Editing Prajnaparamita (section)

===Core themes===
[[Image:"Rabjor or (Subhuti)" 1882 art detail, from- Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (IA journalofasiatic5111asia) (page 95 crop).jpg|thumb|250px|A Tibetan illustration of [[Subhuti]] (Tib. ''Rabjor''), a major character in the Prajñāpāramitā literature, who is proclaimed as the foremost "dweller in non-conflict" (''araṇavihārīnaṃ'') and "of those worthy of offering" (''dakkhiṇeyyānaṃ'')]]

====The Bodhisattva and Prajñāpāramitā====
A key theme of the Prajñāpāramitā sutras is the figure of the [[Bodhisattva]] (literally: awakening-being) which is defined in the 8,000-line Prajñāpāramitā sutra as:

:"One who trains in all dharmas [phenomena] without obstruction [''asakti, asaktatā''], and also knows all dharmas as they really are."{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=159}}

A Bodhisattva is then a being that experiences everything "without attachment" (''asakti'') and sees reality or suchness (''Tathātā'') as it is. The Bodhisattva is the main ideal in [[Mahayana]] (Great Vehicle), which sees the goal of the Buddhist path as becoming a [[Buddha]] for the sake of all sentient beings, not just yourself:

:They make up their minds that 'one single self we shall tame ... one single self we shall lead to final Nirvana.'
:A Bodhisattva should certainly not in such a way train himself.
:On the contrary, he should train himself thus: "My own self I will place in Suchness [the true way of things], and, so that all the world might be helped, 
:I will place all beings into Suchness, and I will lead to Nirvana the whole immeasurable world of beings."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Conze |first1=Edward |title=The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines & Its Verse Summary |date=1973 |publisher=Four Seasons Foundation |isbn=978-0-87704-048-4 |page=163 }}</ref>

A central quality of the Bodhisattva is their practice of Prajñāpāramitā, a most deep (''gambhīra'') state of knowledge which is an understanding of reality arising from analysis as well as [[meditative]] insight. It is non-conceptual and [[non-dual]] (''advaya'') as well as [[Transcendence (religion)|transcendental]].<ref>Williams, Paul; Mahayana Buddhism, the doctrinal foundations, pages 49-50.</ref> Literally, the term could be translated as "knowledge gone to the other (shore)",{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=176}} or transcendental knowledge. The Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says:

:This is known as the Prajñāpāramitā of the bodhisattvas; not grasping at form, not grasping at sensation, perception, volitions and cognition.{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=201}}

A further passage in the 8,000-line Prajñāpāramitā sutra states that Prajñāpāramitā means that a Bodhisattva stands in emptiness ([[shunyata]]) by not standing (''√sthā'') or supporting themselves on any dharma (phenomena), whether conditioned or unconditioned. The dharmas that a Bodhisattva does "not stand" on include standard listings such as: the [[five aggregates]], the sense fields ([[ayatana]]), [[nirvana]], [[Buddhahood]], etc.{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=149}} This is explained by stating that Bodhisattvas "wander without a home" (''aniketacārī''); "home" or "abode" meaning signs (''nimitta'', meaning a subjective mental impression) of sensory objects and the afflictions that arise dependent on them. This includes the absence, the "not taking up" (''aparigṛhīta'') of even "correct" mental signs and perceptions such as "form is not self", "I practice Prajñāpāramitā", etc. To be freed of all constructions and signs, to be signless (''animitta'') is to be empty of them and this is to stand in Prajñāpāramitā.{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|pp=180–181}} The Prajñāpāramitā sutras state that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the past have practiced Prajñāpāramitā. Prajñāpāramitā is also associated with ''Sarvajñata'' (all-knowledge) in the Prajñāpāramitā sutras, a quality of the mind of a Buddha which knows the nature of all dharmas.

