“Subhūti, the essential nature of the truths of the noble ones is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the truths of the noble ones are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the meditative concentrations is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the meditative concentrations are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the immeasurable attitudes is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the immeasurable attitudes are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the formless absorptions is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the formless absorptions are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the eight liberations is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the eight liberations are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the extrasensory powers is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the extrasensory powers are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the meditative stabilities is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the meditative stabilities are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the dhāraṇī gateways is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the dhāraṇī gateways are not apprehended.
“Subhūti, the essential nature of the ten powers of the tathāgatas is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the ten powers of the tathāgatas are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the four fearlessnesses is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the four fearlessnesses are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the four kinds of exact knowledge is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the four kinds of exact knowledge are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of great loving kindness is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of great loving kindness are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of great compassion is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of great compassion are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are not apprehended.
“Subhūti, the essential nature of the fruit of having entered the stream is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the fruit of having entered the stream are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the fruit of once-returner is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the fruit of once-returner are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the fruit of non-returner is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the fruit of non-returner are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of arhatship is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of arhatship are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of individual enlightenment is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of individual enlightenment are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of the knowledge of the aspects of the path is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of the knowledge of the aspects of the path are not apprehended. Subhūti, the essential nature of all-aspect omniscience is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled; therefore, the conceiving, estimating, measuring, and deficiency of all-aspect omniscience are not apprehended.
“Subhūti, what do you think? Can physical forms be apprehended in physical forms that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can feelings be apprehended in feelings that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can perceptions be apprehended in perceptions that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can formative predispositions be apprehended in formative predispositions that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can consciousness be apprehended in consciousness that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the eyes be apprehended in the eyes that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the ears be apprehended in the ears that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the nose be apprehended in the nose that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the tongue be apprehended in the tongue that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the body be apprehended in the body that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the mental faculty be apprehended in the mental faculty that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can sights be apprehended in sights that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can sounds be apprehended in sounds that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can odors be apprehended in odors that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can tastes be apprehended in tastes that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can tangibles be apprehended in tangibles that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can mental phenomena be apprehended in mental phenomena that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can visual consciousness be apprehended in visual consciousness that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can auditory consciousness be apprehended in auditory consciousness that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can olfactory consciousness be apprehended in olfactory consciousness that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can gustatory consciousness be apprehended in gustatory consciousness that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can tactile consciousness be apprehended in tactile consciousness that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can mental consciousness be apprehended in mental consciousness that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can visually compounded sensory contact be apprehended in visually compounded sensory contact that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can aurally compounded sensory contact be apprehended in aurally compounded sensory contact that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can nasally compounded sensory contact be apprehended in nasally compounded sensory contact that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can lingually compounded sensory contact be apprehended in lingually compounded sensory contact that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can corporeally compounded sensory contact be apprehended in corporeally compounded sensory contact that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can mentally compounded sensory contact be apprehended in mentally compounded sensory contact that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact be apprehended in feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact be apprehended in feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact be apprehended in feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact be apprehended in feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact be apprehended in feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact be apprehended in feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled?
“Can the earth element be apprehended in the earth element that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the water element be apprehended in the water element that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the fire element be apprehended in the fire element that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the wind element be apprehended in the wind element that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the space element be apprehended in the space element that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the consciousness element be apprehended in the consciousness element that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled?
“Can ignorance be apprehended in ignorance that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can formative predispositions be apprehended in formative predispositions that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can consciousness be apprehended in consciousness that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can name and form be apprehended in name and form that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the six sense fields be apprehended in the six sense fields that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can sensory contact be apprehended in sensory contact that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can sensation be apprehended in sensation that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can craving be apprehended in craving that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can grasping be apprehended in grasping that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the rebirth process be apprehended in the rebirth process that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can birth be apprehended in birth that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can aging and death be apprehended in aging and death that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled?
“Can the perfection of generosity be apprehended in the perfection of generosity that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the perfection of ethical discipline be apprehended in the perfection of ethical discipline that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the perfection of tolerance be apprehended in the perfection of tolerance that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the perfection of perseverance be apprehended in the perfection of perseverance that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the perfection of meditative concentration be apprehended in the perfection of meditative concentration that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the perfection of wisdom be apprehended in the perfection of wisdom that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled?
