Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 25K
(The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines)
Chapter 75 – Dharmodgata – Explanation concerning the non-coming and non-going of the tathāgatas, of anything
Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 25K
(The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines)
Chapter 75 – Dharmodgata – Explanation concerning the non-coming and non-going of the tathāgatas, of anything
Last update: November 28, 2025
Image from: Stoneflower013
Source: https://84000.co/translation/toh9
(Summary 8k-XXXI: A symbolic quest of gradually perceiving / realizing / experiencing without perceiving / realizing / experiencing the inconceivable true nature of reality as it is (tathātā, / suchness) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths: everything is dependently co-arisen, interdependent, relative, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed, conventional [T1] ⇐⇒ thus empty of inherent existence, never absolute [U2] ⇐⇒ these two aspects are in harmony [U2T] ⇐⇒ everything is like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way free from all extremes (‘this’, ‘not-this’) and middle (both, neither) for whatever ‘this’ is, not accepting / seeking / doing / adding / affirming, not rejecting / abandoning / not-doing / subtracting / negating, not changing / improving / purifying anything in absolute terms, just conventionally, relatively [Middle Way] ⇐⇒ everything is primordially interconnected, equal, pure, perfect, divine, Buddha-nature, ‘One’ in the non-dual sense of those terms [Purity]. Representing the Union of Buddha-nature ⇐⇒ and emptiness, Union of the View ⇐⇒ Path ⇐⇒ and Fruit. Where ‘⇐⇒’ means one side implies the other.)
“In the profound expanse of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra in 8,000 Lines, Chapter 31, titled "Dharmodgata," emerges as the illuminating resolution to Sadāprarudita's arduous quest, where the exalted Bodhisattva Dharmodgata unveils the sublime depths of perfect wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) through masterful discourse and demonstration. Continuing seamlessly from the seeker's trials and aspirations in the preceding chapter, this narrative delves into the enigmatic "coming and going" of Tathāgatas, employing evocative analogies like mirages, dreams, and illusory sounds to reveal the ultimate suchness (tathatā) of all dharmas — empty of inherent origination, duration, or cessation [T2], yet functionally interdependent [T1] in a boundless, non-dual reality [U2T]. Amid acts of profound renunciation, cosmic upheavals, and unwavering devotion spanning seven years of vigilant anticipation, the chapter subtly conveys Mahāyāna tenets of skillful means, selfless sacrifice, and the transformative power of realization, culminating in Sadāprarudita's attainment of innumerable concentrations that affirm the unity of wisdom and compassion for the liberation of all beings.”
Note: The summaries and comments were taken out of an Analysis of Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines — Chapter XXXI - Dharmodgata.
(Summary 1 (8k-XXXI.1): In Section 1 of Chapter 31 from the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra in 8,000 Lines, Dharmodgata addresses Sadāprarudita's query on the coming and going of Tathāgatas, asserting that they neither come from anywhere nor go anywhere in absolute terms, as they are identical with immutable suchness (tathatā), non-production, the reality-limit, emptiness, dispassion, cessation, and space — dharmas beyond movement or division.
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Suchness is undivided, neither one nor many, beyond counting or conceptual relations, infinitely transcending yet encompassing all.
He illustrates with a mirage analogy: a heat-scorched man chasing illusory water finds no real substance originating from oceans or ceasing, deeming such perception foolish; similarly, adhering to Tathāgatas through form or sound mistakenly imputes coming and going, as they are Dharma-bodies (dharmakāya) aligned with the non-arising, non-ceasing nature of dharmas.
Further similes include conjured illusions like elephants or chariots, which lack true movement; dreams where seen Tathāgatas vanish upon waking without origin or destination;
and ocean gems manifesting dependently on beings' wholesome roots yet neither coming from directions nor passing away, produced by causes and conditions without inherent existence.
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Dharmodgata extends the teaching to the Buddha-body's perfection through accumulated wholesome roots and exertions, dependent on myriad causes yet without singular origin or destination — arising and ceasing conditionally but empty of inherent production or stopping.
The boogharp sound analogy reinforces this: it emerges from a totality of conditions (body, strings, player, effort) without issuing from any single part, ceasing without going anywhere, mirroring how Tathāgatas and all dharmas conform to dependent origination while being neither produced nor stopped.
Those ignorant of dharmas' dream-like nature cling to false views, wandering in birth-and-death far from wisdom, while those realizing it abide near enlightenment, coursing in prajñāpāramitā without imagining arising or ceasing.
This exposition triggers cosmic phenomena: the trichiliocosm shakes, realms of Māra stir, plants bend toward Dharmodgata, out-of-season flowers bloom, and heavenly rains of flowers and sandalwood descend, praised by Śakra and the Four Great Kings as a sermon from ultimate reality, countering worldly views of individuality.
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Sadāprarudita inquires about the earthquake's cause, and Dharmodgata explains it results from the query and teaching, yielding spiritual fruits: 8,000 beings acquire patient acceptance of non-produced dharmas, 80 niyutas raise their hearts to full enlightenment, and 64,000 purify their dispassionate, unstained dharma-eye for vision of dharmas.
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i.e. All dharmas are conventionally/relatively dependently arisen in dependence on various causes and conditions, but ultimately not arising, not existing, not changing, not ceasing in absolute terms [U2T]. This applies to the ‘production’ of the Fruit of the Path.)
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“The bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata then replied
to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita,
‘Noble son,
tathāgatas do not come from anywhere,
nor do they go anywhere.
The tathāgatas do not move.
The real nature is the tathāgatas.
(i.e. The Buddha is Reality as it is [U2T / U3S / Uopp].)
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Noble son, non-arising neither goes nor comes.
That non-arising is the tathāgatas.
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Noble son, the very limit of reality neither goes not comes.
That very limit of reality is the tathāgatas.
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Noble son, in emptiness there is neither going nor coming.
That emptiness is the tathāgatas.
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Noble son, the definitive nature neither comes nor goes.
