The Reasons for the Dharma Assembly
Thus I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove of the Garden of the Benefactor of Orphans and the Solitary together with a gathering of great Bhiksus, twelve hundred fifty in all.
At that time, at mealtime, the world honored one put on his robe, took up his bowl, and entered the great city of Sravasti to beg for food. After he had finished his sequential begging within the city, he returned, ate the food, put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, arranged his seat, and sat down.
Chapter 2
Subhuti's Request
At that time the elder Subhuti arose from his seat in the assembly, uncovered his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, put his palms together with respect and said to the Buddha,
"How rare, World Honored One, is the Tathagata who
remembers and protects all Bodhisattvas and caused them to be well-endowed.
"World Honored One, if a good man, or good woman, resolves his heart on Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, how should he dwell, how should he subdue his heart?"
The Buddha said, "Good indeed, good indeed, Subhuti. It is as you say. The Tathagata remembers and protects all Bodhisattvas and causes them to be well-endowed. Now listen attentively; I shall tell you, a good man, or good woman, who resolves his heart on Anuttarasamyaksambodhi should thus dwell, should thus subdue his heart."
"Yes, certainly, World Honored One. I want to hear. I am delighted to listen."
Chapter 3
The Orthodox Doctrine of the Great Vehicle
The Buddha told Subhuti, "All Bodhisattvas, Mahasttvas, should thus subdue their hearts with the vow, "I must cause all living beings -- those born from eggs, born from wombs, born from moisture, born by transformation; those with form, those without form, those with thought, those without thought, those not totally with thought, and those not totally without thought -- to enter Nirvana without residue and be taken across to extinction. Yet of the immeasurable, boundless numbers of living beings thus taken across to extinction, there is actually no living being taken across to extinction. And why? Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva has a mark of self, a mark of others, a mark of living beings, or a mark of a life, he is not a Bodhisattva."
Chapter 4
Wonderful Conduct without Dwelling
"Moreover, Subhuti, as to dharmas, a Bodhisattva
should not dwell anywhere when he gives. He should not dwell in forms when he
gives, nor should he dwell in sounds, smells, tastes, tangible objects, or
dharmas when he gives. Subhuti, a Bodhisattva should give thus: he should not
dwell in marks when he gives, his blessing and virtues are immeasurable.
"Subhuti, what do you think, is space in the east measurable?"
"No, World Honored One."
"Subhuti, is space in the south, west, north, or in the intermediate directions, or above, or below, measurable?"
"No, World Honored One."
"Subhuti, the blessings and virtue of a Bodhisattva who does not dwell in marks when he gives are just as immeasurable. Subhuti, a Bodhisattva should only dwell in what is taught thus."
Chapter 5
The "Thus" Principle of Genuine Seeing
"Subhuti, what do you think, can the Tathagata be seen by his physical marks?"
"No, World Honored One, the Tathagata cannot be seen by his physical marks. And why? It is because the physical marks are spoken of by the Tathagata as no physical marks."
The Buddha said to Subhuti, "All with marks is empty and false. If you can see all marks as no marks then you see the Tathagata."
Chapter 6
Proper Belief is Rare
Subhuti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, in the future will there be living beings, who, when they hear such phrases spoken will truly believe?"
The Buddha told Subhuti, "Do not speak in such a
way! After the Tathagata's extinction, in the last five hundred years, there
will be those who hold the precepts and cultivate blessings who will believe
such phrases and accept them as true.
"You should know that such people will have planted good roots with not just one Buddha, two Buddhas, three, four or five Buddhas, but will have planted good roots with measureless millions of Buddhas. All who hear such phrases and produce even one thought of pure faith are completely known and completely seen by the Tathagata. Such living beings thus obtain measureless blessings and virtue. And why? Those living beings have no further mark of self, of others, of living beings, or of a life; no mark of dharmas and no mark of no dharmas. If living beings' hearts grasp at marks, then that is attachment to self, to others, to living beings, and to a life. For that reason you should not grasp at dharmas, nor should you grasp at no dharmas. Regarding that principle, the Tathagata often says, 'All you Bhiksus should know that the dharma which I speak is like a raft. Even dharmas should be relinquished, how much the more so no dharmas."
