(the discourse on transcendent awareness in 300 lines)
Homage to the beautiful, the sacred transcendent awareness.
1 Introduction
1.a The assembly. [1] Thus have I heard at one time. The Buddha was in Sravasti,
in the Jeta Grove, in Anathapindada's park, with a large group of monks, 1250
monks and many great bodhisattvas. Early in the morning the Lord Buddha got
dressed, took his bowl, and went to Sravasti for alms. When he had eaten, he
returned to the park, put his bowl and coat away, washed his feet, and sat down
on the seat that had been arranged for him. He crossed his legs, sat upright,
and looked straight ahead. Many monks approached, saluted his feet, walked around
him three times, and sat down to one side.
1.b Subhuti asks [2] Then the venerable Subhuti arrived and sat down. After
rising and adjusting his robe, he knelt on one knee and with folded hands said
to the Buddha, "It's great, oh lord Buddha, it's exceedingly wonderful,
oh well-traveled one, how much the bodhisattvas have been benefited by you,
who knows where it's at, the superior man, the fully enlightened one. It's great
how these bodhisattvas have been so highly favored by you, the one who knows
where it's at, the superior man, the fully enlightened one. How should such
favored bodhisattvas behave, proceed, and tame their thoughts? The Buddha answered
Subhuti, "Good question, good question Subhuti. You're right. The one who
knows where it's at has helped the bodhisattvas, greatly helped them, favored
them with the highest favor. So listen up, Subhuti. I'll tell you how those
who have set out on the bodhisattva's way of life should behave, proceed, and
tame their thoughts." "So be it, buddha." replied Subhuti, as
he perked up.
[2a] The bodhisattva's career
[2.b] The bodhisattva's intention
[3] The Buddha said, "Subhuti, a person who has set out on the bodhisattva's
way of life should think, 'I must lead all the beings of the universe to nirvana,
whether they are born from an egg, from a womb, from scum, or they miraculously
appear; I must lead them into nirvana where nothing remains behind. And yet,
although innumerable beings have been thus led to nirvana, no being whatsoever
has been led to nirvana.' Why is that? If a bodhisattva thinks of a 'being'
he or she is no bodhisattva. Why is that? He or she is no bodhisattva if they
think in terms of a self or a being, or in terms of a living person or a soul."
[4] "Moreover, Subhuti, a bodhisattva who shares with others should free
themselves. When sharing, they should be free from lust for beautiful sights,
lovely sounds, gourmet tastes or smells, tactile enjoyments, and seductive thoughts.
The bodhisattva should give to others without being influenced by seductive
things. Why is that? Because a bodhisattva who shares uninfluenced by such things
will reap vast benefits. "What do you think, Subhuti? Can you comprehend
the vastness of space to the east?" "No, blessed one! It is impossible
to comprehend the vastness of space in the east." "Subhuti, is it
possible to comprehend the limits of space in the north, the south, or the west?
Or any direction in the universe?" "No, world-honored one." "Subhuti,
it is equally impossible to comprehend the vast benefits that incur to a bodhisattva
who shares without being seduced by appearances."
[5] "What do you think, Subhuti? Can someone see the well- traveled one
in the phenomena of physical presence?" "No, honored one! It is impossible
to even see the well- traveled one in the phenomena of his physical presence.
Why? Because the phenomena of his physical presence is not the same as the essential
well-traveled one." "You are right, Subhuti. The phenomena of the
physical presence is wholly illusion. It is not until a person understands this
that he can realize the true well-traveled one."
[6] Subhuti respectfully asked the lord buddha, "Honored one! In the future,
if a person hears this teaching, or a part of it, whether a section or a sentence,
will true faith awaken in their mind?" "No doubt about it, Subhuti.
Even 500 years after the nirvana of the well-traveled one there will be some
who, practicing charity and keeping the faith, will believe in sections and
sentences of this scripture and will awaken their minds purely. Know, however,
that such persons, long ago, planted seeds of goodness, not simply before one
buddhist temple, or two, or five, but before hundreds of thousands of buddhas,
so that when they hear sections and sentences of this scripture a pure faith
will awaken within their minds. "Subhuti, the well-traveled one knows that
the sentient beings who awaken faith upon hearing sections or sentences of this
scripture will accumulate inestimable blessings and merit. How do I know this?
