The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

“Ānanda, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the five perfections flourish; with all-aspect omniscience as the basis all the emptinesses flourish; with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the four applications of mindfulness flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the four correct exertions flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the four supports for miraculous ability flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the five faculties flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the five powers flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the seven branches of enlightenment flourish, and with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the noble eightfold path flourishes; with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the four truths of the noble ones flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the four meditative concentrations flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the four immeasurable attitudes flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the four formless absorptions flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the eight liberations flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the nine serial steps of meditative absorption flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the extrasensory powers flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the meditative stabilities flourish, and with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the dhāraṇī gateways flourish; with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the ten powers of the tathāgatas flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the four fearlessnesses flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the four kinds of exact knowledge flourish, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis great compassion flourishes, and with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas flourish; and with all-aspect omniscience as the basis knowledge of all the dharmas flourishes, with all-aspect omniscience as the basis the knowledge of the aspects of the path flourishes, and with all-aspect omniscience as the basis all-aspect omniscience flourishes.

“Ānanda, the perfection of wisdom consummates⁷³⁷ the five perfections; consummates all the emptinesses; consummates the four applications of mindfulness, consummates the four correct exertions, consummates the four supports for miraculous ability, consummates the five faculties, consummates the five powers, consummates the seven branches of enlightenment, and consummates the noble eightfold path; consummates the four truths of the noble ones, consummates the four meditative concentrations, consummates the four immeasurable attitudes, consummates the four formless absorptions, consummates the eight liberations, consummates the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, consummates the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, consummates the extrasensory powers, consummates the meditative stabilities, and consummates the dhāraṇī gateways; consummates the ten powers of the tathāgatas, consummates the four fearlessnesses, consummates the four kinds of exact knowledge, consummates great compassion, and consummates the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and consummates knowledge of all the dharmas, consummates the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and consummates all-aspect omniscience.”

Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete Buddha has not yet proclaimed all the good qualities of the perfection of wisdom that I have heard from the Blessed Lord––those good qualities of sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, as many as there are, and those good qualities, as many as there are, that I, in the presence of the Blessed Lord, have taken up, upheld, recited, mastered, and propagated.

“Blessed Lord, it is by having taken up, upheld, recited, propagated, and having focused attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom that the path of the ten virtuous actions appears in the world; that the four meditative concentrations appear in the world, the four immeasurable attitudes appear in the world, the four formless absorptions appear in the world, and the five extrasensory powers appear in the world; that the perfection of generosity appears in the world, the perfection of ethical discipline appears in the world, the perfection of tolerance appears in the world, the perfection of perseverance appears in the world, the perfection of meditative concentration appears in the world, and the perfection of wisdom appears in the world; that the emptiness of internal phenomena appears in the world, the emptiness of external phenomena appears in the world, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena appears in the world, the emptiness of emptiness appears in the world, the emptiness of great extent appears in the world, the emptiness of ultimate reality appears in the world, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena appears in the world, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena appears in the world, the emptiness of the unlimited appears in the world, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end appears in the world, the emptiness of nonexclusion appears in the world, the emptiness of inherent nature appears in the world, the emptiness of all phenomena appears in the world, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics appears in the world, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended appears in the world, the emptiness of nonentities appears in the world, the emptiness of essential nature appears in the world, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities appears in the world; that the four applications of mindfulness appear in the world, the four correct exertions appear in the world, the four supports for miraculous ability appear in the world, the five faculties appear in the world, the five powers appear in the world, the seven branches of enlightenment appear in the world, and the noble eightfold path appears in the world; and that the truths of the noble ones appear in the world, the eight liberations appear in the world, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption appear in the world, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation appear in the world, the meditative stabilities appear in the world, the dhāraṇī gateways appear in the world, the powers of the tathāgatas appear in the world, the four fearlessnesses appear in the world, the four kinds of exact knowledge appear in the world, great compassion appears in the world, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas appear in the world.

