The Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàPrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàSà «tra (Sanskrit: à ¤ à ¤·à ¥Âà ¤Âà ¤¸à ¤¾à ¤¹à ¤¸à ¥Âà ¤°à ¤¿à ¤Âà ¤¾ à ¤ªà ¥Âà ¤°à ¤Âà ¥Âà ¤Âà ¤¾à ¤ªà ¤¾à ¤°à ¤®à ¤¿à ¤¤à ¤¾ à ¤¸à ¥Âà ¤¤à ¥Âà ¤°; English: The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand [Lines]) is a MahÃÂyÃÂna Buddhist sà «tra in the category of PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàsà «tra literature. The sà «tra's manuscript witnesses date to at least the second half of the first century, making it among the oldest Buddhist manuscripts in existence. The sà «tra forms the basis for the expansion and development of the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàsà «tra literature. In terms of its influence in the development of Buddhist philosophical thought, P.L. Vaidya writes that "all Buddhist writers from NÃÂgÃÂrjuna, ÃÂryadeva, MaitreyanÃÂtha, Asaá¹ ga, Vasubandhu, DignÃÂga, down to Haribhadra concentrated their energies in interpreting Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàonly," making it of great significance in the development of MadhyÃÂmaka and YogÃÂcÃÂra thought.
The sà «tra deals with a number of topics, but is primarily concerned with the conduct of a bodhisattva, the realisation and attainment of the Perfection of Wisdom as one of the Six Perfections, the realisation of thusness (tathÃÂtÃÂ), the attainment of irreversibility on the path to buddhahood (avaivartika), non-conceptualisation and abandonment of views, as well as the worldly and spiritual benefit of worshipping the sà «tra.
The Sanskrit title for the sà «tra, Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàPrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàSà «tram, literally translates as "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Sà «tra." The "Eight Thousand," Edward Conze indicates, refers roughly to à Âlokas, which have a count of thirty two syllables. Regarding this, Conze writes, "The Cambridge manuscript Add 866 of A.D. 1008 gives the actual number of slokas after each chapter, and added together they are exactly 8,411." This title is likely late in origin, as Seishi Karashima writes regarding the text from which Lokaká¹£ema (fl. 147âÂÂ189) was translating, the text was probably originally just entitled PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàor MahÃÂprajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. But when different versions began circulating, the additional titles, such as references to length, were added in order to differentiate them. The name of Lokaká¹£ema's translation thus became Dàohéng BÃÂnruòbà Âluómì Jëng, "The Way of Practice Perfection of Wisdom Sà «tra," with the extra element "Dàohéng" taken from the name of the first chapter.
The sà «tra is among the most well-established in the MahÃÂyÃÂna tradition and "was the first philosophical text to be translated from the MahÃÂyÃÂna literature into Chinese." It was translated seven times into Chinese, five times into Tibetan, and eight times into Mongolian. Its titles in the languages of these various countries include:
While it is held by some in the MahÃÂyÃÂna tradition that the Buddha taught the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikÃÂ, and the other MahÃÂyÃÂna sà «tras during his lifetime, some legends exist regarding its appearance in the world after the Buddha's parinirvÃÂá¹Âa. One such legend is that Mañjuà Ârë Bodhisattva came to the house of King Candragupta (321âÂÂ297 BCE), preached, and left the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàthere. Another, related by Haribhadra (8th C), is that while the à ÂrÃÂvakayÃÂna teachings were entrusted and preserved by ÃÂnanda, the MahÃÂyÃÂna sà «tras, and in particular the "PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàSà «tra," were entrusted to VajradhÃÂra residing in the Aá¸Âakavatë Heaven. Finally, the legend which has the most currency in East Asia, is that NÃÂgÃÂrjuna was gifted the sà «tra from the king of the nÃÂgas after seeing NÃÂgÃÂrjuna's resolve to obtain the MahÃÂyÃÂna sà «tras of the Buddha that were missing on earth.
