“How should they train in the emptiness of internal phenomena without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of external phenomena without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of external and internal phenomena without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of emptiness without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of great extent without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of ultimate reality without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of conditioned phenomena without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of the unlimited without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of nonexclusion without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of inherent nature without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of all phenomena without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of nonentities without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of essential nature without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities without subtraction or addition?
“How should they train in the applications of mindfulness without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the correct exertions without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the supports for miraculous ability without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the faculties without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the powers without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the branches of enlightenment without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the noble eightfold path without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the truths of the noble ones without subtraction or addition?
“How should they train in the meditative concentrations without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the immeasurable attitudes without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the formless absorptions without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the eight liberations without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the nine serial steps of meditative absorption without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the extrasensory powers without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the meditative stabilities without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the dhāraṇī gateways without subtraction or addition?
“How should they train in the ten powers of the tathāgatas without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the four fearlessnesses without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the four kinds of exact knowledge without subtraction or addition? How should they train in great loving kindness without subtraction or addition? How should they train in great compassion without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas without subtraction or addition?
“How should they train in the fruit of having entered the stream without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the fruit of once-returner without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the fruit of non-returner without subtraction or addition? How should they train in arhatship without subtraction or addition? How should they train in individual enlightenment without subtraction or addition? How should they train in the knowledge of the aspects of the path without subtraction or addition? How should they train in all-aspect omniscience without subtraction or addition?”
“They should train in nonarising and nonceasing,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, how should they train in nonarising and nonceasing?” asked Subhūti.
“They should train in cultivating, or not cultivating, conditioned things as nonconditioning,”1112 replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, how should they train in nonconditioning?” asked Subhūti.
“They should train in nonconditioning by seeing that all phenomena are empty of their own defining characteristics,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, how should they see that all phenomena are empty of their own defining characteristics?” asked Subhūti.
The Blessed One replied, “They should see that physical forms are empty of physical forms, should see that feelings are empty of feelings, should see that perceptions are empty of perceptions, should see that formative predispositions are empty of formative predispositions, and should see that consciousness is empty of consciousness; they should see that the eyes are empty of the eyes, should see that the ears are empty of the ears, should see that the nose is empty of the nose, should see that the tongue is empty of the tongue, should see that the body is empty of the body, and should see that the mental faculty is empty of the mental faculty; they should see that sights are empty of sights, should see that sounds are empty of sounds, should see that odors are empty of odors, should see that tastes are empty of tastes, should see that tangibles are empty of tangibles, and should see that mental phenomena are empty of mental phenomena; they should see that visual consciousness is empty of visual consciousness, should see that auditory consciousness is empty of auditory consciousness, should see that olfactory consciousness is empty of olfactory consciousness, should see that gustatory consciousness is empty of gustatory consciousness, should see that tactile consciousness is empty of tactile consciousness, and should see that mental consciousness is empty of mental consciousness; they should see that visually compounded sensory contact is empty of visually compounded sensory contact, should see that aurally compounded sensory contact is empty of aurally compounded sensory contact, should see that nasally compounded sensory contact is empty of nasally compounded sensory contact, should see that lingually compounded sensory contact is empty of lingually compounded sensory contact, should see that corporeally compounded sensory contact is empty of corporeally compounded sensory contact, and should see that mentally compounded sensory contact is empty of mentally compounded sensory contact; they should see that feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, should see that feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, should see that feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, should see that feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, should see that feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and should see that feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; they should see that the earth element is empty of the earth element, should see that the water element is empty of the water element, should see that the fire element is empty of the fire element, should see that the wind element is empty of the wind element, should see that the space element is empty of the space element, and should see that the consciousness element is empty of the consciousness element; they should see that ignorance is empty of ignorance, should see that formative predispositions are empty of formative predispositions, should see that consciousness is empty of consciousness, should see that name and form are empty of name and form, should see that the six sense fields are empty of the six sense fields, should see that sensory contact is empty of sensory contact, should see that sensation is empty of sensation, should see that craving is empty of craving, should see that grasping is empty of grasping, should see that the rebirth process is empty of the rebirth process, should see that birth is empty of birth, and should see that aging and death are empty of aging and death; they should see that the perfection of generosity is empty of the perfection of generosity, should see that the perfection of ethical discipline is empty of the perfection of ethical discipline, should see that the perfection of tolerance is empty of the perfection of tolerance, should see that the perfection of perseverance is empty of the perfection of perseverance, should see that the perfection of meditative concentration is empty of the perfection of meditative concentration, and should see that the perfection of wisdom is empty of the perfection of wisdom; they should see that the emptiness of internal phenomena is empty of the emptiness of internal phenomena, should see that the emptiness of external phenomena is empty of the emptiness of external phenomena, should see that the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is empty of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, should see that the emptiness of emptiness is empty of the emptiness of emptiness, should see that the emptiness of great extent is empty of the emptiness of great extent, should see that the emptiness of ultimate reality is empty of the emptiness of ultimate reality, should see that the emptiness of conditioned phenomena is empty of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, should see that the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is empty of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, should see that the emptiness of the unlimited is empty of the emptiness of the unlimited, should see that the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is empty of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, should see that the emptiness of nonexclusion is empty of the emptiness of nonexclusion, should see that the emptiness of inherent existence is empty of the emptiness of inherent existence, should see that the emptiness of all phenomena is empty of the emptiness of all phenomena, should see that the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is empty of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, should see that the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is empty of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, should see that the emptiness of nonentities is empty of the emptiness of nonentities, should see that the emptiness of essential nature is empty of the emptiness of essential nature, and should see that the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is empty of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; they should see that the applications of mindfulness are empty of the applications of mindfulness, should see that the correct exertions are empty of the correct exertions, should see that the supports for miraculous ability are empty of the supports for miraculous ability, should see that the faculties are empty of the faculties, should see that the powers are empty of the powers, should see that the branches of enlightenment are empty of the branches of enlightenment, and should see that the noble eightfold path is empty of the noble eightfold path; they should see that the truths of the noble ones are empty of the truths of the noble ones, should see that the meditative concentrations are empty of the meditative concentrations, should see that the immeasurable attitudes are empty of the immeasurable attitudes, should see that the formless absorptions are empty of the formless absorptions, should see that the eight liberations are empty of the eight liberations, should see that the nine serial steps of meditative absorption are empty of the serial steps of meditative absorption, should see that the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are empty of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, should see that the extrasensory powers are empty of the extrasensory powers, should see that the meditative stabilities are empty of the meditative stabilities, and should see that the dhāraṇī gateways are empty of the dhāraṇī gateways; they should see that the ten powers of the tathāgatas are empty of the powers of the tathāgatas, should see that the four fearlessnesses are empty of the fearlessnesses, should see that the four kinds of exact knowledge empty of the kinds of exact knowledge, should see that great loving kindness is empty of great loving kindness, should see that great compassion is empty of great compassion, and should see that the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are empty of the distinct qualities of the buddhas; and they should see that the fruit of having entered the stream is empty of the fruit of having entered the stream, should see that the fruit of once-returner is empty of the fruit of once-returner, should see that the fruit of non-returner is empty of the fruit of non-returner, should see that arhatship is empty of arhatship, should see that individual enlightenment is empty of individual enlightenment, should see that the knowledge of the aspects of the path is empty of the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and should see that unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment is empty of unsurpassed enlightenment.
