Gileht - Pajna8k-C12

Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 8K
Chapter 12 - Showing the world

(What constitutes the "world," and how does the Perfection of Wisdom instruct Tathagatas in it? Enlightenment / omniscience is effortlessly non-dualistically non-conceptually directly perceiving / realizing / experiencing the indescribable / inconceivable omnipresent timeless true nature of reality as it is (suchness / tathātā) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths about all dharmas (physical/body, conceptual/speech and mental/mind; entities and marks / signs / characteristics; pure or impure), or by the concept of primordial non-dual empty-awareness / empty-consciousness / empty-functionality. The unchanging Ground is that all dharmas are empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2] ⇐⇒ because of being dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed, relatively functional, conventional phenomena [T1] ⇐⇒ one truth implying the other [U2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, 'there, yet not there' [Illusory] ⇐⇒ so there is no absolute basis for any differentiation, discrimination, acceptation / affirmation, rejection / negation, change / purification [Middle Way] ⇐⇒ in that sense, all phenomena are said to be primordially interconnected, empty, signless, wishless, unsupported, equal, pure, perfect, complete, divine, 'one', limitless, measureless, infinite, unborn, unconditioned, unchanging, unceasing, in the non-dual sense of those terms: not 'this', not 'non-this' not both, not neither, and there is no fifth, for whatever 'this' is [Tetralemma]. Everything is beyond all conditioned dualistic conceptual proliferation, beyond all conditioning / karma (individual, collective, cosmic). Knowing the true nature of anything purifies it, frees it. Everything is the Union of Buddha-nature (purity, not complete non-existence) and emptiness (freedom, not inherent existence). And acting in accord with reality as it is is like "acting / perceiving / knowing without acting / perceiving / knowing", without attachment / rejection, reification, effort / non-effort, or absolute. Where '⇐⇒' means one side implies the other.)

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Chapter XII - Showing the world

“Chapter 12 of the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines, titled "Showing the World," profoundly explores how the Perfection of Wisdom acts as the maternal source and instructress for Tathagatas, revealing the true nature of the "world" as the five skandhas — empty of inherent existence yet dependently arisen — and enabling omniscience that cognizes beings' thoughts as undifferentiated, space-like awareness, uniform in suchness (tathatā). Addressing key questions like "How does the Perfection instruct Tathagatas in the world?" and "How is the world shown as empty?," the chapter employs metaphors of nurturing motherhood, non-crumbling skandhas, fathomless marks unsupported like space, and non-viewing as true viewing, all embodying the Union of the Two Truths: phenomena as illusory, primordially pure, and non-dual beyond tetralemma extremes. This revelation fosters gratitude, compassion, and "acting without acting," aligning practitioners with inconceivable reality where omniscience arises effortlessly, dissolving distinctions in the indivisible Ground for universal liberation.”

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Introduction – The Perfection of Wisdom (ex. acting without acting) reveals the true nature of reality as it is (tathātā, suchness) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths about all dharmas [U2T / U3S / Uopp / UGM / U3K], or as indivisible primordial empty-awareness.

Chapter 12 of the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines, titled "Showing the World," addresses fundamental inquiries into the nature of reality (suchness) and how the Perfection of Wisdom serves as the ultimate instructress for Tathagatas (Buddhas), enabling them to reveal the true essence of the "world" (suchness) to all beings.

[The Perfections of Wisdom reveals the true nature of the world, the true nature of reality as it is (suchness / tathātā) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths about all dharmas, all phenomena, the five skandhas, the three spheres, all opposites / dualities / triads …]
At its core, the chapter answers:
What constitutes the "world," and how does the Perfection of Wisdom instruct Tathagatas in it?
– The Lord defines the world as the five skandhas (form, feeling, perception, impulse, consciousness), which are shown as neither crumbling nor decaying because they are empty of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ yet dependently arisen [T1] ⇐⇒ embodying the Union of the Two Truths [U2T].

[The true nature of reality manifests as an inconceivable omnipresent timeless indivisible unlimited unborn unconditioned unchanging unceasing pure non-dual primordial empty-awareness (Ground) inseparable from its spontaneous manifestations [UGM / U2T-GM] – in the non-dual sense of those terms: not ‘this’, not ‘non-this’, not both, not neither, for whatever ‘this’ is.]
This instruction unfolds through metaphors like the Perfection as a cherished mother, birthing and guiding enlightenment,
and extends to how Tathagatas cognize the immeasurable thoughts of beings — not as fragmented or obscured entities but as undifferentiated, space-like awareness, transparent and self-liberating, uniform in suchness (tathatā) beyond duality / non-duality or variety / oneness.
(i.e. Everything – phenomena, opposites, characteristics, marks, signs – is not ‘this’, not ‘non-this’ not both, not neither, for whatever ‘this’ is. Meaning beyond all conditioned dualistic conceptual proliferation, beyond all conditioning, karma (individual, collective, cosmic).
Tetralemma ⇐⇒ Emptiness ⇐⇒ Dependent Origination ⇐⇒ Union of the Two Truths ⇐⇒ Illusory, ‘there, yet not there’ ⇐⇒ Middle Way free from all extremes and middle, not accepting, not rejecting ⇐⇒ Primordially interconnected, equal, pure, perfect, complete, divine, ‘One’ ⇐⇒ Cycle.)

These revelations emphasize primordial purity and the Middle Way (not accepting, not rejecting), where phenomena are illusory — "there, yet not there" — fostering gratitude and compassion as Tathagatas illuminate the path [T1] ⇐⇒ without illuminating, without attachment, reification, effort or absolute [T2] [U2T].

