Section XVII. No One Attains Transcendental
Wisdom
At that time Subhuti addressed Buddha, saying: World-honored One,
if good men and good women seek the Consummation of Incomparable
Enlightenment, by what criteria should they abide and how should
they control their thoughts?
Buddha replied to Subhuti: Good men and good women seeking the
Consummation of Incomparable Enlightenment must create this
resolved attitude of mind: I must liberate all living beings, yet
when all have been liberated, verily not any one is liberated.
Wherefore? If a Bodhisattva cherishes the idea of an ego-entity, a
personality, a being, or a separated individuality, he is
consequently not a Bodhisattva, Subhuti. This is because in reality
there is no formula which gives rise to the Consummation of
Incomparable Enlightenment.
Subhuti, what do you think? When the Tathagata was with Dipankara
Buddha was there any formula for the attainment of the Consummation
of Incomparable Enlightenment?
No, World-honored One, as I understand Buddha's meaning, there was
no formula by which the Tathagata attained the Consummation of
Incomparable Enlightenment.
Buddha said: You are right, Subhuti! Verily there was no formula by
which the Tathagata attained the Consummation of Incomparable
Enlightenment. Subhuti, had there been any such formula, Dipankara
Buddha would not have predicted concerning me: "In the ages of the
future you will come to be a Buddha called Shakyamuni"; but
Dipankara Buddha made that prediction concerning me because there
is actually no formula for the attainment of the Consummation of
Incomparable Enlightenment. The reason herein is that Tathagata is
a signification implying all formulas. In case anyone says that the
Tathagata attained the Consummation of Incomparable Enlightenment,
I tell you truly, Subhuti, that there is no formula by which the
Buddha attained it. Subhuti, the basis of Tathagata's attainment of
the Consummation of Incomparable Enlightenment is wholly beyond; it
is neither real nor unreal. Hence I say that the whole realm of
formulations is not really such, therefore it is called "Realm of
formulations."
Subhuti, a comparison may be made with [the idea of] a gigantic
human frame.
Then Subhuti said: The World-honored One has declared that such is
not a great body; "a great body" is just the name given to
it.
Subhuti, it is the same concerning Bodhisattvas. If a Bodhisattva
announces: I will liberate all living creatures, he is not rightly
called a Bodhisattva. Wherefore? Because, Subhuti, there is really
no such condition as that called Bodhisattvaship, because Buddha
teaches that all things are devoid of selfhood, devoid of separate
individuality. Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva announces: I will set
forth majestic Buddha-lands, one does not call him a Bodhisattva,
because the Tathagata has declared that the setting forth of
majestic Buddha-lands is not really such: "a majestic setting
forth" is just the name given to it.
Subhuti, Bodhisattvas who are wholly devoid of any conception of
separate selfhood are truthfully called Bodhisattvas.