Chapter 31
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, if these are the stated good qualities of those sons and daughters of good families who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, who practice the six perfections, and who bring beings to maturity and take possession of a buddhafield, then, Blessed Lord, what sorts of obstacles will there be for those sons and daughters of good families who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “if their inspired eloquence arises after a very long lapse of time, then, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.”
“Blessed Lord, why will their inspired eloquence arise after a very long lapse of time? Why should bodhisattva great beings know that this is the work of Māra?” asked Subhūti.
“Here, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they perfect the perfection of wisdom with difficulty, perfect the perfection of meditative concentration with difficulty, perfect the perfection of perseverance with difficulty, perfect the perfection of tolerance with difficulty, perfect the perfection of ethical discipline with difficulty, and perfect the perfection of generosity with difficulty, for this reason, Subhūti, their inspired eloquence will arise after an extremely long lapse of time. Bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.
“Moreover, if their inspired eloquence arises too quickly, bodhisattva great beings should know that this is the work of Māra.”
“Blessed Lord, why will their inspired eloquence arise too quickly? Why should bodhisattva great beings know that this is the work of Māra?” asked Subhūti.
“Here, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of generosity, practice the perfection of ethical discipline, practice the perfection of tolerance, practice the perfection of perseverance, practice the perfection of meditative concentration, and practice the perfection of wisdom, if without skillful means their confidence to speak arises too quickly and they give rise to conceit about it, for that reason, Subhūti, their inspired eloquence arises too quickly and bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Moreover, Subhūti, if they commit this perfection of wisdom to writing while yawning, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, Subhūti, if they commit this perfection of wisdom to writing while laughing, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, Subhūti, if they commit this perfection of wisdom to writing while fooling around with one another, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, Subhūti, if they commit this perfection of wisdom to writing with a distracted mind, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, Subhūti, if they commit this perfection of wisdom to writing while attached to other spellings and without understanding the meaning of the words, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, Subhūti, if they rise from their seats and go away without having enjoyed this, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Moreover, Subhūti, if they yawn while giving instructions,875 bodhisattva great beings should know, Subhūti, that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, if they yawn while chanting it out loud by heart, or taking it up, or upholding it, or reciting it, or teaching it, or if they yawn while focusing their attention correctly on it, bodhisattva great beings should know, Subhūti, that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, Subhūti, if they laugh at each other while taking up, or upholding, or reciting, or focusing their attention correctly on the perfection of wisdom, bodhisattva great beings should know, Subhūti, that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, Subhūti, if they fool around with each other while taking up, or upholding, or reciting, or focusing their attention correctly on the perfection of wisdom, bodhisattva great beings should know, Subhūti, that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, Subhūti, if they are mentally distracted while taking up, or upholding, or reciting, or focusing their attention correctly on the perfection of wisdom, bodhisattva great beings should know, Subhūti, that this too is the work of Māra. Moreover, Subhūti, if they are attached to this or that other spelling while taking up, or upholding, or reciting, or focusing their attention correctly on the perfection of wisdom, bodhisattva great beings should know, Subhūti, that this too is the work of Māra.”
The Blessed One having said that, the venerable Subhūti inquired of him, “Blessed Lord, you said, ‘If they rise from their seats and go away without enjoyment of this, bodhisattva great beings should know, Subhūti, that this too is the work of Māra.’ Why, Blessed Lord, would they not have enjoyed it?”
The Blessed One replied, “Subhūti, it is because bodhisattva great beings who have not previously practiced 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 will rise from their seats and go away while this profound perfection of wisdom is being taught, lacking faith and thinking, ‘We have not been prophesied in this Perfection of Wisdom.’ Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
“Blessed Lord, why do those who have not been prophesied in this Perfection of Wisdom rise from their seats and go away?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who have not entered into full maturity are not prophesied to attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. If they lose their faith, thinking, ‘We do not figure in this perfection of wisdom. Even our names are not mentioned in it!’ then, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
“Blessed Lord, why are the names of those bodhisattva great beings not mentioned in this profound Perfection of Wisdom?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “the names of bodhisattva great beings who have not been prophesied are not mentioned. If they think, ‘Even our names do not figure in it. Nor does the name of the village, city, or market town where we were born figure in it,’ and thinking that, if they decide not to listen to the perfection of wisdom, and decide to depart from this assembly, then, on account of having that thought, the more they think they should depart and step away and to that extent reject it, the more eons they acquire and the more they will have to persevere at being tolerant of it. They think they should discard the perfection of wisdom and master those sūtras that do not sustain the transcendent knowledge of an all-aspect omniscient one. In this way, those sons and daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas are those who have abandoned the roots of the tree of all-aspect omniscience and think of holding on to its branches, leaves, and foliage. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
“Blessed Lord, what are the sūtras that do not sustain the transcendental knowledge of all-aspect omniscience and which they think they should master?” asked Subhūti.