Because these sentient beings must have already discarded such arbitrary conceptions
of phenomena as one's own self, other selves, living beings, and a universal
self. If they had not, their minds would inevitably grasp after such things
and they would then not be able to practice charity nor keep the precepts. "Moreover,
these sentient beings must also have discarded all arbitrary notions of a personal
self, other personalities, living beings, and a universal self. Otherwise their
minds would inevitably grasp after such relative conceptions. Furthermore, these
sentient beings must have already discarded all arbitrary notions of the non-existence
of a personal self, other personalities, living beings, and a universal self.
Otherwise, their minds would still be grasping at such notions. Therefore everyone
who seeks total enlightenment should discard not only conceptions of their own
selfhood, other selves, living beings, and a universal self, but they should
also discard all notions of the non-existence of such conceptions. When the
well-traveled one, in teaching, uses conceptions and ideas, people should remember
the unreality of all such concepts and ideas. They should recall that the well-traveled
one, in teaching spiritual truths, always uses such notions in the way that
a raft is used to cross a river. The raft is of no more use when the river has
been crossed, and should be discarded. So these arbitrary conceptions of and
about spiritual things should be given us as one attains enlightenment. How
much more should one give up conceptions of non-existent things?"
[7] "What do you think, Subhuti? Has the well-traveled one attained anything
that can be described as complete enlightenment? Has he ever given you any such
teaching?" Subhuti replied, "As I understand the teaching of the lord
buddha, there is no such thing as complete enlightenment, nor is it possible
for the well-traveled one to teach any fixed spiritual truth. Why? Because the
things taught by the well- traveled one are, in their essential nature, inconceivable
and inscrutable; they are neither existent nor non-existent; they are neither
phenomena nor noumena. What does this mean? It means that buddhas and bodhisattvas
are not enlightened by fixed teachings, but by an intuitive process, spontaneous
and natural."
[8] "What do you think Subhuti? If a follower gave treasures enough to
fill 3,000 universes, would that person gain considerable blessings and merit?"
Subhuti replied, "Considerable blessings and merit. Why? Because what the
lord buddha has referred to as blessings and merit does not refer to anything
objective, he merely refers to such things in a relative way. The lord buddha
continued, "If another, after studying and observing even a single stanza
of this scripture, explains its meaning to others, their blessings and merit
will be much greater. Why is that? Because from explanations such as these buddhas
have attained unsurpassed enlightenment, and their teachings come from this
sacred scripture. However, Subhuti, I must take back my words as soon as they
are uttered, for there are no buddhas and no teachings."
[9] "What do you think, Subhuti? Suppose someone has entered the flow.
Could that person arbitrarily say, 'I have entered the flow'?" Subhuti
replied, "No way man. Because, even though they have entered the flow,
truly they have not entered anything, nor has their mind entertained such arbitrary
conceptions as form, sound, taste, odor, tactile thing, or discrimination. Thus
are such people known to have entered the flow." "What do you think,
Subhuti? Suppose someone has only one more life to traverse? Could that person
say 'I have only one more life to go'?" "No way man. Because even
if set to return only one more time, truly there is no rebirth either in this
world or any other. By knowing this someone has only one more life to traverse."
"What do you think Subhuti? Suppose someone will never be reborn. Could
that person say, 'I won't be reborn again'?" "No way man. Because
even though they won't be reborn, they don't really think in such arbitrary
terms. Because of which they won't be reborn again." "What do you
think, Subhuti? Suppose someone is completely awake. Would that person think,
'I am awake'?" "No way man. Because there really isn't such a thing
as a truly awakened person. If someone harbored a thought such as 'I am awake'
they would find themselves attached to ideas about a self, other selves, living
beings, and a universal self. Oh Lord, you have said that I have become passively
atuned, have reached the pinnacle of my potential, and am therefore awakened.
If I cherished the thought, 'I am awake, free of desire!' you, good lord, would
not have said that I delight in the practice of silence and tranquility. But,
in truth, I have cherished no such arbitrary thought, so you could truly say,
'Subhuti delights in the practice of silence and tranquility."
[10] "What do you think, Subhuti? When the well-traveled one was, in a
previous life, with Dipankara buddha, did I receive any definite teaching or
attain any definite degree of self-control, whereby I later became a buddha?"
