Then, the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! When it is said that they should don the great armor, what is the extent of the great armor that they should don?”

The Blessed One then addressed the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings should don the armor of the transcendent perfection of generosity, and similarly, they should don the armor of the other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom. They should don the armor of the applications of mindfulness, and don the armor of [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path. They should don the armor of the emptiness of internal phenomena, and don the armor of the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities. Similarly, they should don the armor of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and they should don the armor of the [other fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. They should don the armor of [the attainments], up to and including omniscience. They should don the armor of the buddha body. Then they will illuminate the world system of the great trichiliocosm.

“In the same manner, they illuminate the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges. Similarly, they illuminate the world systems of the other directions, up to and including the intermediate directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges. Having permeated [all directions with light], they cause the world systems of the great trichiliocosm to shake, to shake more intensely, and to shake with utmost intensity, and in six ways. In the same manner, they cause the chiliocosm, extending from the eastern direction up to and including the intermediate directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, to shake, to shake more intensely, and to shake with utmost intensity, and in six ways. It is by means of this illumination that great bodhisattva beings don the armor of the transcendent perfection of generosity, and of the [other attributes], up to and including the buddha body.

“They emanate the world systems of the great trichiliocosm as a natural expanse of beryl, and having done so, they emanate the array of a universal monarch, and having emanated the array of a universal monarch, they give food to all those in need of nourishment, and similarly, they give drink, clothing, garlands, incense, unguents, homes, lodgings, lamps, and so on, up to and including medicines. In the same vein, they dispense other benefits to sentient beings, including appropriate human resources, and having made such gifts, they then teach sentient beings the sacred doctrine that is endowed with the six transcendent perfections. Those sentient beings, too, on hearing sacred doctrine, will never commit transgressions, and will never be separated from the six transcendent perfections until they have attained manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed and genuinely perfect enlightenment. Su­bhūti, it is to that extent that great bodhisattva beings are said to don the great armor.

“Su­bhūti, if, for example, an illusionist or the apprentice of an illusionist, standing at a crossroads, in the presence of a large gathering of people, were to offer food to those in need of nourishment, and dispense [all those other aforementioned] gifts, up to and including the appropriate human resources, do you think, Su­bhūti, that this illusionist or this apprentice of an illusionist would have dispensed any gift to any sentient being?”

“No, Reverend Lord!” he responded.

The Blessed One then said, “Su­bhūti, in the same manner, great bodhisattva beings, having emanated the array of a universal monarch, proceed to offer food to those in need of nourishment, and in the same vein, they grant [the other aforementioned] gifts up to and including the appropriate human resources, but they have not actually dispensed any gifts to any sentient being. If you ask why, it is because, commencing from the reality of illusion, such is the reality of all things.

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, when great bodhisattva beings abide in the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, they will be reborn in the family of a universal monarch, since they are able to take birth at will. Dwelling as mighty lords in the family of a universal monarch, they will establish sentient beings, many hundreds of billion trillions in number, on the path of the ten virtuous actions. Likewise, they will establish them in the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable aspirations, and the four formless absorptions. The same goes for the four applications of mindfulness, and so on, up to and including the noble eightfold path, and the three gateways to liberation. They will also establish them in the [fruitional attributes], from the ten powers of the tathāgatas up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Those sentient beings, too, will never be separated from the teachings of the sacred doctrine until they have attained manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed and genuinely perfect enlightenment.

“Su­bhūti, if, for example, an illusionist or the apprentice of an illusionist had conjured up a large gathering of people and established them on the path of the ten virtuous actions, and so on, until he had established them in the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, do you think, Su­bhūti, that this illusionist or this apprentice of an illusionist would have established any sentient beings on the path of the ten virtuous actions, and in the same vein, do you think he would have established anyone in [those other attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas?”

“No, Reverend Lord!”

The Blessed One then said, “Su­bhūti, in the same manner, great bodhisattva beings establish sentient beings, many hundreds of billion trillions in number, on the path of the ten virtuous actions, and in the same vein, establish them [in the other attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, but they have not actually established any sentient beings at all. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because, commencing with the reality of illusion, this is in fact the reality of all things. Su­bhūti, so it is that great bodhisattva beings are said to don the great armor.

