The Blessed One replied, “The absence of the eyes and sights, the absence of the ears and sounds, the absence of the nose and odors, the absence of the tongue and tastes, the absence of the body and tangibles, and the absence of the mental faculty and mental phenomena; the absence of physical forms and one with physical forms, the absence of feelings and one with feelings, the absence of perceptions and a perceiver, the absence of formative predispositions and one forming predispositions, and the absence of consciousness and one who is conscious; the absence of visual consciousness and one with visual consciousness, the absence of auditory consciousness and one with auditory consciousness, the absence of olfactory consciousness and one with olfactory consciousness, the absence of gustatory consciousness and one with gustatory consciousness, the absence of tactile consciousness and one with tactile consciousness, and the absence of mental consciousness and one with mental consciousness; the absence of visually compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of visually compounded sensory contact,1115 the absence of aurally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of aurally compounded sensory contact, the absence of nasally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of nasally compounded sensory contact, the absence of lingually compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of lingually compounded sensory contact, the absence of corporeally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of corporeally compounded sensory contact, and the absence of mentally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of mentally compounded sensory contact; the absence of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, the absence of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, the absence of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, the absence of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, the absence of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and the absence of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact and the experiencer of feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; the absence of the earth element and a comprehender of the earth element, the absence of the water element and a comprehender of the water element, the absence of the fire element and a comprehender of the fire element, the absence of the wind element and a comprehender of the wind element, the absence of the space element and a comprehender of the space element, and the absence of the consciousness element and a comprehender of the consciousness element; the absence of ignorance and one who is ignorant, the absence of formative predispositions and one forming predispositions, the absence of consciousness and one who is conscious, the absence of name and form and one who has name and form, the absence of the six sense fields and one with the six sense fields, the absence of sensory contact and a sensory contacter, the absence of sensation and a senser, the absence of craving and a craver, the absence of grasping and a grasper, the absence of the rebirth process and one undergoing the rebirth process, the absence of birth and one who is born, and the absence of aging and death and one aging and dead; the absence of generosity and one being generous with gifts, the absence of ethical discipline and someone who is ethically disciplined, the absence of tolerance and one who is tolerant, the absence of meditative concentration and one in meditative concentration, and the absence of wisdom and one who is wise; the absence of the emptiness of internal phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of internal phenomena, the absence of the emptiness of external phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of external phenomena, the absence of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, the absence of the emptiness of emptiness and the cultivation of the emptiness of emptiness, the absence of the emptiness of great extent and the cultivation of the emptiness of great extent, the absence of the emptiness of ultimate reality and the cultivation of the emptiness of ultimate reality, the absence of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the absence of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the absence of the emptiness of the unlimited and the cultivation of the emptiness of the unlimited, the absence of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end and the cultivation of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the absence of the emptiness of nonexclusion and the cultivation of the emptiness of nonexclusion, the absence of the emptiness of inherent existence and the cultivation of the emptiness of inherent existence, the absence of the emptiness of all phenomena and the cultivation of the emptiness of all phenomena, the absence of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics and the cultivation of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the absence of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended and the cultivation of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, the absence of the emptiness of nonentities and the cultivation of the emptiness of nonentities, the absence of the emptiness of essential nature and the cultivation of the emptiness of essential nature, and the absence of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities and the cultivation of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; the absence of the applications of mindfulness and the cultivation of the applications of mindfulness, the absence of the correct exertions and the cultivation of the correct exertions, the absence of the supports for miraculous ability and the cultivation of the supports for miraculous ability, the absence of the faculties and the cultivation of the faculties, the absence of the powers and the cultivation of the powers, the absence of the branches of enlightenment and the cultivation of the branches of enlightenment, and the absence of the noble eightfold path and the cultivation of the noble eightfold path; the absence of the truths of the noble ones and the cultivation of the truths of the noble ones, the absence of the meditative concentrations and the cultivation of the meditative concentrations, the absence of the immeasurable attitudes and the cultivation of the immeasurable attitudes, the absence of the formless absorptions and the cultivation of the formless absorptions, the absence of the eight liberations and the cultivation of the eight liberations, the absence of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption and the cultivation of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the absence of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation and the cultivation of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, the absence of the extrasensory powers and the cultivation of the extrasensory powers, the absence of the meditative stabilities and the cultivation of the meditative stabilities, and the absence of the dhāraṇī gateways and the cultivation of the dhāraṇī gateways; the absence of the ten powers of the tathāgatas and the cultivation of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the absence of the four fearlessnesses and the cultivation of the four fearlessnesses, the absence of the four kinds of exact knowledge and the cultivation of the four kinds of exact knowledge, the absence of great loving kindness and the cultivation of great loving kindness, the absence of great compassion and the cultivation of great compassion, and the absence of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas and the cultivation of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and the absence of the fruit of having entered the stream and one who has entered the stream, the absence of the fruit of once-returner and a once-returner, the absence of the fruit of non-returner and a non-returner, the absence of arhatship and an arhat, the absence of individual enlightenment and a pratyekabuddha, the absence of the knowledge of the aspects of the path and a bodhisattva, and the absence of unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment and a buddha—those, Subhūti, are nonduality.