"No, honorable one. When the well-traveled one was a disciple of Dipankara
buddha, in truth, he received no definite teaching, nor did he attain any definite
supremacy." "What do you think, Subhuti? Do the great bodhisattvas
embellish the elysian fields to which they go?" "No way man. And why
is that? Because what you mean by the expression, 'embellish the elysian fields'
is self-contradictory, for elysian fields thus embellished would no longer be
called elysian fields. Therefore the expression 'embellishment of the elysian
fields' is merely a figure of speech." The lord buddha continued, "Therefore,
Subhuti, the minds of all bodhisattvas should be purified of all thoughts that
relate to seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and discriminating.
They should use their mental faculties spontaneously and naturally, without
being constrained by preconceived notions arising from the senses. "Subhuti,
suppose a person's body was as big as the highest mountain. What do you think?
Would that body be considered huge?" "Exceedingly huge, world-honored
one! Because what you really mean by the expression 'huge body' is not limited
by any arbitrary conception, so it can correctly be called huge."
[11] "What do you think, Subhuti? If there are as many Ganges Rivers as
there are grains of sand in the river Ganges, will these rivers be numerous?"
"Exceedingly numerous, lord." "Suppose there were these innumerable
rivers, how immeasurable would be their grains of sand! Subhuti, if a good and
faithful person, whether man or woman, were to give gifts of desirable things
equal to those grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers, would the merit accrued
be considerable?" "A very considerable merit, my lord." "Subhuti,
if another person, after studying and observing even one stanza of this scripture,
were to explain it to others, their merit would be greater."
[12] "Furthermore, Subhuti, if any person in any place were to teach even
one stanza of this scripture, that place would become sacred ground and would
be revered by numerous kinds of beings, as if it were a sacred temple. How much
more sacred would the place become if that person studied and observed the whole
scripture! Be assured, Subhuti, such a person will attain total enlightenment,
and the place where this scripture is reverenced will be like an altar consecrated
to the buddha, or to one of his honored followers."
[13a] Subhuti said to the blessed one, "By what name shall we know this
scripture, so that it can be honored and studied?" The lord buddha replied,
"This scripture shall be known as The Transcendent Awareness that Cuts
Like a Diamond. By this name it shall be revered and studied and observed. What
does this name mean? It means that when the buddha named it, he did not have
in mind any definite or arbitrary conception, and so named it. This scripture
is hard and sharp, like a diamond that will cut away all arbitrary conceptions
and bring one to the other shore of enlightenment. "What do you think,
Subhuti? Has the well-traveled one given you any definite teaching in this scripture?"
"No blessed lord, the well-traveled one has not given us any definite teaching
in this scripture."
[13b] "What do you think, Subhuti? Are the atoms in 3,000 worlds very numerous?"
"Very numerous indeed, lord." "Subhuti, when the well-traveled
one speaks of atoms, it does not mean I am thinking any definite or arbitrary
thought, I merely use the words as a figure of speech. It is just the same with
the word universe; these words do not assert any definite or arbitrary idea,
I merely use the words as words."
[13c] "What do you think, Subhuti? Can someone grasp the well- traveled
one's personality by its 32 marks of physical excellence?" "No blessed
one! We cannot grasp the well-traveled one's wonderful personality by its 32
marks of excellence. Why? Because what the well-traveled one has expressed as
'32 marks of physical excellence' does not convey any definite or arbitrary
assertions as to the qualities of a buddha. The words are merely used as a figure
of speech."
[13d] "Subhuti, if a good and faithful follower, whether male or female,
has, for the sake of charity, been sacrificing their life for generation upon
generation, for as many generations as the grains of sands in 3,000 universes;
and another follower has been merely studying and observing a single stanza
of this scripture and explaining it to others, their blessings and merit will
be greater."
[14a] As Subhuti listened intently to the words of the lord buddha, the teachings
of this scripture penetrated his awareness, and he realized it to be the true
path to enlightenment. With tears in his eyes, he said, "Oh, blessed lord,
I have never before understood this profound scripture. You have opened my eyes
to transcendent awareness. "Honored one, what has been taught about the
true significance of phenomena has no arbitrary or limited meaning. This teaching
is, as you say, a raft to carry us to the other shore. Noble lord, when, as
now, I have the chance to hear this scripture, it is not difficult to concentrate
my mind upon it and clearly understand its significance; it awakens within my
mind a pure faith. In the future, after 500 years, if there are any ready to
hear it and ready to attain enlightenment, able to concentrate their minds upon
it, able to clearly understand it, able to awaken a pure faith in it, such a
person will thereby become a wonderful and preeminent person. And if there are
such people, they will be able to awaken pure faith because they have ceased
to cherish any arbitrary notions of their own selfhood, other selves, living
beings, or a universal self. Why? Because if they are cherishing any arbitrary
conception as to their own selfhood, they will be cherishing something that
is non-existent. It is the same with all arbitrary conceptions of other selves,
living beings, a universal self. These are all expressions of non-existent things.
