or noble daughter were to commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and then take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, without being separated from the mind set on all-aspect omniscience, and in addition were to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various musical sounds, the merit of that one would increase manifold to a greater extent than the former. {Ki.II-III: 64}
“Kauśika, leaving aside that filling of this Jambudvīpa with stūpas of the tathāgata, if, Kauśika, any noble son or noble daughter were to fill this world system with its four continents with stūpas made of the seven precious materials, about one yojana in height and half a yojana in width, in order to worship a tathāgata who had passed into final nirvāṇa, and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship these stūpas for the duration of their lives with divine flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, religious robes, garments, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and many divine musical sounds, do you think, Kauśika, that the merit of that noble son or noble daughter would for that reason increase manifold?”
“It would, Blessed Lord! It would, Sugata!” Śakra replied.
The Blessed One then said, “Kauśika, if any noble son or noble daughter were to make this perfection of wisdom into a book and then [F.77.b] take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, committing it to writing, and in addition were to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various musical sounds, the merit of that one would increase manifold to a greater extent than the former.
“Kauśika, leaving aside that filling of the world system with its four continents with stūpas of the tathāgata, if, Kauśika, any noble son or noble daughter were to fill this confined chiliocosm374 with stūpas made of the seven precious materials, about one yojana in height and half a yojana in width, in order to worship a tathāgata who had passed into final nirvāṇa, and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship these stūpas for the duration of their lives with divine flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and many divine musical sounds, do you think, Kauśika, that the merit of that noble son or noble daughter would for that reason increase manifold?”
“It would, Blessed Lord! It would, Sugata!” Śakra replied.
The Blessed One then said, “Kauśika, if any noble son or noble daughter were to make this perfection of wisdom into a book and then take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, committing it to writing, and were to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various musical sounds, the merit of that one would increase manifold to a greater extent than the former. {Ki.II-III: 65}
“Kauśika, [F.78.a] leaving aside that filling of the confined chiliocosm with stūpas of the tathāgata, if, Kauśika, any noble son or noble daughter were to fill this medium dichiliocosm with stūpas made of the seven precious materials, about one yojana in height and half a yojana in width, in order to worship a tathāgata who had passed into final nirvāṇa, and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship these stūpas for the duration of their lives with divine flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and many musical sounds, do you think, Kauśika, that the merit of that noble son or noble daughter would for that reason increase manifold?”
“It would, Blessed Lord! It would, Sugata!” Śakra replied.
The Blessed One then said, “Kauśika, if any noble son or noble daughter were to commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and then take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, and were to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various musical sounds, the merit of that one would increase manifold to a greater extent than the former.
“Kauśika, leaving aside that filling of the medium dichiliocosm with stūpas of the tathāgata, if, Kauśika, any noble son or noble daughter were to fill this great trichiliocosm with stūpas made of the seven precious materials, about one yojana in height and half a yojana in width, in order to worship a tathāgata who had passed into final nirvāṇa, [F.78.b] and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship these stūpas for the duration of their lives with divine flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and many divine musical sounds, do you think, Kauśika, that the merit of that noble son or noble daughter would increase manifold?”
“It would, Blessed Lord! It would, Sugata!” Śakra replied.
The Blessed One then said, “Kauśika, if any noble son or noble daughter were to commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and then take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, and were to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various musical sounds, the merit of that one would increase manifold to a greater extent than the former.
“Kauśika, leaving aside that filling of the great trichiliocosm with stūpas of the tathāgata, if, Kauśika, each being among all the beings in the great trichiliocosm were to build stūpas made of the seven precious materials, all of them about one yojana in height and half a yojana in width, in order to worship a tathāgata who had passed into final nirvāṇa, and they were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship these stūpas for the duration of their lives with divine flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and many divine musical sounds— {Ki.II-III: 66} and if, on the other hand, any noble son or [F.79.a] noble daughter were to commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and then take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on it, without being separated from the mind set on all-aspect omniscience, and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various musical sounds—the merit of that one would increase manifold to a greater extent than the former.”