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, when great bodhisattva beings abide in the transcendent perfection of tolerance, they will establish sentient beings, many hundreds of billion trillions in number, in tolerance. Su­bhūti, if one were to ask in what way great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of tolerance, establish sentient beings, one hundred billion trillions in number, in tolerance, in this regard, Su­bhūti, from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment, great bodhisattva beings don their armor, while thinking, ‘If all sentient beings were to approach me, and even strike me with sticks, weapons, or clods of earth, I would not generate any thoughts of anger toward any sentient beings, and I would indeed establish all sentient beings in such patient endurance.’ Having donned their armor, even if they were afflicted on being struck by the clods of earth, sticks, or weapons hurled by enemies and assailants, they would never generate a thought of anger toward any sentient beings, but instead they would establish sentient beings, one hundred billion trillions in number, in such patient endurance.

“Su­bhūti, if, for example, an illusionist or the apprentice of an illusionist had conjured up a large gathering of people, and established them in the transcendent perfection of tolerance, do you think, Su­bhūti, that this illusionist or this apprentice of an illusionist would have established any sentient beings in tolerance?”

“No, Reverend Lord!”

The Blessed One then said, “Su­bhūti, in the same manner, great bodhisattva beings establish sentient beings, many hundreds of billion trillions in number, in tolerance, but they have not actually established any sentient beings at all. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because, commencing with the reality of illusion, this is in fact the reality of all things. Su­bhūti, so it is that great bodhisattva beings are said to don the great armor.

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, when great bodhisattva beings abide in the transcendent perfection of perseverance, they will encourage, secure, and establish sentient beings, one hundred billion trillion in number, in the transcendent perfection of perseverance. Their minds endowed with omniscience, they will encourage, secure, and establish those sentient beings in physical and mental perseverance, in order that they might abandon non-virtuous doctrines and undertake the excellent virtuous doctrines.

“Su­bhūti, if, for example, an illusionist or the apprentice of an illusionist had conjured up a large gathering of people, and then encouraged, secured, and established sentient beings, one hundred billion trillion in number, in the transcendent perfection of perseverance, do you think, Su­bhūti, that this illusionist or this apprentice of an illusionist would have established any sentient beings in perseverance?”

“No, Reverend Lord!”

The Blessed One then said, “Su­bhūti, in the same manner, great bodhisattva beings establish sentient beings, many hundreds of billion trillions in number, in the transcendent perfection of perseverance, but they have not actually established any sentient beings at all. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because, commencing with the reality of illusion, this is in fact the reality of all things. Su­bhūti, so it is that great bodhisattva beings are said to don the great armor.

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, when great bodhisattva beings abide in the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, they will encourage, secure and establish sentient beings, one hundred billion trillion in number, in the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration. Su­bhūti, if one were to ask in what way great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, encourage, secure and establish sentient beings, one hundred billion trillion in number, in the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, in this regard, Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings abide in the meditative stability of sameness with regard to all things, and they do not consider whether anything is in absorption or distracted. In that manner exclusively they encourage, secure and establish sentient beings in meditative concentration; and, in various ways, they encourage, secure and establish them, so that they will never be separated from the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration until they have attained manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed and genuinely perfect enlightenment.”

“Su­bhūti, if, for example, an illusionist or the apprentice of an illusionist, had conjured up a large gathering of people, and then encouraged, secured and established sentient beings, one hundred billion trillion in number, in the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, do you think, Su­bhūti, that this illusionist or the apprentice of an illusionist would have established any sentient beings in the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration?”

“No, Reverend Lord!” he responded.

The Blessed One then said, “Su­bhūti, in the same manner, great bodhisattva beings establish sentient beings, many hundreds of billion trillions in number, in the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, but they have not actually established any sentient beings at all. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because, commencing with the reality of illusion, this is in fact the reality of all things. Su­bhūti, so it is that great bodhisattva beings are said to don the great armor.”

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, when great bodhisattva beings abide in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, they will encourage, secure and establish sentient beings, one hundred billion trillion in number, in the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Su­bhūti, if one were to ask in what way great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, encourage, secure and establish sentient beings, one hundred billion trillion in number, in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, in this regard, Su­bhūti, when great bodhisattva beings abide in the ineffable transcendent perfection of wisdom, and do not apprehend anything that may be arising, ceasing, afflicted, purified, or extraneous, to that extent, Su­bhūti, do great bodhisattva beings abide in the transcendent perfection of wisdom. In that manner exclusively they encourage, secure, and establish sentient beings, one hundred billion trillion in number, in the transcendent perfection of wisdom.