[[Image:Gandhara, rilievo col buddha shakyamuni che medita nella grotta indrashala e il buddha dipankara, II-III secolo.jpg|thumb|280x280px|Gandharan depiction of the Bodhisattva (the future Buddha [[Shakyamuni]]) prostrating at the feet of the past Buddha [[Dipankara]]]]

According to Karl Brunnholzl, Prajñāpāramitā means that "all phenomena from form up through omniscience being utterly devoid of any intrinsic characteristics or nature of their own."<ref>Brunnholzl, Karl; Gone Beyond: The Prajnaparamita Sutras The Ornament Of Clear Realization And Its Commentaries In The Tibetan Kagyu Tradition (Tsadra) 2011, page 28.</ref> Furthermore, "such omniscient wisdom is always nonconceptual and free from reference points since it is the constant and panoramic awareness of the nature of all phenomena and does not involve any shift between meditative equipoise and subsequent attainment."<ref>Brunnholzl, Karl; Gone Beyond: The Prajnaparamita Sutras The Ornament Of Clear Realization And Its Commentaries In The Tibetan Kagyu Tradition (Tsadra) 2011, page 30.</ref>

[[Edward Conze]] outlined several psychological qualities of a Bodhisattva's practice of Prajñāpāramitā:<ref name="Conze, Edward 1953 PP.117-129">Conze, Edward; The Ontology of the Prajnaparamita, Philosophy East and West Vol.3 (1953) PP.117-129, University of Hawaii Press</ref>

*Non-apprehension (''anupalabdhi'')
*No settling down or "non-attachment" (''anabhinivesa'')
*No attainment (''aprapti''). No person can "have," or "possess," or "acquire," or "gain" any dharma.
*Non-reliance on any dharma, being unsupported, not leaning on any dharma.
*"Finally, one may say that the attitude of the perfected sage is one of non-assertion."

====Other Bodhisattva qualities====
[[File:Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Nalanda.jpeg|thumb|[[Avalokiteśvara]]. ''{{IAST|Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra}}'' manuscript. [[Nalanda|Nālandā]], [[Bihar]], [[India]].]]
The Prajñāpāramitā sutras also teach of the importance of the other [[pāramitā]]s (perfections) for the Bodhisattva such as [[Ksanti]] (patience): "Without resort to this patience (kṣānti) they [bodhisattvas] cannot reach their respective goals".{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=124}}

Another quality of the Bodhisattva is their freedom from fear (''na vtras'') in the face of the seemingly shocking doctrine of the emptiness of all dharmas which includes their own existence. A good friend (''kalyanamitra'') is useful in the path to fearlessness. Bodhisattvas also have no pride or self-conception (''na manyeta'') of their own stature as Bodhisattvas.{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|pp=139–140}} These are important features of the mind of a bodhisattva, called [[bodhicitta]]. The Prajñāpāramitā sutras also mention that bodhicitta is a middle way, it is neither apprehended as existent (''astitā'') or non-existent (''nāstitā'') and it is "immutable" (''avikāra'') and "free from conceptualization" (''avikalpa'').{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=141}}

The Bodhisattva is said to generate "great compassion" (''maha-[[karuṇā]]'') for all beings on their path to liberation and yet also maintain a sense of equanimity ([[upekṣā]]) and distance from them through their understanding of emptiness, due to which, the Bodhisattva knows that even after bringing countless beings to nirvana, "no living being whatsoever has been brought to nirvana."<ref name="ReferenceA"/> [[Bodhisattvas]] and [[Mahāsattva]]s are also willing to give up all of their meritorious deeds for sentient beings and develop skillful means ([[upaya]]) in order to help abandon false views and teach them the Dharma. The practice of Prajñāpāramitā allows a Bodhisattva to become:

<blockquote>"a saviour of the helpless, a defender of the defenceless, a refuge to those without refuge, a place to rest to those without resting place, the final relief of those who are without it, an island to those without one, a light to the blind, a guide to the guideless, a resort to those without one and....guide to the path those who have lost it, and you shall become a support to those who are without support."{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=271}}</blockquote>

====Tathātā====
[[Image:The Buddha's Descent from Heaven at Samkashya (top; a), The Story of the Bodhisattva Sadaprarudita (middle; b), The Buddha Preaching to the Assembled Gods (bottom; c), Three Folios from LACMA M.86.345.11a-c (4 of 4).jpg|thumb|280x280px|Illustration of Bodhisattva ''Sadāprarudita'' (Ever weeping), a character in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra [[Avadana]] section, which is used by the Buddha as an exemplar of those who seek Prajñāpāramitā]]