“Can the emptiness of internal phenomena be apprehended in the emptiness of internal phenomena that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of external phenomena be apprehended in the emptiness of external phenomena that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of external and internal phenomena be apprehended in the emptiness of external and internal phenomena that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of emptiness be apprehended in the emptiness of emptiness that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of great extent be apprehended in the emptiness of great extent that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of ultimate reality be apprehended in the emptiness of ultimate reality that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of conditioned phenomena be apprehended in the emptiness of conditioned phenomena that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena be apprehended in the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of the unlimited be apprehended in the emptiness of the unlimited that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end be apprehended in the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of nonexclusion be apprehended in the emptiness of nonexclusion that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of inherent nature be apprehended in the emptiness of inherent nature that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of all phenomena be apprehended in the emptiness of all phenomena that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics be apprehended in the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended be apprehended in the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of nonentities be apprehended in the emptiness of nonentities that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of essential nature be apprehended in the emptiness of essential nature that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities be apprehended in the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled?
“Can the applications of mindfulness be apprehended in the applications of mindfulness that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the correct exertions be apprehended in the correct exertions that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the supports for miraculous ability be apprehended in the supports for miraculous ability that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the faculties be apprehended in the faculties that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the powers be apprehended in the powers that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the branches of enlightenment be apprehended in the branches of enlightenment that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the noble eightfold path be apprehended in the noble eightfold path that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled?
“Can the truths of the noble ones be apprehended in the truths of the noble ones that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the meditative concentrations be apprehended in the meditative concentrations that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the immeasurable attitudes be apprehended in the immeasurable attitudes that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the formless absorptions be apprehended in the formless absorptions that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the liberations be apprehended in the liberations that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the nine serial steps of meditative absorption be apprehended in the serial steps of meditative absorption that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation be apprehended in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the extrasensory powers be apprehended in the extrasensory powers that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the meditative stabilities be apprehended in the meditative stabilities that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the dhāraṇī gateways be apprehended in the dhāraṇī gateways that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled?
“Can the powers of the tathāgatas be apprehended in the powers of the tathāgatas that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the fearlessnesses be apprehended in the fearlessnesses that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the kinds of exact knowledge be apprehended in the kinds of exact knowledge that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can great compassion be apprehended in great compassion that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the eighteen distinct qualities be apprehended in the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas that are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled?
“Can the fruit of having entered the stream be apprehended in the fruit of having entered the stream that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the fruit of once-returner be apprehended in the fruit of once-returner that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the fruit of non-returner be apprehended in the fruit of non-returner that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can arhatship be apprehended in arhatship that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can individual enlightenment be apprehended in individual enlightenment that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can the knowledge of the aspects of the path be apprehended in the knowledge of the aspects of the path that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled? Can all-aspect omniscience be apprehended in all-aspect omniscience that is inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled?”
“They cannot, Blessed Lord,” replied Subhūti.
“So, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “in this way all phenomena are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled. Subhūti, these attributes of the tathāgatas, which the tathāgatas possess, are inconceivable because they are free from conceiving, inestimable because they are free from estimating, immeasurable because they are free from measuring, and equal to the unequaled because they are free from deficiency.
“Subhūti, these attributes of the tathāgatas, which the tathāgatas possess, are inconceivable because they transcend conceiving, inestimable because they transcend estimating, immeasurable because they transcend measuring, and equal to the unequaled because they transcend deficiency.
“Subhūti, these attributes of the tathāgatas, which the tathāgatas possess, are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled. Subhūti, they are inconceivable because space is inconceivable, they are inestimable because space is inestimable, they are immeasurable because space is immeasurable, and they are equal to the unequaled because space is equal to the unequaled. Subhūti, these attributes of the tathāgatas, which the tathāgatas possess, are inconceivable, inestimable, immeasurable, and equal to the unequaled. The world with its gods, humans, and asuras cannot conceive of or estimate them. So it is that the buddhas are immeasurable, and that the attributes of the buddhas are immeasurable.”
While the Blessed One was teaching this “Inconceivable, Inestimable, Immeasurable Tathāgatas, Equal to the Unequaled” chapter in this manner, the minds of five hundred monks without grasping were liberated from contaminants. The minds of two thousand nuns without grasping were liberated from contaminants. Sixty thousand laymen and thirty thousand laywomen developed the dust-free eye of the Dharma, free from stains, and purified with respect to phenomena. Twenty thousand bodhisattvas gained acceptance that phenomena are nonarising and the Blessed One prophesied that they would all become buddhas within this Auspicious Eon.
This completes the thirty-third chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines.”