The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
Chapter 60
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
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Translated by the Padmakara Translation Group
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2023
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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 60
The venerable Subhūti further asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, if all phenomena have the essential nature of nonentity, what is the goal that bodhisattva great beings see in embarking on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment for the sake of beings?”
The Blessed One replied, “Subhūti, in the way that all phenomena have the essential nature of nonentity, in that way too do bodhisattva great beings embark on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because apprehending is feeble.518 Those possessing the notion of apprehending are without attainment, without clear realization, and without unsurpassed complete enlightenment.”
“Blessed Lord, with regard to nonapprehension, is there attainment, clear realization, or unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “it is because the realm of phenomena is without agitation that nonapprehension is attainment, that nonapprehension is clear realization, and that nonapprehension is unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Those who wish to attain that which is without apprehending, or to have clear realization of it, or to attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment with respect to it, [F.185.a] merely wish to agitate the realm of phenomena.” {Ki.VI: 13}
“Blessed Lord, if in that manner there is no attainment, no clear realization, and no unsurpassed, complete enlightenment with respect to that which is without apprehending, but nonetheless nonapprehension is attainment, nonapprehension is clear realization, and nonapprehension is unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, how then, Blessed Lord, could there possibly be bodhisattva great beings of the first level? How could there possibly be [bodhisattva great beings] of the second level, how could there possibly be [bodhisattva great beings] of the third level, and so on? How could there possibly be [bodhisattva great beings] of the tenth level? How could there possibly be acceptance that phenomena are nonarising? How could there possibly be extrasensory powers that derive from maturation? How could there possibly be generosity that derives from maturation? How could there possibly be ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, or meditative concentration that derive from maturation? How could there possibly be wisdom that derives from maturation? How could there possibly be the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment that derive from maturation? If, abiding in these maturational attributes, they bring beings to maturity, refine the buddhafields, and serve the lord buddhas with food, drink, clothing, bedding, palaces, resources, flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, unguents, powders, religious robes, parasols, victory banners, banners, butter lamps, or any other worthy excellences of gods and humans, and do so without interruption until final nirvāṇa is attained, and their [virtuous actions] are not exhausted even after being matured with respect to the sacred relics [of the buddhas] and the śrāvakas, how then, Blessed Lord, [F.185.b] will bodhisattva great beings not agitate the realm of phenomena?”
The Blessed One replied, “It is because bodhisattva great beings do not agitate the realm of phenomena owing to nonapprehension that there is the first level of bodhisattva great beings, that there is the second level, the third level, and so on, up to and including the tenth level. It is for this reason that there is acceptance that phenomena are nonarising; that there are extrasensory powers that derive from maturation; that there are generosity, ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative concentration, and wisdom that derive from maturation; that there are the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment that derive from maturation; and that there are the roots of virtuous action that derive from maturation. It is through these roots of virtuous action that bodhisattva great beings bring beings to maturity, refine the buddhafields, and serve the lord buddhas with food, drink, clothing, bedding, palaces, resources, flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, unguents, powders, religious robes, parasols, victory banners, banners, butter lamps, and any other worthy excellences of gods and humans, and do so without interruption until final nirvāṇa is attained, and that these are not exhausted even after being matured with respect to the sacred relics [of the buddhas] and the śrāvakas.”
“Blessed Lord, what is the distinction and what is the difference between nonapprehension on the one hand and generosity, ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative concentration, wisdom, and extrasensory powers on the other?” {Ki.VI: 14} [F.186.a]
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “there is no difference at all between nonapprehension on the one hand and generosity, ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative concentration, wisdom, and immaculate extrasensory powers on the other. And yet, Subhūti, immaculate generosity, ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative concentration, wisdom, and immaculate extrasensory powers, are revealed to be different.”
“Blessed Lord, how are immaculate generosity, ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative concentration, wisdom, and extrasensory powers revealed to be different?”
“In this regard, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they give gifts without apprehending gifts, without apprehending the act of giving, without apprehending the giver, and without apprehending the recipient. They maintain ethical discipline without apprehending ethical discipline. They practice tolerance without apprehending tolerance. They undertake perseverance without apprehending perseverance. They become absorbed without apprehending meditative stability. They cultivate wisdom without apprehending wisdom. They practice extrasensory powers without apprehending extrasensory powers. They practice the applications of mindfulness without apprehending the applications of mindfulness. They practice the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the path without apprehending the path [and so forth]. They practice the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions without apprehending the formless absorptions [and so forth]. [F.186.b] They practice the aspects of liberation and the serial steps of meditative absorption without apprehending the serial steps of meditative absorption [and so forth]. They practice emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness without apprehending wishlessness [and so forth]. They practice the extrasensory powers, meditative stabilities, dhāraṇī gateways, powers of the tathāgatas, fearlessnesses, and kinds of exact knowledge without apprehending the kinds of exact knowledge [and so forth]. They practice great loving kindness, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas without apprehending the distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth]. They bring beings to maturity without apprehending beings. They refine the buddhafields without apprehending the buddhafields. They attain consummate buddhahood in enlightenment without apprehending the attributes of the buddhas. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom without apprehending anything. Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, it will be difficult for evil Māra or the gods of the domain of Māra to intrude.”519 {Ki.VII: 15}
The venerable Subhūti then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, how do they acquire the six perfections through a single setting of their minds on enlightenment, and how do they [similarly] acquire the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the four applications of mindfulness, [F.187.a] the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path? How do they [similarly] acquire the three gateways of liberation, the four truths of the noble ones, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, and the five extrasensory powers? How do they [similarly] acquire the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, and [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities? How do they [similarly] acquire 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, the thirty-two major marks of a great person, and the eighty minor marks?”
