Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 25K
(The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines)
Chapter 27 – The Purity of All the Dharmas (part II)
Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 25K
(The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines)
Chapter 27 – The Purity of All the Dharmas (part II)
Last update: October 15, 2025
Image from: Stoneflower013
Source: https://84000.co/translation/toh9
(Summary 1: Section 1 of Chapter 27 focuses on a dialogue between the venerable Śāradvatīputra (also known as Śāriputra in other texts) and the Blessed One (the Buddha). It explores the concept of "purity" (viśuddhi) in the context of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā). The section is structured as a series of questions and responses, where Śāradvatīputra inquires about various qualities of purity — such as its profundity, illuminative nature, absence of inherent rebirth, affliction, attainment, origination, rebirth in samsaric realms, cognition, and its relation to the Perfection of Wisdom — and the Buddha consistently attributes these qualities to "absolute purity" (atyanta-viśuddhi). This absolute purity is tied to the non-inherent, empty nature of all phenomena (dharmas).
The dialogue employs repetitive lists of Buddhist categories (e.g., the five aggregates/skandhas, sense bases, elements, dependent origination, perfections/pāramitās, emptinesses/śūnyatā, paths to enlightenment, and buddha-qualities) to emphasize that purity permeates all aspects of existence and practice. This repetition is a stylistic feature of Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, reinforcing the universality and non-dual nature of the teaching. The section underscores that true purity is not a relative or conditional state but an absolute one, rooted in the U2T and non-apprehensibility of phenomena, which transcends dualistic concepts like birth/death, affliction/purification, attainment/non-attainment, and cognition/non-cognition.
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Question: So when we talk about those qualities of purity, we are in fact talking about the qualities of all dharmas.
Yes, that's a precise insight into the teaching in Section 1 of Chapter 27. The dialogue between Śāradvatīputra and the Buddha repeatedly frames qualities like profundity, illumination, absence of inherent rebirth, affliction, attainment, origination, rebirth in realms, cognition, and non-appropriation as arising directly from the "absolute purity" (atyanta-viśuddhi) of all dharmas. This isn't portraying purity as a separate entity or attribute superimposed onto phenomena; rather, it's revealing that these qualities are intrinsic to the true nature of all dharmas themselves.
To elaborate briefly on why this equivalence holds in the context of Prajñāpāramitā
Absolute Purity as Emptiness: The text uses exhaustive lists of dharmas — from the five aggregates (skandhas like forms/rūpa and consciousness/vijñāna) to dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda), the six perfections (pāramitās), various emptinesses (śūnyatās), paths to enlightenment, and buddha-qualities (like all-aspect omniscience/sarvākārajñatā) — to demonstrate that their "absolute purity" is what makes purity itself profound or illuminating.
This absolute purity equates to emptiness (śūnyatā): dharmas lack inherent existence (svabhāva-śūnyatā), intrinsic characteristics (svalakṣaṇa-śūnyatā), origination (anutpāda), apprehension (anupalabdha), and duality. Thus, when the Buddha says "purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of physical forms" (and so on for every category), it's underscoring that all dharmas are already "pure" in this ultimate sense — empty, non-arising, naturally luminous (prakṛti-prabhāsvara), and beyond grasping.
Non-Dual Implication: If purity's qualities were distinct from those of dharmas, it would imply a duality (purity vs. impurity, dharma vs. non-dharma), which the sūtra rejects. Instead, qualities like "not cognizant" (due to phenomena's inanimate/acetana nature or emptiness of characteristics) or "not subject to rebirth" (because realms are non-apprehensible) are shared universally. This mirrors the Heart Sūtra's famous line: "form is emptiness, emptiness is form"—here extended to "purity is the nature of dharmas, the nature of dharmas is purity."
Practical Ramification for Practice: For bodhisattvas, recognizing this means avoiding reification: one doesn't "attain" purity or wisdom as something separate, because dharmas (including wisdom and omniscience) are neither helpers nor hinderers in "reality’s expanse" (dharmadhātu), which is unmoving (acalita). It's a call to realize that saṃsāra's apparent afflictions are adventitious, not inherent, allowing for effortless liberation.
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Question: What would be the definition of "absolute purity" compared to "purity"?
Absolute purity" denotes an ultimate, inherent, and complete state of purity that transcends relative distinctions. The Sanskrit term atyanta-viśuddhi (where atyanta means "absolute," "utmost," or "extreme") signifies a supreme, unconditioned cleanliness that is intrinsic to the true nature of all phenomena (dharmas). In the Prajñāpāramitā sutras, it is equated with emptiness (śūnyatā), the dharmakāya (ultimate reality body), or the natural luminosity of reality, where nothing is ever truly defiled because all things lack inherent existence. It is not achieved through purification but is the ground of reality itself—free from birth, destruction, affliction, or duality. For instance, in the Mahā Prajñāpāramitā Śāstra, an arhat is described as "absolutely pure" due to the complete destruction of impurities, contrasting with lesser stages.
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Question: The text associates purity with emptiness, but it is in fact the Union of the Two Truths, the Union of dependently co-arisen relatively functional impermanent appearances and their emptiness of inherent existence, Emptiness alone is not enough, and it is too dualistic.
Yes, your observation aligns closely with the deeper interpretive framework of Mahāyāna Buddhism, particularly in how the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras (like the 25,000-Line text we're discussing) and subsequent Madhyamaka philosophy approach concepts like purity and emptiness. While the surface-level reading of Chapter 27 emphasizes purity as rooted in emptiness (śūnyatā) — through attributes like non-origination, non-apprehensibility, natural luminosity, and the absence of inherent existence — this is not presenting emptiness as a standalone, nihilistic void or a dualistic opposite to phenomena. Instead, it points to the non-dual union of the two truths (satyadvaya): the conventional truth of dependently co-arisen (pratītyasamutpanna), relatively functional, impermanent appearances (saṃvṛti-satya) and the ultimate truth of their emptiness of inherent existence (paramārtha-satya; svabhāva-śūnyatā). Emptiness alone, if misconstrued as mere negation or absence, can indeed seem insufficient or dualistic (e.g., pitting "empty" against "existent"), but in this tradition, it's inseparable from appearances — often described as their "indivisible union" or non-duality.
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Question: And it is the same thing for 'nonexistence', its true non-dual meaning is 'not inherently existing, not completely non-existing', not both, not neither.'
