Bibliotheca Polyglotta

avakīrṇakusumaparivarto ’ṣṭāviṃśatitamaḥ |

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Chapter XXVIII Avakirnakusuma

atha khalu tasmin samaye ’nyataro devaputras trāyastriṃśair devaputraiḥ sārdhaṃ māndāravāṇi mahāmāndāravāṇi ca puṣpāṇi gṛhītvā yena bhagavāṃs tenopasaṃkrāntaḥ | ṣaṣṭhaṃ śataṃ ca bhikṣūṇāṃ tasminn eva samaye tasyām eva parṣadi saṃnipatitaṃ saṃniṣaṇṇaṃ cābhūt | te utthāyāsanebhya ekāṃsāny uttarāsaṅgāni kṛtvā dakṣiṇāni jānumaṇḍalāni pṛthivyāṃ pratiṣṭhāpya yena bhagavāṃs tenāñjaliṃ praṇamayāmāsuḥ | teṣā bhikṣūṇāṃ buddhānubhāvena te ’ñjalipragrahā māndāravamahāmāndāravāṇāṃ puṣpāṇāṃ paripūrṇā abhūvan | te tair māndāravair mahāmāndāravaiś ca puṣpais tathāgatam arhantaṃ samyaksaṃbuddham avākiran, abhyavākiran, abhiprākiran, evaṃ ca vācam abhāṣanta - vayaṃ bhagavan asyāṃ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ cariṣyāmaḥ, vayaṃ bhagavan anenānuttareṇa prajñāpāramitāvihāreṇa vihāriṣyāma iti ||

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1. Prediction of Avakirnakusuma Thereupon, at that time, one of the Gods of the Thirty-three seized Mandarava flowers, magnificent Mandarava flowers, and came to where the Lord was. And just at that time, six thousand monks were assembled and seated in that assembly. They rose from their seats, put their upper robes over one shoulder, placed their right knees on the earth, and saluted the Lord with their folded hands. Through the Buddha’s might their hands were then filled with Mandarava flowers, with magnificent Mandarava flowers. They scattered those flowers over the Lord, and said: “We, O Lord, shall course in this perfection of wisdom! We, O Lord, shall dwell in the supreme dwelling of perfect wisdom!”

atha khalu bhagavāṃs tasyāṃ velāyāṃ smitaṃ prādurakarot | dharmatā khalu punar eṣāṃ buddhānāṃ bhagavatām - yadā smitaṃ prāduṣkurvanti, atha tadā nānāvarṇā anekavarṇā raśmayo bhagavato mukhadvārān niścaranti - tadyathā nīlapītalohitāvadātamāñjiṣṭhasphaṭikarajatasuvarṇavarṇāḥ | te niścaryānantāparyantān lokadhātūn ābhayā avabhāsya yāvad brahmalokam abhyudgamya punar eva pratyudāvṛtya bhagavantaṃ triḥ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya bhagavato mūrdhany antardhīyante ||

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Thereupon, on that occasion, the Lord smiled. But such is the nature of the Buddhas and Lords that, when they manifest a smile [in an assembly of Bodhisattvas], then various-coloured rays issue from the Lord’s mouth, - rays blue, yellow, red, white, crimson, crystal, silverfish and golden. These rays illuminate endless and boundless world systems with their lustre, they rise right up to the world of Brahma, again return from there to the Lord, circulate thrice round the Lord, and then vanish again in the head of the Lord.

atha khalv āyuṣmān ānanda utthāyāsanād ekāṃsam uttarāsaṅgaṃ kṛtvā dakṣiṇaṃ jānumaṇḍalaṃ pṛthivyāṃ pratiṣṭhāpya yena bhagavāṃs tenāñjaliṃ praṇamayya bhagavantam etad avocat - nāhetukaṃ nāpratyayaṃ tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhāḥ smitaṃ prāduṣkurvanti | ko bhagavan hetuḥ, kaḥ pratyayaḥ smitasya prāduṣkaraṇāya? evam ukte bhagavān āyuṣmantam ānandam etad avocat - idam ānanda bhikṣūṇāṃ ṣaṣṭhaṃ śatam anāgate ’dhvani tārakopame kalpe anuttarāṃ samyaksaṃbodhim abhisaṃbhotsyate, abhisaṃbudhya ca sattvebhyo dharmaṃ deśayiṣyati | sarve caikanāmāno bhaviṣyanti yad utāvakīrṇakusumanāmānaḥ | tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhāḥ śāstāro loke bhaviṣyanti | teṣāṃ khalu punar ānandāvakīrṇakusumanāmnāṃ tathāgatānām arhatāṃ samyaksaṃbuddhānāṃ sarveṣāṃ samaḥ śrāvakasaṃgho bhaviṣyati | sarveṣāṃ ca teṣām avakīrṇakusumanāmnāṃ tathāgatānām arhatāṃ samyaksaṃbuddhānāṃ samam evāyuḥpramāṇaṃ bhaviṣyati viṃśatikalpasahasrāṇi | sarveṣām eva caikaikasya vaistārikaṃ pravacanaṃ bhaviṣyati pṛthuvaipulyaprāptaṃ devamanuṣyeṣu | sarveṣām eva ca saddharmaḥ samaṃ sthāsyati, viṃśatim eva kalpasahasrāṇy ekaikasya | sarve ca te yato yata eva grāmanagaranigamajanapadarāṣṭrarājadhānīto ’bhiniṣkramiṣyanti, abhiniṣkramya yatra yatra dharmacakraṃ pravartayiṣyanti, pravartya ca yatra yatra ca vihariṣyanti, yato yataś ca yatra yatraiva ca pravekṣanti, yena yena ca yato yata eva cābhiniṣkramiṣyanti, tatas tatas tatra tatra teṣāṃ praviśatām abhiniṣkrāmatāṃ viharatāṃ ca pañcavarṇikānāṃ puṣpāṇāṃ puṣpavarṣāḥ pravartiṣyante |

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(458) Thereupon the venerable Ananda rose from his seat, put his upper robe over one shoulder, placed his right knee on the earth, bent his folded hands towards the Lord, and said: It is not without reason that the Tathagatas manifest a smile. What is the reason for your smile, O Lord? The Lord: Those six thousand monks, Ananda, shall in a future period, in the Starlike aeon, know full enlightenment, and after that demonstrate dharma to beings. They all shall bear the same name. With Avakirnakusuma for their name these Tathagatas shall be teachers in the world. They shall all have an equal congregation of disciples. They shall all live the same length of time, i.e. twenty thousand aeons. Each one of them shall have an extensive holy writ, that shall spread widely among Gods and men. In each case their good law shall abide for the same length of time, for twenty thousand aeons. And showers of flowers, of all the five colours, shall descend on all of them - wherever they may leave the home which they had in village, town or marketplace, wherever they may turn the wheel of dharma, wherever they may dwell, wherever they may appear [among people]. (459,1)

