The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how should bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom become thoroughly habituated to emptiness and how should they become absorbed in the meditative stability of emptiness? How should they become thoroughly habituated to signlessness and how should they become absorbed in the meditative stability of signlessness? How should they become thoroughly habituated to wishlessness and how should they become absorbed in the meditative stability of wishlessness?

“How should they become thoroughly habituated to the applications of mindfulness and how should they cultivate the applications of mindfulness? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the correct exertions and how should they cultivate the correct exertions? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the supports for miraculous ability and how should they cultivate the supports for miraculous ability? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the faculties and how should they cultivate the faculties? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the powers and how should they cultivate the powers? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the branches of enlightenment and how should they cultivate the branches of enlightenment? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the noble eightfold path and how should they cultivate the noble eightfold path?

“How should they become thoroughly habituated to the truths of the noble ones and how should they cultivate the truths of the noble ones? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the meditative concentrations and how should they cultivate the meditative concentrations? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the immeasurable attitudes and how should they cultivate the immeasurable attitudes? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the formless absorptions and how should they cultivate the formless absorptions? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the liberations and how should they cultivate the liberations? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the serial steps of meditative absorption and how should they cultivate the serial steps of meditative absorption? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation and how should they cultivate the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the extrasensory powers and how should they cultivate the extrasensory powers? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the meditative stabilities and how should they cultivate the meditative stabilities? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the dhāraṇī gateways and how should they cultivate the dhāraṇī gateways?

“How should they become thoroughly habituated to the powers of the tathāgatas and how should they cultivate the powers of the tathāgatas? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the fearlessnesses and how should they cultivate the fearlessnesses? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the kinds of exact knowledge and how should they cultivate the kinds of exact knowledge? How should they become thoroughly habituated to great loving kindness and how should they cultivate great loving kindness? How should they become thoroughly habituated to great compassion and how should they cultivate great compassion? How should they become thoroughly habituated to the distinct qualities of the buddhas and how should they cultivate the distinct qualities of the buddhas?”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom should determine¹⁰⁰³ that ‘physical forms are empty,’ should determine that ‘feelings are empty,’ should determine that ‘perceptions are empty,’ should determine that ‘formative predispositions are empty,’ and should determine that ‘consciousness is empty.’ They should determine that ‘the eyes are empty,’ should determine that ‘the ears are empty,’ should determine that ‘the nose is empty,’ should determine that ‘the tongue is empty,’ should determine that ‘the body is empty,’ and should determine that ‘the mental faculty is empty.’ They should determine that ‘sights are empty,’ should determine that ‘sounds are empty,’ should determine that ‘odors are empty,’ should determine that ‘tastes are empty,’ should determine that ‘tangibles are empty,’ and should determine that ‘mental phenomena are empty.’ They should determine that ‘visual consciousness is empty,’ should determine that ‘auditory consciousness is empty,’ should determine that ‘olfactory consciousness is empty,’ should determine that ‘gustatory consciousness is empty,’ should determine that ‘tactile consciousness is empty,’ and should determine that ‘mental consciousness is empty.’ They should determine that ‘visually compounded sensory contact is empty,’ should determine that ‘aurally compounded sensory contact is empty,’ should determine that ‘nasally compounded sensory contact are empty,’ should determine that ‘lingually compounded sensory contact is empty,’ should determine that ‘corporeally compounded sensory contact is empty,’ and should determine that ‘mentally compounded sensory contact is empty.’ They should determine that ‘feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact are empty,’ should determine that ‘feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact are empty,’ should determine that ‘feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact are empty,’ should determine that ‘feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact are empty,’ should determine that ‘feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact are empty,’ and should determine that ‘feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact are empty.’ They should determine that ‘the earth element is empty,’ should determine that ‘the water element is empty,’ should determine that ‘the fire element is empty,’ should determine that ‘the wind element is empty,’ should determine that ‘the space element is empty,’ and should determine that ‘the consciousness element is empty.’ They should determine that ‘ignorance is empty,’ should determine that ‘formative predispositions are empty,’ should determine that ‘consciousness is empty,’ should determine that ‘name and form are empty,’ should determine that ‘the six sense fields are empty,’ should determine that ‘sensory contact is empty,’ should determine that ‘sensation is empty,’ should determine that ‘craving is empty,’ should determine that ‘grasping is empty,’ should determine that ‘the rebirth process is empty,’ should determine that ‘birth is empty,’ and should determine that ‘aging and death are empty.’ They should determine that ‘the perfection of generosity is empty,’ should determine that ‘the perfection of ethical discipline is empty,’ should determine that ‘the perfection of tolerance is empty,’ should determine that ‘the perfection of perseverance is empty,’ should determine that ‘the perfection of meditative concentration is empty,’ and should determine that ‘the perfection of wisdom is empty.’ They should determine that ‘the emptiness of internal phenomena is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of external phenomena is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of emptiness is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of great extent is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of ultimate reality is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of conditioned phenomena is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of the unlimited is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of nonexclusion is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of inherent nature is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of all phenomena is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of nonentities is empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness of essential nature is empty,’ and should determine that ‘the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is empty.’ They should determine that ‘the applications of mindfulness are empty,’ should determine that ‘the correct exertions are empty,’ should determine that ‘the supports for miraculous ability are empty,’ should determine that ‘the faculties are empty,’ should determine that ‘the powers are empty,’ should determine that ‘the branches of enlightenment are empty,’ and should determine that ‘the noble eightfold path is empty.’ They should determine that ‘the truths of the noble ones are empty,’ should determine that ‘the meditative concentrations are empty,’ should determine that ‘the immeasurable attitudes are empty,’ should determine that ‘the formless absorptions are empty,’ should determine that ‘the liberations are empty,’ should determine that ‘the serial steps of meditative absorption are empty,’ should determine that ‘the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are empty,’ should determine that ‘the extrasensory powers are empty,’ should determine that ‘the meditative stabilities are empty,’ and should determine that ‘the dhāraṇī gateways are empty.’ They should determine that ‘the powers of the tathāgatas are empty,’ should determine that ‘the fearlessnesses are empty,’ should determine that ‘the kinds of exact knowledge are empty,’ should determine that ‘great loving kindness is empty,’ should determine that ‘great compassion is empty,’ and should determine that ‘the distinct qualities of the buddhas are empty.’ They should determine that ‘the realm of desire is empty,’ should determine that ‘the realm of form is empty,’ and should determine that ‘the realm of formlessness is empty.’