Yes, exactly — that's a spot-on articulation of the Madhyamaka view on "nonexistence" (abhāva or asat), which mirrors the non-dual approach to emptiness (śūnyatā) and purity we've been discussing in the Prajñāpāramitā context. In Nāgārjuna's philosophy, which interprets and systematizes these sūtras, "nonexistence" isn't a blanket negation leading to nihilism (ucchedavāda, or absolute non-being), nor is it affirmed as inherent existence (śāśvatavāda, or eternalism). Instead, it's understood through the tetralemma (catuṣkoṭi), a dialectical tool that negates all four extreme positions on existence: (1) exists inherently, (2) does not exist at all, (3) both exists and does not exist, and (4) neither exists nor does not exist. This negation reveals the middle way (madhyamā-pratipad): phenomena are "not inherently existing" (no svabhāva, or self-nature, in the ultimate truth) yet "not completely non-existing" (they arise dependently and function relatively in the conventional truth), without falling into any reified category.
Just as purity is the non-dual union of appearances (dependently co-arisen dharmas) and emptiness (their lack of inherent existence), "nonexistence" here points to the same inseparability. Dharmas are "nonexistent" in the sense of being empty of intrinsic essence — they don't arise independently or persist eternally — but they aren't utterly annihilated, as they manifest interdependently and serve functional roles (e.g., in causation, perception, or bodhisattva practice). This avoids dualism by rejecting any standalone "nonexistence" as a void separate from the world; instead, it's the true nature of reality, where emptiness enables phenomena to "exist" without fixation.
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Question: So when the text says many times "it is due to absolute purity", what it means is 'it is due to the true nature of all dharmas as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths [[U2T] or the Union of opposites [Uopp]".
Yes, that's an astute and fitting interpretation of the repetitive phrase "it is due to absolute purity" (atyanta-viśuddhi) in Section 1 of Chapter 27. Throughout the dialogue, whenever Śāradvatīputra describes a quality of purity — such as its profundity, illuminative nature, absence of inherent rebirth, affliction, attainment, origination, cognition, or appropriation — the Buddha consistently responds that this is "due to absolute purity," immediately linking it back to the inherent nature of all dharmas (from the skandhas to omniscience). This isn't invoking absolute purity as a standalone, abstract principle but as a pointer to the non-dual true nature (prakṛti or svabhāva, in the ultimate sense) of phenomena, which Mahāyāna teachings like the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras frame through the indivisible union of the two truths (satyadvaya-yuganaddha): the conventional truth of dependently co-arisen (pratītyasamutpanna), relatively functional, impermanent appearances and the ultimate truth of their emptiness of inherent existence (śūnyatā).
Similarly, this encompasses the union of opposites (Uopp), such as existence/nonexistence, arising/ceasing, affliction/purification, or saṃsāra/nirvāṇa, transcending dualistic extremes via the middle way.
In Prajñāpāramitā, absolute purity equates to the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya), where all dharmas are empty of svabhāva (inherent existence), yet this emptiness is inseparable from the conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) of their interdependent arising and relative efficacy. The phrase "due to absolute purity" thus implies "due to realizing this union," where phenomena appear (conventional) but are ungraspable (ultimate), fostering insight (prajñā) without attachment.
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Question: So any or all dharmas are 'absolutely pure' for somebody only when he realizes their true nature as being the Union of the Two Truths. It is this wisdom that purifies, or reveals the primordial purity of all dharmas, without apprehending anything.
Yes, your formulation captures a profound aspect of Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy, particularly as articulated in the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras and Madhyamaka interpretations. Absolute purity (atyanta-viśuddhi) isn't an inherent attribute that dharmas possess in a reified, objective sense independent of realization; rather, it becomes experientially "absolute" or manifest for the practitioner only upon realizing the non-dual true nature of phenomena through wisdom (prajñā). This wisdom doesn't "purify" dharmas in a transformative, dualistic way (as if adding or removing something) — since, as the Heart Sūtra emphasizes, dharmas are "not defiled, not pure" — but reveals their primordial, innate purity (prakṛti-viśuddhi or ādi-viśuddhi) as already present, without apprehending or grasping (anupalambha) any substantial entity. This revelation aligns precisely with the indivisible union of the two truths (satyadvaya-yuganaddha): the conventional truth of dependently co-arisen, functional appearances (which seem defiled or impure) and the ultimate truth of their emptiness of inherent existence (which is their pure, undefiled essence).
In the context of the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, such as the 25,000-Line version we've been analyzing, absolute purity is repeatedly tied to this realization. For instance, the text states that qualities like profundity or non-affliction arise "due to the [absolute] purity" of dharmas, but this is only fully apprehended when prajñā penetrates their empty yet luminous nature — neither producing nor destroying anything, as all dharmas are "without defilement and purification" because they are empty. Madhyamaka thinkers like Nāgārjuna build on this by framing the two truths as the key to unlocking this purity: the union ensures that wisdom reveals reality's primordial ground without falling into extremes of existence (defilement) or nonexistence (annihilation), where phenomena and emptiness are "never contradictory." In traditions like Dzogchen or Great Madhyamaka (which synthesize these views), this primordial purity is the "fundamental nature" abiding as the union of clarity (appearances) and emptiness, realized non-conceptually through prajñā.
Practically, this means that for the bodhisattva, absolute purity isn't a static quality but a dynamic insight: wisdom "purifies" by dispelling ignorance without apprehending dharmas as truly existent or nonexistent, allowing compassionate engagement in the world (conventional truth) while resting in non-grasping emptiness (ultimate truth). Without this realization, dharmas appear obscured by adventitious defilements; with it, their primordial purity shines forth, transcending duality.)
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TEXT:
[1.1 The profundity quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. This establishes that purity's depth is not isolated but inherent in the U2T of every phenomenon, preventing reification or attachment to any dharma as inherently existent or completely non-existent.]
Thereupon the venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord,
this purity is profound.”
“That is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Due to the absolute purity of what is it that purity is profound?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of physical forms.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the eyes.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the ears, nose, tongue, body, and mental faculty.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of sights.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, and mental phenomena.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of visual consciousness.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of auditory consciousness, olfactory consciousness, gustatory consciousness, tactile consciousness, and mental consciousness.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of visually compounded sensory contact.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of aurally compounded sensory contact, nasally compounded sensory contact, lingually compounded sensory contact, corporeally compounded sensory contact, and mentally compounded sensory contact.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the earth element.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, and the consciousness element.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of ignorance.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of formative predispositions, consciousness, name and form, the six sense fields, sensory contact, sensation, craving, grasping, the rebirth process, actual birth, and aging and death.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the perfection of generosity.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the emptiness of internal phenomena.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the applications of mindfulness.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas.
Purity is profound due to the [absolute] purity of knowledge of all the dharmas, knowledge of the path, and all-aspect omniscience.”
