The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
Chapter 2: Śāriputra

At that time, when the Blessed One thus understood that the entire world had assembled‍—a great multitude with its gods, māras, Brahmā divinities, all kinds of beings including ascetics and brahmins, gods, humans, and asuras, as well as numerous bodhisattva great beings most of whom were crown princes‍— [F.27.b] he said to the venerable Śāradvatīputra: {Dt.18}

“Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood with respect to all phenomena in all their aspects should persevere in the perfection of wisdom.”111

The venerable Śāradvatīputra then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how should bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood with respect to all phenomena in all their aspects persevere in the perfection of wisdom?”

The Blessed One replied to Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, in this regard, bodhisattva great beings should stay in the perfection of wisdom without there being any place to stay. That is, they should perfect the perfection of generosity without there being any giving up, since no gift, giver, or recipient is apprehended. They should perfect the perfection of ethical discipline, since there are no downfalls or nondownfalls to be committed. They should perfect the perfection of tolerance, since there is no disturbance. They should perfect the perfection of perseverance, since there is no weakening of physical or mental effort. They should perfect the perfection of meditative concentration, since there is no experience to relish. They should perfect the perfection of wisdom, since no phenomena are apprehended.112

“Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of wisdom, should perfect the four applications of mindfulness since mindfulness is not apprehended.113 They should perfect the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, [F.28.a] the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path. They should perfect the meditative stability of emptiness, the meditative stability of signlessness, and the meditative stability of wishlessness. They should cultivate the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the five extrasensory powers, the contemplation of a bloated corpse, the contemplation of a worm-infested corpse, the contemplation of a putrefied corpse, the contemplation of a bloody corpse, {Dt.20} the contemplation of a blue-black corpse, the contemplation of a devoured corpse, the contemplation of a dismembered corpse, the contemplation of a skeleton, the contemplation of an immolated corpse, and the contemplation of the unpleasantness of food. They should cultivate the recollection of the Buddha, the recollection of the Dharma, the recollection of the Saṅgha, the recollection of ethical discipline, the recollection of giving away, the recollection of the god realms, the recollection of breathing, the recollection of disillusionment,114 the recollection of death, and the recollection of the body; the perception of impermanence, the perception of suffering, the perception of nonself, the perception of unattractiveness, the perception of death, the perception of disinterest with respect to all mundane phenomena, and the perception that all mundane phenomena are unreliable; and the knowledge of suffering, the knowledge of the origin of suffering, the knowledge of the cessation of suffering, the knowledge of the path, the knowledge of the extinction of contaminants, the knowledge that contaminants will not arise again, the knowledge of phenomena, the knowledge of phenomena that is subsequently realized, the knowledge of the relative, the knowledge that is masterful, and the knowledge that is semantic. They should perfect the meditative stability endowed with ideation and scrutiny, [F.28.b] the meditative stability free from ideation and endowed merely with scrutiny, the meditative stability devoid of both ideation and scrutiny, the faculties that will enable knowledge of all that is unknown, the faculties that acquire the knowledge of all phenomena, the faculties endowed with the knowledge of all phenomena,115 the sense fields of mastery, the sense fields of complete suffusion,116 the four attractive qualities of a bodhisattva, the four determinations, the ten levels, the ten modes of conduct, the ten aspects of tolerance, the twenty higher aspirations, omniscient wisdom, stillness, the knowing of higher insight, the three knowledges, the four kinds of exact knowledge, the four fearlessnesses, {Dt.21} the five undiminished extrasensory powers, the six perfections, the seven aspects of spiritual wealth, the eight notions of saintly beings, the nine states of beings, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, great loving kindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, and great equanimity.

“Bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood, all-aspect omniscience in all its finest aspects, and who wish to attain the knowledge of the path, the knowledge of all the dharmas, and knowledge of the aspects of all beings’ minds, their conduct, and their knowledge, should persevere in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who wish to abandon all the afflicted mental states and their connecting propensities should persevere in the perfection of wisdom.

“So it is, Śāradvatīputra, that bodhisattva great beings should persevere in the perfection of wisdom. [F.29.a]

“Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity should persevere in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who wish to know the levels of the śrāvakas and the levels of the pratyekabuddhas, who wish to transcend those levels, who wish to remain at the level at which progress is irreversible, who wish to dwell in the six extrasensory powers, who wish to understand all beings’ wavering minds and conduct, who wish to surpass the understanding of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and who wish to attain the many dhāraṇī gateways and the gateways of meditative stability should all train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Bodhisattva great beings who wish117 to surpass, with a single setting of the mind on enlightenment while rejoicing in them, all the virtuous roots of generosity practiced by sons and daughters of the family of those following the śrāvakas’ and pratyekabuddhas’ vehicles; {Dt.22} who wish to surpass, with a single setting of the mind on enlightenment while rejoicing in them, the ethical discipline, meditative stability, wisdom, liberation, and seeing the wisdom of liberation of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; and who wish to surpass, with a single setting of the mind on enlightenment while rejoicing in them, all the meditative concentrations, liberation, meditative stabilities, and meditative absorptions of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, if bodhisattva great beings, for the benefit of all beings, offer even a small gift and wonder how it is that through dedication by skillful means these gifts can become immeasurable, countless, and inestimable [F.29.b] those bodhisattva great beings should train in the perfection of wisdom. Similarly, if for the benefit of all beings they maintain even a little ethical discipline; cultivate even a little tolerance; apply even a little perseverance; are absorbed in even a little meditative concentration; and cultivate even a little wisdom, and wonder how it is that through dedication by skillful means these can become immeasurable, countless, and inestimable, those bodhisattva great beings should also train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to dwell in the perfection of generosity and wish to perfect the perfection of generosity, and similarly who wish to practice the perfection of ethical discipline and wish to perfect the perfection of ethical discipline, who wish to practice the perfection of tolerance and wish to perfect the perfection of tolerance, who wish to practice the perfection of perseverance and wish to perfect the perfection of perseverance, who wish to practice the perfection of meditative concentration and wish to perfect the perfection of meditative concentration, and who wish to practice the perfection of wisdom and wish to perfect the perfection of wisdom, should all train in the perfection of wisdom. {Dt.23}