That definitive nature is the tathāgatas.
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Noble son, freedom from desire neither comes nor goes.
That freedom from desire is the tathāgatas.
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Noble son, cessation neither comes nor goes.
That cessation is the tathāgatas.
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Noble son, the expanse of space neither comes nor goes.
That expanse of space is the tathāgatas.
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Noble son, phenomena other than these attributes are not the tathāgatas.
Noble son, the real nature of these attributes and the real nature of the tathāgatas is a single real nature.
Noble son, in the real nature there are no dual aspects.
Noble son, the real nature is one — it is not two, and it is not three.
(i.e. All dharmas are non-dual: not many/two, not one, not both, not neither.)
Noble son, because the real nature is non-existent, it cannot be counted.
(i.e. All dharmas are not arisen, not non-arisen, not both, not neither;
not existent, not non-existent, not both, not neither;
not conditioned, not non-unconditioned, not both, not neither;
not changing, not non-changing, not both, not neither;
not ceasing, not non-ceasing, not both, not neither;
not liberated, not non-liberated, not both, not neither.)
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Noble son, just as when someone tormented by the heat of spring, during the last month of spring, at noon might see a mirage in motion, and might run toward it, thinking,
‘Here I shall bathe.
Here I shall drink,'
do you think, noble son, that that water has come from anywhere?
Does it go anywhere — into the ocean of the east, or the oceans of the south, west, or north?’
“Sadāprarudita replied,
‘Noble son, since there is no water in a mirage, how could it possibly come and go!
That person tormented by the heat of spring
perceives water but there is no water in a mirage.
So he is a naïve person, a person of feeble acumen.
In that mirage, there exists no essential nature of water.’
“ ‘Noble son, it is so! It is so,’ said Dharmodgata.
‘In the same way, noble son, anyone whatsoever who is fixated on [the notion of] the tathāgatas as form or sound, and who imagines that the tathāgatas come and go, is a naïve person, a person of feeble acumen, just like someone who perceives water where there is no water.
If you ask why, the tathāgatas should not be regarded as the buddha body of form, because they are the buddha body of reality.
Noble son, in reality there is neither coming nor going.
In the same way, noble son, the tathāgatas also are without coming and going.
Noble son, just as the corps of elephants, corps of cavalry, corps of chariots, or corps of infantry conjured by an illusionist is without coming or going,
in the same way, noble son, the tathāgatas also are without coming or going.
Noble son, just as someone in a dream may see one tathāgata — or two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, or a hundred thousand tathāgatas, or even more than that — but on waking would not see even a single tathāgata, do you think, noble son, that these tathāgatas have come from anywhere, or gone anywhere?’
“ ‘Noble son, the phenomena of a dream are without any consummate reality whatsoever.
Dreams are false and inauthentic.’ replied Sadāprarudita.
“ ‘In the same way, noble son,’ continued Dharmodgata,
‘all phenomena are like a dream — so said the tathāgatas.
All those whosoever who do not properly know that all phenomena are like a dream, as the tathāgatas have explained, are fixated on [the notion of] the tathāgatas as a cluster of nominal aggregates or a cluster of physical forms, and in consequence they imagine that the tathāgatas come and go.
This is because they do not know reality.
Noble son, all those who hold that the tathāgatas come or go are simple, ordinary people.
All of them have roamed, are roaming, and will roam in cyclic existence, with its five classes of living beings.
All of them are far from the perfection of wisdom.
All of them are far from the attributes of the buddhas.
Noble son, those who properly know that the tathāgatas have explained all phenomena to resemble a dream do not conceive of anything at all that comes or goes.
Those who know this reality of the tathāgatas approach unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
They practice the perfection of wisdom.
They are the disciples of the tathāgatas.
They do not deliberately squander alms donated by citizens, and they are worthy recipients of the world’s generosity.
Noble son, the gems of the oceans have not come from the east, and they have not come from any other of the ten directions — the south, the west, the north, the intermediate directions, the zenith, or the nadir — but gemstones appear in the oceans through the causal basis of beings’ roots of virtuous actions.
They have not appeared without a cause, but contingent on causes and conditions, they appear through dependent origination.
“ ‘Even when these gemstones cease to exist, they do not transmigrate in any of the ten directions.
They do not go anywhere, but nevertheless gemstones do appear when those conditions exist, and they disappear when those conditions are absent.
In the same way, noble son, the perfect bodies of the tathāgatas have not come from any worlds of the ten directions, nor will they go anywhere.
Nor did these bodies of the lord buddhas appear without a causal basis, but they appeared contingent on the causes and conditions of their perfect past conduct and within the apprehending of beings whose ripening of past deeds originated from causes.
These bodies do not exist in any of the ten directions, but they are perfectly present when those causes and conditions exist, and they are not perfectly present when those conditions are absent.
“ ‘Noble son, this is just as when the sound of a lute arises — it has not come from anywhere, and when it stops, it does not go anywhere, nor does it transmigrate anywhere, but it is contingent on causes and conditions that are dependently originated.
That is to say, the sound of a stringed instrument emerges dependent on the hollow gourd of the instrument, the skin, the neck, the strings, the supporting cushion, the plectrum, and human exertion.
The sound does not emerge from the hollow gourd, nor does it emerge from the skin, the neck, the strings, or the plectrum, nor does it emerge from the supporting cushion or human exertion, but the sound does emerge from all of them together.
When it stops, that sound does not go anywhere.
In the same way, noble son, the perfect body of the tathāgatas is also contingent on causes and conditions.
It is perfected through the many roots of their virtuous actions.
It has not appeared from a single cause.
It has not appeared from a single condition.
The body of the buddhas has not appeared from a single root of virtue.
It has not appeared without a causal basis.
That is to say, it has appeared from a multiplicity of causes and conditions but does not come from anywhere.
And it does not go anywhere, even when that cluster of causes and conditions is absent.
Noble son, you should know the reality of all phenomena in the same manner.
