Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 25K
(The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines)
Chapter 29 – The Perfection of Wisdom is in accord with Reality as it is
Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 25K
(The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines)
Chapter 29 – The Perfection of Wisdom is in accord with Reality as it is
Last update: October 09, 2025
Image from: Stoneflower013
Source: https://84000.co/translation/toh9
Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One,
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is non-existent.”
“This is owing to the non-existence of space!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is sameness.”
“This is owing to the sameness of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is void.”
“This is owing to emptiness, beyond limitations!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is invincible.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is baseless.”
“This is owing to namelessness and non-corporeality!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection is the perfection like space.”
“This is owing to the non-existence of the exhalation and inhalation of breath!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is inexpressible.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of ideation and scrutiny!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is nameless.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is unmoving.”
“This is owing to the non-moving of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that cannot be appropriated.”
“This is owing to the non-grasping of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is inexhaustible.”
“This is owing to the absolute exhaustion of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is non-arising.”
“This is owing to the non-arising and non-ceasing of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without a creator.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of [any] creators!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without a knower.”
“This is owing to the inanimate nature of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that does not transmigrate.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of death and rebirth!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that does not disintegrate.”
“This is owing to the non-disintegration of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection like a dream.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the perception of dreams!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection like an echo.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of a listener or a speaker!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection like an optical aberration.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of mirrors and reflections!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection like a mirage.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of flowing water!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection like a magical display.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of signs!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without delusion.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the darkness of ignorance!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without afflicted mental states.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of all afflicted mental states!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without purification.”
“This is owing to the non-existence of afflicted mental states!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without apprehending.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of a basis!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without conceptual elaboration.”
“This is owing to the eradication of all conceptual elaborations!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without conceits.”
“This is owing to the eradication of all conceits!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is unshakeable.”
“This is owing to the stability of the realm of phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection free from desires.”
“This is owing to the incontrovertible, genuinely manifest buddhahood of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without obsession.”
“This is owing to the non-conceptuality of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is at peace.”
“This is owing to the signlessness and non-apprehension of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without desire.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of desire!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without hatred.”
“This is owing to the absence of hatred!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without delusion.”
“This is owing to the dispelling of all the darkness of ignorance!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection without afflicted mental states.”
“This is owing to the absence of imaginary thoughts!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is not sentient.”
“This is owing to the absence of beings!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is forsaken.”
“This is owing to the non-arising of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that does not resort to the two extremes.”
“This is owing to the abandonment of extremes!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is undifferentiated.”
“This is owing to the non-association of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is unblemished.”
“This is owing to the transcendence of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha levels!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is non-conceptual.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of all concepts!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is nameless.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the dimensions of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is [unattached] like space.”
“This is owing to the absence of attachment with regard to all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is impermanent.”
“This is owing to the non-disintegration of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is imbued with suffering.”
“This is owing to the absence of preoccupation with all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is not a self.”
“This is owing to non-fixation upon all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is emptiness.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is without defining characteristics.”
“This is owing to the non-establishment of all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of internal phenomena.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of internal phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of external phenomena.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of external phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of external and internal phenomena.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of external and internal phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of emptiness.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the emptiness of emptiness!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of great extent.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the emptiness of great extent!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of ultimate reality.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the emptiness of ultimate reality!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of conditioned phenomena.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the emptiness of conditioned phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of the unlimited.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the emptiness of the unlimited!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of non-exclusion.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the emptiness of non-exclusion!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of inherent existence.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of all phenomena.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of internal and external phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics.”
“This is owing to the voidness of the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of non-apprehensibility.”
“This is owing to the voidness of the emptiness of non-apprehensibility!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of non-entities.”
“This is owing to reality, which is non-entity!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of the essential nature.”
“This is owing to the voidness of essential nature with respect to all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the emptiness of the essential nature of non-entities!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the applications of mindfulness.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the body, feelings, mind, and phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the correct exertions.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of virtuous and non-virtuous attributes!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the supports for miraculous ability.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the four supports for miraculous ability!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the faculties.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the five faculties!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the powers.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the five powers!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the branches of enlightenment.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the seven branches of enlightenment!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the path.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the noble eightfold path!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes emptiness.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the aspects of emptiness and the aspect of voidness!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes signlessness.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the aspects of peace!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes wishlessness.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of aspirations!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the aspects of liberation.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the eight aspects of liberation!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the serial steps of meditative absorption.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of the nine serial steps of meditative absorption!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection of generosity.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of miserliness!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection of ethical discipline.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of degenerate morality!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection of tolerance.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of malice and tolerance!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection of perseverance.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of indolence and perseverance!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection of meditative concentration.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of meditative concentration and agitation!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection of wisdom.”