“They are the sūtras associated with the śrāvakas or associated with the pratyekabuddhas,” replied the Blessed One. “They are those in which there 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, the noble eightfold path, and the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation. Abiding in them, the sons or daughters of good families will attain the fruit of those who have entered the stream, will attain the fruit of once-returner, will attain the fruit of non-returner, will attain arhatship, and will attain individual enlightenment, but will not attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. Those, Subhūti, are the sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas that they will think they should master after discarding the perfection of wisdom, and in which the transcendent knowledge of an all-aspect omniscient one is not sustained. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because bodhisattva great beings who have emerged from the perfection of wisdom emerge because of their mundane and supramundane attributes. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who train in the perfection of wisdom train in mundane and supramundane attributes.
“To illustrate, Subhūti, just as a dog may well spurn food given by its master, and think of looking for a morsel from a servant, in the same way, Subhūti, in the future, sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas will discard this profound the perfection of wisdom, which is the root of all the attributes of the buddhas, and will come to think they should rely on sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas that resemble branches, leaves, and foliage. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Moreover, Subhūti, in the future sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas will discard this profound perfection of wisdom and come to think they should master sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas for the sake of profit and service. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, it is as if some person who wants an elephant, after finding an elephant, were then to come to think that they should search for the tracks of the elephant. Subhūti, do you think that this person would be intelligent?”
“No, Blessed Lord,” replied Subhūti.
“In the same way, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “one should know that those persons in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas who discard this profound perfection of wisdom and think that they should search for sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas are like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Subhūti, it is as if someone wishing to see the great ocean were to think of looking for it in the track left by a bull, and on seeing the hoofprint of a bull were to wonder whether it is the same size as the great ocean or not. Subhūti, do you think that this person would be intelligent?”
“No, Blessed Lord. No, Sugata,” said Subhūti.
“In the same way, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “one should know that sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, who, even after hearing and finding this profound perfection of wisdom, discard and abandon this profound perfection of wisdom, and think they should take up and master sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, are like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, if a builder or a builder’s apprentice who wished to construct and raise a house the size of the Vaijayanta Palace were to think of searching for the celestial palaces of the sun and moon and decide to take the measurements from the celestial palaces of the sun and moon, do you think, Subhūti, that this person could construct a house like that, modeling the dimensions of the Vaijayanta Palace on the dimensions of the celestial palaces of the sun and moon?”
“No, Blessed Lord,” said Subhūti.
“Subhūti, do you think that this builder or builder’s apprentice would be intelligent?” asked the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, those people would be known as simpletons, they would not be intelligent,” said Subhūti.
“In the same way, Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “if there were any sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas in the future who, even after hearing and finding this profound perfection of wisdom, were to discard and abandon this profound perfection of wisdom, and think of looking for all-aspect omniscience in sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, do you think, Subhūti, that those sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas would be intelligent?”
“No, Blessed Lord. No, Sugata,” said Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“To give another illustration, Subhūti, it is as if someone wishing to see a wheel-turning emperor were, having seen a regional king, to think that he has a complexion and form similar to that of a wheel-turning emperor. He grasps the signs of the complexion and the shape he has seen in the regional king, and, having thought about it, says, ‘It seems that the complexion, shape, bearing, and signs of a wheel-turning emperor are similar to those of this king.’ Subhūti, do you think that this person would be intelligent?”
“No, Blessed Lord. No, Sugata,” said Subhūti.
“In the same way, Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “if there were any sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas in the future who, even after hearing and finding this profound perfection of wisdom, were to discard and abandon this profound perfection of wisdom, and think of looking for all-aspect omniscience in sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, do you think, Subhūti, that those sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas would be intelligent?”
“No, Blessed Lord,” said Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“To give a further illustration, Subhūti, it is as if someone who was extremely hungry, even after finding food with a hundred savors, were to decide to search for sixty-day food,876 and, after they had spurned that food endowed with a hundred savors, decided to eat the sixty-day food. Subhūti, do you think that this person would be intelligent?”