“Furthermore, one way or the other, when they have made such a determination, they should do so without the mind becoming distracted. Those endowed with a mind that is not distracted do not observe those phenomena, and those who do not observe those phenomena do not realize them. If you ask why, it is because those bodhisattva great beings will have trained in all phenomena, which are empty of their own defining characteristics. They do not delimit¹⁰⁰⁴ any phenomenon. They do not observe anything that realizes, anything that is realized, or anything by which realization takes place.”

Subhūti asked, “In regard to what the Blessed One said, that ‘bodhisattva great beings should not realize phenomena, which are empty,’ how, Blessed Lord, should bodhisattva great beings dwelling in emptiness not realize emptiness?”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings determine emptiness endowed with all the finest aspects, they do not think, ‘I am not realizing. I should realize.’ They do not think, ‘It should be realized.’ Rather, they think, ‘I should become thoroughly habituated,’ and think, ‘This is the time for thorough habituation, but this is not the time for realization.’ Bodhisattva great beings, when not in a state of absorption, bind their minds to a focal object and in the interim they do not lapse from the factors conducive to enlightenment, which is to say, they do not realize the attainment of the cessation of contaminants. If you ask why, it is because bodhisattva great beings are endowed with such an extensive transcendent knowledge that they dwell in the factors conducive to enlightenment and determine accordingly, ‘This is the time for thorough habituation; this is not the time for realization.’