tasmāt tarhi ānanda bodhisattvair mahāsattvair uttamena vihāreṇa vihartukāmaiḥ prajñāpāramitāvihāreṇa (227) vihartavyam | tathāgatavihāreṇa ānanda vihartukāmaiḥ prajñāpāramitāvihāreṇa vihartavyam | ye hi kecid ānanda bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ cariṣyanti, niṣṭhā tatra gantavyā - manuṣyebhya evaite cyutā bhaviṣyanti | te ihopapannās tuṣitebhya eva vā devanikāyebhyaś cyutā bhaviṣyanti manuṣyeṣvevopapannāḥ | tat kasya hetoḥ? tathā hi manuṣyeṣu tuṣiteṣu ca deveṣu iyaṃ prajñāpāramitā vistareṇa pracariṣyatīti | tathāgatāvalokitāḥ khalu punar ānanda te bodhisattvā mahāsattvā veditavyāḥ, ya iha prajñāpāramitāyāṃ cariṣyanti, ya imāṃ prajñāpāramitām udgrahīṣyanti, dhārayiṣyanti vācayiṣyanti paryavāpsyanti pravartayiṣyanti deśayiṣyanty upadekṣyanty uddekṣyanti svādhyāsyanti, antaśo likhiṣyanti, udgṛhya dhārayitvā vācayitvā paryavāpya pravartya deśayitvopadiśyoddiśya svādhyāyyāntaśo likhitvā bodhisattvān mahāsattvān avavadiṣyanti anuśāsiṣyanti saṃdarśayiṣyanti samādāpayiṣyanti samuttejayiṣyanti saṃpraharṣayiṣyanti | avaropitakuśalamūlās te ānanda bodhisattvā mahāsattvā veditavyās tathāgateṣv arhatsu samyaksaṃbuddheṣu | na kevalaṃ śrāvakapratyekabuddhānām antike taiḥ kuśalamūlāny avaropitāni iha prajñāpāramitāyāṃ śikṣitum, niḥsaṃśayaṃ khalu punar ānanda tathāgateṣv arhatsu samyaksaṃbuddheṣu taiḥ kuśalamūlāny avaropitāni bodhisattvair mahāsattvaiḥ, ya iha prajñāpāramitāyāṃ śikṣante, na cotrāsam āpadyante | ye ca ānanda enāṃ prajñāpāramitām udgrahīṣyanti dhārayiṣyanti vācayiṣyanti paryavāpsyanti pravartayiṣyanti deśayiṣyanty upadekṣyanty uddekṣyanti svādhyāsyanti likhiṣyanti ca, arthataś ca dharmataś ca nayataś cānugamiṣyanti, niṣṭhā ānanda tatra gantavyā - saṃmukhībhūtās te abhūvan bodhisattvā mahāsattvās tathāgatānām arhatāṃ samyaksaṃbuddhānām iti | ye caināṃ prajñāpāramitāṃ na pratikrośanti, na prativahanti, na pratikopayanti, na pratisaṃharanti, na pratiṣedhayanti, na pratikṣipanti, na pratibādhitavyāṃ maṃsyante, te ’py ānanda bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ pūrvajinakṛtādhikārā veditavyāḥ ||

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2. Praise of perfect wisdom Therefore then, Ananda, Bodhisattvas who want to dwell in the highest dwelling, who want to dwell in the dwelling of the Tathagata, should dwell in the dwelling of perfect wisdom. And with any Bodhisattva who courses in perfect wisdom one can be quite certain that he had, before he was reborn here among men, deceased among men or among the heavenly hosts of the Tushitas. For it is among men and the Tushita Gods that this perfection of wisdom circulates in its full extent. One can be certain that the Tathagatas behold those Bodhisattvas who course in this perfection of wisdom, who learn it, bear it in mind, study, preach, repeat, or merely write it, and who also instruct the other Bodhisattvas, admonish, instigate and encourage them. One should know that they have planted wholesome roots with the Tathagatas. They have not only in the presence of Disciples and Pratyekabuddhas planted wholesome roots so as to train in perfect wisdom, but, without any doubt, those Bodhisattvas who train in this perfection of wisdom and remain unafraid, they have planted wholesome roots with the Tathagatas. (460) Those who take up this perfection of wisdom, bear it in mind, study, preach, repeat and write it, who pursue it, -its meaning, contents and method – one should be quite certain that they have been face to face with Tathagatas. If Bodhisattvas do not revile this perfection of wisdom, do not oppose, deny or reject it, then one should know that they have fulfilled their duties under the Jinas of the past.

kiṃ cāpy ānanda bodhisattvena mahāsattvena tathāgatānām arhatāṃ samyaksaṃbuddhānām antike kuśalamūlam avaropitam, evaṃ hi tan na śrāvakapratyekabuddhatvāya dāsyati vipākam | saced bodhisattvo mahāsattvo ’nuttarāyāṃ samyaksaṃbodhau na visaṃvādayiṣyati praṇidhānam, api tu khalu punar ānanda prāyeṇa tena bodhisattvena mahāsattvena kṛtajñena bhavitavyaṃ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ caritavatā |

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But if a Bodhisattva does not go back on his vow to win full enlightenment, then he does not give the wholesome root, which he has planted in the presence of the Tathagatas, over to Discipleship or Pratyekabuddhahood as his reward. And as a rule such Bodhisattvas are grateful and practise the perfection of wisdom.

