“Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of internal phenomena, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of external phenomena, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of emptiness, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of great extent, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of ultimate reality, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of the unlimited, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of nonexclusion, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of inherent nature, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of all phenomena, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of nonentities, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of essential nature, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities.
“Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the applications of mindfulness, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the correct exertions, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the supports for miraculous ability, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the faculties, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the powers, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the branches of enlightenment, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the noble eightfold path.
“Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the truths of the noble ones, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the meditative concentrations, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the immeasurable attitudes, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the formless absorptions, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the liberations, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the serial steps of meditative absorption, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the extrasensory powers, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the meditative stabilities, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the dhāraṇī gateways, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the powers of the tathāgatas, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the fearlessnesses, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the kinds of exact knowledge, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of great loving kindness, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of great compassion, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.
“Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of knowledge of all the dharmas, because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of all-aspect omniscience.
“Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of ordinary persons, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the attributes of ordinary persons. Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of those who have entered the stream, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the attributes of those who have entered the stream. Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the once-returners, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the attributes of the once-returners. Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the non-returners, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the attributes of the non-returners. Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the arhats, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the attributes of the arhats. Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the pratyekabuddhas, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas. Because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the bodhisattvas, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the attributes of the bodhisattvas. And because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the buddhas, and because of utter purity they see the nonarising of the attributes of the buddhas.”
Venerable Śāradvatīputra then said to Venerable Subhūti, “Venerable Subhūti, as I understand the meaning of your words, physical forms are nonarising, feelings are nonarising, perceptions are nonarising, formative predispositions are nonarising, and consciousness is nonarising.
“The eyes are nonarising, the ears are nonarising, the nose is nonarising, the tongue is nonarising, the body is nonarising, and the mental faculty is nonarising; sights are nonarising, sounds are nonarising, odors are nonarising, tastes are nonarising, tangibles are nonarising, and mental phenomena are nonarising; visual consciousness is nonarising, auditory consciousness is nonarising, olfactory consciousness is nonarising, gustatory consciousness is nonarising, tactile consciousness is nonarising, and mental consciousness is nonarising; visually compounded sensory contact is nonarising, aurally compounded sensory contact is nonarising, nasally compounded sensory contact is nonarising, lingually compounded sensory contact is nonarising, corporeally compounded sensory contact is nonarising, and mentally compounded sensory contact is nonarising; and feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact are nonarising, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact are nonarising, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact are nonarising, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact are nonarising, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact are nonarising, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact are nonarising.
“The earth element is nonarising, the water element is nonarising, the fire element is nonarising, the wind element is nonarising, the space element is nonarising, and the consciousness element is nonarising.
“Ignorance is nonarising, formative predispositions are nonarising, consciousness is nonarising, name and form are nonarising, the six sense fields are nonarising, sensory contact is nonarising, sensation is nonarising, craving is nonarising, grasping is nonarising, the rebirth process is nonarising, birth is nonarising, and aging and death are nonarising.
“The perfection of generosity is nonarising, the perfection of ethical discipline is nonarising, the perfection of tolerance is nonarising, the perfection of perseverance is nonarising, the perfection of meditative concentration is nonarising, and the perfection of wisdom is nonarising.
“The emptiness of internal phenomena is nonarising, the emptiness of external phenomena is nonarising, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is nonarising, the emptiness of emptiness is nonarising, the emptiness of great extent is nonarising, the emptiness of ultimate reality is nonarising, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena is nonarising, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is nonarising, the emptiness of the unlimited is nonarising, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is nonarising, the emptiness of nonexclusion is nonarising, the emptiness of inherent nature is nonarising, the emptiness of all phenomena is nonarising, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is nonarising, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is nonarising, the emptiness of nonentities is nonarising, the emptiness of essential nature is nonarising, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is nonarising.
“The applications of mindfulness are nonarising, the correct exertions are nonarising, the supports for miraculous ability are nonarising, the faculties are nonarising, the powers are nonarising, the branches of enlightenment are nonarising, and the noble eightfold path is nonarising.
“The truths of the noble ones are nonarising, the four meditative concentrations are nonarising, the four immeasurable attitudes are nonarising, the four formless absorptions are nonarising, the eight liberations are nonarising, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption are nonarising, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are nonarising, the extrasensory powers are nonarising, the meditative stabilities are nonarising, the dhāraṇī gateways are nonarising, the ten powers of the tathāgatas are nonarising, the four fearlessnesses are nonarising, the four kinds of exact knowledge are nonarising, great loving kindness is nonarising, great compassion is nonarising, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are nonarising.
“Ordinary persons are nonarising, and the attributes of ordinary persons are nonarising; those who have entered the stream are nonarising, and the attributes of those who have entered the stream are nonarising; the once-returners are nonarising, and the attributes of the once-returners are nonarising; the non-returners are nonarising, and the attributes of the non-returners are nonarising; the arhats are nonarising, and the attributes of the arhats are nonarising; the pratyekabuddhas are nonarising, and the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas are nonarising; the bodhisattvas are nonarising, and the attributes of the bodhisattvas are nonarising; and the buddhas are nonarising, and the attributes of the buddhas are nonarising.
