The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom ​in Ten Thousand Lines

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 22 | Chapter 23 | Chapter 24 |​ Chapter 25 | Chapter 26 | Chapter 27 | Chapter 28 | Chapter 29 | Chapter 30 | Chapter 31 | Chapter 32 | Chapter 33
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Chapter 16: Conceptual Notions

16.1     Then the divine princes thought, “How should we uphold the doctrine revealed by the Elder Subhūti?” Senior Subhūti, knowing the thoughts of those divine princes in his own mind, then addressed those divine princes as follows: “Divine princes! You should uphold [the view] that those who teach my sacred doctrine resemble a magical display, and that those who listen to my sacred doctrine also resemble a magical display. They will neither hear the sacred doctrine which I have taught, nor will they actualize it.”

16.2     Then, the divine princes addressed Senior Subhūti as follows: “Venerable Subhūti, is it then the case that those sentient beings resemble a magical display, and that those who teach the sacred doctrine to them also resemble a magical display? Similarly, do those sentient beings resemble a phantom, and do those who teach the sacred doctrine to them also resemble a phantom?” Senior Subhūti replied, “Divine princes, it is so! It is as you have said. Sentient beings do resemble a magical display, and those who teach the sacred doctrine to them also resemble a magical display. Sentient beings do resemble a phantom, and those who teach the sacred doctrine to them also resemble a phantom. Divine princes, the self too is like a dream, like a magical display. Divine princes, physical forms too are like a dream, like a magical display. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are like a dream, like a magical display. Similarly, the eyes too are like a dream, like a magical display. Similarly, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mental faculty too are like a dream, like a magical display. Divine princes, similarly, sights are like a dream, like a magical display. Similarly, sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, and mental phenomena are like a dream, like a magical display. Divine princes, the sensory element of the eyes too is like a dream, like a magical display. Similarly, the sensory element of sights, the sensory element of visual consciousness; the sensory element of the ears, the sensory element of sounds, the sensory element of auditory consciousness; the sensory element of the nose, the sensory element of odors, the sensory element of olfactory consciousness; the sensory element of the tongue, the sensory element of tastes, the sensory element of gustatory consciousness; the sensory element of the body, the sensory element of tangibles, the sensory element of tactile consciousness; and the sensory element of the mental faculty, the sensory element of mental phenomena, and the sensory element of mental consciousness all indeed are like a dream, like a magical display. Similarly, feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is visually compounded, and [the other types of feelings], up to and including feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is mentally compounded, are indeed like a dream, like a magical display.

​16.3     “Divine princes, the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of both external and internal phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, the emptiness of great extent, the emptiness of ultimate reality, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the unlimited, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the emptiness of non-dispersal, the emptiness of inherent existence, the emptiness of all intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of all things, the emptiness of non-apprehension, the emptiness of non-entities, the emptiness of essential nature, and the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities are all indeed like a dream, like a magical display.

16.4     “Divine princes, the applications of mindfulness, too, are like a dream, like a magical display. Similarly, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path are all indeed like a dream, like a magical display. Divine princes, the ten powers of the tathāgatas are also like a dream, like a magical display. Similarly, the four assurances, the four unhindered discernments, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are all indeed like a dream, like a magical display.”

16.5     “Divine princes, the transcendent perfection of generosity, too, is like a dream, like a magical display. Divine princes, similarly, 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 all indeed like a dream, like a magical display.

16.6     “Similarly, the fruit of entering the stream, too, is like a dream, like a magical display. The fruit of being tied to one further rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and [the other fruits], up to and including arhatship, are all indeed like a dream, like a magical display.

16.7     “Similarly, divine princes, individual enlightenment and unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, too, are like a dream, like a magical display.”

​16.8     Then the divine princes addressed Senior Subhūti as follows: “Venerable Subhūti, did you just say that unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment is also like a dream, like a magical display? Venerable Subhūti, in that case do you also say that nirvāṇa is like a dream, like a magical display?” Senior Subhūti replied, “Divine princes, I do say that nirvāṇa also is like a dream, like a magical display. Divine princes, if there were anything else more sublime than nirvāṇa, that too, I say, would be like a dream, like a magical display. If you ask why, divine princes, it is because dreams, magical displays, and nirvāṇa are without duality and cannot be bisected.”

16.9     Then Senior Śāradvatīputra, Senior Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Senior Mahākauṣṭhila, Senior Mahākātyāyana, Senior Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra, and Senior Mahākāśyapa, along with many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas, addressed Senior Subhūti as follows: “Venerable Subhūti, who can receive this transcendent perfection of wisdom, which is so profound, so hard to discern, so hard to realize, so subtle, so delicate, so calm, and so abundant?” Then Senior Subhūti replied to Ānanda, the great śrāvakas, and those great bodhisattva beings, “Senior ones! This transcendent perfection of wisdom, which is so profound, which cannot be investigated, which is not within the perceptual range of sophistry; which is subtle, hard to discern, hard to realize, so calm, so abundant, immaculate, and sublime; and which is to be known by the learned and the wise alone will be received by irreversible bodhisattvas. Those who discern the truth—arhats who have realized the depths of the sacred doctrine and fulfilled their intentions, great bodhisattva beings who have carried out their duties toward the conquerors of the past and cultivated the roots of virtuous action under many tens of millions of buddhas, or sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who have been accepted by a spiritual mentor—all of these may receive this transcendent perfection of wisdom, which is so profound, and in the same vein, immaculate, sublime, and to be known by the learned and the wise alone, whenever it is shown to them.

​16.10     “They will not construe the notion that physical forms are empty, and that emptiness is physical forms. Similarly, they will not construe the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are empty, and that emptiness is consciousness [and the other aggregates]. They will not construe the notion that physical forms are signless, and that signlessness is physical forms. Similarly, they will not construe the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are signless, and that signlessness is consciousness [and the rest]. They will not construe the notion that physical forms are aspirationless, and that aspirationlessness is physical forms. Similarly, they will not construe the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are aspirationless, and that aspirationlessness is consciousness [and the rest]. In the same vein as before, they will not construe the notion that physical forms are non-arising, and they will not construe the notions that they are unceasing, that they are void, and so forth. Similarly, they will not construe the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are non-arising, and they will not construe the notions that they are unceasing, that they are void, and so forth. They will not construe the notion that physical forms are calm. They will not construe the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are calm.

​16.11     “In the same vein, this refrain should be applied to other phenomena, up to and including the eyes, and feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is visually compounded. It should similarly be applied to other phenomena, up to and including the mental faculty, and feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is mentally compounded. It should similarly be applied to the transcendent perfection of generosity, and also [to the other perfections], up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom. It should be applied to the emptiness of internal phenomena, and also [to the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities. It should be applied to the applications of mindfulness, and also [to the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path. It should similarly be applied to the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and also [to the other fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Similarly, it should be applied also to all the gateways of meditative stability and to all the gateways of mnemonic incantation. Similarly, it should be applied to the fruit of entering the stream, and also [to the other attainments], up to and including individual enlightenment. So it is that these [aforementioned beings] will not construe the notion that omniscience is emptiness, and that emptiness is omniscience. They will not construe the notion that omniscience is signless, and that signlessness is omniscience. They will not construe the notion that omniscience is aspirationless, and that aspirationlessness is omniscience. They will not construe the notion that conditioned elements are emptiness, and that emptiness is the conditioned elements. Similarly, they will not construe the notion that conditioned elements are signless, and that signlessness is the conditioned elements. They will not construe the notion that conditioned elements are aspirationless, and that aspirationlessness is the conditioned elements. Similarly, as far as omniscience is concerned, and as far as the conditioned elements and the unconditioned elements are concerned, they will not construe the notions that these are non-arising, unceasing, calm, or void.”

​16.12     Then, addressing the divine princes, Senior Subhūti spoke as follows: “Divine princes, there is no one at all who will receive this transcendent perfection of wisdom, which is so profound, and so forth, up to so immaculate and sublime, and which is to be known by the learned and the wise alone. If you ask why, it is because nothing at all is expressed or revealed therein. Insofar as there is nothing at all that is expressed or revealed therein, there are no sentient beings at all who will receive it.”

16.13     Then Senior Śāradvatīputra addressed Senior Subhūti as follows: “Senior Subhūti, in this transcendent perfection of wisdom, have the three vehicles not been taught? That is to say, have the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the genuinely perfect buddhas not been extensively taught? Has the acceptance of great bodhisattva beings not been taught, and has the path of the bodhisattvas also not been taught, commencing from the initial setting of the mind on enlightenment and continuing as far as the cultivation of the mind of the ten [bodhisattva] levels? That is to say, have the transcendent perfection of generosity and the other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, not been taught? Similarly, have the applications of mindfulness, and [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path, not been taught? Similarly, have the ten powers of the tathāgatas and [the other fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, not been taught? Has the emanational display of great bodhisattva beings, owing to their extrasensory power of miraculous ability, also not been taught? Similarly, has it not been taught that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom will take birth miraculously, and that similarly they will be endowed with the attributes of undiminished extrasensory powers, and that, owing to their roots of virtuous action, they will go to the buddhafields at will, and that they will master those very roots of virtuous action which venerate, respect, and make offerings to the lord buddhas, and that they will never squander any teachings of the sacred doctrine which they hear from those lord buddhas, until they have attained perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment? Has it not been taught that they will always be equipoised [in meditation] without having to assume the guise of equipoise, and that they will be endowed with unimpeded inspiration, uninterrupted inspiration, rational inspiration, well-connected inspiration, purposeful inspiration, and distinguished, supramundane inspiration?”

​16.14     Senior Subhūti replied to Senior Śāradvatīputra as follows: “Senior Śāradvatīputra, it is so! It is just as you have said. In this transcendent perfection of wisdom, the three vehicles have been taught—that is to say, the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the genuinely perfect buddhas have been extensively taught. The acceptance of great bodhisattva beings has been taught, and in the same vein, [all those other attributes you mentioned] have been taught, up to and including how great bodhisattva beings will be endowed with distinguished, supramundane inspiration. But these have all been taught without apprehending anything! The nature of knowers and [other postulated subjects], up to and including viewers, has been taught without apprehending anything. Similarly, physical forms have been taught without apprehending anything. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness have been taught without apprehending anything. Similarly, the transcendent perfection of generosity has been taught without apprehending anything, and the other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, have been taught without apprehending anything. The emptiness of internal phenomena has been taught without apprehending anything, and the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, have been taught without apprehending anything. [Other phenomena], up to and including the applications of mindfulness, have been taught without apprehending anything, and [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path, have been taught without apprehending anything. Similarly, the ten powers of the tathāgatas have been taught without apprehending anything, and [the other fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, have been taught without apprehending anything. Indeed, [the attainments], up to and including omniscience, have been taught without apprehending anything.”

​16.15     Then Senior Śāradvatīputra addressed Senior Subhūti as follows: “Senior Subhūti, why in this transcendent perfection of wisdom are the three vehicles taught without apprehending anything? Similarly, why is the acceptance of great bodhisattva beings taught, and why are [all those other attributes I mentioned], up to and including the fact that great bodhisattva beings will be endowed with distinguished, supramundane inspiration, taught without apprehending anything?” Senior Subhūti replied to Senior Śāradvatīputra as follows: “Senior Śāradvatīputra, it is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena that the three vehicles have been extensively taught without apprehending anything. Similarly, it is owing to the emptiness of external phenomena and the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, that the three vehicles have been extensively taught without apprehending anything. Similarly, it is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena that the acceptance of great bodhisattva beings has been taught, and in the same vein, that [all the aforementioned attributes], up to and including the fact that great bodhisattva beings will be endowed with distinguished, supramundane inspiration, have been taught without apprehending anything. Similarly, it is owing to the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, that the acceptance of great bodhisattva beings has been taught, and in the same vein, that [all the aforementioned attributes], up to and including the fact that great bodhisattva beings will be endowed with distinguished, supramundane inspiration, have been taught without apprehending anything.”

16.16     Then the gods and goddesses in the entourage of Indra, those in the entourage of Brahmā, those in the entourage of Prajāpati, and those of the Trayastriṃśa realm, who were all present in that assembly, three times uttered the following meaningful expression: “Ah! This sacred doctrine which the Elder [Subhūti] has explained, described, and taught through the power of the tathāgatas, through the blessing of the tathāgatas, through the potent force of the tathāgatas, has indeed been eloquently explained. Ah! This sacred doctrine has been eloquently explained. Ah! This sacred doctrine has been eloquently explained! We should accept as the tathāgatas those great bodhisattva beings who are not separated from this transcendent perfection of wisdom. For, although physical forms, or feelings, or perceptions, or formative predispositions, or consciousness—or, in the same vein, anything else, up to and including omniscience—are non-apprehensible, the three vehicles are nonetheless established. That is to say, the three vehicles are indeed designated as the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the genuinely perfect buddhas.”

16.17     Then the Blessed One said to those gods in the entourage of Indra, “Divine princes, it is so! It is just as you have spoken. Although physical forms, or feelings, or perceptions, or formative predispositions, or consciousness—or, in the same vein, anything else, up to and including omniscience—are non-apprehensible, the three vehicles are nonetheless established. That is to say, the three vehicles are indeed designated as the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the genuinely perfect buddhas. Divine princes, you should accept as if they were tathāgatas those bodhisattvas who are, without apprehending anything, not separated from this transcendent perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, divine princes, it is because in this transcendent perfection of wisdom the three vehicles, namely, the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the genuinely perfect buddhas, are extensively taught, and yet, divine princes, apart from engaging in the transcendent perfection of generosity, the tathāgatas do not apprehend anything, and apart from engaging in the other transcendent perfections, up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom, the tathāgatas do not apprehend anything. Similarly, apart from engaging in the emptiness of internal phenomena, and apart from engaging in the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, the tathāgatas do not apprehend anything. Nor do the tathāgatas apprehend anything apart from engaging in the applications of mindfulness and [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path. Similarly, the tathāgatas do not apprehend anything apart from engaging in the ten powers of the tathāgatas and [the other fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Nor indeed do the tathāgatas apprehend anything apart from engaging in omniscience. Divine princes, bodhisattvas should indeed train in all these. That is to say, they should train in the transcendent perfection of generosity, and in the same vein, [in all other aforementioned attributes and attainments], up to and including omniscience.

​16.18     “Divine princes, it is for that reason that you should know great bodhisattva beings who practice this transcendent perfection of wisdom, inseparably, to be like the tathāgatas. Divine princes, when I scattered five lotus flowers [as an offering] to the Tathāgata, Arhat, Genuinely Perfect Buddha Dīpaṃkara in the Padmavatī royal court, and while standing in the middle of the market, I was, without apprehending anything, not separated from the transcendent perfection of generosity. Likewise I was not separated from 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. Likewise I was not separated from the emptiness of internal phenomena and the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities. Likewise I was not separated from the applications of mindfulness and [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path. Likewise I was not separated from the four immeasurable aspirations, the four formless absorptions, all the meditative stabilities of the bodhisattvas, all the gateways of mnemonic incantation, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four assurances, the four unhindered discernments, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. At that time, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Genuinely Perfect Buddha Dīpaṃkara foreordained that I would attain unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, saying, “O my child of enlightened heritage, in the future, after countless eons in this world system, during the Auspicious Eon, you will become the Lord Buddha Śākyamuni, a tathāgata, arhat, genuinely perfect buddha endowed with knowledge and virtuous conduct, a sugata who knows the world, a conductor of living creatures who are to be trained, and an unsurpassed teacher of gods and humans.”

16.19     Then the divine princes said to the Blessed One, “Venerable Lord, it is wonderful how much this transcendent perfection of wisdom benefits great bodhisattva beings, without relinquishing omniscience.” Then the Blessed One comprehended that all four assemblies were gathered and present—that is to say, the fully ordained monks, the fully ordained nuns, laymen, and laywomen—along with great bodhisattva beings, the gods of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm, and in the same vein, the assembled gods of all the other realms, up to and including Akaniṣṭha. Establishing them all as witnesses, he addressed Śakra, mighty lord of the gods: “Kauśika, when those great bodhisattva beings or fully ordained monks, fully ordained nuns, laymen, laywomen, gods, divine princes, or divine princesses have heard this Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom, and are never separated from the mind endowed with omniscience, there are malign demonic forces and their acolytes who would seek an opportunity to harm them, but will find no such opportunity or occasion to do so. If you ask why, it is because these sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage will have been totally consecrated in [the understanding] that physical forms are emptiness, and similarly they will have been totally consecrated in [the understanding] that feelings are emptiness, perceptions are emptiness, formative predispositions are emptiness, and consciousness is emptiness. If you ask why, it is because there is no opportunity for emptiness to impinge upon emptiness. There is no opportunity for signlessness to impinge upon signlessness. There is no opportunity for aspirationlessness to impinge upon aspirationlessness. In the same vein, as before, these sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage will have been totally consecrated in [the understanding] that [all things], up to and including omniscience, are emptiness. If you ask why, it is because there is no opportunity for emptiness to impinge upon emptiness. There is no opportunity for signlessness to impinge upon signlessness. There is no opportunity for aspirationlessness to impinge upon aspirationlessness. If you ask why, it is because both the things whereby they would find an opportunity to impinge upon them, and the things upon which they would find an opportunity to impinge, are without inherent existence.

​16.20     “Kauśika, the humans or non-humans who seek an opportunity to impinge upon those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage will find no such opportunity. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because these sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage totally cultivate thoughts of loving kindness toward all sentient beings, and similarly they totally cultivate thoughts of compassion, thoughts of empathetic joy, and thoughts of equanimity, and they do so without apprehending anything. Kauśika, those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage will not die in unfavorable circumstances. If you ask why, the sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who practice the transcendent perfection of generosity will be respected because they furnish all sentient beings with genuine happiness.

16.21     “Those gods of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm, situated throughout the world systems of the great trichiliocosm, along with those gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, those of the Yāma realm, those of the Tuṣita realm, those of the Nirmāṇarata realm, those of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm, those of the [Mahā]brahma realms, those of the Ābhāsvara realms, those of the Śubhakṛtsna realms, and those of the Bṛhatphala realms, who have embarked upon unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment but have not yet heard, accepted, maintained, and comprehended this transcendent perfection of wisdom, should always listen to, accept, maintain, and comprehend this transcendent perfection of wisdom, attending to it in the correct manner, and they should never be separated from the mind endowed with omniscience.

16.22     “Moreover, Kauśika, if these sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage accept, maintain, recite, comprehend, and attend in the correct manner to this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and if they are never separated from the mind endowed with omniscience, they will never be terrified, afraid, or experience their body hairs stiff due to fear, whether they are staying in an empty hut, whether they are staying in an exposed place, or whether they are staying in an open hall or pavilion. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because these sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage totally cultivate the emptiness of internal phenomena, but always without apprehending anything. Similarly, they totally cultivate the emptiness of external phenomena, but always without apprehending anything. Similarly, they totally cultivate the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, but always without apprehending anything.”

​16.23     Then the gods situated throughout this world system of the great trichiliocosm, that is to say, the gods of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm, along with the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, those of the Yāma realm, those of the Tuṣita realm, those of the Nirmāṇarata realm, those of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm, and those [of the other realms], up to and including the Pure Abodes, said to the Blessed One, “Venerable Lord! We shall always guard and shelter those sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who accept, affirm, maintain, recite, and explain this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom, demonstrating it extensively to others and attending to it in the correct manner, and who are never separated from the mind endowed with omniscience. If one were to ask why, Venerable Lord, it is because dependent on those great bodhisattva beings, [rebirths among] the denizens of the hells will be cut off, and rebirths in the animal realm will be cut off, while destitute gods, destitute nāgas, destitute yakṣas, destitute humans, and all epidemics, misfortunes, contagious diseases, and hostilities will not arise, or else they will not occur, or else they will be alleviated. Similarly, all famines, conflicts, and civil wars will be interrupted, alleviated, and become non-existent.

16.24     “Venerable Lord, it is similarly because, dependent on those great bodhisattva beings, the ways of the ten virtuous actions will emerge in the world, and likewise the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable aspirations, and the four formless absorptions will emerge in the world. Just as the transcendent perfection of generosity will emerge in the world, so will 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 emerge in the world. Similarly, it is because, [dependent on these bodhisattvas], the emptiness of internal phenomena will emerge in the world, and likewise [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, will emerge in the world. Similarly, the four applications of mindfulness will emerge in the world, and, in the same vein, [all causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, will emerge in the world. Similarly, [all attainments], up to and including omniscience, will emerge in the world.

​16.25     “Moreover, Venerable Lord, it is dependent on these great bodhisattva beings that the royal class and particularly those who stand out like mighty sāl trees will emerge in the world; and similarly, that the priestly class and particularly those who stand out like mighty sāl trees will emerge in the world; that the householder class and particularly those who stand out like mighty sāl trees will emerge in the world; and similarly, that universal monarchs will emerge in the world.

16.26     “Venerable Lord! Similarly, it is dependent on these great bodhisattva beings that the gods of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm are discerned, and similarly, that the gods of [the other realms], up to and including Akaniṣṭha, are discerned.

16.27     “Venerable Lord! Similarly, it is dependent on these great bodhisattva beings that the fruit of entering the stream is discerned, and likewise that those individuals who enter the stream are discerned, and similarly, that the fruit of being tied to one further rebirth, the individuals who are tied to one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, the individuals who are no longer subject to rebirth, and similarly, the fruit of arhatship, and actual arhats are all discerned, and [likewise, too,] that individual enlightenment is discerned, and that pratyekabuddhas are discerned.

16.28     “Venerable Lord! Similarly, it is dependent on these great bodhisattva beings that the maturation of all sentient beings is discerned, that the refinement of the buddhafields is discerned, that the tathāgatas, arhats and genuinely perfect buddhas are discerned, that those who turn the wheel of the sacred doctrine are discerned in the world, and similarly, that the precious jewel of the Buddha emerges, that the precious jewel of the Dharma emerges, and that the precious jewel of the Saṅgha emerges. “Venerable Lord, for these reasons we will ensure that the bodhisattvas will be guarded, sheltered, and concealed by the world with its gods, humans, and antigods.”

16.29     The Blessed One then addressed Śakra, mighty lord of the gods: “Kauśika, it is so! It is just as you have spoken. Kauśika, it is dependent on these great bodhisattva beings that [rebirths among] the denizens of the hells will be cut off, that the worlds of Yama will be cut off, that rebirths in the animal realm will be cut off, and in the same vein, that [all those aforementioned attributes], up to and including the precious jewel of the Buddha, will emerge in the world, and that similarly the precious jewel of the sacred doctrine and the precious jewel of the monastic community will emerge in the world. Kauśika, so it is that these great bodhisattva beings should be honored, venerated, respected, and granted offerings by the world with its gods, humans, and antigods. You should guard, shelter, and conceal them so that their [activities] are never interrupted.

16.30     “Kauśika, those who think that great bodhisattva beings should be honored, venerated, respected, and granted offerings consider that I am worthy of being honored, venerated, respected, and granted offerings. Kauśika, so it is that these great bodhisattva beings should be honored, venerated, respected, and granted offerings by the world with its gods, humans, and antigods. You should guard, shelter, and conceal them so that their [activities] are never interrupted.

16.31     “Kauśika, if this world system of the great trichiliocosm were filled entirely with śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, like a grove of reeds, like a grove of bamboo, like a grove of sugar cane, like a paddy field of rice, or like a field of sesame, and if some sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage were to honor, venerate, respect, and grant offerings to them, with all their necessities, as long as they live, but there was one who instead would honor, venerate, respect, and grant offerings to a single great bodhisattva being who had just begun to set his or her mind on enlightenment, and was not separated from the six transcendent perfections, that latter child of enlightened heritage would generate much greater merit. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because great bodhisattva beings and the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas are not present in the world dependent on the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Rather, Kauśika, it is dependent on great bodhisattva beings that the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and similarly, the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas are present in the world. Kauśika, so it is that you should always ensure that great bodhisattva beings are honored, venerated, respected, and granted offerings by the world with its gods, humans, and antigods. You should guard, shelter, and conceal them so that their [activities] are never interrupted.”

16.32     This completes the sixteenth chapter from the Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom in Ten Thousand Lines, entitled “Conceptual Notions.”

A Summary of Chapter 16: Conceptual Notions

16.A
​You should uphold [the view] that those who teach my sacred doctrine resemble a magical display, and that those who listen to my sacred doctrine also resemble a magical display. {This is because from the perspective of ultimate reality} they will neither hear the sacred doctrine which I have taught, nor will they actualize it ... Sentient beings || ... and those who teach the sacred doctrine to them ... || do resemble a magical display ... {and} also resemble a phantom ... The self too is like a dream, like a magical display ... {Similarly}, physical forms ... feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness ... the eyes ... the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mental faculty ... sights ... sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, and mental phenomena ... the sensory element{s} of the eyes ... sights ... visual consciousness; ... the ears ... sounds ... auditory consciousness; ... the nose ... odors ... olfactory consciousness; ... the tongue ... tastes ... gustatory consciousness; ... the body ... tangibles ... tactile consciousness; and ... the mental faculty ... mental phenomena, and ... mental consciousness ... feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is visually compounded ... up to and including ... mentally compounded ... the emptiness of internal phenomena ... {up to and including} the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities ... 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 ... the ten powers of the tathāgatas ... the four assurances, the four unhindered discernments, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas ... the transcendent perfection{s} of generosity ... ethical discipline ... tolerance ... perseverance ... meditative concentration, and ... wisdom ... the fruit of ... {having entered} the stream ... of being tied to one further rebirth ... of no longer being subject to rebirth, and [the other fruits], up to and including arhatship ... individual enlightenment and unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, too, are like a dream, like a magical display ... {and} nirvāṇa also is like a dream, like a magical display ... {And} if there were anything else more sublime than nirvāṇa, that too, I say, would be like a dream, like a magical display. If you ask why ... it is because dreams, magical displays, and nirvāṇa are without duality and cannot be bisected.
​
16.B
​This transcendent perfection of wisdom, which is so profound, which cannot be investigated, which is not within the perceptual range of sophistry; which is subtle, hard to discern, hard to realize, so calm, so abundant, immaculate, and sublime; and which is to be known by the learned and the wise alone will be received by irreversible bodhisattvas. Those who discern the truth—arhats who have realized the depths of the sacred doctrine and fulfilled their intentions, great bodhisattva beings who have carried out their duties toward the conquerors of the past and cultivated the roots of virtuous action under many tens of millions of buddhas, or sons of enlightened heritage or daughters of enlightened heritage who have been accepted by a spiritual mentor—all of these may receive this transcendent perfection of wisdom, which is so profound, and in the same vein, immaculate, sublime, and to be known by the learned and the wise alone, whenever it is shown to them. They will not construe the notion that physical forms are empty, and that emptiness is physical forms || ... {or} are signless, and that signlessness is physical forms ... {or} are aspirationless, and that aspirationlessness is physical forms ... {or} are non-arising ... unceasing ... void, and so forth ... {or} calm. || Similarly, they will not construe the notion that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness ... the eyes ... up to and including the mental faculty, and feelings conditioned by sensory contact that is {visually compounded up to and including} mentally compounded ... the transcendent perfection of generosity ... up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom ... the emptiness of internal phenomena ... up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities ... the applications of mindfulness ... up to and including the noble eightfold path ... the ten powers of the tathāgatas ... up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas ... all the gateways of meditative stability and ... mnemonic incantation ... the fruit of entering the stream ... up to and including individual enlightenment ... omniscience ... {and} conditioned ... {and} unconditioned elements {are empty, and that emptiness is unconditioned elements (and the rest)—or are signless, and that signlessness is unconditioned elements (and the rest)—or are aspirationless, and that aspirationlessness is unconditioned elements (and the rest)—or are non-arising, unceasing, void, and so forth, or calm.}

16.C
{From the perspective of ultimate reality} there is no one at all who will receive this transcendent perfection of wisdom, which is so profound, and so forth, up to so immaculate and sublime, and which is to be known by the learned and the wise alone ... because nothing at all is expressed or revealed therein. Insofar as there is nothing at all that is expressed or revealed therein, there are no sentient beings at all who will receive it ... {However from the perspective of relative reality} in this transcendent perfection of wisdom, the three vehicles have been taught—that is to say, the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the genuinely perfect buddhas have been extensively taught. The acceptance of great bodhisattva beings has been taught, || ... {as well as} the emanational display of great bodhisattva beings, owing to their extrasensory power of miraculous ability ... that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom will take birth miraculously, and that similarly they will be endowed with the attributes of undiminished extrasensory powers, and that, owing to their roots of virtuous action, they will go to the buddhafields at will, and ... will master those very roots of virtuous action which venerate, respect, and make offerings to the lord buddhas, and ... will never squander any teachings of the sacred doctrine ... until they have attained ... unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment ... {and} will always be equipoised [in meditation] without having to assume the guise of equipoise, and ... will be endowed with unimpeded ... uninterrupted ... rational ... well-connected ... purposeful ... and distinguished, supramundane inspiration ... || But these have all been taught without apprehending anything {as ultimately real}! The nature of knowers and [other postulated subjects], up to and including viewers, has been taught without apprehending anything {as ultimately real}. Similarly, physical forms ... feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness ... the transcendent perfection of generosity ... up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom ... the emptiness of internal phenomena ... up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities ... the applications of mindfulness ... and [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path ... the ten powers of the tathāgatas ... and [the other fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas ... {as well as} [the attainments], up to and including omniscience, have {all} been taught without apprehending anything {as ultimately real}.

16.D
It is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena ... and the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, that the three vehicles have been extensively taught without apprehending anything {as ultimately real}. Similarly, it is owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena ... {and} the other aspects of emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, that the acceptance of great bodhisattva beings has been taught, and in the same vein, that [all the aforementioned attributes], up to and including the fact that great bodhisattva beings will be endowed with distinguished, supramundane inspiration, have been taught without apprehending anything {as ultimately real}.

16.E
Although physical forms, or feelings, or perceptions, or formative predispositions, or consciousness—or, in the same vein, anything else, up to and including omniscience—are non-apprehensible {from the perspective of ultimate reality}, the three vehicles are nonetheless established {from the perspective of relative reality}. That is to say, the three vehicles are indeed designated as the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the genuinely perfect buddhas ... You should accept as if they were tathāgatas those bodhisattvas who are, without apprehending anything {as ultimately real}, not separated from this transcendent perfection of wisdom. If you ask why ... it is because in this transcendent perfection of wisdom the three vehicles ... are extensively taught, and yet ... apart from engaging in the transcendent perfection of generosity {in relative reality} || ... up to and including the transcendent perfection of wisdom ... the emptiness of internal phenomena ... up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities ... the applications of mindfulness and [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path ... the ten powers of the tathāgatas and [the other fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas ... {and} omniscience ... || the tathāgatas do not apprehend anything {as ultimately real} ... {Consequently} bodhisattvas should indeed train in all these {aspects} ... up to and including omniscience ... It is for that reason that you should know great bodhisattva beings who practice this transcendent perfection of wisdom, inseparably, to be like the tathāgatas ... When I {Lord Buddha Śākyamuni} scattered five lotus flowers [as an offering] to the Tathāgata, Arhat, Genuinely Perfect Buddha Dīpaṃkara in the Padmavatī royal court, and while standing in the middle of the market, I was, without apprehending anything {as ultimately real}, not separated from the transcendent perfection{s} of generosity ... ethical discipline ... tolerance ... perseverance ... meditative concentration, and ... wisdom. Likewise I was not separated from the emptiness of internal phenomena ... up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities ... the applications of mindfulness and [the other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path ... the four immeasurable aspirations, the four formless absorptions, all the meditative stabilities of the bodhisattvas, all the gateways of mnemonic incantation, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four assurances, the four unhindered discernments, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. At that time, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Genuinely Perfect Buddha Dīpaṃkara foreordained that I would attain unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, saying, “O my child of enlightened heritage, in the future, after countless eons in this world system, during the Auspicious Eon, you will become the Lord Buddha Śākyamuni, a tathāgata, arhat, genuinely perfect buddha endowed with knowledge and virtuous conduct, a sugata who knows the world, a conductor of living creatures who are to be trained, and an unsurpassed teacher of gods and humans.

16.F
When those great bodhisattva beings or fully ordained monks, fully ordained nuns, laymen, laywomen, gods, divine princes, or divine princesses have heard this Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom, and are never separated from the {non-dual} mind endowed with omniscience, there are malign demonic forces and their acolytes who would seek an opportunity to harm them, but will find no such opportunity or occasion to do so ... because these sons ... or daughters of enlightened heritage will have been totally consecrated in [the understanding] that physical forms ... feelings ... perceptions ... formative predispositions ... and consciousness ... {and} [all things], up to and including omniscience, are emptiness. If you ask why, it is because there is no opportunity for emptiness to impinge upon emptiness ... for signlessness to impinge upon signlessness ... for aspirationlessness to impinge upon aspirationlessness ... because both the things whereby they would find an opportunity to impinge upon them, and the things upon which they would find an opportunity to impinge, are without inherent existence ... {Furthermore} the humans or non-humans who seek an opportunity to impinge upon those sons ... or daughters of enlightened heritage will find no such opportunity ... because these sons ... or daughters of enlightened heritage totally cultivate thoughts of loving kindness toward all sentient beings, and ... totally cultivate thoughts of compassion ... empathetic joy, and ... equanimity, and they do so without apprehending anything {as ultimately real} ... Those sons ... or daughters of enlightened heritage ... who practice the transcendent perfection of generosity will be respected because they furnish all sentient beings with genuine happiness {and will consequently not die in unfavorable circumstances}.

16.G
Those gods of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm, situated throughout the world systems of the great trichiliocosm, along with those gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm ... the Yāma realm ... the Tuṣita realm ... the Nirmāṇarata realm ... the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm ... the [Mahā]brahma realms ... the Ābhāsvara realms ... the Śubhakṛtsna realms, and ... the Bṛhatphala realms, who have embarked upon unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment but have not yet heard, accepted, maintained, and comprehended this transcendent perfection of wisdom, should always listen to, accept, maintain, and comprehend this transcendent perfection of wisdom, attending to it in the correct manner, and they should never be separated from the {non-dual} mind endowed with omniscience. Moreover ... if these sons ... or daughters of enlightened heritage accept, maintain, recite, comprehend, and attend in the correct manner to this transcendent perfection of wisdom, and if they are never separated from the mind endowed with omniscience, they will never be terrified, afraid, or experience their body hairs stiff due to fear, whether they are staying in an empty hut ... in an exposed place, or ... in an open hall or pavilion. If you ask why ... it is because these sons ... or daughters of enlightened heritage totally cultivate the emptiness of internal phenomena, but always without apprehending anything {as ultimately real}. Similarly, they totally cultivate the emptiness of external phenomena ... up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, but always without apprehending anything {as ultimately real}.

16.H
Then the {aforementioned} gods situated throughout this world system of the great trichiliocosm ... and those [of the other realms], up to and including the Pure Abodes, said to the Blessed One, “Venerable Lord! We shall always guard and shelter those sons ... or daughters of enlightened heritage who accept, affirm, maintain, recite, and explain this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom, demonstrating it extensively to others and attending to it in the correct manner, and who are never separated from the {non-dual} mind endowed with omniscience ... because dependent on those great bodhisattva beings, [rebirths among] the denizens of the hells ... {and} the animal realm will be cut off, while destitute gods ... nāgas ... yakṣas ... humans, and all epidemics, misfortunes, contagious diseases, and hostilities will not arise, or else they will not occur, or else they will be alleviated. Similarly, all famines, conflicts, and civil wars will be interrupted, alleviated, and become non-existent ... because, dependent on those great bodhisattva beings, the ways of the ten virtuous actions will emerge in the world, and likewise the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable aspirations, and the four formless absorptions ... the transcendent perfection{s} of generosity ... ethical discipline ... tolerance ... perseverance ... meditative concentration, and ... wisdom ... the emptiness of internal phenomena ... and likewise [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities ... the four applications of mindfulness ... {and} [all causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas ... {and} [all attainments], up to and including omniscience, will emerge in the world ... Moreover ... it is dependent on these great bodhisattva beings that the royal class ... the priestly class and ... the householder class and particularly those who stand out like mighty sāl trees will emerge in the world; and similarly, that universal monarchs will emerge in the world ... Similarly, it is dependent on these great bodhisattva beings that the gods of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm are discerned ... and similarly, that the gods of [the other realms], up to and including Akaniṣṭha, are discerned ... {as well as} the fruit of entering the stream ... those individuals who enter the stream ... the fruit of being tied to one further rebirth, the individuals who are tied to one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, the individuals who are no longer subject to rebirth ... the fruit of arhatship, and actual arhats ... individual enlightenment ... pratyekabuddhas ... the maturation of all sentient beings ... the refinement of the buddhafields ... the tathāgatas, arhats and genuinely perfect buddhas ... {and} those who turn the wheel of the sacred doctrine are {all} discerned in the world, and similarly, that the precious jewel of the Buddha ... the precious jewel of the Dharma ... {and} the precious jewel of the Saṅgha emerges ... For these reasons we will ensure that the bodhisattvas will be guarded, sheltered, and concealed by the world with its gods, humans, and antigods.”

16.I
Kauśika {mighty lord of the gods}, those who think that great bodhisattva beings should be honored, venerated, respected, and granted offerings consider that I {Lord Buddha Śākyamuni} am worthy of being honored, venerated, respected, and granted offerings ... So it is that these great bodhisattva beings should be honored, venerated, respected, and granted offerings by the world with its gods, humans, and antigods ... If this world system of the great trichiliocosm were filled entirely with śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, like a grove of reeds ... and if some sons ... or daughters of enlightened heritage were to honor, venerate, respect, and grant offerings to them, with all their necessities, as long as they live, but there was one who instead would honor, venerate, respect, and grant offerings to a single great bodhisattva being who had just begun to set his or her mind on enlightenment, and was not separated from the six transcendent perfections, that latter child of enlightened heritage would generate much greater merit. If you ask why ... it is because great bodhisattva beings and the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas are not present in the world dependent on the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Rather, Kauśika, it is dependent on great bodhisattva beings that the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and similarly, the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas are present in the world. Kauśika, so it is that you should always ensure that great bodhisattva beings are honored, venerated, respected, and granted offerings by the world with its gods, humans, and antigods. You should guard, shelter, and conceal them so that their [activities] are never interrupted.

Commentary

In order for the unawakened mind in the illusion of 'relative' existence to don the mind of omniscience, which perceives nothing in relative existence to ultimately exist and to be wholly and completely without defining characteristics ~ it must remove all conceptual notions that this thing is 'that' or that thing is 'this' ~ to be wholly and completely free of duality. Yet it must still train in the aspects of the path of omniscience within the confines of the realm of 'relative' existence, to awaken from the delusion of the mind of duality ~ where these aspects are understood to be ultimately non-existent and wholly and completely without defining characteristics.

*
The omniscient mind in 'relative' reality is the non-dual mind of the all-seeing eye ~ which sees every mind as the 'one' undivided and uncontaminated natural luminosity of mind. In this non-dual reality within relative reality, the omniscient mind is the 'awakened mind' of every awakening conjured individuated being ~ which is in the process of awakening beyond its individuality to the non-dual reality of the omniscient mind. The omniscient mind is the 'immaculate conception' or the 'uncontaminated conception' of Our non-dual mind, which is able to inspire, up to the immaculate and sublime, every part of Its mind, through supramundane inspiration. 

​Chapter 15

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Chapter 17