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wonder how it is that they themselves will behold the body of the buddhas in all their lives, how it is that they will be encouraged by the buddhas, how it is that they will be kept in mind by the buddhas, [F.30.a] how it is that they will please the buddhas, and how it is that they will be accepted by the buddhas, should also train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to accomplish the body of the buddhas and who wish to attain the thirty-two major marks of a great person should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain the eighty minor marks, who wish throughout all their lives to recall their succession of former lives, who wish never to give up the mind of enlightenment, who wish to attain bodhisattva conduct that is unspoiled, who wish to forsake all evil friends and all evil associates, who wish to serve and respect all buddhas and bodhisattvas who are virtuous spiritual mentors, who wish to defeat Māra and all the gods belonging to the class of Māra, who wish to purify all obscurations, and who wish to be unobscured with respect to all phenomena should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to perfect the family of the bodhisattvas, who wish to accomplish the family of the buddhas, and who wish to maintain the lineage of the Three Precious Jewels without interruption should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain the level of a crown prince, who wish never to be separated from all the buddhas and bodhisattvas, who wish to go beyond the levels of the bodhisattvas, [F.30.b] and who wish to swiftly perfect the level of the tathāgatas should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who take delight in perfecting in this way whichever roots of virtuous action with which they might serve, venerate, honor, and worship the blessed lord buddhas should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings wish to delight all beings, wish to fulfill the aspirations of all beings, and think that they should satisfy all beings with all necessities and resources such as food, drink, clothing, ornaments, flowers, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, bedding, seats, dwellings, medicines, goods, riches, grains, embellishments, jewels, pearls, beryl, conch, quartz, coral, pure gold, silver, orchards, and kingdoms, they too should train in the perfection of wisdom. {Dt.24}

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to establish all beings, as many as there are in the world systems of all directions, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, in the paths of the ten virtuous actions, and who wish to establish them in the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the five extrasensory powers, taking refuge in the Three Jewels, and devotion to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha should train in the perfection of wisdom. [B3] [F.31.a]

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to bring into the Great Vehicle the beings in all worlds within the whole infinity of the realm of phenomena and the very reaches of the realm of space, and who wish to establish them in 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, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to render even a single virtuous setting of the mind on enlightenment inexhaustible until the moment they are on the seat of enlightenment should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who are eager for all the blessed lord buddhas, as many as there are in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, to praise their qualities should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who are eager for all the blessed lord buddhas, as many as there are likewise in each of the world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, and at the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, to praise their qualities should train in the perfection of wisdom.118

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who, with a single thought,119 wish to journey to all those buddhafields of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, [F.31.b] should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who, with a single thought, wish to journey likewise to all those buddhafields of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, and at the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, should train in the perfection of wisdom.120

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish, by voicing a single sound, to make themselves heard in all those buddhafields of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who wish, by voicing a single sound, to make themselves heard likewise in all those buddhafields of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, and at the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, should train in the perfection of wisdom.121

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to remain for the sake of buddhas continuing to be born without interruption, who wish the family of bodhisattvas to reach accomplishment,122 and who wish to remain so that the family of the buddhas might continue without interruption should train in the perfection of wisdom.123

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to dwell in the emptiness of internal phenomena should train in the perfection of wisdom. Similarly, those who wish to dwell in the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of both 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, [F.32.a] the emptiness of the unlimited, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the emptiness of nonexclusion, the emptiness of inherent existence, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of nonapprehensibility, the emptiness of nonentities, the emptiness of essential nature, and the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities should train in the perfection of wisdom.124

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to comprehend the referential condition, the predominant condition, the immediate condition, and the causal condition, and those who wish to comprehend the aspects and defining characteristics of the real nature, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to comprehend the real nature of all phenomena, the unmistaken real nature, the one and only real nature, the unchanging real nature, and the genuine, definitive real nature should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to comprehend the realm of phenomena with respect to all phenomena and who wish to comprehend the very limit of reality with respect to all phenomena should train in the perfection of wisdom. {Dt.27}

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to know all the worlds of the great trichiliocosm, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who wish to lift, on the tip of a filament that is one hundredth of the width of a hair, all the masses of water contained in the great trichiliocosm, including the great oceans, rivers, great rivers, tributaries, springs, lakes, pools, and ponds, [F.32.b] and wish too to cause no harm to the living creatures inhabiting them, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish with a single breath to extinguish all the masses of burning fire that there are in the great trichiliocosm, when all of them have burst into a single blazing flame like the eon’s final conflagration, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish with a single fingertip to cover and suppress all the patterns of wind there are in the great trichiliocosm that scatter, disperse, and destroy this great trichiliocosm as if it were just a handful of chaff, should train in the perfection of wisdom. {Dt.28}