Further, the chapter grapples with:
How are fathomless marks (characteristics) fastened to dharmas, and how is the world ultimately shown as empty?
– Marks are revealed as unsupported like space, inherently standing without fixation by any being, unshakable and shared by the world itself, realized through unattached cognition.
– The world is shown via non-viewing (i.e. perceiving without perceiving the world, without attachment, reification, effort or absolute)— consciousness arising without objective support — as empty, unthinkable, calmly quiet, and self-purified, indicated without action.

Subtly, these answers converge on omniscience as effortless insight into suchness, where knowing transcends realization, (i.e. knowing/realising without knowing/realising the world, without attachment, reification, effort or absolute) dissolving distinctions like "my thought" versus "your thought" in the indivisible Ground (primordial empty-awareness).

Through Madhyamaka reasoning (tetralemma ⇐⇒ emptiness [T2] ⇐⇒ dependent origination [T1] ⇐⇒ Union of the Two Truths [U2T]), the chapter unveils the path as non-attached engagement, "acting without acting, without attachment, reification, effort or absolute," aligning beings with inconceivable reality for boundless liberation.

Section 1. The Perfection of Wisdom the Mother of All Buddhas – The Union of skillful means and the Perfection of WIsdom leads to liberation, all-knowledge, omniscience, enlightenment, the direct realisation of the inconceivable true nature of reality (tathātā, suchness) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T].

(Summary 1: In this section, the Lord employs the metaphor of a devoted mother with numerous children, whom they nurture and protect from all forms of suffering in gratitude for her birthing and guiding them, to illustrate the profound reverence Tathāgatas hold for the Perfection of Wisdom as the maternal source of all Buddhas (for uncovering primordial empty-awareness from its layers of conditioning / karma) — begetting, indicating, and realizing pure cognition as all-knowing, while instructing in the way of the world as undifferentiated, pitch-dark emptiness akin to infinite space. This Perfection, timeless and indestructible despite Mara's illusory hindrances, is zealously cherished, protected, and perpetuated by Tathāgatas across world systems through their might, sustaining power, and compassionate grace, ensuring its teaching for the universal weal and happiness of beings, embodying the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: it appears dependently as the generative, nurturing force [T1] ⇐⇒ yet is empty of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ illusory ⇐⇒ and primordially pure ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way where Buddhas [M] arise non-dually from suchness (tathatā) [G] [UGM], beyond production or cessation, fostering effortless "acting without acting" in harmony with reality's inconceivable nature.)

TEXT: The Lord: It is as with a mother who has many children, - five, or ten, or twenty, or thirty, or forty, or fifty, or one hundred or one thousand. As she falls ill, we each do whatever is possible to prevent this mother from dying, to keep her alive as long as possible, to keep any unpleasantness away from her body. As we are aware of the fact to her we owe our existence, as in her own great pain she brings us into this world, as she instructs us in the way of this world.

We now look directly to her, give her anything to ease her discomfort and suffering, protect her well, make much of her, and we hope she is free from pain- derived from contact with eyes, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind, or coming from wind, bile, phlegm, or a disorder of the humours, or from stinging insects, mosquitoes, or crawling animals, from beings or from ghosts, from anything falling upon her, or tearing her asunder, or from a disastrous crash.

In this way we honor our mother by giving her all this which may ease her suffering, allow for her to know how dear she is, cherish and protect her, as we are aware she is our mother and begetter, who, in her own great pain, brings us into this world and instructs us always in the way of this world.

In just this same way Tathāgatas bring this Perfection of Wisdom to mind, and it is through their might, sustaining power and grace we write, learn, study, spread and repeat this. And these Tathāgatas, which also dwell in other world systems just now, -for the weal and happiness of all, with great compassion for all and for the weal and happiness of this great body of beings, with compassion as this absolute sameness of all beings- these bring this Perfection of Wisdom to mind, and are of great zeal, as this Perfection of Wisdom is lasting, as it is not destroyed, as what's seen as Mara and his host cannot prevent this Perfection of Wisdom from being taught, written, and practiced.

So fond are Tathāgatas of this Perfection of Wisdom, as much do these cherish and protect its process of perfection. Wisdom is mother and begetter, her process of perfection indicates and reveals to us all-knowledge, her perfection instructs us as the way of the world. As her perfection do Tathāgatas appear. As her perfection begets, indicates and realizes pure cognition as all-knowing, this perfection indicates to us and as us this world as it is. This all-knowledge of Tathāgatas appears as her most profound perfection.

Tathāgatas of three times as well as beyond are enlightened Perfection of Wisdom (they are the embodiment of “acting without acting”, or the Union of skillful means like compassion and wisdom). It is as this Perfection of Wisdom these Tathāgatas are instructed and generated...and instruct and generate us in this world, so we may be instructed and generated...and instruct and generate as well. Thus we come, thus we go.

Flashes of enlightening and pure undifferentiated awareness, identical with absolute emptiness, this dark as pitch notion, infinite as space.

Section 2. How Tathāgatas Know the World – By "acting without acting, perceiving without perceiving". By directly realizing the true nature & dynamic of the five aggregates as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] – their dependent origination, impermanence [T1] ⇐⇒ and emptiness of inherent existence [T2]. There is no inherent origination / beginning / coming, duration / middle, or cessation / ending / going for any thing, being, process or cycle; just conventionally, relatively. There is no inherent continuity or discontinuity between one moment to the next, one action to the next, one rebirth to the next, or from saṃsāra to Nirvāṇa.