“In this regard, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “whatever gifts bodhisattva great beings may dispense, these are not acquired by anything other than the perfection of wisdom. Whatever ethical discipline is kept, whatever tolerance is cultivated, whatever perseverance is undertaken, whatever meditative stability is maintained, and whatever wisdom is cultivated, these are not acquired by anything other than the perfection of wisdom. In whichever meditative concentrations, immeasurable attitudes, and formless absorptions one is absorbed; whatever applications of mindfulness are cultivated; whatever correct exertions, supports for miraculous ability, faculties, powers, branches of enlightenment, and noble eightfold path are cultivated; and whatever three gateways of liberation, [F.187.b] truths of the noble ones, aspects of liberation, serial steps of meditative absorption, and extrasensory powers are cultivated, these are not acquired by anything other than the perfection of wisdom. Whatever aspects of emptiness are cultivated—from the emptiness of internal phenomena up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities—and whatever meditative stabilities, dhāraṇī gateways, powers of the tathāgatas, fearlessnesses, kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are cultivated, these are not acquired by anything other than the perfection of wisdom. Whatever major marks and excellent minor marks are brought into being, these are not acquired by anything other than the perfection of wisdom. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner perfect the six perfections through a single setting of the mind on enlightenment, and [similarly] they perfect the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions. They [similarly] perfect the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path. They [similarly] perfect the gateways of liberation, the truths of the noble ones, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, and the extrasensory powers. They [similarly] perfect the emptiness of internal phenomena and [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers [of the tathāgatas], the fearlessnesses, [F.188.a] the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas. They [similarly] perfect the major marks of a great person and the excellent minor marks.”
“Blessed Lord, how, through a single setting of the mind on enlightenment, do bodhisattva great beings who have been embraced by the perfection of wisdom acquire the six perfections? How do they acquire the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions? How do they acquire the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path? How do they acquire the gateways of liberation, the truths of the noble ones, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, and the extrasensory powers? How do they acquire all the aspects of emptiness? How do they acquire the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, {Ki.VII: 16} the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas? How do they acquire the thirty-two major marks of a great person and the excellent eighty minor marks?”
“In this regard, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, whatever gifts they dispense, they dispense them having been embraced by the perfection of wisdom, and in this they are without dualistic perception. Whatever ethical discipline they keep, [F.188.b] whatever tolerance they cultivate, whatever perseverance they undertake, whatever meditative stability they are absorbed in, and whatever wisdom they cultivate, they do so having been embraced by the perfection of wisdom, and in this they are without dualistic perception. Whatever aspects of emptiness they cultivate—from the emptiness of internal phenomena up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities—they do so having been embraced by the perfection of wisdom, and in this they are without dualistic perception. Whatever factors conducive to enlightenment they cultivate, they do so having been embraced by the perfection of wisdom, and in this they are without dualistic perception. Whatever truths of the noble ones, meditative concentrations, immeasurable attitudes, formless absorptions, aspects of liberation, serial steps of meditative absorption, gateways of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—meditative stabilities, dhāraṇī gateways, powers of the tathāgatas, fearlessnesses, kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and distinct qualities of the buddhas they cultivate, they do so having been embraced by the perfection of wisdom, and in this they are without dualistic perception. Whatever major marks and excellent minor marks they actualize, they do so having been embraced by the perfection of wisdom, and in this they are without dualistic perception.”
“Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom how do they dispense gifts, and in this be without dualistic perception? How do they cultivate ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative stability, and wisdom, and [F.189.a] in this be without dualistic perception? How do they cultivate the emptiness of internal phenomena [and the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, and in this be without dualistic perception? How do they cultivate the factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways of 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, and in this be without dualistic perception? How do they actualize the thirty-two major marks and the excellent eighty minor marks, and in this be without dualistic perception?”
“In this regard, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of generosity—that is to say, they complete the perfection of generosity after having integrated all six perfections in that perfection of generosity. They also complete the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative stability, and the perfection of wisdom—that is to say, they complete the perfection of wisdom [and so forth] after having integrated all six perfections in that perfection of wisdom [and so forth].
“When they practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the factors conducive to enlightenment— [F.189.b] that is to say, they complete the factors conducive to enlightenment after having integrated all six perfections in those factors conducive to enlightenment.
“Subhūti, at the time when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and dispense gifts, they dispense gifts while maintaining a mind that is devoid of contaminants. Indeed, those who maintain a mind that is devoid of contaminants do not observe what is the gift, to whom is it given, by whom is it given, what is the act of giving, or any other mental concept. They dispense gifts with a mind that is free from concepts, without contaminants, devoid of miserliness, and without attachment, and they do not even observe that mind. {Ki.VII: 17} Just as they do not observe that mind, in the same way they do not observe generosity, nor do they observe anything at all, up to and including all attributes.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and maintain ethical discipline with a mind that is free from concepts, they do not observe that ethical discipline, nor do they observe anything at all, up to and including all attributes. [B65]
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and cultivate tolerance with a mind that is free from concepts, they do not observe that tolerance, nor do they observe anything at all, up to and including all attributes.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and undertake perseverance with a mind that is free from concepts, they do not observe that perseverance, [F.190.a] nor do they observe anything at all, up to and including all attributes.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and are absorbed in meditative stability with a mind that is free from concepts, they do not observe that mental stability, nor do they observe anything at all, up to and including all attributes.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and cultivate wisdom with a mind that is free from concepts, they do not observe that wisdom, nor do they observe anything at all, up to and including all attributes.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, and with a mind that is free from concepts actualize the emptiness of internal phenomena [and the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, and the applications of mindfulness, 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 aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, the distinct qualities of the buddhas, great loving kindness, great compassion, the thirty-two major marks, and the excellent eighty minor marks, [F.190.b] they do not observe those attributes, nor do they observe anything at all, up to and including all those attributes.” {Ki.VII: 18}
Subhūti then asked, “Blessed Lord, since all phenomena are without concepts, uneffected, unapprehended, and unconditioned, how do bodhisattva great beings complete the perfection of generosity? How do they complete the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative stability, and the perfection of wisdom? How do they complete the emptiness of internal phenomena [and the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, and the applications of mindfulness, 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 aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, 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?”
“In this regard, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they dispense generosity with a mind that is free from concepts concerning all phenomena that are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, and unconditioned. They dispense to those who ask for them [F.191.a] food, drink, clothing, transport, bedding, lodging, houses, riches, grain, precious jewels, gold, gems, pearls, beryl, conch, quartz, coral, pure gold, and silver, up to all other resources suitable for humankind, including wives, sons, daughters, and [necessities] external and internal, ancillary and subsidiary, as well as kingdoms, whichever are appropriate, embellished with ornaments. If someone were to come near and say to them, ‘What is the point of dispensing such gifts of yours, which are useless and ephemeral?’ at that [time] when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom they would think, ‘Although these beings say to me, “What is the point of dispensing such gifts of yours, which are useless and ephemeral,” even so I should dispense gifts; I should not not dispense gifts!’ And then, making common cause with all beings, they would dedicate those gifts to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. When they make this dedication, by all means they do so without considering what is the gift, for whom is the gift, whose is the gift, what is being dispensed, for whom is it being dispensed, who is dispensing, what is being dedicated, to whom is it being dedicated, by whom is it being dedicated,520 or any such concepts. They do not observe any such entity {Ki.VII: 19} that they would dispense, or with respect to which, having been dispensed, they would make a dedication toward unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, it is because all entities are empty in accordance with the emptiness of internal phenomena, [F.191.b] empty in accordance with the emptiness of external phenomena, empty in accordance with the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, and empty in accordance with [all the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities. So when they observe all phenomena to be empty, what would be dedicated, to whom would the dedication be made, and by whom would the dedication be made? Dedications such as this are the best of dedications; they are unpoisoned dedications in accord with the realm of phenomena.
“Subhūti, when these bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they bring beings to maturity and acquire the buddhafields in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned. They complete the perfection of generosity. They complete the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative stability, and the perfection of wisdom. They complete all the aspects of emptiness, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, 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.
“Although they complete the perfection of generosity from the start, they do not accept any ripening [of past actions]— [F.192.a] and yet resources nevertheless materialize for them just by their so wishing. Subhūti, this is just like when all the excellent resources of the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm arise just by their so wishing. In the same way, Subhūti, all the excellent resources of bodhisattva great beings, too, arise just by their so wishing. Through these resources they venerate the lord buddhas and also satisfy the world with its gods, humans, and asuras. They gather beings with their perfection of generosity, and establish them in the three vehicles with their skillful means. So it is, Subhūti, that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of generosity in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned.
“Subhūti, if you ask how, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of ethical discipline, starting from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment with a mind that is devoid of concepts, in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do complete the perfection of ethical discipline, starting from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment with a mind that is devoid of concepts, in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned. They acquire the ethical discipline of the noble ones, which is included within the uncontaminated path and acquired on the basis of the true nature. [F.192.b] Their ethical discipline is unimpaired, untainted, unadulterated, unsullied, undiminished, independent, utterly perfect, and praised by the learned. They do not seize on anything at all that may be acquired on the basis of that ethical discipline, including physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, consciousness, and [the causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the thirty-two major marks of a great person {Ki.VII: 20} and the excellent eighty minor marks, as well as the great and lofty royal families, the great and lofty priestly families, and the great and lofty householder families; the gods of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm; the gods of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, and the nonperceptual realms; the gods of Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha; the gods of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, and the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception; and 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, individual enlightenment, and the authority of a universal emperor. In addition, making common cause with all beings, they dedicate this ethical discipline to all-aspect omniscience by means of a signless dedication and an unapprehended and nondual dedication, on the basis of worldly convention rather than ultimate reality. [F.193.a]
“After completing the perfection of ethical discipline, through skillful means they attain the four meditative concentrations without relishing them. They attain divine clairvoyance. Through the maturation of this divine clairvoyance they see all the lord buddhas, as many as are alive and present, teaching the Dharma in the immeasurable, countless, and inestimable world systems of the eastern direction. Such visions are not squandered until they have themselves attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Through the maturation of this divine clairvoyance they also see all the lord buddhas, as many as are alive and present, teaching the Dharma in the immeasurable, countless, and inestimable world systems of each of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, along with the nadir and the zenith. Such visions are not squandered until they have themselves attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“With pure divine clairaudience, surpassing that of human beings, they hear the words spoken by those lord buddhas. They will not squander that which they have heard until, through that which they have heard,521 they have acted for the benefit of themselves and others.
“With consciousness of the thoughts [of others], their thoughts know the minds of those lord buddhas. They will not squander that consciousness of the thoughts [of others] until they have acted for the benefit of all beings. {Ki.VII: 21}
“With knowledge of the recollection of past lives, they know the past and future roots of the virtuous action of beings, [F.193.b] and they reveal and elucidate them to those beings, encouraging them and rejoicing in them, so that these beings come to wish in particular for that which has been revealed, [and so forth], up to and including that in which they rejoice.
“With knowledge that contaminants have ceased, they establish beings in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, and they establish them in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and in arhatship. They establish them in individual enlightenment, and they establish them in enlightenment. Similarly, they establish beings in those roots of virtuous action that accord with their capacities.
“Subhūti, so it is that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of ethical discipline with a mind that is devoid of concepts, in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned.
“Subhūti, if you ask how, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of tolerance with a mind that is devoid of concepts in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom with a mind that is devoid of concepts in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, they cultivate both the tolerance that patiently endures afflictions and the acceptance that phenomena are nonarising, starting from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment until they are seated at the site of enlightenment. In this regard, the tolerance of bodhisattva great beings [F.194.a] that patiently endures afflictions is such that even though all beings might repeatedly approach them, scolding them, speaking unpleasant words, beating them and hitting them with clods and sticks, and striking them with weapons, those bodhisattva great beings will not allow any opportunity for even a single thought of agitation to arise. They should reflect as follows: ‘There is no one at all who abuses me and speaks unpleasant words, or who binds and beats me. Nor is there anyone who is being scolded, addressed with unpleasant words, beaten, or hit. No such person is apprehended.’ As for the acceptance of bodhisattva great beings that phenomena are nonarising, when bodhisattva great beings reflect on the essential nature of all phenomena, they do not even apprehend reality, so how could they possibly apprehend the inherent nature of phenomena! It is because they do not observe the essential nature of all phenomena that they acquire the acceptance that phenomena are nonarising. If you ask why they are said to be tolerant, they are tolerant because afflictive mental states do not arise and because wisdom is not cut off. These constitute the acceptance that phenomena are nonarising. Abiding in these two aspects of tolerance and acceptance, they complete the four meditative concentrations, and they complete the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, {Ki.VII: 22} the seven branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the three gateways of liberation, 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. [F.194.b] Abiding in these attributes of the noble ones, which are uncontaminated, supramundane, and not common to all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, they complete the extrasensory powers of the noble ones.
“Having completed the extrasensory powers, they dwell in the six perfections and in those five extrasensory powers: through divine clairvoyance they see all the lord buddhas, as many as are alive and present, teaching the Dharma in the immeasurable, countless, and inestimable world systems of the eastern direction. Having seen all these lord buddhas, they acquire the recollection of the buddhas, and their recollection of the buddhas will never be interrupted until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Abiding in all these attributes of the noble ones, which are uncontaminated, supramundane, and not common to the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, they complete the extrasensory powers that are the attributes of the noble ones.
“Having completed the extrasensory powers, they dwell in the six perfections and in those five extrasensory powers, and through divine clairvoyance they see all the lord buddhas, as many as are alive and present, teaching the Dharma in the immeasurable, countless, and inestimable world systems of the southern, western, northern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern directions, along with the nadir and the zenith. Having seen these lord buddhas, they acquire the recollection of the buddhas, and their recollection of the buddhas will never be interrupted until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Through divine clairaudience, surpassing that of human beings, [F.195.a] they hear the words spoken by those lord buddhas, and having heard them, they retain them, and having retained them, they emphasize the real nature. Having emphasized the real nature, they also then teach the Dharma to beings in accordance with the real nature.
“Through knowledge of the thought patterns [of others], their thoughts know the minds of those lord buddhas, and they also know the mindsets of all noble ones, all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and all beings. Having comprehended with their thoughts the mindsets of all beings, they teach the Dharma in accordance with the real nature.
“Through knowledge of the recollection of past lives, they comprehend the roots of virtuous action of beings, and they also reveal them to those beings, encouraging them, praising them, and rejoicing in them.
“As for knowledge that contaminants have ceased, through knowledge that contaminants have ceased, they establish beings in the three vehicles.
“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of tolerance with a mind that is devoid of concepts in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned. These bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom. They bring beings to maturity and refine the buddhafields. Having brought beings to maturity and refined the buddhafields, they conduct themselves in all-aspect omniscience. Having perfected all-aspect omniscience, [F.195.b] they attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Having attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they turn the wheel of the Dharma. Having turned the wheel of the Dharma, they liberate beings from cyclic existence by means of the three vehicles.
“Subhūti, so it is that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of tolerance in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned. {Ki.VII: 23}
“Subhūti, if you ask how, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of perseverance with a mind that is devoid of concepts, in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they possess physical perseverance and they possess mental perseverance, with a mind that is devoid of concepts in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, starting from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment.
“Abiding in physical perseverance, they achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration, and then they achieve and maintain the second meditative concentration, the third meditative concentration, and the fourth meditative concentration. Absorbed in the fourth meditative concentration, they experience many modes of miraculous ability—they can touch the sun and moon with their hands, and [F.196.a] hold sway with their physical body as far as the world realms of Brahmā. They venerate all the lord buddhas, as many as are alive and present in the immeasurable, countless, and inestimable world systems of the ten directions, with robes, alms, bedding, medicines, and many resources, and these robes, alms, bedding, medicines, and many resources will not be depleted until they attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Even after attaining consummate buddhahood in enlightenment, they will continue to please the world with its gods, humans, and asuras by means of clothing, alms, bedding, medicines, and many resources. Even after attaining final nirvāṇa, many reliquary offerings will appear before their sacred relics. Through mastery of miraculous abilities, they will listen to the Dharma in the presence of those lord buddhas, and they will never squander that which they have heard until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Conducting themselves in all-aspect omniscience, they also bring beings to maturity and refine the buddhafields. So it is, Subhūti, that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, those who possess physical perseverance complete the perfection of perseverance in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned. [F.196.b]
“Subhūti, if you ask how bodhisattva great beings complete the perfection of perseverance endowed with mental perseverance, comprehending the aspects of the uncontaminated noble path, in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they possess mental perseverance with a mind that is devoid of concepts, in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, starting from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment. They do not allow any opportunity for nonvirtuous actions of body to arise, they do not allow any opportunity for nonvirtuous actions of speech to arise, and they do not allow any opportunity for nonvirtuous actions of mind to arise.
“They do not entertain notions522 of anything being ‘permanent’ or ‘impermanent,’ ‘imbued with happiness’ or ‘imbued with suffering,’ ‘self’ or ‘nonself,’ ‘at peace’ or ‘not at peace,’ ‘virtuous’ or ‘nonvirtuous,’ ‘mundane’ or ‘supramundane,’ ‘afflicted’ or ‘unafflicted,’ ‘inadmissible’ or ‘admissible,’ ‘contaminated’ or ‘uncontaminated,’ ‘defiled’ or ‘purified,’ or ‘conditioned’ or ‘unconditioned.’ They do not lay claim to notions of anything being ‘the realm of desire,’ ‘the realm of form,’ ‘the realm of formlessness,’ ‘the contaminated realms,’ ‘the uncontaminated realms,’ [F.197.a] ‘the first meditative concentration,’ ‘the second meditative concentration,’ ‘the third meditative concentration,’ ‘the fourth meditative concentration,’ ‘loving kindness,’ ‘compassion,’ ‘empathetic joy,’ ‘equanimity,’ ‘the sphere of infinite space,’ {Ki.VII: 24} ‘the sphere of infinite consciousness,’ ‘the sphere of nothing-at-all,’ ‘the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception,’ ‘the perfection of generosity,’ ‘the perfection of ethical discipline,’ ‘the perfection of tolerance,’ ‘the perfection of perseverance,’ ‘the perfection of meditative concentration,’ ‘the perfection of wisdom,’ ‘the emptiness of internal phenomena,’ [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including ‘the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities,’ ‘the applications of mindfulness,’ ‘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 aspects of liberation,’ ‘the serial steps of meditative absorption,’ ‘emptiness,’ ‘signlessness,’ ‘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,’ or even the distinct qualities of the buddhas are ‘permanent’ or ‘impermanent,’ ‘imbued with happiness’ or ‘imbued with suffering,’ ‘self’ or ‘nonself,’ ‘at peace’ or ‘not at peace,’ ‘virtuous’ or ‘nonvirtuous,’ ‘mundane’ or [F.197.b] ‘supramundane,’ ‘afflicted’ or ‘unafflicted,’ ‘inadmissible’ or ‘admissible,’ ‘contaminated’ or ‘uncontaminated,’ ‘defiled’ or ‘purified,’ or ‘conditioned’ or ‘unconditioned.’ They do not lay claim to the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, and they do not misconstrue the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, individual enlightenment, the state of the bodhisattvas, or unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. They do not lay claim to notions of ‘one who has entered the stream to nirvāṇa,’ ‘one who is destined for only one more rebirth,’ ‘one who is no longer subject to rebirth,’ or an ‘arhat,’ ‘pratyekabuddha,’ ‘bodhisattva,’ or ‘buddha.’
“Nor indeed do they lay claim to these beings as ranked on the level of insight,523 these as ranked on the level of attenuated refinement, these as ranked at a lower status, these as ranked at a higher status, these as ranked as having the status of pratyekabuddhas, these as ranked as having knowledge of the path, or these as ranked as having all-aspect omniscience. If you ask why, it is because there is no essential nature524 for ranking them as having any such essential natures. Those endowed with such mental perseverance act for the benefit of beings even though they have actualized [their goal], but they do not at all apprehend those beings. They also complete the perfection of perseverance, but they do not at all apprehend that perfection of perseverance. They also complete the attributes of the buddhas, but they do not at all apprehend the attributes of the buddhas. [F.198.a] They also refine the buddhafields, but they do not at all apprehend the buddhafields. Endowed with such mental perseverance, they acquire all virtuous attributes but they are not attached to them. Those without attachment act for the benefit [of others] and proceed from buddhafield to buddhafield. They proceed from mundane realm to mundane realm. They conjure emanations by whatever miraculous abilities and miracles they wish to employ. That is to say, they conjure emanations by causing a shower of flowers to fall, by causing the fragrance of incense to waft, by causing thunder to reverberate, by causing the sound of songs and music to resonate, by causing earthquakes, by displaying appearances, or by displaying a world made of the seven precious metals and gems. In whatever circumstances, they also sacrifice their own bodies for the sake of beings. Sometimes they sacrifice themselves for the sake of beings. Sometimes they discharge delicious fragrance. Sometimes they make great offerings, without the taking of life. {Ki.VII: 25} Sometimes they extricate infinite beings from improper paths. They avert them from killing, and they release them from stealing, sexual misconduct, slander, words of reprimand, lying, nonsensical chatter, covetousness, malice, and wrong views. They benefit some through generosity and they benefit some through ethical discipline. For some they give up their limbs and appendages. For some they renounce their children and wives. For some they renounce a kingdom. For some they sacrifice themselves. Thus they act for the benefit of beings by whatever means they can bring about the benefit of beings. So it is, Subhūti, [F.198.b] that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, those who possess mental perseverance complete the perfection of perseverance, in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned.
