金剛般若波羅蜜經

Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Shravasti, in the Jeta Grove of Anathapindika, together with a great assembly of 1,250 bhikshus.

When it was time for the meal, the Blessed One put on his robe, took up his bowl, and entered the city of Shravasti to beg for food. Within the city, [the Sangha] begged for food in due order and then returned to the monastery. After taking the meal, he put away his robe and bowl, washed his hands and feet, arranged his seat, and sat down.

At that time, the Elder Subhuti rose from his seat in the great assembly, bared his right shoulder, knelt upon his right knee, respectfully joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha: “Rare indeed, Blessed One! The Tathagata skillfully watches over and keeps the bodhisattvas in mind, and skillfully entrusts and instructs the bodhisattvas.

“Blessed One! If good men and good women give rise to the resolve to seek unsurpassed bodhi, how should they abide in their minds? How should they subdue their minds?”

The Buddha said: “Excellent! Excellent! Subhuti, it is just as you have said. The Tathagata skillfully watches over and keeps the bodhisattvas in mind, and skillfully entrusts and instructs the bodhisattvas. Now listen attentively, and I shall explain it for you.

“If good men and good women give rise to the bodhi mind, they should abide in this way and should subdue their minds in this way.”

“Blessed One! I gladly wish to listen.”

The Buddha told Subhuti: “The great bodhisattvas should subdue their minds [by thinking] in this way: ‘As for all kinds of sentient beings—whether born from a womb, born from an egg, born from moisture, or born through transformation; whether possessing form or without form; whether possessing perception, without perception, or neither possessing perception nor without perception—I shall lead them all into nirvana without remainder. Yet although immeasurable numbers of sentient beings are thus brought to cessation, in truth no sentient being whatsoever is brought to cessation.’

“Why is this so? Subhuti, if a bodhisattva has the marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span, then that one is not a bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! In accordance with the Dharma, a bodhisattva should practice giving with a mind that abides nowhere. That is to say, one should not abide in form when giving, nor should one abide in sound, fragrance, taste, touch, or dharmas when giving.

“Subhuti! A bodhisattva should give in this way, without abiding in marks.

“Why is this so? If a bodhisattva gives with a mind that does not abide in marks, that merit cannot be measured.

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can the emptiness of space in the east be measured?” “No, Blessed One, it cannot.”

“Subhuti! Can the emptiness of space in the south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, and below be measured?”

“No, Blessed One, it cannot.”

“Subhuti! The merit of a bodhisattva who gives with a mind that does not abide in marks is likewise immeasurable.

“Subhuti! A bodhisattva should abide in the mind only according to what has been taught.

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen by means of bodily marks?”

“No, Blessed One. The Tathagata cannot be seen by means of bodily marks. Why is this so? The Tathagata has taught that bodily marks are in truth not bodily marks.”

The Buddha told Subhuti: “Whatever possesses marks is false and illusory. If one sees that all marks are truly not marks, one sees the Tathagata.”

Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! Will there be sentient beings who, upon hearing these teachings, give rise to genuine faith?”

The Buddha told Subhuti: “Do not speak in this way! Five hundred years after the Tathagata’s nirvana, there will be those who cultivate merit and uphold the precepts and who, upon encountering these teachings, will give rise to faith and accept them as true. You should know that these people will not have planted roots of goodness before merely one, two, three, four, or five Buddhas, but will have planted roots of goodness before countless thousands and myriads of Buddhas. Upon hearing these teachings, [such people] will give rise to pure faith even for the duration of a single thought.

“Subhuti! The Tathagata will certainly see and know that these sentient beings attain immeasurable merit. Why is this so? These sentient beings will no longer give rise to the marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span. They will give rise neither to the mark of dharmas nor to the mark of non-dharmas.

“Why is this so? If the minds of these sentient beings grasp at marks, they become attached to a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span. If they grasp the mark of dharmas, they become attached to a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span.

“Why is this so? If they grasp the mark of non-dharmas, they become attached to a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span.

“Therefore, one should grasp neither dharmas nor non-dharmas.

“For this reason, the Tathagata often says: Bhikshus, you should know that the Dharma taught by the Buddha is like a raft for crossing a river. Even the Dharma should be relinquished; how much more so that which is not Dharma?

“Subhuti! What do you think? Has the Tathagata attained the Dharma of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment? Does the Tathagata teach any Dharma?”