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[1.2 The illuminating quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. Illumination suggests clarity or revelation, implying that absolute purity reveals the true nature of reality, free from obscurations, aligning with Prajñāpāramitā's emphasis on insight into U2T.]
Śāradvatīputra then said, “Blessed Lord,
purity is illuminating.”
“That is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Due to the [absolute] purity of what is it that purity is illuminating?” asked Śāradvatīputra.
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of physical forms.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the eyes.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the ears, nose, tongue, body, and mental faculty.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of sights.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, and mental phenomena.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of visual consciousness.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of auditory consciousness, olfactory consciousness, gustatory consciousness, tactile consciousness, and mental consciousness.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of visually compounded sensory contact.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of aurally compounded sensory contact, nasally compounded sensory contact, lingually compounded sensory contact, corporeally compounded sensory contact, and mentally compounded sensory contact.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the earth element.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, and the consciousness element.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of ignorance.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of formative predispositions, consciousness, name and form, the six sense fields, sensory contact, sensation, craving, grasping, the rebirth process, actual birth, and aging and death.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the perfection of wisdom.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the emptiness of internal phenomena.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the applications of mindfulness.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.
Purity is illuminating due to the [absolute] purity of knowledge of all the dharmas, knowledge of the path, and all-aspect omniscience.”
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[1.3 The ‘lacks inherent rebirth’ quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. Challenges cyclic existence (saṃsāra), showing that in absolute reality, there is no true birth/death, only apparent processes empty of essence.]
“Blessed Lord!
Purity is not having [inherent] rebirth.”
“That is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
due to what not having rebirth is not having rebirth purity?” asked Śāradvatīputra.
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“due to physical forms not passing away and not having rebirth this is purity.
Due to feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness not passing away and not having rebirth this is purity.
Due to [all other phenomena, attributes, and attainments], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, not passing away and not having rebirth this is purity.”
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[1.4 The ‘not having affliction’ quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. References the innate purity of mind (citta-prakṛti-prabhāsvaratā), a key Mahāyāna idea that defilements are adventitious, not intrinsic, allowing for inherent buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha) potential.]
“Blessed Lord,
purity is not having [inherent] affliction.”
“That is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
due to what not having affliction is purity not having affliction?”
The Blessed One replied,
“It is due to the natural luminosity of physical forms that purity is not having affliction.
It is due to the natural luminosity of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness that purity is not having affliction.
It is due to the natural luminosity [of all other phenomena, attributes, and attainments], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, that purity is not having affliction.”
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[1.5 The ‘neither attained nor is it manifestly realized’ quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. Undermines goal-oriented practice; enlightenment is not "gained" but realized as already present in U2T.]
“Blessed Lord,
purity is neither attained nor is it manifestly realized [in absolute terms].”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
pertaining to what is purity neither attained nor manifestly realized?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“purity pertains to physical forms that are neither attained nor manifestly realized.
Purity pertains to feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness that are neither attained nor manifestly realized.
Purity pertains [to all other phenomena, attributes, and attainments], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, that are neither attained nor manifestly realized.”
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[1.6 The ‘has not been brought into being’ quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. Echoes the doctrine of non-arising (anutpattika-dharma), central to Madhyamaka philosophy, where phenomena neither arise nor cease inherently.]
“Blessed Lord,
purity has not been brought into being [in absolute terms].”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
regarding what has purity not been brought into being?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“purity regards the not being brought into being of physical forms.
Purity regards the not being brought into being of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness.
Purity regards the not being brought into being [of all other phenomena, attributes, and attainments], up to and including all-aspect omniscience.”
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[1.7 The ‘not subject to rebirth’ quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. The realms of saṃsāra are illusory constructs, empty of graspable essence, so purity transcends them without effort.]
“Blessed Lord,
purity is not subject to [inherent] rebirth in the realm of desire.”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
how is purity not subject to rebirth in the realm of desire?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“purity is not subject to rebirth because the realm of desire is naturally non-apprehensible.”
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“Blessed Lord,
purity is not subject to [inherent] rebirth in the realm of form.”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
how is purity not subject to rebirth in the realm of form?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“purity is not subject to rebirth because the realm of form is naturally non-apprehensible.”
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“Blessed Lord,
purity is not subject to [inherent] rebirth in the realm of formlessness.”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
how is purity not subject to rebirth in the realm of formlessness?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“purity is not subject to rebirth because the realm of formlessness is naturally non-apprehensible.”
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[1.8 The ‘not cognizant’ quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. Cognition implies duality (knower/known); purity is non-dual, beyond subject-object grasping.]
“Blessed Lord,
purity is not cognizant [in absolute terms].”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
how is purity not cognizant?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“purity is not cognizant due to the inanimate nature of phenomena.”
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“Blessed Lord,
purity is not cognizant of physical forms [in absolute terms].”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
how is purity not cognizant of physical forms?”
“Purity is not cognizant of physical forms owing to the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics,” replied the Blessed One.
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“Blessed Lord,
purity is not cognizant of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness [in absolute terms].”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
how is purity not cognizant of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness?”
“Purity is not cognizant of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness owing to the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics,” replied the Blessed One.
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“Blessed Lord,
purity is not cognizant of anything [in absolute terms].”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
how is purity not cognizant of anything?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“purity is not cognizant of anything owing to the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics.”
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[1.9 The ‘neither help nor hinder all-aspect omniscience’ quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. Due to "reality’s expanse" (dharmadhātu), it neither aids nor obstructs. Wisdom is not a tool but the nature of reality itself, non-intervening.]
“Blessed Lord!
The perfection of wisdom neither helps nor hinders all-aspect omniscience [in absolute terms].”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
how does the perfection of wisdom neither help nor hinder all-aspect omniscience?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“the perfection of wisdom neither helps nor hinders all-aspect omniscience owing to the presence of reality’s expanse.”
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[1.10 The ‘not appropriating anything’ quality arises from the absolute purity of all dharmas. Because reality’s expanse is "unmoving" (acalita). No grasping or ownership in ultimate truth; everything is unappropriated.]
“Blessed Lord,
the purity of the perfection of wisdom does not appropriate anything at all [in absolute terms].”
“Śāradvatīputra,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
how does the purity of the perfection of wisdom not appropriate anything at all?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One,
“the purity of the perfection of wisdom does not appropriate anything at all because reality’s expanse is unmoving.”
(Summary 2: Section 2 shifts the dialogue from Śāradvatīputra to the venerable Subhūti, a key figure in Prajñāpāramitā sūtras often associated with profound insight into emptiness.