Such a person, able to discard all arbitrary conceptions of and about phenomena,
will immediately become a buddha." The lord buddha was very pleased with
this reply, saying, "True, quite true. If a person, having heard this scripture,
is not surprised, nor frightened, and does not shrink from it, they are a truly
wonderful person."
[14b] "In talking about the practice of transcendent patience, the well-traveled
one does not hold onto any arbitrary conceptions about the phenomena of patience,
he merely refers to it as the practice of transcendent patience. And why is
that? Because when, in a previous life, the Prince of Kalinga severed the flesh
from my limbs and my body, even then I was free from such ideas as my own self,
other selves, living beings, and a universal self. For if, at the time of my
suffering, I had cherished any of these arbitrary notions, I would have fallen
into impatience and hatred. "Besides, Subhuti, I remember that during my
five hundred previous lives I had used life after life to practice patience
and to look upon my life humbly, as though I were a saint called upon to suffer
humility. Even then my mind was free of arbitrary conceptions of the phenomena
of my self, other selves, living beings, or a universal self."
[14c] The lord buddha continued, "When a great bodhisattva begins to practice
toward attaining unsurpassed enlightenment, he or she must give up attachment
to arbitrary ideas about reality. When thinking, he or she should definitely
banish all thought connected with the sensory phenomena of sight, sound, taste,
smell, touch, and all discriminations based thereupon, keeping the mind free
of such arbitrary conceptions about reality. The mind becomes disturbed by discriminating
in terms of sense data and the arbitrary conceptions that arise in their wake;
as the mind gets disturbed it begins to falsely imagine a self and its relationship
with other selves. Therefore the well-traveled one has constantly urged the
great bodhisattvas, in their practice of sharing, not to be influenced by any
arbitrary ideas about reality, such as sights, sounds, and so forth. "Great
bodhisattvas should share uninfluenced by any preconceived notions as to a self
and other selves, and for the sole purpose of benefitting sentient beings, always
recalling that both phenomena and sentient beings are to be considered as mere
expressions. Nevertheless, Subhuti, the teachings of the well-traveled one are
all true, credible, unchangeable; they are neither extravagant nor chimerical.
The same is true of the attainments of the well-traveled one--they are neither
real nor unreal. "Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, in practicing charity,
holds within his or her mind any of these arbitrary conceptions, thereby discriminating
self from other selves, he or she will be like a person walking in the darkness
and seeing nothing. But if a great bodhisattva, in practicing charity, has no
arbitrary conception of receiving blessings and merit by such practice, he or
she will be like a person with clear sight, seeing all things in bright sunshine.
"If, in the future, there is a worthwhile man or woman able to observe
and study this scripture, their success and attainment of inconceivable blessings
and merit will be instantly known and appreciated by the overarching vision
of the well-traveled one.
[15] The lord buddha continued, "Subhuti, if a good person, whether male
or female, in their zeal to practice charity is willing to sacrifice their life
in the morning, at mid-day, or in the evening, on as many occasions as there
are grains of sand in the river Ganges, and these occasions recur for a 100,000
eons, would the blessings and merit be great?" "It would be great
indeed, lord buddha." "Supposing, Subhuti, another person were to
observe and study this scripture with pure faith. Their blessings and merit
would be greater. And if still another person, besides observing and studying
this scripture, were to enthusiastically explain it to others and copy and circulate
it, their blessings and merit would be far greater. "In other words, Subhuti,
this scripture is invested with an inestimable, illimitable, ineffable virtue
and power. The well- traveled one elucidates this scripture only to those persons
who are earnestly and perserveringly seeking to perfectly realize total enlightenment
and attain the bodhisattva stages of compassion that characterize the greater
path. As people are able to enthusiastically and faithfully observe and study
this scripture, explain it to others and circulate it widely, the well-traveled
one will recognize and support them until they succeed in attaining its inestimable,
illimitable, and wonderful virtues. Such people will share with the well-traveled
one its task of compassion and its reward of total enlightenment. "And
why, Subhuti, is this promise limited to the followers of the greater path?