“No, Blessed Lord,” said Subhūti.
“In the same way, Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “if there were any sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas in the future who, even after hearing and finding this profound perfection of wisdom, were to discard and abandon this profound perfection of wisdom, and think of looking for all-aspect omniscience in sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, do you think, Subhūti, that those sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas would be intelligent?”
“No, Blessed Lord,” said Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“To give a further illustration, Subhūti, it is as if someone, after finding a priceless precious gem, were to consider it comparable to a jeweled trinket. Subhūti, do you think that this person would be intelligent?”
“No, Blessed Lord,” said Subhūti.
“In the same way, Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “if there were any sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas in the future who, even after hearing and finding this profound perfection of wisdom, were to discard and abandon this profound perfection of wisdom, and think of looking for all-aspect omniscience in sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, do you think, Subhūti, that those sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas would be intelligent?”
“No, Blessed Lord,” said Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when those sons or daughters of good families are writing out this profound perfection of wisdom, many types of confidence to speak will arise that disturb writing out this profound perfection of wisdom: confidence to speak about sights, confidence to speak about sounds, confidence to speak about odors, confidence to speak about tastes, confidence to speak about tangibles, and confidence to speak about mental phenomena; confidence to speak about generosity, confidence to speak about ethical discipline, confidence to speak about tolerance, confidence to speak about perseverance, confidence to speak about meditative concentration, and confidence to speak about wisdom; confidence to speak about the realm of desire, confidence to speak about the realm of form, and confidence to speak about the realm of formlessness; confidence to speak about giving instructions and chanting out loud by heart; confidence to speak about honoring; confidence to speak about the applications of mindfulness, confidence to speak about the correct exertions, confidence to speak about the supports for miraculous ability, confidence to speak about the faculties, confidence to speak about the powers, confidence to speak about the branches of enlightenment, and confidence to speak about the path; confidence to speak about the meditative concentrations, confidence to speak about the liberations, confidence to speak about the meditative stabilities, and confidence to speak about the absorptions; confidence to speak about the emptiness of internal phenomena, confidence to speak about the emptiness of external phenomena, confidence to speak about the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, confidence to speak about the emptiness of emptiness, confidence to speak about the emptiness of great extent, confidence to speak about the emptiness of ultimate reality, confidence to speak about the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, confidence to speak about the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, confidence to speak about the emptiness of the unlimited, confidence to speak about the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, confidence to speak about the emptiness of nonexclusion, confidence to speak about the emptiness of inherent nature, confidence to speak about the emptiness of all phenomena, confidence to speak about the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, confidence to speak about the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, confidence to speak about the emptiness of nonentities, confidence to speak about the emptiness of essential nature, and confidence to speak about and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; confidence to speak about the perfection of generosity, confidence to speak about the perfection of ethical discipline, confidence to speak about the perfection of tolerance, confidence to speak about the perfection of perseverance, confidence to speak about the perfection of meditative concentration, and confidence to speak about and the perfection of wisdom; confidence to speak about the ten powers, confidence to speak about the fearlessnesses, confidence to speak about the kinds of exact knowledge, and confidence to speak about the distinct qualities of the buddhas; and confidence to speak about the fruit of having entered the stream, confidence to speak about the fruit of once-returner, confidence to speak about the fruit of non-returner, confidence to speak about arhatship, confidence to speak about individual enlightenment, and confidence to speak about unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the perfection of wisdom is purified by the absence of inspired eloquence.
“Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is inconceivable. Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is unimaginable. Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom neither arises nor ceases. Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is neither defilement nor purification. Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is undisturbed. Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom is inexpressible. Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom cannot be refined. And, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom cannot be apprehended. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because these phenomena do not exist and cannot be apprehended in this profound perfection of wisdom.
“Subhūti, if, when sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas write out this profound perfection of wisdom, they are disturbed by these phenomena, then, Subhūti, those sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
The Blessed One having said that, the venerable Subhūti asked him, “Blessed Lord, can the perfection of wisdom be written out?”