It is clear that Indian monastics did not see the development of the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàliterature in the first millennium as an outgrowth from the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikÃÂ, an early opinion, but DignÃÂga (c. 480âÂÂ540 CE), suggests "we assert that this Eight Thousand is a condensed version [of the Perfection of Wisdom] text, not short of any of the topics. It proclaims the very same topics that the longer sà «tras] have proclaimed." Later, Haribhadra suggests that the Buddha "demonstrated the [à ÂatasÃÂhasrikÃÂ] to bring benefit to those beings who are devoted to words and delight in extensively worked-out rendition, demonstrated the [Pañcaviá¹Âà ÂatisÃÂhasrikÃÂ], through gathering all the topics together, out of affection for those beings who delight in middle-sized [renditions] and understand from selective elaboration, and taught the [Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikÃÂ], through condensing its topics, to produce benefit for beings who are captured by headings and delight in brief explanation." Haribhadra, however, uses the topics of the Pañcaviá¹Âà ÂatisÃÂhasrikÃÂ, which were the basis of the AbhisamayÃÂlaá¹ kÃÂra of Asaá¹ ga (4th C) on which his commentary relies, in order to explain the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikÃÂ.
Chinese monastics in general also held that the translations corresponding to the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàwere redacted from the medium sà «tras (e.g. translations of the Pañcaviá¹Âà ÂatisÃÂhasrikÃÂ)âÂÂdespite the fact that large portions of the shorter versions of the sà «tra are absent from the larger texts. For instance, DaoâÂÂan (312-385 CE) theorised that Indian monks redacted the Dàohéng translation from the longer sà «tras, but also that the longer sà «tras could be used as commentaries on the Dàohéng. Similarly, Zhi Daolin (314-366 CE) suggested that monks had redacted the XiÃÂopÃÂn translation from the medium sà «tra.
Contemporary scholarship holds that the shorter PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàsà «tras, using the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàas the base, were redacted and expanded in the formation of the longer sà «tras. As Jan Nattier characterises,<blockquote>the evolution of the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikÃÂ-PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàinto the Pañcaviá¹Âsati-sÃÂhasrikàthrough what we might call the âÂÂclub sandwichâ style of textual formation: with the exception of the final chapters (30-32 in the Sanskrit version) of the Aá¹£á¹Âa-, which have no counterpart in the Sanskrit Pañca- and apparently circulated separately before being incorporated into the Aá¹£á¹Âa- ... the [Pañca-] consists of the Aá¹£á¹Âa- being âÂÂslicedâ like a loaf of bread and then layered with âÂÂfillingsâ introduced from other sources. Very little of the text of the Aá¹£á¹Âa- has been altered in the process, and only rarely does a crumb of the âÂÂbreadâ seem to have dropped out. The Pañca- is not simply related to the Aá¹£á¹Âa-; it is the Aá¹£á¹Âa-, with the addition of a number of layers of new material.</blockquote>Similarly, Edward Conze suggested a nine-stage model of expansion. (1) A base urtext of the Ratnagunasaá¹Âcaya GÃÂthÃÂ, starting with the first two chapters. (2) Chapters 3 to 28 of the Ratnagunasaá¹Âcaya were added, which were then put into prose as the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikÃÂ. To this were gradually added (3) material from the Abhidharma, (4) concessions to the "Buddhism of Faith" (referring to Pure Land references in the sà «tra), and then (5) the expansion into the larger sà «tras, their (6) contraction into the shorter sà «tras (i.e. Diamond Sà «tra, Heart Sà «tra, down to the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàin One Letter), which all in turn set the basis for the (7) YogÃÂcÃÂrin commentaries and (8) Tantras and (9) Chan.
Based on a similar understanding, most scholars of the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàhave suggested that there is a base urtext from which the rest of the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàexpanded. Similar to Conze in regards to the Ratnagunasaá¹Âcaya, scholars who hold that the first chapter of the prose sà «tra is the urtext include Kà Âun Kajiyoshi, Yinshun, and Lambert Schmithausen. Ryà «shà  Hikata argued that the sà «tra was composed in two phases from Chapter 1 to 25, but that material from Chapter 26 to 32 and references to Aká¹£obhya were later developments. P.L. Vaidya is alone in suggesting that the urtext is "Dharmodgata's sermon to SadÃÂprarudita" at Chapter 31.