tasmāt tarhi te ānanda parīndāmi anuparīndāmi imāṃ prajñāpāramitāṃ bhūyasyā mātrayā akṣarasaṃnipātād udgrahaṇāya dhāraṇāya vācanāya paryavāptaye pravartanāya cirasthitaye yatheyaṃ nāntardhīyeta | sacet tvam ānanda yo mayā te dharmo deśitaḥ sākṣāt sthāpayitvā prajñāpāramitām, tāṃ sarvāṃ dharmadeśanām udgṛhya punar eva vipraṇāśayeḥ, punar evotsṛjeḥ vismārayeḥ, na me tvam ānanda etāvatā aparāddhaḥ syāḥ | yat khalu punas tvam ānanda prajñāpāramitāpratisaṃyuktaṃ padaṃ vā padasāmantakaṃ vā nāśayeḥ, utsṛjeḥ, vismārayeḥ, tāvatā tvam ānanda mamāparāddhaḥ syāḥ, na ca me tvaṃ cittam ārādhayeḥ | sacet punas tvam ānanda prajñāpāramitām udgṛhya punar eva nāśayeḥ, punar evotsṛjeḥ, vismārayeḥ, na tvayāhaṃ satkṛto gurukṛtaḥ syām, na mānito na pūjito nārcito nāpacāyitaḥ syām | ye ’pi (228) te ānandātītānāgatapratyutpannā buddhā bhagavantaḥ, te ’pi tvayā ānanda na satkṛtā na gurukṛtā na mānitā na pūjitā nārcitā nāpacāyitā bhavanti | sacet punas tvam ānanda prajñāpāramitām udgṛhya punar eva nāśayeḥ, punar evotsṛjeḥ, vismārayeḥ, tāvatā tvam ānanda mamāparāddhaḥ syāḥ, na ca me tvaṃ cittam ārādhayeḥ | tat kasya hetoḥ? uktam etad ānanda tathāgatena - prajñāpāramitā atītānāgatapratyutpannānāṃ tathāgatānām arhatāṃ samyaksaṃbuddhānāṃ mātā jananī janayitrī sarvajñatāyā āhāriketi | tasmāt tarhi ānanda parīndāmi anuparīndāmi te imāṃ prajñāpāramitām , yatheyaṃ nāntardhīyeta | udgrahītavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, dhārayitavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, vācayitavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, paryavāptavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, pravartayitavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, deśayitavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, upadeṣṭavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, uddeṣṭavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, svādhyātavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, likhitavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā, bhāvayitavyeyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā | sumanasikṛtā ca sudhṛtā ca suparyavāptā ca supravartitā ca tvayā ānanda iyaṃ prajñāpāramitā kartavyā | suparivyaktenākṣarapadavyañjanena suniruktā codgrahītavyā | tat kasya hetoḥ? atītānāgatapratyutpannānāṃ hi ānanda tathāgatānām arhatāṃ samyaksaṃbuddhānāṃ dharmakāyateti tāṃ dharmatāṃ pramāṇīkṛtya | yathā tat tvam ānanda etarhi me tathāgatasya tiṣṭhato dhriyamāṇasya yāpayato hitaiṣitayā premato vā gauravato vā kalyāṇato vā sparśavihārato vā kartavyaṃ vā dātavyaṃ vā samanvāhartavyaṃ vā manyase, tathaiva tvayā ānanda iyaṃ prajñāpāramitodgrahītavyā dhārayitavyā vācayitavyā paryavāptavyā pravartayitavyā deśayitavyopadeṣṭavyoddeṣṭavyā svādhyātavyā likhitavyā bhāvayitavyā satkartavyā gurukartavyā mānayitavyā pūjayitavyā arcayitavyā apacāyitavyā, tayā hitaiṣitayā tena premṇā tena gauraveṇa tayā guṇavattayā | evaṃ tvayā ānandāhaṃ pūjito bhavāmi, te ca bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ | atītānāgatapratyutpannānāṃ ca buddhānāṃ bhagavatām antike prema ca prasādaś ca gauravaṃ cotpāditaṃ bhavati | yadi te ānandāhaṃ priyo manaāpo ’parityaktas tathāgataḥ, tatas te ānanda iyaṃ prajñāpāramitā priyā manaāpā aparityajanīyā bhavatu, yathā te ekapadam api na praṇaśyet, yathā nāntardhīyeta | bahv api te ānandāhaṃ bhāṣeyaṃ prajñāpāramitāyāḥ parīndanāmāramya kalpaṃ vā kalpāvaśeṣaṃ vā kalpaśataṃ vā kalpasahasraṃ vā kalpaśatasahasraṃ vā kalpakoṭīṃ vā kalpakoṭīśataṃ vā kalpakoṭīsahasraṃ vā kalpakoṭīśatasahasraṃ vā tato vopari | saṃkṣepeṇa ānanda yādṛśas tavāhaṃ śāstā, tādṛśī te prajñāpāramitā śāstā | yādṛśās te atītānāgatapratyutpannā buddhā bhagavantaḥ sadevamānuṣāsurasya lokasya śāstāraḥ, tādṛśī prajñāpāramitā sadevamānuṣāsurasya lokasya śāstā | tasmāt tarhi ānandāparimāṇā prajñāpāramitā | aparimāṇayā parīndanayā prajñāpāramitāṃ te parīndāmyanuparīndāmi sadevamānuṣāsurasya lokasya hitāya sukhāya | yasya ānanda tathāgato na parityaktaḥ, dharmo na parityaktaḥ, saṃgho na parityaktaḥ, atītānāgatapratyutpannānāṃ buddhānāṃ bhagavatāṃ bodhir na parityaktā, tasya prajñāpāramitā aparityaktā bhavatu | iyam asmākam anuśāsanī | (229) yo ’pi kaścid ānanda enāṃ prajñāpāramitām udgṛhṇīyād dhārayet paryadvācayed āpnuyāt pravartayed deśayed upadiśed uddiśet svādhyāyet likhed bhāvayet, atītānāgatapratyutpannānāṃ buddhānāṃ bhagavatāṃ tena bodhir anuparigṛhītā bhavet | yo hi kaścid ānanda enāṃ prajñāpāramitāṃ pralujyamānām anuparigṛhṇīte, atītānāgatapratyutpannānāṃ buddhānāṃ bhagavatāṃ tena bodhir anuparigṛhītā bhavati | tat kasya hetoḥ? prajñāpāramitānirjātā hi ānanda buddhānāṃ bhagavatāṃ bodhiḥ | ye ’pi te ānandābhūvann atīte ’dhvani tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhāḥ, teṣām apy ānanda buddhānāṃ bhagavatāṃ prajñāpāramitānirjātaivānuttarā samyaksaṃbodhir abhūt | te ’pi te ānandānāgate ’dhvani bhaviṣyanti tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhāḥ, teṣām apy ānanda buddhānāṃ bhagavatāṃ prajñāpāramitānirjātaivānuttarā samyaksaṃbodhir bhaviṣyati | ye ’pi te ānandāprameyeṣv asaṃkhyeṣu lokadhātuṣu tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhā etarhi tiṣṭhanti dhriyante yāpayanti, teṣām apy ānanda buddhānāṃ bhagavatāṃ prajñāpāramitānirjātaivānuttarā samyaksaṃbodhiḥ | tasmāt tarhi ānanda bodhisattvena mahāsattvenānuttarāṃ samyaksaṃbodhim abhisaṃboddhukāmena ṣaṭsu pāramitāsu śikṣitukāmena iyam eva prajñāpāramitā śrotavyodgrahītavyā dhārayitavyā vācayitavyā paryavāptavyā pravartayitavyā deśayitavyopadeṣṭavyoddeṣṭavyā svādhyātavyā likhitavyā | ihaiva prajñāpāramitāyāṃ śikṣitavyaṃ yogam āpattavyam | tat kasya hetoḥ? eṣā hi ānanda prajñāpāramitā bodhisattvānāṃ mahāsattvānāṃ mātā jananī janayitrī | ye ’pi kecid ānanda bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ ṣaṭsu pāramitāsu śikṣitvā niryātāḥ, niryāsyanti niryānti cānuttarāyāṃ samyaksaṃbodhau, sarve te ānanda prajñāpāramitām āgamya ṣaṭsu pāramitāsu śikṣitāḥ | te ’pi sarve enām eva prajñāpāramitām āgamya ṣaṭsu pāramitāsu nirjātāḥ | tat kasya hetoḥ? prajñāpāramitānirjātā hi ānanda sarvāḥ pāramitāḥ āhārikā bhavanty anuttarāyāḥ samyaksaṃbodheḥ | tasmāt tarhi ānanda bhūyasyā mātrayā enāṃ prajñāpāramitāṃ dvitīyakam api tṛtīyakam api parīndāmy anuparīndāmi te, yatheyaṃ nāntardhīyeta | eṣā hi ānanda tathāgatānām arhatāṃ samyaksaṃbuddhānām akṣayo dharmakoṣaḥ, yad uta prajñāpāramitā | tat kasya hetoḥ? yo hi ānandātīte ’dhvani anavarāgre saṃsāre sattvānāṃ buddhair bhagavadbhir dharmo deśitaḥ, sarvaḥ sa ita eva dharmakoṣāt, yad uta prajñāpāramitātaḥ | ye ’pi te ānandānāgate ’dhvani buddhā bhagavanto ’parimite saṃsāre ’nuttarāṃ samyaksaṃbodhim abhisaṃbudhya sattvānāṃ dharmaṃ deśayiṣyanti, te ’pi buddhā bhagavanta ita eva dharmakoṣāt, yad uta prajñāpāramitātaḥ | ye ’pi te ānanda etarhi aprameyeṣv asaṃkhyeyeṣu lokadhātuṣu buddhā bhagavantas tiṣṭhanti dhriyante yāpayanti, dharmaṃ ca deśayanti, teṣām apy ānanda buddhānāṃ bhagavatām ita eva dharmakoṣāt prabhāvanā bhavati, yad uta prajñāpāramitātaḥ | tasmāt tarhi ānandākṣaya eṣa dharmakoṣo yad uta prajñāpāramitākoṣaḥ | sacet tvam ānanda śrāvakayāni śrāvakayānikānāṃ pudgalānāṃ śrāvakabhūmau dharmaṃ deśayes tasyāṃ ca dharmadeśanāyāṃ ye trisāhasramahāsāhasre lokadhātau satvās te sarve arhatvaṃ sākṣāt kuryus tathāpi tvayā me śrāvakeṇa dharmacakrapravartanānupravartanato dharmadeśayatā śrāvakakṛtyaṃ na kṛtaṃ syāt sacet punas tvam ānanda bodhisatvasya mahāsatvasya ekam api prajñāpāramitāpratisaṃyuktaṃ dharmaṃ deśayeḥ saṃprakāśayeḥ evam ahaṃ tvayā śrāvakeṇa dharmacakrapravartanānuvartanato dharmaṃ deśayanato ārādhitaḥ syān. na tu tayā paurvikayā dharmadeśanayā yayā te trisāhasramahāsāhasre lokadhātau sarvasatvā arhatvaṃ prāpitās. teṣāṃ cārhatāṃ yad dānamayaṃ puṇyakriyāvastu śīlamayaṃ puṇyakriyāvastu bhāvanāmayaṃ puṇyakriyāvastu tat kiṃ manyase ānandāpi nu sa bahu puṇyaskandhaḥ?" | ānandaḥ āha | "bahu bhagavan! bahu sugata!" bhagavān āha | "tata sa ānanda! śrāvakayānikaḥ pudgalo bahutaraṃ puṇyaṃ prasavati yo bodhisatvānāṃ mahāsatvānāṃ prajñāpāramitāpratisaṃyuktaṃ dharmaṃ deśayati. ato ’pi sa ānanda! bahutaraṃ puṇyaṃ prasavati yo bodhisatvo mahāsatvo ’parasya bodhisatvasya mahāsatvasya prajñāpāramitāpratisaṃyuktaṃ dharmaṃ deśayati | antaśa ekadivasam api tiṣṭhatv ānandaikadivasam antaśaḥ purobhaktam api. tiṣṭhatv ānanda! purobhaktam api. tiṣṭhatv ānanda! purobhaktaṃ deśitaḥ | antaśa ekanālikām api ekanālikāntaram api vā tiṣṭhatv ānanda! ekanālikāntaram antaśo muhūrtam api tiṣṭhatv ānanda! muhūrtam antaśa ekalavam api tiṣṭhatv ānanda! ekalavam antaśa ekakṣaṇasaṃnipātam api yo hy ānanda! bodhisatvo mahāsatvaḥ aparasya bodhisatvasya mahāsatvasya ekakṣaṇalavam api prajñāpāramitāpratisaṃyuktaṃ dharmaṃ deśayanty ayaṃ tato ’tibahutaraṃ puṇyaṃ prasavati | idaṃ hy ānanda! tasya bodhisatvasya mahāsatvasya dharmadānaṃ sarvaśrāvakapratyekabuddhayānikānāṃ pudgalānāṃ kuśalamūlāny abhibhavati || evam ānanda! kuśalamūlasamanvāgato bodhisatvo mahāsatva evam etat kuśalamūlaṃ samanvāharann asthānam etad ānandānavakāśo yat sa bodhisatvo mahāsatvo vivartetānuttarāyāḥ samyaksaṃbodher naitat sthānaṃ vidyate" ||

