Chapter 1 "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?"
(How to dwell on the Buddha nature and calm the running mind)
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, Mahasattvas, 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 gems 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 world 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 astupa
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?"
(How to dwell on the Buddha nature and calm the running mind)
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 Shakyamuni.' 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 gems 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 Tathaga ta 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 gems 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 Prajna Paramita 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 a cross 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 previous gems and give them as a gift. But if another person
were to know that all dharmas are devoid of self and accomplish, patience, that
Bodhisattva's merit and virtue would surpass that of the previous Bodhisattva.
And why? Subhuti, it is because Bodhisattvas do not 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 wo rld systems
with the seven precious gems 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.
Uploaded by Minh Quang on July 28, 2001