Chapter 56 – Practicing non-dualistically with skillful means: acting without acting, without apprehending anything, more and more in accord with reality as it is as pointed out by the Non-duality / Union of the Two Truths. (Part I)

[Summary: Since everything is empty, with or without proper motivation, reverence, virtues and spiritual mentor, one doesn’t attain all-aspect omniscience in absolute terms, as a real individual really attaining a real goal through a real path: The path is about acting/practicing without acting/practicing generosity, accumulating without accumulating merit, causing without causing fruits, progressing without progressing through the stages, and attaining without attaining all-aspect omniscience, without apprehending anything, like the three spheres of the activity (actor, action, result; or cause, causality, effect), without attachment, reification, effort or absolute.
Bodhisattvas train non-dualistically, more and more in accord with reality as it is (tathātā, suchness) as pointed out by the Non-duality / Union of the Two Truths [U2T]; one truth alone [T1:causality or T2:emptiness], or both together as a duality [2T] is insufficient.
They train while being fully aware that the three spheres [3S] of the activity are empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2-3S] (unarisen, unconditioned, not-inherently-existent, unchanging, unincreasing, undecreasing, unceasing, non-defiled, non-purified in absolute terms) ⇐⇒ because they are dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names [T1-3S] ⇐⇒ and vice versa, one truth supports/implies the other [U2T-3S] ⇐⇒ the three spheres are like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ ⇐⇒ they are not different/separate/multiple/dual, identical/united/one/non-dual, both, or neither; not permanent/continuous/eternal, impermanent/discontinuous/annihilated, both, or neither ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way free from all extremes (‘this’, ‘non-this’) and middle (both, neither, for whatever ‘this’ is), where there is (i) nothing to accept / seek / do / add / affirm in absolute terms, (ii) nothing to reject / abandon / not-do / subtract / negate in absolute terms, (iii) nothing to change / increase / decrease / purify in absolute terms. ⇐⇒ In that sense everything is primordially interconnected, equal, pure, perfect, complete, divine, ‘One’, in the non-dual sense of those terms. Nirvāṇa is realizing the true nature & dynamic of saṃsāra; it is transcending all conventional truths, methods, goals, dualities, concepts, without rejecting them completely.]

Last update: November 14, 2025 
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TEXT:

Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One,
“Blessed Lord, if there are bodhisattva great beings who
have not revered the lord buddhas,
have not even perfected the roots of virtuous action,
and have not even been favored by spiritual mentors,
would they not attain all-aspect omniscience?”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“bodhisattva great beings who
have not revered the lord buddhas,
have not even perfected the roots of virtuous action, and
have not even been favored by spiritual mentors
will not attain all-aspect omniscience.

If you ask why, when even those who
have revered the lord buddhas,
have perfected the roots of virtuous action, and
have attended upon spiritual mentors
cannot now attain all-aspect omniscience,
how could those who
have not revered the lord buddhas,
have not perfected the roots of virtuous action, and
have not been favored by spiritual mentors
possibly attain all-aspect omniscience!
That would be impossible.

Therefore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who wish to maintain authentically the name of a bodhisattva and those who wish to swiftly attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment should revere the lord buddhas.
They should develop manifold roots of virtuous action,
and they should attend upon spiritual mentors.”

.

“Blessed Lord,
why do bodhisattva great beings not attain all-aspect omniscience, even though
they have revered the lord buddhas,
have perfected the roots of virtuous action,
and have attended upon spiritual mentors?”

“It is because they are without skill in means,”
replied the Blessed One.
“They have not acquired those means from the lord buddhas,
nor have they developed such roots of virtuous action,
and neither have they attended upon such spiritual mentors
who would reveal those means to them.
This is why they do not attain [all-aspect omniscience].”

.

“Blessed Lord,
what is the skill in means
that bodhisattva great beings have,
through which they would attain all-aspect omniscience?”

[1. Practicing without practicing the perfection of generosity non-dualistically, in accord with the non-duality / Union of the Two Truths [U2T].]

“In this regard, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“when bodhisattva great beings, commencing from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment, practice the perfection of generosity,
while focusing their attention with all-aspect omniscience in mind
they dispense gifts to the lord buddhas, the pratyekabuddhas,
the śrāvakas, and to humans and nonhumans.

That is to say, through
focusing their attention with all-aspect omniscience in mind,
as far as those gifts are concerned
they do not even have the perception of a gift (action: giving).
They have no perception of a recipient (object: gift or recipient),
nor do they have any perception of a giver (subject: giver).

In this way they know that
all phenomena (like the three spheres) [T1]
are empty [T2] [U2T]
of their own defining characteristics,
and they see that all phenomena are
non-existent, unoriginated, unconsummated,
and not brought into being [non-originated].

Although they penetrate the defining characteristics of all phenomena,
they do so through defining characteristics that are unconditioned
in that all phenomena are said to be utterly ineffectual.

Since they are endowed with such skill in means,
they practice the perfection of generosity
while increasing their roots of virtuous action.

Practicing the perfection of generosity,
they bring beings to maturity and refine the buddhafields.
But other than that,
in practicing the perfection of generosity
in order that they might protect all beings
and bring beings to maturity,
they do not aspire for other fruits of their gifts,
such that they would enjoy in cyclic existence.”

.