(Summary 2: In response to Subhuti's inquiry on how the Perfection of Wisdom instructs Tathāgatas in the "world" and what constitutes it, the Lord defines the world (loka) as the five skandhas — form, feeling, perception, impulse, and consciousness — which are declared as such because they neither "crumble" (lujyante) nor "crumble away" (or to come and go?) (pralujyante), revealed by the Perfection as empty of any own-being or sameness, thus incapable of decay or dissolution in absolute terms. This instruction unfolds through the realization of emptiness, where skandhas are devoid of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ yet dependently arisen [T1] ⇐⇒ implying each other in the Union of the Two Truths [U2T], extending to attributes like the Signless, Wishless, unaffected, unproduced, non-existent, and the completeness of the Dharma-realm — all illusory like reflections, primordially pure and non-dual, beyond the tetralemma (not crumbling, not non-crumbling, etc.). The essence lies in the Middle Way: the Perfection points to tathatā (suchness) as the indescribable reality where phenomena are neither produced nor stopped, fostering "acting without acting" by perceiving the world without reification, in effortless accord with its empty [T2] ⇐⇒ interdependent [T1] nature [U2T].)

TEXT: Subhuti: How does Perfection of Wisdom instruct Tathāgatas in this world,
and what is this the Tathāgatas call 'world'?

The Lord: The five skandhas are by the Tathāgatas declared as 'world' [loka]. Which five? Form, feeling, perception, impulse, and consciousness.

Subhuti: How do five skandhas come to be shown up by Perfection of Wisdom of Tathāgatas, or what is shown up by her?

The Lord: Skandhas are shown and realized by this Perfection of Wisdom of Tathāgatas as 'this world' [loka], as these do not crumble, nor crumble away (or to come and go?) [lujyante, pralujyante]. These five skandhas [T1] are emptiness [T2] [U2T] as to any own-being and devoid of any own-being and sameness, inasmuch as can be said with any meaning whatsoever of emptiness, so, can neither crumble nor crumble away. As this sense, this Perfection-of-Wisdom instructs these Tathāgatas in this world. As emptiness can neither crumble nor crumble away, so the Signless, the Wishless, the Unaffected, the Unproduced, Non-existent, and all-completeness of any Realm of Dharma.

Section 3. How Tathāgatas Know Thoughts of All Beings – Buddha’s Omniscience: A Buddha is aware of the true nature & dynamic of thoughts: Union of the Two Truths, Union of opposites, Illusory, Tetralemma, Middle Way, Primordial purity, Limitless Karmic Cycle. But also of specific thoughts. Suchness is infinite pure awareness like space (dharmakaya) [U2T / U3S / Uopp / UGM, U3K].

(Summary 3: In this expansive section, the Lord explains how the Perfection of Wisdom enables Tathāgatas to naturally cognize the thoughts and actions of immeasurable and incalculable beings as they truly are, arising from the dissolution of obscurations through alignment with the six perfections and the Noble Eightfold Path, particularly right intention and action.
– This all-knowledge transcends discursive, fragmented knowing, manifesting as objectless, purely undifferentiated awareness of the uniform non-existence of any individualized or collective own-being in sentience — neither as separate "ones" nor as a totality, but incalculable due to the absence of determinable singularity or multiplicity.
– Thoughts are realized as equivalent to extinction (non-existent in essence) [T2] ⇐⇒ yet non-extinction (as pristine continuum) [T1] [U2T], external distractions from the sourceless source of spontaneous manifestation, without support or interruption; even "one" cannot be established without leaning on something illusory, rendering all phenomena immeasurable and infinite, like space/awareness where no thing comes, goes, or abides.
– This cognition embodies the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: thoughts appear dependently [T1] as varied states — distracted, slack, tense, outflows, greedy/free from greed, hateful/free, deluded/free, extensive/abundant, great/lacking, unlimited, reacting/non-reacting, lower/supreme, unconcentrated/concentrated, unemancipated/emancipated, imperceptible [T1] ⇐⇒ yet are empty of inherent marks [T2] ⇐⇒ neither diminishing nor increasing, neither coming nor going ⇐⇒ non-dual with the Dharma-realm ⇐⇒ illusory like dreams ⇐⇒ and primordially pure ⇐⇒ beyond tetralemma extremes (not this state, not non-this, etc.).
.
Further, Tathāgatas discern tendencies toward positive and negative statements about objects, dependent on the skandhas (e.g., assertions on Tathāgatas' post-death existence or non-existence, self/world as eternal/non-eternal, finite/infinite, soul/body as same/different) [T1] ⇐⇒ yet these statements lack basis in true reality, referring only to empty skandhas [T2] [U2T].
– Through the Perfection, such views are cognized as identical with suchness (tathatā) — uniform, non-varied, non-dual, unaffected — where Suchness of skandhas equates to Suchness of worlds, dharmas, fruits from Streamwinner to Tathāgatahood, all without trace of positivity/negativity or duality.
– This revelation of the world to an infatuated, passion-preoccupied populace occurs as non-falseness and unaltered Suchness, neither fully realized nor unrealized by Tathāgatas, who are thus called "Tathāgata" for abiding in this indescribable harmony; the Middle Way emerges here, with nothing to accept/reject/change absolutely, only conventional engagement if path-aiding, "acting without acting" aware of the three spheres' interdependence and emptiness.
.
Subhuti affirms Suchness as beyond fathom (inconceivable), where enlightenment arises neither through nor by it, yet as it — unconditioned, timeless, placeless, directionless — shared by irreversible Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and those with right views in fathomless stations.
– The Lord concurs: Suchness, inexhaustible and neither realized nor not, is infinite pure awareness like space (dharmakaya), pointing to primordial purity and the cycle of Madhyamaka reasoning (tetralemma ⇐⇒ emptiness ⇐⇒ dependent origination ⇐⇒ Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ illusory ⇐⇒ Middle Way ⇐⇒ purity), where Tathāgatas' cognition illuminates beings' thoughts not as obscured entities but as transparent, luminous essence, self-liberating in insight without production, cessation, or support.