Subhuti replied: “According to my understanding of the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, there is no fixed Dharma called unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, nor is there any fixed Dharma that the Tathagata can teach.

“Why is this so? The Dharma taught by the Tathagata cannot be grasped and cannot be expressed. It is neither Dharma nor non-Dharma.

“Why is this so? All sages and holy ones are distinguished from one another through the unconditioned Dharma.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? If someone filled the trichiliocosm with the seven precious substances and gave them in charity, would that person obtain much merit?”

Subhuti replied: “Very much, Blessed One. Why is this so? Merit is in truth not the nature of merit; therefore, the Tathagata says that the merit is great.”

“If, moreover, someone receives and upholds even a four-line verse from this sutra and explains it to others, this merit surpasses the merit of that giving.

“Why is this so? All Buddhas and their Dharma of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment arise from this sutra.

“Subhuti! Therefore, it is said that the Buddha-Dharma is not the Buddha-Dharma.

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can a stream-enterer give rise to the thought, ‘I have attained the fruit of stream-entry’?”

Subhuti replied: “No, Blessed One. Why is this so? A stream-enterer is said to have entered the stream, yet in truth there is nowhere entered. One does not enter form, sound, fragrance, taste, touch, or dharmas; therefore, one is called a stream-enterer.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can a once-returner give rise to the thought, ‘I have attained the fruit of once-returning’?”

Subhuti replied: “No, Blessed One. Why is this so? A once-returner is said to return once, yet in truth there is no returning; therefore, one is called a once-returner.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can a non-returner give rise to the thought, ‘I have attained the fruit of non-returning’?”

Subhuti replied: “No, Blessed One. Why is this so? A non-returner is said not to return, yet in truth there is no non-returning; therefore, one is called a non-returner.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can an arhat give rise to the thought, ‘I have attained the path of arhatship’?”

Subhuti replied: “No, Blessed One. Why is this so? In truth, there is no Dharma called an arhat. Blessed One! If an arhat were to give rise to the thought, ‘I have attained the path of arhatship,’ that would be attachment to a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span.

“Blessed One! The Buddha has said that I have attained the samadhi of non-contention, that I am foremost among human beings, and that I am the foremost arhat free from desire. Yet I do not give rise to the thought, ‘I am an arhat free from desire.’

“Blessed One! If I were to give rise to the thought, ‘I have attained the path of arhatship,’ the Blessed One would not have said, ‘Subhuti delights in the aranya practice.’ Because I am truly unattached to any practice, it is said, ‘Subhuti delights in the aranya practice.’”

The Buddha asked Subhuti: “What do you think? When the Tathagata was formerly with Dipankara Buddha, did he attain any Dharma?”

“No, Blessed One. When the Tathagata was with Dipankara Buddha, he truly attained no Dharma.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Does a bodhisattva adorn a Buddha-land?”

“No, Blessed One. Why is this so? The adornment of a Buddha-land is in truth not adornment; it is called adornment.”

“Subhuti! Therefore, great bodhisattvas should give rise to a pure mind in this way: They should not give rise to a mind abiding in form, nor should they give rise to a mind abiding in sound, fragrance, taste, touch, or dharmas. They should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere.

“Subhuti! Suppose a person had a body like Sumeru, king of mountains. What do you think? Would that body be great?”

Subhuti replied: “Very great, Blessed One. Why is this so? The Buddha has taught that it is not a body; it is called a great body.”

“Subhuti! Suppose that for every grain of sand in the Ganges there were another Ganges River. What do you think? Would the grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers be numerous?”

Subhuti replied: “Very numerous, Blessed One. The number of those Ganges Rivers alone would be incalculable; how much more so the grains of sand within them!”

“Subhuti! I shall now tell you truthfully. If good men or good women filled as many trichiliocosms as there are grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers with the seven precious substances and gave them in charity, would their merit be great?”

Subhuti replied: “Very great, Blessed One.”

The Buddha told Subhuti: “If good men or good women receive and uphold even a four-line verse from this sutra and explain it to others, this merit surpasses the merit of that giving.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! Wherever even a four-line verse from this sutra is taught, you should know that all beings throughout the world—devas, humans, and asuras—should make offerings there as though it were a stupa or shrine of the Buddha. How much more so if someone devotes themselves entirely to receiving, upholding, reading, and reciting it! Subhuti! You should know that such a person accomplishes the foremost, rarest, and most exalted Dharma.