Because the followers of the lesser path have not yet been able to free themselves
from such arbitrary conceptions as personal selfhood, other personalities, living
beings, and a universal self, and are therefore not yet able to faithfully and
earnestly observe and study and explain this scripture to others. "Listen
up Subhuti! Wherever this scripture shall be observed and studied and explained,
that place will become sacred ground to which countless spiritually advanced
beings will bring offerings. Such places, however humble they may be, will be
reverenced as though they were famous temples, and countless pilgrims will come
there to worship. Over them spiritually advanced beings will hover, sprinkling
that place with celestial flowers."
[16] The blessed one continued, "Subhuti, should there be among the faithful
some who have not yet matured their karma and who must first suffer the natural
retribution of evils committed in some previous life by being degraded to a
lower life form, and should they earnestly and faithfully observe and study
this scripture, and thereby be despised and persecuted by people, their karma
will immediately mature and they will attain supreme, total awakening. "Subhuti,
I recall that long ago, numerous eons before the time of Dipankara buddha, without
my having been at fault, I served and worshiped and received spiritual instruction
and discipline from 84,000 myriad buddhas. Yet in the far future ages of the
last era of this world, if a student faithfully observes, studies, and puts
into practice the teachings in this scripture, the blessing that will accrue
will far exceed that acquired by me during those long years of service and discipline
under those many buddhas. Yes, it will exceed my poor merit, billions to one.
Yes, even more, it will exceed uncountable myriads to one. The lord buddha continued,
"Subhuti, in contrast to what I have said about the inestimable blessing
that will come to earnest followers who observe and study and practice this
scripture in that far off time, I must tell you that there will probably be
some students who, upon hearing this scripture, will become bewildered and will
not believe what they hear. Subhuti, you should remember that just as the spiritual
message of this scripture transcends human thought, so also the effect and the
final result of studying it and putting it into practice is inscrutable."
[17] Then Subhuti asked the lord buddha, "Suppose a good person, either
man or woman, having aimed themself toward total enlightenment, still finds
their mind to be disturbed. How are they to keep the mind tranquil, how subdue
wandering thoughts and cravings?" "The lord buddha replied, "Subhuti,
any good person who concentrates on attaining total enlightenment should cherish
one thought: the intention to attain the highest transcendent awareness in order
to show all sentient beings the eternal peace and freedom of nirvana. If this
intention is sincere, these sentient beings are already freed. And yet, Subhuti,
if the full truth is realized, one knows that not a single sentient being has
ever been freed. And why, Subhuti? Because if the great bodhisattvas have held
onto any such arbitrary conceptions as one's own self, other selves, living
beings, or a universal self, they could not be called great bodhisattvas. And
what does this mean, Subhuti? It means that there are no sentient beings to
be freed and there is no selfhood that can begin the practice of seeking to
attain total enlightenment. "What do you think, Subhuti? When the well-traveled
one was with the buddha Dipankara did he have any such arbitrary conception
of the spiritual truth by which he sought to attain total enlightenment intuitively?"
"No, blessed lord. As I understand what you are saying, when you were with
buddha Dipankara you had no such arbitrary conception of spirituality by which
you sought total enlightenment intuitively." The lord buddha was very pleased
with this, and said, "You are right, Subhuti. Speaking truthfully there
is no such arbitrary conception of spiritual truth as that. If there had been,
Dipankara would not have predicted that in some future life I would attain buddhahood
under the name Shakyamuni. What does this mean Subhuti? It means that what I
attained is not something limited and arbitrary that can be called 'total enlightenment,'
but is that buddhahood whose being is identical with the being of all things
and is what it is--universal, inconceivable, inscrutable. "Suppose, Subhuti,
there were a student who asserts that the well-traveled one had some ideas about
the spiritual truth that warranted his seeking to attain complete enlightenment.