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3. Transmission of the sutra to Ananda Therefore then, Ananda, again and again I entrust and transmit to you this perfection of wisdom, laid out in letters, so that it may be available for learning, for bearing in mind, preaching, studying and spreading wide, so that it may last long, so that it may not disappear. If, Ananda, you should again forget all the demonstrations of dharma which you have learned directly from Me – the perfection of wisdom alone being excepted – should cast them away, and allow them to be forgotten, that would be but a slight offence against Me. But if you should forget, cast away and allow to be forgotten only one verse of the perfection of wisdom, or merely a part of a verse, that would be a very serious (461) offence against Me, and it would displease Me greatly. And if, after you have learned the perfection of wisdom, you again forget it, cast it away, allow it to be forgotten, then you fail in the respect, reverence and worship which you owe to Me, and to the other Buddhas and Lords, past, future and present. Therefore, Ananda, remember that it would be a serious offence against Me if, after you had learned the perfection of wisdom, you should again forget it, cast it away, and allow it to be forgotten, and that would greatly displease Me. For the Tathagata has said that “the perfection of wisdom is the mother, the creator, the genetrix of the past, future and present Tathagatas, their nurse in all-knowledge.” Therefore then, Ananda, do I entrust and transmit to you this perfection of wisdom, so that it might not disappear. This perfection of wisdom should be learned, should be borne in mind, studied, repeated, written and developed. You should attend well to this perfection of wisdom, bear it well in mind, study it well, and spread it well. And when one learns it, one should carefully analyze it grammatically, letter by letter, syllable by syllable, word by word. (462) For as the dharma-body of the past, future and present Tathagatas is this dharma-text authoritative. In the same way in which you, Ananda, behave towards Me who at present reside as a Tathagata – with solicitude, affection, respect and helpfulness - just so, with the same solicitude, affection and respect, and in the same virtuous spirit, should you learn this perfection of wisdom, bear it in mind, study, repeat, write and develop it, respect, revere and worship it. That is the way for you to worship Me, that is the way to show affection, serene faith and respect for the past, future and present Buddhas and Lords. If Ananda, I, the Tathagata, am dear and pleasant to you, and you do not abandon Me, may thereby this perfection of wisdom become dear and pleasant to you, and may you not abandon it, so that you may not forget even one single word of it, so that it may not disappear. For long could I speak to you about this bestowal of the perfection of wisdom, for one kalpa, or for the remainder of a kalpa, for one hundred kalpas, for up to hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas, and more. But, to cut it short, in the same way in which I am your teacher, so is the perfection of wisdom. In the same way in which the past, future and present Buddhas and Lords are the teachers of the world with its Gods, men and Asuras, just so is the perfection of wisdom. Therefore then, Ananda, (463) with a measureless bestowal I entrust and transmit to you the perfection of wisdom, which itself is measureless, for the benefit and happiness of the world with its Gods, men and Asuras. If one does not want to abandon the Tathagata, or the Dharma, or the Samgha, if one does not want to abandon the enlightenment of the past, future and present Buddhas and Lords, - may one not abandon the perfection of wisdom! And there is this further admonition that those who learn this perfection of wisdom, bear it in mind, study, repeat, write and develop it, they assist in the enlightenment of the past, future and present Buddhas and Lords. For, whoever assists this perfection of wisdom when it is crumbling away, he assists the enlightenment of the past, future and present Buddhas and Lords. Because from the perfection of wisdom has the enlightenment of the Buddhas and Lords come forth. And that holds good of all the Tathagatas, whether past, future or present. Therefore, a Bodhisattva who wants to know full enlightenment and to train in the six perfections should listen to this perfection of wisdom, study, repeat and write it, (464,1) and he should train in this very perfection of wisdom, and make endeavours about it. For this perfection of wisdom is the mother, creator and genetrix of the Bodhisattvas. It is thanks to the perfection of wisdom that any Bodhisattvas ever train in the six perfections, and at any time go forth to full enlightenment. It is thanks to just this perfection of wisdom that they all go forth in the six perfections. Because all the perfections come to nourish the supreme enlightenment after they have come forth from the perfection of wisdom. Therefore then, Ananda, again and again, for a second time, for a third time, do I entrust and transmit this perfection of wisdom to you, so that it might not disappear. For this perfection of wisdom is the inexhaustible storehouse of dharma for the Tathagatas. The dharma which the Buddhas and Lords have demonstrated to beings in the past period, in the world of birth-and-death which has no beginning or end, all that came from just this storehouse of dharma, from the perfection of wisdom. And also the dharma which the Buddhas and Lords will, after their full enlightenment, demonstrate to beings in the future period, in the measureless world of birth-and-death, also that will come from just this storehouse of dharma, from the perfection of wisdom. And also the Buddhas and Lords who just now reside in countless world systems, and demonstrate dharma, they also have derived their revelation from just this storehouse of dharma, from the perfection of wisdom. Inexhaustible therefore is this storehouse of dharma, the perfection of wisdom. [464a] If, Ananda, you should demonstrate dharma on the Disciple-level to persons belonging to the vehicle of the Disciples, and if as a result of your demonstration of dharma all the beings in the great trichiliocosm would realize Arhatship, you would not have done your duty as My disciple if in that way you would keep moving after Me the wheel of dharma, and demonstrate dharma. But if, on the other hand, you would demonstrate and reveal but one single verse of the dharma associated with the perfection of wisdom to a Bodhisattva, then I should be pleased with you, who as My disciple turns after Me the wheel of dharma, and demonstrates dharma. If you consider that demonstration of dharma of yours through which the beings in the great trichiliocosm have all been induced to attain Arhatship, and of those Arhats the meritorious work founded on giving, on morality, and on meditational development, would all that constitute a great heap of merit? Ananda: It would, O Lord. The Lord: A person belonging to the vehicle of the Disciples begets a greater merit than that if he demonstrates to Bodhisattvas the dharma associated with the perfection of wisdom. The merit is still greater if it is a Bodhisattva who demonstrates to another Bodhisattva [a verse of] dharma associated with the perfection of wisdom, - for even one single day only, for a morning, for an hour, for half an hour, for a minute, nay for a second, for a moment, for the incidence of a single moment. For the gift of dharma on the part of a Bodhisattva surpasses all the wholesome roots of all those who belong to the vehicle of the Disciples or Pratyekabuddhas. It is quite impossible that a Bodhisattva who is thus endowed with wholesome roots, who thus brings to mind that wholesome root, could possibly turn away from full enlightenment. That cannot be.

