Then, Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom, owing to its extreme voidness, is profound; it is hard to see, hard to realize, inscrutable, not within the perceptual range of ideation, at peace, subtle, and delicate. It is to be realized through learning and awareness. Blessed Lord, those beings who hear, take up, uphold, recite, and master this profound perfection of wisdom, and are earnestly intent on the real nature, and who offer no opportunity for other phenomena, including mind and mental states, [to intrude] until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, are not endowed with inferior roots of virtue.”

“Kauśika, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “Those beings who hear, take up, uphold, recite, and master this profound perfection of wisdom, and are earnestly intent on the real nature, and who offer no opportunity for other phenomena, including mind and mental states, [to intrude] until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, are not endowed with inferior roots of virtue. Kauśika, if all the beings of Jambudvīpa, as many as there are, were endowed with the paths of the ten virtuous actions, and endowed with the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, and the five extrasensory powers, and if there were a noble son or noble daughter who held, maintained, recite, and mastered this perfection of wisdom, and after holding, maintaining, reciting, and mastering it, were to be earnestly intent upon the real nature, in that case, Kauśika, the roots of virtuous action of the former would come nowhere near even a hundredth part of this root of virtue [of that son or noble daughter]. Nor would they be accepted as even a thousandth part, a hundred thousandth part, a hundred billion trillionth part, or any number, fraction, categorization, comparison, or comparable quality!”

Thereupon, a certain monk said to Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, “Kauśika, all those beings of Jambudvīpa who are endowed with the paths of the ten virtuous actions, and endowed with the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, and the five extrasensory powers, will be outshone by those noble sons or noble daughters who hold, maintain, recite, and master this profound perfection of wisdom, focusing their attention correctly on it, and who are earnestly intent on the real nature, offering no opportunity for other phenomena, including mind and mental states, [to intrude] until they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”

Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, replied to that monk, “If, O monk, all those beings of Jambudvīpa who are endowed with the paths of the ten virtuous actions, and endowed with the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, and the five extrasensory powers, will be outshone even by bodhisattva great beings who have given rise for the first time to the mind set on all-aspect omniscience, what more need one say about those who take up, uphold, recite, and master this profound perfection of wisdom, focusing their attention correctly on it, and who, even after taking up, upholding, reciting, and mastering it, are earnestly intent on the real nature. They will outshine the world with its gods, humans, and asuras. That is to say, those bodhisattva great beings will come to outshine the world with its gods, humans, and asuras. Not only will those bodhisattva great beings come to outshine the world with its gods, humans, and asuras, those bodhisattva great beings will also come to outshine all those who have entered the stream to nirvāṇa, who are destined for only one more rebirth, who are no longer subject to rebirth, who have attained arhatship, and who have attained individual enlightenment. This will not only apply to those who have entered the stream to nirvāṇa, who are destined for only one more rebirth, who are no longer subject to rebirth, who have attained arhatship, and who have attained individual enlightenment. For those bodhisattva great beings will also come to outshine [other] bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of generosity without skill in means and without the perfection of wisdom. And this will apply not only to those who practice the perfection of generosity, for those bodhisattva great beings will also come to outshine bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of ethical discipline without skill in means and without the perfection of wisdom. And this will apply not only to those who practice the perfection of ethical discipline, for those bodhisattva great beings will also come to outshine all the many bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of tolerance without skill in means and without the perfection of wisdom. And this will apply not only to those who practice the perfection of tolerance, for those bodhisattva great beings will also come to outshine all the many bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of perseverance without skill in means and without the perfection of wisdom. And this will apply not only to those who practice the perfection of perseverance, for those bodhisattva great beings will also come to outshine all the many bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of meditative concentration without skill in means and without the perfection of wisdom. And this will apply not only to those who practice the perfection of meditative concentration, for those bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom, as it has been revealed, cannot be outshone by the world with its gods, humans, and asuras. Bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom practice in harmony with the perfection of wisdom, as it has been revealed. Those bodhisattva great beings are established so that the lineage of all-aspect omniscience will not be interrupted. Those bodhisattva great beings are not remote from the tathāgatas. Those bodhisattva great beings who enter in that manner will not be estranged from the site of enlightenment. Those bodhisattva great beings will wish to extricate beings immersed in the mire [of afflicted mental states]. Bodhisattva great beings who train in that manner undertake the training of the bodhisattvas. They do not undertake the training of the śrāvakas, and they do not undertake the training of the pratyekabuddhas.