“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom should determine, ‘This is the time for the perfection of generosity. This is the time for the perfection of ethical discipline. This is the time for the perfection of tolerance. This is the time for the perfection of perseverance. This is the time for the perfection of meditative concentration. This is the time for the perfection of wisdom. This is the time for cultivating the applications of mindfulness. This is the time for cultivating the correct exertions. This is the time for cultivating the supports for miraculous ability. This is the time for cultivating the faculties. This is the time for cultivating the powers. This is the time for cultivating the branches of enlightenment. This is the time for cultivating the noble eightfold path. This is the time for cultivating the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation. This is the time for acquiring the extrasensory powers. This is the time for acquiring the meditative stabilities. This is the time for acquiring the dhāraṇī gateways. This is the time for acquiring the ten powers of the tathāgatas. This is the time for acquiring the four fearlessnesses. This is the time for acquiring the four kinds of exact knowledge. This is the time for acquiring the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. This is the time for acquiring great loving kindness. This is the time for acquiring great compassion. However, this is not the time for realizing the fruit of having entered the stream. This is not the time for realizing the fruit of once-returner. This is not the time for realizing the fruit of non-returner. This is not the time for realizing the fruit of an arhat. This is not the time for realizing the transcendent knowledge of a pratyekabuddha. This is the time for acquiring all-aspect omniscience and not relinquishing it.’¹⁰⁰⁵

“Therefore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom accordingly, they thoroughly habituate to emptiness and practice¹⁰⁰⁶ with emptiness; thoroughly habituate to signlessness and practice with signlessness; and thoroughly habituate to wishlessness and practice with wishlessness. They cultivate the applications of mindfulness and practice with the applications of mindfulness; cultivate the correct exertions and practice with the correct exertions; cultivate the supports for miraculous ability and practice with the supports for miraculous ability; cultivate the faculties and practice with the faculties; cultivate the powers and practice with the powers; and cultivate the branches of enlightenment and practice with the branches of enlightenment. They cultivate the noble eightfold path, yet do not realize it.

“So it is, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings thoroughly habituate to the factors conducive to enlightenment, cultivate the factors conducive to enlightenment, and practice with the factors conducive to enlightenment, but do not realize the fruit of having entered the stream, do not realize the fruit of once-returner, do not realize the fruit of non-returner, do not realize arhatship, and do not realize individual enlightenment.

“As an analogy, Subhūti, suppose there is a heroic man, courageous, steadfast, of fine physique, handsome, beautiful to behold, endowed with the radiance of the finest clear color,¹⁰⁰⁷ well trained in archery, a handler of sharp weapons, perfected all the sixty-four crafts, with full mastery over all the arts and fields of activity, pleasing to many people, and congenial, who gains great rewards from whatever work he undertakes and with those rewards honors, venerates, respects, and makes offerings to many people. They greatly rejoice, are happy and joyful, and are cheerful. Then, for some purpose he takes his parents, child, and wife into a hair-raising wilderness where childlike persons are afraid. That man, having gone there with his parents, child, and wife, gives them protection from fear, saying, ‘Do not fear, do not be afraid, I will swiftly get you out and swiftly release you from this fearful and formidable wilderness.’ Even if murderous enemies and many assailants were to harass him in that wilderness, he, being endowed with the supreme power of wisdom, would easily and without affliction lead his parents, child, and wife from that wilderness and free them, getting them back to a village, city, market town, or inhabited district, unharmed and uninjured. He would feel joyful and comfortable, and he would not let enmity toward those beings who were enemies and assailants arise in his mind. If you ask why, it is because that man has mastered all the crafts, in consequence of which he can in that wilderness conjure other assault forces that are for the most part more numerous, more heroic, and better armed than those assailants. All those assailants would disappear out of fear, and that man, having released his parents, child, and wife without affliction, would then dwell at ease.

“Similarly, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings dwell imbued¹⁰⁰⁸ with a mind focused on loving kindness, with a mind focused on compassion, with a mind focused on empathetic joy, and with a mind focused on equanimity toward all beings, at that time those bodhisattva great beings, dwelling in the four immeasurable attitudes, complete the six perfections. After completing these, while not attaining the cessation of contaminants, they habituate themselves to all-aspect omniscience. While dwelling in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation they habituate themselves to all-aspect omniscience. At that time bodhisattva great beings neither practice with mental images, nor do they realize the meditative stability of signlessness, which, were they to have realized it, would have caused them to dwell on the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas.

“As an analogy, Subhūti, a bird moves through the air and does not fall to the ground. It dwells in the air or in the sky but does not stand in them. Similarly, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings habituate themselves to emptiness and also practice emptiness, they habituate themselves to signlessness and to wishlessness and also practice signlessness and wishlessness, but they do not realize that emptiness, signlessness, or wishlessness, which, were they to realize them, would cause them to fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas, without completing the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. They practice the immeasurable qualities of the buddhas and attain all-aspect omniscience.