TEXT: Moreover Subhuti, due to this Perfection of Wisdom, Tathāgatas quite naturally know immeasurable and incalculable beings as these really are. This comes about through the inevitable dissolution of obscurations.
– For, herein is simultaneously revealed an increase toward, or away from pure cognition, depending on one's perspective and relationship to these six perfections and Noble Eightfold Path, primarily right intention and right action.
– Eventually this 'pinnacle' awareness comes about as all-knowledge.
– This is, however, completely different and other than bits and pieces of knowing formulated of some discursive thought process.
– This naked realization is of an objectless [U3S] and purely undifferentiated experience [Uopp] of this uniform non-existence of any individualized or collective own-being within any sentience whatsoever.

Again, Tathāgatas are naturally aware of thoughts and actions of immeasurable and incalculable beings, since 'here' or anywhere, in anytime, or in anyway for any beings is no real existence.
– This indication only of some thing called existence, exists neither as separate individualities as many 'ones', nor any totality of individualities, neither any singular one, nor any grouping of two or more, and not even simply as one divided into many...because ultimately and this means even now, any beings and things are incalculable and immeasurable.
– And even still, Tathāgatas, again due to this Perfection of Wisdom, are naturally aware of the collected thoughts of countless beings as only 'collected thoughts'.
– And how do Tathāgatas come to be cognizant of this?

This is naturally cognized, for as pure awareness, this "collectedness of thought" is realized as equivalent to extinct [for, any thing called singular, lone or individual thought, etc., speaking also in terms which are 'thought of' as having an existential basis and from some 'point of view' in existence, does not exist, and is purely cognized as not-other than already as infinitely absolute by Tathāgatas.
– But, this doesn't materialize or manifest as having been thought of.
– What does matter in truth is...what is such as eventually becomes thought as any relative result of it's 'original' pristine continuum of absolution?
– or even, What is any thought at any 'time' or 'place' a result of, in spite or regardless of what we may think?]

This extinction is just non-extinction, as this which is realized as extinct, 'is' no-thing to be extinct and as such is merely non-extinct. Furthermore, Tathāgatas are naturally cognizant of distracted thoughts of beings as such, as these Tathāgatas realize 're'-occupation with any thought as mere distraction, for just as objects of this world, even thought is known as external, and a grave distraction from this sourceless-source of which these are spontaneously manifest with neither time nor limitation.
– Not even mindfulness can be effortlessly directed as such toward this realm of Dharma.
– For even as in this consideration of 'the one divided into many', ...in truth, what is this dreamed of 'one anything' other than, as a basis (?), from which to determine its singularity?
– As here is no-thing other than this 'one', this 'one' has no-thing or support upon which to lean to determine either itself, or any phenomena whatsoever as this or these dharmas.
– So as even one cannot be determined as such, how much more so hundreds of ones?
– How much more so hundreds of thousands of ones?
– How much more so hundreds of thousands of niyutas of kotis of ones?
– Such is what is meant as immeasurable and incalculable.
– Such, in this true aspect is infinite.
– This 'one', all 'ones', are exactly identical as being only an instantaneous reflection of an inexplicable and spontaneous interdependence merely seeming to be individuated by habits coming to be established from beyond any thought or knowledge of this process of reification, hereby 'creating', first of all, this duality called thought itself, (ignorance) so as to attempt to determine some separateness of an illusion of even this non-existent oneness...an appearing of some thing, from the essentially pure infinite space/awareness as ground of any and all being
–. Suchness is a wholeness at once of space and primordial awareness.
– Here is neither one nor parts of one, neither many individual ones nor none.
– As Suchness is beyond thought and measurement, Such is as Suchness is.

On another hand, Tathāgatas realize these thoughts as ultimate reality, and as such are without marks, cannot extinguish, just as any true continuity is not interrupted, not distracted.
– These cannot, as emptiness, be directed on external objects.
– Tathāgatas are cognizant of and realize the infinite and inexhaustible mind of being, of be-ness.
– Tathāgatas are aware, as compassion.
– All beings are understood, for as cognizant mind these buddhas naturally realize immeasurable non-extinction of space as immeasurable non-extinction of mind.
– Buddha-Mind as this infinite continuum is neither produced nor sustained in any time, cognizes neither production nor cessation, neither gives nor requires any support.
– As infinity cannot be measured, as inexhaustible is Dharma.
– Tathāgatas realize obscured minds and the cause of obscuration.
– Such as Tathāgatas realize these minds of people are not actually obscured by perverted views, which, as nothing other than wrong ideas, are also not sustained.Tathāgatas realize unobscure thoughts.
– Tathāgatas see these minds being transparently luminous as essential original nature.
– Tathāgatas realize slack thoughts as well as the reasoning by which they occur.
– Tathāgatas realize these thoughts are unable to slouch on any resting place.
– Tathāgatas cognize tensely active thoughts as these are.
– A Tathāgata realizes these thoughts are exerted so as to win dispassion, and these can no longer be exerted when nothing is left which can be seized upon.

Tathāgatas realize thoughts as outflows.
– As such one realizes even these thoughts as without own- being, as false representations of no-thing.
– Tathāgatas realize thought as this is merely as this might seem.
– Anyone merely aware comes to realize, as an outflow any thought is non-existent.
– As continuity is pure, no-thing neither is nor is not directed, or not.
– Tathāgatas realize any thoughts such as these merely seem to be, yet are not as these are.

Tathāgatas realize a greedy mind is not mind as empty awareness, as mind is not a greedy mind.
– Tathāgatas realize 'any' mind as free from greed.
– Such as these realize any mind as with thoughts of greed is not a greedy mind, as thought of greed and even mind non-exist as 'true reality', as mind which forsakes greed is not greed, nor even mind as detached from greed.
– Tathāgatas naturally realize minds as greedy and as free from greed.
– These realize in the same manner, minds as hateful and as free of hate, as deluded, as well as without delusion.
– Tathāgatas as awareness realize any thoughts of beings. Tathāgatas realize thoughts as not joined to this world of appearance, as these do not appear as the world of appearance. Tathāgatas realize extensive or abundant thoughts.
– Tathāgatas realize thoughts neither diminish nor increase; as thoughts can not depart.
– For thought cannot do so as thoughts cannot be other than this realm of Dharma, thus is here no-where here and nothing outside this to even consider, inasmuch as thought merely could.
– Tathāgatas realize thoughts as neither great, as this which these may be, nor lacking as this which these may not.
– These Tathāgatas realize these thoughts neither come hither nor go away, as any reality such as thought, is not included in the present as such.