Matthew Orsborn presents a dissenting opinion to the urtext theories, holding that the presence of chiastic structures may point "to the entire sà «tra being composed as a single and unified whole as it presently stands (more or less)," with additional materials being added around these chiastically arranged materials.
The primary subject of PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàcommentary has been the Pañcaviá¹Âà ÂatisÃÂhasrikàversion. This includes the commentaries attributed to NÃÂgÃÂrjuna, DignÃÂga, and Asaá¹ ga's AbhisamayÃÂlaá¹ kÃÂra. Using the AbhisamayÃÂlaá¹ kÃÂra as a basis, however, Haribhadra composed a commentary on the Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikÃÂ, the AbhisamayÃÂlaá¹ kÃÂrÃÂloka, or the "Light for the Ornament of Clear Realisation." While, owing to it being based on a commentary on a different text, the structure suggested to be present by Haribhadra does not fit perfectly, the structure as he understands it is as follows:
The following is a chronological survey of prominent manuscript witnesses and editions of the Sanskrit Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàtext:
The following editions have been made of the Sanskrit text:
The Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàfirst became known to western scholars when Brian Hodgson had obtained manuscripts of the sà «tra in Nepal and sent them to the Indologist Eugène Burnouf (1801-1852) in Paris for analysis. Burnouf's first impression was lack of interest, "because I saw only perpetual repetitions of the advantages and merits promised to those who obtain prajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. But what is this prajñàitself? This is what I did not see anywhere, and what I wished to learn." Later, in his 1844 work on the history of Indian Buddhism, Burnouf presented the first detailed study of the doctrines of the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàfound in the west. In that work, he also produced a translation of the first chapter and stated "I have translated, for my personal use, almost all of the Prajñàin eight thousand articles". This French translation was published in 2022 by Guillaume Ducoeur (Aá¹£á¹ÂasÃÂhasrikàPrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ, la Perfection de sagesse en huit mille stances, traduite par Eugène Burnouf (1801-1852), éditée par Guillaume Ducoeur, Université de Strasbourg, 2022) .
The only full published translation remains Edward Conze's 1973 translation, The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines and its Verse Summary. A translation of the first two chapters of KumÃÂrajëva's version was published by Matt Orsborn (=Shi Huifeng) in 2018.
The structure of the sà «tra can be understood in a number of ways. But four clear divisions can be noted:
Chapter 1: The Practice of the Knowledge of all Modes â While at Vulture Peak, the Buddha asks Subhà «ti to explain how bodhisattvas realise the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. Subhà «ti explains that when disciples of the Buddha who realise dharmatàteach, that is the work of the Buddha. He goes on to clarify the realisation of the Perfection of Wisdom by explaining that by cutting off the view of the inherent existence of self and phenomena, a bodhisattva can go forth on the MahÃÂyÃÂna for the liberation of beings and not enter nirvÃÂá¹Âa halfway. However, in suchness, he points out, there are in fact no bodhisattvas, beings to save, PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ, path, or nirvÃÂá¹Âa.
Chapter 2: à Âakra â In response to à Âakra's request for further explanation, Subhà «ti points out that in suchness one cannot rely on any aggregate, state of being, or the path, all of which are illusions. All, including the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ, are said to be without beginning, middle, or end, and therefore are infinite. The devas declare that they will highly regard a bodhisattva who practices as Subhà «ti describesâÂÂthe Buddha relates how he was such a bodhisattva in the past when he met Dëpankara Buddha.