“Su­bhūti, if, for example, an illusionist or the apprentice of an illusionist had conjured up a large gathering of people, and then encouraged, secured, and established sentient beings, one hundred billion trillion in number, in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, do you think, Su­bhūti, that this illusionist or this apprentice of an illusionist would have established any sentient beings in the transcendent perfection of wisdom?”

“No, Reverend Lord!” he responded.

The Blessed One then said, “Su­bhūti, in the same manner, do great bodhisattva beings establish sentient beings, many hundreds of billion trillions in number, in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, but they have not actually established any sentient beings at all. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because, commencing with the reality of illusion, this is in fact the reality of all things. Su­bhūti, so it is that great bodhisattva beings are said to don the great armor.

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, when great bodhisattva beings have donned the great armor, they assume corporeal forms appropriate for training sentient beings who habitually engage in negative acts and have regressed into misconduct, in all the fields of the eastern direction, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges. They abide in the transcendent perfection of generosity, and in the other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom. They encourage, secure, and establish [those beings] in the transcendent perfection of generosity, and similarly, they encourage, secure, and establish them in the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, the transcendent perfection of tolerance, the transcendent perfection of perseverance, the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, and the transcendent perfection of wisdom. At all times they teach the sacred doctrine—that is to say, the six transcendent perfections—to sentient beings. Sentient beings, too, on hearing this sacred doctrine will never be separated from the six transcendent perfections until they have attained manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed and genuinely perfect enlightenment.

“Just as indicated here in the context of the eastern direction, the same goes also for all the other buddha fields throughout the ten directions, numerous as the sand of the River Ganges. Su­bhūti, the passage commencing with the words, ‘the illusionist or the skilled apprentice of an illusionist,’ as indicated above, along with the examples given in the first [part of this] chapter (le’u dang po), is similarly applicable here. Su­bhūti, so it is that great bodhisattva beings are said to don the great armor.

“Moreover, Su­bhūti, when great bodhisattva beings have donned the great armor and abide with a mind endowed with omniscience, they do not permit the development of any other mindsets, namely, those of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. For the latter may think, ‘I must establish this many sentient beings in the transcendent perfection of generosity, but I must not establish that many sentient beings,’ and so [with the other transcendent perfections], up to ‘I must establish this many sentient beings in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, but I must not establish that many. Similarly, I must establish this many sentient beings in the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, and the three gateways to liberation, but I must not establish that many [in all these causal attributes], up to and including the three gateways to liberation. Similarly, I must establish this many sentient beings in the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and so on, up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, but I must not establish that many in [all these fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Similarly, I must establish this many sentient beings in the fruit of entering the stream, I must establish this many in the fruit of being tied to one more rebirth, in the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, in arhatship, and in individual enlightenment, but, similarly, I must not establish that many in [all those fruits], up to and including individual enlightenment. Similarly, I must establish this many sentient beings in omniscience, but I must not establish that many.’ Su­bhūti, you should not think like that! Rather, you should think, ‘I should establish innumerable and countless sentient beings in the transcendent perfection of generosity, and similarly, in the other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom. I should establish innumerable and countless sentient beings in the applications of mindfulness, and so on, up to and including omniscience.’ Su­bhūti, the passage commencing with the words, ‘the illusionist or the skilled student of an illusionist,’ is similarly applicable here, just as has been indicated above. Su­bhūti, so it is that great bodhisattva beings are said to don the great armor.”

Then the venerable Su­bhūti said to the Blessed One, “As I investigate the teachings given by the Reverend Lord, on account of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, great bodhisattva beings, alas, should know that they are seeking armor that is a non-existent armor. If you ask why, it is because physical forms are empty of physical forms. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are empty of consciousness and [the other aggregates]. Similarly, the eyes are empty of the eyes, and so [with the other sense organs], up to and including the mental faculty, which is empty of the mental faculty. Similarly, visual consciousness is empty of visual consciousness, and so [with the other modes of consciousness], up to and including mental consciousness, which is empty of mental consciousness. Sensory contact that is visually compounded is empty of sensory contact that is visually compounded, and so [with the other compounded aspects of sensory contact], up to and including sensory contact that is mentally compounded, which is empty of sensory contact that is mentally compounded. Similarly, feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is visually compounded are empty of feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is visually compounded, and so [with the other conditioned feelings], up to and including feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is mentally compounded, which are empty of feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is mentally compounded.

