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Table of Contents

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Summary

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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.

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Acknowledgements

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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.


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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

The Translation
The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
40.

Chapter 40: Irreversibility

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“Moreover, Subhūti, the evil Māra might approach bodhisattva great beings and dissuade them, saying, ‘This all-aspect omniscience is similar to space, of the essential nature of nonentity, and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics. These phenomena are also similar to space, of the essential nature of nonentity, and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics. With regard to phenomena that are similar to space, of the essential nature of nonentity, and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics, there is nothing apprehensible that would attain consummate buddhahood, by which consummate buddhahood would be attained, and in which consummate buddhahood would be attained. Since all these phenomena are similar to space, of the essential nature of nonentity, and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics, you will be disappointed and it would be futile to think that you will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. This has been revealed by Māra, not explained by the completely awakened buddhas! Noble child, you should reject these attentions! Do not endure hardships for long! Do not practice without benefit! You will suffer and be distressed!’

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“If this is said, noble sons or noble daughters, on hearing those words, should reflect, ‘Those [words] that would avert me from unsurpassed, complete enlightenment are the work of Māra. Although all phenomena are indeed similar to space, of the essential nature of nonentity, and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics, [F.363.b] they are not known, seen, or comprehended as such by beings. Therefore, I should don the armor that is similar to space, of the essential nature of nonentity, and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics, attain consummate buddhahood in all-aspect omniscience, and reveal to all beings the Dharma of emancipation [from cyclic existence]. I should establish beings in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa. I should establish them in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, {Ki.IV: 154} in the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and in arhatship and individual enlightenment. I should establish them in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.’

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“In this regard, bodhisattva great beings, from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment, should be steadfast when they listen to such things. Their minds should not be distracted. Their minds should not be carried away. If those whose minds are steadfast, undistracted, and not carried away practice the six perfections, they will enter upon the maturity of the bodhisattvas.”


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Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, can irreversible bodhisattva great beings be called reversible, or can reversible bodhisattvas be called irreversible?”

“Subhūti, irreversible bodhisattvas may be called reversible, and reversible bodhisattvas may be called irreversible,” replied the Blessed One.

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“Blessed Lord, how may irreversible bodhisattvas be called reversible, and how may reversible bodhisattvas be called irreversible?”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, [F.364.a] “bodhisattva great beings who have turned away from the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas are reversible bodhisattvas [in that they turn away from those levels], but they may be called irreversible bodhisattvas. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who have not turned away from the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas are irreversible bodhisattvas [in that they do not turn away from them], but they may be called reversible. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings are defined as irreversible due to these attributes, indications, and signs. Bodhisattva great beings who possess those attributes, indications, and signs cannot be turned away from unsurpassed, complete enlightenment by the evil Māra.

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“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible become absorbed at will in the first meditative concentration, and they become absorbed in the second, third, and fourth meditative concentrations. They become absorbed in [the formless absorptions], up to and including cessation [of perceptions and feelings]. {Ki.IV: 155}

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“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible become absorbed at will in the four applications of mindfulness, and they become absorbed in the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path. They become absorbed in the meditative stabilities of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. They actualize the five extrasensory powers. Through these four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, and four formless absorptions, they become acquainted with the absorption of cessation. They investigate the applications of mindfulness, [F.364.b] and they investigate the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path. They are then reabsorbed in the meditative stabilities of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, but they do not acquire the fruits of meditative concentration. They do not acquire the fruits of the immeasurable attitudes or the formless absorptions. They do not acquire the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa. They do not acquire the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, or arhatship. They do not attain enlightenment. At will, they may acquire the bodily forms that they wish, and through those bodily forms, they act for the benefit of beings. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess these attributes, indications, and signs are irreversible.