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, is it what can be apprehended that is not apprehended, or is it what cannot be apprehended that is not apprehended?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “it is not what can be apprehended that is not apprehended, nor is it what cannot be apprehended that is not apprehended. Rather, Subhūti, it is the sameness of what can be apprehended and what cannot be apprehended that is not apprehended. Subhūti, in that manner bodhisattva great beings should train in the sameness of what can be apprehended and what cannot be apprehended. Bodhisattva great beings who train in the perfection of wisdom in that manner will become those who do not apprehend anything.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, they are not attached to apprehending and they are not attached to not apprehending, how then should bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom perfect the levels, from one to the next, and, having perfected the levels from one to the next, how should they attain all-aspect omniscience?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom do not, while they remain apprehending anything, complete the levels, from one to the next. When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cannot, while they remain apprehending anything, perfect the levels from one to the next. If you ask why, it is because the perfection of wisdom indeed cannot be apprehended, enlightenment indeed cannot be apprehended, and those who practice the perfection of wisdom indeed cannot be apprehended. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if the perfection of wisdom cannot be apprehended, and the enlightenment they practice for also cannot be apprehended, how do bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom realize ‘these are physical forms, these are feelings, these are perceptions, these are formative predispositions, and this is consciousness; these are the eyes, these are the ears, this is the nose, this is the tongue, this is the body, and this is the mental faculty; these are sights, these are sounds, these are odors, these are tastes, these are tangibles, and these are mental phenomena; this is visual consciousness, this is auditory consciousness, this is olfactory consciousness, this is gustatory consciousness, this is tactile consciousness, and this is mental consciousness; this is visually compounded sensory contact, this is aurally compounded sensory contact, this is nasally compounded sensory contact, this is lingually compounded sensory contact, this is corporeally compounded sensory contact, and this is mentally compounded sensory contact; these are feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, these are feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, these are feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, these are feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, these are feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and these are feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; this is the earth element, this is the water element, this is the fire element, this is the wind element, this is the space element, and this is the consciousness element; this is ignorance, these are formative predispositions, this is consciousness, these are name and form, these are the six sense fields, this is sensory contact, this is sensation, this is craving, this is grasping, this is the rebirth process, this is birth, and these are aging and death; this is the perfection of generosity, this is the perfection of ethical discipline, this is the perfection of tolerance, this is the perfection of perseverance, this is the perfection of meditative concentration, and this is the perfection of wisdom; this is the emptiness of internal phenomena, this is the emptiness of external phenomena, this is the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, this is the emptiness of emptiness, this is the emptiness of great extent, this is the emptiness of ultimate reality, this is the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, this is the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, this is the emptiness of the unlimited, this is the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, this is the emptiness of nonexclusion, this is the emptiness of inherent nature, this is the emptiness of all phenomena, this is the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, this is the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, this is the emptiness of nonentities, this is the emptiness of essential nature, and this is the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; these are the applications of mindfulness, these are the correct exertions, these are the supports for miraculous ability, these are the faculties, these are the powers, these are the branches of enlightenment, and this is the noble eightfold path; these are the truths of the noble ones, these are the meditative concentrations, these are the immeasurable attitudes, these are the formless absorptions, these are the eight liberations, these are the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, these are the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, these are the extrasensory powers, these are the meditative stabilities, and these are the dhāraṇī gateways; these are the ten powers of the tathāgatas, these are the four fearlessnesses, these are the four kinds of exact knowledge, this is great loving kindness, this is great compassion, and these are the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and this is the fruit of having entered the stream, this is the fruit of once-returner, this is the fruit of non-returner, this is arhatship, this is individual enlightenment, this is the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and this is unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment’?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not understand phenomena in such a way that they would apprehend physical forms, would apprehend feelings, would apprehend perceptions, would apprehend formative predispositions, or would apprehend consciousness; would apprehend the eyes, would apprehend the ears, would apprehend the nose, would apprehend the tongue, would apprehend the body, or would apprehend the mental faculty; would apprehend sights, would apprehend sounds, would apprehend odors, would apprehend tastes, would apprehend tangibles, or would apprehend mental phenomena; would apprehend visual consciousness, would apprehend auditory consciousness, would apprehend olfactory consciousness, would apprehend gustatory consciousness, would apprehend tactile consciousness, or would apprehend mental consciousness; would apprehend visually compounded sensory contact, would apprehend aurally compounded sensory contact, would apprehend nasally compounded sensory contact, would apprehend lingually compounded sensory contact, would apprehend corporeally compounded sensory contact, or would apprehend mentally compounded sensory contact; would apprehend feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, would apprehend feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, would apprehend feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, would apprehend feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, would apprehend feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, or would apprehend feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; would apprehend the earth element, would apprehend the water element, would apprehend the fire element, would apprehend the wind element, would apprehend the space element, or would apprehend the consciousness element; would apprehend ignorance, would apprehend formative predispositions, would