“The Four Great Kings will also think of approaching bodhisattva great beings who train in that manner. Drawing near, they will say and point out, ‘Train swiftly, great one! Train nimbly, great one! You shall receive these four alms bowls when you are seated at the site of enlightenment, having attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. These have been received by the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas of the past.’ The Four Great Kings, along with the gods of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika, will also think of approaching bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner. I, too, along with the gods of Trayastriṃśa, will think of approaching them. Suyāma, king of the gods, along with the gods of Yāma, will also think of approaching them. Saṃtuṣita, king of the gods, along with the gods of Tuṣita, will also think of approaching them. Sunirmita, king of the gods, along with the gods of Nirmāṇarata, will also think of approaching them. Vaśavartin, king of the gods, along with the gods of Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, will also think of approaching them. Brahmā Sahāṃpati, accompanied by the gods of Brahmakāyika, will also think of approaching them. The gods of the Ābhāsvara realms will also think of approaching them. The gods of Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and the Pure Abode [of Akaniṣṭha] will also think of approaching them.

“The tathāgatas will always direct their enlightened intention toward bodhisattva great beings who practice this profound perfection of wisdom. The bodies of those bodhisattva great beings who practice this profound perfection of wisdom accordingly will be entirely and in all respects unafflicted by all the many other worldly sufferings that might afflict them. O monk, such will be the manifest attributes of this life when bodhisattva great beings practice this profound perfection of wisdom. All the combined humoral disorders, as many as there are, including eye diseases, ear diseases, nose diseases, tongue diseases, body diseases, or heart diseases will not arise and will not afflict their bodies. One should know that these are the attributes of this life when bodhisattva great beings practice the profound perfection of wisdom.”

Then the venerable Ānanda thought, “Does this Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, teach the perfection of wisdom and eloquently declare the attributes of the perfection of wisdom through his own inspired speech, or does he teach through the power of the buddhas?”

Thereupon, Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, understood with his own mind the thoughts in the mind of the venerable Ānanda, and said to the venerable Ānanda, “Venerable Ānanda, you should know that it is by the power of the buddhas that I teach the perfection of wisdom in that manner and eloquently declare the attributes of the perfection of wisdom.”

Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, it is so! It is so. It is by the power of the buddhas that Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, teaches this perfection of wisdom and eloquently declares the attributes of the perfection of wisdom. This is the blessing of the tathāgatas. Ānanda, when bodhisattva great beings train in the perfection of wisdom, persevere in the perfection of wisdom, and cultivate the perfection of wisdom, all the forces of evil Māra in the world system of the great trichiliocosm, as many as there are, will have their doubts, wondering whether these bodhisattva great beings will actualize the very limit of reality and attain 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, or individual enlightenment, or if not, will they attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

“Moreover, Ānanda, at the time when bodhisattva great beings do not lack the perfection of wisdom, the evil Māra will be pierced by the pains of sorrow. Also, Ānanda, at the time when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, the evil Māra will by all means cause meteors to fall and arouse fear, so that at least a single thought of these bodhisattva great beings might be disturbed from their attention to all-aspect omniscience, that they might be discouraged, and that their hairs might stand on end.”

Then the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, does the evil Māra approach all bodhisattva great beings with the intention of harming them?”

“Ānanda, the evil Māra does not approach all bodhisattva great beings with the intention of harming them,” replied the Blessed One.

“In that case, Blessed Lord, what sort of [bodhisattvas] does he approach?” asked Ānanda.

“Ānanda,” replied the Blessed One, “with the intention of harming, the evil forces of Māra approach those bodhisattva great beings who were formerly disinterested when this profound perfection of wisdom was being taught. Moreover, Ānanda, the evil forces of Māra approach with the intention of harming those bodhisattvas who were hesitant when this profound perfection of wisdom was being taught, wondering whether this was or was not the perfection of wisdom.”