“That is so, Blessed Lord! That is so, Sugata!” Śakra exclaimed. “Blessed Lord, those who serve, respect, honor, and worship the perfection of wisdom will serve, respect, honor, and worship the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas of the past, future, and present.
“Even if each being among all the beings that there are in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also to build stūpas made of the seven precious materials, all of them about one yojana in height and half a yojana in width, in order to worship a tathāgata who had passed into final nirvāṇa, and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship these stūpas for an eon or for longer than an eon with divine flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various divine musical sounds—and even if each being among all the beings that there are in the world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and [F.79.b] northwestern directions, as well as the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were also to build stūpas made of the seven precious materials, all of them about one yojana in height and half a yojana in width, in order to worship a tathāgata who had passed into final nirvāṇa, and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship these stūpas for an eon or for longer than an eon with divine flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various divine musical sounds—do you think, Blessed Lord, that the merit of those noble sons or noble daughters would for that reason increase manifold?”
“They would, Kauśika!” replied the Blessed One.
Śakra then said, “Blessed Lord, if any noble son or noble daughter were to commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and take up, uphold, recite, master, {Ki.II-III: 67} and focus their attention correctly on it, and were then to serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, and various musical sounds, the merit of that one would increase manifold to a greater extent than the former. If one were to ask why, Blessed Lord, it is because all virtuous attributes are gathered within this perfection of wisdom. That is to say, the paths of the ten virtuous actions, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, [F.80.a] the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of wisdom, the emptiness of internal phenomena, [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the four truths of the noble ones comprising suffering, its cause, its cessation, and the path [leading to its cessation], the six extrasensory powers, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, all the meditative stabilities, all the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and [all the fruits and realizations], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are indeed gathered within it. This is the teaching of the lord buddhas. Training in it, the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and all the lord buddhas of the past, future, and present have transcended, are transcending, and will transcend all phenomena.”
This completes the eighteenth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”
Colophon
It is said in the original Jangpa manuscript:
This [Tibetan translation of] The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines has been edited twice on the basis of the original “gold manuscript,” which had been [commissioned as] a commitment of the spiritual mentor Nyanggom Chobar, and it has also been edited on the basis of the manuscript kept at Yerpa. Since it is extant, scribes of posterity should copy [the text] according to this version alone.
In the [recast] version of The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines [Toh 3790] that was edited by master Haribhadra, and in some [other] manuscripts, the text ends with the seventy-first chapter entitled “Unchanging Reality.” In certain [other] manuscripts, including the original (phyi mo) [Toh 9], there are seventy-six chapters, with [F.380.b] the addition of the [seventy-second] chapter entitled “Distinctions in the Training of a Bodhisattva,” the [seventy-third] chapter entitled “The Attainment of the Manifold Gateways of Meditative Stability by the Bodhisattva Sadāprarudita,” the [seventy-fourth] chapter entitled “Sadāprarudita,” the [seventy-fifth] chapter entitled “Dharmodgata,” and the [seventy-sixth] chapter entitled “Entrustment.” This accords with earlier accounts and the authentic records of teachings received. Insofar as there are distinctions in the translation of these five later chapters, I have seen a few manuscripts where the terminology is slightly dissimilar, although there are no differences in meaning.
In general, throughout the present text there are all sorts of unique allusions and variations in the elaboration of the points that are expressed. In particular, in the chapter entitled “The Introductory Narrative,” there are some passages where the text corresponds to The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines.
At the time when the carving of the xylographs of this very text, along with those of the Multitude of the Buddhas (Buddhāvataṃsaka), was completed, in the presence of King Tenpa Tsering, the ruler of Degé, the beggar monk Tashi Wangchuk composed these verses at Sharkha Dzongsar Palace, where the wood-carving workshop was based. May they be victorious!
ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetun teṣāṃ tathāgato bhavat āha teṣāṃ ca yo nirodho evaṃ vādī mahāśramaṇaḥ [ye svāhā]
“Whatever events arise from causes, the Tathāgata has told of their causes, and the great ascetic has also taught their cessation.”
Bibliography
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