“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who want to proclaim the words Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha to all those beings who are in world systems, like those world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where there are beings who do not hear the word Buddha, the word Dharma, or the word Saṅgha, and who want to establish them in right view, should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who want to proclaim the words Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha to all those beings who are in world systems, like those world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, where there are beings who do not hear the word Buddha, the word Dharma, or the word Saṅgha, and who want to establish them in right view, should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as there are, in the world systems in the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as there are, in the world systems in the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as there are, in the world systems in the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as there are, in the world systems in the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as there are, in the world systems in the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as there are, in the world systems in the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as there are, in the world systems in the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as there are, in the world systems in the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as there are, in the world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings think, ‘Through my power may all those beings who are blind, as many as they are, in the world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, see sights with their eyes. Through my miraculous ability and through my power may those who are deaf hear sounds with their ears, may those who have gone mad regain their senses, may those who are naked obtain clothes, may those who are hungry and thirsty obtain food and quench their thirst, may those who are ill recover their health, and may those who are in captivity and in prison become those who do as they please,’ they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“When bodhisattva great beings, thinking, ‘Through my power how will all those beings, as many as there are in all the world systems of each of the ten directions, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, who are in states that lack freedom and have fallen into terrible forms of life in the hells, as animals, or in the world of Yama, having died there obtain a human body?’ want to establish all those beings in ethical discipline, want to establish them in meditative stability, want to establish them in wisdom, want to establish them in liberation, and want to establish them in the knowledge and seeing of liberation, and want to establish them in the fruit of having entered the stream, want to establish them in the fruit of once-returner, want to establish them in the fruit of non-returner, want to establish them in arhatship, want to establish them in individual enlightenment, and want to establish them in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who want to train in the tathāgatas’ way of carrying themselves, and who want to train in the tathāgatas’ pure conduct and manner of acting, and in the enlightened activities of the tathāgatas’ body, the enlightened activities of their speech, and the enlightened activities of their mind, which are thoroughly purified and preceded by transcendental knowledge, should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they contemplate like this: ‘How will it come to be that I, having looked down as an elephant looks, teach the doctrine to beings without hindrance?173 How will it come to be that I stretch with the stretch of a lion?174 How will it come to be that I tread with a tread that is not without purpose?175 How will it come to be that I walk on the earth without my feet touching it, by the measure of four finger-widths? How will it come to be that I place the soles of my feet on thousand-petaled lotuses and proceed without harming the living creatures that are present beneath my feet? How will it come to be that when I walk, I leave an imprint on the great earth with the soles of my feet with their thousand-spoked wheels?176 How will it come to be that I make a complete circumambulation of the entire earth within a dimension just the size of a wheel? How will it come to be that even while I am going out for a walk all over the earth I still will not be sullied by the dust of the earth? How will it come to be that I am not physically and mentally tired even while I go to, and walk through, buddhafields that are one yojana; or two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or one hundred yojanas; or one thousand yojanas; or a hundred thousand yojanas; or ten million yojanas, a hundred ten million yojanas, a thousand ten million yojanas, or a hundred thousand ten million yojanas; or ten million billion yojanas, a hundred ten million billion yojanas, a thousand ten million billion yojanas, or hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of yojanas; or an aprameya of yojanas, an asaṃkhya of yojanas, an acintya of yojanas, an atulya of yojanas, an ananta of yojanas, an aparyanta of yojanas, an abhāṣya of yojanas, an anabhilāpya177 of yojanas, or an anabhilāpyānabhilāpya of yojanas?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they also contemplate like this: ‘How will I diffuse one hundred thousand of ten million billion rays of light from the soles of my feet with their thousand-spoked wheels, and, having assuaged all the sufferings of the states lacking freedom and terrible forms of life, secure all beings in happiness?’ While thinking thus, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should contemplate like this: ‘How will it come to be that I, surrounded and attended by the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, and many hundred thousand of ten million billion gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Paranirmitavaśavartin; Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapārṣadya, and Mahābrahmā; Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, and Ābhāsvara; Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, and Śubhakṛtsna; Vṛha, Parīttavṛha, Apramāṇavṛha, and Vṛhatphala;178 and Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha realms, approach the foot of the tree179 at the seat of enlightenment?