The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
Chapter 38: [The Real Nature]
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 1.1.14 (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 38: [The Real Nature]
Then the gods inhabiting the realm of desire and the realm of form brought many divine sandalwood powders, and divine blue lotuses, day lotuses, night lotuses, and white lotuses, and they scattered these toward the Blessed One. Having scattered them, {Ki.IV: 115} they approached the place where the Blessed One was seated, prostrated their heads at his feet, and took their place to one side. Having taken their place to one side, those gods inhabiting the realm of desire and the realm of form then asked the Blessed One the following:
“Blessed Lord, how do the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas teach, on the basis of this profound perfection of wisdom, that the nature of physical forms is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed physical forms? [How do they teach that] the nature of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed consciousness [and so forth]? [How do they teach that] the nature of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed the links of dependent origination [and so forth]? [How do they teach that] the nature of the perfection of generosity is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed the perfection of generosity? [How do they teach that] the nature of the perfection of ethical discipline, [F.327.a] the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed the perfection of wisdom [and so forth]? [How do they teach that the nature of] the emptiness of internal phenomena is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed the emptiness of internal phenomena? [How do they teach that the nature of the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities [and so forth]? [How do they teach that] the nature of the applications of mindfulness is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed the applications of mindfulness? [How do they teach that] the nature of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed the noble eightfold path [and so forth]? [How do they teach that] the nature of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed the formless absorptions [and so forth]? [How do they teach that] the nature of the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas is all-aspect omniscience, and that all-aspect omniscience is indeed the distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth]?
“[How do they teach that] the real nature of physical forms and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience [F.327.b] are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two? [How do they teach that] the real nature of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two? [How do they teach that] the real nature of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two? [How do they teach that] the real nature of the perfection of generosity and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two. [How do they teach that] the real nature of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two? [How do they teach that] the real nature of the emptiness of internal phenomena and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two. [How do they teach that] the real nature of [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two? [How do they teach that] the real nature of the applications of mindfulness and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two? [How do they teach that] the real nature of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, [F.328.a] and the noble eightfold path, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two? [How do they teach that] the real nature of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two? [How do they teach that] the real nature of the aspects of liberation, the 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 distinct qualities of the buddhas, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two? [How do they teach that] the real nature of 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, the pratyekabuddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the buddhas, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature—that they are not two things and cannot be divided into two?
“That is to say, this perfection of wisdom, the enlightenment of the tathāgatas, is profound, hard to see, and hard to comprehend. It cannot be scrutinized; it is not within the range of sophistry. It is at peace, subtle, and delicate,455 and may be known by those who are learned and realized. It is difficult for any mundane [beings] to have conviction in it.” [F.328.b]
The Blessed One then replied to those gods inhabiting the realm of desire and the realm of form, “Divine princes, it is so! It is so! Divine princes, the nature of physical forms is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed physical forms. The nature of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed consciousness [and so forth]. The nature of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed the links of dependent origination [and so forth]. The nature of the perfection of generosity is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed the perfection of generosity. {Ki.IV: 116} The nature of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed the perfection of wisdom [and so forth]. [The nature of] the emptiness of internal phenomena is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed the emptiness of internal phenomena. [The nature of the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities [and so forth]. The nature of the applications of mindfulness is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed the applications of mindfulness. The nature of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed the noble eightfold path [and so forth]. The nature of the truths of the noble ones, [F.329.a] the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed the formless absorptions [and so forth]. The nature of the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas is all-aspect omniscience, and all-aspect omniscience is indeed the distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth].
“The real nature of physical forms and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience are one and the same real nature. They are not two things and cannot be divided into two. The real nature of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature. They are not two things and cannot be divided into two. The real nature of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature. They are not two things and cannot be divided into two. The real nature of the perfection of generosity and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience are one and the same real nature. They are not two things and cannot be divided into two. The real nature of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, [F.329.b] and the perfection of wisdom, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature. They are not two things and cannot be divided into two. The real nature of the emptiness of internal phenomena and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience are one and the same real nature. They are not two things and cannot be divided into two. The real nature of [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience, are one and the same real nature. They are not two things and cannot be divided into two. The real nature of the applications of mindfulness and the real nature of all-aspect omniscience are one and the same real nature. They are not two things and cannot be divided into two. The real nature of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the