“If that is so, Venerable Subhūti—if physical forms do not arise, feelings do not arise, perceptions do not arise, formative predispositions do not arise, and consciousness does not arise; the eyes do not arise, the ears do not arise, the nose does not arise, the tongue does not arise, the body does not arise, and the mental faculty does not arise; sights do not arise, sounds do not arise, odors do not arise, tastes do not arise, tangibles do not arise, and mental phenomena do not arise; visual consciousness does not arise, auditory consciousness does not arise, olfactory consciousness does not arise, gustatory consciousness does not arise, tactile consciousness does not arise, and mental consciousness does not arise; visually compounded sensory contact does not arise, aurally compounded sensory contact does not arise, nasally compounded sensory contact does not arise, lingually compounded sensory contact does not arise, corporeally compounded sensory contact does not arise, and mentally compounded sensory contact does not arise; feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact do not arise, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact do not arise, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact do not arise, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact do not arise, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact do not arise, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact do not arise; the earth element does not arise, the water element does not arise, the fire element does not arise, the wind element does not arise, the space element does not arise, and the consciousness element does not arise; ignorance does not arise, formative predispositions do not arise, consciousness does not arise, name and form do not arise, the six sense fields do not arise, sensory contact does not arise, sensation does not arise, craving does not arise, grasping does not arise, the rebirth process does not arise, birth does not arise, and aging and death do not arise; the perfection of generosity does not arise, the perfection of ethical discipline does not arise, the perfection of tolerance does not arise, the perfection of perseverance does not arise, the perfection of meditative concentration does not arise, and the perfection of wisdom does not arise; the emptiness of internal phenomena does not arise, the emptiness of external phenomena does not arise, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena does not arise, the emptiness of emptiness does not arise, the emptiness of great extent does not arise, the emptiness of ultimate reality does not arise, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena does not arise, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena does not arise, the emptiness of the unlimited does not arise, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end does not arise, the emptiness of nonexclusion does not arise, the emptiness of inherent nature does not arise, the emptiness of all phenomena does not arise, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics does not arise, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended does not arise, the emptiness of nonentities does not arise, the emptiness of essential nature does not arise, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities does not arise; the applications of mindfulness do not arise, the correct exertions do not arise, the supports for miraculous ability do not arise, the faculties do not arise, the powers do not arise, the branches of enlightenment do not arise, and the noble eightfold path does not arise; the truths of the noble ones do not arise, the meditative concentrations do not arise, the immeasurable attitudes do not arise, the formless absorptions do not arise, the eight liberations do not arise, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption do not arise, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation do not arise, the extrasensory powers do not arise, the meditative stabilities do not arise, the dhāraṇī gateways do not arise, the ten powers of the tathāgatas do not arise, the four fearlessnesses do not arise, the four kinds of exact knowledge do not arise, great loving kindness does not arise, great compassion does not arise, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas do not arise; knowledge of all the dharmas does not arise, the knowledge of the aspects of the path does not arise, and all-aspect omniscience does not arise; ordinary persons do not arise and the attributes of ordinary persons do not arise; those who have entered the stream do not arise and the attributes of those who have entered the stream do not arise; the once-returners do not arise and the attributes of the once-returners do not arise; the non-returners do not arise and the attributes of the once-returners do not arise; the arhats do not arise and the attributes of the arhats do not arise; the pratyekabuddhas do not arise and the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas do not arise; the bodhisattvas do not arise and the attributes of the bodhisattvas do not arise; and the buddhas do not arise and the attributes of the buddhas do not arise—then indeed those in the vehicle of the śrāvakas would have already attained the fruit of having entered the stream, the fruit of once-returner, the fruit of non-returner, and arhatship. Those in the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, too, would have already attained their individual enlightenment, and the bodhisattva great beings would have already attained all-aspect omniscience. The five classes of beings would not be differentiated. And bodhisattva great beings would have already attained the fivefold enlightenment.627
“Venerable Subhūti, if all phenomena are nonarising, why should those who have entered the stream cultivate the path in order to abandon the three fetters? Why should the once-returners cultivate the path in order to attenuate desire, hatred, and delusion? Why should the non-returners cultivate the path in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the inferior?628 Why should arhats cultivate the path in order to abandon the five fetters associated with the superior? Why should followers of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas cultivate the path for the sake of individual enlightenment? Why should bodhisattva great beings undergo sufferings and practice the difficult practices for the sake of beings? Why should the tathāgatas fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfectly complete enlightenment? Why should the tathāgatas turn the wheel of the Dharma?”
Venerable Subhūti then said to Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that a nonarising phenomenon has an attainment, or a realization.629 I do not hold that in nonarising there are those who have entered the stream, nor do I hold that there is the fruit of having entered the stream. I do not hold that in nonarising there are once-returners, nor do I hold that there is the fruit of once-returners. I do not hold that in nonarising there are non-returners, nor do I hold that there is the fruit of non-returners. I do not hold that in nonarising there are arhats, nor do I hold that there is arhatship. I do not hold that in nonarising there are pratyekabuddhas, nor do I hold that there is individual enlightenment.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not accept that bodhisattvas are undertaking difficult practices, or that bodhisattva great beings practice with the idea of difficulty. And why? Because it is not possible, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, for bodhisattva great beings who entertain the idea of difficulty to work for the welfare of infinite, countless beings. Rather, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is by developing the perception that they are their father, developing the perception that they are their mother, developing the perception that they are their child, and developing the perception that they are themselves that they can work for the welfare of infinite, countless beings. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings must produce this thought: ‘Just as “the self, the self” is said but is nonexistent and cannot be apprehended at all in any way at all, I must produce that thought in just such a way about all inner and outer phenomena as well.’