“As an analogy, Subhūti, there is a powerful man who is a master of archery, extremely well trained in archery. By shooting an arrow into the sky, and having shot that arrow, then shooting a succession of other arrows, one after another, he prevents that first arrow from falling to the ground. As long as that person does not make the wish, ‘Now let that arrow fall to the ground,’ for that long it will not fall to the ground. But when he ceases to shoot the subsequent arrows, the arrows all fall to the ground in succession, one after the other.

“It is similar, Subhūti, with bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom assisted by skill in means‍—as long as the roots of virtue have not yet come to maturity in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, for that long they do not realize the supreme limit of reality.¹⁰⁰⁹ But when those roots of virtue have come to maturity in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, they do realize the supreme limit of reality. Therefore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom should investigate in that manner the reality of phenomena as it pertains to those phenomena.”

Subhūti said, “Blessed Lord, that bodhisattva great beings train in the reality of phenomena, train in the very limit of reality, train in the real nature, train in the realm of phenomena, train in the emptiness of the unlimited, train in the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, train in the emptiness of nonexclusion, train in the emptiness of inherent nature, train in the emptiness of all phenomena, train in the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, and train in the three gateways to liberation, but without in the interim lapsing from unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, is the difficult task. How wonderful it is, Blessed Lord. It is most amazing, Sugata.”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “this is because bodhisattva great beings have not forsaken any beings. Subhūti, the special form of their aspiration is that those bodhisattva great beings have not forsaken any beings. Subhūti, one should know that bodhisattva great beings accomplish that sort of mind, thinking, ‘I will not forsake any beings. I will free those who maintain doctrines that are not good,’ and that when the bodhisattva great beings endowed with skillful means accomplish the meditative stability of the emptiness gateway to liberation, accomplish the meditative stability of the signlessness gateway to liberation, and accomplish the meditative stability of the wishlessness gateway to liberation, at that time, in the interim until they have attained all-aspect omniscience, they do not realize the very limit of reality.

“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings seek to determine those profound states, namely, the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, the emptiness of great extent, the emptiness of ultimate reality, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the unlimited, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the emptiness of nonexclusion, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of nonentities, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities, 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 three gateways to liberation. When they do so they will accomplish the mind [set on enlightenment], thinking, ‘I will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and teach the Dharma in order that these beings who, over a long period of time, practice with an apprehension of things because of the notion of a self, the notion of a being, the notion of a life, the notion of one who goes, the notion of one who lives, the notion of a person, the notion of an individual, the notion of one born of Manu, the notion of a child of Manu, the notion of an agent, the notion of an experiencer, the notion of a knower, and the notion of a viewer might abandon their apprehending.’ At that time, even though the bodhisattva great beings are absorbed in the meditative stabilities on the emptiness, the signlessness, and the wishlessness gateways to liberation, they do not realize the very limit of reality, which, were they to have realized it, would have led to the attainment of the fruit of having entered the stream, the attainment of the fruit of once-returner, the attainment of the fruit of non-returner, the attainment of arhatship, or the attainment of individual enlightenment.

“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings endowed in that manner with that setting of the mind, those roots of virtue, and skillful means¹⁰¹⁰ also do not, in the interim, realize the very limit of reality, nor do they become deficient in the perfection of generosity, or become deficient in the perfection of ethical discipline, or become deficient in the perfection of tolerance, or become deficient in the perfection of perseverance, or become deficient in the perfection of meditative concentration, or become deficient in the perfection of wisdom; nor do they become deficient in the emptiness of internal phenomena, or become deficient in the emptiness of external phenomena, or become deficient in the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, or become deficient in the emptiness of emptiness, or become deficient in the emptiness of great extent, or become deficient in the emptiness of ultimate reality, or become deficient in the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, or become deficient in the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, or become deficient in the emptiness of the unlimited, or become deficient in the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, or become deficient in the emptiness of nonexclusion, or become deficient in the emptiness of inherent nature, or become deficient in the emptiness of all phenomena, or become deficient in the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, or become deficient in the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, or become deficient in the emptiness of nonentities, or become deficient in the emptiness of essential nature, or become deficient in the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; nor do they become deficient in the four applications of mindfulness, or become deficient in the four correct exertions, or become deficient in the four supports for miraculous ability, or become deficient in the five faculties, or become deficient in the five powers, or become deficient in the seven branches of enlightenment, or become deficient in the noble eightfold path; nor do they become deficient in the four truths of the noble ones, or become deficient in the four meditative concentrations, or become deficient in the four immeasurable attitudes, or become deficient in the four formless absorptions, or become deficient in the eight liberations, or become deficient in the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, or become deficient in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, or become deficient in the extrasensory powers, or become deficient in the meditative stabilities, or become deficient in the dhāraṇī gateways; nor do they become deficient in the ten powers of the tathāgatas, or become deficient in the four fearlessnesses, or become deficient in the four kinds of exact knowledge, or become deficient in great loving kindness, or become deficient in great compassion, or become deficient in the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, or become deficient in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