Chapter 3. Reverence for the Receptacle of the Perfections, which holds Immeasurable Good Qualities â This chapter emphasises the worldly benefits of practicing the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàand writing it as a book and worshipping it. The devas also declare that they will come and gather around one who does this. This chapter also points out that the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis the root of the other of the Six PÃÂramitÃÂs. Worshipping the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàas a book is said to be superior to worshipping stà «pas because it is the source of buddhas themselves.
Chapter 4. The Proclamation of Qualities â à Âakra points out that the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis the source of all buddhas, thus in worshipping buddha relics one is really worshipping the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ, also, ultimately contains the other five pÃÂramitÃÂsâÂÂso practicing it allows one to practice the others.
Chapter 5. The Revolution of Merit â Practicing the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis said to be of great merit, but teaching it to others is said to be even greater. However, if it is taught in the form of annihilationist doctrine, it is called the "counterfeit PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ." Finally, it is declared to be the greatest gift since it renders full buddhahood.
Chapter 6. Dedication and jubilation â The chapter points out that one should rejoice in the merit of others and one's own practice and dedicate it to attaining buddhahood, but without perceiving any sign in doing so.
Chapter 7. Hell â While the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàshould be considered the teacher, it is not to be thought of as procuring anything and should be practiced through non-practice: this leads beings to nirvÃÂá¹Âa but does not result in perceiving beings or nirvÃÂá¹Âa. If one obtains the sà «tra, it is said to be because one encountered the buddhas previously, but that it is understood depending upon one's conditions. If, however, one rejects the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ, hell is said to be the retribution.
Chapter 8. Purity â This chapter points out that ultimately the skandhas are pure, and so is the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. Seeing this one is non-attached, but not seeing it, one develops attachment. Teaching and not teaching the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàand the skandhas is said to have no effect upon their increase or decrease, since they are ultimately like space. The Buddha points out that just as he teaches, so did all past buddhas, and so will Maitreya in the future.
Chapter 9. Praise â The PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis declared to be just a name which is not produced, stopped, defiled, or pure. Beings who hear it will be free from suffering, but some people will be hostile to its spread. Nonetheless, it is said to be pure and neither proceeds nor recedes due to its unproduced and isolated nature.
Chapter 10. Proclamation of the Qualities of Bearing in Mind â This chapter emphasises how people who practice the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàhave planted karmic roots with past buddhas. If one encounters it and is not afraid, one is said to be near to realising the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ, and one develops one's practice in this regard by not mentally constructing the path. While MÃÂra will try to obstruct such bodhisattvas, they will be sustained by the buddhas. It is said that the sà «tra will spread long after the Buddha's nirvÃÂá¹Âa and that those who search for it will find it in one to two lives.
Chapter 11. MÃÂra's Deeds â This chapter returns to the topic of MÃÂra by pointing out how he will try to dissuade bodhisattvas from the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. He does this in particular by making bodhisattvas slothful, creating obstacles between the student and his teacher, making them feel like the à ÂrÃÂvakayÃÂna sà «tras are of greater value, and manifesting as people, such as an illusory buddha, who will give rise to doubts through misleading teachings.
Chapter 12. Showing the World â This chapter emphasises how the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis the mother of the buddhas: therefore they care for her, just as a child for his mother, by teaching the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. The world to which it is taught is declared to be made up of empty skandhas, and thus the world, too, is said to be empty. Similarly all beings' thoughts are characterised by emptiness, are identical to suchness, and are inherently pure. One cannot fix onto any phenomenon, just like space, and are ultimately unknowableâÂÂviewing them thus through non-viewing is said to be viewing the world.
Chapter 13. Unthinkable â The PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis said to be unthinkable and incalculable like space. The same is so of all skandhas, phenomena, attainments. All of the levels of the path are said to work through the agency of the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàas a minister does a king's work. The PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis summarised as being the non-attachment to any phenomena. It is said to be heard due to one's karmic roots, and accepting it is said to accelerate one's progress on the path.
Chapter 14. Similes â This chapter points out that practitioners of the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàmay have been born in a buddha-field in a previous life, but that generally they will be born as humans. If one fails to understand the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ, it may have been due to failing to question buddhas about it in the past. Moreover, the chapter suggests that if a bodhisattva does not rely upon the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàand skilful means, they may backslide to the à ÂrÃÂvakayÃÂna or pratyekabuddhayÃÂna.