Tathāgatas realize thoughts which are thought of as great, merely appear different, as any and all are the same, for such neither appears as sameness, yet neither are these different, nor do these exist in any form of own-being whatsoever.
– For here, any thought which is thought of as 'here' is no thought nor other, nor even awareness as present.
– Tathāgatas realize thought without limitation, as such lean on nothing.
– Tathāgatas realize thought with perceiving attributes perceive thought as own-being, for as no thought exists without perceptible attributes, still any and all thought is without marks, these are neither isolated nor not isolated as any object, nor as imperceptible, neither within nor without any range of the three or five kinds of vision.
– As primordial emptiness/awareness, Tathāgatas realize reacting thoughts as emptiness, and as devoid of objective support as these are of subjective sustenance.
– Tathāgatas realize non-reacting thoughts without 're'-occupation as non-dual, as neither having any own-self nor other against which to react.
– Tathāgatas realize lower [energy] thoughts as no self-conceited imagining.
– Tathāgatas realize supreme [infinitely energetic] thoughts as unimpeded, just as the least thought is neither apprehended nor ignored.

Tathāgatas realize unconcentrated thoughts as attached to differences; [directed as faulty representations of this world as separate things, such thoughts are distracted], for any such thoughts cannot achieve synthesis, due to these being unconcentrated.
– Tathāgatas realize concentrated thoughts as neither same nor different from dharma, for distractions dissolve, revealing synthesis, and increasingly concentrated and rarified thoughts are like unto space.
– Tathāgatas realize this which appears as unemancipated thought is already now emancipated, as these are non-existent as 'own-being'.
– Tathāgatas realize emancipated thoughts, as these cannot grasp any thought of any past, nor of any future, or even any present, as thought is not even present.
– Tathāgatas realize imperceptible thoughts as neither here nor perceived as reality, as such cannot be discerned; for even as such, thought being discerned falls short of perfect reality, and such cannot be grasped, - not by the eye of wisdom, not by the heavenly eye, how much less by the fleshly eye, since it does not come within the range of any of these eyes.

Furthermore, Tathāgatas naturally realize tendencies of countless beings to make positive and negative statements about objects.
– These ideas arise in dependence on form and other skandhas.
– How do any beings discern dependence on these skandhas of these positive and negative statements?
– If we take such statements as, "Tathāgatas continue to exist after death", and "Tathāgatas do not continue to exist after death", and "Tathāgatas do and do not continue to exist after death", and "Tathāgatas neither do nor do not continue to exist after death", these statements refer to these skandhas known as 'Tathāgatas' only and these statements have no basis in the true reality of Tathāgatas.
– This holds good of similar statements, i.e. when one says: "Eternal are self and the world, -just that is the truth, everything else is delusion." And so if one maintains either self and the world are non-eternal, are both eternal and non-eternal, neither eternal nor non-eternal, such statements still refer merely to these skandhas.
– Or, similarly, if one maintains that self and the world are finite, or not finite, or both finite and not finite, or neither finite nor not finite.
– Or, finally, if one says "that which is the soul, that is the body," or "one thing is the soul, another the body," all these statements refer only to skandhas.
– It is a result of Perfection of Wisdom [in verse and application] these Tathāgatas realize these positive and negative statements for what these are.
– Tathāgatas cognize even skandhas as identical with Suchness.

This is how and why as a result of Perfection of Wisdom [in verse and application], these positive and negative statements are realized as these are.
– It is thus Tathāgatas reveal to realization Suchness of Tathāgatas, as of skandhas, as Suchness of positive and negative statements.
– And just as this is Suchness of skandhas, as well is this Suchness of worlds.
– As this is said by Tathāgatas..."these five skandhas are reckoned as world(s)." So here, Subhuti, as such is Suchness of skandhas, such is Suchness of these worlds; as such is Suchness of this world, such is Suchness of all dharmas; as such is Suchness of all dharmas, such is Suchness as fruit of a Streamwinner, so on up to: as such is Suchness of Pratyekabuddhahood, such is Suchness of Tathāgatas.
– As a result, Suchness, -Suchness of Tathāgatas, of skandhas, of dharmas, of holy Disciples and Pratyekabuddhas- is just Suchness without a trace of variety such as positivity and negativity, as nothing beyond even one, non-different, non-extinguishable, unaffected, non-dual, nor with even a question of duality.
– In humbleness and compassion of Perfection of Wisdom, Suchness as Tathāgatas is neither realized nor not realized, as Such is as Suchness.
– Thus Tathāgatas reveals this world to this infatuated world [as such is also] preoccupied as unreasoned passion(s).
– Thusly this vision of worlds takes place.
– Thus...the Perfection-of-Wisdom is mother of Tathāgatas, as such spontaneously appear, neither as her result nor not.
– Thus...Tathāgatas, neither realizing nor not realizing Suchness, cognize Suchness of worlds, as Non-falseness, as unaltered Suchness.
– Thus, as these neither do nor do not 'realize' Suchness [tathatā] Tathāgatas are called, 'Tathāgata'.