“Blessed Lord, it is by having taken up, upheld, recited, and having focused attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom that great and lofty royal families appear in the world, great and lofty priestly families appear in the world, and great and lofty householder families appear in the world; that the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm appear in the world, the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm appear in the world, the gods of the Yāma realm appear in the world, the gods of the Tuṣita realm appear in the world, the gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm appear in the world; that the gods of the Brahmakāyika realm appear in the world, the gods of the Brahmapurohita realm appear in the world, the gods of the Brahma­pārṣadya realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Mahābrahmā realm appear in the world; that the gods of the Ābha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Parīttābha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Apramāṇābha realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Ābhāsvara realm appear in the world; that the gods of the Śubha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Parīttaśubha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Apramāṇaśubha realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm appear in the world; that the gods of the Vṛha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Parīttavṛha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Apramāṇavṛha realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Vṛhatphala realm appear in the world; and that the gods of the Avṛha realm appear in the world, the gods of the Atapa realm appear in the world, the gods of the Sudṛśa realm appear in the world, the gods of the Sudarśana realm appear in the world, and the gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm appear in the world.

“Blessed Lord, it is by having taken up, upheld, recited, and having focused attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom that those who have entered the stream appear in the world, once-returners appear in the world, non-returners appear in the world, arhats appear in the world, pratyekabuddhas appear in the world, and bodhisattva great beings appear in the world. Blessed Lord, it is by having taken up, upheld, recited, and having focused attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom that the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddhas appear in the world.”

“Kauśika,” said the Blessed One, “I do not speak exhaustively about the good qualities of those sons or daughters of good families who have taken up, upheld, recited, mastered, and focused their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of ethical discipline; those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of meditative stability; those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of wisdom; those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of liberation; and those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, will possess an immeasurable aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation.

“You should know that those sons or daughters of good families who will take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, have done the practice for the purpose of becoming a tathāgata.⁷³⁸

“Kauśika, with regard to the aggregate of ethical discipline, the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and the aggregate of ethical discipline, the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation of those sons and daughters of good families, Kauśika, the aggregate of ethical discipline, the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas would come nowhere near even a hundredth part, would come nowhere near even a thousandth part, would come nowhere near even a hundred thousandth part, would come nowhere near even a ten millionth part, would come nowhere near even a hundred ten millionth part, would come nowhere near even a thousand ten millionth part, would come nowhere near even a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would come nowhere near even a hundred thousand ten million billionth part, would come nowhere near to any number, would come nowhere near to any fraction, would come nowhere near to any calculation, would come nowhere near to any example, and would not stand up to any comparison of the aggregate of ethical discipline, the aggregate of meditative stability, the aggregate of wisdom, the aggregate of liberation, and the aggregate of knowledge and seeing of liberation that they have. If you ask why, it is because the minds of those sons and daughters of good families are liberated from the levels of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and yet nothing at all has been fully understood.

“Kauśika, I do speak about the good qualities attained accordingly in this lifetime and in later lives by those sons or daughters of good families who write out, take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with many flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments.”

Śakra said, “Blessed Lord, I will always guard, protect, and defend without interruption those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, and who commit this perfection of wisdom to writing and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments.”

“Kauśika,” replied the Blessed One, “when sons or daughters of good families chant this perfection of wisdom by heart, many hundreds of thousands of gods will delightedly arrive to hear the Dharma, and when those sons or daughters of good families are teaching the Dharma endowed with the perfection of wisdom the gods will indeed think that they should reinforce that inspired eloquence,⁷³⁹ and also when those Dharma teachers get tired of speaking, the gods will think that they should reinforce that inspired eloquence by just that honoring of them.

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, and who commit it to writing and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, will acquire these good qualities in this lifetime as well.

“Moreover, Kauśika, when those sons or daughters of good families are teaching the perfection of wisdom to the four assemblies, they will not become discouraged by the thought that someone might seek to censure them and look for an opportunity to inflict harm. If you ask why, it is because this same perfection of wisdom will guard, protect, and defend those sons or daughters of good families. If you ask why, it is because in this perfection of wisdom all that is mundane and supramundane, contaminated and uncontaminated, common and uncommon, virtuous and nonvirtuous, and conditioned and unconditioned, and the attributes of the śrāvakas, the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas, the attributes of the bodhisattvas, and the attributes of the buddhas, are undifferentiated.

