“In the same way, Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “bodhisattvas are also designated in mundane, conventional terms. Physical forms are also designated in mundane conventional terms, feelings are also designated in mundane conventional terms, perceptions are also designated in mundane conventional terms, formative predispositions are also designated in mundane conventional terms, and consciousness is also designated in mundane conventional terms. The eyes are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the ears are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the nose is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the tongue is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the body is also designated in mundane conventional terms, and the mental faculty is also designated in mundane conventional terms. Sights are also designated in mundane conventional terms, sounds are also designated in mundane conventional terms, odors are also designated in mundane conventional terms, tastes are also designated in mundane conventional terms, tangibles are also designated in mundane conventional terms, and mental phenomena are also designated in mundane conventional terms. Visual consciousness is also designated in mundane conventional terms, auditory consciousness is also designated in mundane conventional terms, olfactory consciousness is also designated in mundane conventional terms, gustatory consciousness is also designated in mundane conventional terms, tactile consciousness is also designated in mundane conventional terms, and mental consciousness is also designated in mundane conventional terms. Visually compounded sensory contact is also designated in mundane conventional terms, aurally compounded sensory contact is also designated in mundane conventional terms, nasally compounded sensory contact is also designated in mundane conventional terms, lingually compounded sensory contact is also designated in mundane conventional terms, corporeally compounded sensory contact is also designated in mundane conventional terms, and mentally compounded sensory contact is also designated in mundane conventional terms. Feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact are also designated in mundane conventional terms, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact are also designated in mundane conventional terms, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact are also designated in mundane conventional terms, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact are also designated in mundane conventional terms, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact are also designated in mundane conventional terms, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact are also designated in mundane conventional terms. The earth element is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the water element is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the fire element is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the wind element is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the space element is also designated in mundane conventional terms, and the consciousness element is also designated in mundane conventional terms. Ignorance is also designated in mundane conventional terms, formative predispositions are also designated in mundane conventional terms, consciousness is also designated in mundane conventional terms, name and form are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the six sense fields are also designated in mundane conventional terms, sensory contact is also designated in mundane conventional terms, sensation is also designated in mundane conventional terms, craving is also designated in mundane conventional terms, grasping is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the rebirth process is also designated in mundane conventional terms, birth is also designated in mundane conventional terms, and aging and death are also designated in mundane conventional terms. The perfection of generosity is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the perfection of ethical discipline is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the perfection of tolerance is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the perfection of perseverance is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the perfection of meditative concentration is also designated in mundane conventional terms, and the perfection of wisdom is also designated in mundane conventional terms. The emptiness of internal phenomena is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of external phenomena is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of emptiness is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of great extent is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of ultimate reality is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of the unlimited is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of nonexclusion is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of inherent nature is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of all phenomena is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of nonentities is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness of essential nature is also designated in mundane conventional terms, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities is also designated in mundane conventional terms. The four1354 applications of mindfulness are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the four correct exertions are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the four supports for miraculous ability are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the five faculties are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the five powers are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the seven branches of enlightenment are also designated in mundane conventional terms, and the noble eightfold path is also designated in mundane conventional terms. The four truths of the noble ones are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the four meditative concentrations are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the four immeasurable attitudes are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the four formless absorptions are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the eight liberations are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the extrasensory powers are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the meditative stabilities are also designated in mundane conventional terms, and the dhāraṇī gateways are also designated in mundane conventional terms. The ten powers of the tathāgatas are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the four fearlessnesses are also designated in mundane conventional terms, the four kinds of exact knowledge are also designated in mundane conventional terms, great loving kindness is also designated in mundane conventional terms, great compassion is also designated in mundane conventional terms, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are also designated in mundane conventional terms. The fruit of having entered the stream is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the fruit of once-returner is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the fruit of non-returner is also designated in mundane conventional terms, arhatship is also designated in mundane conventional terms, individual enlightenment is also designated in mundane conventional terms, the knowledge of the aspects of the path is also designated in mundane conventional terms, and all-aspect omniscience is also designated in mundane conventional terms.
“Bodhisattva great beings do not apprehend anything at all that enhances, diminishes, benefits, or harms any attribute at all, because if, based on the inherent nature of phenomena, they do not apprehend even that inherent nature of phenomena as it pertains to phenomena, it goes without saying that they do not apprehend the first setting of the mind; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend up to the tenth level; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the perfection of generosity; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, or the perfection of wisdom; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the emptiness of internal phenomena; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, the emptiness of great extent, the emptiness of ultimate reality, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the unlimited, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the emptiness of nonexclusion, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of nonentities, the emptiness of essential nature, or the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the four applications of mindfulness; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the four correct exertions; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the four supports for miraculous ability; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the five faculties; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the five powers; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the seven branches of enlightenment; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the noble eightfold path; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the four truths of the noble ones; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the four meditative concentrations; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the four immeasurable attitudes; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the four formless absorptions; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the eight liberations; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the nine serial steps of meditative absorption; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the extrasensory powers; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the meditative stabilities; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the dhāraṇī gateways; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the ten powers of the tathāgatas; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the four fearlessnesses; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the four kinds of exact knowledge; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend great loving kindness; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend great compassion; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the fruit of having entered the stream; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the fruit of once-returner; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the fruit of non-returner; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend arhatship; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend individual enlightenment; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend the knowledge of the aspects of the path; it would be impossible. It goes without saying that they do not apprehend all-aspect omniscience; it would be impossible.
“So it is, Subhūti, that, having practiced for unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, bodhisattva great beings fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment and act for the benefit of beings.”
This completes the sixty-fifth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines.”