The venerable Subhūti then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they engage unskillfully with physical forms, then they are merely engaging with distinguishing marks and are not practicing the perfection of wisdom. If they engage in the same manner with feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that physical forms are permanent, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are permanent, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that physical forms are impermanent, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are impermanent, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that physical forms are imbued with happiness, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are imbued with happiness, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that physical forms are imbued with suffering, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are imbued with suffering, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks.

“If they engage with the notion that physical forms are endowed with self, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are endowed with self, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that physical forms are without self, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are without self, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that physical forms are at peace, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are at peace, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that physical forms are not at peace, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are not at peace, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that physical forms are void, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are void, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that physical forms are not void, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. If they engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are not void, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks.

“Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they engage unskillfully with the notions that the sense fields, the sensory elements, the links of dependent origination, the 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 nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the gateways of the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇīs, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are permanent, impermanent, imbued with happiness, imbued with suffering, endowed with self, without self, at peace, not at peace, void, or not void, then they are engaging with distinguishing marks.

“Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they engage with the notion ‘I am practicing the perfection of wisdom,’ then they are engaging with distinguishing marks. Those bodhisattva great beings are engaging with distinguishing marks. Blessed Lord, if bodhisattva great beings engage with the notion, ‘Those who practice in that manner are practicing the perfection of wisdom. They are cultivating the perfection of wisdom,’ then they are also engaging with distinguishing marks. One should know this to be the lack of skillful means that bodhisattva great beings might have.”

Then the venerable Subhūti said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattvas practice the perfection of wisdom, if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in physical forms, then they are engaged in the conditioning of physical forms. They will not be released from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, discomfort, and agitation. I say that they will not be released from great sufferings. If they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness, then they are engaged in the conditioning of consciousness [and so forth]. They will not be released from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, discomfort, and agitation. They are described as not being released from great sufferings.

“When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in the eyes; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in the ears, nose, tongue, body, or mental faculty; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in sights; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, or mental phenomena; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in visual consciousness; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in auditory consciousness, olfactory consciousness, gustatory consciousness, tactile consciousness, or mental consciousness; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in visually compounded sensory contact; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in aurally compounded sensory contact, nasally compounded sensory contact, lingually compounded sensory contact, corporeally compounded sensory contact, or mentally compounded sensory contact; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, or feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in ignorance; if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in formative predispositions, consciousness, name and form, the six sense fields, sensory contact, sensation, craving, grasping, the rebirth process, actual birth, or aging and death; or if they are intent on, perceive, and find sustenance in the perfections, 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 eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the five eyes, the gateways of the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇīs, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, or the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, then they are engaged in the conditioning of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth]. They will not be released from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, discomfort, and agitation. They are described as not being released from great sufferings.

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, if bodhisattva great beings lack the good fortune to actualize even the level of the śrāvakas, or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, how could they possibly attain manifest buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? That would be impossible!

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, if bodhisattvas practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, one should know them to be without skill in means.”

“Venerable Subhūti, how may one know, when bodhisattva great beings are practicing the perfection of wisdom, that they do possess skill in means?”

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, and do not engage with physical forms; do not engage with feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness; do not engage with the distinguishing marks of physical forms; do not engage with the distinguishing marks of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness; do not engage with the notion that physical forms are permanent; do not engage with the notion that physical forms are impermanent, the notion that physical forms are imbued with happiness, the notion that physical forms are imbued with suffering, the notion that physical forms are endowed with self, the notion that physical forms are without self, the notion that physical forms are at peace, the notion that physical forms are not at peace, the notion that physical forms are empty, the notion that physical forms are not empty, the notion that physical forms are with signs, the notion that physical forms are without signs, the notion that physical forms are with aspirations, the notion that physical forms are without aspirations, the notion that physical forms are void, or the notion that physical forms are not void; and do not engage with the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness are permanent; do not engage with the notion that these are impermanent, the notion that they are imbued with happiness, the notion that they are imbued with suffering, the notion that they are endowed with self, the notion that they are without self, the notion that they are at peace, the notion that they are not at peace, the notion that they are empty, the notion that they are not empty, the notion that they are with signs, the notion that they are without signs, the notion that they are with aspirations, the notion that they are without aspirations, the notion that they are void, or the notion that they are not void, then at that time one should know that those bodhisattva great beings do possess skill in means.