“Reverend Lord! Similarly, the transcendent perfection of generosity is empty of the transcendent perfection of generosity, and so [with the other transcendent perfections], up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, which is empty of the transcendent perfection of wisdom. The applications of mindfulness are empty of the applications of mindfulness, and so [with the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path, which is empty of the noble eightfold path. The emptiness of internal phenomena is empty of the emptiness of internal phenomena, and so [with the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, which is empty of the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities. The ten powers of the tathāgatas are empty of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and so [with the other fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, which are empty of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Reverend Lord! Bodhisattvas are also empty of bodhisattvas. The great armor is also empty of the great armor. It is for that reason, Reverend Lord, that great bodhisattva beings, alas, should know that they are seeking armor which is a non-existent armor.”

The Blessed One then addressed the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Su­bhūti, it is so! It is just as you have said! Su­bhūti, omniscience is neither created not is it conditioned. Even the sentient beings for whom great bodhisattva beings don the great armor are uncreated and unconditioned.”

Then, the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! For what reason is omniscience neither created nor conditioned? Why are the sentient beings for whom great bodhisattva beings seek the great armor uncreated and unconditioned?”

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, omniscience is itself neither created nor conditioned because its creator is non-apprehensible. Those sentient beings, too, are neither created nor conditioned. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because physical forms are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned; similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. Similarly, Su­bhūti, the ‘self’ is uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. Similarly, Su­bhūti, [the other aforementioned postulated subjects of perception], up to and including knowers and viewers, are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because the ‘self’ and so forth are absolutely non-apprehensible.

“Su­bhūti, dreams also are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because they are absolutely non-apprehensible. Similarly, echoes, optical aberrations, magical displays, mirages, and phantoms are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because they are absolutely non-apprehensible. Su­bhūti, the emptiness of internal phenomena is uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned, and in the same vein, Su­bhūti, the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. If you ask why, it is because the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities [and the aforementioned aspects of emptiness] are absolutely non-apprehensible.

“Similarly, [the causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because these [attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, are absolutely non-apprehensible. Su­bhūti, the real nature is uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. Similarly, Su­bhūti, the unmistaken real nature, the inalienable real nature, reality, the expanse of reality, the abiding of phenomena [in real nature], the maturity [of the bodhisattvas], and the finality of existence are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. If you ask why, it is because these [unconditioned phenomena], up to and including the finality of existence, are absolutely non-apprehensible.

“Su­bhūti, bodhisattvas are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. Similarly, the understanding of all phenomena and the understanding of omniscience are uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. If you ask why, it is because [those understandings], up to and including omniscience, are absolutely non-apprehensible. Su­bhūti, for these reasons omniscience is uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. The sentient beings for whom great bodhisattva beings don the great armor are also uncreated, undestroyed, and unconditioned. Su­bhūti, one should know that it is for that reason that great bodhisattva beings don the great armor.”

Then, the venerable Su­bhūti said to the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! According to my inquiry into the meaning of the words spoken by the Blessed One, physical forms, Reverend Lord, are neither fettered nor liberated. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated.”

The venerable Pūrṇa­maitrāyaṇī­putra then addressed the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Venerable Su­bhūti, are physical forms neither fettered nor liberated? Similarly, are feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness neither fettered nor liberated?”

“Venerable Pūrṇa, that is the case! Physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated.”

Then the venerable Pūrṇa addressed the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Venerable Su­bhūti, what are those physical forms that are neither fettered nor liberated? Similarly, what are the feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness that are neither fettered nor liberated?”

“Venerable Pūrṇa, physical forms which resemble dreams are neither fettered nor liberated. Likewise, feelings which resemble dreams, perceptions which resemble dreams, formative predispositions which resemble dreams, and consciousness which resembles dreams are neither fettered nor liberated. In the same vein, physical forms, which resemble echoes, and [the other aggregates], up to and including consciousness, which resembles echoes, are neither fettered nor liberated. Similarly, Venerable Pūrṇa, physical forms that resemble optical aberrations, magical displays, mirages, and phantoms are neither fettered nor liberated. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness that resemble phantoms [and the like] are neither fettered nor liberated. Venerable Pūrṇa, physical forms of the past are neither fettered nor liberated; similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness of the past are neither fettered nor liberated. Similarly, Venerable Pūrṇa, physical forms of the future are neither fettered nor liberated; and similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness of the future are neither fettered nor liberated. Similarly, Venerable Pūrṇa, physical forms of the present are neither fettered nor liberated; and similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness of the present are neither fettered nor liberated. If you ask why, physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated because they are non-existent. Similarly, consciousness and all [the other aggregates] are neither fettered nor liberated because feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are non-existent. Similarly, physical forms are all neither fettered nor liberated because physical forms are void. Similarly, consciousness and all [the other aggregates] are neither fettered nor liberated because feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are void. Similarly, physical forms are all neither fettered nor liberated because physical forms are non-arising. Similarly, consciousness and all [the other aggregates] are neither fettered nor liberated because feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are non-arising. Similarly, physical forms are all neither fettered nor liberated because physical forms are unceasing. Similarly, consciousness and all [the other aggregates] are neither fettered nor liberated because feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are unceasing.