''Tathātā'' (Suchness or Thusness) and the related term ''Dharmatā'' (the nature of Dharma), and [[Tathāgata]] are also important terms of the Prajñāpāramitā texts. To practice Prajñāpāramitā means to practice in accord with 'the nature of Dharma' and to see the Tathāgata (i.e. the Buddha). As the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra states, these terms are generally used equivalently: "As the suchness (''tathatā'') of dharmas is immovable (''acalitā''), and the suchness (''tathatā'') of dharmas is the ''Tathāgata''."{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=233}} The Tathāgata is said in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra to "neither come nor go". Furthermore, the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra includes a list of synonyms associated with Tathāgata as also being "beyond coming and going", these include: 1. Suchness (''tathatā''); 2. Unarisen (''anutpāda''); 3. Reality limit (''bhūtakoṭi''); 4. Emptiness ("Śūnyatā"); 5. Division (''yathāvatta''); 6. Detachment (''virāga''); 7. Cessation (''nirodha''); 8. Space element (''ākāśadhātu''). The sutra then states:

<blockquote>Apart from these dharmas, there is no Tathāgata. The suchness of these dharmas, and the suchness of the Tathāgatas, is all one single suchness (''ekaivaiṣā tathatā''), not two, not divided (''dvaidhīkāraḥ''). ... beyond all classification (''gaṇanāvyativṛttā''), due to non-existence (''asattvāt'').{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=233}}</blockquote>

Suchness then does not come or go because like the other terms, it is not a real entity (''bhūta'', ''svabhāva''), but merely appears conceptually through [[dependent origination]], like a dream or an illusion.

[[Edward Conze]] lists six ways in which the ontological status of dharmas is considered by the Prajñāpāramitā:<ref name="Conze, Edward 1953 PP.117-129"/>

#Dharmas are non-existent because they have no own-being ([[svabhava]]).
#Dharmas have a purely nominal existence. They are mere words, a matter of conventional expression.
#Dharmas are "without marks, with one mark only, ie., with no mark." A mark (''laksana'') being a distinctive property which separates it from other dharmas.
#Dharmas are isolated (''vivikta''), absolutely isolated (''atyantavivikta'').
#Dharmas have never been produced, never come into existence; they are not really ever brought forth, they are unborn (''ajata'').
#Non-production is illustrated by a number of similes, i.e., dreams, magical illusions, echoes, reflected images, mirages, and space.

It is through seeing this Tathātā that one is said to have a vision of the Buddha (the Tathāgata), seeing this is called seeing the Buddha's [[Dharmakaya]] (Dharma body) which is a not his physical body, but none other than the true nature of dharmas.{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=240}}

====Negation and emptiness====
Most modern Buddhist scholars such as [[Etienne Lamotte|Lamotte]], Conze and [[Yin Shun]] have seen [[Śūnyatā]] (emptiness, voidness, hollowness) as ''the'' central theme of the Prajñāpāramitā sutras.{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|pp=107–108}} [[Edward Conze]] writes:

<blockquote>It is now the principal teaching of Prajñāpāramitā with regard to own-being that it is "empty." The Sanskrit term is ''svabhāva-śūnya''. This is a ''[[tatpuruṣa]]'' compound (one in which the last member is qualified by the first without losing its grammatical independence), in which [[svabhava]] may have the sense of any oblique case. The [[Mahayana]] understands it to mean that dharmas are empty of any own-being, i.e.,that they are not ultimate facts in their own right, but merely imagined and falsely discriminated, for each and every one of them is dependent on something other than itself. From a slightly different angle this means that dharmas, when viewed with perfected [[gnosis]], reveal an own-being which is identical with emptiness, i.e in their own-being they are empty.<ref name="Conze, Edward 1953 PP.117-129"/></blockquote>

