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Thus I have heard; Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajagriha
on Vultures' Peak, together with a great
assembly of monks and bodhisattvas. At that time, the Blessed One was totally
absorbed in the concentration that examines all phenomena, called Profound
Illumination . At the same time, the Noble Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva
Mahasattva was engaged in the profound practice of the Wisdom Gone Beyond,
analysing the five aggregates, by nature empty. Then, through the inspiration
of the Buddha, the Venerable Shariputra spoke to the Noble Avalokiteshvara,
the Bodhisattva Mahasattva, saying, "How should those of good family
learn, who wish to follow the profound practice of the Wisdom Gone Beyond?".
Thus he spoke and the Noble Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva
Mahasattva replied to the Venerable Shariputra saying, "Oh Shariputra,
whatever son or daughter of good family wishes to follow the profound practice
of the Wisdom Gone Beyond, should look at it like this, analysing the five
aggregates, by nature empty:
"Form is empty, emptiness is form. Emptiness is no other
than form; form is no other than emptiness. In the same way, feeling, recognition,
karmic formations and consciousness are all empty. Therefore, Shariputra,
all phenomena are empty without characteristics. They are unborn and unceasing;
they are neither impure nor free from impurity. They neither decrease nor
increase. Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling,
no recognition, no karmic formations, no consciousness; there is no eye,
no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind. There are no spheres of the
eyes...up to no spheres of the mind. There are none of these, all the way
up to the sphere of mental consciousness. There is no ignorance, nor is
there destruction of ignorance - there is none of these, all the way up
to no old age and death, nor is there destruction of old age and death.
Thus, there is no suffering, no cause of suffering, no cessation of suffering
and no path. There is no wisdom, no attainment and no non-attainment. Therefore,
Shariputra, because there is no attainment, all bodhisattvas hold to the
Wisdom Gone Beyond, and because there is no obscurity of mind, they have
no fear. Passing utterly beyond falsity, they reach beyond the bounds of
sorrow. All the Buddhas who dwell in the three times, by relying on the
Wisdom Gone Beyond, fully and clearly awaken to unsurpassed, most perfect
and complete enlightenment.
Therefore, the mantra of the Wisdom Gone Beyond, the mantra
of great insight, the unequalled and unsurpassed mantra, the mantra that
calms all suffering should be known as the truth; for there is no deception.
The mantra of the Wisdom Gone Beyond is proclaimed:
TAYATHA GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA
(Gone, Gone, Gone Beyond, Gone Completely Beyond, Awakened, So Be It)
Oh Shariputra, this is how a Bodhisattva Mahasattva should
learn the profound Wisdom Gone Beyond.".
Then the Blessed One arose from that concentration and praised
the Noble Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva, saying, "Very
good, very good, Oh son of good family. It is exactly like that. The profound
Wisdom Gone Beyond should be practised exactly as you have said, and then
the Tathagatas will rejoice.". When the Blessed One had said this,
the Venerable Shariputra, the Noble Avalokiteshvara, that whole gathering,
and the world with its gods, men, anti-gods and spirits, their hearts full
of joy, praised the words of the Blessed One.
So ends the Noble Discourse on the Essence of the Wisdom
Gone Beyond.
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