Chapter 7
Nothing Attained, Nothing Spoken
"Subhuti, What do you think? Has the Tathagata attained Anuttarasamyaksambodhi? Has the Tathagata spoken any dharma?"
Subhuti said, "As I understand what the Buddha has said, there is no concrete dharma called Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, and there is no concrete dharma which the Tathagata has spoken. And why? The dharmas spoken by the Tathagata cannot be grasped and cannot be spoken. They are neither dharmas nor no dharmas. And why? Unconditioned dharmas distinguish worthy sages."
Chapter 8
Relying on Dharma They Come Forth
"Subhuti, what do you think, if someone filled three thousand great thousand world systems with the seven precious jewels and gave them as a gift, would he obtain many blessing and virtue?"
Subhuti said, "Very many, World Honored One. And why? Such blessings and virtue are not of the nature of blessings and virtue. Therefore the Tathagata speaks of many blessings and virtue."
"If, on the other hand, a person were to receive and hold from this Sutra even so few as four lines of verse and speak them for others, his blessings would surpass the previous ones. And why? Subhuti, all Buddhas and all Buddhas dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi come forth from this Sutra. Subhuti, the Buddhadharmas spoken are no Buddhadharmas."
Chapter 9
The One Mark is no Mark
"Subhuti, what do you think, can a Srotaapanna have the thought, 'I have obtained the fruit of Srotaapanna.'?"
Subhuti said, "No, World Honored One. And why? A Srotaapanna means one who has entered the flow, and yet he has not entered anything. He has not entered forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangible, objects, or dharmas. For that reason he is called a Srotaapanna."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Can a Sakrdagamin have the thought, 'I have obtained the fruit of Sakrdagamin.'?"
Subhuti said, "No, World Honored One. And why? A Sakradagamin means one who returns once more, but he actually does not have a returning. For that reason, he is called a Sakradagamin."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Can an Anagamin have the thought, 'I have obtained the fruit of Anagamin'?"
Subhuti said, "No, World Honored One. And why? Anagamin means one who does not return, but he actually does not have no returning. For that reason, he is called Anagamin."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Can an Arhat have the thought, ' I have obtained Arhatship.'?"
Subhuti said, "No World Honored One. And why? Actually there is no dharma called an Arhat. World Honored One, if an Arhat had the thought, I have attained Arhatship that would be attachment to self, to others, to living beings, and to a life. World Honored One, the Buddha says that in my attainment of the No Strife Samadhi, I am the foremost among men, that I am the foremost Arhat free from desire. World Honored One, I do not have the thought, 'I am an Arhat free from desire.' If I had the thought 'I have attained Arhatship', then the World Honored One could not say, 'Subhuti is the foremost of those who delight in practicing Arana.' Since Subhuti actually has no practice, he is called 'Subhuti, who delights in practicing Arana.'"
Chapter 10
The Adornment of Pure Lands
The Buddha said to Subhuti, "What do you think? Was there any dharma which the Tathagata obtained while with Burning Lamp Buddha?"
"No, World Honored One, there was actually no dharma which the Tathagata obtained while with Burning Lamp Buddha."
"Subhuti, what do you think, does a Bodhisattva adorn Buddhalands?"
"No, World Honored One. And why? The adornment of Buddhalands is no adornment, therefore it is called adornment."
"Therefore, Subhuti, the Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, should thus produce a pure heart. He should produce that heart without dwelling in forms. He should produce that heart without dwelling in sounds, smells, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas. He should produce that heart without dwelling anywhere.
"Subhuti, suppose a person had a body like Sumeru, King of Mountains. What do you think, would that body be big?"
Subhuti said, "Very big, World Honored One. And why? It is said by the Buddha to be no body. Therefore it is called a big body."
Chapter 11
The Supremacy of Unconditioned Blessings
"Subhuti, if there were as many Ganges Rivers as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, what do you think, would the grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers be many?"