Noble son, if you know that the tathāgatas and all phenomena are non-arising and unceasing, you will be assured of unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
You will certainly practice the skill in means associated with the perfection of wisdom.’
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“As he explained this formulation of the Dharma that teaches how the tathāgatas are without coming and going, the great earth shook and all world systems of the great trichiliocosm shook in six ways.
They shook, shuddered, and juddered.
They quivered, careened, and convulsed.
All the domains of Māra were also disturbed and diminished.
All the plants, herbs, and forests that there were in the world systems of the great trichiliocosm bowed in the direction of the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata.
Unseasonal flowers also appeared, and from the air above a rain of flowers descended.
Diverse drumbeats also resounded from the air above.
The Four Great Kings and Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, also sprinkled, scattered, and showered down divine coral flowers, divine sandalwood powders, divine flowers, and other powders over the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, and they said,
‘Noble son, through your enlightened attributes we have now heard a sermon originating from ultimate reality, which is hard for the entire world to have confidence in, an exegesis that cannot be given by bodhisattvas who are settled in [the false views of] perishable composites!’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita asked the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata,
‘What are the causes and what are the conditions that made this great earth quake?’
“ ‘Noble son,’ replied Dharmodgata,
‘it is because you requested this explanation concerning the non-coming and non-going of the tathāgatas.
While I was teaching it, a thousand living creatures attained the acceptance that phenomena are non-arising, eight hundred million set their minds on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and sixty-four thousand living creatures became stainless and immaculate, and their eye of the doctrine became pure with regard to phenomena.’
(Summary 2 (8k-XXXI.2): In Section 2 of Chapter 31 from the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra in 8,000 Lines, Sadāprarudita, overwhelmed with supreme zest and joy from Dharmodgata's discourse on the non-coming and non-going of Tathāgatas, recognizes the immense merit accrued for beings' welfare, affirming his path to Buddhahood. Levitating seven palm trees high into the air, he receives heavenly Mandārava flowers from Śakra, Chief of Gods, who praises his rare strength in bearing burdens for aeons to liberate all from suffering. Sadāprarudita scatters the flowers over Dharmodgata and offers his own body as a servant; the merchant's daughter and her 500 maidens similarly gift themselves to Sadāprarudita, who then presents them, adorned and with their 500 carriages, to Dharmodgata. Śakra applauds this total renunciation as the means by which past Tathāgatas, as Bodhisattvas, claimed enlightenment through questioning perfect wisdom and skill in means. Dharmodgata accepts to fulfill Sadāprarudita's wholesome roots, then returns the gift and enters his house as the sun sets, immersing in uninterrupted trance for seven years, dwelling in countless Bodhisattva concentrations arising from prajñāpāramitā.
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For those seven years, Sadāprarudita and the women adopt only standing or walking postures, free from sloth, torpor, desires, ill will, or self-satisfaction, eagerly anticipating Dharmodgata's emergence to prepare his seat and hear more Dharma. A heavenly voice announces his awakening in seven days, filling them with elation as they clean the ground, spread a jeweled seat, and layer it with their upper garments. Unable to find water for sprinkling — hidden by Māra to induce despair and obstruct their roots — Sadāprarudita pierces his body with a sword, sprinkling blood to prevent dust from touching Dharmodgata, deeming it a noble sacrifice over past samsaric wastes; the daughter and maidens emulate him without faltering thoughts, denying Māra entry.
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Śakra, marveling at Sadāprarudita's firm obligation, love for Dharma, and resolute armor against suffering, magically transforms the blood into heavenly sandalwood water, filling a hundred leagues with sublime scent and applauding his vigor mirroring past Tathāgatas' paths to enlightenment. Still needing flowers to cover the ground and honor Dharmodgata, Sadāprarudita receives a thousand measures of Mandārava flowers from Śakra, using some to adorn the site and reserving others to scatter during the teaching.)
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“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita was delighted.
He was filled with abundant joy, and thought,
‘I have won a boon!
As a result of asking for this exegesis of the Dharma concerning the perfection of wisdom, and the non-coming and non-going of the tathāgatas, I have been of benefit to so many beings.
This root of virtue of mine should in and of itself suffice to ensure that I will attain perfect, unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
Henceforth there is no doubt that I will attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
I will undoubtedly become a tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened buddha!’
“Delighted and joyful, filled with contentment, he ascended into the sky to the height of seven palm trees, and as he remained suspended in the sky at the height of seven palm trees, he thought,
‘How should I, standing in the air in this manner, worship the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata?’
“Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, saw the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita ascended in the sky, and understood with his own mind the thoughts that he was thinking.
He presented him with divine coral flowers and said,
‘Noble son, you should worship the sublime bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata with these flowers!
Son of enlightened family, since through your power you have today benefited many thousands of beings, we will assist you, noble son!
Noble son, extremely rare are those who would remain enthusiastic for the sake of all beings over immeasurable and countless eons, in the manner in which you have been enthusiastic!’
“Then the bodhisattva great being took those coral flowers from Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, and he scattered and showered them over the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata.
He presented the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata with his own body and said,
‘Noble son, I offer my body to you, so that it might henceforth be of service.'
Thereupon he descended from the sky and presented himself;
with his palms together, he stood in front of the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata.
“The merchant’s daughter with her five hundred maidens then said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita,
‘Noble sir, we, too, will offer our bodies to you in this manner.
Through this root of virtue may we, too, attain these same attributes!
Noble sir, henceforth may we, accompanying you, worship the buddhas and the bodhisattvas!
May we dwell with you!’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita replied to that merchant’s daughter and those five hundred maidens,
‘Young women, if you are sincerely compatible with my aspirations and sincerely offer your bodies to me, I will indeed accept you.’
“The young women replied,
‘We are sincerely compatible with your aspirations and sincerely offer our bodies to you, so that you may do as you will.’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita presented to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata those five hundred maidens, headed by the merchant’s daughter, embellished with all their ornaments, and their five hundred carriages, also adorned with ornaments, and said,
‘Noble sir, I offer these maidens and these five hundred carriages to you, so that you may enjoy them.’
“Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, applauded that noble son: ‘Excellent, noble son! Excellent!'
And he continued,
‘Noble son, bodhisattva great beings should renounce all their possessions in that manner.
With such thoughts of renunciation bodhisattva great beings will swiftly attain manifest buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
If they make offerings in that manner to those who preach the Dharma, they will be able to hear the skill in means that is associated with the perfection of wisdom.
Formerly when the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas of the past practiced the conduct of a bodhisattva, they maintained such renunciation and achieved unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
They also asked questions about this skill in means that is associated with the perfection of wisdom.’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, in order to perfect Sadāprarudita’s roots of virtuous action, accepted those five hundred maidens, headed by the merchant’s daughter, and their five hundred carriages.
After accepting them, he [immediately] gave them back to that noble son, Sadāprarudita.
Then the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata arose from his seat and went inside his house.
The sun also set.
“The bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita then had the following thought: ‘It would not be proper and it would not be fitting for me, having come here out of desire for the Dharma, to sit or to lie down.
I will remain either standing or walking, until the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata comes out of his house to teach the Dharma.’
“The bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata then remained for seven years in a single meditative absorption, and he maintained the countless and immeasurable thousands of meditative stabilities of bodhisattvas, which originate from the skill in means associated with the perfection of wisdom.
For seven years, also, the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita never cultivated thoughts of desire, and he never cultivated thoughts of malice, thoughts of harm, or attachment to tastes.
Rather, he thought,
‘How long will it be until we see this bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata arise [from his meditations], so that we may spread out a teaching seat on which that noble sir, the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, will sit and teach the Dharma?'
And he had no other wish apart from thinking,
‘After sweeping and sprinkling the ground where the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata will explain the skill in means associated with the perfection of wisdom, I will scatter various flowers upon it.'
The merchant’s daughter with her five hundred maidens also trained under the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita and remained there in those same two modes of conduct [that is to say, of standing and walking].
In all their activities they indeed imitated him.
“Then one day a voice emerged from the sky, saying that in seven days the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata would rise from his meditative stability, and, having arisen, would teach the Dharma in the middle of the city.
The bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita heard that voice, and having heard it, he became elated, joyful, delighted, and contented.
Together with the merchant’s daughter and her five hundred maidens he swept that ground and spread out a teaching seat made of the seven precious materials.
Then the merchant’s daughter and all her five hundred maidens took off their upper robes and spread out those five hundred upper robes upon the doctrinal seat as a cushion where the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata would sit and teach the Dharma.
Then, when the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita searched all around for water to sprinkle on that ground, he did not find any water because the evil Māra had concealed the water for sprinkling on that ground, so that there was every chance he would be saddened, displeased, and change his mind, eliminating his roots of virtuous action and causing those offerings also to deteriorate.
But then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita had the following thought: ‘Well then, I will pierce my own body, and sprinkle this ground with blood.
If you ask why, since on this ground there is much dust that is unsuitable for the body of the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, what else should I do with this body which will certainly perish?
It is better that my body should be destroyed by such an action rather than having my body wasted ineffectually.
Many thousands of my bodies have roamed again and again in cyclic existence due to attachment, and on the basis of attachment and as signs of attachment, I did not [have this opportunity] among such wasted circumstances.'
Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita took a sharp weapon, pierced his entire body, and sprinkled that ground entirely with his own blood.
The merchant’s daughter with her five hundred maidens, training under the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita, also took sharp weapons, pierced their own bodies, and sprinkled their blood on that ground.
Neither the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita nor those maidens had changed their minds, and Evil Māra had been able to find no opportunity to obstruct their virtuous approach.
“Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, had the following thought: ‘It is wonderful how this bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita desires the Dharma, is steadfast in his commitments, has donned the great armor, disregards his body and life for the sake of unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and resolves, once he has attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, to liberate beings through his higher aspiration from the inestimable sufferings of cyclic existence!'
Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, then transformed all that blood into divine sandalwood water, and all around that ground, as far as a hundred yojanas, an inconceivable fragrance of divine sandalwood wafted.
Then Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita,
‘Noble son, you are unsurpassed for inconceivable perseverance, your desire for the Dharma, and your search for the Dharma.
Excellent! Excellent!
Noble son, the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas of the past also attained unsurpassed, complete enlightenment through such higher aspirations, such perseverance, and such desire for the Dharma.’
“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita had the following thought: ‘Since I have spread out the teaching seat for the sublime bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, and sprinkled and swept this ground as well, where shall I find flowers to scatter on this ground and to scatter over the sublime bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata when he teaches the Dharma?’
“Thereupon, Śakra, mighty lord of the gods, said to the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita,
‘Noble son, take these divine coral flowers and you may scatter this ground with flowers!
You may also scatter them over the teaching seat on which the sublime bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata will sit and teach the Dharma!'
And he presented him with four hundred loads of divine coral flowers.
The bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita thereupon accepted those flowers, and scattered some of those flowers on the ground.
He kept some flowers to offer to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata.
(Summary 3 (8k-XXXI.2): In Section 3 of Chapter 31 from the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra in 8,000 Lines, after seven years in trance, Bodhisattva Dharmodgata emerges, ascends the prepared seat, and demonstrates the dharma amid an assembly of hundreds of thousands. Sadāprarudita, upon seeing him, experiences profound happiness akin to a monk attaining the first trance with one-pointed attention.
Dharmodgata's exposition equates the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) with the nature of all dharmas, declaring it self-identical, isolated, immobile, devoid of mental acts, unbenumbed, of one taste, boundless, non-produced, and non-stopping — qualities mirrored in all dharmas.