Chapter 15. Gods â This chapter suggests that bodhisattva training relies upon good friends who point out the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. These are equated to bodhisattvas who abide in signless suchness, and who do not tremble in encountering the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. It suggests that the bodhisattva aspiration is not related to phenomena, and that the non-grasping nature of the Dharma is demonstrated through non-demonstration.
Chapter 16. Suchness â This chapter, being the turning point in terms of identifying the end of retrogression in the realisation of suchness, emphasises that the Buddha, suchness, and phenomena are identical and non-dualâÂÂto know this is said to be buddhahood. Those who have backslided, as suggested in Chapter 14, must rely upon the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàin order to once again enter the buddhayÃÂna. In that regard, the difficulty of buddhahood is said to be that there is no one to attain it, and no three yÃÂnas by which to approach itâÂÂawakening is knowing this without trembling.
Chapter 17. Attributes, Tokens, and Signs of Irreversibility â Having attained irreversibility, a bodhisattva has no doubt of his irreversibility. Without doubt, their conduct is pure and continue to work for beings' benefit. They cannot be dissuaded by MÃÂra, who will be easily recognised by them.
Chapter 18. Emptiness â Bodhisattva stages are equated with suchness. Reflecting upon them, a bodhisattva develops the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. The greatest of deeds is excelled by practicing the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàfor even a single day. Awakening never increases or decreases to such a bodhisattva, whose activities and merits are said to be ineffable.
Chapter 19. The Goddess of the Ganges â Awakening is said to arise depending upon the first and last bodhicitta aspiration, but not directly by either. In suchness, development to awakening is said to only be a convention. Objective bases are said to be that upon which discriminative actions depend, but they are said to be empty. Moreover, conditionality is said to only exist by convention of speech, but not in reality. Practicing thus without fear, a bodhisattva should endure misfortunes and dedicate them to awakening.
The Goddess of the Ganges gains faith in the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàand it is predicted that after she studies under the Buddha Aká¹£obhya, she will become a Buddha called Suvará¹Âapuá¹£pa.
Chapter 20. Discussion of Skill in Means â This chapter describes how a bodhisattva can engage in skilful means by remaining in the world and not entering nirvÃÂá¹Âa in order to benefit beings. They do this by holding back from realising the reality-limit. They continue by developing the pÃÂramitÃÂs and engaging in non-attachment. They can know their own irreversibility when they see signs in their dreams, and develop powers.
Chapter 21. MÃÂra's Deeds â Returning to the topic of MÃÂra, this chapter points out how MÃÂra may give rise to conceit in bodhisattvas by making them mistakenly think they attained powers, or implanting false memories of past lives as monks, or predictions to buddhahood. Becoming conceited, the bodhisattvas will renounce the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàand return to the à ÂrÃÂvakayÃÂna or pratyekabuddhayÃÂna. Similarly, bodhisattvas living in isolation are said to be particularly targeted by MÃÂra, who will give rise to their arrogance against city-dwelling bodhisattvas. It is emphasised that these can be counteracted by honouring the good friends.
Chapter 22. The Good Friends â The true good friends are declared to be the Six PÃÂramitÃÂs, with PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàas their key. Relying upon it, a bodhisattva sees all as empty and pure. Thus, the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis equated to a precious jewel. Also, in this way, beings and the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàare said to neither increase or decrease, and by not practicing in anything one practices in the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ.
Chapter 23. à Âakra â It is said that by practicing and teaching the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ, all devas are surpassed by a bodhisattva. The devas will therefore protect that bodhisattvaâÂÂbut they can only accomplish this through the Buddha's power.
Chapter 24. Conceit â If, however, a bodhisattva does not practice the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàproperly, they will be open to MÃÂra who will give rise to their conceit. However, by practicing repentance, a bodhisattva can avoid malice and regard all bodhisattvas as their teacher and avoid competitive-mindedness.
