The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
Chapter 36
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 36
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how should those bodhisattva great beings who are beginners train in the perfection of wisdom? How should they train in the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who are beginners and wish to train in the perfection of wisdom, and who wish to train in the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, {Ki.IV: 94} the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity, should rely upon and venerate spiritual mentors who can confer instruction in the perfection of wisdom, and who can confer instruction in the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity. These [spiritual mentors] will grant them instruction in the perfection of wisdom, saying, ‘Come here, noble child! You should dedicate all the gifts you have offered to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Come here, noble child! You should dedicate all the ethical discipline that you have maintained, [F.305.a] all the tolerance that you have acquired, all the perseverance that you have undertaken, all the meditative concentration in which you have been absorbed, and all the wisdom that you have cultivated to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Noble child, you should not misconstrue unsurpassed, complete enlightenment as physical forms, and you should not misconstrue it as feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness! You should not misconstrue it as the sense fields, sensory elements, or links of dependent origination! Noble child, you should not misconstrue unsurpassed, complete enlightenment as the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, or the perfection of wisdom! Noble child, you should not misconstrue unsurpassed, complete enlightenment as the emptiness of internal phenomena, and you should not misconstrue it as the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities. Noble child, you should not misconstrue unsurpassed, complete enlightenment as the applications of mindfulness, and you should not misconstrue it as the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, [F.305.b] the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, or the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. You should not misconstrue unsurpassed, complete enlightenment as [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience.
“ ‘If you ask why, when physical forms are not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When the sense fields, sensory elements, and links of dependent origination are not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When the perfection of generosity is not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom are not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When the emptiness of internal phenomena is not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, are not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When the applications of mindfulness are not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the paths are not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When the truths of the noble ones, {Ki.IV: 95} [F.306.a] the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the 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 misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained. When [the goals], up to and including knowledge of the path, are not misconstrued, all-aspect omniscience will be attained.
“ ‘Noble child, do not generate desire for physical forms! If you ask why, O noble child, it is because physical forms are undesirable. Do not generate desire for feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness! If you ask why, O noble child, it is because consciousness [and so forth] are undesirable. Do not generate desire for the sense fields, sensory elements, or links of dependent origination! If you ask why, O noble child, it is because the links of dependent origination [and so forth] are undesirable. Noble child, do not generate desire for the perfection of generosity! If you ask why, O noble child, it is because the perfection of generosity is undesirable. Do not generate desire for the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, or the perfection of wisdom! If you ask why, O noble child, it is because the perfection of wisdom [and so forth] are undesirable. Do not generate desire for the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, [F.306.b] the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, or [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities! If you ask why, O noble child, it is because the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities [and so forth] are undesirable. Do not generate desire for the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, or the path! If you ask why, O noble child, it is because the noble eightfold path [and so forth] are undesirable. Do not generate desire for the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, or [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience! If you ask why, O noble child, it is because all-aspect omniscience [and so forth] are undesirable.
“ ‘Noble child, do not generate desire for the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa! Do not generate desire for the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, or individual enlightenment! Do not generate desire for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment! If you ask why, O noble child, it is because enlightenment is undesirable. If you ask why that is the case, O noble child, it is because all phenomena are empty of essential nature.’ ”
Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, [F.307.a] those bodhisattva great beings who aspire to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, are engaged in a difficult task, inasmuch as all phenomena are empty of their own defining characteristics.”
“Subhūti, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings who aspire to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, are engaged in a difficult task, inasmuch as all phenomena are empty of their own defining characteristics. Even so, Subhūti, having understood that all phenomena are like a magical display and dreamlike, bodhisattva great beings embark on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. That is to say, bodhisattva great beings embark on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment {Ki.IV: 96} for the benefit, well-being, and happiness of the world. So, they set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, saying, ‘Let us become a protector for the world!’ They set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, saying, ‘Let us become a refuge for the world!’ They set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, saying, ‘Let us become a sanctuary for the world!’ They set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, saying, ‘Let us become an ally for the world!’ They set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, saying, ‘Let us become an island for the world!’ They set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, saying, ‘Let us become a lamp for the world!’ They set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, saying, ‘Let us become a torchbearer, a beacon of light, [F.307.b] a helmsman, and a guide for the world!’ They set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, saying, ‘Let us become a pathway for the world!’