“Moreover, Ānanda, if bodhisattvas are without a spiritual mentor, the evil forces of Māra will find an opportunity to intrude upon those bodhisattvas who have not heard this profound perfection of wisdom because they have not seen a spiritual mentor, who do not understand it because they have not heard it, and who are not earnestly intent on the real nature because they do not understand how it should be cultivated.

“Moreover, Ānanda, if bodhisattvas who are without the perfection of wisdom speak in praise of that which is not the Dharma, then the evil Māra will think, ‘Those who speak in praise of that which is not the Dharma are my friends. The friends I have found among the many followers of the vehicle of the bodhisattvas are those who speak in praise of that which is not the Dharma. Such persons who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas will come to dwell in one or the other of two levels—the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas—and they will fulfill my intention.’ Ānanda, the evil Māra will indeed find an opportunity to intrude upon those bodhisattvas.

“Moreover, Ānanda, if you ask what sort [of bodhisattvas] the evil Māra might find an opportunity to intrude upon, at the time when this profound perfection of wisdom is being taught, if there are bodhisattva great beings who say, ‘The perfection of wisdom is most profound. What would be the point of you listening to this profound perfection of wisdom? What would be the point of you cultivating, taking up, upholding, and even mastering it? Since even I did not reach its depths, how could you possibly do so!’ in that case, Ānanda, the evil Māra will indeed find an opportunity to intrude upon those bodhisattvas.

“Moreover, Ānanda, when bodhisattva great beings scorn other bodhisattvas and give rise to conceits, saying, ‘I am practicing the perfection of generosity. I am practicing the perfections of ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative concentration, and wisdom. You do not practice the perfection of generosity. You do not practice the perfections of ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative concentration, and wisdom,’ in that case, Ānanda, the evil Māra will indeed find an opportunity to intrude upon those bodhisattvas.

“Moreover, Ānanda, when bodhisattva great beings give rise to the conceit that they themselves are best, at that time, Ānanda, the evil Māra will rejoice, and he will be delighted, contented, jubilant, satisfied, and happy. In that case, Ānanda, the evil Māra will indeed find an opportunity to intrude upon those bodhisattvas.

“Moreover, Ānanda, when bodhisattva great beings become famous by proclaiming their name or their clan, on the basis of proclaiming that name or that clan, they might despise other bodhisattva great beings who are endowed with the attributes of virtuous actions. Praising themselves and disparaging others, they indeed lack those aspects, marks, and signs that irreversible bodhisattva great beings have, and in the absence of those aspects, marks, and signs, they develop afflicted mental states, praising themselves and disparaging others with the words, ‘You do not seem to be established in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas and you do not seem to be established in the family of the bodhisattvas in the way in which I appear to be established in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas and the family of the bodhisattvas.’ If in that manner they defame and disparage individuals who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, the evil Māra will think, ‘My realm will not be deserted! beings will absolutely multiply in the great hells, the animal realm, the world of Yama, and the domain of anguished spirits.’ By all means the evil Māra will influence those bodhisattvas so their words will become plausible. Since their words are plausible, many people will also think that they should be heeded and trusted, and they will act in conformity with that which they have heard or seen. That is to say, they will act in conformity with what they have heard or seen, and they will train in that manner. When they train in that manner, earnestly intent on the real nature, their afflicted mental states will absolutely multiply. Whatever actions of body, speech, and mind they may undertake with their erroneous intention will all become undesirable, disagreeable, and unpleasant. In that way the denizens of the great hells will absolutely multiply. The animal realm, the world of Yama, and the domain of anguished spirits will also greatly multiply. Even the realm of Māra will absolutely multiply. In consideration of this, Ānanda, the evil Māra will rejoice, and he will be delighted, satisfied, and happy.