“No, it cannot, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One. “If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an essential nature of the perfection of wisdom does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the perfection of meditative concentration does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the perfection of perseverance does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the perfection of tolerance does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the perfection of ethical discipline does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; and an essential nature of the perfection of generosity does not exist, and cannot be apprehended. An essential nature of the emptiness of internal phenomena does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of external phenomena does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of emptiness does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of great extent does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of ultimate reality does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of the unlimited does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of nonexclusion does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of inherent nature does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of all phenomena does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of nonentities does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness of essential nature does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; and an essential nature of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities does not exist, and cannot be apprehended. An essential nature of the applications of mindfulness does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the correct exertions does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the supports for miraculous ability does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the faculties does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the powers does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the branches of enlightenment does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; and an essential nature of the noble eightfold path does not exist, and cannot be apprehended. An essential nature of the truths of the noble ones does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the meditative concentrations does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the immeasurable attitudes does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the formless absorptions does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the liberations does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the serial steps of meditative absorption does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the extrasensory powers does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the meditative stabilities does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; and an essential nature of the dhāraṇī gateways does not exist, and cannot be apprehended. An essential nature of the powers of the tathāgatas does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the fearlessnesses does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the kinds of exact knowledge does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of great compassion does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; and an essential nature of the distinct qualities of the buddhas does not exist, and cannot be apprehended. An essential nature of omniscience does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; an essential nature of the knowledge of the aspects of the path does not exist, and cannot be apprehended; and an essential nature of all-aspect omniscience does not exist, and cannot be apprehended. That essential nature that cannot be apprehended is a nonentity. That which is a nonentity is the perfection of wisdom. And a nonentity cannot be written out, because it is a nonentity.
“Subhūti, if sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas have the notion that ‘this profound perfection of wisdom is a nonentity,’ that too should be known as the work of Māra.”
“Blessed Lord,” said Subhūti, “if sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, after committing this profound perfection of wisdom to writing, think, ‘I have written out this profound perfection of wisdom,’ then they are attached to this profound perfection of wisdom as letters. Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom is without letters, the perfection of meditative concentration is without letters, the perfection of perseverance is without letters, the perfection of tolerance is without letters, the perfection of ethical discipline is without letters, and the perfection of generosity is without letters. Blessed Lord, physical forms are without letters, feelings are without letters, perceptions are without letters, formative predispositions are without letters, and consciousness is without letters. The eyes are without letters, the ears are without letters, the nose is without letters, the tongue is without letters, the body is without letters, and the mental faculty is without letters; sights are without letters, sounds are without letters, odors are without letters, tastes are without letters, tangibles are without letters, and mental phenomena are without letters; visual consciousness is without letters, auditory consciousness is without letters, olfactory consciousness is without letters, gustatory consciousness is without letters, tactile consciousness is without letters, and mental consciousness is without letters; visually compounded sensory contact is without letters, aurally compounded sensory contact is without letters, nasally compounded sensory contact is without letters, lingually compounded sensory contact is without letters, corporeally compounded sensory contact is without letters, and mentally compounded sensory contact is without letters; feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact are without letters, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact are without letters, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact are without letters, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact are without letters, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact are without letters, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact are without letters. The earth element is without letters, the water element is without letters, the fire element is without letters, the wind element is without letters, the space element is without letters, and the consciousness element is without letters. Ignorance is without letters, formative predispositions are without letters, consciousness is without letters, name and form are without letters, the six sense fields are without letters, sensory contact is without letters, sensation is without letters, craving is without letters, grasping is without letters, the rebirth process is without letters, birth is without letters, and aging and death are without letters. The emptiness of internal phenomena is without letters, the emptiness of external phenomena is without letters, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is without letters, the emptiness of emptiness is without letters, the emptiness of great extent is without letters, the emptiness of ultimate reality is without letters, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena is without letters, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is without letters, the emptiness of the unlimited is without letters, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is without letters, the emptiness of nonexclusion is without letters, the emptiness of inherent nature is without letters, the emptiness of all phenomena is without letters, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is without letters, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is without letters, the emptiness of nonentities is without letters, the emptiness of essential nature is without letters, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is without letters. The applications of mindfulness are without letters, the correct exertions are without letters, the supports for miraculous ability are without letters, the faculties are without letters, the powers are without letters, the branches of enlightenment are without letters, and the noble eightfold path is without letters. The truths of the noble ones are without letters, the meditative concentrations are without letters, the immeasurable attitudes are without letters, the formless absorptions are without letters, the liberations are without letters, the serial steps of meditative absorption are without letters, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are without letters, the extrasensory powers are without letters, the meditative stabilities are without letters, and the dhāraṇī gateways are without letters. The powers of the tathāgatas are without letters, the fearlessnesses are without letters, the kinds of exact knowledge are without letters, great compassion is without letters, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas are without letters. Omniscience is without letters, the knowledge of the aspects of the path is without letters, and all-aspect omniscience is without letters.