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish a single cross-legged posture of theirs to completely fill however much there is of the great trichiliocosm’s entire expanse of space should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, if bodhisattva great beings have the thought that with a single tuft of hair they will gather and sweep up as many Mount Sumerus, along with their encircling Cakravāḍa and Mahācakravāḍa mountain ranges, as there are in the great trichiliocosm, and hurl them beyond the countless, inestimable world systems, [F.33.a] they too should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to know, in terms of their minute particles, all the great trichiliocosm’s many trees, grasses, bushes, plants and woodlands, and its terrestial rocks, clays, gravels, hills, and mountains, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish with a single alms bowl to provide for all the blessed lord buddhas who reside in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their assemblies of bodhisattvas and communities of śrāvakas, and likewise who wish with a single flower, a single garland, a single piece of incense, a single unguent, a single powder, a single robe, a single ornament, a single parasol, a single victory banner, or a single ribbon to serve, respect, honor, and worship them, should train in the perfection of wisdom. Likewise, bodhisattva great beings who wish with a single alms bowl to provide for all the blessed lord buddhas who reside in the world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, and in the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, along with their assemblies of bodhisattvas and communities of śrāvakas, and likewise who wish with a single flower, a single garland, a single piece of incense, a single unguent, a single powder, [F.33.b] a single robe, a single ornament, a single parasol, a single victory banner, or a single ribbon to serve, respect, honor, and worship them, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, those bodhisattva great beings who wish to establish all beings, as many as are present in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, in the aggregate of ethical discipline; who wish to establish them also in the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of seeing the wisdom of liberation; who wish to establish them in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa; and who wish to establish them in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, in arhatship, and individual enlightenment, up to and including the expanse of nirvāṇa where there is no residue of the aggregates, should all train in the perfection of wisdom. Those bodhisattva great beings who wish likewise to establish all beings, as many as are present in the world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, along with the directions of the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, in the aggregate of ethical discipline; who wish to establish them also in the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of seeing the wisdom of liberation; who wish to establish them in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa; who wish to establish them in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, in arhatship, and individual enlightenment; [F.34.a] and who wish to establish them in the expanse of nirvāṇa where there is no residue of the aggregates should all train in the perfection of wisdom. {Dt.29}

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to bring all beings, as many as there are in all the world systems of the ten directions, to final nirvāṇa by means of the vehicles of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and by means of the Great Vehicle, should train in the perfection of wisdom.125

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish, as they practice the perfection of wisdom and engage in acts of generosity, to train in such a way that when they give their gifts in that way the following great fruits will come to pass: that when they give their gifts in that way, they will be born into great and lofty126 royal families; that when they give their gifts in that way, they will be born into great and lofty priestly families; that when they give their gifts in that way, they will be born into great and lofty householder families; that when they give their gifts in that way, by maintaining that very generosity, they will be born among the gods of the Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika realm; that when they give their gifts in that way, by maintaining that very generosity, they will be born among the gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin realms; that when they give their gifts in that way, by maintaining that very generosity, they will attain the first meditative concentration, they will attain the second, third, and fourth meditative concentrations, they will become absorbed in the meditative absorption of the sphere of infinite space, and they will become absorbed in the meditative absorption of the sphere of infinite consciousness, in the meditative absorption of the sphere of nothing-at-all, and in the meditative absorption of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception; that when they give their gifts in that way, [F.34.b] the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment will emerge; that when they give their gifts in that way, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness will emerge; and that when they give their gifts in that way, they will attain 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, arhatship, individual enlightenment, and unsurpassed, complete enlightenment‍—[such bodhisattva great beings] should train in the perfection of wisdom.127

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they give their gifts with skill in means in that way, they will perfect the perfection of generosity. They should train likewise in the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom.”128

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, when they give their gifts, perfect the perfection of generosity? How do they perfect the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom?”129

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “the perfection of generosity is perfected through purity with respect to the three spheres‍—without apprehending a gift, a giver, or a recipient. Similarly, the perfection of ethical discipline [F.35.a] is perfected since there are no downfalls and no nondownfalls to be committed. The perfection of tolerance is perfected since there is no disturbance. The perfection of perseverance is perfected since there are no physical or mental endeavors to be neglected. The perfection of meditative concentration is perfected since there is no disturbance or thought. The perfection of wisdom is perfected by knowing all phenomena without apprehending anything.130