“Wherever this scripture is present, it is as though the Buddha or a venerable and noble disciple were present there.”

At that time, Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! What is the name of this sutra? How should we receive and uphold it?”

The Buddha told Subhuti: “This sutra is called the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita. You should receive and uphold it according to this name. Why is this so? Subhuti! The prajnaparamita taught by the Buddha is not prajnaparamita.

“Subhuti! What do you think? Does the Tathagata teach any Dharma?”

Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One, the Tathagata teaches no Dharma.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Are the minute particles in the trichiliocosm numerous?”

Subhuti replied: “Very numerous, Blessed One.”

“Subhuti! Those minute particles are taught by the Tathagata as not being minute particles; they are called minute particles. The world taught by the Tathagata is not a world; it is called a world.

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen by means of the thirty-two marks?”

“No, Blessed One. The Tathagata cannot be seen by means of the thirty-two marks. Why is this so? The Tathagata has taught that the thirty-two marks are not marks; they are called the thirty-two marks.

“Subhuti! If good men or good women were to give away as many lives as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, while another person received and upheld this sutra—even so little as a four-line verse—and explained it to others, the latter person’s merit would be far greater.”

At that time, having heard this sutra and deeply understood its meaning and import, Subhuti was moved to tears. He addressed the Buddha: “Rare indeed, Blessed One! The scripture taught by the Buddha is exceedingly profound. Although I have possessed the wisdom-eye until now, I have never before heard such a sutra.

“Blessed One! If anyone hears this sutra, brings forth pure faith, and thereby gives rise to the mark of reality, one should know that this person accomplishes the foremost and rarest merit.

“Blessed One! This mark of reality is not a mark; therefore, the Tathagata calls it the mark of reality.

“Blessed One! Now that I have heard this scripture, it is not difficult for me to believe, understand, receive, and uphold it. But if, in the next period of five hundred years, there are sentient beings who hear this sutra and believe, understand, receive, and uphold it, those people will indeed be foremost and most rare. Why is this so? Those people will be free from the marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span.

“Why is this so? The mark of a self is not a mark; the marks of a person, a sentient being, and a life span are likewise not marks. Why is this so? Those who are free from all marks are called Buddhas.”

The Buddha told Subhuti: “So it is, so it is! If someone hears this sutra and is neither startled, frightened, nor terrified, you should know that this person is exceedingly rare.

“Why is this so? Subhuti! The Tathagata has taught that the foremost paramita is not the foremost paramita; it is called the foremost paramita.

“Subhuti! The paramita of patience is taught by the Tathagata as not being the paramita of patience.

“Why is this so? Subhuti! Long ago, when King Kali cut my body limb from limb, I had no marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span. Why is this so? While my body was being cut limb from limb, if I had possessed the marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span, I would certainly have given rise to anger.”

“Subhuti! I also recall that, five hundred lives ago, I was a sage who practiced patience. At that time, I likewise had no marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span.

“Therefore, Subhuti, a bodhisattva should relinquish all marks and give rise to the mind of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. One should not give rise to a mind abiding in form, nor should one give rise to a mind abiding in sound, fragrance, taste, touch, or dharmas. One should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere. If the mind abides anywhere, it does not truly abide.

“Therefore, the Buddha teaches that bodhisattvas should not abide in form when giving. Subhuti! For the benefit of all sentient beings, a bodhisattva should give in this way.

“The Tathagata teaches that all marks are not marks. He also teaches that all sentient beings are not sentient beings.

“Subhuti! The words of the Tathagata are true, real, in accord with reality, neither deceptive nor contradictory.

“Subhuti! The Dharma attained by the Tathagata is neither real nor false.

“Subhuti! If a bodhisattva abides in dharmas while practicing giving, it is like a person entering darkness, unable to see anything.

“If a bodhisattva does not abide in dharmas while practicing giving, it is like a person with eyes who, under the bright light of the sun, sees all forms and colors.

“Subhuti! In the future, if good men or good women are able continually to receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, the Tathagata, through Buddha-wisdom, will see and know that all such people accomplish immeasurable and boundless merit.