Here, Subhūti explores how the purity (viśuddhi) of various dharmas (possession of the self) — ranging from physical forms (rūpa) and other aggregates (skandhas) to advanced attainments like all-aspect omniscience (sarvākārajñatā) — is "due to the purity of the self" (owner of the 5-aggregates, senses…) (ātma-viśuddhi).
The Buddha consistently attributes this to "absolute purity" (atyanta-viśuddhi), explaining that absolute purity denotes the "non-existence" (abhāva or asat) of these dharmas owing to the non-existence of the self (anātman). For higher attainments, it's tied to the "emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics" (svalakṣaṇa-śūnyatā). This section builds on Section 1 by extending the theme of purity to the doctrine of no-self (anātman), deconstructing any notion of an inherent self as the basis for the purity (and ultimate emptiness) of all phenomena. The repetitive structure reinforces the universality of this insight, emphasizing non-duality and the union of the two truths [U2T]: dharmas appear conventionally as functional but are ultimately empty of inherent existence, without apprehending anything as truly existent or nonexistent.
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As in Section 1, "absolute purity" here points to the true, non-dual nature of dharmas [U2T] — neither inherently existing (eternalism) nor completely nonexistent (nihilism) — revealed through wisdom (prajñā) that uncovers their primordial purity without grasping. The annotations like [U2T-3S] in the provided text seem to highlight this union, possibly extending to a "union of three spheres" (subject-object-action) or similar interpretive layers, aligning with Madhyamaka views where selflessness purifies by dissolving dualistic reifications.
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Question: In other words this section is about: Why are all dharmas possessed or practiced by the self pure? Because the subject/actor/owner/self of all of those activities is pure or U2T. That is the concept of the Union of the three spheres of any activity [U3S], or Union of the Two Truths about the three spheres of the activities of ownership, action, practice, and production of enlightenment: always interdependent, empty of inherent existence, pure.
i.e. This is the Union of the three spheres [U3S] – ex. subject/relation/object, actor/action/result, owner/ownership/possession, acquirer/acquisition/acquired, self/owning-acquiring/5-aggregates, cause/causality/effect, producer/production/product, characteristic/characterizing/characterized, etc –, or Union of the Two Truths about the three spheres [U2T-3S]. The three spheres of any activity (whether physical, conceptual, or mental) are dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving (in the karmic cycle), co-defined by the mind, mere designations/names [T1-3S] ⇐⇒ thus empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2-3S] ⇐⇒ one aspect supports/implies the other, this is the Union of the Two Truths [U2T-3S] ⇐⇒ all like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ ⇐⇒ not different/separate/multiple/dual, not identical/united/one/non-dual, not both, not neither [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way free from all extremes (‘this’, ‘non-this’) and middle (both, neither – for whatever ‘this’ is), with nothing to accept / reject/ change in absolute terms ⇐⇒ all primordially interconnected, pure, perfect, complete, divine, ‘one’, in the non-dual sense of those terms.
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Your interpretation is an excellent synthesis of the core teaching in Section 2 of Chapter 27, and it incisively captures the Mahāyāna insight into the non-dual nature of all phenomena through the lens of the "purity of the self" and the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] applied to the three spheres [U3S]. Let me unpack and affirm your summary while grounding it in the text and its broader philosophical context, particularly emphasizing the concept of the Union of the Three Spheres [U3S] as it relates to the purity of all dharmas and the activities of ownership, action, practice, and production of enlightenment.
Restating Your Insight
You’ve articulated that this section addresses the question: Why are all dharmas possessed or practiced by the self pure? The answer lies in the realization that the subject/actor/owner/self — the apparent locus of these activities — is itself pure, meaning it is empty of inherent existence yet functions interdependently, as per the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]. This purity extends to the three spheres of any activity (subject, object, and action, often called trimaṇḍala in Mahāyāna contexts), which are also understood through U2T: they are interdependently arisen (conventional truth, saṃvṛti-satya) and empty of inherent existence (ultimate truth, paramārtha-satya), thus primordially pure (atyanta-viśuddhi). The text uses the "purity of the self" (ātma-viśudd non-existence of the self (anātman) or the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics (svalakṣaṇa-śūnyatā) to reveal this non-dual reality across all dharmas and activities, ensuring that practices like generosity or meditation are performed without grasping, embodying the Union of the Three Spheres in action [U3S-in-action].
Analysis in Context of Section 2
The dialogue between Subhūti and the Buddha systematically applies the "purity of the self" to a comprehensive list of dharmas — from the five aggregates (skandhas: forms, feelings, etc.) to sense fields (āyatana), dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda), perfections (pāramitās), aspects of emptiness (śūnyatā), factors of enlightenment, and ultimate attainments like all-aspect omniscience (sarvākārajñatā). Each time, Subhūti asserts that their purity is "due to the purity of the self" [U2T-3S], and the Buddha responds that this stems from "absolute purity" (atyanta-viśuddhi), explained as the "non-existence of the self" or "emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics." Let’s break down how your interpretation aligns with the text and the U2T/U3S framework:
Purity of the Self as U2T:
The text repeatedly states that the purity of dharmas (e.g., forms, perfections, omniscience) is due to the "purity of the self," which the Buddha clarifies as their "non-existence" (abhāva or asat) owing to the self’s non-existence (anātman). This non-existence isn’t nihilistic but reflects U2T: the self appears conventionally as the subject/actor (e.g., practicing generosity or meditating) but is empty of inherent existence ultimately, as are the dharmas it engages. As Nāgārjuna notes, "Whatever is dependently arisen, that is explained to be emptiness" (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā 24.18), meaning the self’s interdependence (conventional) and emptiness (ultimate) purify all associated dharmas.
For example, when the Buddha says, “Absolute purity denotes that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are non-existent, owing to the non-existence of the self,” it’s asserting that the skandhas, which conventionally constitute a "self," are pure because they lack inherent essence, revealed through wisdom into U2T.
Union of the Three Spheres [U3S]:
The annotation [U2T-3S] in the text likely refers to the Union of the Two Truths applied to the three spheres (trimaṇḍala-viśuddhi), a key Mahāyāna concept, especially in bodhisattva practice. The three spheres are:
– Subject (e.g., practitioner, giver, owner, acquirer, cause, or self),
– Object (e.g., the gift, the dharma practiced, or the goal like omniscience),
– Action (e.g., giving, meditating, or attaining).
In practices like generosity (dāna), these spheres appear distinct conventionally: a giver gives a gift to a recipient. However, in ultimate truth, all three are empty of inherent existence — no independent giver, gift, or recipient exists. The text’s emphasis on the self’s non-existence extends this to all activities: ownership (possessing dharmas), action (practicing perfections), and production (attaining enlightenment) are pure because the subject (self) and its interactions are interdependently arisen yet empty, embodying U2T across the three spheres.