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should contemplate like this: ‘How will it come to be, when I am seated at the foot of the tree at the seat of enlightenment, that the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, and many hundred thousand of ten million billion gods of the Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Paranirmitavaśavartin; Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapārṣadya, and Mahābrahmā; Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, and Ābhāsvara; Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, and Śubhakṛtsna; Vṛha, Parīttavṛha, Apramāṇavṛha, and Vṛhatphala;180 and Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha realms spread out a cloth mat for me?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should contemplate like this: ‘How will it come to be that, while seated at the seat of enlightenment, I touch the great earth with my hand excellently adorned with its major marks and absolutely defeat the dark forces of Māra and his minions?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should contemplate like this: ‘How will it come to be that this region of the earth on which I will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and where I move, stand, sit, and recline, will become all diamond?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should contemplate like this: ‘How will it come to be that on that very day that I go forth I will defeat the dark forces of Māra and his minions and fully awaken, on that very day, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, and, having fully awakened on that very day, how will it come to be that I will turn the wheel of the Dharma? How will it come to be that, having turned it, immeasurable and countless beings will become dust-free, which is to say, having become free from stains, their eye of the Dharma will be purified with respect to phenomena? How will it come to be that immeasurable and countless beings stop further grasping, and have minds free from contaminants, and how will it come to be that immeasurable and countless beings will not turn back from unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should set their minds on enlightenment as follows: ‘How will it come to be, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, that the community of śrāvakas will be immeasurable and countless; that those who attain arhatship in a single sitting through a single teaching of the Dharma are immeasurable and countless; that the bodhisattva great beings do not turn back from unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment; that the community of bodhisattvas will be immeasurable and countless; that the measure of my lifespan will be infinite; and that the boundless light will be endowed with excellence?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should set their minds on enlightenment as follows: ‘When I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, how will there come to be not even the sound of the words attachment, aversion, and delusion in that buddhafield?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should set their minds on enlightenment as follows: ‘When I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, how will all beings in my buddhafield have such wisdom that they know “generosity is virtuous, discipline is virtuous, restraint is virtuous, chastity is virtuous, nonviolence with respect to all living creatures is virtuous”?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should set their minds on enlightenment as follows: ‘After I have passed into final nirvāṇa, how will it come to be that there are not even the words disappearance of the good Dharma?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they should contemplate like this: ‘How will it come to be that just from hearing my name multitudes of beings in world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā become settled in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment?’ And when they think such thoughts, they should train in the perfection of wisdom.
“Śāradvatīputra, at the time bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom accomplish these good qualities, then the Four Great Kings are overjoyed, saying, ‘We too will offer them the alms bowls which the Great Kings of the past offered to the tathāgatas of the past.’ The gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm are also overjoyed, saying, ‘We will serve and honor them.’ The gods of the Yāma realm are also overjoyed, the gods of the Tuṣita realm are also overjoyed, the gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm are also overjoyed, and the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm are also overjoyed.
“The gods of the Brahmakāyika realm are also overjoyed, saying, ‘The ranks of the asuras will decline and the ranks of gods will flourish. We will request them, having attained complete buddhahood, to turn the wheel of the Dharma.’ The gods of the Ābhāsvara realm are also overjoyed, the gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm are also overjoyed, and the gods of the Vṛhatphala realm are also overjoyed. The gods of the Avṛha realm are also overjoyed, the gods of the Atapa realm are also overjoyed, the gods of the Sudṛśa realm are also overjoyed, the gods of the Sudarśana realm are also overjoyed, and the gods of the Akaniṣṭha realm are also overjoyed.
“Śāradvatīputra, at that time when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom flourish through the six perfections, the sons and daughters of good families in the Bodhisattva Vehicle are also overjoyed, and say, ‘We will become the mother, father, brother, sister, wife, son, daughter, confidant, advisor, relative, companion, and friend of that great being.’
“Also the Four Great Kings and the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, the gods of the Yāma realm, the gods of the Tuṣita realm, the gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm; the gods of the Brahmakāyika realm, the gods of the Brahmapurohita realm, the gods of the Brahmapārṣadya realm, and the gods of the Mahābrahmā realm; the gods of the Ābha realm, the gods of the Parīttābha realm, the gods of the Apramāṇābha realm, and the gods of the Ābhāsvara realm; the gods of the Śubha realm, the gods of the Parīttaśubha realm, the gods of the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and the gods of the Śubhakṛtsna realm; the gods of the Vṛha realm, the gods of the Parīttavṛha realm, the gods of the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and the gods of the Vṛhatphala realm; and the gods of the Avṛha realm, the gods of the Atapa realm, the gods of the Sudṛśa realm, the gods of the Sudarśana realm, and the gods of the Akaniṣṭha gods are overjoyed and say, ‘That bodhisattva great being has given up his entourage of queens.’181
“Still, in order to establish beings in enlightenment these bodhisattvas practice celibacy. They do not engage in any sexual acts. They aspire that they might maintain celibacy from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment onward, and that they will not be noncelibate.
