devanagari

na   jbanam na praptih na   a-praptih
  |           |           |          |          |      |         |
neg.     N.n.      neg.    N.f.     neg. neg.   N.f.
  |     Nom.sg.      |    Nom.sg.    |      |    Nom.sg.
  |______|            |_____|          |      |_____|
        |                      |               |______|
        |____________|____________|

jbana-, n.: knowledge,

prapti-, f.: attainment (from pra+ap-),

No knowledge, no attainment, no non-attainment.

    In this section we found enumerated the last three items from the list of the dharmas. "Knowledge" means knowledge or cognition of the categories mentioned in previous sections. If they all are "characterized by emptiness", what is there to cognate?
    Therefore, also attainment of Nirvana is impossible, for it itself is characterized by emptiness. But - to counter the possible objection of being nihilistic - Avalokitewvara immediately adds: no non-attainment. It is also impossible not to attain Nirvana.
    Does it sound illogical? Oh yes! But that's just what is this sutra trying to do - to destroy old Buddhist model, where everything has a logical place, everything has logical consequences. Perhaps it was felt as being too dry. So new Mahayana movement reacts with more mysticism and less logic.

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