“Therefore, Subhūti, at that time bodhisattva great beings are endowed with the factors conducive to enlightenment, and they are not deficient in them until they have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. Those bodhisattva great beings who have been assisted by skillful means are enhanced by those virtuous attributes, and their sense faculties become keener, unlike the sense faculties of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.

“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings think, ‘For a long period of time these beings practicing with the four misconceptions have been practicing with the notion of “permanence,” with the notion of “happiness,” with the notion of “self,” and with the notion of “pleasant,” so I will practice for enlightenment for them. When I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, by whatever means I will teach them the Dharma without the habitual ideas of “permanence,” “happiness,” “self,” and “pleasant.” ’ Endowed with those sorts of setting of the mind, with skillful means they practice the perfection of wisdom and do not realize the very limit of reality until they have completed the ten powers of the tathāgatas, have completed the four fearlessnesses, have completed the four kinds of exact knowledge, have completed the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, have completed great loving kindness, and have completed great compassion. At that time, the bodhisattva great beings are absorbed in the meditative stabilities on the emptiness, the signlessness, and the wishlessness gateways of liberation, but they do not realize the very limit of reality until they have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

“Moreover, Subhūti, the bodhisattva great beings think, ‘For a long period of time these beings practice with an apprehension of things, practicing with an apprehension of “the self,” “a being,” “a life,” “one who goes,” “one who lives,” “a person,” “an individual,” “one born of Manu,” “a child of Manu,” “an agent, “an experiencer,” “a knower,” or “a viewer”; of “physical forms,” “feelings,” “perceptions,” “formative predispositions,” or “consciousness”; of “the eyes,” “the ears,” “the nose,” “the tongue,” “the body,” or “the mental faculty”; of “sights,” “sounds,” “odors,” “tastes,” “tangibles,” or “mental phenomena”; of “visual consciousness,” “auditory consciousness,” “olfactory consciousness,” “gustatory consciousness,” “tactile consciousness,” or “mental consciousness”; of “visually compounded sensory contact,” “aurally compounded sensory contact,” “nasally compounded sensory contact,” “lingually compounded sensory contact,” “corporeally compounded sensory contact,” or “mentally compounded sensory contact”; of “feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact,” “feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact,” “feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact,” “feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact,” “feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact,” or “feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact”; of “the earth element,” “the water element,” “the fire element,” “the wind element,” “the space element,” or “the consciousness element”; of “ignorance,” “formative predispositions,” “consciousness,” “name and form,” “the six sense fields,” “sensory contact,” “sensation,” “craving,” “grasping,” “the rebirth process,” “birth,” or “aging and death”; of “the perfection of generosity,” “the perfection of ethical discipline,” “the perfection of tolerance,” “the perfection of perseverance,” “the perfection of meditative concentration,” or “the perfection of wisdom”; of “the emptiness of internal phenomena,” “the emptiness of external phenomena,” “the emptiness of external and internal phenomena,” “the emptiness of emptiness,” “the emptiness of great extent,” “the emptiness of ultimate reality,” “the emptiness of conditioned phenomena,” “the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena,” “the emptiness of the unlimited,” “the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end,” “the emptiness of nonexclusion,” “the emptiness of inherent nature,” “the emptiness of all phenomena,” “the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics,” “the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended,” “the emptiness of nonentities,” “the emptiness of essential nature,” or “the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities”; of “the applications of mindfulness,” “the correct exertions,” “the supports for miraculous ability,” “the faculties,” “the powers,” “the branches of enlightenment,” or “the noble eightfold path”; of “the truths of the noble ones,” “the meditative concentrations,” “the immeasurable attitudes,” “the formless absorptions,” “the liberations,” “the serial steps of meditative absorption,” “the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation,” “the extrasensory powers,” “the meditative stabilities,” or “the dhāraṇī gateways”; or of “the powers of the tathāgatas,” “the fearlessnesses,” “the kinds of exact knowledge,” “great loving kindness,” “great compassion,” or “the distinct qualities of the buddhas.” Therefore, for them, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment I will ensure these faults of beings who apprehend things are eliminated.’ Since they are endowed with those sorts of setting of the mind, and practice the perfection of wisdom with skillful means, they do not realize the very limit of reality until they have completed the ten powers of the tathāgatas, have completed the four fearlessnesses, have completed the four kinds of exact knowledge, have completed the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, have completed great loving kindness, and have completed great compassion. At that time, the bodhisattva great beings complete the cultivation of the meditative stabilities on the emptiness, the signlessness, and the wishlessness gateways to liberation.

