Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 25K
(The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines)
Chapter 69 – Transcending without rejecting all dualities
Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 25K
(The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines)
Chapter 69 – Transcending without rejecting all dualities
Last update: November 28, 2025
Image from: Stoneflower013
Source: https://84000.co/translation/toh9
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One,
“Blessed Lord, if all phenomena are non-entities [empty of inherent existence/functionality, but still not completely non-existent/non-functional, not both, not neither] — that is to say, if they have not been created by the buddhas, have not been created by pratyekabuddhas, have not been created by arhats, or by individuals no longer subject to rebirth, individuals destined for only one more rebirth, individuals who have entered the stream to nirvāṇa, or by those who would enter into those [fruits], and if this enlightenment has not even been created by bodhisattva great beings who practice it —
how, with respect to all phenomena, could one differentiate and establish,
‘These are denizens of the hells.
These belong to the animal realm.
These belong to the world of Yama.
These are gods.
These are human beings.
Through this karma they will become denizens of the hells, animals, or the world of Yama.
Through this karma they will become gods of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm, and through this karma they will become gods of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha.
Through this karma they will become gods of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.
Through this karma they will become an individual entering the stream to nirvāṇa, an individual destined for only one more rebirth, an individual no longer subject to rebirth, an arhat, or a pratyekabuddha.
Through this karma they will become a bodhisattva great being.
Through this karma they will become a tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened buddha’?
“Blessed Lord,
non-entities are without any [inherent] actions at all through which they could
reach the hells;
reach the animal realm;
reach the world of Yama;
be born as a human being;
be born as a god of Caturmahārājakāyika;
be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa;
be born as a god of Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha;
be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception;
attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa;
attain the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, or individual enlightenment;
practice the path of bodhisattva great beings;
or attain all-aspect omniscience and, having attained that, liberate beings from cyclic existence.”
The Blessed One replied to the venerable Subhūti as follows:
“Subhūti, it is so! It is so.
It is as you have said.
Subhūti, non-entities are without any action to perform and without any fruit [U2T-3S].
However, ordinary, simple people who are ignorant of the sublime doctrine
do not know that phenomena have the essential nature of non-entity.
Through thoughts that have arisen from misconception,
they condition diverse actions,
so that they actualize the sort of corporeal form that accords with them,
whether in the hells, the animal realm, the world of Yama, or the human realm;
or among the gods of Caturmahārājakāyika;
or among the gods of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha;
or among the gods of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.
Non-entities are without any action to perform and without any fruit.
That which is a non-entity is itself without entity.
“In this regard, Subhūti, you also said that
non-entities are without any actions through which they could
reach the hells;
reach the animal realm;
reach the world of Yama;
be born as a human being;
be born as a god of Caturmahārājakāyika;
be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha;
be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception;
attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa;
attain the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, or individual enlightenment;
practice the path of bodhisattva great beings;
or attain all-aspect omniscience and, having attained that, liberate beings from cyclic existence.
“Subhūti, do you think that the path is not a non-entity,
that the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa is not a non-entity,
that the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, and individual enlightenment are not non-entities,
or that [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are not non-entities?”
“Blessed Lord, the path [T1] is a non-entity [T2] [U2T].
The fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa is a non-entity.
The fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, and individual enlightenment are non-entities.
[The goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are non-entities.”
“Subhūti, do you think that a non-entity can effect the attainment of a non-entity?” asked the Blessed One.
“No, Blessed Lord!”
“So it is, Subhūti, that phenomena that are non-entities and phenomena that constitute the path are neither conjoined nor disjoined, and they are immaterial, unrevealed, and unimpeded, their sole defining characteristic being that they are without defining characteristics.
“In this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, through skill in means they liberate from [belief in] entities [and so forth] those who are fixated through the four misconceptions concerning the five aggregates — those who perceive the impermanent as permanent, those who perceive suffering as happiness, those who perceive non-self as self, those who perceive the unpleasant as pleasant — and those who are fixated on entities.”
Subhūti then asked,
“Blessed Lord, is there an entity that is said to be the real nature or the unmistaken real nature, such as that to which ordinary, simple people become attached and fixated (saṃsāra)?
If there were not, how do they condition the deeds on account of which they are in the meantime not liberated from cyclic existence (nirvāṇa) with its five classes of beings?”
.
[Like a dream, ‘there, yet not there’]
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One,
“apart from erroneous views, there has been established no entity, even as tiny as a fraction of a hair-tip, on which ordinary, simple people settle and condition deeds.
For this reason, Subhūti, I will explain an analogy to you so that the wise might understand this point clearly and perfectly.
Subhūti, do you think that when one sees something in a dream, there is some entity seen in that dream on which one may settle and which one might enjoy through the five desirable attributes of the senses?”
“Blessed Lord,
since the dream itself does not exist, whatever is seen in that dream, whatever could be known, would be non-existent, let alone anything on which one might settle and that one might enjoy through the five desirable attributes of the senses!”
“Subhūti, do you think that there exists anything at all, mundane, supramundane, contaminated, uncontaminated, conditioned, or unconditioned, that does not resemble a dream?” asked the Blessed One.
“No, Blessed Lord!