“If you ask why, it is because this is the treasury⁷⁴⁰ of all virtuous phenomena, and since those sons or daughters of good families abide in the emptiness of internal phenomena, abide in the emptiness of external phenomena, abide in the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, abide in the emptiness of emptiness, abide in the emptiness of great extent, abide in the emptiness of ultimate reality, abide in the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, abide in the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, abide in the emptiness of the unlimited, abide in the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, abide in the emptiness of nonexclusion, abide in the emptiness of inherent nature, abide in the emptiness of all phenomena, abide in the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, abide in the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, abide in the emptiness of nonentities, abide in the emptiness of essential nature, and abide in the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities, in the perfection of wisdom they neither observe censure nor do they observe one who censures, nor do they observe that which is censured. So, because they have been assisted by the perfection of wisdom, there is no one at all looking for an opportunity to inflict harm on those sons or daughters of good families.

“Moreover, Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom will not become disheartened and will not feel intimidated; they will not be afraid, will not be frightened, and will not become terrified. If you ask why, it is because those sons or daughters of good families do not observe any sort of thing that might become disheartened, feel intimidated, be afraid, be frightened, or become terrified.

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, and who commit it to writing and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, will acquire these good qualities in his lifetime as well.

“Moreover, Kauśika, any son or daughter of good family who takes up, upholds, recites, masters, and focuses their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom, and who commits it to writing and honors, venerates, respects, and worships it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, will be greatly valued by⁷⁴¹ their fathers, friends, mothers, kings, ministers, virtuous ascetics, and brahmin priests. They will also be greatly valued, and will be held dear, by the lord buddhas who reside in the world systems of the ten directions, as many as there are, and the bodhisattva great beings, pratyekabuddhas, arhats, non-returners, once-returners, and those who have entered the stream, as many as there are. They will also be greatly valued, and will be held dear, by the world with its gods, demons, and Brahmā deities, with the beings who are its virtuous ascetics and brāhmin priests, and with its gods, humans, and asuras.

“They will not be robbed of inspired eloquence, will not be robbed of the perfection of generosity, will not be robbed of the perfection of ethical discipline, will not be robbed of the perfection of tolerance, will not be robbed of the perfection of perseverance, will not be robbed of the perfection of meditative concentration, and will not be robbed of the perfection of wisdom; they will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of internal phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of external phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of emptiness, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of great extent, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of ultimate reality, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of the unlimited, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of nonexclusion, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of inherent nature, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of all phenomena, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of nonentities, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of essential nature, and will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; they will not be robbed of the cultivation of the applications of mindfulness, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the correct exertions, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the supports for miraculous ability, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the faculties, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the powers, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the branches of enlightenment, and will not be robbed of the cultivation of the noble eightfold path; they will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four truths of the noble ones, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four meditative concentrations, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four immeasurable attitudes, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four formless absorptions, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the eight liberations, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the extrasensory powers, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the meditative stabilities, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the dhāraṇī gateways, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four fearlessnesses, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the four kinds of exact knowledge, will not be robbed of the cultivation of great compassion, and will not be robbed of the cultivation of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and they will not be robbed of the cultivation of the requirement to bring beings to maturation, will not be robbed of the cultivation of the requirement to refine a buddhafield, and will not be robbed of the cultivation of all-aspect omniscience. They will have the power to give a response to the arguments that have been raised by others, as many as there are, in accordance with the Dharma.

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families who take up, uphold, recite, master, and focus their attention correctly on this perfection of wisdom without being separated from the mind of all-aspect omniscience, and who commit it to writing and serve, respect, honor, and worship it with flowers, garlands, perfumes, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, flags, and various musical instruments, will acquire these good qualities in his lifetime as well.

“Moreover, Kauśika, the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm in the great billionfold world system who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and also the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, the Brahma­pārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment think they should come to where those sons or daughters of good families who have committed this perfection of wisdom to writing, made it into a book, and upheld it are, and, having recited, taken up, mastered, paid homage to, and bowed before this perfection of wisdom, again take their leave. The gods of the Śuddhāvāsa realms––the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm––also think they should come there, and, having recited, taken up, mastered, paid homage to, and bowed before this perfection of wisdom, depart.