Subhuti said, "Very many, World Honored One. The Ganges Rivers alone would be incalculable, how much the more so the grains of sand in them."
"Subhuti, I will now tell you the truth. If a good man, or good woman, used the seven precious gems to fill three thousand great thousand world systems equal in number to the grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers, and gave them as a gift, would he obtain many blessings?"
Subhuti said, "Very many, World Honored One."
The Buddha told Subhuti, "If a good man, or good woman were to receive and hold from this Sutra even so few as four lines of verse and speak them for others, his blessings and virtue would surpass the former's blessings and virtue."
Chapter 12
Revering the Orthodox Teaching
"Moreover, Subhuti, you should know that all the Gods, men, and Asuras of the wmrld should make offerings to any place at which even so few as four lines of verse from this Sutra are spoken and so forth, just as they would to a Buddha's shrine or temple; how much the more so to any place where people can completely receive, hold, read and recite the Sutra. Subhuti, you should know that such people accomplish the foremost and most rare of dharmas. In any place the Sutra text is found, there is the Buddha or a reverent disciple."
Chapter 13
Receiving and Holding "Thus" Dharma
Then Subhuti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, what should the Sutra be named? How should we respect and hold it?"
The Buddha told Subhuti, "The name of the Sutra is Vajra Prajna Paramita. You should respect and hold it by that name. And why? Subhuti, Prajna Paramita is spoken of by the Buddha as no Prajna Paramita, therefore it is called Prajna Paramita.
"Subhuti, what do you think? Is there any dharma spoken by the Tathagata?"
Subhuti said to the Buddha. "World Honored One, nothing has been spoken by the Tathagata."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Are all the motes of dust in three thousand great thousand world systems many?"
Subhuti said, "Very many, World Honored One."
"Subhuti, all motes of dust are spoken of by the Tathagata as no motes of dust, therefore they are called motes of dust. The world systems are spoken of by the Tathagata as no world systems, therefore they are called world systems.
"Subhuti, what do you think, can the Tathagata be seen by means of the thirty two marks?"
"No, World Honored One, one cannot see the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks. And why? The thirty-two marks are spoken of by the Tathagata as no thirty-two marks, therefore they are called thirty two marks."
"Subhuti, a good man, or good woman, might give up his life as many times as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River; but if a person were to receive and hold even so few as four lines of verse of the Sutra and explain them for others, his blessing would be greater."
Chapter 14
Still Extinction Apart from Marks
"Then Subhuti, upon hearing the Sutra spoken, and deeply understanding its purport, wept and said to the Buddha, "How rare, World Honored One, is this Sutra so profoundly spoken by the Buddha. From the time I obtained the wisdom eye until the present I have never before heard such a Sutra. World Honored One, if someone hears the Sutra with a pure heart of faith then he produces real mark. That person should be known to have accomplished the foremost and most rare merit and virtue."
"World Honored One, the real mark is no mark, therefore the Tathagata calls it the real mark.
"World Honored One, now as I hear this Sutra I believe, understand, receive, and hold it without difficulty. If in the future, in the last five hundred years, there are living beings who when they hear this Sutra believe, understand, receive, and hold it, such people will be foremost and most rare. And why? Such people will have no mark of self, no mark of others, no mark of living beings, and no mark of a life. And why? The mark of self is no mark. The mark of others, the mark of living beings, and the mark of a life are no marks. And why? Those who have relinquished all marks are called Buddhas."
The Buddha told Subhuti, "So it is, so it is. If
someone hears this Sutra and is not frightened, or alarmed, or terrified, you
should know that person is most rare. And why? Subhuti, the foremost Paramita is
spoken of by the Tathagata as no foremost Paramita, therefore it is called the
foremost Paramita.
"Subhuti, the Paramita of patience is spoken of by
the Tathagata as no paramita of patience. Therefore is it called the Paramita of
patience. And why? Subhuti, it is as in the past when the King of Kalinga
dismembered my body. At that time I had no mark of self, no mark of others, no
mark of living beings, and no mark of a life.