The Prajñāpāramitā sutras commonly use [[apophasis|apophatic]] statements to express the nature of reality as seen by Prajñāpāramitā. A common trope in the Prajñāpāramitā sutras is the negation of a previous statement in the form 'A is not A, therefore it is A', or more often negating only a part of the statement as in, "XY is a Y-less XY".{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=171}} Japanese Buddhologist, Hajime Nakamura, calls this negation the 'logic of not' (''na prthak'').<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nagatomo |first1=Shigenori |title=The Logic of the ''Diamond Sutra'': A is not A, therefore it is A |journal=Asian Philosophy |date=November 2000 |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=213–244 |doi=10.1080/09552360020011277 |s2cid=13926265 }}</ref> An example from the [[Diamond Sutra]] of this use of negation is:

:As far as 'all dharmas' are concerned, Subhuti, all of them are dharma-less. That is why they are called 'all dharmas.'<ref name="ReferenceA">Harrison, Paul. Vajracchedika Prajñaparamita Diamond Cutting Transcendent Wisdom</ref>

The rationale behind this form is the juxtaposition of conventional truth with ultimate truth as taught in the Buddhist [[two truths doctrine]]. The negation of conventional truth is supposed to expound the ultimate truth of the emptiness ([[Śūnyatā]]) of all reality - the idea that nothing has an ontological essence and all things are merely conceptual, without substance.

The Prajñāpāramitā sutras state that dharmas should not be conceptualized either as existent, nor as non existent, and use negation to highlight this: "in the way in which dharmas exist (''saṃvidyante''), just so do they not exist (''asaṃvidyante'')".{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=192}}

====Māyā====
{{Main|Maya (religion)#Buddhism}}
The Prajñāpāramitā sutras commonly state that all dharmas (phenomena), are in some way like an [[illusion]] (''[[Maya (religion)#Buddhism|māyā]]''), like a [[dream]] (''svapna'') and like a [[mirage]].<ref>Williams, Paul; Mahayana Buddhism, the doctrinal foundations, pages 52.</ref> The ''[[Diamond Sutra]]'' states:

:"A shooting star, a clouding of the sight, a lamp, An illusion, a drop of dew, a bubble, a dream, a lightning's flash, a thunder cloud—this is the way one should see the conditioned."<ref>Harrison, Paul (trans.) Vajracchedika Prajñaparamita Diamond Cutting Transcendent Wisdom, https://hyanniszendo.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/diamondsutra_lettersize1.pdf</ref>

Even the highest Buddhist goals like [[Buddhahood]] and [[Nirvana]] are to be seen in this way, thus the highest wisdom or prajña is a type of spiritual knowledge which sees all things as illusory. As Subhuti in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra states:

:"Even if perchance there could be anything more distinguished, of that also I would say that it is like an illusion, like a dream. For not two different things are illusions and Nirvāṇa, are dreams and Nirvāṇa."<ref>Shi Huifeng. ''Is "Illusion" a Prajñāpāramitā Creation? The Birth and Death of a Buddhist Cognitive Metaphor.'' Fo Guang University. Journal of Buddhist Philosophy, Vol. 2, 2016</ref>

This is connected to the impermanence and insubstantial nature of dharmas. The Prajñāpāramitā sutras give the simile of a magician (''māyākāra'': 'illusion-maker') who, when seemingly killing his illusory persons by cutting off their heads, really kills nobody and compare it to the bringing of beings to awakening (by 'cutting off' the conceptualization of self view; Skt: ''ātmadṛṣṭi chindati'') and the fact that this is also ultimately like an illusion, because their aggregates "are neither bound nor released".{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|p=193}} The illusion then, is the conceptualization and mental fabrication of dharmas as existing or not existing, as arising or not arising. Prajñāpāramitā sees through this illusion, being empty of concepts and fabrications.

Perceiving dharmas and beings like an illusion (''māyādharmatā'') is termed the "great armor" (''mahāsaṃnaha'') of the Bodhisattva, who is also termed the 'illusory man' (''māyāpuruṣa'').{{sfn|Orsborn|2012|pp=165–166}}