“Likewise, Venerable Pūrṇa, virtuous physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated; similarly, virtuous feelings, virtuous perceptions, virtuous formative predispositions, and virtuous consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated. Likewise, non-virtuous physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated, and similarly, non-virtuous feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated. Likewise, indeterminate physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated, and similarly, indeterminate feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated. In the same vein, mundane physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated, and similarly, mundane feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated. Supramundane physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated, and similarly, supramundane feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated. Contaminated physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated, and similarly, contaminated feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated. Uncontaminated physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated, and similarly, uncontaminated feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated. If you ask why physical forms are neither fettered nor liberated, and similarly, why feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are neither fettered nor liberated, it is because physical forms are non-existent, and because feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are non-existent. Similarly, physical forms and [the other aggregates], up to and including consciousness, are neither fettered nor liberated because they are void, because they are non-arising and unceasing, and because they are not fettered and not bound.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, all things are neither fettered nor liberated. If you ask why, all things are neither fettered nor liberated because all things are non-existent. Similarly, all things are neither fettered nor liberated because all things are void, because they are non-arising, because they are unceasing, because they are not fettered, and because they are not bound. Venerable Pūrṇa, the transcendent perfection of generosity is also neither fettered nor liberated. Similarly, Venerable Pūrṇa, the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, the transcendent perfection of tolerance, the transcendent perfection of perseverance, the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, and the transcendent perfection of wisdom are also neither fettered nor liberated. If you ask why, the transcendent perfection of generosity is neither fettered nor liberated because it is non-existent. Similarly, the other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, are neither fettered nor liberated because they are non-existent.”

“Venerable Pūrṇa, the emptiness of internal phenomena is also neither fettered nor liberated, and similarly, the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, are neither fettered nor liberated. Similarly, the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven aspects of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the three gateways to liberation, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and in the same vein, [all other attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, are also neither fettered nor liberated. If you ask why, those [attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, are neither fettered nor liberated because they themselves are non-existent, because they themselves are void, because they themselves are unfettered, and because they themselves are unliberated. Venerable Pūrṇa, enlightenment too is neither fettered nor liberated. Similarly, Venerable Pūrṇa, the understanding of all phenomena, the understanding of the aspects of the path, omniscience, and the bodhisattvas are also neither fettered nor liberated. If you ask why, they are neither fettered nor liberated because they themselves are non-existent, because they themselves are void, because they themselves are non-arising, because they themselves are non-ceasing, and so on, even up to the attainment of buddhahood.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, the real nature, the inalienable real nature, reality, the expanse of reality, the abiding nature of phenomena, the maturity [of the bodhisattvas], the finality of existence, and [other] unconditioned phenomena are also neither fettered nor liberated. If you ask why, these phenomena, up to and including unconditioned phenomena, are neither fettered nor liberated because they are themselves non-existent, because they are themselves void, because they are themselves non-arising, because they are themselves unceasing, because they are themselves not fettered, and because they are themselves not liberated.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, in this regard, the transcendent perfection of generosity possessed by great bodhisattva beings is neither fettered nor liberated. The other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, and [the attainments], up to and including omniscience, are also neither fettered nor liberated. The same refrain should be applied here, as has been indicated in the preceding [part of this] chapter.