Chapter 25. Training â To train in omniscience, a bodhisattva trains in suchness, without grasping onto either. It is also suggested in this chapter that the number of bodhisattvas who truly train in the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàare very few in number, but that the merit of practicing the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis greater than any other practice. Bodhisattvas are thus able to teach à ÂrÃÂvakas by learning about their qualities, but do not fall to their yÃÂna.
Chapter 26. Like Illusion â While bodhisattvas surpass all except buddhas, and the merits of their bodhicitta is said to be boundless, they are an illusion, and thus cannot know the illusion that is also full awakening. Their bodhicitta, too, is an illusion. Thus, they act conventionally in the world as puppetsâÂÂknowing that this is hard to do, while there is no one to do it and nothing to do.
Chapter 27. The Core â In this way, bodhisattva practice is insubstantial, but they do not lose motivation because there is nothing that is there to lose motivation. Bodhisattvas practicing in this way are protected by devas, and praised by buddhas and bodhisattvas from other worlds.
Chapter 28. Avakërá¹Âakusuma â The Buddha declares that all the monks in the assembly will become buddhas called Avakërá¹Âakusuma. The Buddha then entrusts the sà «tra to ÃÂnanda for the first time, declaring that it should be worshipped. The Buddha makes a vision of Aká¹£obhya's buddha-field arise and cease, and says that just as it arises and ceases, one should not train in a fixed idea. In this way, the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis declared to be boundless, and thus its form in book form is not really the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. Finally it is said that the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis consummated through seeing non-extinction of the skandhas and seeing the links of dependent origination.
Chapter 29. Approaches â The approach to the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàis said to be through non-conceptualisation in 54 aspects. The declarations of the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàare to be approached through the "roaring of a lion," but one should also know that the qualities of the skandhas are equal to those of the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. Bodhisattvas who practice with this understanding are said to find it easy to become a buddha.
Chapter 30. SadÃÂprarudita â The Buddha teaches Subhà «ti that one should seek the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàjust like the Bodhisattva SadÃÂprarudita ("Always Weeping"). In relating his story, the Buddha explains that SadÃÂprarudita, who seeks the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ, is told to go east by a voice, and then told by visions of the buddhas to seek out Dharmodgata, a dharma teacher (dharmabhÃÂá¹Âaka) living in Gandhavatë. SadÃÂprarudita's desire at that point is to know from whence the buddhas came and to where they went. Not having anything to offer the teacher as payment, SadÃÂprarudita offers himself for payment, but MÃÂra deafens everyone so that they cannot hear him. Knowing this, à Âakra manifests as a brahmin who offers to buy SadÃÂprarudita's heart, blood, and marrow. Agreeing and dissecting himself, he is saved by a merchant's daughter who offers to help him with her riches. Seeing his resolve, à Âakra restores SadÃÂprarudita's dissected body parts and magically disappears. After finding Dharmodgata and honouring him, SadÃÂprarudita asks him from whence the buddhas came and to where they went.
Chapter 31. Dharmodgata â In response, Dharmodgata suggests that the buddhas neither come nor go, since they are suchness. SadÃÂprarudita, rising in the air, offers himself to Dharmodgata. The merchant's daughter does likewise. Dharmodgata enters a samÃÂdhi for seven yearsâÂÂduring this time, SadÃÂprarudita and the merchant's daughter stand outside his house for seven years. After leaving his samÃÂdhi, Dharmodgata teaches them the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitÃÂ. Following this, SadÃÂprarudita enters millions of samÃÂdhis, including that of the "sameness of all phenomena."
Chapter 32. Entrusting â The Buddha concludes by saying that SadÃÂprarudita, from then on, was never deprived of vision of the buddhas.
After this, the Buddha again entrusts the sà «tra to ÃÂnanda, instructing him to copy and worship it as a book. He declares that so long as the PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitàexists, so long does the Buddha continue to teach the Dharma.