“If you ask why, it is because the pursuit of sensual pleasures may even interrupt rebirth in the Brahmā worlds, so what need to say it may interrupt unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment! Therefore, having gone forth the bodhisattva great beings will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment just as celibate persons. They will not do so as noncelibate persons.”
The Blessed One having spoken thus, the venerable Śāradvatīputra then asked him, “Blessed Lord, is it definite that bodhisattva great beings will have a father, a mother, a wife, sons, and daughters?
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “there are some bodhisattva great beings who definitely need to have a father and mother, but who do not need to have sons, daughters, or wives. There are some who definitely need to have a father and mother, and also wives, sons, and daughters.”
“Śāradvatīputra, some bodhisattva great beings take a vow of celibacy from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment onward, and who live as unmarried persons until they fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. There are some bodhisattva great beings who have engaged in the pleasures of the five senses in order to bring beings to maturity through skillful means. After going forth from their circle of wives they then fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. Śāradvatīputra, some bodhisattva great beings practice the deep perfection of wisdom and, separated from the afflicted mental states of the desire realm, in order to brings beings to maturity, make a show of thoroughly enjoying the five sorts of sense objects, but they do not thoroughly enjoy them with all their heart.
“Śāradvatīputra, if, as an analogy, an illusionist or the apprentice of an illusionist extremely well trained in magical spells and magical techniques were to conjure the five pleasures of the senses, and were then to make a show of dallying with, delighting in, and enjoying those five pleasures of the senses, do you think, Śāradvatīputra, that that illusionist or apprentice of an illusionist would have actually enjoyed the five pleasures of the senses?”
“No, Blessed Lord.”
“In the same way, Śāradvatīputra,” continued the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings who have trained extremely well in the illusion of the Great Vehicle acquire an enjoyment182 of the reality of phenomena as an illusion. Although they are free from all afflicted mental states, in order to bring beings who are to be trained to maturation they make a show of the enjoyment of the pleasures of the senses by the power of their great compassion, but they neither associate with those pleasures nor are they sullied by them.
“Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings speak of the defects of sense pleasures using many descriptive expressions: ‘Sense objects are all ablaze, sense objects are debased, sense objects are murderous, sense objects are inimical, sense objects are aggressive, sense objects are like a brush fire, sense objects are like the deadly kimpāka fruit, sense objects are like holding the blade of a sword, sense objects are like a heap of embers, sense objects are like poisonous leaves, sense objects are like the iron hook used by an elephant trainer, and sense objects are like a cesspit.’
“So it is, Śāradvatīputra, that although bodhisattva great beings are thoroughly cognizant of sense objects, in order that unskilled beings might be brought to maturation, to make them disillusioned with the five sense objects and to separate them from the five sense objects, they demonstrate the five sense objects to them, but without being intoxicated by them, nor being careless, nor engaging in negative actions that have sense objects as their cause and have sense objects as their basis.”
The Blessed One having spoken thus, the venerable Śāradvatīputra then asked him, “Blessed Lord, how then should bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom?”
The Blessed One replied, “Śāradvatīputra, in this regard, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not observe a bodhisattva. Nor do they observe the term bodhisattva. Nor do they observe the conduct of a bodhisattva. Nor do they observe the perfection of wisdom. Nor do they observe the term perfection of wisdom. Nor do they observe ‘practicing,’ and neither do they observe ‘not practicing,’183 nor do they observe ‘practicing when they practice and not practicing when they do not practice,’ nor even do they observe ‘neither practicing nor not practicing.’ They also do not observe physical forms. Nor do they observe feelings. Nor do they observe perceptions. Nor do they observe formative predispositions. Nor do they observe consciousness.
“If you ask why, Śāradvatīputra, it is because even bodhisattvas are empty of the inherent existence of bodhisattvas. Even the term bodhisattva is empty of the term bodhisattva. If you ask why, it is because such is their inherent nature. It is not owing to emptiness that physical forms are empty,184 nor is emptiness anything other than physical forms. Physical forms are indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed physical forms. It is not owing to emptiness that feelings are empty, nor is emptiness anything other than feelings. Feelings are indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed feelings. It is not owing to emptiness that perceptions are empty, nor is emptiness anything other than perceptions. Perceptions are indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed perceptions. It is not owing to emptiness that formative predispositions are empty, nor is emptiness anything other than formative predispositions. Formative predispositions are indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed formative predispositions. It is not owing to emptiness that consciousness is empty, nor is emptiness anything other than consciousness. Consciousness is indeed emptiness. Emptiness is indeed consciousness. If you ask why, it is because even this ‘enlightenment’ is merely a name. Even this ‘bodhisattva’ is merely a name. Even this ‘emptiness’ is merely a name. Even this ‘physical forms’ is merely a name, even this ‘feelings’ is merely a name, even this ‘perceptions’ is merely a name, even this ‘formative predispositions’ is merely a name, even this ‘consciousness’ is merely a name.