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He further likens prajñāpāramitā's boundlessness to the firmament and ocean, its multicolored brilliance to Meru, its un-fashioned state to the sky, extending this to the skandhas (form and others) and elements (earth and others). It is adamantine in self-identity, undifferentiated, non-apprehensible due to the non-apprehension of dharmas, unchanging regardless of surpassings, powerless to act, and unthinkable — thus rendering all dharmas the same, emphasizing their ultimate emptiness and uniformity.
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Through this teaching, Sadāprarudita attains the foremost concentration called
"sameness of any and all dharmas,"
followed by others directly reflecting the discourse's attributes, such as
"isolation of any and all dharmas,"
"immobility of any and all dharmas,"
"boundless like firmament,"
"adamantine," and
"any and all dharmas are unthinkable."
Commencing with these, he acquires six million doors of concentration, marking a profound spiritual fruition from the revelation.)
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“Then when seven years had passed, the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata arose from his meditative stability, and went to that place where the teaching seat had been laid out, and sat down, surrounded and accompanied by an assembly of many hundred thousands, and he taught the perfection of wisdom.
Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita and the merchant’s daughter, together with the five hundred maidens, offered flowers to the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata.
When the great bodhisattva Sadāprarudita saw the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata, he attained the kind of bliss that is experienced when a monk with one-pointed attention is absorbed in the first meditative concentration.
“The explanation of the Dharma of the perfection of wisdom imparted to him by the bodhisattva great being Dharmodgata was as follows:
“ ‘One should know that
the perfection of wisdom is (1) sameness owing to the sameness of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (2) voidness owing to the voidness of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (3) motionlessness owing to the motionlessness of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (4) the absence of mentation owing to the absence of mentation in all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (5) imperturbability owing to the imperturbability of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (6) of common savor owing to the common savor of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (7) infinitude owing to the infinitude of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (8) non-arising owing to the non-arising of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (9) non-ceasing owing to the non-ceasing of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (10) infinity owing to the infinity of space.
The perfection of wisdom is (11) infinity owing to the infinity of the oceans.
The perfection of wisdom is (12) multifaceted owing to multifacetedness like that of Mount Sumeru.
The perfection of wisdom is (13) non-conceptualization owing to non-conceptualization like that of the sky.
The perfection of wisdom is (14) boundlessness owing to the boundlessness of physical forms.
Similarly, the perfection of wisdom is (15) boundlessness owing to the boundlessness of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness.
The perfection of wisdom is (16) boundlessness owing to the boundlessness of the earth element.
Similarly, the perfection of wisdom is (17) boundlessness owing to the boundlessness of the water element, the fire element, and the wind element.
The perfection of wisdom is (18) boundlessness owing to the boundlessness of the space element.
The perfection of wisdom is (19) sameness owing to the vajra-like sameness of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (20) irreducibility owing to the irreducibility of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (21) non-apprehensibility owing to the non-apprehensibility of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (22) non-differentiation owing to the non-differentiation of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (23) inactivity owing to the inactivity of all phenomena.
The perfection of wisdom is (24) inconceivability owing to the inconceivability of all phenomena.’
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“Then the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita sat down in the same manner, and at that time he established certainty in
(1) the meditative stability named sameness of all phenomena owing to the sameness of all phenomena.
And when the perfection of wisdom was explained, he attained
(2) the meditative stability named voidness of all phenomena,
(3) the meditative stability named motionlessness of all phenomena,
(4) the meditative stability named absence of mentation in all phenomena,
(5) the meditative stability named imperturbability of all phenomena,
(6) the meditative stability named common savor of all phenomena,
(7) the meditative stability named infinitude of all phenomena,
(8) the meditative stability named non-arising of all phenomena,
(9) the meditative stability named non-ceasing of all phenomena,
(10) the meditative stability named infinite space,
(11) the meditative stability named infinite ocean,
(12) the meditative stability named multifacetedness of Mount Sumeru,
(13) the meditative stability named sky-like,
(14) the meditative stability named boundlessness of physical forms,
(15) the meditative stability named boundlessness of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness,
(16) the meditative stability named boundlessness of the earth element,
(17) the meditative stability named boundlessness of the water element, the fire element, and the wind element,
(18) the meditative stability named boundlessness of the space element,
(19) the meditative stability named vajra-like,
(20) the meditative stability named non-differentiation of all phenomena,
(21) the meditative stability named non-apprehensibility of the essential nature of all phenomena,
(22) the meditative stability named sameness of the irreducibility of all phenomena,
(23) the meditative stability named inactivity of all phenomena,
and (24) the meditative stability named inconceivability of all phenomena.
Veginning with these [twenty-four], the bodhisattva great being Sadāprarudita altogether attained six million gateways of meditative stability.”
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This completes the seventy-fifth chapter, “Dharmodgata,” from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”
Dharmodgata equates the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) directly with the nature of all dharmas, using it as a mirror to show their reality. Here's an explanation of the key attributes mentioned, phrased in more accessible terms:
Self-identical: All dharmas are fundamentally the same as themselves and as each other at the ultimate level. There's no "otherness" or separation; everything shares the same undivided essence, like waves that are indistinguishable from the ocean.
Isolated: This means dharmas are "alone" or independent in their emptiness—they don't rely on anything external for their nature. They're not connected through causes or conditions in a way that gives them inherent reality; instead, they're isolated from conceptual grasping.
Immobile: Dharmas don't "move" or change in any ultimate sense. While things appear to arise, persist, and cease in the conventional world (like birth, life, death), at the subtle level, there's no real coming or going. They're static in their emptiness, untouched by time or motion.
Devoid of mental acts: No thoughts, intentions, or cognitive processes inherently belong to dharmas. They aren't "thinking" entities; mental activity is just another empty phenomenon, not a core feature.
Unbenumbed: This suggests dharmas are fully awake or vibrant in their true state—not dulled, obscured, or "numbed" by ignorance. It's a contrast to how ordinary beings experience reality through delusion.
One single taste: All dharmas share the same "flavor" or quality — emptiness. Just as salt pervades the ocean uniformly, this essence is undifferentiated across all phenomena, without variety or hierarchy.