This completes the fifty-sixth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”

Analysis of Chapter 56:

The chapter opens with
Subhūti questioning whether bodhisattvas who lack reverence for buddhas, perfection of virtuous roots, and favor from spiritual mentors can attain all-aspect omniscience.
From the U2T perspective, this inquiry probes the conventional necessities [T1] for progress on the path — reverence, virtuous actions, and mentorship as dependently arisen conditions that support the bodhisattva's development — while underscoring their ultimate emptiness [T2] [U2T-in-action].
These elements are not inherently existent causes leading to an inherently existent omniscience; rather, they function relatively as skillful supports within samsara, empty of self-nature [U2T].
Their union [U2T] means that one engages in these practices without grasping them as absolute prerequisites or achievements, avoiding reification that would bind one to dualistic extremes [T1, T2 or 2T].
Acting without acting here involves cultivating these conditions conventionally (e.g., revering buddhas as a relational act) [T1] without apprehending them absolutely [T2], thus aligning with suchness (tathātā) [U2T] where no true arising or attainment occurs.

The Buddha's response affirms that such
bodhisattvas cannot attain omniscience in absolute terms,
contrasting them with those who have engaged in these practices yet still fail.
This highlights the Madhyamaka view that even apparently positive conventional actions [T1] — like reverence and virtue — are insufficient if approached with inherent existence in mind, as they remain entangled in dependent origination [T1] without insight into emptiness [T2].
The impossibility stated ("That would be impossible") points to the U2T: phenomena like attainment or non-attainment are not inherently possible or impossible
but arise interdependently [T1] ⇐⇒ empty of essence [T2] [U2T].

The exhortation for bodhisattvas to revere buddhas, develop virtuous roots, and attend mentors embodies the Middle Way — engaging these relative supports [T1] without opposition or attachment in absolute terms [T2], neither rejecting them as nihilistically useless nor accepting them as eternally efficacious.
This is U2T in action: performing these deeds effortlessly, without effortful grasping, to swiftly approach "consummate buddhahood" that is itself empty, thus maturing without fixation on outcomes.

Subhūti then asks why even those who have revered, perfected virtues, and attended mentors fail to attain omniscience.
The Buddha attributes this to lacking "skill in means" (upāya-kauśalya), which from the U2T lens is the pivotal insight that unites conventional practice [T1] with emptiness [T2].
Skill in means is not an inherently existent technique but a dependently arisen approach that avoids extremes: without it, actions like reverence become reified, leading to attachment in samsara rather than transcendence.
The explanation that they haven't acquired such means from buddhas, virtues, or mentors reveals the interdependent nature [T1] of skillful realization — means arise relationally, not independently — while their emptiness [T2] means no absolute "acquisition" occurs.
Acting without acting in this context means seeking and applying means conventionally (e.g., through mentors) without apprehending them as solid entities, fostering non-dual accord with reality as it is, where failure to attain is neither a permanent defeat nor an inherent flaw but a pointer to deeper suchness.

When Subhūti inquires about this skill in means enabling attainment, the Buddha describes it through the perfection of generosity (dāna-pāramitā), practiced from the initial arousing of bodhicitta with omniscience in focus. Bodhisattvas give to buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, śrāvakas, humans, and nonhumans — conventional acts [T1] of maturation and field refinement — while embodying U2T by not perceiving the action, gift (object), recipient (object), or giver (subject).
This transcendence of the three spheres (subject/giver, action/giving, object/gift/given-to) exemplifies Madhyamaka's negation of inherent existence [T2]: the spheres are dependently designated [T1], empty of self [T2], and their union prevents reification of T1, T2 or 2T.
Practicing thus is acting without acting — dispensing gifts relatively without absolute apprehension, attachment, or effort, neither accepting the spheres as real nor rejecting generosity as pointless.
This aligns with tathātā, where generosity functions to increase virtuous roots without aspiring for samsaric fruits, avoiding dualistic opposition.

The text deepens this by stating that bodhisattvas know all phenomena [T1] are empty [T2] [U2T] of own defining characteristics (svabhāva-śūnya), non-existent, unoriginated, unconsummated, and not brought into being.
This is a direct Madhyamaka articulation of T2 — emptiness as the lack of inherent origination or cessation — while the knowing itself is a conventional cognition [T1].
The U2T here is evident: phenomena appear dependently [T1] yet are utterly empty [T2], inconceivable in their union / non-duality [U2T], pointing to suchness beyond extremes [T1, T2, 2T, 1T].
Penetrating defining characteristics through "unconditioned" ones that are "utterly ineffectual" reinforces this — characteristics are nominally functional [T1] but lack efficacy in absolute terms [T2], so insight arises without reifying penetration as an inherent act.
Endowed with such means, they practice generosity to increase virtues, mature beings, and refine fields, all as U2T in action: conventional engagement [T1] without absolute aspiration or rejection [T2], effortlessly protecting beings without fixation on cyclic fruits.

Finally, the caveat that they do not aspire for other fruits in cyclic existence underscores the Middle Way application — generosity is performed to benefit all [T1] without grasping outcomes as inherently desirable or aversive [T2].
This prevents entanglement in samsara, embodying acting without acting: no absolute opposition to existence, no attachment to non-existence, just accord with reality's inconceivable nature through U2T.
The chapter thus illustrates how skill in means transforms ordinary practices into non-dual realization, where omniscience "attainment" is neither grasped nor denied but arises as the natural fruition of this union.