Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, if all phenomena are nonentities—that is to say, if they have not been created by the buddhas, have not been created by pratyekabuddhas, have not been created by arhats, or by individuals no longer subject to rebirth, individuals destined for only one more rebirth, individuals who have entered the stream to nirvāṇa, or by those who would enter into those [fruits], and if this enlightenment has not even been created by bodhisattva great beings who practice it—how, with respect to all phenomena, could one differentiate and establish, ‘These are denizens of the hells. These belong to the animal realm. These belong to the world of Yama. These are gods. These are human beings. Through this karma they will become denizens of the hells, animals, or the world of Yama. Through this karma they will become gods of the Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika realm, and through this karma they will become gods of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha. Through this karma they will become gods of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. Through this karma they will become an individual entering the stream to nirvāṇa, an individual destined for only one more rebirth, an individual no longer subject to rebirth, an arhat, or a pratyekabuddha. Through this karma they will become a bodhisattva great being. Through this karma they will become a tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened buddha’?

“Blessed Lord, nonentities are without any actions at all through which they could reach the hells; reach the animal realm; reach the world of Yama; be born as a human being; be born as a god of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika; be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa; be born as a god of Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha; be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception; attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa; attain the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, or individual enlightenment; practice the path of bodhisattva great beings; or attain all-aspect omniscience and, having attained that, liberate beings from cyclic existence.”

The Blessed One replied to the venerable Subhūti as follows: “Subhūti, it is so! It is so. It is as you have said. Subhūti, nonentities are without any action to perform and without any fruit. However, ordinary, simple people who are ignorant of the sublime doctrine do not know that phenomena have the essential nature of nonentity. Through thoughts that have arisen from misconception, they condition diverse actions, so that they actualize the sort of corporeal form that accords with them, whether in the hells, the animal realm, the world of Yama, or the human realm; or among the gods of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika; or among the gods of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha; or among the gods of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. Nonentities are without any action to perform and without any fruit. That which is a nonentity is itself without entity.

“In this regard, Subhūti, you also said that nonentities are without any actions through which they could reach the hells; reach the animal realm; reach the world of Yama; be born as a human being; be born as a god of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika; be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha; be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception; attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa; attain the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, or individual enlightenment; practice the path of bodhisattva great beings; or attain all-aspect omniscience and, having attained that, liberate beings from cyclic existence.

“Subhūti, do you think that the path is not a nonentity, that the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa is not a nonentity, that the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, and individual enlightenment are not nonentities, or that [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are not nonentities?”

“Blessed Lord, the path is a nonentity. The fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa is a nonentity. The fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, and individual enlightenment are nonentities. [The goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are nonentities.”

“Subhūti, do you think that a nonentity can effect the attainment of a nonentity?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, Blessed Lord!”

“So it is, Subhūti, that phenomena that are nonentities and phenomena that constitute the path are neither conjoined nor disjoined, and they are immaterial, unrevealed, and unimpeded, their sole defining characteristic being that they are without defining characteristics.

“In this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, through skill in means they liberate from [belief in] entities [and so forth] those who are fixated through the four misconceptions concerning the five aggregates—those who perceive the impermanent as permanent, those who perceive suffering as happiness, those who perceive nonself as self, those who perceive the unpleasant as pleasant—and those who are fixated on entities.”

Subhūti then asked, “Blessed Lord, is there an entity that is said to be the real nature or the unmistaken real nature, such as that to which ordinary, simple people become attached and fixated? If there were not, how do they condition the deeds on account of which they are in the meantime not liberated from cyclic existence with its five classes of beings?”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “apart from erroneous views, there has been established no entity, even as tiny as a fraction of a hair-tip, on which ordinary, simple people settle and condition deeds. For this reason, Subhūti, I will explain an analogy to you so that the wise might understand this point clearly and perfectly. Subhūti, do you think that when one sees something in a dream, there is some entity seen in that dream on which one may settle and which one might enjoy through the five desirable attributes of the senses?”

“Blessed Lord, since the dream itself does not exist, whatever is seen in that dream, whatever could be known, would be nonexistent, let alone anything on which one might settle and that one might enjoy through the five desirable attributes of the senses!”

“Subhūti, do you think that there exists anything at all, mundane, supramundane, contaminated, uncontaminated, conditioned, or unconditioned, that does not resemble a dream?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, Blessed Lord! There exists nothing at all, mundane, supramundane, contaminated, uncontaminated, conditioned, or unconditioned, that does not resemble a dream.”

