The Prajnaparamita in Eight Thousand Verses
THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM IN 8,000 LINES
A humble re-vision of the wonderful achievement of the late Dr. Edward Conze...now of the
21st Century.
By Richard Babcock
(roo-1@adelphia.net)
A Note from Richard Babcock: This ‘Re-Visioning’ of Dr. Conze's work is of the complete 32 Chapters in prose, which were compiled in his 1973 Edition titled, The Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines & Its Verse Summary. There were 32 versified Chapters in the same book, which I have Re-Vised as well, but chose to not include them here along with this prosaical rendering, solely in the interests of clarity and what's hoped to be an easing of understanding. The several verse references [numbers in squared brackets] are consistent with the mentioned versified version, and some works by other authors as well. (see The Perfection of Wisdom; by R. C. Jamieson, published in 2000 by Viking Studio, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc.)
Table of Contents
Chapter I — The Practice of the Knowledge of All Modes; Chapter II — Sakra; Chapter III — Reverence for the Receptacle of the Perfections, which holds Immeasurable Good Qualities; Chapter IV — The Proclamation of Qualities; Chapter V — The Revolution of Merit; Chapter VI — Dedication and Jubilation; Chapter VII — Hell; Chapter VIII — Purity; Chapter IX — Praise; Chapter X — Proclamation of the Qualities of Bearing in Mind; Chapter XI — Mara's Deeds; Chapter XII — Showing the World; Chapter XIII — Unthinkable; Chapter XIV — Similes; Chapter XV — Gods; Chapter XVI — Suchness; ChapterXVII — Attributes, Tokens, and Signs of Irreversibility; Chapter XVIII — Emptiness; Chapter XIX — The Goddess of the Ganges; Chapter XX — Discussion of Skill in Means; Chapter XXI — (More of) Mara's Deeds; Chapter XXII — The Good Friends; Chapter XXIII — Sakra; Chapter XXIV — Conceit; Chapter XXV — Training; Chapter XXVI — Like Illusion; Chapter XXVII — The Core; Chapter XXVIII — Avakirnakusuma; Chapter XXIX — Approaches; Chapter XXX — Sadaprarudita; Chapter XXXI — Dharmodgata; Chapter XXXII — Entrusting
Chapter I
The Practice of the Knowledge of All Modes
1. INTRODUCTION
Thus I now hear at this time. The Lord, dwelling at Rajagriha, on the Vulture Peak, together with a great gathering of 1,250 beings, all of these Arhats, - their outflows being dried up, undefiled, fully controlled, quite free in heart, well free and wise, thoroughbreds, great Serpents, their work being done, their task getting accomplished, their burdens laying down, their own weal becoming accomplished, with fetters which bound these to becoming extinguished, hearts quite free by right understanding, in perfect control of whole mind with the exception of one single person, i.e., the Venerable Ananda.
The Lord says to the Venerable Subhuti, the Elder: "Make it clear now, Subhuti, to Bodhisattvas, the great beings, starting from perfect wisdom, how Bodhisattvas, the great beings go forth into perfect wisdom!"
Herein the Venerable Sariputra thinks to himself: Will this Venerable Subhuti, the Elder, expound perfect wisdom of himself, through the operation and force of own-power in revealing wisdom, or through the Buddha's might?
The Venerable Subhuti, knowing through the Buddha's might, the Venerable Sariputra to be in such wise discoursing, says to the Venerable Sariputra: "Whatsoever, Venerable Sariputra, the Lord's Disciples teach, all this is to be known as Tathagata's work. In dharma which Tathagatas demonstrate, the devoted ones train and realize true nature and hold this in mind. Herein nothing which these teach contradicts true nature of dharma. Whatsoever these sons and daughters of good family may expound as nature of dharma, this these do not bring into contradiction with actual nature of dharma.
2. THE EXTINCTION OF SELF
Herein the Venerable Subhuti, by the Buddha's might, said to the Lord: "The Lord says, 'Make it clear now, Subhuti, to Bodhisattvas, the great beings, starting from perfect wisdom, how Bodhisattvas, the great beings go forth into perfect wisdom!'" As one speaks of a 'Bodhisattva', which dharma does this word 'Bodhisattva' denote? Lord, I see neither this dharma 'Bodhisattva', nor any dharma called 'perfect wisdom'. Since I neither find, nor apprehend, nor see this dharma 'Bodhisattva', nor any dharma called 'perfect wisdom', what Bodhisattva do I instruct and admonish, in what perfect wisdom? And yet, O Lord, as this is pointed out, a Bodhisattva heart is known as neither cowed, nor stolid...neither despairing nor despondent, as one neither turns away nor is dejected or trembling, neither is frightened or terrified, it is just this Bodhisattva, this great being which comes to be instructed in perfect wisdom. It is precisely this which is recognized as the perfect wisdom of any Bodhisattva, as one's instruction in perfect wisdom. As one thus stands firm, this is one's instruction and admonition. As a Bodhisattva courses in perfect wisdom and is developing such...this one so trains oneself, as one does not pride oneself on or with any thought of enlightenment [with which one begins one's career]. Any thought is no thought, since in its essentially aware nature thought is transparently luminous.
Sariputra: This thought which is no thought, is this something which is?
Subhuti: Is here existing, or can one apprehend in this state of absence of thought either a 'here is' or a 'here is not'?...