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to know and who wish to acquire all the attributes of the lord buddhas of the past, future, and present should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to go beyond conditioned and unconditioned dharmas should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who wish to go beyond all dharmas‍—dharmas that are contaminated and uncontaminated, virtuous and nonvirtuous, specific and indeterminate, definitive and nondefinitive, occurring and nonoccurring, obscured and distinguished, as well as the dharmas of ordinary people, the dharmas of sublime beings, the dharmas that are learned, the dharmas that are not learned, the dharmas of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and the dharmas of the bodhisattvas and the dharmas of the buddhas‍—should all train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, [F.35.b] bodhisattva great beings who wish to comprehend the real nature of all dharmas arising in the past, in the future, and in the present should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to conclusively determine that all dharmas are nonarising, and those who wish to realize the very limit of reality with respect to all dharmas, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to have precedence over all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to serve all the lord buddhas should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to be present within the intimate retinue of all the lord buddhas should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to have many attendants and who wish to acquire a retinue of bodhisattvas should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to purify the gifts of all donors should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to have states of mind unimpeded with respect to generosity, those who wish to abandon states of mind of poor morality, those who wish to reject malicious states of mind, and those who wish that indolent states of mind, [F.36.a] agitated states of mind, and deluded states of mind might not arise should all train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to establish all beings in the meritorious foundations that arise from generosity, and those who wish to establish them in the meritorious foundations that arise from ethical discipline, {Dt.30} that arise from meditation, that arise from service, and that arise from all material phenomena, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to develop the five eyes in their entirety should train in the perfection of wisdom. That is to say, those who wish to develop the eye of flesh, the eye of divine clairvoyance, the eye of wisdom, the eye of the Dharma, and the eye of the buddhas should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to behold with the eye of divine clairvoyance all the lord buddhas, as many as there are who reside in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, and all the lord buddhas, as many as there are who reside in the world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, as well as in the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā; those who wish to hear with the ear of divine clairaudience all the Dharmas that those lord buddhas are teaching; and those who wish to comprehend the minds of those lord buddhas, [F.36.b] who wish to recollect the bodhisattva conduct in which those lord buddhas had formerly engaged, and who wish to behold the manifold miraculous and emanational abilities of those lord buddhas should all train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to retain all the Dharmas that those lord buddhas are teaching in the world systems of all the ten directions, through the uninterrupted power and force of recollection, and those who wish not to squander all these teachings until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to behold and who wish to attain the buddhafields of the lord buddhas of the past, future, {Dt.31} and present, along with many pure lands, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to hear all the teachings whatsoever of the tathāgatas, even those that cannot be heard by śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, including the discourses, the sayings in prose and verse, the prophetic declarations, the verses, the aphorisms, the contexts, the quotations, the tales of past lives, the most extensive teachings, the narratives, the established instructions, and the marvelous events, and those who wish to take them up, who wish to uphold them, who wish to recite them, who wish to master them, who wish to apply them earnestly and without error, [F.37.a] who wish to teach them extensively to others, and who wish to teach them in an authentic manner, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to hear all the teachings whatsoever that all the lord buddhas have spoken, will speak, and are speaking in the eastern direction‍—and that all the lord buddhas likewise have spoken, will speak, and are speaking in the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, as well as in the nadir and the zenith‍—and those who wish to take them up, who wish to uphold them, who wish to recite them, who wish to master them, who wish to teach them extensively to others, and who wish to apply them earnestly and without error, should all train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to illuminate all the places in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, that are shrouded in darkness, a blinding darkness where even the sun and the moon with such great miraculous capacity, such great splendor, and such great power cannot shine, cannot radiate, and cannot shed light, should train in the perfection of wisdom. Those who wish likewise to illuminate all the places in the world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, as well as in the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, that are shrouded in darkness, a blinding darkness where even the sun and the moon [F.37.b] with such great miraculous capacity, such great splendor, and such great power cannot shine, cannot radiate, and cannot shed light, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish that all beings in the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, who do not hear the word Buddha, the word Dharma, or the word Saṅgha might hear the word Buddha, the word Dharma, and the word Saṅgha, and those who wish to establish them in the genuine view, should train in the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings who likewise wish that all beings in the world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, as well as in the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, who do not hear the word Buddha, the word Dharma, or the word Saṅgha might hear the word Buddha, the word Dharma, and the word Saṅgha, and those who wish to establish them in the genuine view, should train in the perfection of wisdom. {Dt.32}