atha khalu bhagavāṃs tasyāṃ velāyāṃ tathārūpam ṛddhyabhisaṃskāram abhisaṃskṛtavān yathārūpeṇa ṛddhyabhisaṃskṛtena tāś catasraḥ parṣado bhikṣubhikṣuṇyupāsakopāsikādevanāgayakṣagandharvāsuragaruḍakinnaramahoragā manuṣyāmanuṣyā vā sarve te buddhānubhāvenākṣobhyaṃ tathāgatam arhantaṃ samyaksaṃbuddhaṃ paśyanti sma bhikṣusaṃghaparivṛtaṃ bodhisattvagaṇapuraskṛtaṃ (230) dharmaṃ deśayantaṃ sāgaropamāyāṃ gambhīrāyām akṣobhyāyāṃ parṣadi bodhisattvair mahāsattvair acintyaguṇasamanvāgataiḥ parivṛtaṃ puraskṛtaṃ sarvaiś cārhadbhiḥ kṣīṇāsravair niḥkleśair vaśībhūtaiḥ suvimuktacittaiḥ suvimuktaprajñair ājāneyair mahānāgaiḥ kṛtakṛtyaiḥ kṛtakaraṇīyair apahṛtabhārair anuprāptasvakārthaiḥ parikṣīṇabhavasaṃyojanaiḥ samyagājñāsuvimuktacitaiḥ sarvacetovaśiparamapāramiprāptaiḥ ||

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4. Akshobhya’s buddha-field Thereupon the Lord on that occasion exercised His wonderworking power. The entire assembly – monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen, Gods, Nagas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, men and ghosts – they all, through the Buddha’s might, (465) saw the Tathagata Akshobhya surrounded by the congregation of monks, accompanied by a retinue of Bodhisattvas demonstrating dharma, in an assembly which was vast like the ocean, deep and imperturbable, surrounded and accompanied by Bodhisattvas who were endowed with unthinkable qualities, all of them Arhats, - their outflows exhausted, undefiled, fully controlled, quite freed in their hearts, well freed and wise, thoroughbreds, great Serpents, their work done, their task accomplished, their burden laid down, their own weal accomplished, with the fetters that bound them to becoming extinguished, their hearts well freed by right understanding, in perfect control of their entire hearts.

atha khalu bhagavāṃs tam ṛddhyabhisaṃskāraṃ punar eva pratisaṃharati sma | pratisaṃhṛte ca bhagavatā tasmin ṛddhyabhisaṃskāre na bhūyaḥ sa bhagavān akṣobhyas tathāgato ’rhan samyaksaṃbuddhaḥ saṃdṛśyate sma | te ca sarve bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ, te ca mahāśrāvakāḥ, tac ca buddhakṣetraṃ tāsāṃ catasṛṇāṃ gandharvāsuragaruḍakinnaramahoragāṇāṃ manuṣyāmanuṣyāṇāṃ ca na cakṣuṣa ābhāsaṃ bhūya āgacchanti sma | tat kasya hetoḥ? pratisaṃhṛto hi tathāgatenārhatā samyaksaṃbuddhena sa ṛddhyabhisaṃskāraḥ | tena te sarve sarveṣāṃ teṣāṃ na bhūyaś cakṣuṣa ābhāsam āgacchanti sma ||

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Thereupon the Lord again withdrew His wonderworking power. The Lord Akshobhya, the Tathagata, then no longer appeared, and all those Bodhisattvas and great Disciples, and that Buddha-field no longer came within the range of vision of the members of the Lord’s assembly. For the Tathagata had drawn in His wonderworking power.

atha khalu bhagavān āyuṣmantam ānandam āmantrayate sma - evam ānanda sarvadharmā na cakṣuṣo ’py ābhāsam āgacchanti, na dharmādharmāṇām ābhāsam āgacchanti, na dharmādharmān paśyanti, na dharmādharmān jānanti | tat kasya hetoḥ? sarvadharmā hi ānandājānakā apaśyakāḥ, na kāryasamarthāḥ | tat kasya hetoḥ? nirīhakā hi ānanda sarvadharmā agrāhyā ākāśanirīhakatayā | acintyā hy ānanda sarvadharmā māyāpuruṣopamāḥ | avedakā hy ānanda sarvadharmā asadbhāvatām upādāya | evaṃ caranta ānanda bodhisattvā mahāsattvāś caranti prajñāpāramitāyam | na kaṃcid dharmam abhiniviśante | evaṃ śikṣamāṇā ānanda bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ śikṣante prajñāpāramitāyām | sarvaśikṣāparamapāramitāṃ mahābodhiṃ prāptukāmena bodhisattvena mahāsattvena prajñāpāramitāyāṃ śikṣitavyam | tat kasya hetoḥ? eṣā hy ānanda śikṣā sarvaśikṣāṇāmagrā ākhyāyate, śreṣṭhā ākhyāyate, jyeṣṭhā ākhyāyate, varā ākhyāyate, pravarā ākhyāyate, praṇītā ākhyāyate, uttamā ākhyāyate, anuttamā ākhyāyate, niruttarā ākhyāyate, asamā ākhyāyate, asamasamā ākhyāyate, sarvalokahitāvahā sarvalokasukhāvahā anāthānāṃ nāthakarī buddhānujñātā buddhapraśastā | asyām ānanda prajñāpāramitāyāṃ śikṣitvā atra śikṣāyāṃ sthitvā tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhā imaṃ trisāhasramahāsāhasraṃ lokadhātum ekena padāṅguṣṭhenotkṣipya punar eva nikṣipeyuḥ | na ca teṣāṃ buddhānāṃ bhagavatām evaṃ syāt - utkṣipto vāyaṃ trisāhasramahāsāhasro lokadhātuḥ nikṣipto veti | tat kasya hetoḥ? aprameyāsaṃkhyeyaguṇasamanvāgatā hi prajñāpāramitā | asyām ānanda prajñāpāramitāśikṣāyāṃ śikṣitvā buddhā bhagavanto ’tītānāgatapratyutpanneṣu dharmeṣv asaṅgatām anuprāptāḥ | yāvatya ānanda kāścic chikṣāḥ atītānāgatapratyutpanne ’dhvani, sarvāsāṃ tāsām ānanda śikṣāṇām iyam eva prajñāpāramitāśikṣā agrā ākhyāyate, śreṣṭhā ākhyāyate, jyeṣṭhā ākhyāyate, varā ākhyāyate, pravarā ākhyāyate, praṇītā ākhyāyate, uttamā ākhyāyate, anuttamā ākhyāyate, niruttarā ākhyāyate, asamā ākhyāyate, asamasamā ākhyāyate |