There exists nothing at all, mundane, supramundane, contaminated, uncontaminated, conditioned, or unconditioned, that does not resemble a dream.”
“Does cyclic existence with its five classes of beings exist in a dream?” asked the Blessed One.
“No, Blessed Lord.”
The Blessed One then asked,
“Subhūti, do you think that dreams are endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”
“No, Blessed Lord;
they are non-entities, Blessed Lord.
They cannot be conceived through any expressions, sounds, words, or letters.”
.
[Like a reflection, ‘there, yet not there’]
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that when a reflection appears on a mirror, there exists some entity that would condition deeds, and by the conditioning [of deeds] proceed to the hells, proceed to the animal realm, proceed to the world of Yama, or become a human being or a god?”
“No, Blessed Lord.
That would be a non-entity, except, Blessed Lord, in the case of simpletons who are being deceived.
Since the reflection itself does not exist, whatever could be known would be non-existent, let alone any deeds that it might condition, and by which they would proceed to the hells, proceed to the animal realm, proceed to the world of Yama, or become a human being or a god.”
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that [this reflection] would be endowed with the cultivation of the path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”
“No, Blessed Lord.
Since the reflection itself is not an entity, Blessed Lord, whatever could be known would be non-existent, let alone the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified!”
.
[Like an echo, ‘there, yet not there’]
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that when an echo emerges from a dense forest, a mountain, a precipice, or a valley, that echo would have an entity that would condition [deeds] through which one would proceed to the hells, proceed to the animal realm, proceed to the world of Yama, or become a human being or a god?”
“No, Blessed Lord.
Since the echo itself is not an entity, whatever could be known would be non-existent, let alone any deeds that it would condition, on the basis of which one would
proceed to the hells;
proceed to the animal realm;
proceed to the world of Yama;
become a god or a human being;
be born as a god of Caturmahārājakāyika;
be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha;
or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.”
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that that echo would be endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”
“No, Blessed Lord.
Since the echo itself absolutely does not exist, Blessed Lord, whatever could be known would be non-existent, let alone the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified.”
.
[Like a mirage, ‘there, yet not there’]
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that in a mirage when water is perceived where there is no water, where rivers are perceived where there are no rivers, where cities are perceived where there are no cities, and where meadows are perceived where there are no meadows, this mode of perception would condition [deeds], through which one might
proceed to the hells;
proceed to the animal realm;
proceed to the world of Yama;
become a human being;
be born as a god of Caturmahārājakāyika;
be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha;
or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception?”
“Blessed Lord,
since in a mirage water, rivers, cities, and meadows absolutely do not exist, except for erroneous perception and the mistaken vision of the eyes, whatever could be known would be non-existent, let alone any deeds through the conditioning of which one might
proceed to the hells;
proceed to the animal realm;
proceed to the world of Yama;
become a human being;
be born as a god of Caturmahārājakāyika;
be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha;
or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.”
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that erroneous perception [of the mirage] would be endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”
“No, Blessed Lord.
Since that erroneous perception [of the mirage] is itself a non-entity, whatever could be known would be non-existent, let alone the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified.”
.
[Like a magical display, ‘there, yet not there’]
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that when an illusionist conjures up diverse magical displays — herds of elephants, herds of horses, herds of oxen, divisions of infantry, the form of a woman, or the form of a man — these magical displays would condition [deeds] through which one might
proceed to the hells;
proceed to the animal realm;
proceed to the world of Yama;
become a human being;
be born as a god of Caturmahārājakāyika;
be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha;
or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception?”
“No, Blessed Lord!
Based on these magical displays there exists nothing at all, not even as tiny as the fraction of a hair-tip, that would condition deeds through which one might proceed to the hells;
proceed to the animal realm;
proceed to the world of Yama;
be born as a human being;
be born as a god of Caturmahārājakāyika;
be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha;
or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.”
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that magical displays would be endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”
“No, Blessed Lord.
How, Blessed Lord, could there possibly be affliction or purification in the case of phenomena that are non-entities!”
.
[Like a phantom emanation, ‘there, yet not there’]
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that when the tathāgatas create a phantom emanation, that phantom emanation would condition any deeds through which one might proceed to the hells;
proceed to the animal realm;
proceed to the world of Yama;
be born as a human being;
be born as a god of Caturmahārājakāyika;
be born as a god of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, or Akaniṣṭha;
or be born as a god of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception?”
“No, Blessed Lord.
There would be no entity in that phantom emanation.”
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that this phantom emanation would be endowed with the cultivation of a path through which one would be neither afflicted nor purified?”
“No, Blessed Lord!”
.
[Like an illusions, ‘there, yet not there’ – Nothing is really defiled or purified; there are no real affliction and purification, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, this’ and ‘non-this’]
“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One,
“do you think that there would exist anyone defiled or purified in it?”
“No, Blessed Lord, there would not!”
The Blessed One then said,
“Subhūti, just as there is no one at all that is defiled or purified,
in the same way there exists neither affliction nor purification.
If you ask why,
abiding in notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ beings become defiled or purified,
but those who see authentically will neither be afflicted nor purified.
Just as for those who see authentically there will neither be affliction nor purification, in the same way there exists neither affliction nor purification.”
.
This completes the sixty-ninth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”