“Subhūti, if you ask how, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of meditative concentration in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they dwell in the perfection of meditative concentration with a mind that is devoid of concepts, in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, starting from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment. With the exception of the meditative stabilities of the tathāgatas, they complete all the [other] meditative stabilities. They achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration, where there is freedom from desires, and freedom from negative and nonvirtuous attributes, while ideation and scrutiny are present, alongside the joy and bliss that arise from that freedom. They [similarly] achieve and maintain the second meditative concentration, the third meditative concentration, and the fourth meditative concentration. They achieve and maintain [the immeasurable attitudes], extensively permeating all worlds encompassed by the realm of phenomena and infinite space in all respects with thoughts endowed with loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. They achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite space, [F.199.a] the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, and the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. Abiding in this perfection of meditative stability, they are absorbed in the eight aspects of liberation, both consecutively and in reverse order, and then they arise from them. They achieve and maintain the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the meditative stability of emptiness, the meditative stability of signlessness, and the meditative stability of wishlessness. They achieve and maintain the meditative stability without obstacles, and they achieve and maintain the meditative stability that resembles lightning, the authentic meditative stability, and the vajra-like meditative stability. Abiding in this perfection of meditative stability, through the wisdom of knowledge of the path, they master all meditative stabilities included within knowledge of the path. {Ki.VII: 26} They transcend the level of bright insight, and they transcend the level of the spiritual family, the eighth-lowest level, the level of insight, the level of attenuated refinement, the level of no attachment, the level of [an arhat’s] spiritual achievement, and the level of the pratyekabuddhas. Having transcended the level of the pratyekabuddhas, they enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity. Having entered into the maturity of the bodhisattvas, they perfect the level of the buddhas. While engaging on these [levels], they do not in the interim acquire the fruits [of the path] until they have attained the wisdom of all-aspect omniscience. Abiding in this perfection of meditative stability, they perfect the extrasensory powers. They venerate the lord buddhas and, proceeding from buddhafield to buddhafield, they continue to venerate the lord buddhas. [F.199.b] They develop the roots of virtuous action through which, in the presence of those lord buddhas, they refine the buddhafields and bring beings to maturity. Proceeding from mundane realm to mundane realm, they act on behalf of beings. Some beings they attract by means of generosity. Some they attract by means of ethical discipline. Some they attract by means of meditative stability. Some they attract by means of wisdom. Some they attract by means of liberation. Some they attract by means of the wisdom of liberation.
“They establish some in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, and they establish some in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and in arhatship. They establish some in individual enlightenment, and they establish some in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“They engage beings in whichever virtuous attributes will manifestly elevate them. Abiding in this perfection of meditative stability, they actualize all the dhāraṇī gateways, they attain the four kinds of exact knowledge, and they also acquire the extrasensory powers that arise from the maturation [of past actions]. They will never again be reborn in a mother’s womb owing to past actions and afflicted mental states. They will never again be reliant on desires, but there is no rebirth at all that they will not assume in order to bring beings to maturity. They will be untainted even by the defects of birth. If you ask why, it is because when they discern, are aware, and understand that all phenomena resemble a magical display, they know that all conditioned phenomena resemble a magical display, and they act for the benefit of all beings. [F.200.a] By knowing that all conditioned phenomena are like a magical display, they generate great compassion for beings, with the thought, ‘Alas! These beings have experienced much suffering in cyclic existence although all phenomena are like a magical display. At some time or another I will establish all those imbued with suffering in quiescent nirvāṇa!’ Since beings, or [even] the concept ‘being,’ are not apprehended, they do not apprehend anything at all, and then, on the basis of worldly convention rather than ultimate reality, they establish beings in that nonapprehensible state.
“Abiding in this perfection of meditative stability, they practice all the meditative concentrations, liberating meditative stabilities, and absorptions, and they will never be separated from the perfection of meditative stability until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. {Ki.VII: 27} Abiding in this perfection of meditative stability, through knowledge of the path they actualize all-aspect omniscience. Abiding in it, they abandon all reincarnation due to propensities, and then act both for the benefit of themselves and for the benefit of others. Acting for the benefit of themselves and others, they become worthy of the service of the world with its gods, human beings, and asuras. So it is, Subhūti, that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of meditative stability, with a mind that is devoid of concepts in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned.
“Subhūti, if you ask how, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the cultivation of the perfection of wisdom [F.200.b] with a mind that is devoid of concepts, in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not observe anything at all that is true or absolutely existing, with a mind devoid of concepts in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated, and unconditioned, starting from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment. They do not observe the truth or absolute existence of physical forms, and they do not observe the truth or absolute existence of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. Since they do not observe the truth or absolute existence of physical forms and do not observe the truth or absolute existence of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness, they do not even observe the arising of physical forms, and they do not even observe the arising of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. Since they do not even observe the arising of physical forms and they do not observe the arising of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness, they do not observe the sensory portal for the arising of physical forms, and they do not observe the sensory portal for the arising of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. Since they do not observe the sensory portal for the arising of physical forms, and they do not observe the sensory portal for the arising of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness, they do not observe the grouping of physical forms, [F.201.a] and they do not observe the grouping of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness. They do not observe them as hollowness or voidness. They do not observe the truth or absolute existence of [any attributes or goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience. Since they do not observe the arising of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth], they do not observe the sensory portal for the arising of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth]. Since they do not observe the sensory portal for the arising of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth], they do not observe the grouping of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth]. They do not observe them as hollowness or voidness.
