The Bodhisattva, the Mahasattva Avalokitesvara was contemplating the deep meaning of the Profound Perfection of Wisdom and he saw that the five skandhas were all empty of inherent existence; thus he overcame all ills and suffering.
“O, Sariputra, form is none other than emptiness and emptiness is none other than form. Form is emptiness and emptiness is form. The same is true for feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. Sariputra, all phenomena are characteristically empty, not created nor destroyed, neither tainted nor pure, without increase or decrease.”
“Therefore, Sariputra, in emptiness there are no forms, no feelings, no perceptions, no mental formations, no consciousness; no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no form, no sound, no odor, no taste, no touch, no object of mind. There is no realm of eyes and so forth up to and including no mind consciousness. There is no ignorance and no extinction of ignorance and so forth up to and including no ageing and no death and also no extinction of ageing and death. There is no suffering, no origin, no cessation, and no path. There is no wisdom and no attainment, with nothing to attain.”
“Therefore, Sariputra, because bodhisattvas have nothing to attain, they rely on abiding in the Profound Perfection of Wisdom without mental hindrances. Because their minds are without hindrances they are without fear. Having passed completely beyond all errors they realize ultimate nirvana. All the buddhas of the three times have fully awakened into unsurpassed, complete enlightenment through relying on the Profound Perfection of Wisdom.”
“Therefore, the mantra of the Profound Perfection of Wisdom is the great mantra, the mantra of great knowledge, the unsurpassed mantra, the incomparable mantra, the mantra which thoroughly allays all suffering without fail. Because it is not false it is known as true. Hence, the mantra of the Profound Perfection of Wisdom is stated as
Tadyatha om gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha!
“Sariputra, bodhisattva mahasattvas should train in the Profound Perfection of Wisdom in just this way.”