Understand, Subhuti, that the well-traveled one truly had no ideas of the spiritual
truth by which he sought to attain total enlightenment." The lord buddha
emphasized this by saying, "Subhuti, the buddhahood which the well-traveled
one attained is both the same and not the same as total enlightenment. This
is merely another way of saying that the phenomena of all things is one beingness
with buddhahood and complete enlightenment, and is neither reality nor unreality,
but is together with all phenomena in openness and silence, inconceivable and
inscrutable. Subhuti, that is why I say that the spiritual truth of all things
can never be encompassed by any arbitrary conception of phenomena, however universal
that conception may be. That is why it is called the truth, and that is why
there is no such thing as the truth. "Subhuti, suppose I were to speak
of the largeness of the human body. What would you understand thereby?"
"World-honored one, I would understand that the lord buddha was not speaking
of the largeness of the human body as an arbitrary conception of its being.
I would understand that the words carried merely an imaginary meaning."
"Subhuti, it is just the same when the great bodhisattvas speak of delivering
numberless sentient beings. If they have in mind any arbitrary conception of
sentient beings or of definite numbers, they are unworthy of being called great
bodhisattvas. And why, Subhuti? Because the very reason they are called great
bodhisattvas is because they have abandoned all such arbitrary conceptions.
And what is true of one arbitrary conception is true of all conceptions. The
well-traveled one's teachings are entirely free of all such arbitrary conceptions
as one's own self, other selves, living beings, and a universal self."
To make this teaching even more empathic, the lord buddha continued, "If
a great bodhisattva were to speak as follows, 'I will add embellishments to
the buddhafields' he would be unworthy of being called a great bodhisattva.
Why? Because the well- traveled one has explicitly taught that when a great
bodhisattva uses such words, they must not bear in mind any such arbitrary conception
of phenomena; they are to use such expressions merely as so many words. "Subhuti,
it is only those students whose understanding can penetrate deeply enough into
the meaning of the well-traveled one's teachings concerning the egolessness
of both things and living beings, and who can clearly understand their significance,
that are worthy to be called great bodhisattvas."
[18] The buddha then asked Subhuti, "What do you think? Does the well-traveled
one have ordinary eyes?" "Subhuti replied, "Sure, he has ordinary
eyes." "Does he have the eyes of enlightenment?" "Of course,
the well-traveled one has the eyes of enlightenment, otherwise he would not
be the buddha." "Does the well-traveled one have the eyes of transcendent
intelligence?" "Yes, the well-traveled one has the eyes of transcendent
intelligence." "Does the well-traveled one have the eyes of spiritual
intuition?" "Yes, lord, the well-traveled one has the eyes of spiritual
intuition." "Does the well-traveled one have the buddha eyes of love
and compassion for all sentient beings?" Subhuti agreed and said, "Lord,
you love all sentient life." "What do you think, Subhuti? When I referred
to the grains of sand in the river Ganges, did I assert that they were truly
grains of sand?" "No blessed lord, you only spoke of them as grains
of sand." "Subhuti, if there were as many Ganges rivers as there are
grains of sand in the river Ganges, and if there were as many buddhalands as
there are grains of sand in all those innumerable rivers, would these buddhalands
be considered numerous?" "Very numerous indeed, lord buddha."
"Listen up, Subhuti. Within these innumerable buddhalands there are every
form of sentient beings with all their various mentalities and attitudes, all
of which are fully known to the well-traveled one, but not one of them is held
in the well- traveled one's mind as an arbitrary conception. They are all merely
thought of. Not one of this vast accumulation of conceptions since beginningless
time, through to the never ending future, not one of them is graspable."
[19] The buddha continued, "What do you think Subhuti? If a follower were
to give away enough goods to fill 3,000 universes, would a great blessing and
merit incur to him or her?" Subhuti replied, "Honored one, such a
follower would acquire considerable blessings and merit." The lord buddha
said, "Subhuti, if such a blessing had any substantiality, if it were anything
other than a figure of speech. The well-traveled one would not have used the
words blessings and merit."
[20] Again the lord buddha inquired of Subhuti, saying, "Can the well-traveled
one be fully known through any manifestation of form or idea?" "No,
world-honored one! The well-traveled one cannot be fully known through any manifestation
of form or idea. Why? Because the phenomena of form and idea are inadequate
to express buddhahood. They can only serve as mere expressions, a hint of that
which is inconceivable. "What do you think, Subhuti? Can the well-traveled
one be fully known through any of his transcendent transformations?" "No,
world-honored one! The well-traveled one cannot be fully known even by his transcendent
transformations. Why? Because what the well-traveled one has referred to as
'transcendent transformations' is merely a figure of speech. Even the most advanced
bodhisattvas are unable to fully realize via intuition that which is essentially
inscrutable."