“When they reflect in that manner, they do not apprehend the inherent existence of physical forms, and they do not apprehend the inherent existence of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. They do not apprehend the inherent existence of [the attributes and goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience. When they practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, they realize that all phenomena have the essential nature of nonentity. Realizing this, when they engage with the emptiness of internal phenomena, engage with the emptiness of external phenomena, engage with the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, and engage with [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, they are not fixated upon anything at all, whether physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, consciousness, the sense fields, the sensory elements, the links of dependent origination, the perfections, the aspects of emptiness, the factors conducive to enlightenment, the noble [F.201.b] truths, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, {Ki.VII: 28} the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, the distinct qualities of the buddhas, or [the goals], up to and including unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“When they practice the perfection of wisdom as the essential nature of nonentity, they complete the path of enlightenment. In this way they complete the six perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, 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. They complete the thirty-two major marks and the eighty excellent minor marks of a great person.
“Those who maintain these attributes through which the path of enlightenment is ripened, after completing the six perfections, [F.202.a] all the aspects of emptiness, and the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, and after completing [the fruitional attributes], up to and including the five extrasensory powers that originate from the maturation [of past actions], then help with generosity those beings who should be helped with generosity. They help with ethical discipline those who should be helped with ethical discipline. They help with tolerance those who should be helped with tolerance. They help with perseverance those who should be helped with perseverance. They help with meditative stability those who should be helped with meditative stability. They help with wisdom those who should be helped with wisdom. They help with liberation those who should be helped with liberation. They help with seeing the wisdom of liberation those who should be helped with seeing the wisdom of liberation. They establish in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa those who should be established in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa. They establish in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, individual enlightenment, and unsurpassed, complete enlightenment those who should be established in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment [and so forth].
“Emanating through many modes of miraculous ability, they travel to world systems as numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā. They materialize at will those world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā from whatever precious gems and metals they wish. [F.202.b] Fulfilling the aspirations of beings, they proceed from world system to world system, and having seen these world systems, they acquire the buddhafields that they wish for. However many resources and joys they need—just like the resources and joys in the god realm of Paranirmitavaśavartin, and those of other buddhafields, which do not need to be sought—will arise in their buddhafields. Engaging in knowledge of the path through the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom, which derive from the maturation [of past actions], as well as through the extrasensory powers that derive from the maturation [of past actions] and through the path of enlightenment that derives from the maturation [of past actions], they attain the fulfilment of all attributes, and then subsequently they will attain all-aspect omniscience. If they attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, commensurate with physical forms not being acquired; commensurate with feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness not being acquired; commensurate with the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination not being acquired; and also commensurate with virtuous, nonvirtuous, mundane, supramundane, contaminated, uncontaminated, conditioned, and unconditioned attributes not being acquired, {Ki.VII: 29} then all the resources and joys in that buddhafield will be without acquisition. If you ask why, it is because all phenomena are without acquisition owing to their being nonapprehensible. [F.203.a] Indeed, they teach the Dharma to beings so that they might not acquire anything.
“So it is, Subhūti, that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfections in that all phenomena are signless, uneffected, unapprehended, unoriginated. and unconditioned. They complete [all causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the distinct qualities of the buddhas.”
This completes the sixtieth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”
Colophon
It is said in the original Jangpa manuscript:
This [Tibetan translation of] The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines has been edited twice on the basis of the original “gold manuscript,” which had been [commissioned as] a commitment of the spiritual mentor Nyanggom Chobar, and it has also been edited on the basis of the manuscript kept at Yerpa. Since it is extant, scribes of posterity should copy [the text] according to this version alone.
In the [recast] version of The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines [Toh 3790] that was edited by master Haribhadra, and in some [other] manuscripts, the text ends with the seventy-first chapter entitled “Unchanging Reality.” In certain [other] manuscripts, including the original (phyi mo) [Toh 9], there are seventy-six chapters, with [F.380.b] the addition of the [seventy-second] chapter entitled “Distinctions in the Training of a Bodhisattva,” the [seventy-third] chapter entitled “The Attainment of the Manifold Gateways of Meditative Stability by the Bodhisattva Sadāprarudita,” the [seventy-fourth] chapter entitled “Sadāprarudita,” the [seventy-fifth] chapter entitled “Dharmodgata,” and the [seventy-sixth] chapter entitled “Entrustment.” This accords with earlier accounts and the authentic records of teachings received. Insofar as there are distinctions in the translation of these five later chapters, I have seen a few manuscripts where the terminology is slightly dissimilar, although there are no differences in meaning.
In general, throughout the present text there are all sorts of unique allusions and variations in the elaboration of the points that are expressed. In particular, in the chapter entitled “The Introductory Narrative,” there are some passages where the text corresponds to The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines.
At the time when the carving of the xylographs of this very text, along with those of the Multitude of the Buddhas (Buddhāvataṃsaka), was completed, in the presence of King Tenpa Tsering, the ruler of Degé, the beggar monk Tashi Wangchuk composed these verses at Sharkha Dzongsar Palace, where the wood-carving workshop was based. May they be victorious!
ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetun teṣāṃ tathāgato bhavat āha teṣāṃ ca yo nirodho evaṃ vādī mahāśramaṇaḥ [ye svāhā]
“Whatever events arise from causes, the Tathāgata has told of their causes, and the great ascetic has also taught their cessation.”