“Subhūti, in that manner, bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom should train in all phenomena as being empty of their own defining characteristics.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if in this way physical forms are empty of physical forms, feelings are empty of feelings, perceptions are empty of perceptions, formative predispositions are empty of formative predispositions, and consciousness is empty of consciousness; the eyes are empty of the eyes, the ears are empty of the ears, the nose is empty of the nose, the tongue is empty of the tongue, the body is empty of the body, and the mental faculty is empty of the mental faculty; sights are empty of sights, sounds are empty of sounds, odors are empty of odors, tastes are empty of tastes, tangibles are empty of tangibles, and mental phenomena are empty of mental phenomena; visual consciousness is empty of visual consciousness, auditory consciousness is empty of auditory consciousness, olfactory consciousness is empty of olfactory consciousness, gustatory consciousness is empty of gustatory consciousness, tactile consciousness is empty of tactile consciousness, and mental consciousness is empty of mental consciousness; visually compounded sensory contact is empty of visually compounded sensory contact, aurally compounded sensory contact is empty of aurally compounded sensory contact, nasally compounded sensory contact is empty of nasally compounded sensory contact, lingually compounded sensory contact is empty of lingually compounded sensory contact, corporeally compounded sensory contact is empty of corporeally compounded sensory contact, and mentally compounded sensory contact is empty of mentally compounded sensory contact; feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact are empty of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; the earth element is empty of the earth element, the water element is empty of the water element, the fire element is without the defining characteristics of the fire element, the wind element is empty of the wind element, the space element is empty of the space element, and the consciousness element is empty of the consciousness element; ignorance is empty of ignorance, formative predispositions are empty of formative predispositions, consciousness is empty of consciousness, name and form are empty of name and form, the six sense fields are empty of the six sense fields, sensory contact is empty of sensory contact, sensation is empty of sensation, craving is empty of craving, grasping is empty of grasping, the rebirth process is empty of the rebirth process, birth is empty of birth, and aging and death are empty of aging and death; the perfection of generosity is empty of the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline is empty of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance is empty of the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance is empty of the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration is empty of the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom is empty of the perfection of wisdom; the emptiness of internal phenomena is empty of the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena is empty of the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is empty of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness is empty of the emptiness of emptiness, the emptiness of great extent is empty of the emptiness of great extent, the emptiness of ultimate reality is empty of the emptiness of ultimate reality, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena is empty of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is empty of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the unlimited is empty of the emptiness of the unlimited, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is empty of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the emptiness of nonexclusion is empty of the emptiness of nonexclusion, the emptiness of inherent existence is empty of the emptiness of inherent existence, the emptiness of all phenomena is empty of the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is empty of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is empty of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of nonentities is empty of the emptiness of nonentities, the emptiness of essential nature is empty of the emptiness of essential nature, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is empty of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; the applications of mindfulness are empty of the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions are empty of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability are empty of the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties are empty of the faculties, the powers are empty of the powers, the branches of enlightenment are empty of the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path is empty of the noble eightfold path; the truths of the noble ones are empty of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations are empty of the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes are empty of the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions are empty of the formless absorptions, the eight liberations are empty of the eight liberations, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption are empty of the serial steps of meditative absorption, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are empty of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, the extrasensory powers are empty of the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities are empty of the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways are empty of the dhāraṇī gateways; the ten powers of the tathāgatas are empty of the powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses are empty of the fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge empty of the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness is empty of great loving kindness, great compassion is empty of great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are empty of the distinct qualities of the buddhas; and the fruit of having entered the stream is empty of the fruit of having entered the stream, the fruit of once-returner is empty of the fruit of once-returner, the fruit of non-returner is empty of the fruit of non-returner, arhatship is empty of arhatship, individual enlightenment is empty of individual enlightenment, the knowledge of the aspects of the path is empty of the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment is empty of unsurpassed enlightenment, in that case, Blessed Lord, how will bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti, the bodhisattva great beings’ practice of the perfection of wisdom is the absence of practice,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, why is the absence of practice their practice of the perfection of wisdom?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “it is because the perfection of wisdom is indeed not apprehended, a bodhisattva is indeed not apprehended, and a practice is indeed not apprehended. Those who practice, with what they practice, and what they practice—these are indeed not apprehended. Subhūti, that absence of apprehending all those elaborations about those, Subhūti, is the bodhisattva great beings’ absence of practice that is the practice of the perfection of wisdom.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if not practicing in that manner is the practice of the perfection of wisdom, how should bodhisattva great beings who are beginners practice the perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who are beginners, starting from their first setting of the mind, should train in all phenomena that cannot be apprehended. When they are generous with gifts, they should be generous with gifts by way of not apprehending anything. When they maintain ethical discipline, they should maintain ethical discipline by way of not apprehending anything. When they practice tolerance, they should practice tolerance by way of not apprehending anything. When they undertake perseverance, they should undertake perseverance by way of not apprehending anything. When they become absorbed in meditative stability, they should become absorbed in meditative stability by way of not apprehending anything. When they cultivate wisdom, they should cultivate wisdom by way of not apprehending anything.
“When they cultivate the emptiness of internal phenomena, they should cultivate the emptiness of internal phenomena without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of external phenomena, they should cultivate the emptiness of external phenomena without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, they should cultivate the emptiness of external and internal phenomena without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of emptiness, they should cultivate the emptiness of emptiness without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of great extent, they should cultivate the emptiness of great extent without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of ultimate reality, they should cultivate the emptiness of ultimate reality without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, they should cultivate the emptiness of conditioned phenomena without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, they should cultivate the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of the unlimited, they should cultivate the emptiness of the unlimited without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, they should cultivate the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of nonexclusion, they should cultivate the emptiness of nonexclusion without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of inherent nature, they should cultivate the emptiness of inherent nature without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of all phenomena, they should cultivate the emptiness of all phenomena without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, they should cultivate the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, they should cultivate the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of nonentities, they should cultivate the emptiness of nonentities without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of essential nature, they should cultivate the emptiness of essential nature without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities, they should cultivate the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities without apprehending anything.