“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they think, ‘For a long period of time these beings practice with mental images, practicing with the mental image of a woman or the mental image of a man; or the mental image of physical forms, or the mental image of feelings, or the mental image of perceptions, or the mental image of formative predispositions, or the mental image of consciousness; or the mental image of the eyes, or the mental image of the ears, or the mental image of the nose, or the mental image of the tongue, or the mental image of the body, or the mental image of the mental faculty; or the mental image of sights, or the mental image of sounds, or the mental image of odors, or the mental image of tastes, or the mental image of tangibles, or the mental image of mental phenomena; or the mental image of visual consciousness, or the mental image of auditory consciousness, or the mental image of olfactory consciousness, or the mental image of gustatory consciousness, or the mental image of tactile consciousness, or the mental image of mental consciousness; or the mental image of visually compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of aurally compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of nasally compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of lingually compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of corporeally compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of mentally compounded sensory contact; or the mental image of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, or the mental image of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; or the mental image of the earth element, or the mental image of the water element, or the mental image of the fire element, or the mental image of the wind element, or the mental image of the space element, or the mental image of the consciousness element; or the mental image of ignorance, or the mental image of formative predispositions, or the mental image of consciousness, or the mental image of name and form, or the mental image of the six sense fields, or the mental image of sensory contact, or the mental image of sensation, or the mental image of craving, or the mental image of grasping, or the mental image of the rebirth process, or the mental image of birth, or the mental image of aging and death; or the mental image of the perfection of generosity, or the mental image of the perfection of ethical discipline, or the mental image of the perfection of tolerance, or the mental image of the perfection of perseverance, or the mental image of the perfection of meditative concentration, or the mental image of the perfection of wisdom; or the mental image of the emptiness of internal phenomena, or the mental image of the emptiness of external phenomena, or the mental image of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, or the mental image of the emptiness of emptiness, or the mental image of the emptiness of great extent, or the mental image of the emptiness of ultimate reality, or the mental image of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, or the mental image of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, or the mental image of the emptiness of the unlimited, or the mental image of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, or the mental image of the emptiness of nonexclusion, or the mental image of the emptiness of inherent nature, or the mental image of the emptiness of all phenomena, or the mental image of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, or the mental image of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, or the mental image of the emptiness of nonentities, or the mental image of the emptiness of essential nature, or the mental image of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; or the mental image of the applications of mindfulness, or the mental image of the correct exertions, or the mental image of the supports for miraculous ability, or the mental image of the faculties, or the mental image of the powers, or the mental image of the branches of enlightenment, or the mental image of the noble eightfold path; or the mental image of the truths of the noble ones, or the mental image of the meditative concentrations, or the mental image of the immeasurable attitudes, or the mental image of the formless absorptions, or the mental image of the liberations, or the mental image of the serial steps of meditative absorption, or the mental image of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, or the mental image of the extrasensory powers, or the mental image of the meditative stabilities, or the mental image of the dhāraṇī gateways; or the mental image of the powers of the tathāgatas, or the mental image of the fearlessnesses, or the mental image of the kinds of exact knowledge, or the mental image of great loving kindness, or the mental image of great compassion, or the mental image of the distinct qualities of the buddhas; or the mental image of the fruit of having entered the stream, or the mental image of the fruit of once-returner, or the mental image of the fruit of non-returner, or the mental image of arhatship, or the mental image of individual enlightenment, or the mental image of the knowledge of the aspects of the path, or the mental image of all-aspect omniscience. Therefore, for them, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment I will ensure these faults of beings are eliminated.’ Since they are endowed with those sorts of setting of the mind, and practice the perfection of wisdom with skillful means, they do not realize the very limit of reality until they have completed the ten powers of the tathāgatas, have completed the four fearlessnesses, have completed the four kinds of exact knowledge, have completed the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, have completed great loving kindness, and have completed great compassion. At that time, the bodhisattva great beings complete the cultivation of the meditative stabilities on the emptiness, the signlessness, and the wishlessness gateways to liberation.

Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they think, ‘For a long period of time these beings practice with wishes. While practicing they long to be Śakra, to be Brahmā, to be a guardian of the world, or to be a wheel-turning emperor; they long for physical forms, they long for feelings, they long for perceptions, they long for formative predispositions, and they long for consciousness; they long for the eyes, they long for the ears, they long for the nose, they long for the tongue, they long for the body, and they long for the mental faculty; they long for sights, they long for sounds, they long for odors, they long for tastes, they long for tangibles, and they long for mental phenomena; they long for visual consciousness, they long for auditory consciousness, they long for olfactory consciousness, they long for gustatory consciousness, they long for tactile consciousness, and they long for mental consciousness; they long for visually compounded sensory contact, they long for aurally compounded sensory contact, they long for nasally compounded sensory contact, they long for lingually compounded sensory contact, they long for corporeally compounded sensory contact, and they long for mentally compounded sensory contact; they long for feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, they long for feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, they long for feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, they long for feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, they long for feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and they long for feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; they long for the earth element, they long for the water element, they long for the fire element, they long for the wind element, they long for the space element, and they long for the consciousness element; they long for ignorance, they long for formative predispositions, they long for consciousness, they long for name and form, they long for the six sense fields, they long for sensory contact, they long for sensation, they long for craving, they long for grasping, they long for the rebirth process, they long for birth, and they long for aging and death; they long for the perfection of generosity, they long for the perfection of ethical discipline, they long for the perfection of tolerance, they long for the perfection of perseverance, they long for the perfection of meditative concentration, and they long for the perfection of wisdom; they long for the emptiness of internal phenomena, they long for the emptiness of external phenomena, they long for the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, they long for the emptiness of emptiness, they long for the emptiness of great extent, they long for the emptiness of ultimate reality, they long for the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, they long for the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, they long for the emptiness of the unlimited, they long for the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, they long for the emptiness of nonexclusion, they long for the emptiness of inherent nature, they long for the emptiness of all phenomena, they long for the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, they long for the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, they long for the emptiness of nonentities, they long for the emptiness of essential nature, and they long for the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; they long for the applications of mindfulness, they long for the correct exertions, they long for the supports for miraculous ability, they long for the faculties, they long for the powers, they long for the branches of enlightenment, and they long for the noble eightfold path; they long for the truths of the noble ones, they long for the meditative concentrations, they long for the immeasurable attitudes, they long for the formless absorptions, they long for the liberations, they long for the serial steps of meditative absorption, they long for the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, they long for the extrasensory powers, they long for the meditative stabilities, and they long for the dhāraṇī gateways; they long for the powers of the tathāgatas, they long for the fearlessnesses, they long for the kinds of exact knowledge, they long for great loving kindness, they long for great compassion, and they long for the distinct qualities of the buddhas; and they long for the fruit of having entered the stream, they long for the fruit of once-returner, they long for the fruit of non-returner, they long for arhatship, they long for individual enlightenment, they long for the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and they long for all-aspect omniscience. Therefore, on their behalf, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, I will teach the Dharma so that by whatever means I will ensure that these faults of beings who wish for things are eliminated.’ Subhūti, since in that manner those bodhisattva great beings are endowed with those settings of the mind, and practice the perfection of wisdom with skillful means, they complete the cultivation of the meditative stabilities on the emptiness, the signlessness, and the wishlessness gateways to liberation, but they do not realize the very limit of reality until they have completed the ten powers of the tathāgatas, have completed the four fearlessnesses, have completed the four kinds of exact knowledge, have completed the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, have completed great loving kindness, have completed great compassion, and have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.