“If you were to ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because the emptiness of physical forms is not physical forms. Physical forms are not other than emptiness, nor is emptiness other than physical forms. Emptiness is indeed physical forms, and the nature of physical forms is indeed emptiness. The emptiness of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness is not consciousness [and the aforementioned aggregates]. Consciousness [and the other aggregates] are not other than emptiness, nor is emptiness other than consciousness. Emptiness is indeed consciousness, and the nature of consciousness is indeed emptiness. The emptiness of the sense fields, the sensory elements, the links of dependent origination, the perfections, 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 nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the gateways of the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇīs, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas is not the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth]. The eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth] are not other than emptiness, nor is emptiness other than the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth]. Emptiness is indeed the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth], and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth] are indeed emptiness. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, one should know that bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner do possess skill in means.

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner will have the good fortune to attain manifest buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Even when they are practicing the perfection of wisdom, they do not accept that they are practicing it. Even when they are not practicing it, they do not accept that they are not practicing it. Even when they are both practicing and not practicing it, they do not accept that they are [both practicing] and not practicing it. Even when they are neither practicing nor not practicing it, they do not accept that they are [neither practicing nor] not practicing it.”

“Why, Venerable Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, do they not accept that they are practicing it even when they are practicing it? Why do they not accept that they are not practicing it even when they are not practicing it? Why do they not accept that they are both practicing and not practicing it, even when they are both practicing and not practicing it? Why do they not accept that they are [neither practicing nor] not practicing it, even when they are neither practicing nor not practicing it?”

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “this is because they do not apprehend the intrinsic nature of the perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, it is because the perfection of wisdom has the intrinsic nature of nonentity. That, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is the formulation explaining how, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not accept that they are practicing it; nor indeed do they accept that they are not practicing it; nor do they accept that they are [both practicing and] not practicing it, even when they are both practicing and not practicing it; nor do they accept that they are [neither practicing nor] not practicing it, even when they are neither practicing nor not practicing it. If one were to ask why, it is because they have understood that all phenomena have the intrinsic nature of nonentity, and have not appropriated them.

“When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in this manner, if they are not disheartened, not intimidated, not afraid, not terrified, and will not be terrified, then, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, one should know that these bodhisattva great beings are approaching all-aspect omniscience.

“This all-aspect omniscience indeed is without duality and cannot be divided into two because all phenomena are without intrinsic nature. It is the meditative stability of bodhisattva great beings called the nonarising of all phenomena . It is spacious, supreme, and indeterminate, and it cannot be misappropriated by any śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. Bodhisattva great beings who engage in this meditative stability will swiftly attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”

“Venerable Subhūti, do bodhisattva great beings who engage with this meditative stability alone swiftly attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, or are there also other meditative stabilities similar to it?”

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “there are indeed other meditative stabilities, engaging with which bodhisattva great beings swiftly attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”

“Venerable Subhūti, engaging with which other meditative stabilities will bodhisattva great beings swiftly attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”

