The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
Chapter 28
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
Imprint
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 1.1.12 (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 28
Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, [F.200.a] “Blessed Lord! The perfection of wisdom is inactive.”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “that is because agents are nonapprehensible. Similarly, Subhūti, it is because physical forms are nonapprehensible, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are nonapprehensible, and [all the attributes and goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are nonapprehensible.”
“Blessed Lord! How then should bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “in this regard, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they do not engage with physical forms, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the sense fields, the sensory elements, or the links of dependent origination, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with any of the perfections, any of the aspects of emptiness, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, or the formless absorptions, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, or the extrasensory powers, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the meditative stabilities or the dhāraṇī gateways, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, or the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, [F.200.b] then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with knowledge of all the dharmas, knowledge of the path, or all-aspect omniscience, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. {Ki.II-III: 171}
“If they do not engage with the notions that physical forms are permanent or impermanent, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are permanent or impermanent, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that [all phenomena, attributes, and goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are permanent or impermanent, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom.
“If they do not engage with the notions that physical forms are imbued with happiness or imbued with suffering, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are imbued with happiness or imbued with suffering, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that [all phenomena, attributes, and goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are imbued with happiness or imbued with suffering, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom.
“If they do not engage with the notions that physical forms constitute a self or a nonself, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness constitute a self or a nonself, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that [all phenomena, attributes, and goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, constitute a self or a nonself, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom.
“If they do not engage with the notions that physical forms are pleasant or unpleasant, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are pleasant or unpleasant, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that [all phenomena, attributes, and goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are pleasant or unpleasant, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. [F.201.a] If you ask why, that which is permanent or impermanent, that which is imbued with happiness or imbued with suffering, that which constitutes a self or a nonself, and that which is pleasant or unpleasant is not physical forms. That which is permanent or impermanent, that which is imbued with happiness or imbued with suffering, that which constitutes a self or a nonself, and that which is pleasant or unpleasant is not feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. That which is permanent or impermanent, that which is imbued with happiness or imbued with suffering, that which constitutes a self or a nonself, and that which is pleasant or unpleasant is not [all phenomena, attributes, and goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience. [B40]
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they do not engage with the notion that physical forms are unperfected, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are unperfected, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notion that the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination are unperfected, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notion that {Ki.II-III: 172} all the perfections and all the aspects of emptiness are unperfected, then then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notion that the applications of mindfulness are unperfected, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notion that the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path are unperfected, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notion that the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, [F.201.b] the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers are unperfected, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notion that the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇī gateways are unperfected, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notion 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 are unperfected, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notion that [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are unperfected, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom.
“Why so, you may ask? If indeed they do not engage in that manner with the notion that unperfected physical forms are not physical forms, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If indeed they do not engage in that manner with the notion that unperfected feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are not consciousness [and so forth], then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If indeed they do not engage in that manner with the notion that unperfected [phenomena, attributes, and goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are not all-aspect omniscience [and so forth], then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom.”
“Blessed Lord, how wonderful it is that this exegesis on the attachment and nonattachment possessed by noble sons and noble daughters who espouse the vehicle of the bodhisattvas has been eloquently explained by the tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened Buddha!”
“Subhūti, it is so! It is so!” replied the Blessed One. “The attachment and nonattachment possessed by noble sons and noble daughters who espouse the vehicle of the bodhisattvas have been eloquently explained by the tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened Buddha. [F.202.a]
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they do not engage with the notions that physical forms are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that the perfection of generosity is with attachment, or that it is without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that the emptiness of internal phenomena is with attachment, or that it is without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that 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, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, [F.202.b] then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇī gateways are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions 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 are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they do not engage with the notions that [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are with attachment, or that they are without attachment, then they are practicing the perfection of wisdom. {Ki.II-III: 173}
“Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings practice in that manner, they do not perceive that physical forms are with attachment, or that they are without attachment. They do not perceive that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are with attachment, or that they are without attachment. They do not perceive that the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination are with attachment, or that they are without attachment. They do not perceive that all the perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, and the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment are with attachment, or that they are without attachment. They do not perceive that 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, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers are with attachment, or that they are without attachment. They do not perceive that the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇī gateways are with attachment, or that they are without attachment. They do not perceive that the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, [F.203.a] the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are with attachment, or that they are without attachment. They do not perceive that the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa is with attachment, or that it is without attachment. They do not perceive that the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and arhatship are with attachment, or that they are without attachment. They do not perceive that individual enlightenment is with attachment, or that it is without attachment. They do not perceive that unsurpassed, complete enlightenment is with attachment, or that it is without attachment.”
“Blessed Lord, how most wonderful it is that this profound Dharma is neither diminished when it is explained, nor is it diminished even when it is not explained. It is neither enhanced when it is explained, nor is it enhanced even when it is not explained!”