Boundless: Dharmas have no limits, edges, or boundaries. They're infinite, like space (firmament) or the vast ocean, not confined by quantity, size, or location. This extends to physical aggregates (skandhas like form, sensation) and elements (earth, water, etc.), which are all equally limitless in their emptiness.
Non-produced and non-stopping: Dharmas aren't truly "born" or created, nor do they cease or "stop." They lack origination and destruction because they're empty of inherent existence—nothing really arises or perishes.
Brilliant and multicolored like Meru: Mount Meru (a mythical cosmic mountain in Buddhist cosmology) symbolizes grandeur and diversity in appearance, but ultimately, it's empty. Dharmas may seem vivid and varied on the surface, but their essence shines with this illusory brilliance without substance.
Not fashioned: Like the sky, which isn't made or constructed by anyone, dharmas aren't fabricated or artificial. They lack a creator or inherent design.
Adamantine: This means indestructible, like a diamond (vajra in Sanskrit). The true nature is unbreakable and unchanging, cutting through all illusions.
Undifferentiated: No distinctions exist between dharmas—good vs. bad, self vs. other, enlightenment vs. ignorance. Everything is equal in emptiness.
Non-apprehension: You can't grasp or perceive dharmas as objects because they're empty; trying to "apprehend" them leads to realizing there's nothing solid to hold onto.
Sameness regardless of surpassing: Even if one dharma seems superior or transcendent (e.g., wisdom surpassing ignorance), at the core, they're all the same — unchanged by comparisons.
Powerless to act: Dharmas don't have agency or the ability to "do" things independently. Actions and effects are illusory, arising from interdependence, not inherent power.
Unthinkable: The mind can't conceptualize or think about this nature fully; it's beyond thought, logic, or description. Any attempt to intellectualize it falls short.
This teaching emphasizes that realizing these qualities leads to liberation from suffering (samsara) by seeing through the illusions of the ego and the world. It's not nihilistic — it's liberating, as it frees one from attachment and fear.
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The Essence of the Concentrations
In Buddhism, "concentrations" (samadhis) are deep meditative states that allow profound insight. Here, the essence is the foundational concentration called the "sameness of any and all dharmas," which arises in the listener (Bodhisattva Sadaprarudita) upon hearing Dharmodgata's teaching. This samadhi recognizes the equality and emptiness of everything, dissolving distinctions.
From this core essence, a cascade of related concentrations emerges — each embodying one of the attributes above (e.g., "isolation of any and all dharmas," "boundlessness like the ocean"). These aren't separate; they're doorways or variations on the same theme, leading to "six million concentration doors." This hyperbolic number symbolizes infinite possibilities for insight, showing how one realization (sameness/emptiness) opens up endless meditative paths. The essence, then, is unity in diversity: all concentrations point back to the non-dual, empty nature of reality, helping practitioners achieve bodhisattva-level wisdom and compassion.
Overall, this passage illustrates how the perfection of wisdom reveals the illusory, empty nature of all things, leading to enlightenment. It's abstract and paradoxical on purpose — to challenge ordinary thinking and point toward direct experience through meditation. If you're familiar with Zen or other Mahayana traditions, it echoes ideas like "form is emptiness, emptiness is form" from the Heart Sutra, a shorter Prajñāpāramitā text.
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Deeper Dive into the Meaning: The Culminating Revelation of the Inconceivable Union of the Two Truths
As the concluding chapter (or one of the final sections in the evolving text of the Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra), Chapter 31, "Dharmodgata," serves as the narrative and philosophical climax of the entire sutra. This isn't just a story — it's a profound encapsulation of the Mahayana Buddhist path, weaving together themes of devotion, sacrifice, direct realization, and the ultimate nature of reality. The sutra, one of the earliest Mahayana texts (likely composed around the 1st century BCE to 1st century CE), builds layer upon layer of teachings on prajñāpāramitā (the perfection of wisdom), and this chapter brings it to fruition through the Bodhisattva Sadaprarudita's heroic quest to hear the dharma from Dharmodgata. What makes it "concluding" is its role as an avadana (edifying tale), added later in the text's development, symbolizing the bodhisattva's journey from apparent ignorance to enlightenment. It mirrors the hero's journey archetype: a call to adventure, trials (including self-sacrifice), supernatural aid, attainment of wisdom, and a return to benefit all beings. This structure reinforces that prajñāpāramitā isn't abstract philosophy but a lived practice leading to liberation for oneself and others.
Historically, this chapter was sometimes omitted or appended to longer versions (like the 100,000-line sutra) in translations, indicating its status as a later, yet essential, addition to emphasize moral perseverance and the non-dual insight into the Union of the Two Truths. At its core, the chapter reveals that the "subtle true nature" of all dharmas (phenomena) is neither mere emptiness nor mere dependent origination in isolation, but their inconceivable Union — where conventional truth (dependent co-arising, or pratityasamutpada) and ultimate truth (shunyata, or emptiness) are interdependent, co-defined, co-imputed, and mutually implying. One truth alone is insufficient; they arise together, equal and inseparable, with neither superior to the other. The two truths themselves are dependently co-arisen and empty of inherent existence, pointing to a non-dual reality that transcends binary oppositions.
Dharmodgata's demonstration isn't a linear lecture but a poetic, repetitive exposition that uses negation (apophasis), affirmation, and metaphors to shatter dualistic thinking, iteratively applying non-duality to reveal the primordial purity and perfection inherent in all dharmas — their innate buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha), which is always already present, untainted, and complete.
Let's unpack this deeper, integrating structural, philosophical, and soteriological layers, while iteratively refining the non-dual perspective: first affirming the apparent duality of the Two Truths, then dissolving it into Union, and recognizing even that Union as empty yet perfectly luminous.