“Moreover, Kauśika, the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm in the world systems of the ten directions who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and also the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, the Brahma­pārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and the gods of the Śuddhāvāsa realms––the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm‍—and other than them, also many greatly splendid gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, think they should come there, and, having recited, taken up, mastered, paid homage to, and bowed before this perfection of wisdom, depart.

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families should have the following thought: ‘May this generosity be a gift of the Dharma to those gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, the Brahma­pārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, as well as the gods of the Śuddhāvāsa realms––the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm‍—and, other than them, to the greatly splendid gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas who have come here in order to recite, uphold, master, pay homage to, and worship this perfection of wisdom.’ Having recited, upheld, mastered, worshiped, paid homage to, and bowed before this perfection of wisdom, they depart.

“Kauśika, the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, the Brahma­pārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm; and the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm in the great billionfold world system, and the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the Trayastriṃśa realm, the Yāma realm, the Tuṣita realm, the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the Brahmakāyika realm, the Brahmapurohita realm, the Brahma­pārṣadya realm, and the Mahābrahmā realm; the Ābha realm, the Parīttābha realm, the Apramāṇābha realm, and the Ābhāsvara realm; the Śubha realm, the Parīttaśubha realm, the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the Śubhakṛtsna realm; and the Vṛha realm, the Parīttavṛha realm, the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the Vṛhatphala realm; and the Avṛha realm, the Atapa realm, the Sudṛśa realm, the Sudarśana realm, and the Akaniṣṭha realm in the world systems of the ten directions, will guard, protect, and defend those sons and daughters of good families. Kauśika, unless there is the maturation of a past action, those looking for an opportunity to inflict harm on them will not find an opportunity to inflict harm.

“Those sons and daughters of good families will, because of this, acquire such good qualities as these in this lifetime as well.

“Kauśika, those gods who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment also think they should come to worship this perfection of wisdom and to guard, protect, and defend those sons and daughters of good families. If you ask why, Kauśika, it is because those sons or daughters of good families have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and they remain available for the purpose of protecting all beings, bringing all beings to maturity, and for the benefit and happiness of all beings.”

Śakra then asked, “Blessed Lord, how will those sons or daughters of good families know, ‘The gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Yāma realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Tuṣita realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm have arrived here’; ‘The gods of the Brahmakāyika realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Brahmapurohita realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Brahma­pārṣadya realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Mahābrahmā realm have arrived here’; ‘The gods of the Ābha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Parīttābha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Apramāṇābha realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Ābhāsvara realm have arrived here’; ‘The gods of the Śubha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Parīttaśubha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Apramāṇaśubha realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm have arrived here’; ‘The gods of the Vṛha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Parīttavṛha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Apramāṇavṛha realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Vṛhatphala realm have arrived here’; and ‘The gods of the Avṛha realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Atapa realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Sudṛśa realm have arrived here,’ ‘The gods of the Sudarśana realm have arrived here,’ and ‘The gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm have arrived here,’ from world systems in all the ten directions, to recite, take up, master, pay homage to, bow before, serve, respect, honor, and worship this perfection of wisdom?”

“Kauśika,” replied the Blessed One, “if those sons or daughters of good families behold a great light where this perfection of wisdom has been placed, those sons or daughters of good families should know with certainty, ‘The gods with the great power of the powerful, great miraculous abilities, great authority, and great splendor have come in order to recite, uphold, master, pay homage to, bow before, serve, respect, honor, and worship this perfection of wisdom.’ ”

“Moreover, Kauśika, if those sons or daughters of good families maintain scrupulous conduct,⁷⁴² on account of their scrupulous conduct those gods will, having arrived and having recited, taken up, mastered, served, respected, honored, and worshiped this perfection of wisdom, become utterly overjoyed. The gods whose power is feeble, as many as there are in that place, will be unable to bear the splendor, glory, and majesty of the gods with the great power of the powerful, and they will think that they should depart from that place. The more the gods with the great power of the powerful, great miraculous abilities, great authority, and great splendor think that they should come there, the more those sons or daughters of good families will become those with great conviction.⁷⁴³

“In the vicinity of that place, without having deviated from conducting themselves scrupulously, in order to carry out worship of this perfection of wisdom, those sons or daughters of good families should sprinkle the ground of that area with scented water and adorn the ground of that area in many ways: scattering flowers and perfume, placing censers wafting incense, and stretching out a canopy of brocade with an attached fringe of silk tassels.