Subhuti: Suchness is beyond fathom and unfathomable, O Lord.
– Enlightenment of Buddhas and Lords is neither brought about nor revealed through nor by Suchness, yet merely as Suchness...neither within nor without any times, any place, neither as direction nor directionless.
– Whoever else neither realizes nor does not realize Suchness?
– Any irreversible Bodhisattvas, or Arhats whose right intentions are fulfilled, or persons whom achieve as right views these fathomless stations described by Tathāgatas as Suchness, as Tathāgata are enlightened as these.

The Lord: So it is, Subhuti. Suchness, as Tathāgatas fully neither do nor do not 'realize', is inexhaustible, as Tathāgatas are purely aware [beyond thought and word...as space] of Suchness as such, and can describe Suchness as inexhaustible...for Suchness, neither fully 'realized' nor not...is infinitely pure awareness [as space...dharmakaya].

Section 4. Fathomless Marks and How They are Fastened – The true nature of marks. Empty marks of empty phenomena. Union of the Two Truths about the three spheres of marking [U3S / Union of the Two Truths [U2T-3S]

(Summary 4: In this section, a assembly of Gods, led by Sakra (Chief of Gods), from the realms of sense-desire, form, and Brahma, approaches the Lord to inquire how marks (attributes or characteristics) are affixed to fathomless dharmas, which are revealed as empty, signless, wishless, not brought together, unproduced, neither defiled nor purified, non-existent beyond saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa, akin to the Dharma-realm and suchness (tathatā) — unsupported like space, neither reckoned among skandhas nor dependent on them, unshakable by any beings including Gods or Asuras, as the world itself shares this mark without any fixer.
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The Lord affirms that marks stand inherently as such, regardless of Tathāgatas' arising, and Tathāgatas describe and realize this unaltered reality accordingly, earning the name "Tathāgata" for abiding in truth.
– Subhuti elaborates that these marks are fathomless, realized through the Perfection of Wisdom as unattached cognition/awareness of Tathāgatas — their field and range — embodying the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: marks appear relatively as designations [T1] ⇐⇒ yet are empty of inherent fixation [T2] ⇐⇒ illusory like reflections ⇐⇒ primordially pure ⇐⇒ and non-dual ⇐⇒ beyond tetralemma (not fixed, not unfixed, etc.) ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way where nothing is accepted or rejected absolutely, only conventionally navigated in effortless "acting without acting" aligned with indescribable suchness.)

TEXT: So now, headed by Sakra, Chief of Gods, the Gods of the realm of sense-desire and of the realm of form and twenty thousand of the Gods of the realm of Brahma have come to see the Lord, salute his feet with their heads, and standing to one side, these ask: As fathomless dharmas are revealed, how, O Lord, are the marks fixed onto these?

The Lord: Marks are fixed on to the fact these fathomless dharmas are empty, signless, wishless [the three doors to deliverance], not brought together, not produced, not stopped, not defiled, not purified, so, as such these non-exist, beyond even saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa, as does also this realm of Dharma, and Suchness. As these marks are not supported by anything such are like unto space. These marks are not fixed on by Tathāgatas, as these cannot be reckoned among skandhas. As these are not dependent on skandhas, such are not fixed on by Gods, Nagas nor any beings, and these cannot be shaken off by the world with its Gods, beings and Asuras. For even this world with its Gods, beings and Asuras has just this mark. No hand has fixed on these marks. Would this be correct to say space is fixed on something?

The Gods: No, Lord, as it would have to be conditioned.

The Lord: Well said, and this is true, O Gods. Regardless of whether Tathāgatas are produced or not, these marks stand out just as such. In accordance with what stands out, just as such Tathāgatas describe this reality, as such Tathāgatas fully realize it. As such are Tathāgatas called 'Tathāgata'.

Subhuti: Fathomless, O Lord, are these marks as Tathāgatas fully realize Perfection of Wisdom as unattached cognition/awareness of Tathāgatas. This field in this unattached cognition is Perfection of Wisdom, this range of Tathāgatas.

Section 5. The World Shown as Empty – Perceiving / knowing without perceiving / knowing the 5-aggregates (world), without attachment, reification, effort or absolute; while being aware of the true nature of the three spheres of the activity – ex. subject / perceiver / knower, action / perception / cognition, object / perceived / known –, as the Union of the Two Truths about the three spheres [U3S / Union of the Two Truths [U2T-3S]]; without accepting them as they appear to be, nor completely rejecting them as non-existence, non-functional, useless.

(Summary 5: In this concluding section of the chapter, the Lord affirms that Tathāgatas are instructed in the world through the Perfection of Wisdom, realizing unsupported dharmas as standing nowhere yet dwelling interdependently as Dharma itself, revering it as the essence equivalent to the Perfection — source of all-knowledge — for which they are gratefully thankful (kritajna kritavedin), favoring the Mahayana vehicle and cognizing dharmas as unmade, un-together, in gratitude that extends this instruction.
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Subhuti questions how the Perfection can instruct if dharmas are unknowable and imperceptible due to emptiness and non-support;
– the Lord praises the inquiry, explaining that dharmas are fully known precisely through this empty nature, via non-viewing of skandhas — where consciousness arises without objective support, and this non-viewing constitutes the true viewing of the world as empty, unthinkable, calmly quiet, self-purified, indicated without doing anything.
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The essence reveals the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: the world and dharmas appear as interdependent [T1] ⇐⇒ yet empty and unknowable [T2] ⇐⇒ illusory like reflections ⇐⇒ primordially pure ⇐⇒ and non-dual beyond tetralemma ⇐⇒ with the Perfection as instructress embodying the Middle Way—showing reality (tathatā) through non-grasping awareness, "acting without acting" to indicate without fabrication, fostering gratitude as recognition of suchness where knowledge arises effortlessly from emptiness.)