“Blessed Lord, if sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas are attached to the perfection of wisdom that is without letters, are attached to the perfection of meditative concentration that is without letters, are attached to the perfection of perseverance that is without letters, are attached to the perfection of tolerance that is without letters, are attached to the perfection of ethical discipline that is without letters, and are attached to the perfection of generosity that is without letters; if they are attached to the emptiness of internal phenomena that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of external phenomena that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of external and internal phenomena that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of emptiness that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of great extent that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of ultimate reality that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of conditioned phenomena that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of the unlimited that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of nonexclusion that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of inherent nature that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of all phenomena that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of nonentities that is without letters, are attached to the emptiness of essential nature that is without letters, and are attached to the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is without letters; if they are attached to the applications of mindfulness that are without letters, are attached to the correct exertions that are without letters, are attached to the supports for miraculous ability that are without letters, are attached to the faculties that are without letters, are attached to the powers that are without letters, are attached to the branches of enlightenment that are without letters, and are attached to the noble eightfold path is without letters; if they are attached to the truths of the noble ones that are without letters, are attached to the meditative concentrations that are without letters, are attached to the immeasurable attitudes that are without letters, are attached to the formless absorptions that are without letters, are attached to the liberations that are without letters, are attached to the serial steps of meditative absorption that are without letters, are attached to the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation that are without letters, are attached to the extrasensory powers that are without letters, are attached to the meditative stabilities that are without letters, and are attached to the dhāraṇī gateways are without letters; if they are attached to the powers of the tathāgatas that are without letters, are attached to the fearlessnesses that are without letters, are attached to the kinds of exact knowledge that are without letters, are attached to great compassion that is without letters, and are attached to the distinct qualities of the buddhas that are without letters; and if they are attached to omniscience that is without letters, are attached to the knowledge of the aspects of the path that is without letters, and are attached to all-aspect omniscience that is without letters, then bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
“Subhūti, it is so, it is so!” said the Blessed One. “Moreover, Subhūti, when sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas write out, chant out loud by heart, request, take up, uphold, recite, master, focus their attention correctly on, and cultivate this profound perfection of wisdom, if they pay a lot of attention to their homeland, then, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas write out, chant out loud by heart, request, take up, uphold, recite, master, focus their attention correctly on, and cultivate this profound perfection of wisdom, if they focus attention on villages, focus attention on market towns, focus attention on regions, focus attention on capital cities, focus attention on households, focus attention on gurus and monastic preceptors, focus attention associated with their mother, focus attention associated with their father, focus attention associated with their brothers, focus attention associated with their sisters, focus attention associated with their friends, focus attention associated with thieves, focus attention associated with scavengers, focus attention associated with worldly people, focus attention associated with courtesans,877 focus attention associated with women, or focus attention on all sorts of other matters, then, Subhūti, when they are writing out, upholding, reciting, giving instructions on, chanting out loud by heart, or focusing their attention correctly on this profound perfection of wisdom, malign Māra will provoke disturbances in order to make obstacles. Bodhisattva great beings should know that these too are the work of Māra.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas write out this profound perfection of wisdom they get profit, service, verses of praise, and many of the basic necessities—robes, alms, bedding, and medications owing to ill health. If, when the sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas are writing out, giving instructions in, chanting out loud by heart, or focusing their attention correctly on this profound perfection of wisdom, they should relish those, then, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that these too are the work of Māra. When they are writing out, giving instructions in, chanting out loud by heart, or focusing their attention correctly on this profound perfection of wisdom, such obstacles will arise.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas are writing out, giving instructions in, chanting out loud by heart, focusing their attention correctly on, and cultivating this profound perfection of wisdom, malign Māra supplies them with profound sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas in which there are the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, and the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation. But those sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas who are endowed with skillful means are not attracted to those profound sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas with which malign Māra supplies them.
“If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because they do not cause the attainment of all-aspect omniscience. Subhūti, bodhisattvas who are not endowed with the skillful means in it will decide to discard this profound perfection of wisdom after hearing it, even though in it I have extensively revealed skillful means to bodhisattva great beings. So, they should search for skillful means extensively in this profound perfection of wisdom. Subhūti, if sons or daughters of good families in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas discard this profound perfection of wisdom, and think that they should search for skillful means in those sūtras associated with the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, then, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know that this too is the work of Māra.”
This completes the thirty-first chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines.”