“If you ask why, it is because the essential nature does not conceptually elaborate the essential nature, nonentities do not conceptually elaborate nonentities, and apart from the essential nature and nonentities, there are no other phenomena at all that might conceptually elaborate, or which might be conceptually elaborated. Therefore, Subhūti, physical forms are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings are free from conceptual elaboration, perceptions are free from conceptual elaboration, formative predispositions are free from conceptual elaboration, and consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration; the eyes are free from conceptual elaboration, the ears are free from conceptual elaboration, the nose is free from conceptual elaboration, the tongue is free from conceptual elaboration, the body is free from conceptual elaboration, and the mental faculty is free from conceptual elaboration; sights are free from conceptual elaboration, sounds are free from conceptual elaboration, odors are free from conceptual elaboration, tastes are free from conceptual elaboration, tangibles are free from conceptual elaboration, and mental phenomena are free from conceptual elaboration; visual consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, auditory consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, olfactory consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, gustatory consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, tactile consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, and mental consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration; visually compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, aurally compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, nasally compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, lingually compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, corporeally compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, and mentally compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration; feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration; the earth element is free from conceptual elaboration, the water element is free from conceptual elaboration, the fire element is free from conceptual elaboration, the wind element is free from conceptual elaboration, the space element is free from conceptual elaboration, and the consciousness element is free from conceptual elaboration; ignorance is free from conceptual elaboration, formative predispositions are free from conceptual elaboration, consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, name and form are free from conceptual elaboration, six sense fields are free from conceptual elaboration, sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, sensation is free from conceptual elaboration, craving is free from conceptual elaboration, grasping is free from conceptual elaboration, the rebirth process is free from conceptual elaboration, birth is free from conceptual elaboration, and the aging and death are free from conceptual elaboration; the perfection of generosity is free from conceptual elaboration, the perfection of ethical discipline is free from conceptual elaboration, the perfection of tolerance is free from conceptual elaboration, the perfection of perseverance is free from conceptual elaboration, the perfection of meditative concentration is free from conceptual elaboration, and the perfection of wisdom is free from conceptual elaboration; the emptiness of internal phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of external phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of emptiness is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of great extent is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of ultimate reality is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of the unlimited is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of nonexclusion is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of inherent nature is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of all phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of nonentities is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of essential nature is free from conceptual elaboration, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is free from conceptual elaboration; the applications of mindfulness are free from conceptual elaboration, the correct exertions are free from conceptual elaboration, the supports for miraculous ability are free from conceptual elaboration, the faculties are free from conceptual elaboration, the powers are free from conceptual elaboration, the branches of enlightenment are free from conceptual elaboration, and the noble eightfold path is free from conceptual elaboration; the truths of the noble ones are free from conceptual elaboration, the meditative concentrations are free from conceptual elaboration, the immeasurable attitudes are free from conceptual elaboration, the formless absorptions are free from conceptual elaboration, the liberations are free from conceptual elaboration, the serial steps of meditative absorption are free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are free from conceptual elaboration, the extrasensory powers are free from conceptual elaboration, the meditative stabilities are free from conceptual elaboration, and the dhāraṇī gateways are free from conceptual elaboration; and the fruit of having entered the stream is free from conceptual elaboration, the fruit of once-returner is free from conceptual elaboration, the fruit of non-returner is free from conceptual elaboration, arhatship is free from conceptual elaboration, individual enlightenment is free from conceptual elaboration, the bodhisattva levels are free from conceptual elaboration, a bodhisattva’s full maturity is free from conceptual elaboration, the refinement of a buddhafield is free from conceptual elaboration, bringing beings to maturity is free from conceptual elaboration, the ten powers of the tathāgatas are free from conceptual elaboration, the fearlessnesses are free from conceptual elaboration, the kinds of exact knowledge are free from conceptual elaboration, great loving kindness is free from conceptual elaboration, great compassion is free from conceptual elaboration, the distinct qualities of the buddhas are free from conceptual elaboration, all-aspect omniscience is free from conceptual elaboration, and the abandonment of all the afflicted mental states and their connecting propensities is free from conceptual elaboration. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings should practice the perfection of wisdom free from conceptual elaboration.