“And that is because physical forms are like an illusion, feelings are like an illusion, perceptions are like an illusion, formative predispositions are like an illusion, and consciousness is like an illusion. Illusions are merely names. They are not located in any direction, nor are they located in any place. The illusions that are seen do not really exist.185 They have not arisen. They are false. They are without inherent existence. They are without essential nature, nonarising, unceasing, not remaining, without increase, without decrease, without defilement, and without purification. Bodhisattva great beings who practice accordingly do not observe any phenomenon that arises.
“They do not observe anything that ceases. They do not observe anything that remains. They do not observe anything that increases. They do not observe anything that decreases. They do not observe anything that is defiled. They do not observe anything that is purified. They do not observe physical forms. They do not observe feelings. They do not observe perceptions. They do not observe formative predispositions. They do not observe consciousness. They do not even observe anything that is ‘enlightenment’ or ‘a bodhisattva.’ If you ask why, it is because the name of each separate phenomenon is an illusion,186 and from those designations that are unreal names that have adventitiously arisen, the falsely imagined are employed as conventions.187
“Fixation on them188 comes about on the basis of convention. Therefore, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not observe—which is to say, do not apprehend—any phenomena. Since they do not observe and do not apprehend anything, they do not give rise to conceit. They do not become attached to them.189
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they investigate like this: ‘This bodhisattva is a mere name. This enlightenment is a mere name. This buddha is a mere name. This perfection of wisdom is a mere name. This practicing the perfection of wisdom is a mere name. This physical forms is a mere name. This feelings is a mere name. This perceptions is a mere name. This formative predispositions is a mere name. This consciousness is a mere name.’
“For example, Śāradvatīputra, one conventionally speaks of a self again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitively investigated. One conventionally speaks of a being again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitively investigated. One conventionally speaks of a life form again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of a life again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of an individual again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of a person again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of one born of Manu again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of a child of Manu again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of an agent again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of an instigator of an agent again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of an experiencer again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of an instigator of an experiencer again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of a motivator again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of an inciter again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of a knower again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of a viewer again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of a toucher again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitely investigated. One conventionally speaks of one who is conscious again and again even though it cannot be apprehended when definitively investigated, because of the emptiness of what cannot be apprehended. Rather, these are simply mere names and symbols employed as conventions.
“Similarly, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they too do not observe a bodhisattva. They do not observe enlightenment. They do not observe buddhas. They do not observe the perfection of wisdom. They do not observe ‘they are practicing the perfection of wisdom.’190 They do not observe physical forms. They do not observe feelings. They do not observe perceptions. They do not observe formative predispositions. They do not observe consciousness. Nor do they even observe those names that are employed as conventions.
“Based on the emptiness of not apprehending, bodhisattva great beings who thus practice the perfection of wisdom outshine all wisdoms other than that, up to and including the wisdom of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, except for the wisdom of the tathāgatas. If you ask why, it is because they do not even apprehend anything on account of which they might be attached. Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who practice accordingly are practicing the perfection of wisdom.
“To illustrate, Śāradvatīputra, if this Jambudvīpa were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana—like a thicket of naḍa reeds, or a thicket of rushes, or a grove of sugarcane, or a thicket of bamboo, or a paddy field of rice, or a field of sesame—their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom of a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison. If you ask why, Śāradvatīputra, it is because that wisdom of bodhisattva great beings is established so that all beings will pass into final nirvāṇa. The wisdom of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas is not so.