“It is so, Subhūti! It is so!” replied the Blessed One. “This profound Dharma is neither diminished when it is explained, nor is it diminished even when it is not explained. It is neither enhanced when it is explained, nor is it enhanced even when it is not explained. Subhūti, this is just as if the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas were to eulogize or not eulogize space for the duration of their entire lives. Space would neither be enhanced when it is eulogized, nor would it be diminished when it is disparaged. Space does not become attached even when it is eulogized, and space does not become annoyed even when it is disparaged. Subhūti, just as an illusory man is neither enhanced when eulogized, nor diminished when disparaged, in the same way, Subhūti, the reality of phenomena is such even when it is explained, and it is such even when it is not explained.” [F.203.b]
“Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and teach the perfection of wisdom, they are neither disheartened nor distracted. Persevering in this perfection of wisdom, they do not turn away from unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, but achieve that which is difficult. If one were to ask why, Blessed Lord, it is because this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom by bodhisattva great beings is like cultivating space. That is to say, in space, physical forms are not discerned; nor are feelings, perceptions, {Ki.II-III: 174} formative predispositions, and consciousness discerned. In space, the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination are not discerned. In space, the perfection of generosity is not discerned; nor are the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom discerned. In space, the emptiness of internal phenomena is not discerned; nor are [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, discerned. In space, the applications of mindfulness are not discerned; nor are the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path discerned. In space, 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, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers are not discerned. In space, [F.204.a] the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇī gateways are not discerned. In space, 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 are not discerned. In space, the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa is not discerned; nor are the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, and individual enlightenment discerned. In space, unsurpassed, complete enlightenment is not discerned.
“Blessed Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who would don this armor are worthy of homage! Blessed Lord, those who would don this armor intend to strive, intend to struggle, and intend to make efforts for the sake of space. Blessed Lord, those who would don this armor for the sake of beings are seeking to mature and seeking to liberate space. Blessed Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who would don this armor for the sake of phenomena that resemble space don the mighty armor. Blessed Lord, those who would don this armor for the sake of beings are seeking to buttress the sky. Those bodhisattva great beings who would enter into unsurpassed, complete enlightenment for the sake of beings acquire great perseverance. Blessed Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who would enter into unsurpassed, complete enlightenment for the sake of beings don the mighty armor. Blessed Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who would attain consummate buddhahood—unsurpassed, complete enlightenment—for [F.204.b] the sake of phenomena that resemble space don a mighty armor that is heroic, inconceivable, and unequaled.
“If one were to ask why, Blessed Lord, if this world system of the great trichiliocosm were completely filled with manifold tathāgatas, like a bed of reeds, a grove of canes, a grove of sugarcane, a grove of bamboo, a paddy field, or a field of sesame, and if these tathāgatas were to teach the Dharma for an eon or more than an eon, even though each of these tathāgatas might establish inestimable, countless beings in final nirvāṇa, Blessed Lord, the depletion or replenishment of the world of beings would not be discernible. If one were to ask why, it is because beings are nonexistent and because beings are void. Similarly, if the fields in each of the world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were completely filled with manifold tathāgatas, {Ki.II-III: 175} like a bed of reeds, a grove of canes, a grove of sugarcane, a grove of bamboo, a paddy field, or a field of sesame, and if these tathāgatas were to teach the Dharma for an eon or more than an eon, even though each of these tathāgatas might establish inestimable, countless beings in final nirvāṇa, Blessed Lord, the depletion or replenishment of the world of beings would not be discernible. If one were to ask why, it is because beings are nonexistent and because beings are void. Blessed Lord, those are the formulations explaining how I say that those who seek to attain consummate buddhahood—unsurpassed, complete enlightenment—for the sake of beings, are actually seeking to mature and liberate space.”
At that time there was a certain monk [present within the assembly] [F.205.a] who thought, “I pay homage to the blessed lady, the perfection of wisdom, in whom, although nothing at all arises or ceases, the aggregate of ethical discipline is still discerned, the aggregate of meditative stability is still discerned, the aggregate of wisdom is still discerned, the aggregate of liberation is still discerned, and the aggregate of seeing the wisdom of liberation is still discerned; the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa is still discerned; the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, and individual enlightenment are still discerned; unsurpassed, complete enlightenment is still discerned; those entering the stream to nirvāṇa are still discerned; those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, and pratyekabuddhas are still discerned; the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas are still discerned—and in whom the precious jewel of the Buddha, the precious jewel of the Dharma, and the precious jewel of the Saṅgha are still discerned, and in whom the turnings of the wheel of the Dharma are still discerned!”403
Thereupon, Śakra, mighty king of the gods, asked the venerable Subhūti, “Blessed Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings persevere with this profound perfection of wisdom, with respect to what are they persevering?”
“Kauśika,” replied Subhūti, “the mind that would train in this perfection of wisdom perseveres with respect to empty space.”
Śakra, mighty king of the gods, then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, I will guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to those noble sons or noble daughters who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this profound perfection of wisdom. Permit me to do so, Blessed Lord!”
Then the venerable Subhūti [F.205.b] addressed Śakra, mighty king of the gods, “Kauśika, do you observe anything that should be guarded, protected, and offered sanctuary?”
