The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

Then the venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, this elder Subhūti, who has been put in charge of the perfection of wisdom by the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha, thinks he is just to teach the Great Vehicle.”

The venerable Subhūti then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, I trust that I have not contradicted the perfection of wisdom while teaching the Great Vehicle.”

“Subhūti, you have not done so,” replied the Blessed One. “Subhūti, you do teach the Great Vehicle in conformity with the perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because whatever virtuous attributes there are, be they the attributes of śrāvakas, the attributes of pratyekabuddhas, the attributes of bodhisattvas, or the attributes of buddhas, all of them are indeed gathered and included within the perfection of wisdom.”

Subhūti then asked, “Blessed Lord, what are virtuous attributes on the side of enlightenment that are gathered and included within the perfection of wisdom‍—what are the attributes of the śrāvakas like that, the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas, the attributes of the bodhisattvas, and the attributes of the buddhas?”

The Blessed One answered, “They are the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path; the four truths of the noble ones, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, and the six extrasensory powers; the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom; the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of 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 nonexclusion, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of nonentities, the emptiness of essential nature, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; and all the meditative stabilities, all the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, great empathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, the reality of phenomena that does not decline, and abiding in perpetual equanimity.

“Subhūti, these are held to be the virtuous attributes on the side of enlightenment that are gathered and included within the perfection of wisdom that are the attributes of the śrāvakas, the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas, the attributes of the bodhisattvas, and the attributes of the buddhas.

“Subhūti, the Great Vehicle, the perfection of wisdom, the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity; physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness; the eyes, sights, visual consciousness, visually compounded sensory contact, and feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact; the ears, sounds, auditory consciousness, aurally compounded sensory contact, and feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact; the nose, odors, olfactory consciousness, nasally compounded sensory contact, and feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact; the tongue, tastes, gustatory consciousness, lingually compounded sensory contact, and feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact; the body, tangibles, tactile consciousness, corporeally compounded sensory contact, and feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact; the mental faculty, mental phenomena, mental consciousness, mentally compounded sensory contact, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; ignorance, formative predispositions, consciousness, name and form, the six sense fields, sensory contact, sensation, craving, grasping, the rebirth process, birth, and aging and death; the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom; the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of 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 nonexclusion, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of nonentities, the emptiness of essential nature, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; 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 truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the six extrasensory powers, the eight spheres of mastery, the ten spheres of complete suffusion, the eight liberations, and the nine serial steps of meditative absorption; suffering, the origin, the cessation, and the path; the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; the realm of desire, the realm of form, the realm of formlessness, virtuous phenomena, nonvirtuous phenomena, contaminated phenomena, uncontaminated phenomena, mundane phenomena, supramundane phenomena, conditioned phenomena, and unconditioned phenomena; the tathāgatas, and the Dharma and Vinaya taught by the tathāgatas; the realm of phenomena, the real nature, the very limit of reality, the realm of the inconceivable, and the realm of nirvāṇa‍—all of these are neither true nor not true,⁶¹² and they are immaterial, impossible to indicate, unobstructed, and have only one defining characteristic, which is to say, they are without defining characteristics.

“For that reason, Subhūti, you do indeed teach the Great Vehicle in conformity with the perfection of wisdom.

“If you ask why, it is because ‘the Great Vehicle is not one thing and the perfection of wisdom another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the perfection of wisdom are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the perfection of meditative concentration another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the perfection of meditative concentration are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the perfection of perseverance another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the perfection of perseverance are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the perfection of tolerance another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the perfection of tolerance are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the perfection of ethical discipline another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the perfection of ethical discipline are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the perfection of generosity another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the perfection of generosity are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“ ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of internal phenomena another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of internal phenomena are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of external phenomena another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of external phenomena are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of external and internal phenomena another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of external and internal phenomena are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of emptiness another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of emptiness are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of great extent another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of great extent are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of ultimate reality another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of ultimate reality are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of conditioned phenomena another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of conditioned phenomena are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of the unlimited another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of the unlimited are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of nonexclusion another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of nonexclusion are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of inherent nature another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of inherent nature are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of all phenomena another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of all phenomena are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of nonentities another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of nonentities are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of essential nature another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of essential nature are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“ ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the applications of mindfulness another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the applications of mindfulness are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the correct exertions another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the correct exertions are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the supports for miraculous ability another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the supports for miraculous ability are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the faculties another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the faculties are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the powers another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the powers are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the branches of enlightenment another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the branches of enlightenment are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the noble eightfold path another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the noble eightfold path are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“ ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the truths of the noble ones another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the truths of the noble ones are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the meditative concentrations another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the meditative concentrations are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the immeasurable attitudes another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the immeasurable attitudes are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the formless absorptions another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the formless absorptions are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the eight liberations another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the eight liberations are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the nine serial steps of meditative absorption another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the nine serial steps of meditative absorption are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the extrasensory powers another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the extrasensory powers are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the meditative stabilities another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the meditative stabilities are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the dhāraṇī gateways another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the dhāraṇī gateways are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“ ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the ten powers of the tathāgatas another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the powers of the tathāgatas are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the four fearlessnesses another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the fearlessnesses are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the four kinds of exact knowledge another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the kinds of exact knowledge are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and great compassion another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and great compassion are without duality and cannot be divided into two. ‘The Great Vehicle is not one thing and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas another,’ so, the Great Vehicle and the distinct qualities of the buddhas are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“For that reason, Subhūti, you do teach the Great Vehicle by teaching the perfection of wisdom, and you do teach the perfection of wisdom by teaching the Great Vehicle.”

Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “But still, Blessed Lord, bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past. Bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future. Bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle. One should know that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because physical forms are beyond all limits. One should know that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because feelings are beyond all limits. One should know that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because perceptions are beyond all limits. One should know that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because formative predispositions are beyond all limits. One should know that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because consciousness is beyond all limits.

“It cannot even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘physical forms are a bodhisattva.’ It cannot even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘feelings are a bodhisattva.’ It cannot even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘perceptions are a bodhisattva.’ It cannot even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘formative predispositions are a bodhisattva.’ It cannot even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘consciousness is a bodhisattva.’

“Blessed Lord, since in all respects, and in each and every way, I do not observe and do not apprehend a bodhisattva, then to which bodhisattvas should I give teaching and instruction in the perfection of wisdom? Since I do not observe and do not apprehend an actual bodhisattva even through the entirety [of all the attributes],⁶¹³ to which bodhisattvas should I give teaching and instruction in the perfection of wisdom?

“Moreover, Blessed Lord, one says ‘a bodhisattva.’ It is a mere name, yet, Blessed Lord, just as one says ‘a self, a self,’ even though there is no coming into being for a self, similarly, Blessed Lord, one says ‘a bodhisattva, a bodhisattva,’ even though there is no coming into being for a bodhisattva. So, given that phenomena are without essential nature, what physical forms that have come into being could there possibly be;⁶¹⁴ what feelings that have come into being could there possibly be; what perceptions that have come into being could there possibly be; what formative predispositions that have come into being could there possibly be; and what consciousness that has come into being could there possibly be? Blessed Lord, something that has not come into being is not physical forms, something that has not come into being is not feelings, something that has not come into being is not perceptions, something that has not come into being is not formative predispositions, and something that has not come into being is not consciousness. This being the case, Blessed Lord, given that one cannot apprehend those bodhisattva great beings who are engaged in the pursuit of enlightenment as other than something that has not come into being, does something that has not come into being teach and give instructions in a perfection of wisdom that has also not come into being? If, when such teachings are given, the minds of bodhisattva great beings are not disheartened, not intimidated, and not regretful, and they are not afraid, not frightened, and not terrified, then these bodhisattva great beings are indeed practicing the perfection of wisdom.”

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra inquired of the venerable Subhūti, “Venerable Subhūti, why can bodhisattvas great beings not be apprehended at the limit of the past not, not be apprehended at the limit of the future, and not be apprehended in the middle? Venerable Subhūti, why should one know that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because physical forms are beyond all limits; that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because feelings are beyond all limits; that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because perceptions are beyond all limits; that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because formative predispositions are beyond all limits; and that bodhisattvas are beyond all limits because consciousness is beyond all limits?

“Venerable Subhūti, why can it not even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘physical forms are a bodhisattva’; not even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘feelings are a bodhisattva’; not even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘perceptions are a bodhisattva’; not even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘formative predispositions are a bodhisattva’; and not even be discerned and apprehended, for instance, that ‘consciousness is a bodhisattva’?

“Venerable Subhūti, why do you say, ‘Since in all respects, and in each and every way, I do not observe and do not apprehend a bodhisattva great being, then to which bodhisattvas should I give teaching and instruction in the perfection of wisdom?’ Venerable Subhūti, why do you say, ‘Since I do not observe and do not apprehend even just a bodhisattva as a whole,⁶¹⁵ then to which bodhisattva great beings should I give teaching and instruction in what perfection of wisdom?’

“Venerable Subhūti, why do you say, ‘Blessed Lord, one says “bodhisattva great being.” It is a mere name.’ Venerable Subhūti, why do you say, ‘Just as one says “a self, a self,” even though a self does not come into being, similarly, Blessed Lord, one says ‘a bodhisattva, a bodhisattva,’ even though a bodhisattva does not come into being. So, given that phenomena are in their essential nature nonentities,⁶¹⁶ what physical forms that have come into being could there possibly be; what feelings that have come into being could there possibly be; what perceptions that have come into being could there possibly be; what formative predispositions that have come into being could there possibly be; and what consciousness that has come into being could there possibly be? Something that has not come into being is not physical forms, something that has not come into being is not feelings, something that has not come into being is not perceptions, something that has not come into being is not formative predispositions, and something that has not come into being is not consciousness.’

“Venerable Subhūti, why do you say, ‘Does something that has not come into being teach and give instructions in a perfection of wisdom that has also not come into being?’ Venerable Subhūti, why do you say, ‘One cannot apprehend those bodhisattva great beings as other than not having come into being’? And, Venerable Subhūti, why do you say, ‘If, when such teachings are given, the minds of bodhisattva great beings are not disheartened, not intimidated, and not regretful, and they are not afraid, not frightened, and not terrified, then these bodhisattva great beings are indeed practicing the perfection of wisdom’?”

The venerable Śāradvatīputra having said this, the venerable Subhūti then responded, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because beings are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past. It is because beings are empty, beings are void, and beings are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because beings are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future. It is because beings are empty, beings are void, and beings are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because beings are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle. It is because beings are empty, beings are void, and beings are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle. If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because in nonexistent beings, empty beings, void beings, and beings that are without inherent existence, the limit of the past is not apprehended, the limit of the future is not apprehended, and the middle is not apprehended. Nonexistent beings are not one thing, empty beings another, void beings another, beings without inherent existence another, and bodhisattvas yet another, or the limit of the past one thing, the limit of the future another, and the middle yet another. So, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, nonexistent beings, empty beings, void beings, beings without inherent existence, bodhisattvas, the limit of the past, the limit of the future, and the middle‍—all of these‍—are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because physical forms are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because physical forms are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because physical forms are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, and because physical forms are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past. It is because physical forms are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because physical forms are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because physical forms are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, and because physical forms are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future. It is because physical forms are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because physical forms are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because physical forms are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, and because physical forms are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle. If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because in nonexistent physical forms, physical forms that are emptiness, void physical forms, and physical forms that are without essential nature, the limit of the past is not apprehended, the limit of the future is not apprehended, and the middle is not apprehended. Nonexistent physical forms are not one thing, physical forms that are emptiness another, void physical forms another, physical forms that are without essential nature another, and bodhisattvas yet another, or the limit of the past one thing, the limit of the future another, and the middle yet another. So, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, nonexistent physical forms, physical forms that are emptiness, void physical forms, physical forms that are without essential nature, bodhisattvas, the limit of the past, the limit of the future, and the middle‍—all of these‍—are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because feelings are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because feelings are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because feelings are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, and because feelings are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past. It is because feelings are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because feelings are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because feelings are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, and because feelings are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future. It is because feelings are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because feelings are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because feelings are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, and because feelings are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle. If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because in nonexistent feelings, feelings that are emptiness, void feelings, and feelings that are without essential nature, the limit of the past is not apprehended, the limit of the future is not apprehended, and the middle is not apprehended. Nonexistent feelings are not one thing, feelings that are emptiness another, void feelings another, feelings that are without essential nature another, and bodhisattvas yet another, or the limit of the past one thing, the limit of the future another, and the middle yet another. So, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, nonexistent feelings, feelings that are emptiness, void feelings, feelings that are without essential nature, bodhisattvas, the limit of the past, the limit of the future, and the middle‍—all of these‍—are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because perceptions are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because perceptions are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because perceptions are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, and because perceptions are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past. It is because perceptions are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because perceptions are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because perceptions are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, and because perceptions are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future. It is because perceptions are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because perceptions are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because perceptions are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, and because perceptions are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle. If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because in nonexistent perceptions, perceptions that are emptiness, void perceptions, and perceptions that are without essential nature, the limit of the past is not apprehended, the limit of the future is not apprehended, and the middle is not apprehended. Nonexistent perceptions are not one thing, perceptions that are emptiness another, void perceptions another, perceptions that are without essential nature another, and bodhisattvas yet another, or the limit of the past one thing, the limit of the future another, and the middle yet another. So, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, nonexistent perceptions, perceptions that are emptiness, void perceptions, perceptions that are without essential nature, bodhisattvas, the limit of the past, the limit of the future, and the middle‍—all of these‍—are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because formative predispositions are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because formative predispositions are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because formative predispositions are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, and because formative predispositions are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past. It is because formative predispositions are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because formative predispositions are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because formative predispositions are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, and because formative predispositions are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future. It is because formative predispositions are nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because formative predispositions are emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because formative predispositions are void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, and because formative predispositions are without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle. If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because in nonexistent formative predispositions, formative predispositions that are emptiness, void formative predispositions, and formative predispositions that are without essential nature, the limit of the past is not apprehended, the limit of the future is not apprehended, and the middle is not apprehended. Nonexistent formative predispositions are not one thing, formative predispositions that are emptiness another, void formative predispositions another, formative predispositions that are without essential nature another, and bodhisattvas yet another, or the limit of the past one thing, the limit of the future another, and the middle yet another. So, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, nonexistent formative predispositions, formative predispositions that are emptiness, void formative predispositions, formative predispositions that are without essential nature, bodhisattvas, the limit of the past, the limit of the future, and the middle‍—all of these‍—are without duality and cannot be divided into two.

“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because consciousness is nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because consciousness is emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, because consciousness is void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past, and because consciousness is without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the past. It is because consciousness is nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because consciousness is emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, because consciousness is void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future, and because consciousness is without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended at the limit of the future. It is because consciousness is nonexistent that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because consciousness is emptiness that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, because consciousness is void that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle, and because consciousness is without essential nature that bodhisattvas cannot be apprehended in the middle. If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because in nonexistent consciousness, consciousness that is emptiness, void consciousness, and consciousness that is without essential nature, the limit of the past is not apprehended, the limit of the future is not apprehended, and the middle is not apprehended. Nonexistent consciousness is not one thing, consciousness that is emptiness another, void consciousness another, consciousness that is without essential nature another, and bodhisattvas yet another, or the limit of the past one thing, the limit of the future another, and the middle yet another. So, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, nonexistent consciousness, consciousness that is emptiness, void consciousness, consciousness that is without essential nature, bodhisattvas, the limit of the past, the limit of the future, and the middle‍—all of these‍—are without duality and cannot be divided into two.