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And The Lord said to Ananda: In the same way, Ananda, all dharmas do not come within the range of vision. Dharmas do not come within the range of vision of dharmas, dharmas do not see dharmas, dharmas to not know dharmas. For all dharmas are of such a nature that they can be neither known nor seen, and they are incapable of doing anything. For all dharmas are inactive, they cannot be grasped, because they are as inactive as space. All dharmas are unthinkable, similar to illusory men. All dharmas are unfindable, because they are in a state of non-existence. When he courses thus a Bodhisattva courses in perfect wisdom and he does not settle down in any dharma. (466) When the trains thus, a Bodhisattva trains in perfect wisdom. If a Bodhisattva wants to attain the great enlightenment, which is the highest perfection of all training, then he should train in perfect wisdom. For the training in perfect wisdom has been described as the foremost of all trainings, as the best, the choicest, the most excellent, the most sublime, the highest, the utmost, the unequalled, the incomparable, it has been said to bring benefit and happiness to all the world, it has been described as a protector of the helpless, it has been ordained and extolled by the Buddha. The Tathagatas could, as a result of training in this perfection of wisdom, of having stood in this training, lift up this great trichiliocosm with one big toe, and then just let it drop again. But it would not occur to those Buddhas and Lords that “this great trichiliocosm has been lifted up, has been dropped again.” For perfect wisdom is endowed with immeasurable and incalculable qualities. As a result of training in this training of perfect wisdom, the Buddhas and Lords have reached a state of non-attachment to past, future and present dharmas. Of all the possible trainings in the past, future and present period, this training in perfect wisdom is the foremost, the best, the choicest, the most excellent, the most sublime, the highest, the utmost, the unequalled, the incomparable.

apramāṇā hy ānanda prajñāpāramitā | akṣayā hy ānanda prajñāpāramitā | aparyantā hy ānanda prajñāpāramitā | tat kasya hetoḥ? asattvād eva (231) prajñāpāramitāyāḥ | ākāśasya hi sa ānanda pramāṇaṃ vā kṣayaṃ vā paryantaṃ vā grahītavyaṃ manyetaḥ, yaḥ prajñāpāramitāyāḥ pramāṇaṃ vā kṣayaṃ vā paryantaṃ vā grahītavyaṃ manyeta | tat kasya hetoḥ? apramāṇā hy ānanda prajñāpāramitā | akṣayā hy ānanda prajñāpāramitā | aparyantā hy ānanda prajñāpāramitā | na mayā ānanda prajñāpāramitāyāḥ pramāṇaṃ vā kṣayo vā paryanto vā ākhyātaḥ | nāmakāyapadakāyavyañjanakāyāḥ khalu punar ānanda pramāṇabaddhāḥ | neyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā pramāṇabaddhā | tat kasya hetoḥ? na hy ānanda nāmakāyapadakāyavyañjanakāyāḥ prajñāpāramitā | na hi pramāṇavatīyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā | aparimāṇā hy ānanda prajñāpāramitā ||

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5. Extinction, non-extinction and perfect wisdom For perfect wisdom has no limits, it is inexhaustible and boundless. (467) Because limits, exhaustion and bounds are absent in perfect wisdom. To attribute limits, exhaustion and bounds to perfect wisdom would be like attributing them to space. For the perfection of wisdom is unlimited, inexhaustible and boundless. I have not taught that the perfection of wisdom has any limits, that it can be exhausted, that it has any bounds. The sum total of the words contained in this Sutra on perfect wisdom certainly has its limits, but not so the perfection of wisdom itself. For the sum total of the words in this Sutra is not identical with the perfection of wisdom itself. Perfect wisdom itself is not subject to any limitations, it is without any limits whatever.

ānanda āha - kena punaḥ kāraṇena bhagavan bhagavatā prajñāpāramitāyāḥ pramāṇaṃ nākhyātam? bhagavān āha - akṣayatvād ānanda prajñāpāramitāyās tathāgataḥ pramāṇaṃ na nirdiśati | viviktatvād ānanda prajñāpāramitāyāḥ pramāṇaṃ tathāgatena nākhyātam | na hy ānanda viviktasya dharmasya viviktatāpy upalabhyate, kutaḥ punar asya pramāṇaṃ bhaviṣyati? evam ānanda prajñāpāramitā aprameyatvād apramāṇā aparimāṇā | ye ’pi te ānandātīte ’dhvany abhūvaṃs tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhāḥ, te ’py ānanda ita eva prajñāpāramitātaḥ prabhāvitāḥ | na cānanda iyaṃ prajñāpāramitā kṣīṇā vā parikṣīṇā vā | ye ’pi te ānandānāgate ’dhvani bhaviṣyanti tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhāḥ, te ’py ānanda ita eva prajñāpāramitātaḥ prabhāvayiṣyante | na cānanda iyaṃ prajñāpāramitā kṣeṣyate vā parikṣeṣyate vā | ye ’pi te ānanda etarhy aprameyeṣv asaṃkhyeyeṣu lokadhātuṣu tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhās tiṣṭhanti dhriyante yāpayanti, te ’py ānanda ita eva prajñāpāramitātaḥ prabhāvyante | na ceyam ānanda prajñāpāramitā kṣīyate vā parikṣīyate vā | aham apy ānanda etarhi tathāgato ’rhan samyaksaṃbuddhaḥ | mamāpy ānanda ita eva prajñāpāramitātaḥ prabhāvanā | na cānanda iyaṃ prajñāpāramitā kṣīyate vā parikṣīyate vā | tat kasya hetoḥ? ākāśaṃ hi sa ānanda kṣayayitavyaṃ manyeta, yaḥ prajñāpāramitāṃ kṣayayitavyāṃ manyeta | tasmāt tarhy ānandākṣayeyaṃ prajñāpāramitā ||

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Ananda: For what reason again has the Lord not taught any limits to perfect wisdom? The Lord: Because it is inexhaustible and isolated. One cannot even apprehend the isolatedness of an isolated dharma, how much less can there be a definite circumference to it? Thus, as beyond all measurements the perfection of wisdom is unlimited, without any limits whatever. The Tathagatas of the past have drawn their strength from just this perfection of wisdom, (468,1) and yet it has not been exhausted, nor become extinct. The Tathagatas of the future also shall draw their strength from just this perfection of wisdom, and yet it shall not be exhausted, shall not become extinct. Those Tathagatas also who just now reside in countless world systems, they also draw their strength from just this perfection of wisdom, and yet it does not become exhausted or extinct. I also, who am a Tathagata just now, I also draw My strength from just this perfection of wisdom, and yet it does not become exhausted, or extinct. One can exhaust the perfection of wisdom no more than one can exhaust space. This perfection of wisdom is therefore quite inexhaustible.