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families will not tire, and they will not be exhausted. Those sons or daughters of good families will experience ease of body, lightness of body, and radiance⁷⁴⁴ of body, and those sons or daughters of good families will also experience ease of mind, lightness of mind, and radiance of mind.

“Therefore, since even when they go to bed at night, with an aspiration for this perfection of wisdom, they have a confident belief, they do not dream dreams of wickedness. While dreaming, in their dreams they will see the body of the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete Buddha, excellently adorned with the thirty-two major marks of a great person and embellished with the eighty minor signs, with a golden body, surrounded by the community of monks and with the bodhisattvas spread out in front, teaching the Dharma. They will also hear from the Tathāgata the teaching of the Dharma––of 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; of 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; of 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; and of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight liberations, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.

“They will also hear the meaning of that perfection of generosity being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that perfection of ethical discipline being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that perfection of tolerance being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that perfection of perseverance being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that perfection of meditative concentration being differentiated, and will hear the meaning of that perfection of wisdom being differentiated. They will hear the meaning of that emptiness of internal phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of external phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of external and internal phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of emptiness being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of great extent being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of ultimate reality being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of conditioned phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of unconditioned phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of the unlimited being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of nonexclusion being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of inherent nature being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of all phenomena being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of nonentities being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that emptiness of essential nature being differentiated, and will hear the meaning of that emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities being differentiated. They will hear the meaning of those four applications of mindfulness being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four correct exertions being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four supports for miraculous ability being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those five faculties being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those five powers being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those seven branches of enlightenment being differentiated, and will hear the meaning of that noble eightfold path being differentiated. And they will hear the meaning of those four truths of the noble ones being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four meditative concentrations being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four immeasurable attitudes being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four formless absorptions being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those eight liberations being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those nine serial steps of meditative absorption being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those extrasensory powers being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those meditative stabilities being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those dhāraṇī gateways being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those ten powers of the tathāgatas being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four fearlessnesses being differentiated, will hear the meaning of those four kinds of exact knowledge being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that great loving kindness being differentiated, will hear the meaning of that great compassion being differentiated, and will hear the meaning of those eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas being differentiated.

“They will also see the tree of enlightenment; will see the bodhisattva great being approach the tree of enlightenment; will see him fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment; will see him, having fully awakened, turning the wheel of the Dharma; and will also see many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas discussing the Dharma together,⁷⁴⁵ saying, ‘All-aspect omniscience should be achieved like this, many beings should be brought to maturity like this, a buddhafield should be refined like this, and Māra along with his entourage should be defeated like this.’

“They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the eastern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the southern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the western direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the northern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the intermediate northeastern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the intermediate southeastern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the intermediate southwestern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the intermediate northwestern direction. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the direction below. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’ They will hear the voices of many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the direction above. They will hear the voices saying, ‘In such and such a world system is the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddha so-and-so teaching the Dharma, surrounded and attended by as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of bodhisattvas and as many as hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of śrāvakas.’

“They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the eastern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the southern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the western direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the northern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the intermediate northeastern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the intermediate southeastern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the intermediate southwestern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the intermediate northwestern direction passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the direction below passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags. They will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of buddhas in the direction above passing into final nirvāṇa, they will see many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of stūpas of those tathāgatas made of the seven precious materials, and they will see those stūpas being served, respected, honored, and worshiped with many various offerings of flowers, perfumes, garlands, incense, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, victory banners, and flags.

“Kauśika, those sons or daughters of good families will dream these types of auspicious dreams.”