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings have the thought, ‘Through my power, may beings who are blind, as many as there are in all world systems of the eastern direction, and of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, as well as in the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. May those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears! May those who are insane regain their wits! [F.38.a] May those who are naked obtain clothes! May those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and drink! May those who are ill recover their health! May those who are imprisoned and confined in dungeons become joyful!’ then they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“When bodhisattva great beings wish to establish all beings in ethical discipline, wish to establish them in meditative stability, wisdom, liberation, and seeing the wisdom of liberation, and wish to establish them in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, in the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and in arhatship, individual enlightenment, and unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, thinking how, through their power, all those beings, as many as there are in all world systems of each of the ten directions, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, who are in states that lack freedom, who have fallen into the lower realms, who have been reborn as denizens of the hells, as animals, or in the worlds of Yama, will pass away from those states and, having transmigrated, obtain a human body, at that time they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to train in the conduct of the tathāgatas, and who wish to train in the enlightened activities of the tathāgatas’ body, the enlightened activities of their speech, and the enlightened activities of their mind, which are pure and preceded by wisdom, should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings [F.38.b] practice the perfection of wisdom, they should consider, {Dt.33} ‘How is it that I shall adopt the way that an elephant gazes and teach the Dharma unimpededly to beings? How is it that I shall yawn by means of the meditative stability of the yawning of the great lion? How is it that I shall step131 with steps that are purposeful? How is it that I shall move around with my feet not touching the earth, but above it by some four finger-widths? How is it that by placing the soles of my feet on thousand-petaled lotuses, I shall move around without harming the living creatures that are present below my feet? How is it that, as I move around, both my feet, their soles endowed with the motif of thousand-spoked wheels, will leave prints on the earth? How is it that I shall walk on the walking path in a circle the size of a wheel while encircling the whole earth? How is it that I shall be unsullied by the dust of the earth even though I move about all over the earth? How is it that I shall be without physical or mental tiredness even though I move through buddhafields measuring one yojana, or two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or one hundred yojanas, or one thousand yojanas, or anything from a hundred thousand yojanas up to immeasurable, countless, inconceivable, incomparable, infinite, completely infinite, unappraisable, indescribably many indescribable numbers of yojanas?’132 When they think about such things, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings also think, ‘How is it that, diffusing from the soles of my feet marked with the motif of a thousand-spoked wheel one hundred billion trillion rays of light, [F.39.a] I shall assuage all the sufferings associated with the states that lack freedom and the lower realms, and secure all beings in happiness?’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should think, ‘How is it that I, surrounded and attended by the gods of the Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika realm and by many hundred billion trillion gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, and Bṛhatphala realms, and those of the Pure Abodes Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha, shall approach the Tree at the Seat of Enlightenment?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should think, ‘How is it that when I approach the Tree at the Seat of Enlightenment a mat will be spread out for me by the gods of the Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika realm and the gods of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā. Ābha, Parīttābha, and Apramāṇābha; and those of Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, [F.39.b] Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, and Bṛhatphala; and those of the Pure Abodes Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should think, ‘How is it that, seated at the seat of enlightenment, after touching the ground with my hand, excellently adorned with the major marks, I shall defeat the dark forces along with the entourage of Māra?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should think, ‘How is it that, having attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, I shall transform the places where I move, stand, sit, and recline to be of the nature of vajra?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should think, ‘How is it that I, on the very day on which I renounce the world, shall defeat the dark forces along with their entourage? {Dt.34} How is it that I, having attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, on that very day shall turn the wheel of the Dharma? How is it that I shall enable immeasurable, countless beings to purify the eye of the Dharma, taintless and immaculate, with respect to all phenomena? [F.40.a] How is it that I shall enable immeasurable, countless beings to be without further grasping and liberate their minds from contaminants? How is it that I shall ensure that immeasurable, countless beings will make irreversible progress toward unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should set their minds on enlightenment, thinking, ‘How is it that I, when I have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, shall render the community of śrāvakas immeasurable and countless? How is it that I, through a single teaching of the Dharma, shall render those who attain arhatship in a single sitting immeasurable and countless? How is it that I shall enable bodhisattva great beings to make irreversible progress toward unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? How is it that I shall render the community of bodhisattvas immeasurable and countless? How is it that the limit of my lifespan will become inestimable? How is it that my boundless light will be endowed with excellence?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘How is it that when I have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, I shall ensure that in that buddhafield even the words attachment, aversion, and delusion are never heard?’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘How is it that when I have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, all the beings of that buddhafield will have such wisdom that they know, “Generosity is virtuous! Discipline is virtuous! [F.40.b] Chastity is virtuous! Nonviolence with respect to all living creatures is virtuous!”?’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘How is it that, even after attaining final nirvāṇa, I shall ensure that even the words the decline of the Dharma are never heard?’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom. If bodhisattva great beings also think, ‘How is it that merely by hearing my name multitudes of beings in world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā will become settled in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom. {Dt.35}

“Śāradvatīputra, at that time when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and accomplish these enlightened attributes, the Four Great Kings will also rejoice, saying, ‘We too will offer them the alms bowls that the great kings of the past offered to the tathāgatas of the past.’ The gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm and the gods of the Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin realms will also rejoice, saying, ‘We will serve and honor them.’ The gods of Brahmakāyika and the gods of Ābhāsvara, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha will also rejoice, [F.41.a] saying, ‘The realms of the asuras will decline! The realms of the gods will flourish! We pray that after these bodhisattvas have attained manifest buddhahood they will turn the wheel of the Dharma!’

“Śāradvatīputra, at that time when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and flourish through the six perfections, the noble sons and noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas will also rejoice, saying, ‘We will become their father, mother, brother, sister, wife, son, daughter, confidant, advisor, relative, acquaintance, and friend.’ {Dt.36}

“The Four Great Kings, the gods of the Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika realm, and the gods of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, and Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha will also rejoice, saying, ‘This bodhisattva great being has given up his entourage of queens.’

“In order to establish beings in enlightenment, they maintain chaste conduct. They are not bound by fettering concerns. They aspire that they might maintain chaste conduct from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment onward, and that they might avoid all conduct that is not chaste. If you ask why, since the pursuit of sensual pleasures may even interrupt rebirth in the Brahmā worlds, what need one say about unsurpassed, complete enlightenment! Therefore, bodhisattva great beings who maintain chaste conduct from the time when they renounce the world will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. [F.41.b] They will not do so with conduct that is not chaste.”