For instance, the purity of the perfection of generosity is “due to the purity of the self” because the act of giving (action), the giver (subject), and the gift/recipient (object) are all empty, yet function conventionally without grasping, ensuring purity.
Primordial Purity and Non-Grasping:
The Buddha’s shift to “emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics” (svalakṣaṇa-śūnyatā) for higher attainments (e.g., stream-entry to omniscience) underscores that even enlightened qualities lack fixed, inherent marks. This purity is primordial (prakṛti-viśuddhi), not created, because the self and dharmas were never truly defiled—defilements are adventitious, as per the natural luminosity (prakṛti-prabhāsvara) doctrine. Wisdom (prajñā) reveals this without apprehending anything as real or unreal, aligning with the Heart Sūtra’s “no defilement, no purity.”
In U3S, this means practicing without reifying the three spheres — e.g., a bodhisattva gives without thinking “I am giving this to them,” ensuring the act is pure (non-attached) and aligned with the non-dual reality of U2T.
Activities of Ownership, Action, Practice, and Enlightenment:
Your summary highlights that activities like ownership (e.g., possessing merit), action (e.g., practicing perfections), practice (e.g., cultivating mindfulness), characterization, and production of enlightenment (e.g., attaining omniscience) are pure because the self is pure in the U2T sense. The text’s exhaustive list — from skandhas to buddha-qualities — shows that all phenomena involved in these activities are interdependently arisen (conventional) yet empty (ultimate), thus pure. For example, the purity of omniscience is “due to the purity of the self” because the “knower” (subject), “knowledge” (object), and “knowing” (action) are empty, yet function in guiding beings to liberation.
This non-dual purity ensures that bodhisattva practices don’t reinforce ego-clinging or dualistic views, embodying skillful means (upāya) and wisdom (prajñā) together.
Philosophical Implications
Anātman and U2T/U3S: The section’s focus on the “non-existence of the self” extends the Hinayāna anātman (no personal self) to Mahāyāna’s dharma-nairātmya (no inherent self in phenomena), revealing all dharmas as pure via U2T. The U3S framework, implied by [U2T-3S], ensures that all activities — whether practicing generosity, characterizing, or attaining enlightenment — are purified by realizing the three spheres as empty yet functional, preventing attachment.
Non-Duality: By rooting purity in the self’s emptiness, the text avoids dualisms like pure/impure or self/dharma, echoing the tetralemma (not existent, not nonexistent, not both, not neither). This prepares for Section 3’s explicit mention of “non-duality and purity.”
Primordial Purity in Practice: The realization of U2T/U3S reveals dharmas’ primordial purity, not as a new state but as their inherent nature, free from adventitious defilements. This empowers bodhisattvas to act compassionately without grasping, as seen in later sections on non-attachment.
Clarification on [U2T-3S]
The annotation [U2T-3S] likely integrates U2T (Union of Two Truths) with U3S (Union of Three Spheres), suggesting that the purity of the self and dharmas arises from applying the two truths to the three spheres of any activity. This is a hallmark of Mahāyāna practice, especially in texts like the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra or later traditions like Yogācāra and Dzogchen, where the non-duality of subject-object-action is emphasized. In this section, it ensures that all practices and attainments are pure because they’re free from reifying any sphere as inherently real.
Your summary beautifully captures this: the self’s purity [U2T] purifies all dharmas and activities by revealing their interdependence and emptiness [U3S], ensuring non-grasping enlightenment.)
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TEXT:
Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord,
the purity of physical forms is due to the purity of the self [U2T-3S].”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is the purity of physical forms due to the purity of the self?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“that is due to absolute purity.
Absolute purity denotes that physical forms
are non-existent, owing to the non-existence of the self.”
(i.e. Not inherently existent, not completely non-existent, not both, not neither [Tetralemma];
Union of being empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2] ⇐⇒ because of being dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths [T1] ⇐⇒ one aspect implies / supports the other, Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory]. Pointing to the Middle Way free from all extremes and middle.)
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“Blessed Lord,
the purity of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness is due to the purity of the self [U2T-3S].”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is the purity of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness due to the purity of the self?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“that is due to absolute purity.
Absolute purity denotes that feelings, perceptions,
formative predispositions, and consciousness
are non-existent, owing to the non-existence of the self.”
(i.e. Not inherently existent, not completely non-existent, not both, not neither [Tetralemma];
Union of being empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2] ⇐⇒ because of being dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths [T1] ⇐⇒ one aspect implies / supports the other, Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory]. Pointing to the Middle Way free from all extremes and middle.)
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“Blessed Lord,
the purity of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination is due to the purity of the self [U2T-3S].”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is the purity of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination due to the purity of the self?”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Absolute purity denotes that the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination
are non-existent, owing to the non-existence of the self.”
(i.e. Not inherently existent, not completely non-existent, not both, not neither [Tetralemma];
Union of being empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2] ⇐⇒ because of being dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths [T1] ⇐⇒ one aspect implies / supports the other, Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory]. Pointing to the Middle Way free from all extremes and middle.)
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“Blessed Lord, the purity of the perfection of generosity is due to the purity of the self [U2T-3S].
Blessed Lord, the purity of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the emptiness of internal phenomena is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the applications of mindfulness is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇī gateways is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, and the kinds of exact knowledge is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas is due to the purity of the self.”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is the purity of the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth] due to the purity of the self?”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Absolute purity denotes that the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth]
are non-existent, owing to the non-existence of the self.”
(i.e. Not inherently existent, not completely non-existent, not both, not neither [Tetralemma];
Union of being empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2] ⇐⇒ because of being dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths [T1] ⇐⇒ one aspect implies / supports the other, Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory]. Pointing to the Middle Way free from all extremes and middle.)
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“Blessed Lord, the purity of the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of arhatship is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of individual enlightenment is due to the purity of the self.
Blessed Lord, the purity of enlightenment is due to the purity of the self.”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is the purity of the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa due to the purity of the self? Why is the purity of the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth due to the purity of the self? Why is the purity of the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth due to the purity of the self? Why is the purity of arhatship and individual enlightenment due to the purity of the self?”
“That is owing to the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics [U2T-3S],” replied the Blessed One.
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“Blessed Lord, the purity of knowledge of the path is due to the purity of the self [U2T-3S].
Blessed Lord, the purity of all-aspect omniscience is due to the purity of the self [U2T-3S].”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is the purity of knowledge of the path due to the purity of the self? Why is the purity of all-aspect omniscience due to the purity of the self?”