“Subhūti, it is indeed the case that physical forms have no essential nature, feelings have no essential nature, perceptions have no essential nature, formative predispositions have no essential nature, and consciousness has no essential nature; the eyes have no essential nature, the ears have no essential nature, the nose has no essential nature, the tongue has no essential nature, the body has no essential nature, and the mental faculty has no essential nature; sights have no essential nature, sounds have no essential nature, odors have no essential nature, tastes have no essential nature, tangibles have no essential nature, and mental phenomena have no essential nature; visual consciousness has no essential nature, auditory consciousness has no essential nature, olfactory consciousness has no essential nature, gustatory consciousness has no essential nature, tactile consciousness has no essential nature, and mental consciousness has no essential nature; visually compounded sensory contact has no essential nature, aurally compounded sensory contact has no essential nature, nasally compounded sensory contact has no essential nature, lingually compounded sensory contact has no essential nature, corporeally compounded sensory contact has no essential nature, and mentally compounded sensory contact has no essential nature; feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact have no essential nature, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact have no essential nature, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact have no essential nature, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact have no essential nature, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact have no essential nature, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact have no essential nature; the earth element has no essential nature, the water element has no essential nature, the fire element has no essential nature, the wind element has no essential nature, the space element has no essential nature, and the consciousness element has no essential nature; ignorance has no essential nature, formative predispositions have no essential nature, consciousness has no essential nature, name and form have no essential nature, six sense fields have no essential nature, sensory contact has no essential nature, sensation has no essential nature, craving has no essential nature, grasping has no essential nature, the rebirth process has no essential nature, birth has no essential nature, and the aging and death have no essential nature; the perfection of generosity has no essential nature, the perfection of ethical discipline has no essential nature, the perfection of tolerance has no essential nature, the perfection of perseverance has no essential nature, the perfection of meditative concentration has no essential nature, and the perfection of wisdom has no essential nature; the emptiness of internal phenomena has no essential nature, the emptiness of external phenomena has no essential nature, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena has no essential nature, the emptiness of emptiness has no essential nature, the emptiness of great extent has no essential nature, the emptiness of ultimate reality has no essential nature, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena has no essential nature, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena has no essential nature, the emptiness of the unlimited has no essential nature, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end has no essential nature, the emptiness of nonexclusion has no essential nature, the emptiness of inherent nature has no essential nature, the emptiness of all phenomena has no essential nature, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics has no essential nature, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended has no essential nature, the emptiness of nonentities has no essential nature, the emptiness of essential nature has no essential nature, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities has no essential nature; the applications of mindfulness have no essential nature, the correct exertions have no essential nature, the supports for miraculous ability have no essential nature, the faculties have no essential nature, the powers have no essential nature, the branches of enlightenment have no essential nature, and the noble eightfold path has no essential nature; the truths of the noble ones have no essential nature, the meditative concentrations have no essential nature, the immeasurable attitudes have no essential nature, the formless absorptions have no essential nature, the liberations have no essential nature, the serial steps of meditative absorption have no essential nature, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation have no essential nature, the extrasensory powers have no essential nature, the meditative stabilities have no essential nature, and the dhāraṇī gateways have no essential nature; the fruit of having entered the stream has no essential nature, the fruit of once-returner has no essential nature, the fruit of non-returner has no essential nature, arhatship has no essential nature, individual enlightenment has no essential nature, the bodhisattva levels have no essential nature, a bodhisattva’s full maturity has no essential nature, the refinement of a buddhafield has no essential nature, bringing beings to maturity has no essential nature, the powers of the tathāgatas have no essential nature, the fearlessnesses have no essential nature, the kinds of exact knowledge have no essential nature, great loving kindness has no essential nature, great compassion has no essential nature, the distinct qualities of the buddhas have no essential nature, all-aspect omniscience has no essential nature, and the abandonment of all the afflicted mental states and their connecting propensities has no essential nature.