The venerable Śāradvatīputra then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, is it definite that bodhisattva great beings will have a father, mother, wife, sons, and daughters?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “there are some bodhisattva great beings who definitely need to have a father and mother, but who do not need to have sons, daughters, and wives. There are some who definitely need to have a father and mother, and also wives, sons, and daughters. Śāradvatīputra, there are some bodhisattva great beings who maintain chaste conduct from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment onward, and who live as youthful ones until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. There are some bodhisattva great beings who have engaged in the pleasures of the five senses in order to bring beings to maturation through skillful means. After leaving the family circle behind, they then attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who practice the profound perfection of wisdom are without the afflicted mental states associated with desire. Although some of them may engage in the pleasures of the senses in order to bring beings to maturation, they display this activity but do not relish it. {Dt.37} Śāradvatīputra, if, as an analogy, an illusionist or the apprentice of an illusionist extremely well trained in magical spells and techniques were to conjure the five pleasures of the senses, and were then to reveal himself playing with, delighting in, and enjoying those five pleasures of the senses, [F.42.a] do you think, Śāradvatīputra, that that illusionist or apprentice of an illusionist would have actually enjoyed the five pleasures of the senses?”

“He would not, Blessed Lord!”

“In the same way, Śāradvatīputra,” continued the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who have trained extremely well in the magical display of the Great Vehicle acquire the ability to enjoy reality as a magical display. Although they are free from all afflicted mental states, in order to bring beings who are to be trained to maturation they may also teach the enjoyment of the pleasures of the senses by the power of their great compassion. They neither associate with those pleasures nor are they propelled toward them. Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings speak of the defects of attachments using many descriptive expressions: ‘Attachments are all ablaze! Attachments are debased! Attachments are murderous! Attachments are inimical! Attachments are aggressive! Attachments are like a lamp of straw! Attachments are like the fruit of the snake gourd! Attachments are like the blade of a sword! Attachments are like a mass of fire! Attachments are like smoldering leaves! Attachments are like an iron hook! Attachments are like a cesspit!’ So it is, Śāradvatīputra, that although bodhisattva great beings understand attachments, in order that unskilled beings might be brought to maturation, they may teach the sensual pleasures since they are disillusioned with the five sensual pleasures and free of the five sensual pleasures. They neither become intoxicated, nor do they become careless, nor do they engage in negative actions by reason of attachment or on the basis of attachment.”133 [F.42.b]

The venerable Śāradvatīputra then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how should bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “in this regard, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not observe a bodhisattva. Nor do they observe the term bodhisattva. Nor do they observe the conduct of a bodhisattva. Nor do they observe the perfection of wisdom. Nor do they observe the term perfection of wisdom. Nor do they observe the term practicing, and neither do they observe not practicing, nor observe both practicing and not practicing, nor even observe neither practicing nor not practicing. They also do not observe physical form. Nor do they observe feelings. Nor do they observe perceptions. Nor do they observe formative predispositions. Nor do they observe consciousness. {Dt.38} If you ask why, Śāradvatīputra, it is because even bodhisattvas are empty of the inherent existence of bodhisattvas. Even the term bodhisattva is empty of the term bodhisattva. If you ask why, it is because such is their intrinsic nature. It is not owing to emptiness that physical forms are empty, nor is emptiness anything other than physical forms. The nature of physical forms is indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed physical forms. It is not owing to emptiness that feelings are empty, [F.43.a] nor is emptiness anything other than feelings. The nature of feelings is indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed feelings. It is not owing to emptiness that perceptions are empty, nor is emptiness anything other than perceptions. The nature of perceptions is indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed perceptions. It is not owing to emptiness that formative predispositions are empty, nor is emptiness anything other than formative predispositions. The nature of formative predispositions is indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed formative predispositions. It is not owing to emptiness that consciousness is empty, nor is emptiness anything other than consciousness. The nature of consciousness is indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed consciousness. If you ask why, it is because even enlightenment is merely a name. Likewise, even bodhisattva is merely a name. Even emptiness is merely a name. Likewise, even these‍—physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness‍—are merely names.

“Moreover, physical forms are like a magical display. Feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are like a magical display. Magical displays are merely names. They are not located in any direction, nor are they located in any place. Magical displays that are seen do not exist. They have not arisen. They are false. They are without inherent existence. They are without essential nature, nonarising, nonceasing, nondwelling, without increase, without decrease, without affliction, and without purification. Bodhisattva great beings who practice accordingly do not observe any phenomenon that arises. They do not observe anything that ceases. They do not observe anything that remains. They do not observe anything that increases. [F.43.b] They do not observe anything that decreases. They do not observe anything that is afflicted. They do not observe anything that is purified. They do not observe physical forms. They do not observe feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. They do not even observe anything that is ‘enlightenment’ or a ‘bodhisattva.’ If you ask why, it is because phenomena are a magical display of distinct names. Even these designations, these names that have adventitiously arisen, are not genuine, but imputations used as conventions. It is the conventions that are the basis of fixation. For this reason, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not observe any phenomena and do not apprehend anything. Since they do not observe anything and do not apprehend anything, they do not give rise to any conceits. They are without fixations.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they determine that this ‘bodhisattva’ is a mere name. That is to say, this ‘buddha’ is a mere name, {Dt.39} this ‘perfection of wisdom’ is a mere name, this ‘practicing of the perfection of wisdom’ is a mere name, these ‘physical forms’ are a mere name, these ‘feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness’ are mere names. For example, Śāradvatīputra, one conventionally speaks of a ‘self’ even though it is nonapprehensible when definitively investigated. [F.44.a] One conventionally speaks of ‘beings’ even though they are nonapprehensible when definitively investigated. One conventionally speaks of ‘life forms’ even though they are nonapprehensible when definitively investigated, owing to the emptiness of nonapprehensibility. Similarly, for example, one conventionally speaks of ‘life, living creatures, persons, human beings, people, actors, creators, experiencers, instigators of experience, petitioners, instigators, knowers, viewers, touchers, and conscious beings,’ even though they are nonapprehensible when definitively investigated, owing to the emptiness of nonapprehensibility. These are mere names and symbols, designated according to convention. In the same manner, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they too do not observe a bodhisattva. They do not observe enlightenment. They do not observe buddhas. They do not observe the perfection of wisdom. They do not observe physical forms. They do not observe feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. Nor do they even observe those names that are designated according to convention. So it is that, owing to their apprehending of the emptiness of nonapprehensibility, bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom outshine the wisdom of all beings, up to and including the wisdom of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, except for the wisdom of the tathāgatas. [F.44.b] If you ask why, it is because they do not even apprehend anything through which they might be attached. Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who practice accordingly are practicing the perfection of wisdom.