“Does cyclic existence with its five classes of beings exist in a dream?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, Blessed Lord.”

The Blessed One then asked, “Subhūti, do you think that dreams are endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”

“No, Blessed Lord; they are nonentities, Blessed Lord. They cannot be conceived through any expressions, sounds, words, or letters.”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that when a reflection appears on a mirror, there exists some entity that would condition deeds, and by the conditioning [of deeds] proceed to the hells, proceed to the animal realm, proceed to the world of Yama, or become a human being or a god?”

“No, Blessed Lord. That would be a nonentity, except, Blessed Lord, in the case of simpletons who are being deceived. Since the reflection itself does not exist, whatever could be known would be nonexistent, let alone any deeds that it might condition, and by which they would proceed to the hells, proceed to the animal realm, proceed to the world of Yama, or become a human being or a god.”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that [this reflection] would be endowed with the cultivation of the path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”

“No, Blessed Lord. Since the reflection itself is not an entity, Blessed Lord, whatever could be known would be nonexistent, let alone the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified!”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that when an echo emerges from a dense forest, a mountain, a precipice, or a valley, that echo would have an entity that would condition [deeds] through which one would proceed to the hells, proceed to the animal realm, proceed to the world of Yama, or become a human being or a god?”

“No, Blessed Lord. Since the echo itself is not an entity, whatever could be known would be nonexistent, let alone any deeds that it would condition, on the basis of which one would proceed to the hells; proceed to the animal realm; proceed to the world of Yama; become a god or a human being; be born as a god of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika; be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha; or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception.”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that that echo would be endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”

“No, Blessed Lord. Since the echo itself absolutely does not exist, Blessed Lord, whatever could be known would be nonexistent, let alone the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified.”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that in a mirage when water is perceived where there is no water, where rivers are perceived where there are no rivers, where cities are perceived where there are no cities, and where meadows are perceived where there are no meadows, this mode of perception would condition [deeds], through which one might proceed to the hells; proceed to the animal realm; proceed to the world of Yama; become a human being; be born as a god of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika; be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha; or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception?”

“Blessed Lord, since in a mirage water, rivers, cities, and meadows absolutely do not exist, except for erroneous perception and the mistaken vision of the eyes, whatever could be known would be nonexistent, let alone any deeds through the conditioning of which one might proceed to the hells; proceed to the animal realm; proceed to the world of Yama; become a human being; be born as a god of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika; be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha; or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception.”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that erroneous perception [of the mirage] would be endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”

“No, Blessed Lord. Since that erroneous perception [of the mirage] is itself a nonentity, whatever could be known would be nonexistent, let alone the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified.”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that when an illusionist conjures up diverse magical displays—herds of elephants, herds of horses, herds of oxen, divisions of infantry, the form of a woman, or the form of a man—these magical displays would condition [deeds] through which one might proceed to the hells; proceed to the animal realm; proceed to the world of Yama; become a human being; be born as a god of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika; be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha; or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception?”

“No, Blessed Lord! Based on these magical displays there exists nothing at all, not even as tiny as the fraction of a hair-tip, that would condition deeds through which one might proceed to the hells; proceed to the animal realm; proceed to the world of Yama; be born as a human being; be born as a god of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika; be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha; or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception.”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that magical displays would be endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”

“No, Blessed Lord. How, Blessed Lord, could there possibly be affliction or purification in the case of phenomena that are nonentities!”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that when the tathāgatas create a phantom emanation, that phantom emanation would condition any deeds through which one might proceed to the hells; proceed to the animal realm; proceed to the world of Yama; be born as a human being; be born as a god of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika; be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha; or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception?”

“No, Blessed Lord. There would be no entity in that phantom emanation.”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that this phantom emanation would be endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”

“No, Blessed Lord!”

“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that there would exist anyone defiled or purified in it?”

“No, Blessed Lord, there would not!”

The Blessed One then said, “Subhūti, just as there is no one at all that is defiled or purified, in the same way there exists neither affliction nor purification. If you ask why, abiding in notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ beings become defiled or purified, but those who see authentically will neither be afflicted nor purified. Just as for those who see authentically there will neither be affliction nor purification, in the same way there exists neither affliction nor purification.”