apprehend consciousness, would apprehend name and form, would apprehend the six sense fields, would apprehend sensory contact, would apprehend sensation, would apprehend craving, would apprehend grasping, would apprehend the rebirth process, would apprehend birth, or would apprehend aging and death; would apprehend the perfection of generosity, would apprehend the perfection of ethical discipline, would apprehend the perfection of tolerance, would apprehend the perfection of perseverance, would apprehend the perfection of meditative concentration, or would apprehend the perfection of wisdom; would apprehend the emptiness of internal phenomena, would apprehend the emptiness of external phenomena, would apprehend the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, would apprehend the emptiness of emptiness, would apprehend the emptiness of great extent, would apprehend the emptiness of ultimate reality, would apprehend the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, would apprehend the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, would apprehend the emptiness of the unlimited, would apprehend the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, would apprehend the emptiness of nonexclusion, would apprehend the emptiness of inherent nature, would apprehend the emptiness of all phenomena, would apprehend the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, would apprehend the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, would apprehend the emptiness of nonentities, would apprehend the emptiness of essential nature, or would apprehend the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; would apprehend the applications of mindfulness, would apprehend the correct exertions, would apprehend the supports for miraculous ability, would apprehend the faculties, would apprehend the powers, would apprehend the branches of enlightenment, or would apprehend the noble eightfold path; would apprehend the truths of the noble ones, would apprehend the meditative concentrations, would apprehend the immeasurable attitudes, would apprehend the formless absorptions, would apprehend the eight liberations, would apprehend the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, would apprehend the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, would apprehend the extrasensory powers, would apprehend the meditative stabilities, or would apprehend the dhāraṇī gateways; would apprehend the ten powers of the tathāgatas, would apprehend the four fearlessnesses, would apprehend the four kinds of exact knowledge, would apprehend great loving kindness, would apprehend great compassion, or would apprehend the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; or would apprehend the fruit of having entered the stream, would apprehend the fruit of once-returner, would apprehend the fruit of non-returner, would apprehend arhatship, would apprehend individual enlightenment, would apprehend the knowledge of the aspects of the path, or would apprehend unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, if they do not apprehend physical forms, do not apprehend feelings, do not apprehend perceptions, do not apprehend formative predispositions, and do not apprehend consciousness; do not apprehend the eyes, do not apprehend the ears, do not apprehend the nose, do not apprehend the tongue, do not apprehend the body, and do not apprehend the mental faculty; do not apprehend sights, do not apprehend sounds, do not apprehend odors, do not apprehend tastes, do not apprehend tangibles, and do not apprehend mental phenomena; do not apprehend visual consciousness, do not apprehend auditory consciousness, do not apprehend olfactory consciousness, do not apprehend gustatory consciousness, do not apprehend tactile consciousness, and do not apprehend mental consciousness; do not apprehend visually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend aurally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend nasally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend lingually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not apprehend mentally compounded sensory contact; do not apprehend feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not apprehend feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; do not apprehend the earth element, do not apprehend the water element, do not apprehend the fire element, do not apprehend the wind element, do not apprehend the space element, and do not apprehend the consciousness element; do not apprehend ignorance, do not apprehend formative predispositions, do not apprehend consciousness, do not apprehend name and form, do not apprehend the six sense fields, do not apprehend sensory contact, do not apprehend sensation, do not apprehend craving, do not apprehend grasping, do not apprehend the rebirth process, do not apprehend birth, and do not apprehend aging and death; do not apprehend the perfection of generosity, do not apprehend the perfection of ethical discipline, do not apprehend the perfection of tolerance, do not apprehend the perfection of perseverance, do not apprehend the perfection of meditative concentration, and do not apprehend the perfection of wisdom; do not apprehend the emptiness of internal phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of external phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of emptiness, do not apprehend the emptiness of great extent, do not apprehend the emptiness of ultimate reality, do not apprehend the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of the unlimited, do not apprehend the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, do not apprehend the emptiness of nonexclusion, do not apprehend the emptiness of inherent nature, do not apprehend the emptiness of all phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, do not apprehend the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, do not apprehend the emptiness of nonentities, do not apprehend the emptiness of essential nature, and do not apprehend the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; do not apprehend the applications of mindfulness, do not apprehend the correct exertions, do not apprehend the supports for miraculous ability, do not apprehend the faculties, do not apprehend the powers, do not apprehend the branches of enlightenment, and do not apprehend the noble eightfold path; do not apprehend the truths of the noble ones, do not apprehend the meditative concentrations, do not apprehend the immeasurable attitudes, do not apprehend the formless absorptions, do not apprehend the eight liberations, do not apprehend the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, do not apprehend the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, do not apprehend the extrasensory powers, do not apprehend the meditative stabilities, and do not apprehend the dhāraṇī gateways; do not apprehend the ten powers of the tathāgatas, do not apprehend the four fearlessnesses, do not apprehend the four kinds of exact knowledge, do not apprehend great loving kindness, do not apprehend great compassion, and do not apprehend the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and do not apprehend the fruit of having entered the stream, do not apprehend the fruit of once-returner, do not apprehend the fruit of non-returner, do not apprehend arhatship, do not apprehend individual enlightenment, do not apprehend the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and do not apprehend unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, how then will they complete the perfection of generosity, complete the perfection of ethical discipline, complete the perfection of tolerance, complete the perfection of perseverance, complete the perfection of meditative concentration, complete the perfection of wisdom, enter into a bodhisattva’s full maturity, refine a buddhafield having entered into a bodhisattva’s full maturity, bring beings to maturity having refined a buddhafield, attain all-aspect omniscience having brought beings to maturity, turn the wheel of the Dharma having attained all-aspect omniscience, accomplish the enlightened activity of the buddhas having turned the wheel of the Dharma, and liberate beings from cyclic existence having accomplished the enlightened activity of the buddhas?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings do not practice the perfection of wisdom for physical forms, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for feelings, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for perceptions, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for formative predispositions, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for consciousness; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the eyes, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the ears, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the nose, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the tongue, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the body, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the mental faculty; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for sights, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for sounds, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for odors, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for tastes, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for tangibles, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for mental phenomena; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for visual consciousness, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for auditory consciousness, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for olfactory consciousness, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for gustatory consciousness, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for tactile consciousness, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for mental consciousness; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for visually compounded sensory contact, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for aurally compounded sensory contact, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for nasally compounded sensory contact, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for lingually compounded sensory contact, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for mentally compounded sensory contact; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the earth element, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the water element, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the fire element, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the wind element, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the space element, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the consciousness element; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for ignorance, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for formative predispositions, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for consciousness, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for name and form, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the six sense fields, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for sensory contact, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for sensation, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for craving, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for grasping, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the rebirth process, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for birth, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for aging and death; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the perfection of generosity, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the perfection of ethical discipline, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the perfection of tolerance, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the perfection of perseverance, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the perfection of meditative concentration, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the perfection of wisdom; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of internal phenomena, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of external phenomena, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of emptiness, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of great extent, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of ultimate reality, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of the unlimited, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of nonexclusion, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of inherent nature, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of all phenomena, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of nonentities, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of essential nature, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the applications of mindfulness, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the correct exertions, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the supports for miraculous ability, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the faculties, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the powers, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the branches of enlightenment, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the noble eightfold path; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the truths of the noble ones, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the meditative concentrations, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the immeasurable attitudes, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the formless absorptions, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the liberations, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the serial steps of meditative absorption, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the extrasensory powers, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the meditative stabilities, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the dhāraṇī gateways; do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the ten powers of the tathāgatas, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the four fearlessnesses, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the four kinds of exact knowledge, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for great loving kindness, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for great compassion, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the distinct qualities of the buddhas; and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the fruit of having entered the stream, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the fruit of once-returner, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the fruit of non-returner, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for arhatship, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for individual enlightenment, do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and do not practice the perfection of wisdom for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.”
“Blessed Lord, for what then do bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom?” Subhūti asked.
“Bodhisattva great beings do not practice the perfection of wisdom for anything at all,” replied the Blessed One. “If you ask why, it is because all phenomena are uncreated and unconditioned. The perfection of wisdom, too, is uncreated and unconditioned. Enlightenment, too, is uncreated and unconditioned. Bodhisattvas, too, are uncreated and unconditioned. So it is, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings should practice the perfection of wisdom by way of noncreating and nonconditioning.”
Subhūti asked. “Blessed Lord, if in that way all phenomena are uncreated and unconditioned, how then will these three vehicles—the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the Great Vehicle—be established?”