TEXT: The Lord: So it is, Subhuti. With this process of Perfection of Wisdom are Tathāgatas instructed within worlds. As Tathāgatas are spontaneously interdependent with dharma, as also with this Perfection of Wisdom, to this extent are these dharmas which stand without support fully realized by Tathāgatas, as these take their stand nowhere. As such, these dwell interdependently as just Dharma. Tathāgatas treat Dharma with respect, revere, worship and adore this, as these realize this essential nature of dharma is just Perfection of Wisdom. Just as all-knowledge of Tathāgatas is realized as Perfection of Wisdom, Tathāgatas are grateful and thankful for her. With justice can Tathāgatas be called "grateful and thankful" [kritajna kritavedin]. With gratitude and thankfulness Tathāgatas] favor and cherish this vehicle for such is this path by which these realize full enlightenment. One knows this gratitude and thankfulness of Tathāgatas. In addition, Tathāgatas fully know all dharmas as neither made [akrita] nor unmade, as not brought together. This also, one knows as gratitude and thankfulness of Tathāgatas. It is as gratitude to Perfection of Wisdom this cognition of Tathāgatas thus proceeds in all dharmas. This is another aspect of the fact this Perfection of Wisdom simultaneously instructs Tathāgatas in this world.

Subhuti: But how can the Perfection-of-Wisdom instruct Tathāgatas in this world if all dharmas are unknowable and imperceptible?

The Lord: It is good, Subhuti, as you question Tathāgata about this matter. All dharmas are indeed unknowable and imperceptible as these are empty, and cannot lean on anything. It is thus all these dharmas are, as the Perfection-of-Wisdom, fully known by Tathāgatas. Another reason also Perfection of Wisdom can be regarded as the instructress of Tathāgatas in this world is that none of the skandhas is viewed.

Subhuti: How can here be a non-viewing of form, feeling, perception, impulse, or consciousness?

The Lord: As in this continuum arises merely an apparent act of consciousness which has no skandhas as objective support, here this non-viewing of form, etc., takes place. But, just this non-viewing of the skandhas is viewing of the world. This is the way in which this world is viewed by Tathāgatas. Thus Perfection of Wisdom acts as instructress in these worlds to Tathāgatas. And how does Perfection of Wisdom show up this world for what it is? She shows this world as empty, unthinkable, calmly quiet. As purified of itself she shows up the world, she makes it known, she indicates it, yet does nothing.

Section 6. Added Conclusion to Chapter 12

Showing the World – How the Perfection of Wisdom (“acting without acting” without attachment, reifications, effort or absolute; or the Union of adapted skillful means and wisdom [U2T-in-action]) reveals the true nature of world (tathātā, suchness) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths about all dharmas [U2T], or as non-dual Primordial Empty-awareness / Pure Consciousness.

Chapter 12 of the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines, titled "Showing the World," serves as a profound exposition on how the Perfection of Wisdom reveals the true nature of reality (tathatā, or suchness) to Tathāgatas, enabling them to instruct and illuminate the "world" for the benefit of all beings.

Far from a mere didactic recounting, the chapter subtly unveils the non-dual essence of existence, where the apparent multiplicity of phenomena — the skandhas, thoughts, marks, and dharmas — is shown as inseparable from emptiness, interdependence, and primordial purity. (i.e. All dharmas are: Tetralemma ⇐⇒ Emptiness ⇐⇒ Dependent Origination ⇐⇒ Union of the Two Truths ⇐⇒ Illusory, ‘there, yet not there’ ⇐⇒ Middle Way free from all extremes and middle, nothing to accept, nothing to reject ⇐⇒ Primordial Interconnections, Equality, Purity, Perfection, Completions, Divinity, ‘Oneness’ ⇐⇒ Cycle.)

This "showing" is not an active demonstration in a conventional sense but an effortless indication through non-grasping awareness, embodying "acting without acting":
– Tathāgatas point to the world without reifying subject (knower), action (knowing), or object (known), aligning with the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] — relative appearances [T1] harmoniously united with emptiness of inherent existence [T2], where one implies the other. —
(i.e. Perceiving / realising / experiencing / knowing without perceiving / realising / experiencing / knowing the world, without attachment, reification, effort or absolute)

The subtle thread weaving through the sections is the transcendence of dualistic perception (without rejection): the world is neither "crumbled" into fragments nor solidified into permanence, but revealed as illusory like space — vividly "there, yet not there" — fostering the Middle Way free from extremes of affirmation (eternalism, ‘this’), negation (nihilism, ‘non-this’), both (dualism), or neither (monism), as per the tetralemma.

Beginning with Section 12.1, the metaphor of the Perfection as the "mother" of all Buddhas subtly emphasizes its generative, nurturing role in birthing enlightenment across the three times (past, present, future) and beyond. This maternal imagery is not literal but points to the interdependent arising of Buddhas [M] from the Perfection's timeless essence [G] [UGM] — empty, undifferentiated awareness as "dark as pitch" and infinite as space — protected zealously by Tathāgatas' compassion, which views all beings in "absolute sameness." The subtlety lies in the primordial purity: the Perfection is not a creator entity but the non-dual ground [G] from which cognition emerges [M] [UGM / U2T-GM], instructing Tathāgatas in the "way of the world" as suchness, where birth and guidance are illusory processes, self-liberating without inherent production or cessation. This counters Mara's illusory deeds from the previous chapter, affirming the Perfection's indestructibility and its role in universal weal, highlighting Madhyamaka reasoning: emptiness ⇐⇒ dependent origination ⇐⇒ Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ illusory nature, cycling to reveal that Buddhas "come and go" as spontaneous manifestations [M] of this purity [G] [UGM], without attachment.

