“Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the perfection of generosity, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because a perfection of generosity is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the perfection of ethical discipline, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because a perfection of ethical discipline is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the perfection of tolerance, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because a perfection of tolerance is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the perfection of perseverance, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because a perfection of perseverance is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the perfection of meditative concentration, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because a perfection of meditative concentration is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the perfection of wisdom, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because a perfection of wisdom is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming?
“Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of internal phenomena, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of internal phenomena is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of external phenomena, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of external phenomena is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of external and internal phenomena is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of emptiness, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of emptiness is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of great extent, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of great extent is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of ultimate reality, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of ultimate reality is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of conditioned phenomena is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of the unlimited, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of the unlimited is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of nonexclusion, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of nonexclusion is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of inherent nature, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of inherent nature is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of all phenomena, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of all phenomena is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of nonentities, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of nonentities is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of essential nature, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of essential nature is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because an emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming?
“Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of an application of mindfulness, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the applications of mindfulness are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a correct exertion, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the correct exertions are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a support for miraculous ability, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the supports for miraculous ability are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a faculty, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the faculties are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a power, and it does not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the powers are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a branch of enlightenment, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the branches of enlightenment are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the noble eightfold path, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the noble eightfold path is absolutely not apprehended, so how could it have a going or coming?
“Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a truth of the noble ones, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the truths of the noble ones are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a meditative concentration, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the meditative concentrations are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of an immeasurable attitude, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the immeasurable attitudes are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a formless absorption, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the formless absorptions are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a liberation, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the eight liberations are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a serial step of meditative absorption, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the nine serial steps of meditative absorption are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of an emptiness, signlessness, or wishlessness gateway to liberation, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of an extrasensory power, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the extrasensory powers are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a meditative stability, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the meditative stabilities are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a dhāraṇī gateway, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the dhāraṇī gateways are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming?
“Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a power of the tathāgatas, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the ten powers of the tathāgatas are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a fearlessness, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the four fearlessnesses are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a kind of exact knowledge, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the four kinds of exact knowledge are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of great loving kindness, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because great loving kindness is absolutely not apprehended, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of great compassion, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because great compassion is absolutely not apprehended, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of a distinct quality of the buddhas, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the distinct qualities of the buddhas are absolutely not apprehended, so how could they have a going or coming?
“Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the fruit of having entered the stream, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because a fruit of having entered the stream is absolutely not apprehended, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the fruit of once-returner, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because a fruit of once-returner is absolutely not apprehended, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of the fruit of non-returner, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because a fruit of non-returner is absolutely not apprehended, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of arhatship, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because arhatship is absolutely not apprehended, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of individual enlightenment, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because individual enlightenment is absolutely not apprehended, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment is absolutely not apprehended, so how could it have a going or coming? Subhūti, all phenomena are of the nature of all-aspect omniscience, and they do not go beyond that way of being. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because all-aspect omniscience is absolutely nonexistent, so how could it have a going or coming?”
“Blessed Lord, who will resolutely believe in such a profound perfection of wisdom?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “those bodhisattva great beings who have practiced for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment in the presence of the lord buddhas of the past, have ripened the roots of virtue, have served many buddhas, and have been assisted by spiritual mentors will resolutely believe in this profound perfection of wisdom.”
Subhūti then asked, “Blessed Lord, what will be the nature of those bodhisattva great beings who will resolutely believe in this profound perfection of wisdom? What will be their indications, signs, and characters?”951
This completes the thirty-sixth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines.”