"And why? When I was cut limb from limb, if I had
had a mark of self, a mark of others, a mark of living beings, or a mark of
life, I would have been outraged.
"Subhuti, further I recall that in the past, for
five hundred lives, I was the Patient Immortal. During all those lives I had no
mark of self, no mark of others, no mark of living beings, and no mark of a
life. For that reason, Subhuti, a Bodhisattva should, relinquishing all marks,
produce the heart of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. He should produce that heart
without dwelling in forms. He should produce that heart without dwelling in
sounds, smells, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas. He should produce that
heart which does not dwell anywhere. Any dwelling of the heart is no dwelling.
Therefore the Buddha says, 'The heart of a Bodhisattva should not dwell in forms
when he gives.'
"Subhuti, a Bodhisattva, to benefit all beings,
should give thus. All marks are spoken of by the Tathagata as no marks, and all
living beings are spoken of as no living beings. Subhuti, the Tathagata is one
who speaks the truth, who speaks the actual, who speaks what is so, who does not
speak what is false, who does not speak what is not so.
"Subhuti, the dharma obtained by the Tathagata is
neither true nor false.
"Subhuti, a Bodhisattva whose heart dwells in
dharmas when he gives is like a man who enters darkness, who cannot see a thing.
A Bodhisattva whose heart does not dwell in dharmas when he gives is like a man
with eyes in the bright sunlight who can see all kinds of forms.
"Subhuti, in the future, if a good man, or good woman, can receive, hold, read, and recite this Sutra, then the Tathagata by means of all Buddha-wisdom, will completely know and see that person. That person accomplishes measureless and boundless merit and virtue."
Chapter 15
The Merit and Virtue of Holding the Sutra
"Subhuti, a good man, or good woman, might in the morning give up as many
bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and again at noon might
give up as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and
again in the evening might give up as many bodies as there are grains of sand in
the Ganges River, giving up bodies in that way throughout measureless millions
of kalpas. But if someone else were to hear this Sutra and believe it with no
reservations, his blessing would surpass the former one's. How much the more so
if people can write out, receive, hold, read, recite, and explain it for others.
Subhuti, the merit and virtue of this Sutra are inexpressible, inconceivable,
boundless, and beyond all praise. It is spoken by the Tathagata for those who
have set out on the Great Vehicle, those who have set out on the Supreme
Vehicle. If people can receive, hold, read, recite, and speak it for others,
they are completely known by the Tathagata; they are completely seen by the
Tathagata. Such people accomplish immeasurable, inexpressible, boundless,
inconceivable merit and virtue and thus sustain the Tathagata's
Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
"And why? Subhuti, one who delights in lesser
dharmas is attached to a view of self, a view of others, a view of living
beings, and a view of a life. He cannot hear, receive, hold, read, or recite the
Sutra or explain it for others.
"Subhuti, the gods, the men, and the Asuras of the world make offerings at any place where this Sutra is found. You should k know such a place is a stupa where everyone should respectfully bow, circumambulate, and scatter incense and flowers."
Chapter 16
Karmic Obstructions can be Purified
"Moreover, Subhuti, if a good man, or good woman,
receives, holds, reads, and recites this Sutra and if people ridicule him, that
man has karmic offenses from previous lives which destine him for the evil
paths. But because in his present life he is ridiculed by others, his previous
karmic offenses are destroyed and he will attain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
"Subhuti, I recall that in the past for limitless
Asamkhyeya Kalpas prior to Burning Lamp Buddha, I encountered eighty-four
thousands of millions of billions of Nayutas of Buddhas, and made offerings to
them all, and served them all without exception, but if there is a person in the
final period who can receive, hold, read, and recite this Sutra, the merit and
virtue he obtains is a hundred times more, a thousand times more, a million,
billion times more, to the point of being so great it exceeds all calculation
and comparison, than the merit and virtue I gained from making offerings to all
those Buddhas.