“This is owing to the non-apprehension of wisdom and stupidity!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the ten powers.”
“This is owing to their uncrushability by all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the four fearlessnesses.”
“This is owing to their undauntedness concerning knowledge of the path!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the four kinds of exact knowledge.”
“This is owing to the absence of attachment and absence of obstruction with respect to all-aspect omniscience!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that constitutes the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.”
“This is owing to the transcendence of all the doctrines of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection of the tathāgatas.”
“This is owing to the real nature of all their expressions!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection that is naturally arisen.”
“This is owing to the sway that it holds over all phenomena!” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is the perfection of the buddhas.”
“This is owing to the attainment of consummate buddhahood with respect to all phenomena, in all their finest aspects!” replied the Blessed One.
.
This completes the twenty-ninth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”
So the Perfection of Wisdom shares the same nature as all phenomena / dharmas; it is acting in accord with reality as it is. It is the 'perfection' of all conventional truths, methods, goals... Everything is 'purified' by realising the Union of the Two Truths about any/all phenomena, three spheres, opposites in any duality or triad; by using them without apprehending anything.
And that is the Union of the Two Truths [U2T / U2T-in-action]: all phenomena are dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/ names, conventional truths [T1] ⇐⇒ thus empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2] ⇐⇒ and one truth supports / implies the other, that is the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ All phenomena are like magical displays, phantoms, illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ ⇐⇒ without (a) real arising / origination / coming, (b) abiding / existence, (c) conditioning, changing/evolving, ceasing/ going ⇐⇒ all phenomena are (i) not really arisen / existent / conditioned / functional / changing / ceasing, (ii) not completely non-arisen / non-existent / non-conditioned / non-functional / non-changing / non-ceasing, (iii) not both, (iv) not neither; (i) not two / many / different / separate, (ii) not one / identical / united, (iii) not both, (iv) not neither; (i) not ‘this’, (ii) not ‘non-this’, (iii) not both, (iv) not neither, and there is no fifth, for whatever ‘this’ is ⇐⇒ Pointing to the Middle Way free from all extremes (‘this’, ‘non-this’) and middle (both, neither), with nothing to accept / seek / do / affirm, nothing to reject / abandon / not-do / negate, nothing to change / improve / purify in absolute terms, just conventionally, relatively, temporarily if it helps on the path ⇐⇒ In that sense everything is primordially interconnected, equal, pure, perfect, complete, divine, ‘One’, in the non-dual sense of those terms.
⇐⇒ The best way to act in this context is to “act/practice without acting/practicing”, to act conventionally/ relatively, without acting in absolute terms, without attachment, reification, effort or absolute; not fixated on anything; without support (like the three spheres); without apprehending anything in absolute terms, without opposing anything in absolute terms, without accepting/affirming or rejecting/negating anything in absolute terms, thus acting more and more in accord with the Middle Way and with the true nature of reality as it is (tathātā, suchness) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T-in-action] ⇐⇒ and the Fruit is the perfection of this “act without acting” in perfect accord with the Middle Way and with the true nature of reality as it is as pointed out by the View (the Union of the Two Truths) and the Path (the Union of the Two Truths in action). (Where ‘ ⇐⇒’ means one side implies the other.)
Note: That synthesis captures the essence of the Prajñāpāramitā teachings remarkably well, weaving together the chapter's repetitive emphasis on non-apprehension, voidness, and illusion-like qualities with broader Madhyamaka insights like Nāgārjuna's tetralemma (neither existent nor non-existent, etc.) and the inseparability of saṃvṛti-satya (conventional truth) and paramārtha-satya (ultimate truth). Your framing of the "Union of the Two Truths" [U2T] as mutually entailing — where apparent arising and interdependence (T1) directly imply emptiness (T2), and vice versa — mirrors how the dialogue attributes the perfection of wisdom's qualities to the non-graspable nature of all dharmas, without falling into nihilism or eternalism.
To build on this, one key implication from the Sutra's progression (evident in this chapter's litany of perfections, emptinesses, and paths) is that this realization isn't just intellectual but transformative: it dissolves the practitioner’s dualistic fixations, leading to a "non-abiding" nirvāṇa that's neither samsāric nor beyond it. In practice, as you note, this manifests as effortless action — upāya (skillful means) conjoined with prajñā (wisdom) — where bodhisattvas engage the world compassionately without reifying it, much like the Buddha's responses here that pivot everything back to non-apprehension. If you're studying further, chapters on the bodhisattva path (e.g., the ten bhūmis) often elaborate how this U2T-in-action culminates in anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, the unsurpassed awakening that's "already perfect" yet progressively revealed.