“Blessed Subhūti, I do not observe anything that should be guarded, protected, and offered sanctuary,” he replied.
“Kauśika, if noble sons or noble daughters dwell in this perfection of wisdom, as it has been described, that itself will guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to them. {Ki.II-III: 176} If they are separated from this perfection of wisdom, as it has been described, human and nonhuman adversaries who wish to harm them will find an opportunity to do so. One should know that those noble sons or noble daughters who do not dwell in the perfection of wisdom, as it has been described, will be separated from the perfection of wisdom.
“Kauśika, anyone thinking to guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom would actually be thinking to guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to space. They would not succeed and would tire themselves out!
“Kauśika, do you think that you can guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to a magical display, a mirage, a dream, an echo, an optical illusion, or a phantom?”
“No, Blessed Subhūti!” he replied.
“Kauśika, in the same way, anyone thinking to guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom would not succeed and would tire themselves out!
“Kauśika, do you think you can guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to the tathāgatas or to an emanation of the tathāgatas?” [F.206.a]
“Kauśika, in the same way, anyone thinking to guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom would not succeed and would tire themselves out!
“Kauśika, do you think you can guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to the realm of phenomena, the very limit of reality, the real nature, or the inconceivable realm?”
“Kauśika, in the same way, anyone thinking to guard, protect, and offer sanctuary to bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom would not succeed and would tire themselves out!”
Then, Śakra, mighty king of the gods, asked the venerable Subhūti, “Blessed Subhūti, to what extent do bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom comprehend that phenomena are like a magical display, a mirage, a dream, an echo, an optical aberration, or a phantom, so that, consequent to this understanding, they do not give rise to conceits based on their dreams, do not give rise to conceits on account of their dreams, do not give rise to conceits about their dreams, and so on, up to and including the fact that they do not give rise to conceits based on phantoms, do not give rise to conceits on account of phantoms, and do not give rise to conceits about phantoms?”
“Kauśika,” replied Subhūti, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, {Ki.II-III: 177} if they do not give rise to conceits based on physical forms, do not give rise to conceits on account of physical forms, and do not give rise to conceits about physical forms, [F.206.b] then they do not give rise to conceits based on their dreams, do not give rise to conceits on account of their dreams, do not give rise to conceits about their dreams, and so on, up to and including the fact that they do not give rise to conceits based on phantoms, do not give rise to conceits on account of phantoms, and do not give rise to conceits about phantoms.
“If they do not give rise to conceits based on feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness, do not give rise to conceits on account of consciousness [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits about consciousness [and so forth], then they do not give rise to conceits based on their dreams, do not give rise to conceits on account of their dreams, do not give rise to conceits about their dreams, and so on, up to and including the fact that they do not give rise to conceits based on phantoms, do not give rise to conceits on account of phantoms, and do not give rise to conceits about phantoms.
“If they do not give rise to conceits based on the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination, do not give rise to conceits on account of the links of dependent origination [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits about the links of dependent origination [and so forth], then they do not give rise to conceits based on their dreams, do not give rise to conceits on account of their dreams, do not give rise to conceits about their dreams, and so on, up to and including the fact that they do not give rise to conceits based on phantoms, do not give rise to conceits on account of phantoms, and do not give rise to conceits about phantoms.
“If they do not give rise to conceits based on all the perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, and the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, do not give rise to conceits on account of the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits about the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment [and so forth], then they do not give rise to conceits based on their dreams, do not give rise to conceits on account of their dreams, do not give rise to conceits about their dreams, and so on, up to and including the fact that they do not give rise to conceits based on phantoms, do not give rise to conceits on account of phantoms, and do not give rise to conceits about phantoms.
“If they do not give rise to conceits based on 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, emptiness, [F.207.a] signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers, do not give rise to conceits on account of the extrasensory powers [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits about the extrasensory powers [and so forth], then they do not give rise to conceits based on their dreams, do not give rise to conceits on account of their dreams, do not give rise to conceits about their dreams, and so on, up to and including the fact that they do not give rise to conceits based on phantoms, do not give rise to conceits on account of phantoms, and do not give rise to conceits about phantoms.
“If they do not give rise to conceits based on the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇī gateways, do not give rise to conceits on account of the dhāraṇī gateways [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits about the dhāraṇī gateways [and so forth], then they do not give rise to conceits based on their dreams, do not give rise to conceits on account of their dreams, do not give rise to conceits about their dreams, and so on, up to and including the fact that they do not give rise to conceits based on phantoms, do not give rise to conceits on account of phantoms, and do not give rise to conceits about phantoms.
“If they do not give rise to conceits based on 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, do not give rise to conceits on account of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits about the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth], then they do not give rise to conceits based on their dreams, do not give rise to conceits on account of their dreams, do not give rise to conceits about their dreams, and so on, up to and including the fact that they do not give rise to conceits based on phantoms, do not give rise to conceits on account of phantoms, and do not give rise to conceits about phantoms.
“If they do not give rise to conceits based on [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, do not give rise to conceits on account of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits about