The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines

“Subhūti, knowledge of the fruit of having entered the stream, knowledge of the fruit of once-returner, knowledge of the fruit of non-returner, and knowledge of arhatship; knowledge of the perfection of generosity, knowledge of the perfection of ethical discipline, knowledge of the perfection of tolerance, knowledge of the perfection of perseverance, knowledge of the perfection of meditative concentration, and knowledge of the perfection of wisdom; knowledge of the emptiness of internal phenomena, knowledge of the emptiness of external phenomena, knowledge of the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, knowledge of the emptiness of emptiness, knowledge of the emptiness of great extent, knowledge of the emptiness of ultimate reality, knowledge of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, knowledge of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, knowledge of the emptiness of the unlimited, knowledge of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, knowledge of the emptiness of nonexclusion, knowledge of the emptiness of inherent nature, knowledge of the emptiness of all phenomena, knowledge of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, knowledge of the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, knowledge of the emptiness of nonentities, knowledge of the emptiness of essential nature, and knowledge of the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; knowledge of the four applications of mindfulness, knowledge of the four correct exertions, knowledge of the four supports for miraculous ability, knowledge of the five faculties, knowledge of the five powers, knowledge of the seven branches of enlightenment, and knowledge of the noble eightfold path; knowledge of the four truths of the noble ones, knowledge of the four meditative concentrations, knowledge of the four immeasurable attitudes, knowledge of the four formless absorptions, knowledge of the eight liberations, knowledge of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, knowledge of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, knowledge of the extrasensory powers, knowledge of the meditative stabilities, and knowledge of the dhāraṇī gateways; knowledge of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, knowledge of the four fearlessnesses, knowledge of the four kinds of exact knowledge, and knowledge of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; knowledge of great loving kindness, knowledge of great compassion, knowledge of great empathetic joy, and knowledge of great equanimity; and, in addition, knowledge of mundane and supramundane phenomena, of contaminated and uncontaminated phenomena, and of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena‍—those, with the exception of the knowledge of an all-aspect omniscient one, are the attributes of noble bodhisattva great beings.

“If you ask what the fruit of the attributes of bodhisattva great beings is, it is the abandonment of all the afflicted mental states and their connecting propensities. This is the fruit of the attributes of noble bodhisattva great beings.”

The venerable Subhūti then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, will bodhisattva great beings attain all-aspect omniscience?”

“It is so, Subhūti, it is so,” replied the Blessed One. “Bodhisattva great beings will attain all-aspect omniscience.”

“Blessed Lord,” asked Subhūti, “if bodhisattva great beings will attain all-aspect omniscience, what is the distinction between a bodhisattva great being and a tathāgata?”

“There is a distinction,” replied the Blessed One.

“What is the distinction?” asked Subhūti.

“A bodhisattva great being will attain all-aspect omniscience. A tathāgata is called the one who has attained the knowledge,” replied the Blessed One. “If you ask why, it is because with respect to where they dwell when nonobfuscation¹²³⁹ with respect to all phenomena has been attained, it is not said that the mind of a bodhisattva is one thing and the mind of the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly complete buddhas another.

“That then, Subhūti, is the bodhisattva great beings’ mundane gift of the Dharma, and, based on that, the supramundane gift of the Dharma comes about. It is in this manner, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings engage beings in the mundane gift of the Dharma, and having established them through skill in means in the supramundane gift of the Dharma, establish them in…up to all-aspect omniscience.

“Subhūti, if you ask what is the bodhisattva great beings’ supramundane gift of the Dharma that is not shared in common with all ordinary people, the supramundane gift of the Dharma is said to be the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven aspects of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path; the four immeasurable attitudes, the three gateways to liberation, the eight liberations, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the ten spheres of complete suffusion,¹²⁴⁰ the eight spheres of mastery, conflict-free meditative stability, knowledge based on aspirational prayer, the six extrasensory powers, the four utter purities,¹²⁴¹ the ten controls, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, the three states they do not have to guard against, the three applications of mindfulness, the reality of phenomena that does not have forgetfulness, and the perfect destruction of the propensities; and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, great loving kindness, great compassion, the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor signs of a great person, the five hundred dhāraṇī gateways, and the gateways of meditative stability‍—these are said to be the supramundane gift of the Dharma.

“Subhūti, among those, if you ask what the four applications of mindfulness are, those who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated worldly covetousness and mental unhappiness, practice¹²⁴² while observing the body‍—the inner body, the outer body, and the outer and inner body‍—practice while observing origination with respect to the body, practice while observing extinction with respect to the body, and practice while observing origination and extinction with respect to the body. They practice in the body without a fixed dwelling, and they are not acquisitive of anything at all in the world.

“Those who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated worldly covetousness and mental unhappiness, practice while observing feelings‍—inner feelings, outer feelings, and outer and inner feelings‍—practice while observing origination with respect to feelings, practice while observing extinction with respect to feelings, and practice while observing origination and extinction with respect to feelings. They practice, while having feelings, without a fixed dwelling, and they are not acquisitive of anything at all in the world.

“Those who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated worldly covetousness and mental unhappiness, practice while observing mind‍—the inner mind, the outer mind, and the outer and inner mind‍—practice while observing origination with respect to mind, practice while observing extinction with respect to mind, and practice while observing origination and extinction with respect to mind. They practice, while having a mind, without a fixed dwelling, and they are not acquisitive of anything at all in the world.

“Those who are diligent, alert, and mindful and have eliminated worldly covetousness and mental unhappiness, practice while observing phenomena‍—inner phenomena, outer phenomena, and outer and inner phenomena‍—practice while observing origination with respect to phenomena, practice while observing extinction with respect to phenomena, and practice while observing origination and extinction with respect to phenomena. They practice, within phenomena, without a fixed dwelling, and they are not acquisitive of anything at all in the world.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the four correct exertions are, they resolve to cause negative and nonvirtuous phenomena that have not yet arisen not to arise, struggle to renounce those that have previously arisen, resolve and strive to cause virtuous phenomena that have not yet arisen to arise, and develop the tenacity so that virtuous phenomena that have previously arisen might flourish and increase, and that their cultivation become fully completed.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the four supports for miraculous abilities are, they are the resolve that is a support for miraculous ability endowed with meditative stability and the formative force of exertion, the mind that is a support for miraculous ability endowed with meditative stability and the formative force of exertion, the perseverance that is a support for miraculous ability endowed with meditative stability and the formative force of exertion, and the scrutiny that is a support for miraculous ability endowed with meditative stability and the formative force of exertion.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the five faculties are, they are the faculty of faith, the faculty of perseverance, the faculty of recollection, the faculty of meditative stability, and the faculty of wisdom. These are called the five faculties.

“If you ask what the five powers are, they are the power of faith, the power of perseverance, the power of recollection, the power of meditative stability, and the power of wisdom. These are called the five powers.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the seven branches of enlightenment are, they are the correct recollection branch of enlightenment, the correct doctrinal analysis branch of enlightenment, the correct perseverance branch of enlightenment, the correct delight branch of enlightenment, the correct subtlety branch of enlightenment, the correct meditative stability branch of enlightenment, and the correct equanimity branch of enlightenment.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the noble eightfold path is, it is correct view, correct thought, correct speech, correct action, correct livelihood, correct effort, correct recollection, and correct meditative stability. These are called the noble eightfold path.

“If you ask what the three meditative stabilities are, they are the meditative stability of emptiness, the meditative stability of signlessness, and the meditative stability of wishlessness. If you ask what the meditative stability of emptiness is, it is one-pointedness of mind with respect to emptiness and with respect to voidness. That is called the meditative stability of emptiness. If you ask what the meditative stability of signlessness is, it is one-pointedness of mind with respect to peace and with respect to signlessness. That is called the meditative stability of signlessness. If you ask what the meditative stability of wishlessness is, it is one-pointedness of mind with respect to impermanence and with respect to suffering. That is called the meditative stability of wishlessness.

“If you ask what the eight liberations are, those with physical forms observe the physical forms. This is the first liberation. Those with the perception of no internal physical forms observe external physical forms. This is the second liberation. They believe it is a pleasant state. This is the third liberation. They achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite space. This is the fourth liberation. They achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite consciousness. This is the fifth liberation. They achieve and maintain the sphere of nothing-at-all. This is the sixth liberation. They achieve and maintain the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. This is the seventh liberation. They achieve and maintain the cessation of perceptions and feelings. This is the eighth liberation. These are the eight liberations.

“If you ask what the nine serial steps of meditative absorption are, here some achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration that is detached from sense objects, is detached from negative and nonvirtuous attributes, has an initial mental application and a sustained mental application, and is endowed with the joy and bliss that arise from detachment. Having pacified the initial mental application and the sustained mental application, with inner serene confidence‍—which is to say, a mind that has become single-pointed‍—they achieve and maintain the second meditative concentration endowed with the joy and bliss that arise from meditative stability. Because they have no attachment to the joy, dwelling with recollection and alertness in equanimity they experience the bliss with their bodies and achieve and maintain the third meditative concentration devoid of joy, about which the noble ones say, ‘They are equanimous, have recollection, and are abiding in bliss.’ On account of having earlier abandoned the bliss, abandoned suffering, and having caused mental happiness and mental unhappiness to subside, with equanimity and recollection I achieved and maintained the purified fourth meditative concentration without bliss or suffering. Having completely transcended the perception of physical forms so that perceptions of obstruction have subsided, those who do not direct their attention to perceptions of diversity achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite space, thinking, ‘Space is infinite.’ Having completely transcended the sphere of infinite space in all respects, they achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite consciousness, thinking, ‘Consciousness is infinite.’ Having completely transcended the sphere of infinite consciousness in all respects, they achieve and maintain the sphere of nothing-at-all, thinking, ‘There is nothing at all.’ Having completely transcended the sphere of nothing-at-all in all respects, they achieve and maintain the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. Having completely transcended the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception in all respects, they achieve and maintain the cessation of perceptions and feelings. These are the nine serial steps of meditative absorption.

“If you ask what the ten spheres of complete suffusion are, they are the complete suffusion in earth, the complete suffusion in water, the complete suffusion in fire, the complete suffusion in wind, the complete suffusion in blue, the complete suffusion in yellow, the complete suffusion in red, the complete suffusion in white, the complete suffusion in consciousness, and the complete suffusion in space. These are called the ten spheres of complete suffusion.

“If you ask what the eight spheres of mastery are, those with a perception of inner physical forms look at external subtle physical forms, pleasant colors, and unpleasant colors, but they master and understand these physical forms, and they master and see them. Such a perception as this is the first sphere of mastery. Those with a perception of inner physical forms look at external gross physical forms, pleasant colors, and unpleasant colors, but they master and understand these physical forms, and they master and see them. Such a perception as this is the second sphere of mastery. Those with a perception of inner formlessness look at external subtle physical forms, pleasant colors, and unpleasant colors, but they master and understand these physical forms, and they master and see them. Such a perception as this is the third sphere of mastery. Those with a perception of inner formlessness look at external gross physical forms, pleasant colors, and unpleasant colors, but they master and understand these physical forms, and they master and see them. Such a perception as this is the fourth sphere of mastery. Those with a perception of inner formlessness look at external blue physical forms, blue in color, appearing as blue‍—the color blue, for example, like umā flowers,¹²⁴³ or like the cloth made in the Vārāṇasī region dyed blue, blue in color, appearing as blue, and the color blue‍—but they master and understand these physical forms, and they master and see them. Such a perception as this is the fifth sphere of mastery. Those with a perception of inner formlessness look at external yellow physical forms, yellow in color, appearing as yellow‍—the color yellow, for example, like the flowers of the karṣikari bush,¹²⁴⁴ or like the cloth made in the Vārāṇasī region dyed yellow, yellow in color, appearing as yellow, and the color yellow‍—but they master and understand these physical forms, and they master and see them. Such a perception as that is the sixth sphere of mastery. Those with a perception of inner formlessness look at external red physical forms, red in color, appearing as red‍—the color red, for example, like bandhūjīvaka flowers,¹²⁴⁵ or like the cloth made in the Vārāṇasī region dyed red, red in color, appearing as red, and the color red‍—but they master and understand these physical forms, and they master and see them. Such a perception as that is the seventh sphere of mastery. Those with a perception of inner formlessness look at external white physical forms, white in color, appearing as white‍—the color white, for example, like the light of the celestial body Śukra,¹²⁴⁶ or like the cloth made in the Vārāṇasī region that is white, white in color, appearing as white, and the color white‍—but they master and understand these physical forms, and they master and see them. Such a perception as that is the eighth sphere of mastery.

“If you ask what the conflict-free one is,¹²⁴⁷ it is that meditative stability through which the practice of bodhisattva great beings, abiding in meditative concentration, achieves the power to ensure that the afflicted mental states of other beings and other individuals do not arise. That is called the conflict-free one.

“If you ask what knowledge based on aspirational prayer is, bodhisattvas, thinking, ‘I should know this,’ abiding in meditative concentration, having set their minds on the knowledge of the three times or on whatever knowledge they want, having arisen from the meditative stability, fully accomplish their aspirational prayer. That knowledge of that object of knowledge is called knowledge based on aspirational prayer.

“If you ask what the six extrasensory powers are, they are the extrasensory power of miraculous abilities, the extrasensory power of divine clairvoyance, the extrasensory power of divine clairaudience, the extrasensory power of knowing the minds of others, the extrasensory power of recollecting past lives, and the extrasensory power of knowing that contaminants have ceased. These are the six.

“If you ask what the four utter purities are, they are the utter purity of the body, the utter purity of the objective support, the utter purity of mind, and the utter purity of transcendent knowledge. These are the four.

“If you ask what the ten controls are,¹²⁴⁸ they are control over the lifespan, control over mind, control over resources, control over actions, control over birth, control over resolute belief, control over aspirational prayer, control over miraculous abilities, control over transcendent knowledge, and control over the Dharma.¹²⁴⁹ These are the ten.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the ten powers of the tathāgatas are, Subhūti, here, the tathāgatas have definitive knowledge that phenomena that are possible are indeed possible, and definitive knowledge that phenomena that are impossible are indeed impossible.

“They have definitive knowledge of the maturation‍—the location aspect and the cause aspect‍—of past, future, and present actions and the undertakings of action.

“They have definitive knowledge that a world has a diversity of constituents, that a world has multiple constituents.

“They have definitive knowledge of the diversity of resolute beliefs and the multiplicity of resolute beliefs that other beings, other persons, have.

“They have definitive knowledge of the acumen of other beings, other persons, and whether it is to be known as superior or inferior.

“They have definitive knowledge of the paths, wherever they lead.

“They have definitive knowledge of the arrangement of the faculties, powers, branches of enlightenment, meditative concentrations, liberations, meditative stabilities, and formless absorptions, as well as defilement and purification.

“They recollect multiple past abodes. They recollect from one lifetime up to the recollection of one hundred lifetimes, a thousand lifetimes, a hundred thousand lifetimes, up to a quintillion lifetimes. They recollect from one eon up to the recollection of one hundred eons, and they recollect many hundreds of eons, many thousands of eons, many hundreds of thousands of eons, up to many quintillions of eons. They recollect multiple past abodes: ‘I was in such and such a place, named so-and-so, in such and such a lineage, with such and such a birth status, following such and such a diet, with an allotted lifespan of such and such a duration, and living for such and such a length of time. Having died there, I was born in such and such a place, up to, and having died there, then I took birth here,’ along with the conditions, the bare ground on which the corpses were laid, and the reasons.

“They know through their refined divine eye of clairvoyance surpassing that of humans those beings who are dying and those who are reborn, and they know, to the extent that they proceed in accord with their actions, those who are beautiful, those who are ugly, those who are excellent, those who are vile, those who dwell in blissful realms, and those who dwell in the lower realms. They know, ‘These beings have physical misconduct, these have verbal misconduct, these have mental misconduct, these deprecate sublime beings, and these have wrong views, and, because of those causes and those conditions, when they have died they will be reborn in inferior realms, falling into the lower abodes, as denizens of the hells. These beings have noble physical conduct, these have noble verbal conduct, these have noble mental conduct, these do not deprecate sublime beings, and these have correct views, and, because of those causes and those conditions, when they have died they will reborn among the gods of the blissful and exalted realms.’

“They have definitive knowledge of the liberation of mind and the liberation of wisdom in the state that is free from contaminants because all contaminants have ceased.

“These ten are the powers of the tathāgatas.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the tathāgatas’ four fearlessnesses are, they are as follows: When I claim to have attained perfectly complete buddhahood, I observe no reason for any virtuous ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, Brahmā, or any other creature here in the world to argue with me with their doctrine that these are not fully, perfectly enlightened qualities, and, because I do not see any reason, I dwell in a feeling of security about that, without trepidation, with fearlessness. I claim my exalted place as the great leader. I rightly roar the lion’s roar in the midst of the assembly. I turn the wheel of Brahmā that no one in the world‍—no virtuous ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else‍—can turn with their doctrine.

“When I claim that I am one whose contaminants have ceased, I observe no reason for any virtuous ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, Brahmā, or any other creature here in the world to argue with me with their doctrine that those contaminants have not ceased, and, because I do not see any reason, I dwell in a feeling of security about that, without trepidation, with fearlessness. I claim my exalted place as the great leader. I rightly roar the lion’s roar in the midst of the assembly. I turn the wheel of Brahmā that no one the world‍—no virtuous ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else‍—can turn with their doctrine.

“I observe no reason for any virtuous ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, Brahmā, or any other creature here in the world, with their doctrine, to argue with me about any of those phenomena I have explained to be obstacles and say that even though one might have resorted to them, those phenomena would not become obstacles. Because I do not see any reason, I dwell in a feeling of security about that, without trepidation, with fearlessness. I claim my exalted place as the great leader. I rightly roar the lion’s roar in the midst of the assembly. I turn the wheel of Brahmā that no one in the world‍—no virtuous ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else‍—can turn with their doctrine.

“I observe no reason for any virtuous ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, Brahmā, or any other creature here in the world, with their doctrine, to argue with me about those paths of the noble ones, conducive to emancipation and conducive to realization, that I have taught, and say that ‘it will not be the case that suffering will genuinely cease’ for those who have practiced them. Because I do not see any reason, I dwell in a feeling of security about that, without trepidation, with fearlessness. I claim my exalted place as the great leader. I rightly roar the lion’s roar in the midst of the assembly. I turn the wheel of Brahmā that no one in the world‍—no virtuous ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else‍—can turn with their doctrine. These four are called the fearlessnesses.

“If you ask what the tathāgatas’ four kinds of exact knowledge are, they are the exact knowledge of meanings, the exact knowledge of doctrines, the exact knowledge of lexical explanations, and the exact knowledge of inspired eloquence, and if you again ask what these are, they have meaning as referential object, doctrine as referential object, lexical explanation as referential object, and inspired eloquence as referential object.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the three things the tathāgatas do not have to guard against are, the tathāgatas are endowed with completely pure physical conduct of body, and since the tathāgatas do not have to be concerned about impure physical conduct of body, they do not conceal anything, thinking, ‘Somebody is coming to find out.’ This is the first thing they do not have to guard against. The tathāgatas are endowed with completely pure verbal conduct, and since the tathāgatas do not have to be concerned about impure verbal conduct, they do not conceal anything, thinking, ‘Somebody is coming to find out.’ This is the second thing they do not have to guard against. The tathāgatas are endowed with completely pure mental conduct, and since the tathāgatas do not have to be concerned about impure mental conduct, they do not conceal anything, thinking, ‘Somebody is coming to find out.’ That is the third thing they do not have to guard against.

“If you ask what the tathāgatas’ three applications of mindfulness are, when the tathāgatas teach the Dharma, even when there are some who listen respectfully with their ears cocked, apply their minds to listening to the words, and work hard at the Dharma in accord with the Dharma, the tathāgatas are not delighted, their minds do not become happy, and they do not get excited.¹²⁵⁰ This is the first application of mindfulness. Even when there are some who do not listen respectfully with their ears cocked, apply their minds to listening to the words, or work hard at the Dharma in accord with the Dharma,¹²⁵¹ the tathāgatas are not angered by that, do not become intolerant, and do not lose confidence in them. This is the second application of mindfulness. Even when some do listen respectfully with their ears cocked, apply their minds to listening to the words, and work hard at the Dharma in accord with the Dharma, and others do not listen respectfully with their ears cocked, apply their minds to listening to the words, or work hard at the Dharma in accord with the Dharma, the tathāgatas are neither delighted nor angered by that. With mindfulness and introspection, they maintain equanimity toward them all. This is the third application of mindfulness.

“Among them, if you ask what the tathāgatas’ reality of phenomena that does not decline¹²⁵² is, it is that through which the lord buddhas never cease to act for the benefit of all beings, because they teach the Dharma that is meaningful. This is called the reality of phenomena that does not decline.

“Among them, if you ask what the tathāgatas’ perfect destruction of the obscuration¹²⁵³ of propensities is, even though all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas have eliminated afflicted mental states, still they have distortions of the physical body, but the tathāgatas do not. This is called the perfect destruction of the obscuration of propensities.

“Among them, if you ask what the great compassion of the tathāgatas is, it is that great compassion, endowed with which the tathāgatas, based on the convention of the world, contemplate the world at all times‍—thrice during the day and thrice during the night––in order to inspect the roots of virtue, even though, in actual fact, the great compassion of the lord buddhas is always in operation viewing infinite beings to be brought to maturity. This is called great compassion.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the tathāgatas’ eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are, the tathāgatas are without clumsiness; they are not noisy; they do not degenerate in their mindfulness; they are without differentiating perceptions; they are without uncomposed minds; they are without the indifference that lacks discernment; they do not degenerate in their resolution; they do not degenerate in their perseverance; they do not degenerate in their recollection; they do not degenerate in their meditative stability; they do not degenerate in their wisdom; they do not degenerate in their liberation nor do they degenerate in their knowledge and seeing of liberation;¹²⁵⁴ all the activities of their bodies are preceded by transcendent knowledge and informed by transcendent knowledge;¹²⁵⁵ all the activities of their speech are preceded by transcendent knowledge and informed by transcendent knowledge; all the activities of their minds are preceded by transcendent knowledge and informed by transcendent knowledge; their unobstructed and unattached transcendent knowledge and seeing engages with past time; their unobstructed and unattached transcendent knowledge and seeing engages with future time; and their unobstructed and unattached transcendent knowledge and seeing engages with present time. These are the distinct qualities of the buddhas.

“Subhūti, if you ask what the all-aspect omniscience of the tathāgatas is, that which has no referential object, in which mindfulness predominates, that has the aspect of peace, and that has as its defining characteristic that it is without defining characteristics is called all-aspect omniscience.

“If you ask what the tathāgatas’ thirty-two major marks of a great person are, (1) they have hands and feet that are marked with the motif of the wheel, (2) feet that are well positioned, (3) hands and feet that are webbed, (4) and hands and feet that are tender and soft. (5) They have seven prominent parts, (6) long toes and fingers, (7) broad heels, (8) an upright bearing, (9) and legs that stand up well.¹²⁵⁶ (10) They have limbs with body hairs that curl upward, (11) legs resembling those of the black antelope,¹²⁵⁷ (12) arms that reach down the thighs when standing upright, (13) and a private part that disappears in a sheath. (14) They are a golden complexion, (15) with extremely smooth skin. (16) Each strand of their hair curls to the right. (17) Their face is adorned with a hair ringlet.¹²⁵⁸ (18) They have a torso that resembles that of a lion, (19) well-formed shoulders, (20) and the upper part of their chest between the shoulders is extremely broad.¹²⁵⁹ (21) Tastes are supreme tastes for them. (22) They are endowed with a girth like the banyan tree, (23) an uṣṇīṣa on the crown of the head, (24) an extremely wide and delicate tongue, (25) the divine voice of Brahmā, (26) lion-like jaws, (27) extremely white teeth, (28) extremely even teeth, (29) close-fitting teeth, (30) and a full set of forty even teeth. (31) The whites of their eyes and dark pupils are sharply demarcated, (32) and they have eyelashes like those of a cow.

“Among those, (1) the palms and soles of the tathāgatas’ hands and feet are marked with the motif of a wheel with a thousand spokes, a hub, and a circumference, which are complete in all respects, as if they had been carved from bone or ivory, so their hands and feet are marked with the motif of the wheel. (2) They place the two soles of the feet evenly on the ground, without wobbling, so they have feet that are well positioned. (3) Their fingers and toes are webbed together in the manner of the king of swans, so they have hands and feet that are webbed. (4) Like tree cotton in the boll¹²⁶⁰ that is extremely soft and young, they have hands and feet that are tender and soft. (5) Their hands and feet, the area of the shoulders, the back of the neck, and the throat are very prominent, so they have seven prominent parts.¹²⁶¹ (6) Their toes and fingers are extended, so they have long toes and fingers. (7) Their heels are extended, so they have broad heels. (8) They stand seven forearm lengths tall,¹²⁶² so they have a straight, upright bearing. (9) Their kneecaps and ankle bones are beautifully hidden, so they have legs that stand up well. (10) Their hairs point upward, curling to the right, so they have limbs with body hairs that curl upward. (11) Like the calves¹²⁶³ of the eṇa, straight like an arrow reed or a flourishing stalk, undamaged, and formed tapering round and full, they have legs with calves resembling those of the black antelope. (12) Keeping their thighs straight and without bending down, the palms of their hands touch their knees, so they have arms that reach down the thighs when standing upright. (13) Like a thoroughbred elephant or a thoroughbred horse, their extremely beautiful sex organ disappears into a sheath, so their private part disappears into a sheath. (14) They have a color resembling refined, shining gold, so they are a golden complexion. (15) The skin on their body, like finely worked gold and silver, is so smooth and uniform that no dust particles adhere to it, so they have extremely smooth skin. (16) Each strand of their body hair is well separated and grows distinctly without a second, so each strand of their hair curls to the right. (17) They are embellished with a hair ringlet between the eyebrows the color of a white water lily, the moon, milk, or hoarfrost, with a luminosity surpassing even a hundred suns and moons, so their face is adorned with a hair ringlet. (18) The upper part of their body is broad, so they have a torso that resembles that of a lion. (19) Their neck and sinews are well connected and shoulders amply rounded, so they have well-formed shoulders. (20) The upper part of their chest between the shoulders is well formed like a highly polished plank of gold, so the upper part of their chest between the shoulders is extremely broad. (21) The cause of taste¹²⁶⁴ is unimpaired by disorders of wind, bile, or phlegm, and the consciousness is matchless, so tastes are supreme tastes. (22) The length of their body is proportionate to its width,¹²⁶⁵ so they are endowed with a girth like the banyan tree in that. (23) They have a proportionate, well-formed, and elegant head endowed with a spherical and excellent uṣṇīṣa that is coiled to the right, so they are endowed with an uṣṇīṣa on the crown of the head. (24) Their tongue resembles the color of a petal of a red lotus flower and is extremely wide, so they have one that is extremely wide and slender. (25) Their voice is like that of Hiraṇyagarbha or the kalaviṅka bird, so they have the divine voice of Brahmā. (26) They have a face like a round mirror with beautifully developed, well-formed jaws, so they have lion-like jaws. (27) Their teeth are extremely white like water lilies or fragments of conch, so they have extremely white teeth. (28) Their teeth are neither too high nor too low, so they have extremely even teeth. (29) Their teeth are without gaps between them, so they have close-fitting teeth. (30) The upper and lower sets are not crooked, so they have a full set of forty even teeth. (31) The white and dark parts of their eyes are not mixed, they are utterly pure, and not pervaded by redness, so the whites and the dark pupils are sharply demarcated (32) The upper and lower lashes are well positioned and untangled, so they have eyelashes like those of a cow.

“Among those, (1) they have hands and feet that are marked with the motif of the wheel because they have paid their respects by receiving and accompanying spiritual teachers, sitting listening to the Dharma, and establishing temples and stūpas and so on. This is a prior indication that they will have an extremely large circle of followers. (2) They have feet that are well positioned because they have been steadfast in their commitments. This is a prior indication that they will be unswerving and steadfast. (3) They have hands and feet that are webbed because they have become familiar with the four attractive qualities: generosity, pleasant speech, purposeful activity, and harmonious activity. This is a prior indication that they will swiftly attract disciples. (4–5) They have hands and feet that are tender and soft, and they have seven prominent parts because they have been generous with delicious, healthy,¹²⁶⁶ hard and soft food and drink. These two are prior indications that they will obtain delicious, healthy, hard and soft food and drink. (6–8) They have long toes and fingers, broad heels, and an upright bearing because they have released beings from bondage, acted in the service of life, and renounced killing. These are prior indications that they will have a long lifespan. (9–10) They have legs that stand up well and limbs with body hairs that curl upward because they have perfectly taken up the virtuous attributes and, having taken hold of them, caused them to become enhanced and not decline. These are prior indications that they are endowed with the attributes that do not degenerate. (11) They have legs resembling those of the black antelope, because, having shown respect and imparted classical learning and the arts to others, they have also acquired them. This is a prior indication that they will swiftly acquire them. (12) They are endowed with arms that reach down the thighs when standing upright because, when asked for their property and wealth, they gave it without dismay and without refusing to do so. This is a prior indication that they will possess resources and discipline. (13) They have a private part that disappears in a sheath because they do not separate friends, family, and relatives; bring together those beings who are separated; practice chastity; and guard the secret words. This is a prior indication of many [spiritual] heirs. (14–15) They are a golden complexion, with extremely smooth skin, because they have donated excellent seats, clothing, houses, palaces, and dwellings. These two are prior indications that they will acquire excellent seats, clothing, houses, palaces, and dwellings. (16–17) Each strand of their hair curls to the right and their face is adorned with a hair ringlet¹²⁶⁷ because they have abandoned social diversions, and served, revered, and obeyed¹²⁶⁸ their superiors, including preceptors, masters, parents, and siblings, in the appropriate manner. These are prior indications of peerlessness. (18–19) They have a torso that resembles that of a lion and well-formed shoulders because they neither speak unpleasant words nor do they scold anyone, but maintain harmony, speaking pleasant words with eloquence. These are prior indications that they will be invincible. (20–21) The upper part of their chest between the shoulders is extremely broad, and tastes are supreme tastes, because they have donated medicines, aid, medical treatment, and beneficial foods to invalids, and have attended on them. These are prior indications of few illnesses. (22–23) They are endowed with a girth like the banyan tree, and an uṣṇīṣa on the crown of the head, because, having previously made others wish for gardens, assembly halls, wells, pools, bridges spanning places hard to cross, places for food and garlands,¹²⁶⁹ habitations, monasteries, and so on, they have given them to others. These are prior indications of acquiring great dominion. (24–25) They are endowed with an extremely wide and delicate tongue and the divine voice of Brahmā because for a long time they have spoken pleasant, gentle, and comforting words. These two are prior indications that they will possess speech endowed with five qualities. ‘Speech endowed with five qualities’ is comprehensible and sensible, delightful to hear and lacking in discord, deep and resounding,¹²⁷⁰ not verbose¹²⁷¹ and pleasant to the ears, and undisturbing and lucid. (26) They are endowed with lion-like jaws because for a long time they have abandoned nonsensical chatter and speak in a timely manner. This is a prior indication that their words will be heard by all. (27–28) They have extremely white teeth and extremely even teeth because they have engaged in pure livelihood with both respect and the absence of contempt. These are prior indications of an entourage that has already been assembled. (29–30) They have close-fitting teeth and a full set of forty even teeth because for a long time they have spoken words that are true and without slander. These are prior indications of not being separated from their entourage. (31–32) The whites of their eyes and dark pupils are sharply demarcated and they have eyelashes like those of a cow, because they gaze with eyes devoid of attachment, hatred, and delusion, without considering defects, as if clasping to their bosom. These are prior indications of being beautiful in all respects. Subhūti, these are the tathāgatas’ thirty-two major marks of a great person.

“If you ask what the tathāgatas’ eighty minor marks are, (1) the lord buddhas are devoid of any conditioning, so they have copper-colored nails. (2) The lord buddhas have a mind intent on bringing spiritual and temporal benefit and happiness¹²⁷² to beings, like the love for relatives and friends, so they have glossy nails. (3) The lord buddhas are born in prominent families and lineages so they have prominent nails. (4) The conduct of the lord buddhas is without the basic transgressions, so they have round fingers and toes.¹²⁷³ (5) The lord buddhas have a great accumulation of the roots of virtue, so they have wide fingers and toes.¹²⁷⁴ (6) The lord buddhas gradually accomplished the roots of virtue, so they have tapering fingers and toes. (7) The actions of body, speech, and mind of the lord buddhas, and their livelihoods, are utterly detached, so their veins are inconspicuous.¹²⁷⁵ (8) The lord buddhas untie the knots of afflicted mental states, so their veins are unknotted. (9) The lord buddhas possess the doctrine of utter detachment, so their ankles are inconspicuous. (10) The lord buddhas liberate from all difficulties, so their feet are not dissimilar.¹²⁷⁶ (11) The lord buddhas are lions among men, so they have the gait of a lion. (12) The lord buddhas are elephants among men, so they have the gait of an elephant. (13) The lord buddhas move through space like the king of swans, so they have the gait of a swan. (14) The lord buddhas are leaders among men, so they have the gait of a leading bull. (15) The lord buddhas have the path of harmony, so they proceed by keeping things worthy of respect to the right.¹²⁷⁷ (16) The lord buddhas are elegant to behold, so they have an elegant gait. (17) The lord buddhas’ minds are never erratic, so they have a gait that is not erratic. (18) The lord buddhas teach the attributes of pure behavior, so they have a body that is most excellent.¹²⁷⁸ (19) The lord buddhas have utterly refined negative attributes,¹²⁷⁹ so they have a body that is utterly refined. (20) The lord buddhas teach the Dharma in a series, so their gait is regulated.¹²⁸⁰ (21) The lord buddhas are endowed with cleanliness of body, speech, and mind, so they have an utterly clean body. (22) The lord buddhas have a mind that is naturally gentle, so they have an utterly soft body. (23) The lord buddhas have a mind that is naturally pure, so they have an absolutely pure body. (24) The lord buddhas’ doctrine and discipline are utterly complete, so they are endowed with utterly complete minor marks.¹²⁸¹ (25) The lord buddhas reveal enlightened attributes that are expansive and noble, so their body is large and beautiful. (26) The lord buddhas have a mind that regards all beings as the same, so they have a well-proportioned body.¹²⁸² (27) The lord buddhas teach a doctrine that is supremely gentle, so they have an utterly youthful body.¹²⁸³ (28) The lord buddhas have a mind that is never discouraged, so their body is not bent over.¹²⁸⁴ (29) The lord buddhas have cleaned all the roots of nonvirtue, so they have a body that is extremely broad.¹²⁸⁵ (30) The lord buddhas have utterly vanquished and ended rebirth, so their body is extremely firm.¹²⁸⁶ (31) The lord buddhas excellently reveal the links and subsidiary links of dependent origination, so they have well-formed,¹²⁸⁷ beautiful vital organs and limbs. (32) The lord buddhas’ vision is utterly pure, so they have undimmed and pure sight. (33) The lord buddhas have disciples who behaved well, so they have a round¹²⁸⁸ abdomen. (34) The lord buddhas have utterly cleaned away all the defects of cyclic existence, so they have an extremely cleansed abdomen.¹²⁸⁹ (35) The lord buddhas conquer the mound of pride, so they have an abdomen that has not sunk down.¹²⁹⁰ (36) The lord buddhas turn back the finishing of the Dharma, so they have an evenly shaped¹²⁹¹ abdomen. (37) The lord buddhas have utterly comprehended the profound Dharma, so their navel is deep. (38) The lord buddhas have disciples who maintain harmony, so their navel curls to the right. (39) The lord buddhas’ disciples form a community that is beautiful in all respects, so they are beautiful in all respects. (40) The lord buddhas have a mind that is utterly pure, so their habitual conduct is pure. (41) The lord buddhas possess the Dharma and Vinaya free from the teaching of negative attributes, so their body is unblemished by moles. (42) The lord buddhas teach a Dharma whereby a lightness like tree cotton is attained, so they have hands that are extremely soft like tree cotton. (43) The lord buddhas, with a love for kinfolk and ordinary people, have acquired the status of the great ascetic, so the lines on their hands are moist.