"Subhuti, if I were to express thoroughly the merit and virtue of a good man, or good woman, who in the final period receives, holds, reads, and recites the Sutra, those who heard might go insane, and disbelieve. Subhuti, you should know that this Sutra's meaning is inconceivable, and that its resulting retribution also is inconceivable."
Chapter 17
Ultimately There is No Self
Then Subhuti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, if a good man, or good woman, resolves his heart on Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, how should he dwell, how should he subdue his heart?"
The Buddha told Subhuti, "A good man, or good
woman, who has resolved his heart on Anuttarasamyaksambodhi should think thus:
'I should take all living beings across to extinction. Yet when all living
beings have been taken across to extinction, there actually is not a single
living being who has been taken across to extinction. And why? Subhuti, if a
Bodhisattva has a mark of self, a mark of others, a mark of living beings, or a
mark of a life, then he is not a Bodhisattva. For what reason? Subhuti, actually
there is no dharma of resolving the heart on Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
"Subhuti, what do you think? While the Tathagata was with Burning Lamp Buddha, was there any dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi attained?"
"No, World Honored One. As I understand what the Buddha has said, while the Buddha was with Burning Lamp Buddha there was no Anuttarasamyaksambodhi attained."
The Buddha said, "So it is, so it is, Subhuti.
There actually was no dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi which the Tathagata
attained. Subhuti, if there had been a dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi which
the Tathagata attained, then Burning Lamp Buddha would not have given me the
prediction, 'you will in the future attain Buddhahood and be named Sakyamuni.'
Since there actually was no dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi attained, Burning
Lamp Buddha gave me the prediction saying these words, 'You will in the future
attain Buddhahood and be named Shakyamuni.'"
"And why? 'Tathagata' means thusness of all
dharmas. If someone were to say the Tathagata attains Anuttarasamyaksambodhi,
Subhuti, actually there is no dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi which the Buddha
attain. Subhuti, the Anuttarasamyaksambodhi which the Tathagata attains, in
that, there is neither true nor false. For that reason the Tathagata speaks of
all dharmas as Buddhadharmas. Subhuti, all dharmas are spoken of as no dharmas.
Therefore they are called dharmas."
"Subhuti, it is like a person's big body."
Subhuti said, "World Honored One, the person's big body is spoken of by the Tathagata as no big body, therefore it is called a big body."
"Subhuti, a Bodhisattva is also thus. If he were
to say, 'I should take measureless living beings across to extinction, then he
would not be called a Bodhisattva. And why? Subhuti, there actually is no dharma
called a Bodhisattva. For that reason the Buddha spoke of all dharmas as devoid
of self, devoid of others, devoid of living beings, and devoid of a life."
"Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva were to say, 'I shall adorn Buddhalands,' He would not be called a Bodhisattva. And why? The adornment of Buddhalands is spoken of by the Tathagata as no adornment. Therefore it is called adornment. Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva comprehends that all dharmas are devoid of self, the Tathagata calls him a true Bodhisattva."
Chapter 18
One Substance Regarded as Identical
"Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the flesh eye?"
"So it is, World Honored One. The Tathagata has the flesh eye."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the heavenly eye?"
"So it is, World Honored One. The Tathagata has the heavenly eye."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the wisdom eye?"
"So it is, World Honored One. The Tathagata has the wisdom eye."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the dharma eye?"
"So it is, World Honored One. The Tathagata has the "the dharma eye."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have the Buddha eye?"
"So it is, World Honored One. The Tathagata has the Buddha eye."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Has the Tathagata spoken of the sand grains in the Ganges River?"
"So it is, World Honored One. The Tathagata has spoken of that sand."
"Subhuti, what do you think? If all the grains of sand in one Ganges River became an equal number of Ganges Rivers, and all the grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers became that many Buddhalands. Would they be many?"
"Very many, World Honored One."
The Buddha told Subhuti, "All the various thoughts which occur to all the living beings in all those Buddhalands are completely known by the Tathagata. And why? All thoughts are spoken of by the Tathagata as no thoughts, therefore they are called thoughts. For what reason? Subhuti, past thought cannot be got at, present thought cannot be got at, and future thought cannot be got at."