“If they produce such an idea, the idea of difficulty does not arise. And why? Because bodhisattva great beings do not appropriate630 and do not apprehend any phenomenon as anything at all in any way at all.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that in nonarising there are tathāgatas, nor do I hold that there is unsurpassed, perfectly complete enlightenment. There is no attainment or being attained by a nonarising phenomenon in accordance with the tathāgatas having turned the wheel of the Dharma.”631
Śāradvatīputra then asked, “Venerable Subhūti, do you hold that a nonarising attainment is attained by an arising phenomenon, or do you hold that an arising attainment is attained by a nonarising phenomenon?”632
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “I do not hold that a nonarising attainment is being attained by an arising phenomenon, nor do I hold that an arising attainment is attained by a nonarising phenomenon.”
“Well then, Venerable Subhūti, is there no attainment? Is there no clear realization?” asked Śāradvatīputra.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “there is indeed an attainment and there is a clear realization, but not as those two.633 Venerable Śāradvatīputra, an attainment or a clear realization is designated by worldly convention. Those who have entered the stream, or once-returners, or non-returners, or arhats, or pratyekabuddhas, or bodhisattvas, or buddhas are also designated by worldly convention. Ultimately, however, an attainment, or a clear realization, or those who have entered the stream, or once-returners, or non-returners, or arhats, or pratyekabuddhas, or bodhisattvas, or buddhas are not designated.”
“Venerable Subhūti, just as an attainment and a clear realization exist as worldly conventions, similarly, are the five classes of beings also different as worldly conventions, but not ultimately?” asked Śāradvatīputra.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, that is so!” replied Subhūti. “Just as attainment and clear realization exist as worldly conventions, similarly, the five classes of beings also are differentiated as worldly conventions, but not ultimately. If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because, ultimately, there is no action and no maturation of an action, no arising and no ceasing, and no defilement and no purification.”
“Venerable Subhūti, does a phenomenon that has not arisen arise, or does a phenomenon that has arisen arise?” asked Śāradvatīputra.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “I do not hold that phenomena that have not arisen arise, nor do I hold that phenomena that have arisen arise.”
“Venerable Subhūti, what phenomena that have not arisen do you hold not to arise?” asked Śāradvatīputra.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “I do not hold that physical forms that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that feelings that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that perceptions that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that formative predispositions that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that consciousness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the eyes that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the ears that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the nose that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the tongue that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the body that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the mental faculty that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that sights that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that sounds that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that odors that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that tastes that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that tangibles that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that mental phenomena that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that visual consciousness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that auditory consciousness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that olfactory consciousness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that gustatory consciousness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that tactile consciousness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that mental consciousness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that visually compounded sensory contact that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that aurally compounded sensory contact that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that nasally compounded sensory contact that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that lingually compounded sensory contact that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that corporeally compounded sensory contact that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that mentally compounded sensory contact that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold the earth element that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the water element that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the fire element that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the wind element that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the space element that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the consciousness element that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that ignorance that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that formative predispositions that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that consciousness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that name and form that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the six sense fields that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that sensory contact that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that sensation that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that craving that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that grasping that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the rebirth process that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that birth that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that aging and death that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the perfection of generosity that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the perfection of ethical discipline that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the perfection of tolerance that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the perfection of perseverance that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the perfection of meditative concentration that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the perfection of wisdom that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of internal phenomena that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of external phenomena that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of external and internal phenomena that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of emptiness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of great extent that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of ultimate reality that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of conditioned phenomena that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of the unlimited that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of nonexclusion that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of inherent nature that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of all phenomena that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of nonentities that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of essential nature that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the applications of mindfulness that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the correct exertions that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the supports for miraculous ability that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the faculties that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the powers that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the branches of enlightenment that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the noble eightfold path that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the truths of the noble ones that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the meditative concentrations that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the immeasurable attitudes that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the formless absorptions that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the liberations that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the serial steps of meditative absorption that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the extrasensory powers that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the meditative stabilities that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the dhāraṇī gateways that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the powers of the tathāgatas that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the fearlessnesses that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the kinds of exact knowledge that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that great loving kindness that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that great compassion that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the distinct qualities of the buddhas that have not arisen, which are empty of essential nature, arise.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the fruit of having entered the stream that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the fruit of once-returner that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the fruit of non-returner that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that arhatship that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that individual enlightenment that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that the knowledge of the aspects of the path that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, I do not hold that all-aspect omniscience that has not arisen, which is empty of essential nature, arises.”
Śāradvatīputra asked, “Venerable Subhūti, what phenomena that have arisen do you hold not to arise?”