“When they cultivate the four applications of mindfulness, they should cultivate the applications of mindfulness without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the four correct exertions, they should cultivate the correct exertions without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the four supports for miraculous ability, they should cultivate the supports for miraculous ability without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the faculties, they should cultivate the faculties without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the powers, they should cultivate the powers without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the branches of enlightenment, they should cultivate the branches of enlightenment without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the noble eightfold path, they should cultivate the noble eightfold path without apprehending anything.
“When they cultivate the truths of the noble ones, they should cultivate the truths of the noble ones without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the meditative concentrations, they should cultivate the meditative concentrations without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the immeasurable attitudes, they should cultivate the immeasurable attitudes without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the formless absorptions, they should cultivate the formless absorptions without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the eight liberations, they should cultivate the liberations without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, they should cultivate the serial steps of meditative absorption without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, they should cultivate the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the extrasensory powers, they should cultivate the extrasensory powers without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the meditative stabilities, they should cultivate the meditative stabilities without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the dhāraṇī gateways, they should cultivate the dhāraṇī gateways without apprehending anything.
“When they cultivate the ten powers of the tathāgatas, they should cultivate the powers of the tathāgatas without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the four fearlessnesses, they should cultivate the fearlessnesses without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the four kinds of exact knowledge, they should cultivate the kinds of exact knowledge without apprehending anything. When they cultivate great loving kindness, they should cultivate great loving kindness without apprehending anything. When they cultivate great compassion, they should cultivate great compassion without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, they should cultivate the distinct qualities of the buddhas without apprehending anything.
“When they cultivate omniscience, they should cultivate omniscience without apprehending anything. When they cultivate the knowledge of the aspects of the path, they should cultivate the knowledge of the aspects of the path without apprehending anything. When they cultivate all-aspect omniscience, they should cultivate all-aspect omniscience without apprehending anything.”
“Blessed Lord, to what extent is there the apprehending of something? To what extent is there not the apprehending of anything?” asked Subhūti.
“Simply to the extent that there is duality there is the apprehending of something, and nonduality is not apprehending anything,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, what is ‘duality’?” asked Subhūti.
The Blessed One replied, “To the extent that there are the eyes and sights, to the extent that there are the ears and sounds, to the extent that there are the nose and odors, to the extent that there are the tongue and tastes, to the extent that there are the body and tangibles, and to the extent that there are the mental faculty and mental phenomena; to the extent that there are physical forms and one with physical forms, to the extent that there are feelings and one with feelings, to the extent that there are perceptions and a perceiver, to the extent that there are formative predispositions and one forming predispositions, and to the extent that there is consciousness and one who is conscious; to the extent that there are visual consciousness and one with visual consciousness, to the extent that there are auditory consciousness and one with auditory consciousness, to the extent that there are olfactory consciousness and one with olfactory consciousness, to the extent that there are gustatory consciousness and one with gustatory consciousness, to the extent that there are tactile consciousness and one with tactile consciousness, and to the extent that there are mental consciousness and one with mental consciousness; to the extent that there are visually compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of visually compounded sensory contact,1113 to the extent that there are aurally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of aurally compounded sensory contact, to the extent that there are nasally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of nasally compounded sensory contact, to the extent that there are lingually compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of lingually compounded sensory contact, to the extent that there are corporeally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of corporeally compounded sensory contact, and to the extent that there are mentally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of mentally compounded sensory contact; to the extent that there are feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, to the extent that there are feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, to the extent that there are feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, to the extent that there are feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, to the extent that there are feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and to the extent that there are feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; to the extent that there are the earth element and a comprehender of the earth element, to the extent that there are the water element and a comprehender of the water element, to the extent that there are the fire element and a comprehender of the fire element, to the extent that there are the wind element and a comprehender of the wind element, to the extent that there are the space element and a comprehender of the space element, and to the extent that there are the consciousness element and a comprehender of the