“And yet, those persons in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas do not know what is far removed and do not know what is beyond, so, because they have not been assisted by the perfection of generosity, have not been assisted by the perfection of ethical discipline, have not been assisted by the perfection of tolerance, have not been assisted by the perfection of perseverance, have not been assisted by the perfection of meditative concentration, and have not been assisted by the perfection of wisdom; have not been assisted by the emptiness of internal phenomena, have not been assisted by the emptiness of external phenomena, have not been assisted by the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, have not been assisted by the emptiness of emptiness, have not been assisted by the emptiness of great extent, have not been assisted by the emptiness of ultimate reality, have not been assisted by the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, have not been assisted by the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, have not been assisted by the emptiness of the unlimited, have not been assisted by the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, have not been assisted by the emptiness of nonexclusion, have not been assisted by the emptiness of inherent nature, have not been assisted by the emptiness of all phenomena, have not been assisted by the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, have not been assisted by the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, have not been assisted by the emptiness of nonentities, have not been assisted by the emptiness of essential nature, and have not been assisted by the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; have not been assisted by the applications of mindfulness, have not been assisted by the correct exertions, have not been assisted by the supports for miraculous ability, have not been assisted by the faculties, have not been assisted by the powers, have not been assisted by the branches of enlightenment, and have not been assisted by the noble eightfold path; have not been assisted by the truths of the noble ones, have not been assisted by the meditative concentrations, have not been assisted by the immeasurable attitudes, have not been assisted by the formless absorptions, have not been assisted by the eight liberations, have not been assisted by the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, have not been assisted by the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, have not been assisted by the extrasensory powers, have not been assisted by the meditative stabilities, and have not been assisted by the dhāraṇī gateways; have not been assisted by the ten powers of the tathāgatas, have not been assisted by the four fearlessnesses, have not been assisted by the four kinds of exact knowledge, have not been assisted by great loving kindness, have not been assisted by great compassion, and have not been assisted by the distinct qualities of the buddhas; and have not been assisted by omniscience, have not been assisted by the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and have not been assisted by all-aspect omniscience, they fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and are not emancipated in all-aspect omniscience.
“Subhūti, if you ask how it is that persons in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas who have been assisted by the perfection of wisdom and by skillful means do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, here, Subhūti, from the beginning, when persons in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas are generous with gifts, they are generous with gifts with a mind that does not descend into ‘me’ and ‘mine.’ When they maintain ethical discipline, they maintain ethical discipline with a mind that does not descend into ‘me’ and ‘mine.’ When they cultivate tolerance, they cultivate tolerance with a mind that does not descend into ‘me’ and ‘mine.’ When they undertake perseverance, they undertake perseverance with a mind that does not descend into ‘me’ and ‘mine.’ When they become absorbed in meditative concentration, they become absorbed in meditative concentration with a mind that does not descend into ‘me’ and ‘mine.’ And when they cultivate wisdom, they cultivate wisdom with a mind that does not descend into ‘me’ and ‘mine.’ They do not think, ‘I am giving gifts; I am giving gifts to them.’ They do not think, ‘I am maintaining ethical discipline; this is the ethical discipline I am maintaining.’ They do not think, ‘I am cultivating tolerance; this is the tolerance I am cultivating.’ They do not think, ‘I am undertaking perseverance; this is the perseverance I am undertaking.’ They do not think, ‘I am absorbed in meditative concentration; these are the meditative concentrations in which I am absorbed.’ They do not think, ‘I am cultivating wisdom; this is the wisdom I am cultivating.’
“So, they do not give rise to the conceit that it is a gift, they do not give rise to the conceit that it is on account of the gift, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am the giver.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that it is ethical discipline, they do not give rise to the conceit that it is on account of the ethical discipline, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am ethical.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that it is tolerance, they do not give rise to conceit that it is on account of tolerance, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am tolerant.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that it is perseverance, they do not give rise to the conceit it is on account of perseverance, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am persevering.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that that they are meditative concentrations, they do not give rise to the conceit it is on account of the meditative concentrations, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am a meditator.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that it is wisdom, they do not give rise to the conceit that it is on account of wisdom, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am wise.’