“Moreover, Śāradvatīputra, a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom continues, even with as much wisdom as they have cultivated in a single day, to outshine the wisdom of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Śāradvatīputra, not to mention just this Jambudvīpa filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, if this whole great billionfold world system were also filled entirely with monks similar to you, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that has been cultivated for a single day by a bodhisattva great being practicing the perfection of wisdom. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside this great billionfold world system, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside the world systems of the eastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside the world systems of the southern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside the world systems of the western direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside the world systems of the northern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside the world systems of the intermediate northeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside the world systems of the intermediate southeastern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside the world systems of the intermediate southwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside the world systems of the intermediate northwestern direction, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, leaving aside the world systems in the direction of the nadir, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, even if, Śāradvatīputra, the world systems in the direction of the zenith, numerous as the grains of sand of the river Gaṅgā, were filled entirely with monks of the caliber of Śāradvatīputra and Maudgalyāyana, their wisdom would not approach even a hundredth part of the wisdom that a bodhisattva great being who practices the perfection of wisdom has cultivated in a single day. It would not approach a thousandth part, would not approach a hundred thousandth part, would not approach a hundred ten millionth part, would not approach a thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, would not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, would not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and would not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it would not approach any number, would not approach any fraction, would not approach any calculation, would not approach any example, and would not stand up even to any comparison.”
Śāradvatīputra asked, “Blessed Lord, the wisdom of the śrāvakas who enter the stream, who are once-returners, who are non-returners, and who are arhats, and the wisdom of pratyekabuddhas, the wisdom of bodhisattvas, and the wisdom of tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas—all those wisdoms cannot be differentiated. They are indivisible, empty, void, nonarising in their inherent nature, and empty of essential nature.191 Blessed Lord, if no difference or distinction is to be found in that which is indivisible, void, nonarising, and empty of essential nature, how then, Blessed Lord, does the wisdom cultivated in a single session by bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom outshine the wisdom of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “do you think that the wisdom of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas is established to be similar in purpose to that for which the wisdom cultivated in a single day by bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom is established, when they think, ‘Having practiced the knowledge of the aspects of the path and worked for the sake of all beings, having fully awakened to all phenomena in all aspects, we must cause all beings to pass into final nirvāṇa’?”
“No, Blessed Lord!” he replied.
The Blessed One then asked, “Śāradvatīputra, do you think that there are any śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas who think, ‘Once we have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, we must enable all beings to attain final nirvāṇa in the expanse of nirvāṇa with no remainder of the aggregates’?”
“No, Blessed Lord, I do not think so!” he replied.
The Blessed One then said, “Therefore, for this reason also, Śāradvatīputra, you should understand that when that which is the wisdom of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas has been compared to this wisdom that is the wisdom of a bodhisattva great being, it does not approach even a hundredth part, does not approach a thousandth part, does not approach a hundred thousandth part, does not approach a hundred ten millionth part, does not approach a thousand ten millionth part, does not approach a hundred thousand ten millionth part, does not approach a hundred ten million billionth part, does not approach a thousand ten million billionth part, and does not approach a hundred thousand ten million billionth part—it does not approach any number, does not approach any fraction, does not approach any calculation, does not approach any example, and does not stand up even to any comparison.
“Śāradvatīputra, do you think that there are any śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas who think, ‘Once we have practiced the six perfections, brought beings to maturity, refined the buddhafields, perfected the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and perfected the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, we must enable immeasurable, countless beings to attain final nirvāṇa’?”
“No, Blessed Lord, I do not think so!” he replied.
“Śāradvatīputra,” said the Blessed One, “a bodhisattva great being thinks, ‘Once I have practiced the six perfections, brought beings to maturity, refined the buddhafields, perfected the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and perfected the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, I must enable immeasurable, countless beings to attain final nirvāṇa.’
“To illustrate, Śāradvatīputra, just as a firefly-type creature does not think, ‘May my light illuminate all Jambudvīpa! May my light extensively fill Jambudvīpa!’ in the same way, Śāradvatīputra, there are no śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas at all who think, ‘Once I have practiced the six perfections, brought beings to maturity, refined the buddhafields, perfected the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and perfected the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, I will192 enable immeasurable, countless beings to attain final nirvāṇa.’
“Again to illustrate, Śāradvatīputra, just as the disk of the sun, when it rises, suffuses the entirety of Jambudvīpa with its light and illuminates the entirety of Jambudvīpa with its light, in the same way, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who have practiced the perfection of wisdom have also brought beings to maturity, refined the buddhafields, perfected the ten powers of the tathāgatas, and perfected the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, enable immeasurable, countless beings to attain final nirvāṇa.”
The Blessed One having spoken thus, the venerable Śāradvatīputra then asked him, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings transcend the levels of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, attain the level of an irreversible bodhisattva, and refine the path of a bodhisattva193?”
The venerable Śāradvatīputra having asked this, the Blessed One said to him, “Śāradvatīputra, here, when bodhisattva great beings, starting from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment, practice the six perfections, they dwell in the practice194 of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. Through skillful means they will transcend the levels of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and then attain the level of an irreversible bodhisattva.”195