consciousness element; to the extent that there is ignorance and one who is ignorant, to the extent that there are formative predispositions and one forming predispositions, to the extent that there is consciousness and one who is conscious, to the extent that there are name and form and one who has name and form, to the extent that there are the six sense fields and one with the six sense fields, to the extent that there are sensory contact and a sensory contacter, to the extent that there are sensation and a senser, to the extent that there are craving and a craver, to the extent that there are grasping and a grasper, to the extent that there are the rebirth process and one undergoing the rebirth process, to the extent that there are birth and one who is born, and to the extent that there are aging and death and one aging and dead; to the extent that there is generosity and one being generous with gifts, to the extent that there is ethical discipline and one who is ethically disciplined, to the extent that there is tolerance and one who is tolerant, to the extent that there is meditative concentration and one in meditative concentration, and to the extent that there is wisdom and one who is wise; to the extent that there is the emptiness of internal phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of internal phenomena, to the extent that there is the emptiness of external phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of external phenomena, to the extent that there is the emptiness of external and internal phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, to the extent that there is the emptiness of emptiness and the cultivation of the emptiness of emptiness, to the extent that there is the emptiness of great extent and the cultivation of the emptiness of great extent, to the extent that there is the emptiness of ultimate reality and the cultivation of the emptiness of ultimate reality, to the extent that there is the emptiness of conditioned phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, to the extent that there is the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, to the extent that there is the emptiness of the unlimited and the cultivation of the emptiness of the unlimited, to the extent that there is the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end and the cultivation of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, to the extent that there is the emptiness of nonexclusion and the cultivation of the emptiness of nonexclusion, to the extent that there is the emptiness of inherent existence and the cultivation of the emptiness of inherent existence, to the extent that there is the emptiness of all phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of all phenomena, to the extent that there is the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics and the cultivation of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, to the extent that there is the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended and the cultivation of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, to the extent that there is the emptiness of nonentities and the cultivation of the emptiness of nonentities, to the extent that there is the emptiness of essential nature and the cultivation of the emptiness of essential nature, and to the extent that there is the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities and the cultivation of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; to the extent that there are the applications of mindfulness and the cultivation of the applications of mindfulness, to the extent that there are the correct exertions and the cultivation of the correct exertions, to the extent that there are the supports for miraculous ability and the cultivation of the supports for miraculous ability, to the extent that there are the faculties and the cultivation of the faculties, to the extent that there are the powers and the cultivation of the powers, to the extent that there are the branches of enlightenment and the cultivation of the branches of enlightenment, and to the extent that there is the noble eightfold path and the cultivation of the noble eightfold path; to the extent that there are the truths of the noble ones and the cultivation of the truths of the noble ones, to the extent that there are the meditative concentrations and the cultivation of the meditative concentrations, to the extent that there are the immeasurable attitudes and the cultivation of the immeasurable attitudes, to the extent that there are the formless absorptions and the cultivation of the formless absorptions, to the extent that there are the eight liberations and the cultivation of the eight liberations, to the extent that there are the nine serial steps of meditative absorption and the cultivation of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, to the extent that there are the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation and the cultivation of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, to the extent that there are the extrasensory powers and the cultivation of the extrasensory powers, to the extent that there are the meditative stabilities and the cultivation of the meditative stabilities, and to the extent that there are the dhāraṇī gateways and the cultivation of the dhāraṇī gateways; to the extent that there are the ten powers of the tathāgatas and the cultivation of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, to the extent that there are the four fearlessnesses and the cultivation of the four fearlessnesses, to the extent that there are the four kinds of exact knowledge and the cultivation of the four kinds of exact knowledge, to the extent that there is great loving kindness and the cultivation of great loving kindness, to the extent that there is great compassion and the cultivation of great compassion, and to the extent that there are the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas and the cultivation of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and to the extent that there is the fruit of having entered the stream and one who has entered the stream, to the extent that there is the fruit of once-returner and a once-returner, to the extent that there is the fruit of non-returner and a non-returner, to the extent that there is arhatship and an arhat, to the extent that there is individual enlightenment and a pratyekabuddha, to the extent that there is the knowledge of the aspects of the path and a bodhisattva, and to the extent that there is unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment and a buddha, to that extent, Subhūti, there is duality.”
“Blessed Lord, what is nonduality?” asked Subhūti.1114