The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
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