Bibliography
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Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. Sanskrit text based on the edition by Takayasu Kimura. Tokyo: Sankibo Busshorin 2007–9 (1–1, 1–2), 1986 (2–3), 1990 (4), 1992 (5), 2006 (6–8). Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL). Page references: {Ki.}
Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. Dutt, Nalinaksha. Calcutta Oriental Series 28. London: Luzac, 1934. Reprint edition, Sri Satguru Publications, 1986. Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL). Page references: {Dt.nn}
Aṣṭasāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines]. Sanskrit text based on the edition by P. L. Vaidya, in Buddhist Sanskrit Texts, vol. 4. Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute, 1960. Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL). Page references (for chapters 73–75): {Va.nn}
Secondary References in Tibetan and Sanskrit
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines, the “eight-chapter” (le’u brgyad ma) Tengyur version]. Toh 3790, Degé Tengyur vols. 82–84 (shes phyin, ga–ca), folios ga.1.b–ca.342.a.
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag brgya pa (Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines]. Toh 8, Degé Kangyur vols. 14–25 (shes phyin, ’bum, ka–a).
Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. Sanskrit text of the Anurādhapura fragment, based on the edition by Oskar von Hinüber, “Sieben Goldblätter einer Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā aus Anurādhapura,” in Nachrichten der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Göttingen, Phil.-Hist.Kl. 1983, pp. 189–207. Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL).
Śatasāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines]. Sanskrit texts based on Ghoṣa, Pratāpacandra, Çatasāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā: A Theological and Philosophical Discourse of Buddha With His Disciples in A Hundred Thousand Stanzas. Calcutta: Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1902–14 (chapters 1–12); and on Kimura, Takayasu, Śatasāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā, II/1–4, 4 vols. Tokyo: Sankibo Busshorin, 2009–14. Available as e-texts, Part I and Part II, on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL).
The Larger Prajñāpāramitā. Sanskrit edition (mostly according to the Gilgit manuscript GBM 175–675, fols. 1–27) from Zacchetti, Stefano (2005). In Praise of the Light: A Critical Synoptic Edition with an Annotated Translation of Chapters 1-3 of Dharmarakṣa’s Guang zan jing, Being the Earliest Chinese Translation of the Larger Prajñāpāramitā. Bibliotheca Philologica et Philosophica Buddhica, Vol. 8. The International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology. Tokyo: Soka University, 2005. Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL).
The Larger Prajñāpāramitā. Sanskrit edition (Gilgit manuscript fols. 202.a.5-205.a.12, GBM 571.5–577.12) from Yoke Meei Choong, Zum Problem der Leerheit (śūnyatā) in der Prajñāpāramitā, Frankfurt: Europäische Hochschulschriften, Reihe 27, Bd. 97, 2006, pp. 109–33. Available as e-text on Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages (GRETIL).
Daṃṣṭrasena. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum pa rgya cher ’grel pa (Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitābṛhaṭṭīkā) [“An Extensive Commentary on The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines”], Toh 3807, Degé Tengyur vols. 91–92. Also in Tengyur Pedurma (TPD) (bstan ’gyur [dpe bsdur ma]), [Comparative Edition of the Tengyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 120 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 1994–2008, vol. 54 (TPD 54) pp. 627–1439 and vol. 55 pp. 2–550.
Denkarma (ldan dkar ma; pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Phangthangma (dkar chag ’phang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.
Butön (bu ston rin chen grub). bde bar gshegs pa’i bstan pa’i gsal byed chos kyi ’byung gnas gsung rab rin po che’i mdzod. In gsung ’bum/_rin chen grub/ zhol par ma/ ldi lir bskyar par brgyab pa/ [The Collected Works of Bu-ston: Edited by Lokesh Chandra from the Collections of Raghu Vira], vol. 24, pp. 633–1056. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1965–71.
Jamgön Kongtrül (’jam mgon kong sprul). shes bya kun khyab mdzod [“The Treasury of Knowledge”]. Root verses contained in three-volume publication. Beijing: Mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1982; Boudhnath: Padma Karpo Translation Committee edition, 2000 (photographic reproduction of the original four-volume Palpung xylograph, 1844). Translated, along with the auto-commentary, by the Kalu Rinpoche Translation Group in The Treasury of Knowledge series (TOK). Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 1995 to 2012. Mentioned here are Ngawang Zangpo 2010 (Books 2, 3, and 4) and Dorje 2012 (Book 6, Parts 1–2).
Nordrang Orgyan (nor brang o rgyan). chos rnam kun btus. 3 vols. Beijing: Krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2008.
Tsongkhapa (tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa). byang chub sems dpa’ sems dpa’ chen po rtagtu ngu’i rtogs pa brjod pa’i snyan dngags dpag bsam gyi ljong pa [“An Avadāna of the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva Sadāprarudita”], in Lhasa (zhol) Kangyur vol. 34, folios 523.b–555.b (pp. 1046–1110). The same text is also to be found in Tsongkhapa’s Collected Works: gsung ’bum tsong kha pa (bkras lhun par rnying ldi lir bskyar par brgyab pa), vol. 3, Ngawang Gelek Demo, 1975, pp. 242–96.
Zhang Yisun et al. bod rgya tshig mdzod chen mo. 3 vols. Subsequently reprinted in 2 vols. and 1 vol. Beijing: Mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1985. Translated in Nyima and Dorje 2001 (vol. 1).
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