“Śāradvatīputra, were this Jambudvīpa to be filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, like a grove of reeds, like a grove of rattan, like a grove of sugarcane, like a thicket of bamboo, like a paddy field of rice, or like a field of sesame, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom of bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom. It would not match even a thousandth part of it, or anything from a hundred thousandth to a thousand billionth part of it, in number, fraction, categorization, comparison, or quality. If you ask why, Śāradvatīputra, it is because the wisdom of bodhisattva great beings is established so that all beings will pass into final nirvāṇa. The wisdom of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas is not so.

“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom continue, even with as much wisdom as they cultivate in a single day, to outshine the wisdom of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Śāradvatīputra, let alone it being just this Jambudvīpa that was filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana‍—instead were this whole great trichiliocosm to be filled entirely with monks such as you, Śāradvatīputra, [F.45.a] their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom of bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom. It would not approach even a thousandth, a hundred thousandth, a hundred million trillionth, a billion trillionth, or a hundred billion trillionth part of it, in number, fraction, categorization, or comparison; nor would they match it in quality. Śāradvatīputra, let alone it being just this great trichiliocosm‍—instead, Śāradvatīputra, were all the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, to be filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, and were the world systems of each of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, along with the directions of the nadir and the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, all to be filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom have cultivated in a single day. It would not approach even a thousandth, a hundred thousandth, a hundred million trillionth, a billion trillionth, or a hundred billion trillionth part of it, in number, fraction, categorization, or comparison; nor would they match it in quality.” {Dt.40}

Śāradvatīputra then said, “Blessed Lord, the wisdom of the śrāvakas who enter the stream to nirvāṇa, who are destined for only one more rebirth, who will no longer be subject to rebirth, and who are arhats, and also the wisdom of those who are pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas, [F.45.b] arhats, completely awakened buddhas‍—none of those wisdoms can be differentiated. They are indivisible, empty, void, intrinsically nonarising, and empty of essential nature. Blessed Lord, if no differences or distinctions can be apprehended in that which is indivisible, void, nonarising, and empty of inherent existence, how then, Blessed Lord, does the wisdom cultivated in a single session by bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom outshine the wisdom of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “do you think that the purpose for which the wisdom of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas is established is comparable to the purpose for which the wisdom cultivated in a single day by bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom is established as they think, ‘Having practiced knowledge of the path, having acted for the sake of all beings, when I attain consummate buddhahood in all its aspects with respect to all phenomena I shall bring all beings to attain final nirvāṇa’?”

“No, Blessed Lord!” he replied.

The Blessed One then asked, “Śāradvatīputra, do you think that there are any śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas who consider, ‘Once we have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, we should bring all beings into the expanse beyond sorrow with no residual aggregates to attain final nirvāṇa’?”

“No, Blessed Lord, I do not think so!” he replied.

The Blessed One then said, “For this reason, Śāradvatīputra, [F.46.a] you should understand that, between the wisdom of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas and the wisdom of bodhisattva great beings, when one apprehends the latter wisdom, the wisdom of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot approach even a hundredth part of it. It cannot approach even a thousandth, a hundred thousandth, a hundred million trillionth, a billion trillionth, or a hundred billion trillionth part of it, in number, fraction, categorization, or comparison; nor can it match it in quality.

“Śāradvatīputra, do you think that there are any śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas who consider, ‘Once I have practiced the six perfections, brought beings to maturation, refined the buddhafields, perfected the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and perfected the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, {Dt.41} I will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and then bring immeasurable, countless beings to attain final nirvāṇa’?”

“No, Blessed Lord, I do not think so!” he replied.

The Blessed One then said, “Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings do have the following thought: ‘Once I have practiced the six perfections, brought beings to maturation, refined the buddhafields, perfected the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and perfected the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, [F.46.b] great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, I will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and then enable immeasurable, countless beings to attain final nirvāṇa.’ Śāradvatīputra, just as a firefly, which is a species of insect, does not think, ‘May my light illuminate all Jambudvīpa! May my light extensively fill Jambudvīpa!’ in the same way, Śāradvatīputra, there are no śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas at all who think, ‘Once I have practiced the six perfections, brought beings to maturation, refined the buddhafields, perfected the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and perfected the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, I will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and then bring immeasurable, countless beings to attain final nirvāṇa.’ [B4]

“Śāradvatīputra, just as the rising sun suffuses the entirety of Jambudvīpa with its light and illuminates the entirety of Jambudvīpa with its light, in the same way, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who have practiced the perfection of wisdom have also brought beings to maturation, refined the buddhafields, [F.47.a] perfected the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and perfected the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and then bring immeasurable, countless beings to attain final nirvāṇa.”