“Whatever has no essential nature is free from conceptual elaboration. Therefore, Subhūti, physical forms are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings are free from conceptual elaboration, perceptions are free from conceptual elaboration, formative predispositions are free from conceptual elaboration, and consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration; the eyes are free from conceptual elaboration, the ears are free from conceptual elaboration, the nose is free from conceptual elaboration, the tongue is free from conceptual elaboration, the body is free from conceptual elaboration, and the mental faculty is free from conceptual elaboration; sights are free from conceptual elaboration, sounds are free from conceptual elaboration, odors are free from conceptual elaboration, tastes are free from conceptual elaboration, tangibles are free from conceptual elaboration, and mental phenomena are free from conceptual elaboration; visual consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, auditory consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, olfactory consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, gustatory consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, tactile consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, and mental consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration; visually compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, aurally compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, nasally compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, lingually compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, corporeally compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, and mentally compounded sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration; feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact are free from conceptual elaboration; the earth element is free from conceptual elaboration, the water element is free from conceptual elaboration, the fire element is free from conceptual elaboration, the wind element is free from conceptual elaboration, the space element is free from conceptual elaboration, and the consciousness element is free from conceptual elaboration; ignorance is free from conceptual elaboration, formative predispositions are free from conceptual elaboration, consciousness is free from conceptual elaboration, name and form are free from conceptual elaboration, six sense fields are free from conceptual elaboration, sensory contact is free from conceptual elaboration, sensation is free from conceptual elaboration, craving is free from conceptual elaboration, grasping is free from conceptual elaboration, the rebirth process is free from conceptual elaboration, birth is free from conceptual elaboration, and the aging and death are free from conceptual elaboration; the perfection of generosity is free from conceptual elaboration, the perfection of ethical discipline is free from conceptual elaboration, the perfection of tolerance is free from conceptual elaboration, the perfection of perseverance is free from conceptual elaboration, the perfection of meditative concentration is free from conceptual elaboration, and the perfection of wisdom is free from conceptual elaboration; the emptiness of internal phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of external phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of emptiness is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of great extent is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of ultimate reality is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of the unlimited is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of nonexclusion is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of inherent nature is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of all phenomena is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of nonentities is free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness of essential nature is free from conceptual elaboration, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is free from conceptual elaboration; the applications of mindfulness are free from conceptual elaboration, the correct exertions are free from conceptual elaboration, the supports for miraculous ability are free from conceptual elaboration, the faculties are free from conceptual elaboration, the powers are free from conceptual elaboration, the branches of enlightenment are free from conceptual elaboration, and the noble eightfold path is free from conceptual elaboration; the truths of the noble ones are free from conceptual elaboration, the meditative concentrations are free from conceptual elaboration, the immeasurable attitudes are free from conceptual elaboration, the formless absorptions are free from conceptual elaboration, the liberations are free from conceptual elaboration, the serial steps of meditative absorption are free from conceptual elaboration, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are free from conceptual elaboration, the extrasensory powers are free from conceptual elaboration, the meditative stabilities are free from conceptual elaboration, and the dhāraṇī gateways are free from conceptual elaboration; and the fruit of having entered the stream is free from conceptual elaboration, the fruit of once-returner is free from conceptual elaboration, the fruit of non-returner is free from conceptual elaboration, arhatship is free from conceptual elaboration, individual enlightenment is free from conceptual elaboration, the bodhisattva levels are free from conceptual elaboration, a bodhisattva’s full maturity is free from conceptual elaboration, the refinement of a buddhafield is free from conceptual elaboration, bringing beings to maturity is free from conceptual elaboration, the ten powers of the tathāgatas are free from conceptual elaboration, the fearlessnesses are free from conceptual elaboration, the kinds of exact knowledge are free from conceptual elaboration, great loving kindness is free from conceptual elaboration, great compassion is free from conceptual elaboration, the distinct qualities of the buddhas are free from conceptual elaboration, all-aspect omniscience is free from conceptual elaboration, and the abandonment of all the afflicted mental states and their connecting propensities is free from conceptual elaboration. Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, they enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if an essential nature cannot be apprehended in any phenomenon at all, through which phenomenon do bodhisattva great beings enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity—through the path of the śrāvakas, or the path of the pratyekabuddhas, or the path of the perfectly complete buddhas?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings do not enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity through the path of the śrāvakas. Bodhisattva great beings do not enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity through the path of the pratyekabuddhas. Bodhisattva great beings do not enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity even through the path of the perfectly complete buddhas. Rather, Subhūti, it is the case that bodhisattva great beings, having trained on all paths, enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity. To illustrate, those who are at the eighth level, having trained in all phenomena, enter into the maturity of the perfect state, but for as long as they have not accomplished the fruition path, they do not attain the fruit.1150 In the same way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings also, having accomplished all paths, enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity, but for as long as they have not attained the vajra-like meditative stability they will not attain all-aspect omniscience. Immediately on attaining that meditative stability, through the wisdom endowed with the single instant, they will attain all-aspect omniscience.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if bodhisattva great beings thus complete all the paths and enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity, is it the case, Blessed Lord, that the path of those who are the eighth is one, and that the path of those who have entered the stream is another; that the path of candidates for once-returner is another, and that the path of once-returner is another; that the path of candidates for non-returner is another, and that the path of non-returner is another; that the path of candidates for arhatship is another, and that the path of arhatship is another; and that the path of pratyekabuddhas is another, and that the path of the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas is another? Blessed Lord, if these paths are distinct from one another, how do bodhisattva great beings complete all paths and enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity? Blessed Lord, if bodhisattva great beings complete all paths, do not those bodhisattva great beings, having accomplished the path of those who are the eighth, become those who are the eighth? Having accomplished the path of seeing, do they not become those who have entered the stream? Having accomplished a path of meditation, do they not become candidates for once-returner or once-returners, or become candidates for non-returner or non-returners, or become candidates for arhatship or arhats? Having accomplished the path of the pratyekabuddhas, do they not become pratyekabuddhas?