[21] The lord buddha then warned Subhuti, saying, "Subhuti, do not believe
that the well-traveled one ever thinks, 'I ought to present a system for teaching
spiritual truths.' You should never entertain such an idea. Why? Because if
anyone thinks this way, they will not only be misunderstanding the teachings
of the well- traveled one, but they will be slandering as well. Furthermore,
what has been referred to as 'a system of teaching' has no meaning, because
truth cannot be cut up into pieces and arranged into a system. The words can
only be used as figures of speech." Then Subhuti, blessed with enlightened,
transcendent intelligence, said to the buddha, "Blessed lord, in future
ages when any sentient beings happen to hear this scripture, will the essential
elements of faith arise within their hearts?" The lord buddha said, "Subhuti,
why do you still think in such arbitrary terms? There are no such things as
sentient beings, neither are there any non-sentient beings. Why? Because what
you think of as sentient beings are unreal and non-existent. When the well-traveled
one has used such words in is teachings, he has merely used them as figures
of speech. Your question is therefore irrelevant."
[22] Subhuti again asked, "Blessed lord, when you attained complete enlightenment,
did you feel in your mind that nothing had been acquired?" The buddha replied,
"That is it precisely, Suhuti. When I attained total enlightenment, I did
not feel, as the mind feels, any arbitrary conception of spiritual truth, not
even the slightest. Even the words 'total enlightenment' are merely words.
[23a] "Furthermore Subhuti, what I have attained in total enlightenment
is the same as what all others have attained. It is undifferentiated, regarded
neither as a high state, nor a low state. It is wholly independent of any definite
or arbitrary conceptions of an individual self, other selves living beings,
or a universal self." [23b] "Subhuti, when someone is selflessly charitable,
they should also practice being ethical by remembering that there is no distinction
between one's self and the selfhood of others. Thus one practices charity by
giving not only gifts, but through kindness and sympathy. Simply practice kindness
and you will become fully enlightened. "Subhuti, what I just said about
kindness does not mean that when someone is being charitable they should hold
onto arbitrary conceptions about kindness, for kindness is, after all, only
a word and charity needs to be spontaneous and selfless."
[24] The buddha continued, "Subhuti, if a person collected treasures as
high as 3,000 of the highest mountains, and gave them to others, his or her
merit would be less than what would accrue to the person who simply observed
and studied this scripture and, out of kindness, explained it to others. The
latter person would accumulate hundreds of times the merit, hundreds of thousands
of trillions of times the merit. There is no comparison."
[25] The lord buddha continued, "Do you think, Subhuti, that the well-traveled
one would consider in his own mind, 'I will deliver human beings'? That would
be a degrading thought. Why? Because there are not really any sentient beings
to be delivered by the well-traveled one. Should there be any sentient beings
to be delivered by the well-traveled one, it would mean that the well- traveled
one was harboring in his mind some arbitrary conceptions about phenomena, such
as a self, other selves, living beings, and universal self. Even when the well-traveled
one refers to himself he is not holding on to such arbitrary thoughts. Only
earth people think of selfhood as a personal thing. Subhuti, even the expression
'earth people' as used by the well-traveled one does not mean that there are
any such beings. It is merely used as a figure of speech." [26] Then the
buddha inquired of Subhuti, "What do you think Subhuti? Is it possible
to recognize the well-traveled one by the 32 physical marks?" Subhuti replied,
"Yes, world-honored one, the well-traveled one may thus be recognized."
"Subhuti, if that were true then Chakravartin, the mythological king (who
also had the 32 marks) would be called a well-traveled one." Then Subhuti,
realizing his error, said, "World-honored one, now I realize that the well-traveled
one cannot be recognized merely by his 32 physical marks of excellence."
The lord buddha then said, "Should anyone, looking at an image or likeness
of the well-traveled one, claim to know the well-traveled one and worship him,
that person would be mistaken, not knowing the true well-traveled one."
[27] The lord buddha continued, "Subhuti, do not think the opposite either,
that when the well-traveled one attained total enlightenment it was not by means
of his possessing the 32 marks of physical excellence. Don't think that way.
Otherwise, when you begin the practice of seeking total enlightenment you would
think that all systems of phenomena and all conceptions about phenomena are
to be rejected. Don't think that way. Why? Because when a person seeks to attain
complete enlightenment, they should neither grasp after nor reject arbitrary
conceptions of reality."
