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.
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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.'"
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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 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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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.
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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.
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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."
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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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Chapter 32
The Response and Transformation Bodies are Unreal
"Subhuti, someone might fill measureless Asamkhyeyas of world
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.
