The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom
in Eighteen Thousand Lines - 336
Daśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā

– Chapter 36 - Deep, Hard to Realise –

Source: https://read.84000.co/translation/toh10.html

More Analysis of Mahayana Sutras : https://www.gilehtblog.com/2022/07/toc-400.html

[Note: The two truths are:
T1: conventionally dependently co-arisen (interdependent) relatively functional ever-changing impermanent appearances / tools / adapted skillful means, merely labeled / imputed / imagined / created by the mind in dependence of its conditioning / karma (in cycle), not completely non-existence;
T2: emptiness of inherent existence, not real existence;
U2T: those two truths, like any other pair of apparent opposites, are inseparable, interdependent, co-defined, co-relative, co-dependent, co-emergent, co-evolving, co-ceasing / co-transcended, in harmony, in 'Union' <==> thus empty of inherent existence.
They are tools to help us to get to the 'inconceivable' by refuting what 'Reality as it is' is not:
all extreme views like: existence / dharma / causality / functionality, non-existence / non-dharma / non-causality / non-functionality, both together, neither; difference / manyness / diversity / duality, identity / oneness / sameness / non-duality, both together, neither; permanence / continuity / eternity, impermanence / discontinuity / annihilation, both together, neither; individuality, collectivity, universality, a combination of those, none of those; subjectivity, relation / action / process, objectivity, a combination of those, none of those; the 1st truth alone / dependent origination [T1], the 2nd truth alone / mere-emptiness [T2], both two truths together as if different and in opposition [2T], neither of the two truths as if identical and one [1T,]; ‘this’, ‘non-this’, both together, neither – for whatever ‘this’ is.
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The three spheres: ex.
i. The subject / actor / goer / perceiver / knower / acquirer / owner,
ii. The relation / action / going / perceiving / knowing / acquiring / having
iii. The object / result / destination / perceived / known / acquired / possessions / karma / 5 aggregates / body & speech & mind.
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Generalisations:
Whenever it is possible the comments of each section are expressed into a more global context. So they always cover more than just what is said in the various translations. The goal is to make the Big Picture more evident.
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Note: All comments within (i.e. …) or [...] are from the commentator (me), not the translators.)

[Back to Résumés of chapters 1-41]