¹²⁹² (44) The lord buddhas are extremely profound and steadfast, so the lines on their hands are deep. (45) The lord buddhas teach the expansive doctrine of tolerance, so the lines on their hands are long. (46) The lord buddhas formulate topics of training that are not too long, so their face is not too long. (47) The lord buddhas spread forth into the entire world forms and their reflections, so the reflections of forms appear on their face. (48) The lord buddhas first gently mollify and then discipline, so their tongue is extremely soft. (49) The lord buddhas possess a mass of subtle good qualities, so their tongue is extremely slender.¹²⁹³ (50) The lord buddhas’ Dharma and Vinaya is hard for ordinary persons with attachment to estimate, so their tongue is extremely red.¹²⁹⁴ (51) The lord buddhas do not have a fear of the trumpeting of an elephant or the rumble of thunder and the like, so their voice is like the call of an elephant and the rumble of thunder. (52) The lord buddhas have disciples whose speech is pleasant, gentle, and comforting, so they are endowed with speech that is pleasant, gentle, and comforting. (53) The lord buddhas have transcended the fetters binding them to the rebirth process, so their teeth are extremely round.¹²⁹⁵ (54) The lord buddhas discipline living creatures who have keen intellects, so they have sharp teeth. (55) The lord buddhas’ Dharma and Vinaya are absolutely pure, so they are endowed with extremely white teeth. (56) The lord buddhas reside in locations equally, so they have even teeth. (57) The lord buddhas teach the Dharma in which clear realization gradually emerges, so they have teeth that are tapering. (58) The lord buddhas are seated on the prominent mountain of wisdom, so they have a prominent nose. (59) The lord buddhas have persons whose discipline is clean, so their nose is extremely clean. (60) The lord buddhas have the vast attributes of the buddhas, so they have eyes that are long. (61) The lord buddhas’ vision is absolutely pure, so their eyes are pure. (62) The lord buddhas have amassed a large congregation of beings, so their eyelashes are dense. (63) The lord buddhas are delighted by the finest youthful gods, asuras, and human beings with eyes like lotus petals, in which the white and dark are distinct, so their eyes are like lotus petals in which the white and dark parts are distinct. (64) The lord buddhas always have an expansive vision, so they have long eyebrows. (65) The lord buddhas are expert in gentle discipline, so they have soft eyebrows. (66) The lord buddhas understand all faults, so have eyebrows with hairs of even length.¹²⁹⁶ (67) The lord buddhas discipline persons whose minds have been lubricated with the oil of the roots of virtue, so they have glossy eyebrows. (68) The lord buddhas have a Dharma that is supremely extensive and meaningful, so their ears are excellent, and their earlobes are long. (69) The lord buddhas have triumphed over the continuum of afflicted mental states, so their ears are of equal size.¹²⁹⁷ (70) The lord buddhas have a discipline for beings with an undiminished aspiration, so they have an undiminished sense faculty of hearing. (71) The lord buddhas have thoroughly refined all aspects of views, so they have a forehead that is well formed. (72) The lord buddhas absolutely tame those expounding opposing arguments, so they have a broad forehead. (73) The lord buddhas have absolutely fulfilled the best aspiration, so they have a head that is very broad. (74) The lord buddhas have turned away from the bees‍—the objects of the senses‍—so they have a head of hair that is black like bees. (75) The lord buddhas have ended the latent impulses that are abandoned through seeing and meditation, so their hair is thick. (76) The lord buddhas’ gentle mind comprehends the essence of the teaching, so their hair is soft. (77) The lord buddhas have a mind that is always undisturbed, so their hair is untangled. (78) The lord buddhas do not speak harshly, so their hair is smooth. (79) The lord buddhas, with the perfumed flowers of the branches of enlightenment, have established harmony for living creatures, so their hair is fragrant. (80) The lord buddhas have hands and feet adorned with the glorious śrīvatsa, svāstika, and nandyāvarta motifs. Subhūti, these are the eighty excellent minor signs of the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.