atha khalv āyuṣmataḥ subhūter etad abhavat - gambhīram idaṃ sthānaṃ tathāgatena bhāṣitam | yan nv ahaṃ tathāgataṃ pṛccheyam etat sthānam | atha khalv āyuṣmān subhūtir bhagavantam etad avocat - akṣayā bhagavan prajñāpāramitā? bhagavān āha - akṣayā hi subhūte prajñāpāramitā yad uta ākāśākṣayatvāt sarvadharmānutpādataḥ | subhūtir āha - kathaṃ bhagavan bodhisattvena mahāsattvena prajñāpāramitā abhinirhartavyā? bhagavān āha - rūpākṣayatvena subhūte bodhisattvena mahāsattvena prajñāpāramitā abhinirhartavyā | evaṃ vedanāsaṃjñāsaṃskārāḥ | vijñānākṣayatvena subhūte bodhisattvena mahāsattvena prajñāpāramitā abhinirhartavyā | evaṃ khalu subhūte bodhisattvena mahāsattvena prajñāpāramitā abhinirhartavyā | avidyākṣayatvena subhūte bodhisattvena mahāsattvena prajñāpāramitā abhinirhartavyā | evaṃ saṃskārākṣayatvena vijñānākṣayatvena nāmarūpākṣayatvena ṣaḍāyatanākṣayatvena sparśākṣayatvena (232) vedanākṣayatvena tṛṣṇākṣayatvena upādānākṣayatvena bhavākṣayatvena jātyakṣayatvena jarāmaraṇākṣayatvena śokaparidevaduḥkhadaurmanasyopāyāsākṣayatvena subhūte bodhisattvena mahāsattvena prajñāpāramitā abhinirhartavyā | iyaṃ subhūte bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasyāntadvayavivarjitā pratītyasamutpādavyavalokanā | evaṃ vyavalokayan subhūte bodhisattvo mahāsattvaḥ pratītyanutpādam anādyantamadhyaṃ taṃ vyavalokayati | ayaṃ subhūte bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasyāveṇiko dharmo bodhimaṇḍe niṣaṇṇasya, yad evaṃ pratītyasamutpādaṃ vyavalokayati | evaṃ vyavalokayataḥ subhūte bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya pratītyasamutpādaḥ sarvajñajñānapratilambho bhavati | yo hi kaścit subhūte bodhisattvo mahāsattvaḥ anenākṣayābhinirhāreṇa prajñāpāramitāyāṃ caran pratītyasamutpādaṃ vyavalokayati, sa na śrāvakabhūmau vā pratyekabuddhabhūmau vā sthāsyati, api tu sthāsyati sarvajñatāyām | ye kecit subhūte bodhisattvā mahāsattvā vivartante ’nuttarāyāḥ samyaksaṃbodheḥ, sacet imān manasikārānidaṃ copāyakauśalyamanāgamya na jānanti - kathaṃ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ caratā bodhisattvena mahāsattvenākṣayābhinirhāreṇa prajñāpāramitā abhinirhartavyā, kathaṃ cākṣayābhinirhāreṇa prajñāpāramitāyāṃ pratītyasamutpādo vyavalokayitavya iti | ye kecit subhūte bodhisattvā mahāsattvā vivṛttā vivartante, vivartsyante cānuttarāyāḥ samyaksaṃbodheḥ, sarve te idam upāyakauśalyam anāgamya vivṛttā vivartante vivartsyante ca | ye kecit subhūte bodhisattvā mahāsattvā na vivṛttā na vivartante na vivartsyante ca, sarve te imāṃ prajñāpāramitām āgamya na vivṛttā na vivartante na vivartsyante cānuttarāyāḥ samyaksaṃbodheḥ | evaṃ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ caratā bodhisattvena mahāsattvenākṣayābhinirhāreṇa prajñāpāramitā abhinirhartavyā | evaṃ cākṣayābhinirhāreṇa prajñāpāramitāyāṃ pratītyasamutpādo vyavalokayitavyaḥ | evaṃ khalu punaḥ subhūte bodhisattvo mahāsattvaḥ pratītyasamutpādaṃ vyavalokayan na kaṃcid dharmam ahetukam utpadyamānaṃ samanupaśyati, na kaṃcid dharmaṃ nityaṃ vā dhruvaṃ vā śāśvataṃ vā avipariṇāmadharmakaṃ vā samanupaśyati | na kaṃcid dharmaṃ kārakaṃ vā vedakaṃ vā samanupaśyati | iyaṃ subhūte bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya imāṃ prajñāpāramitām akṣayābhinirhāreṇābhinirharato ’syāṃ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ carataḥ pratītyasamutpādavyavalokanā | yasmin samaye subhūte bodhisattvo mahāsattvaḥ prajñāpāramitām akṣayābhinirhāreṇābhinirharan pratītyasamutpādaṃ vyavalokayati, tasmin samaye subhūte bodhisattvo mahāsattvo na rūpaṃ samanupaśyati, na vedanāṃ na saṃjñāṃ na saṃskārān, na vijñānaṃ samanupaśyati, nāvidyāṃ samanupaśyati | evaṃ na saṃskārānna vijñānaṃ na nāmarūpaṃ na ṣaḍāyatanaṃ na sparśaṃ na vedanāṃ na tṛṣṇāṃ nopādānaṃ na bhavaṃ na jātiṃ na jarāmaraṇaṃ na śokaparidevaduḥkhadaurmanasyopāyāsān samanupaśyati | idaṃ buddhakṣetram iti na samanupaśyati, anyad buddhakṣetram iti na samanupaśyati | tam api dharmaṃ na samanupaśyati, yena dharmeṇa idaṃ vā anyad vā buddhakṣetraṃ samanupaśyet | iyaṃ sā subhūte bodhisattvānāṃ mahāsattvānāṃ prajñāpāramitā |

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Thereupon it occurred to the venerable Subhuti: Deep is this station which the Tathagata has taught. Let me then now question the Tathagata about this station. And Subhuti said to the Lord: Inexhaustible, O Lord, is perfect wisdom! The Lord: Because it cannot become extinct, since, like space, it cannot be extinguished, and since all dharmas have not been produced. Subhuti: How should a Bodhisattva consummate the perfection of wisdom? The Lord: Through the non-extinction of form, etc. (469) Through the non-extinction of ignorance, of the karma-formations, of consciousness, of name and form, of the six sense-fields, of contact, of feeling, of craving, of grasping, of becoming, of birth, of decay and death, of grief, lamentation, pain, sadness and despair. In this manner the Bodhisattva surveys conditioned coproduction in such a way that he avoids the duality of the extremes. He surveys it without seeing any beginning, end or middle. To survey conditioned coproduction in such a manner, that is the special dharma of the Bodhisattva who is seated on the terrace of enlightenment. When he thus surveys conditioned coproduction, he acquires the cognition of the all-knowing. For a Bodhisattva who, while he courses in perfect wisdom through this consummation of non-extinction, surveys conditioned coproduction, cannot stand on the level of Disciple or Pratyekabuddha, but he must stand in all-knowledge. Some Bodhisattvas may turn away from supreme enlightenment, if, because they have failed to resort to these mental activities [which aspire to the consummation of non-extinction] and to this skill in means, they do not know how a Bodhisattva who courses in perfect wisdom should consummate perfect wisdom through the consummation of non-extinction, (470) and how conditioned coproduction should be surveyed in the perfection of wisdom through the consummation of non-extinction. All Bodhisattvas who at any time turn away from full enlightenment do so because they did not resort to this skill in means. All those Bodhisattvas who at any time do not turn away from full enlightenment, do so thanks to this perfection of wisdom. In this way should a Bodhisattva who courses in perfect wisdom consummate perfect wisdom through the consummation of non-extinction. And in this way should conditioned coproduction be surveyed in the perfection of wisdom through the consummation of non-extinction. A Bodhisattva who thus surveys conditioned coproduction, does certainly not review any dharma that is being produced without a cause nor does he review any dharmas as permanent, stable, eternal, not liable to reversal, nor does he review any dharmas as a doer or a feeler. This is the surveying of conditioned coproduction on the part of a Bodhisattva who consummates this perfection of wisdom through the consummation of non-extinction, and who courses in this perfection of wisdom. At the time when a Bodhisattva, consummating the perfection of wisdom through the consummation of non-extinction, surveys conditioned coproduction, at that time he does not review form as if it were a real separate entity, nor feelings, perceptions, impulses or consciousness; nor ignorance, karma-formations, etc., to decay and death, (471) sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness and despair; nor does he review the fact that “this is my Buddha-field” as if it were real, nor the fact that “that is another Buddha-field,” nor does he review as real any dharma by which he could distinguish between this and other Buddha-fields. This, Subhuti, is the perfection of wisdom of the Bodhisattvas, the great beings.

yasmin samaye subhūte bodhisattvo mahāsattvaḥ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ carati, tasmin samaye māraḥ pāpīyān paramaśokaśalyasamarpito bhavati | (233) tadyathāpi nāma subhūte puruṣo mātāpitṛṣu kālagateṣu paramaśokaśalyasamarpito bhavati, evam eva subhūte yasmin samaye bodhisattvo mahāsattvaḥ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ carati, tasmin samaye māraḥ pāpīyān paramaśokaśalyasamarpito bhavati ||

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6. Advantages derived from perfect wisdom When a Bodhisattva courses in perfect wisdom, Mara the Evil One feels struck with the dark of great sorrow, just as a man does when his mother or father have died.