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“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible are endowed with attention to enlightenment. They are not separated from enlightened mind, and they do not attach importance to physical forms. They do not attach importance to signs. They do not attach importance to the physical body. They do not attach importance to generosity. They do not attach importance to ethical discipline. They do not attach importance to tolerance. They do not attach importance to perseverance. They do not attach importance to meditative concentration. They do not attach importance to wisdom. They do not attach importance to the emptiness of internal phenomena. They do not attach importance to [all the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities. They do not attach importance to the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment. They do not attach importance to the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, [F.365.a] the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, or the extrasensory powers. They do not attach importance to the meditative stabilities or the dhāraṇī gateways. They do not attach importance to the ten powers of the tathāgatas. They do not attach importance to the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, or the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. They do not attach importance to [the goals], up to and including unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. They do not attach importance to the buddhafields that are to be refined. They do not attach importance to the beings who are to be brought to maturity. They do not attach importance to beholding the buddhas, and they do not attach importance to cultivating the roots of virtue. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because all phenomena are empty of intrinsic defining characteristics and therefore those bodhisattva great beings do not observe anything to which, through which, or with respect to which they should cultivate the attachment of importance. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because all phenomena are similar to space, with the essential nature of nonentity, and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics.

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“Subhūti, irreversible bodhisattva great beings who have that as the focus of their attention come and go in accordance with the four norms of behavior,463 but they do not come with a bewildered mind, they do not go with a bewildered mind, they do not stand with a bewildered mind, they do not walk with a bewildered mind, {Ki.IV: 156} they do not sit with a bewildered mind, and they do not lie down with a bewildered mind. They come mindfully, they go mindfully, they walk mindfully, they stand mindfully, they sit mindfully, and they lie down mindfully. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who possess those attributes, indications, and signs are said to be irreversible.

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“Moreover, Subhūti, [F.365.b] even if bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible dwell as householders, through skill in means they acquire the five desirable objects of the senses in order to bring beings to maturity. They dispense gifts to beings. That is to say, they dispense food to those who need food; drink to those who need drink; vehicles to those who need vehicles; clothing to those who need clothing; bedding to those who need bedding; flowers to those who need flowers; garlands to those who need garlands; unguents to those who need unguents; dwellings to those who need dwellings; wealth, grain, gems, pearls, beryl, conch, quartz, coral, gold, and silver to those in need of wealth, grain, gems, pearls, beryl, conch, quartz, coral, gold, and silver, and they dispense other provisions and resources to those in need of other things. They themselves practice the perfection of generosity and they also encourage others to acquire the perfection of generosity. They praise the perfection of generosity and they also praise and take empathetic delight in others who practice the perfection of generosity. They themselves practice the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom, and they also encourage others to acquire the perfection of wisdom [and so forth]. They praise the perfection of wisdom [and so forth] and they also praise and take empathetic delight in others who practice the perfection of wisdom [and so forth].

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“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible dwell as householders, they fill Jambudvīpa with diverse precious things and offer these as gifts. They fill the world system of the four continents, the world system of the chiliocosm, the world system of the dichiliocosm, [F.366.a] and the world system of the great trichiliocosm with diverse precious things, and offer these as gifts. Yet they do not indulge in those sensual pleasures, and they always practice chastity, without interruption. They generate nothing despicable that would cause others to dislike them. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those attributes, indications, and signs are said to be irreversible.

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“Moreover, Subhūti, the yakṣa Vajrapāṇi will always follow without interruption behind irreversible bodhisattva great beings in order to guard them, thinking that these bodhisattva great beings will soon attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and that even after they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, he will always follow them without interruption. To the extent that those in the enlightened family of Vajrapāṇi464 will always follow them without interruption, to that extent they can never be harmed by humans or nonhumans. In conformity with the Dharma, they can never be overcome by any god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else in the world. {Ki.IV: 157} Until they have attained manifest buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, their minds will not be distracted from attention to enlightenment. The faculties of those bodhisattva great beings, comprising the faculty of the eyes, the faculty of the ears, the faculty of the nose, the faculty of the tongue, the faculty of the body, the mental faculty, the faculty of faith, the faculty of perseverance, the faculty of mindfulness, the