Subhūti replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, (1) there is the meditative stability of bodhisattva great beings named heroic valor. Engaging with this meditative stability, bodhisattva great beings will swiftly attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Similarly, (2) there is the meditative stability named precious seal. (3) There is the meditative stability named lion’s play . (4) There is the meditative stability named beautiful moon. (5) There is the meditative stability named crest of the moon’s victory banner. (6) There is the meditative stability named surpassing all phenomena. (7) There is the meditative stability named seal of all phenomena. (8) There is the meditative stability named surveying the crown pinnacle. (9) There is the meditative stability named certainty in the realm of phenomena. (10) There is the meditative stability named crest of certainty’s victory banner. (11) There is the meditative stability named vajra. (12) There is the meditative stability named seal of entry into all phenomena. (13) There is the meditative stability named consecrated as a king of meditative stabilities. (14) There is the meditative stability named diffusion of light rays. (15) There is the meditative stability named array of power. (16) There is the meditative stability named sublimation [of all phenomena]. (17) There is the meditative stability named engaging with certainty in lexical explanations. (18) There is the meditative stability named entry into designations. (19) There is the meditative stability named observation of spatial directions. (20) There is the meditative stability named receiving the seal. (21) There is the meditative stability named unimpaired . (22) There is the meditative stability named oceanic seal gathering all phenomena. (23) There is the meditative stability named permeation of space. (24) There is the meditative stability named vajra maṇḍala. (25) There is the meditative stability named shoulder ornament of the victory banner’s crest. (26) There is the meditative stability named crest of power. (27) There is the meditative stability named pursuit of the stream. (28) There is the meditative stability named yawning lion. (29) There is the meditative stability named out of order. (30) There is the meditative stability named repudiation of mental afflictions. (31) There is the meditative stability named illumination . (32) There is the meditative stability named unseeking. (33) There is the meditative stability named no fixed abode. (34) There is the meditative stability named free from mentation. (35) There is the meditative stability named taintless lamp. (36) There is the meditative stability named boundless light. (37) There is the meditative stability named illuminator. (38) There is the meditative stability named total illumination. (39) There is the meditative stability named pure sanctuary. (40) There is the meditative stability named immaculate light. (41) There is the meditative stability named bringer of joy. (42) There is the meditative stability named lightning lamp. (43) There is the meditative stability named inexhaustible . (44) There is the meditative stability named unvanquished. (45) There is the meditative stability named majestic. (46) There is the meditative stability named free from extinction. (47) There is the meditative stability named unmoving . (48) There is the meditative stability named without fear . (49) There is the meditative stability named lamp of the sun. (50) There is the meditative stability named immaculate moon. (51) There is the meditative stability named lamp of wisdom . (52) There is the meditative stability named pure appearance. (53) There is the meditative stability named illuminating . (54) There is the meditative stability named engaging in performance. (55) There is the meditative stability named crest of wisdom. (56) There is the meditative stability named vajra-like . (57) There is the meditative stability named stability of mind . (58) There is the meditative stability named observing everything. (59) There is the meditative stability named consecrated . (60) There is the meditative stability named jewel cusp. (61) There is the meditative stability named seal of the Dharma. (62) There is the meditative stability named sameness of all phenomena . (63) There is the meditative stability named renunciation of delight. (64) There is the meditative stability named sublimation of phenomena. (65) There is the meditative stability named dispersal. (66) There is the meditative stability named distinguishing the terms associated with all phenomena. (67) There is the meditative stability named establishing the sameness of letters. (68) There is the meditative stability named devoid of letters. (69) There is the meditative stability named eradication of referents. (70) There is the meditative stability named unmodified. (71) There is the meditative stability named no aspect . (72) There is the meditative stability named ascertainment of names. (73) There is the meditative stability named roaming. (74) There is the meditative stability named devoid of darkness. (75) There is the meditative stability named engaging in conduct. (76) There is the meditative stability named unwavering . (77) There is the meditative stability named transcendence of the range. (78) There is the meditative stability named accumulation of all attributes. (79) There is the meditative stability named abiding without mentation. (80) There is the meditative stability named blossoming and vibrance of the flowers of virtue. (81) There is the meditative stability named endowed with the factors conducive to enlightenment. (82) There is the meditative stability named boundless eloquence. (83) There is the meditative stability named equal to the unequaled . (84) There is the meditative stability named transcending all phenomena. (85) There is the meditative stability named utterly devoid of delimitation. (86) There is the meditative stability named dispelling of doubt. (87) There is the meditative stability named without settled focus. (88) There is the meditative stability named single array. (89) There is the meditative stability named manifest attainment of aspects. (90) There is the meditative stability named unity. (91) There is the meditative stability named nonexclusion . (92) There is the meditative stability named comprehension of all bases of rebirth [through realization]. (93) There is the meditative stability named entrance to symbols and sounds. (94) There is the meditative stability named devoid of vocalic syllables. (95) There is the meditative stability named burning lamp. (96) There is the meditative stability named purification of defining characteristics. (97) There is the meditative stability named nondistinguished. (98) There is the meditative stability named endowed with all finest aspects. (99) There is the meditative stability named absence of joy with respect to all happiness and suffering. (100) There is the meditative stability named inexhaustible cornucopia. (101) There is the meditative stability named dhāraṇī intelligence. (102) There is the meditative stability named complete elimination of right and wrong. (103) There is the meditative stability named calming of all deviations and obstacles. (104) There is the meditative stability named absence of disharmony. (105) There is the meditative stability named taintless light. (106) There is the meditative stability named endowed with the essence. (107) There is the meditative stability named taintless light of the full moon. (108) There is the meditative stability named lightning light. (109) There is the meditative stability named great ornament. (110) There is the meditative stability named illuminator of all worlds. (111) There is the meditative stability named sameness of meditative stability. (112) There is the meditative stability named taintless principle devoid of impurities. (113) There is the meditative stability named convergence in nonaffliction. (114) There is the meditative stability named engaging in remaining without an objective support. (115) There is the meditative stability named abiding in the real nature without mentation. (116) There is the meditative stability named tamed by dispelling the misery of corporeality. (117) There is the meditative stability named obliterating defects of speech, transforming them as if into space. And, Śāradvatīputra, (118) there is the meditative stability named unattached, liberated, and uncovered like space. By engaging with these meditative stabilities, bodhisattva great beings will swiftly attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. And there are also countless and inestimable other gateways of meditative stability and dhāraṇī, like these, through which bodhisattva great beings will swiftly attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”