“Blessed Lord, once the bodhisattva great beings have become those who are the eighth, there would be no possibility or opportunity for them to enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity. It would be impossible. And without having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, it would also be impossible for them to attain all-aspect omniscience. Having attained the fruit of having entered the stream there would be no possibility for them to enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity, and without having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, it would also be impossible for them to attain all-aspect omniscience. Having attained the fruit of once-returner there would be no possibility for them to enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity, and without having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, it would also be impossible for them to attain all-aspect omniscience. Having attained the fruit of non-returner there would be no possibility for them to enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity, and without having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, it would also be impossible for them to attain all-aspect omniscience. Having attained arhatship there would be no possibility for them to enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity, and without having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, it would also be impossible for them to attain all-aspect omniscience. Having attained individual enlightenment there would be no possibility for them to enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity, and without having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, it would also be impossible for them to attain all-aspect omniscience. Since this is the case, Blessed Lord, how should one understand that bodhisattva great beings complete all the paths and enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity, and having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, attain all-aspect omniscience and abandon all the afflicted mental states and their connecting propensities?”
“It is so, Subhūti, it is so,” replied the Blessed One. “Whether the bodhisattva great beings have become those who are the eighth and attained the fruit of having entered the stream, or attained the fruit of once-returner, or attained the fruit of non-returner, or attained arhatship, or attained individual enlightenment, there would be no possibility or opportunity for them to enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity. It would be impossible. And without having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, it would also be impossible for them to attain all-aspect omniscience. And yet, Subhūti, it is the case that when bodhisattva great beings, from the time they have first set their mind, practice the six perfections, they transcend eight levels through knowledge and seeing. If you ask what are these eight, the levels that have been taught are the level of bright insight, the level of the spiritual family, the eighth level, the level of insight, the level of attenuated refinement, the level of no attachment, the level of spiritual achievement, and the level of the pratyekabuddhas. Having transcended all eight through knowledge and seeing, they enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity through the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, abandon all the afflicted mental states and their connecting propensities with the transcendent knowledge of an all-aspect omniscient one.
“There, Subhūti, the transcendent knowledge of those who are at the eighth level is a bodhisattva great being’s forbearance; the transcendent knowledge and abandonments of those who have entered the stream is a bodhisattva great being’s forbearance; the transcendent knowledge and abandonments of once-returners are a bodhisattva great being’s forbearance; the transcendent knowledge and abandonments of non-returners are a bodhisattva great being’s forbearance; the transcendent knowledge and abandonments of arhats are a bodhisattva great being’s forbearance; and the transcendent knowledge and abandonments of pratyekabuddhas are a bodhisattva great being’s forbearance. Therefore, bodhisattva great beings complete the paths of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, and having done so, with the transcendent knowledge of a knower of the aspects of the path, enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity. Having entered a bodhisattva’s full maturity, with all-aspect omniscience they abandon all the afflicted mental states and their connecting propensities. So it is, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, having completed all paths, fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and, like fruit, sustain all beings.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, what, from those that are the path of the śrāvakas, the path of the pratyekabuddhas, and the path of the buddhas, is the path of a knower of the aspects of the path?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings should attain a thoroughly pure knowledge of the aspects of the path, which is to say, they should fully awaken to whatever the characters, whatever the indications, and whatever the signs—the characters, the indications, and the signs through which the path is expounded—and, having fully awakened, so that others will understand and others will be disciplined, they should, of course, expound, teach, and explain them, make them known, and establish others in them. To that end, bodhisattva great beings should give voice to and thoroughly take hold of all sounds, languages, and conventional usages that are objects of knowledge like echoes—the sounds, languages, and conventional usages through which they make them understood in the billionfold world system.