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1. The Structural Profundity: Chiasmic Design and Narrative Centrality
The chapter's narrative is built around a chiasmic (X-shaped) structure, a literary device common in Prajnaparamita texts, where elements mirror and invert around a central point. At the heart (the "X") is Dharmodgata's sermon on the Tathāgata's (Buddha's) body: "Tathāgatas are not to be seen by the physical body, but by the Dharma Body. As the nature of dharmas neither comes nor goes, so too the Tathāgatas neither come nor go." This centrality isn't accidental — it symbolizes that the entire sutra revolves around this insight. The story begins with Sadaprarudita's vision of Buddhas and ends with another vision, pairing themes like self-sacrifice (to prove worthiness) with miraculous healing, and quests for wisdom with its direct revelation.
Deeper meaning, iteratively non-dual: This structure teaches non-linearity, where the apparent progression (conventional truth of cause-effect journeys) is inseparable from the ultimate immovability (emptiness of inherent change). Just as the narrative folds back on itself, reality isn't a one-way path from samsara (cyclic existence, dependently originated) to nirvana (liberation, empty of inherent suffering) — they co-arise as a Union, with samsara's illusions perfectly pure in their buddha-nature.
Sadaprarudita's self-sacrifice (slaughtering his own body to offer it) in the preceding section isn't masochism but a radical act of detachment, demonstrating that even the body — dependently arisen from conditions — is primordially perfect and empty, unworthy of clinging yet fully capable of embodying compassion. By "becoming worthy" through this, he accesses the teaching, showing that true devotion dissolves the ego, aligning with the bodhisattva vow to sacrifice for all beings. This concludes the sutra by illustrating that wisdom arises from the Union of ethical purity (conventional skillful means) and selfless aspiration (ultimate emptiness), neither aspect reducible to the other.
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2. The Subtle True Nature of Dharmas: The Union of Dependent Origination and Emptiness as Primordial Purity
Dharmodgata's core question — prompted by Sadaprarudita — is: "From where do the Buddhas come? To where do they go?" The answer: Nowhere, yet everywhere through dependent conditions. Buddhas (as Tathāgatas, "thus-come" or "thus-gone") embody tathata (suchness), the inconceivable Union where dharmas appear to arise dependently (conventional truth) while being empty of inherent existence (ultimate truth). This suchness is the primordial purity and perfection of all dharmas — their buddha-nature, inherently enlightened, unproduced yet manifesting through interdependence, unstained by apparent defilements.
Metaphors as Pointers to the Union: Dharmodgata uses illusions (e.g., a magician's conjurings, dreams, mirages, jewels from the ocean, lute music) to show dharmas lack inherent existence (emptiness) while arising interdependently (origination) — like a mirage that "exists" conventionally as a perception but is ultimately empty. The physical body of a Buddha arises from past karma (dependent origination) and ceases with conditions, but the dharmakaya (Dharma body) is the eternal Union of these truths: perfectly pure, embodying buddha-nature that neither comes nor goes.
Profoundly, "seeing the Buddha" means iteratively applying non-duality — not seeing through conventional senses alone (which affirm dependent forms) nor denying them (which overemphasizes emptiness), but realizing their Union as primordial perfection, freeing from attachment and suffering.
Attributes as Non-Dual Unity, Iteratively Refined: Expanding on the list (self-identical, isolated, immobile, etc.), these aren't isolated negations or affirmations but expressions of the Two Truths' Union.
"Self-identical" means dharmas appear distinct through dependent conditions (conventional) yet share the same undivided essence (ultimate), their buddha-nature pure and equal.
"Boundless like the firmament or ocean" evokes infinity where apparent boundaries (originated) dissolve into limitlessness (empty), mirroring how dharmas interpenetrate in primordial perfection.
"Adamantine" signifies indestructibility: dependently arisen yet unbreakable in emptiness.
"Unthinkable" underscores that this Union transcends logic; conceptualizing it reifies duality, so non-duality must be applied iteratively — affirming the truths, uniting them, emptying the Union itself, revealing ever-deeper purity.
Deeper still: These point to advaya (non-duality) as a process, where opposites (produced/non-produced, moving/immobile) co-arise and collapse into each other, neither truth superior. The sutra's repetition expresses the inexpressible iteratively, exhausting dualistic mind to induce direct insight into buddha-nature's perfection.
This teaching concludes the sutra by affirming that prajñāpāramitā is the "mother" of all Buddhas — not a one-sided emptiness, but the Union birthing enlightened activity through dependent compassion and empty wisdom, always primordially perfect.
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3. The Essence of the Concentrations: Infinite Doors to the Union's Realization
The concentrations (samadhis) attained by Sadaprarudita — starting with the "sameness of any and all dharmas" and expanding to six million "doors" — are not mere meditative states but embodied realizations of the dharmas' Union, their buddha-nature shining through iterative non-duality.
"Sameness" is the foundational essence: recognizing all dharmas as equal in their co-arisen interdependence and emptiness, dissolving apparent hierarchies while affirming their primordial purity.
Deeper Soteriological Role: These samadhis are "kingly" because they integrate the four dhyanas (trances) and formless attainments without fixation, using conventional skillful means to mature beings and purify Buddha-fields (realms) through ultimate emptiness.
The hyperbolic "six million" symbolizes inexhaustibility — the Union opens infinite paths, reflecting Mahayana's universalism where buddha-nature pervades all. They enable visions of countless Buddhas, emphasizing interconnectedness across worlds as dependently originated yet perfectly empty.
Profound Meaning as Conclusion: This cascade of concentrations shows the sutra's ultimate teaching: wisdom is dynamic, an iterative process of uniting, emptying, and revealing perfection. Sadaprarudita's instant attainment (filled with joy like entering first dhyana) illustrates prativedhana (penetrative insight), where hearing the dharma triggers irreversible progress (avaivartika) toward buddhahood, grounded in the Union's primordial purity. It ties back to the sutra's start (dialogues with Subhuti and Shariputra), showing that apparent intellectual discourse (conventional) leads to experiential realization (ultimate), benefiting all sentient beings through their inherent buddha-nature.