‘If you ask why, it is because those conceptualizations that give rise to conceit about it are not in the perfection of generosity, because the perfection of generosity is not a perfection. It is because those conceptualizations that give rise to conceit about it are not in the perfection of ethical discipline, because the perfection of ethical discipline is not a perfection. It is because those conceptualizations that give rise to conceit about it are not in the perfection of tolerance, because the perfection of tolerance is not a perfection. It is because those conceptualizations that give rise to conceit about it are not in the perfection of perseverance, because the perfection of perseverance is not a perfection. It is because those conceptualizations that give rise to conceit about it are not in the perfection of meditative concentration, because the perfection of meditative concentration is not a perfection. It is because those conceptualizations that give rise to conceit about it are not in the perfection of wisdom, because the perfection of wisdom is not a perfection. Thus, those persons in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas do know what is far removed and do know what is beyond, but they do not, on that account, give rise to conceits. They are assisted by the perfection of generosity, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the perfection of ethical discipline, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the perfection of tolerance, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the perfection of perseverance, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the perfection of meditative concentration, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by and the perfection of wisdom, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of internal phenomena, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of external phenomena, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of emptiness, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of great extent, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of ultimate reality, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of the unlimited, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of nonexclusion, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of inherent nature, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of all phenomena, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of nonentities, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of essential nature, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the applications of mindfulness, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the correct exertions, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the supports for miraculous ability, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the faculties, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the powers, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the branches of enlightenment, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the noble eightfold path, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the four truths of the noble ones, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the four meditative concentrations, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the four immeasurable attitudes, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the four formless absorptions, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the eight liberations, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the extrasensory powers, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the meditative stabilities, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the dhāraṇī gateways, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the ten powers of the tathāgatas, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the four fearlessnesses, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the four kinds of exact knowledge, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by great loving kindness, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by great compassion, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by omniscience, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by the knowledge of the aspects of the path, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience. They are assisted by all-aspect omniscience, so they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and they establish all-aspect omniscience.
“So it is, Subhūti, that those persons in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas assisted by the perfection of wisdom, assisted by skillful means, assisted by the perfection of meditative concentration, assisted by the perfection of perseverance, assisted by the perfection of tolerance, assisted by the perfection of ethical discipline, and assisted by the perfection of generosity; assisted by the emptiness of internal phenomena, assisted by the emptiness of external phenomena, assisted by the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, assisted by the emptiness of emptiness, assisted by the emptiness of great extent, assisted by the emptiness of ultimate reality, assisted by the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, assisted by the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, assisted by the emptiness of the unlimited, assisted by the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, assisted by the emptiness of nonexclusion, assisted by the emptiness of inherent nature, assisted by the emptiness of all phenomena, assisted by the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, assisted by the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, assisted by the emptiness of nonentities, assisted by the emptiness of essential nature, and assisted by the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; assisted by the applications of mindfulness, assisted by the correct exertions, assisted by the supports for miraculous ability, assisted by the faculties, assisted by the powers, assisted by the branches of enlightenment, and assisted by the noble eightfold path; assisted by the four truths of the noble ones, assisted by the four meditative concentrations, assisted by the four immeasurable attitudes, assisted by the four formless absorptions, assisted by the eight liberations, assisted by the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, assisted by the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, assisted by the extrasensory powers, assisted by the meditative stabilities, and assisted by the dhāraṇī gateways; assisted by the ten powers of the tathāgatas, assisted by the four fearlessnesses, assisted by the four kinds of exact knowledge, assisted by great loving kindness, assisted by great compassion, and assisted by the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and assisted by omniscience, assisted by the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and assisted by all-aspect omniscience do not fall into the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas.