“For this reason, too, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should complete all paths. Having completed the knowledge of all paths and having become aware of the aspirations of all beings, they should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for beings in the hells, and they should indeed avert beings from the path, avert them from the cause, and avert them from the result of the hells. They should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for beings in the animal realms, and they should indeed avert beings from the path, avert them from the cause, and avert them from the result of the animal realms. They should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for beings in the world of Yama, and they should indeed avert beings from the path, avert them from the cause, and avert them from the result of the world of Yama. They should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the kinnaras; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the mahoragas; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the nāgas; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the yakṣas; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for humans; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods; and should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the Brahmās; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the Ābhāsvara realm;1151 should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the Vṛhatphala realm; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the Asaṃjñisattvas; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the Avṛha realm; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the Atapa realm; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the Sudṛśa realm; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the Sudarśana realm; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the sphere of infinite space; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the sphere of infinite consciousness; should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the sphere of nothing-at-all; and should know the path, should know the cause, and should know the result for the gods of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception.
“They should know the four applications of mindfulness, should know the four correct exertions, should know the four supports for miraculous ability, should know the five faculties, should know the five powers, should know the seven branches of enlightenment, and should know the noble eightfold path; should know the three gateways to liberation, should know the four meditative concentrations, should know the four immeasurable attitudes, should know the four formless absorptions, should know the eight liberations, should know the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, should know the meditative stabilities, and should know the dhāraṇī gateways; and should know the ten powers of the tathāgatas, should know the four fearlessnesses, should know the four kinds of exact knowledge, should know the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, should know great loving kindness, and should know great compassion.
“With those paths they should establish in the fruit of having entered the stream those who are to be established in the fruit of having entered the stream; should establish in the fruit of once-returner those who are to be established in the fruit of once-returner; should establish in the fruit of non-returner those who are to be established in the fruit of non-returner; should establish in arhatship those who are to be established in arhatship; should establish in individual enlightenment those who are to be established in individual enlightenment; and should establish in enlightenment those who are to be established in enlightenment.
“This, Subhūti, is a bodhisattva great being’s knowledge of the aspects of the path. Having trained in them, bodhisattva great beings enter into the aspirations of beings, and having entered into the aspirations of beings, they teach the Dharma accordingly. That teaching of the Dharma does not become fruitless. If you ask why, it is because they have fully understood the faculties of others and they know the paths and nonpaths of beings, their deaths, and also their births.
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should practice the perfection of wisdom such that of all the attributes that are the factors conducive to enlightenment in which bodhisattva great beings should train, in which śrāvakas should train, and in which pratyekabuddhas should train, there are none at all that are not subsumed in this perfection of wisdom.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if the factors that are conducive to enlightenment and all those attributes that are enlightenment are neither conjoined nor disjoined, and are immaterial, impossible to indicate, unimpeded, and thus with the one defining characteristic that they are without defining characteristics, how do the factors that are conducive to enlightenment bring about enlightenment? Blessed Lord, phenomena that are neither conjoined nor disjoined, and are immaterial, impossible to indicate, unimpeded, and thus with the one defining characteristic that they are without defining characteristics, cannot bring about or destroy any phenomenon at all. To illustrate, Blessed Lord, space does not bring about or destroy anything at all. In the same way, Blessed Lord, phenomena that are empty of their own defining characteristics cannot bring about or destroy anything at all.”
“It is so, Subhūti, it is so,” replied the Blessed One. “Phenomena that are empty of their own defining characteristics do not bring about or destroy any phenomena at all. Subhūti, it is for the sake of those beings who do not know that phenomena are empty of their own defining characteristics that it is taught, ‘These are the factors conducive to enlightenment that cause the attainment of enlightenment.’