“If you ask, Subhūti, how bodhisattva great beings wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment and set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment for the benefit of the world, in this regard, Subhūti, all the gifts that bodhisattva great beings give are for the release of all beings from suffering. All the ethical discipline that they maintain, all the tolerance that they cultivate, all the perseverance that they undertake, all the meditative concentrations in which they are absorbed, and all the wisdom that they cultivate is for the release of all beings from suffering. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment and set out for the benefit of the world.
“If you ask, Subhūti, how bodhisattva great beings set out for the well-being of the world, in this regard, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings release beings from the five destinies of cyclic existence and establish them in nirvāṇa, the secure ground that is without fear. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment and set out for the well-being of the world.
“If you ask, Subhūti, how bodhisattva great beings set out for the happiness of the world, [F.308.a] in this regard, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment release beings from suffering, discomfort, and disturbance, and establish them in nirvāṇa, the secure ground that is without fear. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment and set out for the happiness of the world.
“If you ask, Subhūti, how bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment act as a protector of the world, in this regard, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment shelter beings from all modes of suffering in cyclic existence, and teach them the Dharma so that they may abandon those sufferings. Having heard the Dharma, these beings will also gradually turn toward final nirvāṇa by means of the three vehicles. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment act as a protector of the world. [B48]
“If you ask, Subhūti, how bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment become a refuge for the world, in this regard, Subhūti, bodhisattva [F.308.b] great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment release beings with the affliction of birth, beings with the affliction of aging, beings with the affliction of sickness, beings with the affliction of death, beings with the affliction of sorrow, and beings with the affliction of lamentation, suffering, discomfort, and disturbance from those [states of] birth, aging, sickness, death sorrow, lamentation, suffering, discomfort, and disturbance, and bring them to pass into final nirvāṇa, in the expanse of nirvāṇa where the aggregates are not left behind. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment act as a refuge for the world. {Ki.IV: 97}
“If you ask, Subhūti, how bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment become a sanctuary for the world, in this regard, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment teach the Dharma without embracing anything. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment become a sanctuary for the world.”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “the nonembracing of physical forms is the nonassociation of physical forms. The nonassociation of physical forms [F.309.a] is the nonarising of physical forms. The nonarising of physical forms is the nonceasing of physical forms. The nonceasing of physical forms is the nonembracing of physical forms.
“The nonembracing of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness is the nonassociation of consciousness [and so forth]. The nonassociation of consciousness [and so forth] is the nonarising of consciousness [and so forth]. The nonarising of consciousness [and so forth] is the nonceasing of consciousness [and so forth]. The nonceasing of consciousness [and so forth] is the nonembracing of consciousness [and so forth].
“The nonembracing of the sense fields, the sensory elements, the links of dependent origination, all the perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the four truths of the noble ones, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and [all the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, is the nonassociation of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth]. The nonassociation of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth] is the nonarising of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth]. The nonarising of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth] is the nonceasing of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth]. [F.309.b] The nonceasing of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth] is the nonembracing of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth]. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment teach the Dharma without embracing anything.
“If you ask, Subhūti, how bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment become an ally of the world, in this regard, Subhūti, having attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they teach the Dharma to beings as follows: The transcendence of physical forms is not physical forms. The transcendence of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness is not consciousness [and so forth]. The transcendence of the sense fields, sensory elements, and links of dependent origination is not the links of dependent origination [and so forth]. The transcendence of all the perfections is not the perfections. The transcendence of all the aspects of emptiness is not the aspects of emptiness. The transcendence of the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment is not the factors conducive to enlightenment. The transcendence of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, {Ki.IV: 98} the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, [F.310.a] great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas is not the distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth]. The transcendence of [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, is not all-aspect omniscience [and so forth]. Subhūti, just as this applies to physical forms, so indeed it applies to all phenomena.”
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