Sariputra: No, not this.
Subhuti: Is this now a suitable question which the Venerable Sariputra asks whether this thought which is no thought is something which is?
Sariputra: So, what is this absence of thought?
Subhuti: It is without modification or discrimination.
Sariputra: Well do you expound this, Subhuti, you whom the Lord declares to be foremost of any who dwell in Peace. And for this is seen to be foremost of any who dwell in Peace. And for this reason [i.e. as one does not pride oneself on any thought of enlightenment] is a Bodhisattva considered as incapable of turning away from full enlightenment, and as one who never ceases from taking perfect wisdom to heart. Whether one perseveres in training on the level of Disciple, or Pratyekabuddha, or Bodhisattva, - does one listen to this perfection of wisdom, take this up, bear this in mind, recite this, study this, spread this among others, and in this very perfection of wisdom does one train and exert oneself. In this very perfection of wisdom does one endowed with skill in means exert oneself, concentrating on procuring any and all dharmas which constitute a Bodhisattva. In just this perfection of wisdom any and all dharmas which constitute a Bodhisattva, and in which one trains and exerts oneself, are indicated in full detail. Any being which aspires to train for full enlightenment also listens, takes up, bears in mind, recites, studies and spreads this perfection of wisdom. Any being which is endowed with skill in means exerts oneself in just this perfection of wisdom, with the aim of procuring any and all dharmas which constitute a Buddha.
Subhuti: As I who do not find anything to correspond to the words 'Bodhisattva', or 'perfect wisdom', -which Bodhisattva do I now instruct and admonish in which perfect wisdom? It is truly regrettable as I, while unable to find either thing itself, merely in words might cause a Bodhisattva to arise and to pass away. Even so, this, thusly designated, is neither continuous nor not-continuous, neither discontinuous nor not-discontinuous. And why? Simply...this does not exist. This is why this is neither continuous nor not-continuous, neither discontinuous, nor not-discontinuous. A Bodhisattva, being as unafraid as this unfathomable and perfect wisdom is indicated can be recognized as not lacking in perfect wisdom, and, as one in this irreversible stage of Bodhisattva, standing firmly in consequence of not taking one's stand anywhere. So too, a Bodhisattva coursing in perfect wisdom and developing as such, neither does nor even can stand in form, feeling, perception, impulse and consciousness, due to this fact...as one stands in, or is set in view regarding form, etc., as such, one courses only in its formative influence, and one can neither gain perfect wisdom, exert oneself upon nor fulfill this. As one does not fulfill perfect wisdom, neither can one go forth to all-knowledge, so long as one remains trying to appropriate the essentially elusive. In perfect wisdom form, feeling, perception, impulse and consciousness is/are not appropriated. So, the non-appropriation of form, etc., is not form, etc. [the 5 skandhas], and perfect wisdom also cannot be appropriated. It is thus which a Bodhisattva courses in perfect wisdom. This concentrated insight of a Bodhisattva is called 'the non-appropriation of all dharmas'. It is vast, noble, unlimited and steady, not shared by any of the Disciples or Pratyekabuddhas. All-knowledge cannot be taken hold of, as it cannot be seized through any sign. Could all-knowledge be seized through a sign, Srenika the Wanderer could not gain faith in this our doctrine and tradition. Srenika the Wanderer believes resolutely in cognition of all-knowing, and as a faith-follower he enters cognition with a limited scope. He does not take hold of these skandhas. Nor does he review cognition with joyful zest and pleasure. He views this neither as from inside form, etc., nor as from outside, nor as from both inside and outside, nor as from other than form, etc. In this scripture passage, Srenika the Wanderer, as one who always resolutely believes in cognition of the all-knowing, is called a faith-follower. He takes true nature of dharmas as his standard, and resolutely believes in signlessness such as he neither takes hold of any dharma, nor apprehends any dharma which he even might appropriate or release. He does not even care about Nirvana. This also can be known as a Bodhisattva's perfect wisdom, as he does not take hold of form, etc., and he does not enter Nirvana midway before he realizes ten powers of Tathagatas, his four grounds of self-confidence, and the eighteen dharmas peculiar to a Buddha. Herein too is known as a Bodhisattva's perfection of wisdom. Further, any Bodhisattva coursing in perfection of wisdom and developing this, considers and meditates on what perfection of wisdom is, on one demonstrating perfect wisdom, and on perfect wisdom as dharma which does not exist, which cannot be apprehended. Only as these considerations make a type of wordless sense, and do not make one doubtful or afraid, can be one be known as, or come to be known as a Bodhisattva taken hold of by perfect wisdom.
Sariputra: How can a Bodhisattva become known as 'taken hold of by perfect wisdom', as form does not possess the own-being of form, and as well the other skandhas; as perfect wisdom does not possess own-being of perfect wisdom; and as all-knowledge does not possess own-being of all-knowledge?
Subhuti: It is so, Sariputra. Form does not possess own-being of form, and as well the other skandhas. Perfect wisdom does not possess any mark (of being) 'perfect wisdom'. A mark does not possess own-being of a mark. Any 'thing' whatsoever as 'marked' does not possess own-being as [or for] being marked, and this which is seen or thought of as own-being does not possess any mark of [being] own-being, neither as any of vision, sound, thought, word nor concept, nor subject or object.