The venerable Śāradvatīputra then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings transcend the levels of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, attain the level of an irreversible bodhisattva, and refine the path of enlightenment?”

The Blessed One replied to Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, in this regard, when bodhisattva great beings, starting from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment, practice the six perfections, they dwell in emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. Through skillful means they will transcend the levels of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and then attain the level of an irreversible bodhisattva. They will also refine the path of enlightenment.”

Śāradvatīputra then asked, “Blessed Lord, abiding on what level are bodhisattva great beings worthy of receiving the donations of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas?” {Dt.42}

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who practice the six perfections from the time when they first set their minds on enlightenment until they are seated at the site of enlightenment are worthy recipients of the offerings of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. [F.47.b] If you ask why, Śāradvatīputra, it is because it is the very presence of bodhisattva great beings that causes all virtuous attributes to emerge in the world. So it is that the paths of the ten virtuous actions, the five precepts, the eightfold poṣadha for monastics, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the five extrasensory powers, the six recollections, the perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path emerge in the world. So it is that the four truths of the noble ones, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, all the meditative stabilities, and all the dhāraṇī gateways emerge in the world. So it is that 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 emerge in the world.

“Śāradvatīputra, there are many phenomena‍—starting from those virtuous attributes‍—that emerge in the world. It is because those virtuous attributes have emerged in the world that there are great and lofty royal families to be found, that there are great and lofty priestly families to be found, that there are great and lofty householder families to be found, that there are the gods of the Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika to be found, that there are the gods of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin to be found, that there are the gods of the Brahmakāyika realms to be found, [F.48.a] and that there are the gods of Brahmapurohita, the gods of Brahma­pariṣadya, the gods of Mahābrahmā, the gods of Ābha, the gods of Parīttābha, the gods of Apramāṇābha, the gods of Ābhāsvara, the gods of Śubha, the gods of Parīttaśubha, the gods of Apramāṇaśubha, the gods of Śubhakṛtsna, the gods of Bṛhat, the gods of Parīttabṛhat, the gods of Apramāṇabṛhat, the gods of Bṛhatphala, the gods of Avṛha, the gods of Atapa, the gods of Sudṛśa, the gods of Sudarśana, and the gods of Akaniṣṭha to be found. So it is, too, that there are the gods of the sphere of infinite space, the gods of the sphere of infinite consciousness, {Dt.43} the gods of the sphere of nothing-at-all, and the gods of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception to be found. So it is, too, that there are those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, those who are arhats, those who are pratyekabuddhas, those who are bodhisattva great beings, and those who are tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas to be found in the world.”

Then Śāradvatīputra asked, “Blessed Lord, in that case do bodhisattva great beings purify those offerings?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings purify those offerings in a manner. If you ask how, it is because, for bodhisattva great beings, all giving whatsoever is utterly pure, and indeed it is in that very manner, Śāradvatīputra, that bodhisattva great beings give away what they give. If you ask what it is that they give away, they give away many virtuous attributes. Thus they give away the paths of the ten virtuous actions, [F.48.b] the five precepts, the eightfold poṣadha for monastics, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the five extrasensory powers, the six recollections, the perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the four truths of the noble ones, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, 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, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.”

Śāradvatīputra then asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings ‘engage’ with it when they engage with the perfection of wisdom?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings are said to ‘engage’ with it when they engage with the emptiness of physical forms. {Dt.44} They are said to ‘engage’ with it when they engage with the emptiness of feelings, the emptiness of perceptions, the emptiness of formative predispositions, and the emptiness of consciousness. They are said to ‘engage’ with it when they engage with the emptiness of the eyes. They are said to ‘engage’ with it when they engage with the emptiness of the ears, the emptiness of the nose, the emptiness of the tongue, the emptiness of the body, and the emptiness of the mental faculty. They are said to ‘engage’ with it when they engage with the emptiness of sights. They are said to ‘engage’ with it when they engage with the emptiness of sounds, the emptiness of odors, [F.49.a] the emptiness of tastes, the emptiness of tangibles, and the emptiness of mental phenomena. They are said to ‘engage’ with it when they engage with the emptiness of the sensory element of the eyes, the emptiness of the sensory element of sights, and the emptiness of the sensory element of visual consciousness. They are said to ‘engage’ with it when they engage with the emptiness of the sensory element of the ears, the emptiness of the sensory element of sounds, and the emptiness of the sensory element of auditory consciousness; or with the emptiness of the sensory element of the nose, the emptiness of the sensory element of odors, and the emptiness of the sensory element of olfactory consciousness; or with the emptiness of the sensory element of the tongue, the emptiness of the sensory element of tastes, and the emptiness of the sensory element of gustatory consciousness; or with the emptiness of the sensory element of the body, the emptiness of the sensory element of touch, and the emptiness of the sensory element of tactile consciousness; or with the emptiness of the sensory element of the mental faculty, the emptiness of the sensory element of phenomena, and the emptiness of the sensory element of mental consciousness.

“They are said to ‘engage’ with it when they engage with emptiness of suffering, with the emptiness of the origin of suffering, with the emptiness of the cessation of suffering<