Then, through the power of the Buddha, the venerable Subhūti said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, genuine perfect buddhas of the past have indeed prophesied that any bodhisattva great being who dwells in those meditative stabilities will attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. The tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas who are presently alive, residing in the world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, also prophesied that those bodhisattva great beings will attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

“Bodhisattva great beings do not even observe those meditative stabilities. They will not give rise to conceits on account of those meditative stabilities, thinking, ‘I have been absorbed in meditation. I am absorbed in meditation. I will be absorbed in meditation.’ All such conceptual imaginations are absent and will not arise.”

“Venerable Subhūti, are bodhisattva great beings who dwell in these meditative stabilities prophesied by the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas?”

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, that is not the case!” replied Subhūti. “If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the perfection of wisdom, the meditative stabilities, and bodhisattva great beings are not distinct from one another. Rather, the perfection of wisdom itself constitutes the meditative stabilities. The meditative stabilities themselves constitute the bodhisattvas. The bodhisattvas themselves constitute the meditative stabilities.”

“Venerable Subhūti, if the meditative stabilities and the bodhisattvas are not distinct from one another, and if the meditative stabilities are themselves the bodhisattvas, and the bodhisattvas are themselves the meditative stabilities owing to the sameness of all phenomena, is it then possible to teach those meditative stabilities?”

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is not!” replied Subhūti.

“Venerable Subhūti, do those noble children perceive these meditative stabilities?”

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, they do not perceive them!” replied Subhūti.

“How do they not perceive them?”

“Because they are without conceptual thought,” replied Subhūti.

“How are they without conceptual thought?”

“They are without conceptual thought because all phenomena are nonexistent,” replied Subhūti. “So it is that those noble children have no conceptual thoughts regarding those meditative stabilities. That, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is the formulation explaining how those noble children are not conscious of those meditative stabilities. They do not perceive them.”

“Why are they not conscious, and why do they not perceive them?”

“They are not conscious and do not perceive them because the meditative stabilities are nonexistent, and bodhisattva great beings, also, are nonexistent,” replied Subhūti.

Then the Blessed Lord congratulated the venerable Subhūti with these words: “Well said, Subhūti! Well said! You, whom I have declared to be foremost among śrāvakas practicing free from afflicted mental states, have spoken these words eloquently! So it is that bodhisattva great beings should indeed train in the perfection of wisdom, and they should train in the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity. They should train in the factors conducive to enlightenment and [in the fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct attributes of the buddhas.”

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, do bodhisattva great beings train in the perfection of wisdom without apprehending anything, and do they train in the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity without apprehending anything? Do they train in the factors conducive to enlightenment and [in the fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct attributes of the buddhas, without apprehending anything?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed Lord, “when bodhisattva great beings train accordingly, they do train in the perfection of wisdom without apprehending anything, and they do train in the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity without apprehending anything. They do train in the factors conducive to enlightenment and [in the fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct attributes of the buddhas, without apprehending anything.”

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra asked, “Blessed Lord, what is it that they do not apprehend?”

The Blessed Lord replied, “Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend a self. They do not apprehend sentient beings, life forms, living beings, life, living creatures, individuals, human beings, people, actors, experiencers, knowers, [or viewers]. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend the aggregates, the sense fields, the sensory elements, or the links of dependent origination. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend [the truth of] suffering. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend [the truths of] the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, or the path that leads to it. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend the realm of desire. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend the realm of form. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend the realm of formlessness. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend the perfections. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend 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 nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the gateways of the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇīs, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, or the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend those who enter the stream to nirvāṇa. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend those who are destined for only one more rebirth, those who will not be reborn, those who have attained arhatship, or pratyekabuddhas. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend bodhisattvas. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend enlightenment. Owing to the utter purity [of all phenomena], they do not apprehend buddhas.”

“Blessed Lord, what is that purity?”

“Purity indicates that all phenomena are nonarising, unceasing, neither afflicted nor purified, nonemerging, nonapprehensible, and unconditioned,” replied the Blessed One. “Śāradvatīputra, so it is that bodhisattva great beings train with respect to all phenomena, without apprehending anything.”

“Blessed Lord, in what phenomena do bodhisattva great beings who train accordingly then train?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who train accordingly, do not train in anything at all. If you ask why, Śāradvatīputra, it is because these phenomena are nonexistent in the ways that ordinary people are fixated on them.”