“Moreover, Ānanda, if individual followers of the vehicle of the bodhisattvas dispute with individual followers of the vehicle of the śrāvakas, saying, ‘I am the best. You are not!’ then the evil Māra will think, ‘Oh! This noble child is far from all-aspect omniscience. He is not approaching all-aspect omniscience. If you ask why, these conflicts, fights, disputes, and accusations are not the path of all-aspect omniscience. They are the path of the denizens of the hells. They are the path of the animal realm. They are the path of the world of Yama. They are not the path of all-aspect omniscience.’

“Moreover, Ānanda, if an individual follower of the vehicle of the bodhisattvas engages in conflicts, disputes, fights, and accusations with another individual who follows the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, in that case, the evil Māra will think, ‘Both of these are far from all-aspect omniscience. Both of these will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, on whatever path these two noble children have set out, it is not the path of all-aspect omniscience. These two noble children have set out on the path of the denizens of the hells, the animal realm, and the world of Yama.’ Then he will rejoice, and he will be delighted, satisfied, and happy.

“Moreover, Ānanda, when bodhisattvas who have not been prophesied think maliciously of bodhisattvas who have been prophesied, and engage in conflicts, disputes, fights, and accusations, if they have not abandoned all-aspect omniscience, they must don the armor for as many eons as the negative thoughts that have arisen and the conflicts, disputes, fights, and accusations in which they have engaged.”

“Blessed Lord, is there any other emancipation for those in whom negative thoughts have arisen, or if not, will they absolutely have to don the armor for that number of eons?” asked Ānanda.

“Ānanda,” replied the Blessed One, “I have revealed the Dharma with its emancipation to individual followers of the vehicle of the śrāvakas, followers of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and followers of the vehicle of the bodhisattvas. In this regard, Ānanda, when individual followers of the vehicle of the bodhisattvas engage in conflict, dispute, scolding, and defamation with [other] individuals who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, and after having engaged in conflict, dispute, scolding, and defamation, they do not make a confession but retain that malice and maintain that hostility, then, Ānanda, I do not speak of emancipation. If those individuals have not abandoned all-aspect omniscience, they must undoubtedly don the armor for that number of eons. Ānanda, even though bodhisattva great beings may have engaged in conflict, dispute, scolding, and defamation, if they do not retain that malice, and thenceforth maintain their vows, thinking, ‘I should have gained but I have lost. When I should have eliminated the sufferings of all beings, I spoke and responded in that manner. When I should have acted as a bridge for all beings, I have defamed others in that manner and contradicted them. I should not have acted in that inappropriate manner! I should have acted as if I was slow-witted and dumb. I should be without agitation in my thoughts. Since I must bring these beings to final nirvāṇa, having attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, it is not appropriate that I should be ill-disposed toward them and fight with them. I will not think maliciously of them. I will not fight with them!’ in that case, Ānanda, I have explained that those bodhisattva great beings will be emancipated. In that case, the evil Māra, even though he should look for and search for an opportunity to intrude, will find no such opportunity.

“Moreover, Ānanda, bodhisattva great beings should not befriend individuals who follow the vehicle of the śrāvakas. They should not stay with them. They should not sit with them. But even if they do, they should not think maliciously of anyone at all. They should not be angered. If you ask why, it is inappropriate for them to think maliciously of such people or to be angered. If you ask why, it is because they should think, ‘After attaining consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, I must liberate them from all sufferings.’

“Blessed Lord, how should bodhisattva great beings treat individuals who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas?” asked Ānanda.

“Ānanda,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings should treat individuals who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas just as they treat the Teacher. If you ask why, they set their minds, thinking, ‘These are my friends—we have embarked on the same ship. I should also train in the same manner in which they are training. I should also train in the same phenomena in which they should train—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, all the aspects of emptiness, 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, 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, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and [all the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience.’ In addition, they should set their minds on the thought, ‘They are teaching the path of complete enlightenment, but if they behave in a corrupt manner, and are not focusing their attention with all-aspect omniscience in mind, I should not train in that manner. If those bodhisattva great beings never stop focusing their attention with all-aspect omniscience in mind, I too should train accordingly.’ Bodhisattva great beings who train in that manner train in sameness.”