“Subhuti! Suppose good men or good women, at the beginning of each day, gave away as many lives as there are grains of sand in the Ganges; at midday, again gave away as many lives as there are grains of sand in the Ganges; and at the end of the day, again gave away as many lives as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. Suppose they continued giving away their lives in this way throughout immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas. If someone hears this scripture and believes it without opposition, that person’s merit surpasses even theirs. How much more so if one copies, receives, upholds, reads, recites, and explains it to others!

“Subhuti! To state the most essential point briefly: This sutra possesses immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable merit. The Tathagata teaches it for those who have set forth in the Great Vehicle and for those who have set forth in the Supreme Vehicle. If someone is able continually to receive, uphold, read, and recite it and extensively explain it to others, the Tathagata will certainly see and know that this person accomplishes immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable merit. Such people are able to bear and carry the Tathagata’s path of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“Why is this so? Subhuti! Those who delight in lesser teachings and are attached to views of a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span are unable to receive, uphold, read, or recite this sutra or explain it to others.

“Subhuti! Wherever this sutra is present, all beings throughout the world—devas, humans, and asuras—should make offerings. You should know that such a place is a stupa of the Buddha. All should respectfully circumambulate it, bow in homage, and scatter various kinds of incense and flowers there.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! If good men or good women who receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra are despised by others, then although evil karma created in previous lives would otherwise have caused them to fall into evil destinies, because they are despised in the present life, their evil karma from former lives will be extinguished, and they will accomplish the fruit of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“Subhuti! I recall that in the past, immeasurable asamkhya kalpas before Dipankara Buddha, I encountered eighty-four thousand myriad kotis of nayutas of Buddhas, all of whom I respectfully served without fault. If, in the future age of the final Dharma, someone continually receives, upholds, reads, and recites this sutra, that person’s merit, compared with my merit from making offerings to all those Buddhas, will exceed it beyond measure. My merit would not equal even one hundredth of theirs, one thousandth, one ten-thousandth, or one koti-thousandth; indeed, no calculation or analogy could approach it.

“Subhuti! If I were to describe fully the merit attained by good men and good women who, in the age of the final Dharma, receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, some who heard it would become deranged in mind and would doubt and disbelieve it.

“Subhuti! You should know that the meaning of this sutra is inconceivable and that its resulting reward is likewise inconceivable.”

At that time, Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! If good men and good women give rise to the mind of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, how should they abide in their minds? How should they subdue their minds?”

The Buddha told Subhuti: “Good men and good women who give rise to the mind of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment should give rise to this thought: ‘I should bring all sentient beings to cessation. Yet after bringing all sentient beings to cessation, in truth no sentient being whatsoever has been brought to cessation.’

“Why is this so? Subhuti! If a bodhisattva has the marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span, that one is not a bodhisattva.

“Why is this so? Subhuti! In truth, there is no Dharma by which one gives rise to the mind of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“Subhuti! What do you think? When the Tathagata was with Dipankara Buddha, did he attain the Dharma of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment?”

“No, Blessed One. As I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, when the Tathagata was formerly with Dipankara Buddha, he did not attain any Dharma of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.”

The Buddha said: “So it is, so it is! Subhuti, in truth there was no Dharma by which the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“Subhuti! If there had been a Dharma by which the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, Dipankara Buddha would not have conferred upon me the prediction: ‘In the future, you will become a Buddha named Shakyamuni.’

“Because there was in truth no Dharma by which unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment was attained, Dipankara Buddha conferred upon me the prediction: ‘In the future, you will become a Buddha named Shakyamuni.’

“Why is this so? The term Tathagata means the suchness of all dharmas.

“If someone says, ‘The Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment,’ Subhuti, in truth there is no Dharma by which the Buddha attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“Subhuti! In the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment attained by the Tathagata, there is neither reality nor falsity.

“Therefore, the Tathagata teaches that all dharmas are Buddha-Dharma.

“Subhuti! What is called ‘all dharmas’ is not dharmas; therefore, it is called ‘all dharmas.’

“Subhuti! It is like a person whose body is tall and great.”

Subhuti said: “Blessed One, the Tathagata has said that a person’s tall and great body is not a great body; it is called a great body.”

“Subhuti! A bodhisattva is likewise so. If one says, ‘I am liberating immeasurable sentient beings,’ one is not called a bodhisattva.

“Why is this so? Subhuti! In truth, there is no Dharma called a bodhisattva. Therefore, the Buddha teaches that all dharmas are without the marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span.