“Blessed Lord, how then do these phenomena exist?”

“They exist to the extent that they do not exist, and accordingly, since they do not exist, they are said to be nonexistent,” replied the Blessed One.

“Blessed Lord,” he asked, “why are these phenomena that do not exist said to exist?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “it is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena, and to [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, that physical forms are nonexistent. It is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena, and to [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are nonexistent. Similarly, it is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena, and to [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, that [the causal attributes], up to and including the factors conducive to enlightenment, are nonexistent. It is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena, and to [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities, that [the fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, are nonexistent.

“However, ordinary people, through their fixations on phenomena that are nonexistent, become fixated on their cravings. By imagining phenomena that are nonexistent, they become fixated on that which is nonexistent, and through their adherence to the two extremes of eternalism and nihilism, they do not know and they do not see. After imagining those phenomena that are nonexistent, they become fixated on the [aggregates that constitute] name and form. They become fixated on the applications of mindfulness, and they become fixated on [all the other causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Since, owing to their fixation on these phenomena, they imagine phenomena that are nonexistent, they do not know and they do not see. If you ask what they do not know and do not see, they neither know nor see physical forms. They neither know nor see feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. They neither know nor see the sense fields, the sensory elements, or the links of dependent origination. They neither know nor see the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, They neither know nor see the [fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.

“In such ways, due to which they are counted among ‘ordinary people,’ they will not attain emancipation, and if you ask what it is that they will not be emancipated from, they will not be emancipated from the realm of desire. They will not be emancipated from the realm of form. They will not be emancipated from the realm of formlessness. They will not be emancipated from the levels of the śrāvakas or the pratyekabuddhas. They lack conviction. If you ask how they lack conviction, they lack the conviction that physical forms are empty of physical forms. They lack the conviction that [all phenomena and attainments], up to and including enlightenment, are empty of enlightenment [and so forth]. Also, they are not stable. If you ask what it is in which they are not stable, they are not stable in the perfection of generosity. They are not stable in the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, or the perfection of wisdom. They are not stable in the irreversible [sublime] levels, and they are not stable in [the causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct attributes of the buddhas. They are said to be ‘fixated.’ If you ask how they are fixated, they are fixated on physical forms, and they are fixated on feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness. They are fixated on the eyes, and they are fixated on the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mental faculty. They are fixated on the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination. They are fixated on desire, hatred, and delusion. They are fixated on opinions. They are fixated on the [attributes and attainments], up to and including enlightenment. That is why they are called ‘ordinary people.’ ”

“Blessed Lord, are bodhisattva great beings who train in such ways not training in the perfection of wisdom, and will they not be emancipated in all-aspect omniscience?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who train in such ways are not training in the perfection of wisdom, and they will not be emancipated in all-aspect omniscience.”

“Blessed Lord, why are those bodhisattvas not training in the perfection of wisdom, and why will they not be emancipated in all-aspect omniscience?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who are unskillful have conceived of and become fixated on the perfection of wisdom. They have conceived of and become fixated on the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity. They have conceived of and become fixated on all the aspects of emptiness, 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 have conceived of and become fixated on the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the gateways of the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇīs, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. They have conceived of and become fixated on [the attainments], up to and including all-aspect omniscience. Śāradvatīputra, those are the formulations explaining how bodhisattva great beings do not train in the perfection of wisdom, and how they will not be emancipated in all-aspect omniscience.”

“Blessed Lord, in that case, by what means do bodhisattva great beings train in the perfection of wisdom, and, by training accordingly, how do they become emancipated in all-aspect omniscience?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not apprehend and do not observe the perfection of wisdom, and, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, they do not apprehend and do not observe all-aspect omniscience. When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity, they do not apprehend and do not observe the perfection of generosity [and so forth]. When they practice [the other attributes and attainments], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, they do not apprehend and do not observe all-aspect omniscience. Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who train in the perfection of wisdom in that manner will be emancipated in all-aspect omniscience, without apprehending anything. Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, and train in the perfection of wisdom in that manner, will be emancipated in all-aspect omniscience, without apprehending anything.”

“Blessed Lord,” he asked, “With respect to what will they be emancipated in all-aspect omniscience, without apprehending anything?”

The Blessed One replied, “You should know that they will be emancipated in all-aspect omniscience without apprehending anything with respect to the emptiness of internal phenomena, and, without apprehending anything with respect to [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities.”