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In essence, Chapter 31 isn't just deep — it's transformative. It challenges us to iteratively live the Union: see through illusions via emptiness, affirm compassionate origination, dissolve even that duality into purity, and embody non-dual compassion. This liberates from suffering, making the sutra a "way of living that recognizes the inseparable, perfect nature of everything."
Chapter 31 of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra in 8,000 Lines, titled "Dharmodgata," serves as the profound culmination of Sadāprarudita's epic quest, shifting from the aspirant's fervent seeking in the previous chapter to the masterful exposition of perfect wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) by the enlightened teacher Bodhisattva Dharmodgata.
Building directly on Sadāprarudita's pivotal question about the "coming and going" of Tathāgatas, this chapter delves into the heart of Mahāyāna philosophy, unraveling the illusory nature of phenomena while affirming the transformative power of devotion, sacrifice, and direct realization.
Through Dharmodgata's teachings, the narrative illustrates the non-dual essence of reality — where apparent arising / origination, abiding / duration, and cessation dissolve into emptiness (śūnyatā) — and highlights how such insights propel Bodhisattvas toward Buddhahood.
The chapter's structure, divided into sections on
(Section 1) doctrinal explanation,
(Section 2) acts of renunciation, and
(Section 3) ultimate attainment,
subtly mirrors the Bodhisattva path:
(Section 1) inquiry leads to wisdom,
(Section 2) wisdom demands selfless action, and
(Section 3) action yields boundless samādhis (concentrations).
Key events, such as cosmic upheavals, Māra's obstructions, and miraculous interventions, underscore the sutra's message that true Dharma practice disrupts delusional realms and awakens multitudes, emphasizing collective liberation over individual gain.
At the core of the chapter is Dharmodgata's response to Sadāprarudita's query in Section 1, which negates any inherent "coming" (origination), "going" (cessation), or abiding (duration / change) of Tathāgatas, equating them with immutable suchness (tathatā) — the undivided, uncountable, non-conceptual reality beyond dualities.
(i.e. Manifestations apparently come and go,
but the Ground [U2T] remains unchanged [UGM].)
Using evocative analogies like a mirage (illusory water without source or end), a dream (events vanishing upon waking), conjured illusions (lacking real movement), ocean gems (manifesting dependently yet directionless), and a boogharp's sound (arising from conditions without singular origin), Dharmodgata reveals that all dharmas, including Buddhas, arise conditionally through causes like wholesome roots and karma but lack svabhāva (inherent existence).
This teaching subtly critiques reified views of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda), showing that while phenomena appear functional in the conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) — e.g., a Buddha's body perfected through exertions — it aligns with the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya) of non-production and non-stopping.
The discourse's impact is cosmic: the trichiliocosm quakes, Māra's realms stir, flowers rain unseasonably, and deities like Śakra praise it as countering worldly assumptions of individuality.
Subtly, this conveys that prajñāpāramitā is "contrary to the whole world (not really)," challenging ego-clinging and views of permanence, while fostering patient acceptance of non-produced dharmas among 8,000 beings, bodhicitta in 80 niyutas, and purified dharma-eyes in 64,000 — highlighting wisdom's ripple effect in alleviating saṃsāric suffering.
Section 2 amplifies the theme of selfless devotion through Sadāprarudita's ecstatic response, where his joy at the teaching's merit for beings propels him seven palm trees into the air, symbolizing transcendent aspiration. His offerings — scattering heavenly Mandārava flowers from Śakra, gifting his body as a servant, and presenting the merchant's daughter with her 500 maidens and carriages to Dharmodgata — embody total renunciation, praised by Śakra as mirroring past Tathāgatas' paths to enlightenment via questioning wisdom and skill in means (upāya-kauśalya).
Dharmodgata's acceptance and return of the gift fulfills wholesome roots without attachment, subtly teaching non-grasping even in generosity. The seven-year wait, during which Sadāprarudita and the women endure without sitting or lying, free from defilements, underscores unwavering resolve; a heavenly voice announces Dharmodgata's emergence, evoking anticipation akin to a parent's longing.
Māra's hiding of water to induce despair is thwarted by Sadāprarudita's self-piercing for blood to sprinkle the ground — deeming it a holy sacrifice over samsaric wastes — emulated by the women without faltering. Śakra's transformation of blood into sandalwood water, scenting a hundred leagues, and provision of flowers subtly messages that pure intent overcomes delusion, invoking divine aid and affirming vigor as the armor against birth-and-death's sufferings, aligning with the Bodhisattva vow to liberate all.
The chapter peaks in Section 3 with Dharmodgata's demonstration upon emerging from trance, equating prajñāpāramitā to all dharmas in attributes like self-identity, isolation, immobility, one taste, boundlessness, non-production, and unthinkability — extending to skandhas, elements, and adamantine qualities.
Likened to the boundless firmament, ocean, or Meru's brilliance, wisdom remains un-fashioned, undifferentiated, non-apprehensible, and powerless to act, rendering all phenomena empty yet luminous.
This profound uniformity inspires Sadāprarudita's attainment of the
"sameness of any and all dharmas" concentration,
cascading into others like "boundless like the ocean" and
"any and all dharmas are unthinkable,"
totaling six million doors — symbolizing the infinite gateways opened by wisdom.
Subtly, this conveys prajñāpāramitā as the "mother" unifying all, transcending surpassings without hierarchy, and fostering non-dual insight where dharmas are dream-like deceptions yet bases for compassionate action.
Overall, Chapter 31 subtly weaves messages of interdependence: devotion (Sadāprarudita's sacrifices) harmonizes with wisdom (Dharmodgata's teachings), overcoming Māra's illusions through resolve and skill, while cosmic responses affirm Dharma's universal resonance.
It critiques attachment to forms, names, or movements, urging realization of suchness as the end of saṃsāra-nirvāṇa dualities. The narrative inspires practitioners: like Sadāprarudita's leap from sorrow to samādhis, the quest transforms longing into boundless enlightenment, ensuring the lineage benefits all beings across kalpas, embodying Mahāyāna's compassionate emptiness.