subhūtir āha - kim eka eva bhagavan māraḥ pāpīyān paramaśokaśalyasamarpito bhavati, utāho bahavo mārāḥ pāpīyāṃsaḥ paramaśokaśalyasamarpitā bhavanti, utāho ye trisāhasramahāsāhasre lokadhātau mārāḥ pāpīyāṃsaḥ te ’pi sarve tasmin samaye paramaśokaśalyasamarpitā bhavanti? evam ukte bhagavān āyuṣmantaṃ subhūtim etad avocat - yasmin samaye subhūte bodhisattvo mahāsattvaḥ prajñāpāramitāvihāreṇa viharati, tasmin samaye ye trisāhasramahāsāhasre lokadhātau mārāṃ pāpīyāṃsaḥ te sarve paramaśokaśalyasamarpitā bhavanti, svakasvakeṣv āsaneṣu na ramante | tat kasya hetoḥ? prajñāpāramitāvihāreṇa hi viharato ’sya subhūte bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya sadevamānuṣāsuro loko ’vatāraṃ na labhate grahaṇāya, gādhaṃ na labhate, yatrainaṃ gṛhītvā viheṭhayed vā vivartayed vā anuttarāyāḥ samyaksaṃbodheḥ | tasmāt tarhiḥ subhūte bodhisattvena mahāsattvenānuttarāṃ samyaksaṃbodhim abhisaṃboddhukāmena prajñāpāramitāyāṃ caritavyam | tat kasya hetoḥ? prajñāpāramitāyāṃ hi subhūte carato bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya dānapāramitā bhāvanāparipūriṃ gacchati, evaṃ śīlapāramitā kṣāntipāramitā vīryapāramitā dhyānapāramitā bhāvanāparipūriṃ gacchati | prajñāpāramitāyāṃ hi subhūte carato bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya sarvāḥ ṣaṭ pāramitā bhāvanāparipūriṃ gacchanti, sarvāṇi copāyakauśalyāni bhāvanāparipūriṃ gacchanti | tasya bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya prajñāpāramitāyāṃ carato yāni kānicin mārakarmāṇy utpadyeran, sarvāṇi tāny utpadyamānāny eva sa prajñāsyati, prajānan visarjayiṣyati | sarvopāyakauśalyāni subhūte parigrahītukāmena bodhisattvena mahāsattvena prajñāpāramitāyāṃ caritavyam, prajñāpāramitā bhāvayitavyā | yasmin samaye subhūte bodhisattvo mahāsattvaḥ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ carati, prajñāpāramitām abhinirharati, tasmin samaye subhūte na bodhisattvena mahāsattvena ye ’prameyeṣv asaṃkhyeyeṣu lokadhātuṣu buddhā bhagavantas tiṣṭhanti dhriyante yāpayanti, te samanvāhartavyāḥ | teṣām api itonirjātaiva sarvajñatā yad uta prajñāpāramitātaḥ | evaṃ samanvāhṛtya tena bodhisattvena mahāsattvena punar evaṃ cittam utpādayitavyam - aham apy etān dharmān anuprāpsyāmi ye tair buddhair bhagavadbhir anuprāptā iti | evaṃ subhūte bodhisattvena mahāsattvena prajñāpāramitāyāṃ caratā ime cittotpādotpādayitavyā abhinirhartavyā divasasyātyayena, antaśo ’cchaṭāsaṃghātamātrakam api | yaś ca subhūte aupalambhiko bodhisattvo mahāsattvo gaṅgānadīvālukopamān kalpān dānaṃ dadyāt, ayam eva tataupalambhikād bodhisattvān mahāsattvād bahutaraṃ puṇyaṃ prasavati, yo ’yaṃ bodhisattvo mahāsattvo divasasyātyayena imāṃ prajñāpāramitām abhinirharet, antaśo ’cchaṭāsaṃghātamātrakam api | ayaṃ bodhisattvo mahāsattvo ’vinivartanīyatāyāṃ sthāsyati | tathāgatasamanvāhṛtaḥ sa bodhisattvo mahāsattvo veditavyaḥ, yo ’syāṃ prajñāpāramitāyāṃ caran imāṃś cittotpādān utpādayati divasasyātyayena (234) antaśo ’cchaṭāsaṃghātamātrakam api | kaḥ punar vādo yasyeme cittotpādā divasam anuvarteran | tathāgatasamanvāhṛtasya hi subhūte bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya kā gatiḥ pratikāṅkṣitavyā? tathāgatasamanvāhṛtasya hi subhūte bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya nānyā gatiḥ pratikāṅkṣitavyā anyatrānuttarāyāḥ samyaksaṃbodheḥ | abhavyaś cāsāv apāyeṣūpapattum | svargopapattir eva tasya pratikāṅkṣitavyā | tatrāpi tathāgatair avirahito bhaviṣyati, tathāgatāvirahiteṣu ca buddhakṣetreṣūpapatsyate, sattvāṃś ca paripācayiṣyati | ime ’pi subhūte guṇāḥ, ime ’py anuśaṃsā bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya prajñāpāramitāyāṃ carataḥ, prajñāpāramitām abhinirharataḥ, imāṃś cittotpādān utpādayataḥ antaśo ’cchaṭāsaṃghātamātrakam api | kaḥ punar vādo yasyeme cittotpādā divasam anuvarteran, tadyathāpi nāma subhūte gandhahastino bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya ya etarhy akṣobhyasya tathāgatasyārhataḥ samyaksaṃbuddhasyāntike brahmacaryaṃ caratīti ||

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Subhuti: Is this affliction confined to one Mara, or does it affect many Maras, or does it extend to all the Maras in the great trichiliocosm? The Lord: At the time when Bodhisattvas dwell in the dwelling of perfect wisdom at that time all the Maras in the great trichiliocosm feel struck with the dart of great sorrow, and they cannot sit still on their respective thrones. (472) For the entire world, with its Gods, men and Asuras, cannot gain entry to a Bodhisattva who dwells within the dwelling of perfect wisdom, it cannot gain a foothold which would allow it to take possession of him, to hurt him, to turn him away from full enlightenment. Therefore then, Subhuti, a Bodhisattva who wants to know full enlightenment should course in perfect wisdom. For in a Bodhisattva who courses in perfect wisdom the perfection of giving arrives at its most perfect development, and so do the perfections of morality, patience, vigour, and concentration. In him all the six perfections arrive at their most perfect development, and also all the varieties of skill in means. Whatever deeds of Mara may arise in a Bodhisattva who courses in perfect wisdom, he shall wisely know them when they are taking place, and he shall get rid of them again. A Bodhisattva who wants to acquire all the varieties of skill in means should course in perfect wisdom, and develop it. At the time when a Bodhisattva courses in perfect wisdom, and aspires for it, he should bring to mind not only the Buddhas and Lords who reside in countless world systems, but also their all-knowledge which has come forth from this perfection of wisdom. He should then produce the thought that “also I shall reach those dharmas which those Buddhas and Lords have reached!” (473,1) For a day, or even down to the time taken up by a finger snap, should a Bodhisattva who courses in perfect wisdom raise such thoughts and aspire to them. But a Bodhisattva who would even for one day, or even for the duration of a fingersnap, aspire for this perfection of wisdom would beget more merit than a Bodhisattva who leans on a basis, and who for countless aeons gives gifts. Such a Bodhisattva will stand in irreversibility. A Bodhisattva who courses in perfect wisdom and who, even for a day, or even for the duration of a finger snap, raises such thoughts, has, we know, been brought to mind by the Tathagatas. How much more so one who daily pursues such thoughts. What future destiny should one expect a Bodhisattva to have whom the Tathagatas have brought to mind? No other destiny except full enlightenment can be expected of him. He cannot possibly be reborn in the states of woe. One must expect that he will be reborn in heaven, and that even there he will not be without the Tathagatas, and that he will mature beings. These are the qualities and advantages of a Bodhisattva who courses in perfect wisdom, who aspires for perfect wisdom, and who raises such thoughts, (474) if even for the length of a finger snap. How much greater will be the advantage of one who pursues such thoughts daily, as for instance the Bodhisattva Gandhahastin who just now leads the holy life in the presence of the Tathagata Akshobhya.

āryāṣṭasāhasrikāyāṃ prajñāpāramitāyām avakīrṇakusumaparivarto nāmāṣṭāviṃśatitamaḥ || (235)

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