Chapter 19
The Dharma Realm Penetrated and Transformed
"Subhuti, what do you think? If someone filled the three thousand great thousand worlds with the seven precious jewels and gave them as a gift, would that person for that reason obtain many blessings?"
"So it is, World Honored One. That person would for that reason obtain very many blessings."
"Subhuti, if blessings and virtue were real, the Tathagata would not have spoken of obtaining many blessings. It is because blessings and virtue do not exist that the Tathagata has spoken of obtaining many blessings."
Chapter 20
Apart from Form and Apart from Marks
"Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen in the perfection of his physical form?"
"No, World Honored One. The Tathagata cannot be seen in the perfection of his physical form. And why? The perfection of physical form is spoken of by the Tathagata as no perfection of physical form, therefore it is called the perfection of physical form."
"Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen in the perfection of marks?"
"No, World Honored One. The Tathagata cannot be seen in the perfection of marks. And why? The perfection of marks is spoken of by the Tathagata as no perfection of marks. Therefore it is called the perfection of marks."
Chapter 21
Spoken yet not Spoken
"Subhuti, do not say the Tathagata has the thought, 'I have spoken dharma.' Do not think that way. And why? If someone says the Tathagata has spoken dharma he slanders the Buddha due to his inability to understand what I say. Subhuti, in the dharma spoken there is no dharma which can be spoken, therefore it is called the dharma spoken."
Then the sagacious Subhuti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, will there be living beings in the future who will believe this Sutra when they hear it spoken?"
The Buddha said, "Subhuti, they are neither living beings nor no living beings. And why? Subhuti, living beings, those living beings, are spoken of by the Tathagata as no living beings, therefore they are called living beings."
Chapter 22
There is no Dharma which can be Obtained
Subhuti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, is it that the Tathagata in attaining Anuttarasamyaksambodhi did not attain anything?"
The Buddha said, "So it is, so it is, Subhuti. As to Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, there is not even the slightest Anuttarasamyaksambodhi dharma which I could attain, therefore it is called Anuttarasamyaksambodhi."
Chapter 23
The Pure Heart Practices Good
"Moreover, Subhuti, this dharma is level and equal, with no high or low. Therefore it is called Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. To cultivate all good dharmas with no self, no others, no living beings, and no life is to attain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. Subhuti, good dharmas are spoken of by the Tathagata as no good dharmas. Therefore they are called good dharmas."
Chapter 24
Blessings and Wisdom Beyond Compare
"Subhuti, if there were heaps of the seven precious jewels equal in amount to all the Sumerus, Kings of Mountains, in three thousand great thousand world systems, and someone gave them as a gift, and if some else were to take from this Prajnaparamita Sutra as few as four lines of verse, and receive, hold, read, recite, and speak them for others, his blessings and virtue would surpass the previous one's by more hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of times than either calculation of analogy could express."
Chapter 25
Transformations without what is Transformed
"Subhuti, what do you think? You should not maintain that the Tathagata has this thought: 'I shall take living beings across.' Subhuti, do not have that thought. And why? There actually are no living beings taken across by the Tathagata. If there were living beings taken across by the Tathagata, then the Tathagata would have the existence of a self, of others, of living beings, and of a life. Subhuti, the existence of a self spoken of by the Tathagata is no existence of a self, but common people take it as the existence of a self. Subhuti, common people are spoken of by the Tathagata as no common people, therefore they are called common people."
Chapter 26
The Dharma Body Has No Marks
"Subhuti, what do you think? Can one contemplate the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks?"
Subhuti said, "So it is , so it is, World Honored One. One can contemplate the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks."
The Buddha said, "Subhuti, if one could contemplate the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks, then a Sagely Wheel-turning King would be a Tathagata."
Subhuti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, as I understand what the Buddha has said, one should not contemplate the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks."
At that time the World Honored One spoke a gatha which
says,
If one sees
me in forms,
If one seeks me in sounds,
He practices a deviant way,
And cannot see the Tathagata.