[28] The lord buddha continued, "Subhuti, if someone gives treasures equal
to the number of sands on the shores of the Ganges River, and if another, having
realized the egolessness of all things, thereby understands selflessness, the
latter would be more blessed than the one who practiced external charity. Why?
Because great bodhisattvas do not see blessings and merit as a private possession."
Subhuti inquired of the lord buddha, "What do you mean 'great bodhisattvas
do not see blessings and merit as a private possession'?" The lord buddha
replied, "Because those blessings and merit have never been lusted after
by those great bodhisattvas, they do not see them as private possessions, but
as the common possession of all beings."
[29] The buddha said, "Subhuti, if any person were to say that the well-traveled
one is now coming or going, or sitting up or lying down, they would not have
understood the principle I have been teaching. Why? Because while the expression
'well-traveled one' means 'he who has thus come, thus gone,' the true well-
traveled one is never coming from anywhere or going anywhere. The name 'well-traveled
one' is merely an expression."
[30] The lord buddha resumed, "Subhuti, if any good person, either man
or woman, were to take 3,000 galaxies and grind them into microscopic powder
and blow it into space, what do you think, would this powder have any individual
existence?" "Subhuti replied, "Yes, lord, as a microscopic powder
infinitely dissipated, it might be said to have a relative existence, but as
you use words, it has no existence. The words have only a figurative meaning.
Otherwise the words would imply a belief in the existence of matter as an independent
and self- existent thing, which it is not. "Furthermore, when the well-traveled
one refers to the '3,000 galaxies,' he could only do so as a figure of speech.
Why? Because if the 3,000 galaxies really existed, their only reality would
consist in their cosmic unity. Whether as microscopic powder or as galaxies,
what does it matter? Only in the sense of the cosmic unity of ultimate being
can the well-traveled one rightfully refer to it." The lord buddha was
very pleased with this reply and said, "Subhuti, although earth people
have always grasped after an arbitrary conception of matter and galaxies, the
concept has no true basis; it is an illusion of the mortal mind. Even when it
is referred to as 'cosmic unity' it is inscrutable."
[31] The lord buddha continued, "If any person were to say that the well-traveled
one, in his teachings, has constantly referred to himself, to other selves,
to living beings, and a universal self, what do you think, would that person
have understood my meaning?" Subhuti replied, "No, blessed lord. That
person would not have understood the meaning of your teachings. For when you
refer to them, you are not referring to their actual existence, you only use
words as figures of speech, as symbols. Only in that sense can words be used,
for conceptions, ideas, limited truths, and spiritual truths have no more reality
than have matter and phenomena." Then the lord buddha made his meaning
even more emphatic by saying, "Subhuti, when people begin their practice
of seeking to attaining total enlightenment, they ought to see, to perceive,
to know, to understand, and to realize that all things and all spiritual truths
are no-things, and, therefore, they ought not to conceive within their minds
any arbitrary conceptions whatsoever."
[32] The lord buddha continued, "Subhuti, if anyone gave to the well-traveled
one treasures sufficient to fill the universe; and if another person, a good
man or woman, in seeking to attain complete enlightenment were to earnestly
and faithfully observe and study even a single stanza of this scripture and
explain it to others, the accumulated blessing and merit of that latter person
would be greater. "Subhuti, how can one explain this scripture to others
without holding in mind any arbitrary conception of things and phenomena and
spiritual truths? It can only be done, Subhuti, by keeping the mind in perfect
tranquility and in selfless harmony with the thusness of being well-traveled.
Why? Because all the mind's arbitrary conceptions of matter, phenomena, and
of all conditioning factors and all conceptions and ideas relating thereto are
like a dream, a phantasm, a bubble, a shadow, evanescent dew, a flash of lightening.
Every true student should see all phenomena and all activities this way, and
thus keep the mind free and selfless and tranquil."
The Diamond Sutra
Diamond Sutra
Diamond Sutra
Diamond Sutra
Diamond-Cutter
The Diamond Cutter
The Diamond Perfection of Wisdom Sutra
The Diamond Sutra
The Diamond Sutra
The Diamond Sutra
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The Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra
Vajra Prajna Paramita
Time For A New Translation
The Diamond Sutra
The Diamond Sutra