“However, Subhūti, the tathāgatas expound all these phenomena in the Dharma and the Vinaya—those that are the physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness; the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mental faculty; sights, sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, and mental phenomena; visual consciousness, auditory consciousness, olfactory consciousness, gustatory consciousness, tactile consciousness, and mental consciousness; visually compounded sensory contact, aurally compounded sensory contact, nasally compounded sensory contact, lingually compounded sensory contact, corporeally compounded sensory contact, and mentally compounded sensory contact; 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, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, and the consciousness element; ignorance, formative predispositions, consciousness, name and form, the six sense fields, sensory contact, sensation, craving, grasping, the rebirth process, birth, and aging and death; the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom; 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, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; the first meditative concentration, the second meditative concentration, the third meditative concentration, and the fourth meditative concentration; loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity; the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, and the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception; the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path; the truths of the noble ones, the three gateways to liberation, the eight liberations, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways; the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, great loving kindness, and great compassion; and the fruit of having entered the stream, the fruit of once-returner, the fruit of non-returner, arhatship, individual enlightenment, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and all-aspect omniscience—which are all neither conjoined nor disjoined, and are immaterial, impossible to indicate, unimpeded, and thus with the one defining characteristic that they are without defining characteristics, in order that beings might grasp them, explaining them on the basis of mundane convention, but not ultimately.
“Bodhisattva great beings should train in all these through knowledge and seeing. Having trained in them just as they are through knowledge and seeing, there are some phenomena that they should actualize, and some that they should not actualize. There, if you ask which phenomena bodhisattva great beings should train in through knowledge and seeing and actualize, and which phenomena bodhisattva great beings should train in through knowledge and seeing and not actualize, they should not, having trained in the phenomena of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas through knowledge and seeing, actualize them. On the other hand, they should actualize all phenomena in all respects with the transcendent knowledge of an all-aspect omniscient one. Subhūti, it is in this way that bodhisattva great beings should train in the Dharma and Vinaya of the noble ones, the perfection of wisdom.”
“The Blessed One has said ‘the Dharma and Vinaya of the noble ones, the Dharma and Vinaya of the noble ones.’1152 What finally are ‘the Dharma and Vinaya of the noble ones’?” asked Subhūti.
“Here,1153 Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, and the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas are neither conjoined with nor disjoined from desire, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from hatred, and neither conjoined with nor disjoined from delusion, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the view of the perishable composites, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from doubt, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from a sense of moral and ascetic supremacy, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from attachment to sense objects or from malice, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from attachment to the realm of form, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from attachment to the realm of formlessness, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from ignorance, and neither conjoined with nor disjoined from pride and gross mental excitement. They are neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the first meditative concentration, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the second meditative concentration, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the third meditative concentration, and neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the fourth meditative concentration; neither conjoined with nor disjoined from loving kindness, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from compassion, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from empathetic joy, and neither conjoined with nor disjoined from equanimity; and neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the sphere of infinite space, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the sphere of infinite consciousness, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the sphere of nothing-at-all, and neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. They are neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the four applications of mindfulness, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the four correct exertions, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the four supports for miraculous ability, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the five faculties, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the five powers, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the seven branches of enlightenment, and neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the noble eightfold path. They are neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the four truths of the noble ones, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the four meditative concentrations, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the four immeasurable attitudes, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the four formless absorptions, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the eight liberations, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness gateways to liberation, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the extrasensory powers, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the meditative stabilities, and neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the dhāraṇī gateways. They are neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the ten powers of the tathāgatas, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the four fearlessnesses, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the four kinds of exact knowledge, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, neither conjoined with nor disjoined from great loving kindness, and neither conjoined with nor disjoined from great compassion. They are neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the realm of the conditioned and are neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the realm of the unconditioned. It is for this reason that they are called the noble ones. Those phenomena are their Dharma and Vinaya, so they are called the Dharma and Vinaya of the noble ones.
“If you ask why, it is because all those phenomena are immaterial, impossible to indicate, unimpeded, and with the one defining characteristic that they are without defining characteristics. Regarding those, the immaterial are neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the immaterial, the impossible to indicate is neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the impossible to indicate, the unimpeded are neither conjoined with nor disjoined from the unimpeded, and being without defining characteristics is neither conjoined with nor disjoined from being without defining characteristics. This, Subhūti, is the perfection of the immaterial, the impossible to indicate, the unimpeded, and the one defining characteristic that they are without defining characteristics. Bodhisattva great beings should train in that. When they have trained in it, they do not apprehend any defining characteristic of any phenomenon at all.”