Chapter 27
Not Cut Off and Not Extinguished
"Subhuti, you may have the thought that the Tathagata did not attain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi by means of the perfection of marks. Subhuti, do not think that the Tathagata did not attain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi by means of the perfection of marks. Subhuti, you should not think that those who have resolved their hearts on Anuttarasamyaksambodhi affirm the annihilation of all dharmas. Do not have that thought. And why? Those who have resolved their hearts on Anuttarasamyaksambodhi do not affirm the annihilation of marks.
Chapter 28
No Reception and No Greed
"Subhuti, A Bodhisattva might fill world systems
equal to Ganges River's sands with the seven precious jewels and give them as a
gift. But if another person were to know that all dharmas are devoid of self and
accomplish
Subhuti
said to the
Buddha, "World Honored One, how is it that Bodhisattvas do
not receive blessings and virtue?"
"Subhuti, since Bodhisattvas cannot be greedily
attached to the blessings and virtue which they foster, they are said not to
receive blessings and virtue."
Chapter 29
The Stillness of the
Awesome Manner
"Subhuti, if someone were to say the Tathagata
either comes or goes, either sits or lies down, that person would not understand
the meaning of my teaching. And why? The Tathagata does not come from anywhere,
nor does he go anywhere. Therefore he is called the Tathagata."
Chapter 30
The Totality of
Principle and Marks
"Subhuti, if a good man or good woman were to pulverize three thousand
great thousand world systems into motes of fine dust, what do you think, would
that mass of fine dust be large?"
Subhuti said, "Large, World Honored One, And why?
If that mass of fine dust motes actually existed, the Buddha would not speak of
it as a mass of fine dust motes. And why? The mass of fine dust motes is spoken
of by the Buddha as no mass of fine dust motes. Therefore it is called a mass of
fine dust motes. World Honored One, the three thousand great thousand world
systems are spoken of by the Tathagata as no world systems, therefore they are
called world systems. And why? If world systems actually existed, then there
would be a totality of marks. The totality of marks is spoken of by the
Tathagata as no totality of marks. Therefore it is called a totality of
marks."
"Subhuti, the totality of marks cannot be spoken
of, but people of the common sort greedily attached to such things."
Chapter 31
Neither Knowing nor
Seeing is Produced
"Subhuti, if someone were to say that the view of
a self, the view of others, the view of living beings, and the view of a life
are spoken of by the Buddha, Subhuti, what do you think? Does that person
understand the meaning of my teaching?"
"No, World Honored One, that person does not
understand the meaning of the Tathagata's teaching. And why? The view of a self,
the view of others, the view of the living beings, and the view of a life are
spoken of by the World Honored One as no view of self, no view of others, no
view of living beings, and no view of a life. Therefore they are called the view
of self, the view of others, the view of living beings, and the view of a
life."
"Subhuti, those who have resolved their hearts on
Anuttarasamyaksambodhi should thus know, thus view, thus believe and
understanding all dharmas, and not produce the marks of dharmas. Subhuti, the
marks of dharmas are spoken of by the Tathagata as no marks of dharmas,
therefore they are called the marks of dharmas."
Chapter 32
The Response and
Transformation Bodies are Unreal
"Subhuti, someone might fill measureless
Asamkhyeyas of world systems with the seven precious jewels and give them as a
gift. But if a good man, or good woman, who has resolved his heart on Bodhi were
to take from this Sutra even as few as four lines of verse and receive, hold,
read, recite, and extensively explain them for others, his blessings would
surpass the other's."
How should it be explained to others? With no grasping
at marks: Thus, Thus, unmoving. And why?
All
conditioned dharmas
are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows,
like dew drops and a lightning flash:
contemplate them thus.
After the Buddha spoke this Sutra the elder Subhuti, all the Bhiksus, Bhiksunis, Upasakas, Upasikas, and the world with its gods, men and asuras, heard what the Buddha had said, rejoiced, believed, received, revered, and practiced