“That is owing to the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics [U2T-3S],” replied the Blessed One.
(Summary 3: Section 3 of Chapter 27 of the Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines continues the dialogue between Subhūti and the Blessed One (the Buddha), building on the themes of absolute purity (atyanta-viśuddhi) and the non-dual nature of phenomena established in Sections 1 and 2. This section deepens the exploration by explicitly addressing non-duality (advaya) and limitlessness (ananta), linking them to the purity of all dharmas and the realization of the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) through knowledge of the path (mārga-jñatā). The Buddha consistently grounds these qualities in absolute purity, which denotes the non-dual true nature of phenomena as the Union of the Two Truths (U2T) — dependently co-arisen, functional appearances (conventional truth, saṃvṛti-satya) inseparable from their emptiness of inherent existence (ultimate truth, paramārtha-satya) — and extends this to the Union of the Three Spheres [U3S / U2T-3S], where subject, object, and action in all activities are empty yet operative. The section emphasizes that non-duality, purity, and limitlessness are not objects to be attained or realized in a dualistic sense, as reality transcends affliction/purification and is boundless in its empty nature, realized through wisdom.)
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TEXT:
[3.1 Non-duality and purity are not something to attain or realize, because the three spheres related to any attainment or realization are primordially interdependent, empty and pure [U2T].]
“Blessed Lord,
non-duality and purity are neither to be attained nor clearly realized.”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why are non-duality and purity neither to be attained nor clearly realized?”
“That is because there is neither affliction nor purification,” replied the Blessed One.
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[3.2 All dharmas are limitless, because the three spheres related to any activity (subject/self, action, object/dharmas) are limitless, because they are primordially interdependent, empty and pure [U2T] – with no extremes limits in space and time.]
“Blessed Lord,
the limitlessness of physical forms is due to the limitlessness of the self [U2T-3S].”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is the purity of the limitlessness of physical forms due to the limitlessness of the self?”
“That is due to the emptiness of the unlimited and the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end,” replied the Blessed One.
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“Blessed Lord,
the limitlessness of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness is due to the limitlessness of the self [U2T-3S].”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is the purity of the limitlessness of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness due to the limitlessness of the self?”
“That is due to the emptiness of the unlimited and the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end,” replied the Blessed One.
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“Blessed Lord,
the limitlessness of [other phenomena, attributes, and attainments], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, is due to the limitlessness of the self [U2T-3S].”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is the purity of the limitlessness of all-aspect omniscience [and so forth] due to the limitlessness of the self?”
“That is due to the emptiness of the unlimited and the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end,” replied the Blessed One.
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[3.3 The perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) of bodhisattva great beings is how this (non-duality, limitlessness, purity) is realized – owing to knowledge of the path. Knowledge of the path integrates skillful means (upāya) and wisdom, enabling bodhisattvas to see U2T/U3S without grasping at attainments.]
“Blessed Lord,
it is the perfection of wisdom of the bodhisattva great beings through which this is realized.”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is it the perfection of wisdom of the bodhisattva great beings through which this is realized?”
“Subhūti, it is so owing to knowledge of the path,” replied the Blessed One.
(Summary 4: Section 4 of Chapter 27 of the Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines deepens the exploration of absolute purity (atyanta-viśuddhi) by focusing on the bodhisattva’s practice of the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) and the critical distinction between attachment (sanga) and non-attachment (asanga). The dialogue, primarily between Subhūti, the Blessed One (the Buddha), and Śāradvatīputra, emphasizes that true practice avoids dualistic clinging to the "near shore" (saṃsāra), "far shore" (nirvāṇa), or "midstream" (a transitional state), rooted in the non-dual sameness of the three times (past, present, future).
The section critiques practitioners who lack skillful means (upāya-kauśalya), as they apprehend (grasp) dharmas or wisdom itself as names or signs, leading to attachment, undervaluing, and abandoning the path.
In contrast, bodhisattvas skilled in means practice without perceiving dharmas as inherently real, avoiding conceptual fixation on phenomena or goals like omniscience.
This non-attachment is grounded in the realization of the emptiness (śūnyatā) of all phenomena across eighteen types, reflecting the Union of the Two Truths (U2T) and the Union of the Three Spheres (U3S, [U2T-3S]), where subject, object, and action in practice are empty yet functionally interdependent, ensuring absolute purity without grasping.
This section shifts from the theoretical purity of Sections 1–3 to practical implications, showing how wisdom purifies practice by transcending dualistic concepts, aligning with the non-dual true nature of reality.)
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TEXT:
“Blessed Lord,
when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they do not dwell on the near shore, the far shore, or the midstream between these two, this denotes the perfection of wisdom that bodhisattva great beings have.”
“Subhūti,
that is due to absolute purity,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,
why is it that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not dwell on the near shore, the far shore, or the midstream between these two, and are [therefore] absolutely pure?”
“Subhūti, this is owing to the sameness of the three times,” replied the Blessed One.
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“Blessed Lord,
noble sons or noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas but lack skillful means will perceive this perfection of wisdom by way of apprehending; they will undervalue the perfection of wisdom and abandon the perfection of wisdom.”
“Subhūti, it is so,” replied the Blessed One. “Excellent, Subhūti, excellent!
Subhūti, this indeed denotes attachment to names and attachment to signs!”
“Blessed Lord,
how does this denote attachment to names and attachment to signs?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“if noble sons or noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas grasp the perfection of wisdom as a name or grasp it as a sign, then, in grasping the perfection of wisdom as a name or as a sign, they will be attached to the perfection of wisdom, for which reason they will undervalue the perfection of wisdom and abandon the perfection of wisdom.
Subhūti, if noble sons or noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas grasp the perfection of wisdom as a sign, and, having grasped it as a sign, give rise to conceits on the basis of the perfection of wisdom, then, in making assumptions on the basis of the perfection of wisdom, they will be attached to the perfection of wisdom, for which reason they will undervalue the perfection of wisdom and abandon the perfection of wisdom.”
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Subhūti then said,
“Blessed Lord, how wonderful it is that this perfection of wisdom has been eloquently explained and excellently revealed in that manner to bodhisattva great beings, and that they are neither attached nor unattached to it!”
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Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the venerable Subhūti,
“Venerable Subhūti,
what is the attachment that bodhisattva great beings might have and what is their non-attachment?”
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “if noble sons or noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, lacking in skillful means,
perceive that physical forms are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the perfection of generosity is empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the emptiness of internal phenomena is empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the [other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the applications of mindfulness are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the truths of the noble ones are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas are empty, then they are attached.