“Subhuti! If a bodhisattva says, ‘I am adorning a Buddha-land,’ that one is not called a bodhisattva. Why is this so? The Tathagata teaches that the adornment of a Buddha-land is not adornment; it is called adornment.

“Subhuti! If a bodhisattva penetrates the Dharma of selflessness, the Tathagata calls that one a true bodhisattva.

“Subhuti! What do you think? Does the Tathagata possess the physical eye?”

“Yes, Blessed One. The Tathagata possesses the physical eye.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Does the Tathagata possess the divine eye?”

“Yes, Blessed One. The Tathagata possesses the divine eye.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Does the Tathagata possess the wisdom-eye?”

“Yes, Blessed One. The Tathagata possesses the wisdom-eye.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Does the Tathagata possess the Dharma-eye?”

“Yes, Blessed One. The Tathagata possesses the Dharma-eye.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Does the Tathagata possess the Buddha-eye?”

“Yes, Blessed One. The Tathagata possesses the Buddha-eye.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Does the Buddha speak of the sand in the Ganges as sand?”

“Yes, Blessed One. The Tathagata speaks of it as sand.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Suppose there were as many Ganges Rivers as there are grains of sand in one Ganges River, and as many Buddha-lands as there are grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers. Would their number be great?”

“Very great, Blessed One.”

The Buddha told Subhuti: “As for all sentient beings in that vast number of Buddha-lands, whatever thoughts arise in their minds, the Tathagata knows them all. Why is this so? The Tathagata teaches that all minds are not minds; therefore, they are called minds.

“Why is this so? Subhuti! The past mind cannot be grasped. The present mind cannot be grasped. The future mind cannot be grasped.

“Subhuti! What do you think? If someone filled the trichiliocosm with the seven precious substances and gave them in charity, would that person, by virtue of these causes and conditions, attain much merit?”

“Yes, Blessed One, indeed so. By virtue of the causes and conditions of that giving, the person would attain very much merit.”

“Subhuti! If merit truly existed, the Tathagata would not say that much merit was attained. Because merit is empty, the Tathagata says that much merit is attained.

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can one see the Buddha by means of the perfection of the physical body?”

“No, Blessed One. One should not see the Tathagata by means of the perfection of the physical body. Why is this so? The Tathagata teaches that the perfection of the physical body is not the perfection of the physical body; it is called the perfection of the physical body.”

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can one see the Tathagata by means of the perfection of all marks?”

“No, Blessed One. One should not see the Tathagata by means of the perfection of all marks. Why is this so? The Tathagata teaches that the perfection of all marks is not perfection; it is called the perfection of all marks.”

“Subhuti! Do not think that the Tathagata entertains this thought: ‘I have a Dharma to teach.’ Do not think in this way. Why is this so? If someone says that the Tathagata teaches a Dharma, that person slanders the Buddha and cannot understand what I teach.

“Subhuti! The teaching of Dharma means that no Dharma can be taught; this is called teaching the Dharma.”

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! Will there be sentient beings in future ages who, upon hearing this teaching of Dharma, give rise to faith?”

The Buddha said: “Subhuti! They are neither sentient beings nor not sentient beings.

“Why is this so? Subhuti! The sentient beings of whom the Tathagata speaks are not sentient beings; they are called sentient beings.”

Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! Is it the case that, in attaining the Dharma of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, the Buddha attained nothing whatsoever?”

The Buddha said: “So it is, so it is! Subhuti! As to unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, I did not attain even the slightest Dharma; therefore, it is called unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! This Dharma is equal, with neither high nor low; therefore, it is called unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. By relinquishing the marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span, and cultivating all wholesome dharmas, one accomplishes unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

“Subhuti! What are called wholesome dharmas are taught by the Tathagata as not being wholesome dharmas; they are called wholesome dharmas.

“Subhuti! Suppose someone gathered heaps of the seven precious substances as great as all the Sumerus, kings of mountains, in the trichiliocosm and gave them in charity. Suppose another person took this Prajnaparamita Sutra—even so little as a four-line verse—received, upheld, read, and recited it, and explained it to others. The merit of the former person’s giving would not equal even one hundredth of the latter person’s merit, nor one hundred-thousand myriad koti-th, to the point that no calculation or analogy could approach it.