“They abide in the transcendent perfection of generosity that is neither fettered nor liberated. They abide in the [other transcendent perfections], up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, which are neither fettered nor liberated. In the same vein, they abide in [the attainments], up to and including omniscience, which are neither fettered nor liberated. They bring to maturity sentient beings who are neither fettered nor liberated. They refine fields that are exclusively neither fettered nor liberated. They venerate the emanations of the lord buddhas who are exclusively neither fettered nor liberated. They also listen to the doctrines delivered by those emanations of the lord buddhas, which are neither fettered nor liberated. They will never be separated from those emanations of the lord buddhas who are neither fettered nor liberated. They will never be separated from the extrasensory powers that are neither fettered nor liberated. They will never be separated from the five eyes that are neither fettered nor liberated. They will never be separated from the mnemonic incantations that are neither fettered nor liberated. They will indeed actualize the understanding of all phenomena that is neither fettered nor liberated. They will develop the understanding of the aspects of the path that is neither fettered nor liberated. They will attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in omniscience that is neither fettered nor liberated. They will turn the wheel of the sacred doctrine that is neither fettered nor liberated. They will consolidate in the three vehicles sentient beings who are neither fettered nor liberated.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, so it is that great bodhisattva beings will attain manifestly perfect buddhahood with respect to all things, by means of the six transcendent perfections which are neither fettered nor liberated. This is because all things are themselves non-existent, because they themselves are calm, because they themselves are void, because they themselves are non-arising, and because they themselves are unceasing. Venerable Pūrṇa, one should know that it is in this way that great bodhisattva beings possess the great armor which is neither fettered nor liberated.”

[Then the Lord Buddha said], “Moreover, Su­bhūti, the great armor of great bodhisattva beings entails the refinement of the six extrasensory powers. If you ask what these six are, they comprise (1) the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of miraculous activities, (2) the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of divine clairvoyance, (3) the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of divine clairaudience, (4) the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of the minds of others, (5) the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of the recollection of past lives, and (6) the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of the cessation of contaminants. Su­bhūti, these are the six extrasensory powers of great bodhisattva beings.

“Su­bhūti, if you ask what constitutes the refinement of the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of miraculous activities which great bodhisattva beings have—Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, experience many facets of miraculous ability. They may cause this very [earth] to shake. Similarly, having been singular [in form], they can become multiple, and having been multiple [in form], they can become singular. Similarly, they may experience themselves as visible and as invisible. They can move directly through walls. They can move directly through enclosures. They can move directly through mountains, without impediment, as if they were moving, for example, through space. They can also move through space, sitting with their legs crossed, just like a bird on the wing. They can hover above the earth and levitate, as if they were in water. They can walk on water, without sinking, as if they were on solid ground. They can also emit smoke and flames of fire, like a great conflagration. However miraculous, powerful, and mighty the sun and the moon might be, they can reach out to touch them with their hands. They can even overwhelm the Brahmā world realms with their physical bodies. Yet, they do not make assumptions on account of such miraculous abilities, nor do they make assumptions about those miraculous abilities, and they do not even apprehend them, because anything on account of which they might make assumptions, anything about which they might make assumptions, and the assumptions which they might make are all essentially empty, essentially void, and essentially non-apprehensible. They focus on omniscience, and apart from that have no wish to attain miraculous abilities. Su­bhūti, such is the refinement of great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, in the extrasensory power that realizes miraculous abilities.

“Su­bhūti, if you ask what constitutes the refinement of the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of divine clairvoyance, which great bodhisattva beings have—Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, perceive through their pure clairvoyance that surpasses the vision of humans those sentient beings who are dying, those who are being reborn, those who are beautiful, those who are ugly, those in the blissful higher realms, those in the wretched lower realms, and those who are inferior, average, or excellent, according to the past actions they have accumulated. ‘Alas! These sentient beings are endowed with misconduct of body, speech, and mind. They deprecate sublime beings. They maintain wrong views. Alas! Due to the causes and conditions of adopting wrong views as correct, when their bodies have decayed and they are dead, they will be reborn in inferior realms, falling into the lower abodes, as denizens of the hells! Alas! These sentient beings are endowed with noble conduct of body. They are endowed with noble conduct of speech, and they are endowed with noble conduct of mind. Due to these causes and conditions, when their bodies have decayed and died, they will be reborn as gods and humans, within the blissful and exalted world realms!’ and so on in the same vein, down to, ‘They see sentient beings in the world systems of all the ten directions, according to the past deeds they have accumulated,’ and, ‘These will be reborn among the gods and humans in the world systems of the happy, exalted realms.’ Su­bhūti, this constitutes the refinement of great bodhisattva beings who possess the extrasensory power that realizes divine clairvoyance.

“Su­bhūti, if you ask what constitutes the refinement of the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of divine clairaudience, which great bodhisattva beings have—Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, possess clairaudience that surpasses the human range of hearing. But even though they can hear the voices of gods and humans, they do not make assumptions on account of their clairaudience, thinking, ‘I can hear voices,’ and they do not even apprehend the sounds that their ears hear because these are essentially empty, essentially void, and essentially non-apprehensible. They focus on omniscience, and apart from that have no other wish to attain clairaudience. Su­bhūti, such is the refinement of great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, who possess the extrasensory power that realizes clairaudience.

“Su­bhūti, if you ask what constitutes the refinement of the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of other minds, which great bodhisattva beings have—Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, perceive with their own minds the minds of other sentient beings and the minds of other individuals, exactly as they are. That is to say, they perceive minds that are afflicted with desire correctly as minds that are afflicted with desire; and they perceive minds free from desire correctly, as minds that are free from desire. They perceive minds afflicted with hatred correctly, as minds that are afflicted with hatred; and they perceive minds free from hatred correctly, as minds that are free from hatred. They perceive minds afflicted with delusion correctly, as minds that are afflicted with delusion; and they perceive minds free from delusion correctly, as minds that are free from delusion. Similarly, they perceive minds endowed with craving correctly, as minds that are endowed with craving; and they perceive minds free from craving correctly, as minds that are free from craving. Similarly, they perceive minds endowed with grasping correctly, as minds that are endowed with grasping; and they perceive minds free from grasping correctly, as minds that are free from grasping. Indeed, they correctly perceive minds that are composed, minds that are distracted, minds that are narrow, minds that are spacious, minds that are absorbed, minds that are not absorbed, minds that are liberated, minds that are unliberated, and minds that are surpassed, as minds that are surpassed, [and so forth]. They correctly perceive minds that are not surpassed as minds that are not surpassed. Yet, they do not make assumptions on account of these [observations]. If you ask why, owing to the emptiness of inherent existence these minds are not minds. In the same vein, the same refrain should be applied extensively here, just as has been presented above. Su­bhūti, this constitutes the refinement of the extrasensory power of great bodhisattva beings that realizes the knowledge of the minds of others.

“Su­bhūti, if you ask what constitutes the refinement of the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of the recollection of past lives, which great bodhisattva beings have—Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, actualize the extrasensory power of realizing the recollection of past lives, and on that basis, they may recollect one thought, or from that up to a hundred thoughts, or even up to a thousand thoughts. They may also recollect one day, or from that up to a hundred days, up to a thousand days, or even up to a hundred thousand days. They may also recollect one month, or from that up to a hundred months, up to a thousand months, or even up to a hundred thousand months. They may also recollect one year, or from that they may recollect up to a hundred thousand years. They may also recollect a single eon, or from that up to many hundreds of eons, many thousands of eons, many hundreds of thousands of eons, and even many hundred billion trillions of eons. ‘In that life such was my name. Such was my family. Such was my social class. Such was the food I ate. Such was the duration of my life. Such was the extent of the lifespan I could have had. Such was the extent of the particular lifespan I actually had. Such were the experiences of happiness and suffering I had. Deceased from there, I was born as so and so, and then dying there, I was reborn here!’ In this way, they can recollect many of their own past lives and those of other sentient beings, and other individuals, along with their circumstances and locations. Yet, they do not make assumptions on account of this extrasensory power, and so on. Su­bhūti, this is called the refinement of the extrasensory power that realizes the recollection of past lives with which great bodhisattva beings are endowed.

“Su­bhūti, if you ask what constitutes the refinement of the extrasensory power realizing knowledge of the cessation of contaminants, which great bodhisattva beings have— Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings, abiding in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, actualize the extrasensory power of realizing the cessation of contaminants, and yet they do not rest in the levels of the śrāvakas and the levels of the pratyekabuddhas. Nor are they attached to any attributes through which manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed and genuinely perfect enlightenment would be attained. Through the adamantine meditative stability that comes from that extrasensory power, they abandon all involuntary reincarnation through propensities, and yet, they do not make assumptions on account of that extrasensory power of realizing the cessation of contaminants because it is essentially empty, essentially void, and essentially non-apprehensible. Apart from focusing on omniscience, they have no other wish. Su­bhūti, this is the refinement of the extrasensory power that realizes the cessation of contaminants, which great bodhisattva beings have.

“Su­bhūti, one should know that these are called the refinements of the six extrasensory powers of great bodhisattva beings who abide in the transcendent perfection of wisdom.”