If they perceive that [the attainments], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are empty, then they are attached.
“Moreover, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, if noble sons or noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, lacking in skillful means,
perceive that phenomena of the past are phenomena of the past, then they are attached.
If they perceive that phenomena of the future are phenomena of the future, then they are attached.
If they perceive that phenomena of the present are phenomena of the present, then they are attached.
“Moreover, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, if noble sons or noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas practice the perfection of generosity by way of apprehending,
commencing from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment, then they are attached; and if they practice the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
“If they practice the emptiness of internal phenomena [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
If they practice [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities, [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
If they practice the applications of mindfulness [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
If they practice the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
If they practice the truths of the noble ones [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
If they practice the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
If they practice the truths of the noble ones [in apprehending that manner], then they are attached.
If they practice the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
If they practice the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
If they practice the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
If they practice [the attainments], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, [in that apprehending manner], then they are attached.
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“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, you also asked,
‘What is the non-attachment of bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom?’
Venerable Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings, skilled in means, who practice the perfection of wisdom, do not perceive that physical forms are physical forms [U2T].
They do not perceive that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are consciousness [and so forth].
They do not perceive that phenomena of the past are phenomena of the past.
They do not perceive that phenomena of the future are phenomena of the future.
They do not perceive that phenomena of the present are phenomena of the present.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,
bodhisattva great beings, skilled in means, who practice the perfection of wisdom, do not think [U2T-3S],
‘I should give a gift!
I should give this sort of gift to that person!’;
or ‘I should maintain ethical discipline!
I should maintain this sort of ethical discipline!’;
or ‘I should cultivate tolerance!
I should cultivate this sort of tolerance!’;
or ‘I should undertake perseverance!
I should undertake this sort of perseverance!;
or ‘I should be absorbed in meditative concentration!
I should be absorbed in this sort of meditative concentration!’;
or ‘I should cultivate wisdom!
I should cultivate this sort of wisdom!’;
or ‘I should generate merit!
I should generate this sort of merit!
I should generate this much merit!’;
or ‘I should enter a bodhisattva’s full maturity.
I should purify the buddhafields!’;
or ‘I should attain all-aspect omniscience!’
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, for bodhisattva great beings, skilled in means,
who practice the perfection of wisdom,
all such conceptual thoughts are non-existent [U2T]
and will not come about owing to the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, the emptiness of great extent, the emptiness of ultimate reality, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of that which is beyond extremes, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the emptiness of non-exclusion, the emptiness of inherent existence, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of non-apprehensibility, the emptiness of non-entities, the emptiness of essential nature, and the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities.
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, these are indicative of the non-attachment of bodhisattva great beings, skilled in means, who practice the perfection of wisdom.”
(Summary 5: Section 5 of Chapter 27 of the Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines delves deeper into the modes of attachment (sanga) that can hinder bodhisattva practice, building on Section 4’s distinction between attachment and non-attachment. The dialogue involves Śakra (the god Indra), Subhūti, and the Blessed One (the Buddha), focusing on how bodhisattvas who lack skillful means (upāya-kauśalya) fall into attachment by apprehending (grasping, upalambha) dharmas, practices, or even virtuous actions as inherently real, particularly when dedicating merits to enlightenment.
Subhūti outlines how perceiving phenomena — from thoughts and perfections to buddha-qualities and buddhas themselves — as fixed entities or signs leads to attachment, obstructing the non-attached practice of the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā).
He emphasizes that true practice involves acting without conceptualizing the three spheres (subject, object, action; U3S) as real, aligning with the Union of the Two Truths (U2T).
The Buddha then introduces subtler forms of attachment, noting that even focusing on tathāgatas or their virtues with conceptual images or signs (lakṣaṇa) creates attachment, reinforcing the need for non-conceptual realization of emptiness.
This section underscores that attachment arises from reifying any aspect of practice, while non-attachment—rooted in realizing the empty yet functional nature of all dharmas (U2T/U3S) — ensures purity and progress toward enlightenment without degeneration.)
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TEXT:
Thereupon Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, asked the venerable Subhūti, “Blessed Subhūti,
how can one say that noble sons or noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas would be attached?”
The venerable Subhūti replied to Śakra, mighty lord of the gods,
“Kauśika, when noble sons or noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas
perceive thoughts; perceive the perfection of generosity; perceive the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom; and when they perceive the emptiness of internal phenomena, perceive the emptiness of external phenomena, perceive the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, and perceive [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities; when they perceive the four applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path; when they perceive the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions; when they perceive the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers; when they perceive the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇī gateways; when they perceive the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct attributes of the buddhas; when they perceive the transcendent lord buddhas; and when they perceive the virtuous actions that give rise to buddhahood, and then amassing all these roots of virtuous action, assimilate them and dedicate them to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, while still perceiving that they are making this dedication —
Kauśika, all these perceptions are indicative of the attachment that noble sons or noble daughters who follow the vehicle of the bodhisattvas might have.
When they are involved with such modes of attachment,
they cannot practice the perfection of wisdom, which is without attachment.
If you ask why, Kauśika,
they are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of physical forms,
and they are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness.
They are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination.
They are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of the perfections.
They are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of all the aspects of emptiness.
They are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment.
They are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions.
They are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers.
They are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.
They are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, and individual enlightenment.
They are incapable of dedicating the intrinsic nature of knowledge of the path and of all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover Kauśika, when bodhisattva great beings instruct others in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, encouraging them, filling them with enthusiasm, and causing them to rejoice, they should instruct and encourage them, filling them with enthusiasm, and causing them to rejoice,
with a mind that is in conformity with reality [U2T].
“Also, when practicing the perfection of generosity by whatever means,
they will not think, ‘I am practicing the perfection of generosity.’
They will not think, ‘I am practicing the perfection of ethical discipline.
I am practicing the perfection of tolerance.
I am practicing the perfection of perseverance.
I am practicing the perfection of meditative concentration.
I am practicing the perfection of wisdom.’
They will not think, ‘I am practicing the emptiness of internal phenomena.
I am practicing the emptiness of external phenomena.
I am practicing the emptiness of external and internal phenomena.
I am practicing [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities.
I am practicing the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment.
I am practicing the truths of the noble ones.
I am practicing the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, and the formless absorptions.
I am practicing the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers.
I am practicing the meditative stabilities and the dhāraṇī gateways.
I am practicing the powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.’
They will not think, ‘I am practicing all-aspect omniscience.’
It is in that manner that they should instruct and encourage others, filling them with enthusiasm and causing them to rejoice.