“Subhūti, if you ask how individuals who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas are assisted by skillful means, here, Subhūti, from the beginning, persons in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas are generous with gifts with skillful means, maintain ethical discipline with skillful means, cultivate tolerance with skillful means, undertake perseverance with skillful means, become absorbed in meditative concentration with skillful means, and cultivate wisdom with skillful means. They do not think, ‘I am giving gifts in this manner, these are the gifts I am giving, I am giving gifts to them.’ They do not think, ‘I am maintaining ethical discipline in this manner; this is the ethical discipline I am maintaining.’ They do not think, ‘I am cultivating tolerance in this manner; this is the tolerance I am cultivating.’ They do not think, ‘I am undertaking perseverance in this manner; this is the perseverance I am undertaking.’ They do not think, ‘I am absorbed in meditative concentration in this manner; these are the meditative concentrations in which I am absorbed.’ They do not think, ‘I am cultivating wisdom in this manner; this is the wisdom I am cultivating.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that it is the gift, they do not give rise to the conceit that it is on account of the giving, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am the giver.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that it is ethical discipline, they do not give rise to the conceit that it is on account of the ethical discipline, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am ethical.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that it is tolerance, they do not give rise to conceit that it is on account of tolerance, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am tolerant.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that it is perseverance, they do not give rise to the conceit it is on account of perseverance, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am persevering.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that they are meditative concentrations, they do not give rise to the conceit it is on account of the meditative concentrations, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am a meditator.’ They do not give rise to the conceit that it is wisdom, they do not give rise to the conceit that it is on account of wisdom, and they do not give rise to the conceit ‘I am wise.’
“If you ask why, it is because they do not conceptualize, so those conceptualizations are not in the perfection of generosity. If you ask why, it is because the perfection of generosity is not a perfection. It is because they do not conceptualize, so those conceptualizations are not in the perfection of ethical discipline. If you ask why, it is because the perfection of ethical discipline is not a perfection. It is because they do not conceptualize, so those conceptualizations are not in the perfection of tolerance. If you ask why, it is because the perfection of tolerance is not a perfection. It is because they do not conceptualize, so those conceptualizations are not in the perfection of perseverance. If you ask why, it is because the perfection of perseverance is not a perfection. It is because they do not conceptualize, so those conceptualizations are not in the perfection of meditative concentration. If you ask why, it is because the perfection of meditative concentration is not a perfection. It is because they do not conceptualize, so those conceptualizations are not in the perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, it is because the perfection of wisdom is not a perfection.
“And so, those persons in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas do know what is far removed and do know what is beyond, but do not give rise to conceits on account of that. They have been assisted by the perfection of generosity, have been assisted by the perfection of ethical discipline, have been assisted by the perfection of tolerance, have been assisted by the perfection of perseverance, have been assisted by the perfection of meditative concentration, and have been assisted by the perfection of wisdom; have been assisted by skillful means; have been assisted by the emptiness of internal phenomena, have been assisted by the emptiness of external phenomena, have been assisted by the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, have been assisted by the emptiness of emptiness, have been assisted by the emptiness of great extent, have been assisted by the emptiness of ultimate reality, have been assisted by the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, have been assisted by the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, have been assisted by the emptiness of the unlimited, have been assisted by the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, have been assisted by the emptiness of nonexclusion, have been assisted by the emptiness of inherent nature, have been assisted by the emptiness of all phenomena, have been assisted by the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, have been assisted by the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, have been assisted by the emptiness of nonentities, have been assisted by the emptiness of essential nature, and have been assisted by the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; have been assisted by the applications of mindfulness, have been assisted by the correct exertions, have been assisted by the supports for miraculous ability, have been assisted by the faculties, have been assisted by the powers, have been assisted by the branches of enlightenment, and have been assisted by the noble eightfold path; have been assisted by the four truths of the noble ones, have been assisted by the four meditative concentrations, have been assisted by the four immeasurable attitudes, have been assisted by the four formless absorptions, have been assisted by the eight liberations, have been assisted by the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, have been assisted by the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, have been assisted by the extrasensory powers, have been assisted by the meditative stabilities, and have been assisted by the dhāraṇī gateways; have been assisted by the ten powers of the tathāgatas, have been assisted by the four fearlessnesses, have been assisted by the four kinds of exact knowledge, have been assisted by great loving kindness, have been assisted by great compassion, and have been assisted by the distinct qualities of the buddhas; and have been assisted by omniscience, have been assisted by the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and have been assisted by all-aspect omniscience, for which reason they do not fall into the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and are emancipated in all-aspect omniscience.”
This completes the thirty-fifth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines.”