“Subhuti! What do you think? You should not suppose that the Tathagata entertains this thought: ‘I am liberating sentient beings.’

“Subhuti! Do not think in this way. Why is this so? In truth, there are no sentient beings liberated by the Tathagata. If there were sentient beings liberated by the Tathagata, the Tathagata would possess the marks of a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span.

“Subhuti! The Tathagata teaches that the existence of a self is not the existence of a self, yet ordinary beings regard it as the existence of a self.

“Subhuti! Ordinary beings are taught by the Tathagata as not being ordinary beings.

“Subhuti! What do you think? Can one contemplate the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks?”

Subhuti replied: “Yes, yes. By means of the thirty-two marks, one contemplates the Tathagata.”

The Buddha told Subhuti: “If one could contemplate the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks, then a wheel-turning sage king would be a Tathagata.”

Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! As I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, one should not contemplate the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks.”

At that time, the Blessed One spoke this verse:

“If one sees me through form,

Or seeks me through sound,

That person walks a deviant path

And cannot see the Tathagata.”

“Subhuti! If you give rise to the thought that the Tathagata did not attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment through the perfection of marks, Subhuti, do not think in this way. Do not think that the Tathagata did not attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment through the perfection of marks.

“Subhuti! If you give rise to the thought, ‘Those who set their minds upon unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment teach the annihilation of all dharmas,’ do not think in this way. Why is this so? Those who set their minds upon unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment do not teach the annihilation of dharmas.

“Subhuti! Suppose a bodhisattva filled as many worlds as there are grains of sand in the Ganges with the seven precious substances and gave them in charity. Suppose, moreover, someone understood that all dharmas are selfless and thereby accomplished the perfection of patience. This person’s merit would surpass that of the bodhisattva who practiced giving.

“Why is this so? Subhuti! It is because bodhisattvas do not receive merit.”

Subhuti addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One! What does it mean that bodhisattvas do not receive merit?”

“Subhuti! Bodhisattvas should not greedily cling to any merit they create; therefore, it is said that they do not receive merit.

“Subhuti! If someone says, ‘The Tathagata comes, goes, sits, or lies down,’ that person does not understand the meaning of my teaching. Why is this so? The Tathagata comes from nowhere and goes nowhere; therefore, he is called the Tathagata.

“Subhuti! If good men or good women were to pulverize the entire trichiliocosm into minute particles, what do you think? Would the number of those minute particles be great?”

Subhuti replied: “Very great, Blessed One. Why is this so? If these minute particles truly existed, the Buddha would not speak of them as minute particles. Why is this so? The Buddha teaches that minute particles are not minute particles; they are called minute particles.

“Blessed One! The trichiliocosm spoken of by the Tathagata is not a world; it is called a world.

“Why is this so? If the world truly existed, it would be a single composite mark. The Tathagata teaches that a single composite mark is not a single composite mark; it is called a single composite mark.”

“Subhuti! A single composite mark cannot be expressed. It is only that ordinary beings greedily cling to such a thing.

“Subhuti! Suppose someone says that the Buddha teaches views of a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span. Subhuti! What do you think? Does that person understand the meaning of my teaching?”

“No, Blessed One. That person does not understand the meaning of the Tathagata’s teaching. Why is this so? The Blessed One teaches that views of a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span are not views of a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span; they are called views of a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span.”

“Subhuti! Those who set their minds upon unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment should see and know all dharmas in this way, believe and understand them in this way, and not give rise to the mark of dharmas.

“Subhuti! What is called the mark of dharmas is taught by the Tathagata as not being the mark of dharmas; it is called the mark of dharmas.

“Subhuti! Suppose someone filled immeasurable asamkhya worlds with the seven precious substances and gave them in charity. Suppose, moreover, that good men or good women give rise to the bodhi mind and take up this sutra—even so little as a four-line verse—receive, uphold, read, and recite it, and expound it to others. Their merit surpasses the merit of that giving.

“How should it be expounded to others? Without grasping at marks, abiding in suchness, unmoving. Why is this so?

“All conditioned dharmas

Are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows,

Like dew and also like lightning.

Thus should they be contemplated.”

After the Buddha had spoken this sutra, the Elder Subhuti, together with the bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas, upasikas, and all beings throughout the world—devas, humans, and asuras—heard the Buddha’s teaching. They all rejoiced exceedingly, accepted it in faith, and respectfully practiced it.