36. TEACHING THE PURITY OF ALL DHARMAS – The perfection of wisdom is deep, hard to realise, inconceivable.

(i.e. Résumé: The perfection of wisdom is deep, hard to realise, inconceivable because of our conditioning / karma.
The perfection of wisdom is deep, hard to realise, indescribable / inconceivable for our flawed dualistic conceptual conditioned ordinary mind(s).
The inconceivable true nature & dynamic as it is of all dharmas is like an inconceivable Union of being conventionally dependently co-arisen (interdependent) relatively functional ever-changing impermanent appearances / tools / adapted skillful means, merely labeled / imputed by the mind, not completely non-existent / non-caused / non-functional <==> and being empty of inherent existence, nor really existent / caused / functional. One aspect / truth implies / proves / enables the other (<==>) [U2T]. All dharmas are like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, magical tricks: 'There, but not there." [U2T].
So,there are no real three stages of becoming for anything: origination, duration & change, cessation.
So, there is no independent / objective / universal / absolute / inherently existing basis for any discrimination / differentiation in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively.
So, there is nothing to accept, nothing to reject in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively.
So, in a sense, everything is primordially spaceless, timeless, equal, pure, perfect, divine, complete, free, enlightened, the inseparable three kayas, the true Buddha – in the non-dual sense of those terms: not 'this', not 'non-this', not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth – for whatever 'this' is.
It is more and more obvious when one starts to get it.
Then one needs to solidify this realisation until it becomes a certainty, and until one can act in accord with it all the time.
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From Chapter 35: It is hard to believe in this perfection of wisdom.
For many, it is hard to believe in this perfection of wisdom – because it is indescribable / inconceivable.
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Those persons who spoil the perfection of wisdom are those who spoil the Dharma …
They pass on from great hells to great hells …
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"It is hard for those who do not work hard, who are without wholesome roots, and who have fallen into the clutches of bad friends to believe in this perfection of wisdom."
"Deep is this perfection of wisdom in which it is so hard for them to believe."
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It is indescribable / inconceivable of our flawed dualistic conceptual conditioned ordinary mind(s); it is beyond all extremes & middle, beyond all dualistic conceptual proliferations, beyond all defining limitations, beyond all conditioning / karma..
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"It is hard for those who do not work hard, have not planted wholesome roots, have fallen into the clutches of bad friends, are under the control of Māra, and are lazy, deficient in perseverance, forgetful, and without introspection to believe in this perfection of wisdom."
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Everything is primordially equal, pure, perfect, divine, complete, free, enlightened, the inseparable three kayas, the true Buddha – in the non-dual sense of those terms: not 'this', not 'non-this', not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth – for whatever 'this' is.
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i.101 – "There is no saṃsāra or nirvāṇa. Everything is pure.
The purity of the final result, the knowledge of all aspects, and the purity of the suffering aggregates is the same purity."
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i.102 – Purity is deep, illuminating, does not go from one form of life to the next, is undefiled, knows no attainment or clear realization, does not come into being anywhere, and does not help or hinder anything or take hold of any truth. Some apprehend this Perfection of Wisdom through a causal sign and make it into an absolute truth. They are far from the Perfection of Wisdom. If they apprehend even the finest qualities of a buddha, they have attachment. The attachment happens when they perceive the thought of awakening, the path, what knowledge comprehends, the results of the training ‍— all the buddhas of the three time periods and their qualities ‍— and, rejoicing in it for the sake of all beings, turn it over to the knowledge of all aspects. It is attachment because all these have no basic nature. To teach others the Perfection of Wisdom they must practice the Perfection of Wisdom [T1] without any perception of it [T2] [U2T]. To entertain any notion of tathāgatas, wholesome roots growing into awakening, or complete nirvāṇa is to have attachment.
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From Chapter 9: Causal Signs
The purity of all dharmas:
Because of the state of absolute purity bodhisattvas do not apprehend (reify, objectify) any dharma [T2] [U2T].
Not being produced, not stopping, not being defilement, not being purification, not appearing, not being apprehended, and not occasioning anything [in absolute terms] is called the purity of all dharmas.
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From Chapter 21: Subhūti
Because of absolute purity bodhisattvas then view the non [real] production [T2] of all dharmas [T1] [U2T].
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From Chapter 14: Neither Bound nor Freed
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i.48 – "Everything is in the state of absolute natural purity where there is no production or defilement, where nothing appears or is enacted."
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All dharmas are not bound (tainted / samsara) and are not freed (purified / nirvana).
And why? Because all dharmas do not exist inherently [T2] [do not exist objectively / independently of the subject / mind].
That is why they are not bound and are not freed. [not 'this', not 'non-this', not both together, not neither – for whatever 'this' is.]
Similarly, because they are isolated and so on, they are not bound and are not freed.
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Because all dharmas are like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, magical tricks: 'There, but not there.',
then they are not bound and are not freed.
Because all dharmas do not exist inherently, all dharmas are not bound and are not freed.
It is because all dharmas are isolated (from the words and signs for things?), calm, empty, signless, wishless, do not occasion anything, and are not produced that they are not bound and are not freed. (see 10.30)
A form… that is wholesome, unwholesome, with afflictions, without afflictions, with basic immorality, without basic immorality, with outflows, without outflows, ordinary, extraordinary, defiled, and purified is not bound and is not freed. Because form… does not exist inherently.
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Logic: Because of being empty of inherent existence <==> because dependently co-arisen / interdependent, then all dharmas – including the Great Vehicle and Suchness – are not 'this', not 'non-this', not both together, not neither – for whatever 'this' is; and vice versa. Meaning not describable / conceivable / understood by our flawed dualistic conceptual conditioned ordinary mind(s), not indescribable / inconceivable / misunderstood, not both together, not neither.
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Résumé of Madhyamaka Logic: Because all dharmas – physical, conceptual, mental; pure or impure; including the three spheres of any type of relation / action, the apparent opposites of any duality / triad / quad, even the two truths themselves – are conventionally dependently co-arise (interdependent) relatively functional ever-changing impermanent appearances / tools / adapted skillful means [T1], merely labeled / imputed by the mind [U3S] in dependence of its conditioning / karma, not completely non-existent / non-caused / non-functional / useless / meaningless, <==> Then all dharmas are empty of inherent existence [T2], not really existent / caused / functional <==> then all dharmas are like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, magical tricks: 'There, but not there.' [U2T] <==> Then there are no real three stages of becoming or three times, or complete absence of those – origination / beginning / birth / coming / before / past, duration / middle / life / during / present, cessation / ending / death / going / after / future -- for any dharma; and there are no real relation or non-relation / opposition or non-opposition / separation or union / differentiation or identity … between dharmas <==> Then all dharmas are not existent / caused / functional, not non-existent / non-caused / non-functional, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not different / separate / multiple / dual, not identical / united / one / non-dual, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not permanent / continuous / eternal, not impermanent / discontinuous / annihilated, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not dependent / related / caused / produced, not independent / unrelated / non-caused / non-produced / spontaneous, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not empty, not non-empty, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not dependently co-arisen [T1-only], not empty of inherent existence [T2-only], not both truths together as if different and opposite [2T], not neither of the two truths as if the same and one [1T]; not equal / pure / perfect / divine / complete / free / enlightened, not unequal / impure / imperfect / ordinary / incomplete / bounded / unenlightened, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not isolated / calm / empty / signless / wishness / unoriginated / unarisen / unproduced / unconditioned / unchanging / unceasing, not non-isolated / non-calm / non-empty / non-signless / non-wishless / originated / arisen / produced / conditioned / changing / ceasing, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not bound (tainted / samsara), not free (purified / nirvana), not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not 'this', not 'non-this', not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth– for whatever 'this is'. Meaning the true nature & dynamic of all dharmas is indescribable / inconceivable for our flawed dualistic conceptual conditioned ordinary mind(s); beyond all extremes & middle, beyond all dualistic conceptual proliferations, beyond all defining limitations, beyond all conditioning / karma; beyond causality, matter-energy, space & time, beyond being describable or indescribable, beyond being conceivable or inconceivable. <==> Then there is no independent / universal / absolute / inherently existing basis for anything, for any judgment, for any discrimination / differentiation / ranking, for any activity in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / intersubjectively. <==> Then there is nothing to accept / affirm / seek / add / do in absolute terms, nothing to reject / negate / abandon / eliminate / subtract / not-do in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively if it help someone to get closer to the inconceivable liberating Truth [U2T].)

Then venerable Śāriputra said to the Lord,
"Lord, this purity is deep [inconceivable]."

"It is deep, Śāriputra, because it is extremely pure," said the Lord.

"On account of what being extremely pure is it deep?" asked Śāriputra.