Noble sons or noble daughters who practice in that manner should instruct and encourage others in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, filling them with enthusiasm and causing them to rejoice.
When those who would instruct and encourage others, filling them with enthusiasm and causing them to rejoice, actually do so, they will not degenerate [in their commitments], and this will encourage the buddhas to accept them.
Noble sons or noble daughters who act in that manner will renounce all the limits of attachment.”
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Thereupon, the Blessed One addressed the venerable Subhūti:
“Subhūti, well said!
Subhūti, it is excellent that you are teaching those points concerning attachment.
Excellent!
Subhūti, for this reason I will also explain to you more subtle modes of attachment than these.
Listen well, be attentive, and I will teach them!”
“Blessed Lord, may it be so!” he replied.
Then the venerable Subhūti listened to the Blessed One, as the Blessed One said,
“Subhūti, when noble sons or noble daughters who have entered upon unsurpassed, complete enlightenment focus their attention on the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas in terms of conceptual images or signs, Subhūti, to whatever extent they resort to conceptual images or signs, to that extent there would be attachment.
When in terms of conceptual images or signs they focus their attention on all the roots of virtue possessed by past, present, and future tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas who are free from all attachments, in the interval extending from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment until their establishing of the Dharma, and having focused their attention on them [in that manner], dedicate their merit to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, Subhūti, to whatever extent they focus their attention on them in terms of conceptual images or signs, to that extent there would be attachment.
“Similarly, when in terms of conceptual images or signs they focus their attention on all the roots of virtue possessed by the śrāvakas of those tathāgatas and other beings apart from them, and dedicate these to unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, Subhūti, to whatever extent they focus their attention in terms of conceptual images or signs, to that extent there would be attachment.
If you ask why, it is because they should not focus their attention on the tathāgatas in terms of conceptual images or signs, and they should not focus their attention even on the roots of virtue possessed by the tathāgatas in terms of conceptual images or signs.”
(Summary 6: Section 6 serves as the culminating reflection of Chapter 27, with Subhūti and the Buddha discussing the profound, unfabricated, unconditioned, hard-to-realize, and inconceivable nature of the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā).
This section ties together the chapter’s themes of absolute purity (atyanta-viśuddhi), non-duality, and non-attachment, emphasizing that prajñāpāramitā transcends all dualistic conceptualization and attainment.
The Buddha explains that all phenomena are naturally void (śūnya, [U2T]), without duality (advaya, [Uopp]), and singular in their lack of inherent existence (svabhāva-śūnyatā), which is unfabricated (asaṃskṛta) and unconditioned (asaṅkhata).
This realization eliminates all modes of attachment, as prajñāpāramitā cannot be seen, cognized, or attained as an object, nor is buddhahood an achievement by an inherent self.
The section reaffirms the non-dual true nature of reality — uniting the two truths (U2T) and opposites (Uopp)—where phenomena are empty yet functional, ensuring that bodhisattvas practice without grasping, embodying absolute purity.
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Philosophical Insights and Implications
Core Theme: Prajñāpāramitā as Non-Dual Reality: Section 6 encapsulates the chapter’s teachings by presenting prajñāpāramitā as the realization of the non-dual (advaya, [Uopp]), empty (śūnya, [U2T]), unfabricated, and unconditioned nature of all phenomena. This transcends dualistic extremes — existence/nonexistence, attainment/non-attainment, self/no-self—via the Union of the Two Truths (U2T) and Union of Opposites (Uopp). Phenomena are “singular” (ekatva) in their lack of inherent existence, not divided into dualities, ensuring absolute purity (atyanta-viśuddhi).
Unfabricated and Unconditioned: By describing prajñāpāramitā as unfabricated (asaṃskṛta, not constructed) and unconditioned (asaṅkhata, not dependent on causes/conditions), the text emphasizes its primordial purity, not created or achieved. This aligns with the Heart Sūtra’s “no attainment,” as buddhahood is not a goal but the realization of reality’s empty yet luminous nature (prakṛti-prabhāsvara).
Non-Attachment and Liberation: Realizing the “singular nature without inherent existence” eliminates all attachment (sanga), as seen in Sections 4–5. Bodhisattvas abandon clinging to self, dharmas, or goals by understanding their emptiness (U2T), allowing compassionate action without reification.
Inconceivability and Non-Dual Wisdom: The exhaustive list of phenomena not “known” by prajñāpāramitā mirrors earlier sections’ lists, showing it transcends all categories of mind or phenomena. Its inconceivability reflects U2T/Uopp, as it’s beyond dualistic cognition (knower/known), yet enables bodhisattvas to act skillfully in the conventional world.
Soteriological Role: The section concludes that enlightenment is not an attainment but a realization of the non-dual, empty nature of reality, freeing bodhisattvas from saṃsāra’s dualisms while empowering them to guide others. This embodies the middle way, avoiding eternalism (reifying buddhahood) and nihilism (denying practice).)
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TEXT:
Then Subhūti said,
“Blessed Lord, the perfection of wisdom is profound.”
“Subhūti,
that is because all phenomena are naturally void [U2T],” replied the Blessed One.
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“Blessed Lord,
I pay homage to the perfection of wisdom!”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“so it is that the perfection of wisdom is unfabricated and unconditioned.
With regard to it, there is no one at all who can attain consummate buddhahood.”
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“Blessed Lord,
there are none at all who will attain consummate buddhahood.”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“so it is that the nature of phenomena is without duality [Uopp].
The nature of phenomena is exclusively singular.
Subhūti, this singular nature of phenomena is without inherent existence.
Subhūti, that which is without inherent existence is unfabricated.
That which is unfabricated is unconditioned.
Subhūti, so it is that when bodhisattva great beings know that the singular nature of phenomena without inherent existence is unfabricated and unconditioned, they abandon all modes of attachment.”
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“Blessed Lord!
The perfection of wisdom is hard to realize.”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“this is because the perfection of wisdom has not been seen, realized, cognized, or acquired in manifest buddhahood by anyone at all.”
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“Blessed Lord!
The perfection of wisdom is inconceivable.”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“this is because
it has not been known by the mind,
and it has not been known by physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness.
It has not been known by the sense fields, the sensory elements, or the links of dependent origination.
It has not been known by the perfections, the aspects of emptiness, the factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, or the formless absorptions.
It has not been known by the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, or the extrasensory powers.
It has not been known by the meditative stabilities or the dhāraṇī gateways.
It has not been known by the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, or the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.
It has not been known by the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, or individual enlightenment.
It has not been known by knowledge of the path or all-aspect omniscience.”
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This completes the twenty-seventh chapter, “The Purity of All the Dharmas,” from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”