Section 12.2 deepens this by defining the "world" (loka) as the five skandhas, which neither "crumble" nor "crumble away" (or to come and go?) because they are empty of own-being, shown through the Perfection's instruction in attributes like signless, wishless, unproduced, and non-existent. The subtle meaning here is the deconstruction of worldly solidity: skandhas appear dependently functional [T1] yet are empty [T2], implying Union of the Two Truths [U2T] where decay is impossible in absolute terms, as nothing inherently arises to fall apart. This "non-crumbling" points to tathatā as beyond conceptual extremes—neither eternal nor annihilated—illusory like mirages, urging the Middle Way: no need to reject the world as illusory or affirm it as real, but to engage conventionally while aware of its emptiness, "acting without acting, without attachment, reification, effort or absolute" to navigate saṃsāra without reification.

The longest and most intricate, Section 12.3, elucidates how Tathāgatas know beings' thoughts via the Perfection, dissolving obscurations to reveal undifferentiated awareness of non-existence [U2T] — thoughts as incalculable, neither one nor many, extinct yet non-extinct, distractions from sourceless space-like awareness.
– Subtly, this cognition transcends ordinary knowing: thoughts (greedy/free, hateful/free, etc.) are realized as empty, without marks, infinite, neither obscured nor unobscured, non-dual with Dharma-realm, where positive/negative statements depend on empty skandhas yet are baseless in suchness.
– The key subtlety is the indivisibility of suchness — uniform across skandhas, worlds, dharmas, and enlightenment levels — neither realized nor unrealized, earning Tathāgatas their name for abiding in non-falseness. (i.e. It is the unchanging part of all changing parts; the Ground of all dharmas.)
– This ties to primordial purity: minds are inherently luminous (primordial empy-awareness), transparent essence, self-liberating in insight; omniscience arises as compassionate awareness, knowing specifics (particular thoughts) through general emptiness, like space encompassing all without division.
– Madhyamaka cycles here: tetralemma applies to thoughts (not existent, not non-, etc.), revealing Union of the Two Truths [U2T], where the "infatuated world" is showing its passions as empty, fostering effortless liberation.

Section 12.4 shifts to fathomless marks, questioned by Gods: affixed as empty, unsupported like space, not dependent on skandhas, unshakable, standing inherently regardless of Tathāgatas, who describe and realize this reality. Subtly, marks are not imposed but intrinsic to suchness—non-fixed, like space unconditioned—highlighting non-duality: the world shares this mark, beyond fixation by any being. Subhuti's addition: marks as unattached cognition, the Perfection's field, pointing to Union of the Two Truths [U2T] where attributes appear [T1] yet are empty [T2], illusory and pure, Middle Way avoiding reification of "fathomless" as extreme.

Finally, Section 12.5 synthesizes: Tathāgatas realize unsupported dharmas as Dharma, revering the Perfection with gratitude for all-knowledge, knowing unmade dharmas via non-viewing of skandhas — consciousness without support, showing the world as empty, unthinkable, quiet, self-purified, indicated without doing. The subtlety profound: unknowability (emptiness) enables full knowing, non-viewing as true viewing, embodying "acting without acting"—showing without fabrication, gratitude as recognition of suchness. This counters dualism: dharmas empty yet instruct, world purified of itself.

In essence, Chapter 12 masterfully converges on the central theme of tathatā (suchness) — the indescribable, inconceivable true nature of reality — as the ultimate pointer illuminated by the Perfection of Wisdom, where all phenomena, from the "world" defined as the five skandhas to thoughts, marks, and dharmas, are revealed in their non-dual harmony via the Union of the Two Truths [U2T].
– This union posits that phenomena are dependently co-arisen as relatively functional appearances (the first truth, T1) ⇐⇒ yet simultaneously empty of any inherent, independent existence (the second truth, T2) ⇐⇒ with one aspect implying and inseparable from the other [U2T] — neither truth superior, nor one "real" while the other "illusory," but both complementary, imperfect tools pointing beyond themselves to suchness [U2T].
– The skandhas, for instance, are shown as neither crumbling nor decaying because they lack own-being, extending this emptiness to signless, wishless, unproduced states;
– thoughts of beings are cognized as incalculable and infinite, extinct yet non-extinct, marked by specifics like greed or concentration yet uniform in suchness, free from positivity/negativity or duality;
– marks are fathomless and unsupported like space, inherently standing without fixation;
– and dharmas are fully known through their unknowability,
– via non-viewing that paradoxically views the world as empty, unthinkable, calmly quiet, and self-purified.
– This revelation transcends realization itself — neither fully "known" nor "unknown" — as Tathagatas abide in unaltered suchness, earning their name by describing it without alteration.

The Perfection of Wisdom emerges as the maternal source and instructress, non-dually begetting and guiding Tathagatas in this world, evoking gratitude that fosters universal compassion: it protects and perpetuates suchness against illusory obstructions, revealing all-knowledge as space-like primordial awareness — vast, luminous, objectless, and undifferentiated — where omniscience knows both general nature (empty uniformity) and specifics (particular thoughts at moments) without grasping, as all dissolves into the indivisible Ground, erasing distinctions like "my thought" versus "your thought."
– This space-analogy underscores primordial purity: phenomena are inherently interconnected, pure, perfect, and "One" in non-dual sense ⇐⇒ beyond tetralemma extremes (not existent, not non-existent, not both, not neither) ⇐⇒ illusory like dreams or reflections—"there, yet not there."
– Reinforcing the Madhyamaka cycle—tetralemma ⇐⇒ emptiness ⇐⇒ dependent origination ⇐⇒ Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ illusory nature ⇐⇒ Middle Way ⇐⇒ Primordial Purity—the path unfolds as non-attached engagement: "acting without acting," mindfully navigating conventions without reifying the three spheres (subject, action, object), transforming apparent multiplicity into effortless liberation.
– Ultimately, "showing the world" liberates without force, unveiling boundless peace by aligning beings with inconceivable reality, where the Perfection's revelation self-liberates delusions, turning the ordinary into enlightenment's display.