The Buddha said: “Excellent, excellent, Subhuti! As you have said: The Tathagata skillfully protects and mindfuly regards all bodhisattvas, and skillfully entrusts and instructs all bodhisattvas. Now listen attentively! I shall explain it for you: Good men and good women who have aroused the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment should abide thus and subdue their minds thus.”
Work sharing: “Yes, World-Honored One! I gladly wish to hear it.”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “All bodhisattva-mahasattvas should subdue their minds thus! Regarding all the many kinds of sentient beings—whether born from eggs, from wombs, from moisture, or by transformation; whether with form or without form; whether possessing perception, without perception, or neither possessing perception nor without perception—I will cause them all to enter final nirvana and be liberated. Yet when countless, innumerable, boundless sentient beings have thus been liberated, in reality not a single sentient being has been liberated. Why is this? Subhuti, if a bodhisattva has the perception of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span, then he is not a bodhisattva. Work sharing
--
Our company has operated in Taiwan for 30 years and has never been involved in litigation over any fraudulent conduct.
To protect every customer’s transaction security, our company records every customer purchase in its entirety.
A transaction is established only after confirmation by the consumer. Any dispute can be supported by reviewing the recordings; we absolutely do not allow any fraudulent conduct to occur.
We also fulfill our responsibility to protect our employees. Employee salaries and benefits comply with Labor Bureau regulations; there has never been any underpayment or arrears in wages. We have also passed the Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency’s assessment and received the “Talent Development Quality Management System Assessment Level Certificate,” Certificate No. 10700300341.
If you have any comments regarding our company, please contact our customer service by telephone. If you remain dissatisfied, you may assert your rights in accordance with the law, rather than anonymously making false attacks and defamatory statements online.
The above-mentioned anonymous user “Kang-ge’s” allegation that our company is a scam company has seriously defamed the reputation our company has built over many years.
Our company has already filed a complaint with the prosecutors’ and police authorities for handling. Case No.: Z110089AW1Q175U.
Because the above defamatory content posted by the anonymous user “Kang-ge” was made anonymously, with multiple people using website addresses to evade investigation, this sufficiently indicates that the anonymous user “Kang-ge” does not dare to take responsibility for those statements. Our company therefore especially urges online speakers to continue to strictly comply with the law. Any comments should be handled through proper channels, rather than by anonymously spreading false statements and risking violation of the law.
--
“Furthermore, Subhuti, a bodhisattva should practice giving without abiding anywhere in phenomena. This means giving without abiding in forms, and giving without abiding in sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or dharmas. Subhuti, a bodhisattva should give thus, without abiding in appearances. Why? If a bodhisattva gives without abiding in appearances, his merit cannot be measured.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can the space in the east be measured?”
“No, World-Honored One!” Work sharing
“Subhuti, can the space in the south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, and below be measured?”
“No, World-Honored One!” Work sharing
“Subhuti, the merit of a bodhisattva who gives without abiding in appearances is likewise immeasurable. Subhuti, a bodhisattva should simply abide as taught.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen through bodily characteristics?”
“No, World-Honored One! The Tathagata cannot be seen through bodily characteristics. Why? The bodily characteristics spoken of by the Tathagata are not bodily characteristics.”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “All appearances whatsoever are illusory. If one sees that all appearances are not appearances, then one sees the Tathagata.” Work sharing
Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, are there sentient beings who, upon hearing these words and phrases, will develop genuine faith?”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “Do not say that. Five hundred years after the Tathagata’s passing, there will be those who observe the precepts and cultivate merit, and who can give rise to faith in these passages, taking them as truth. You should know that such people have not planted good roots in the presence of merely one, two, three, four, or five Buddhas, but have planted all kinds of good roots in the presence of countless millions of Buddhas. Upon hearing these passages, even if they give rise to pure faith for a single thought, Subhuti, the Tathagata fully knows and fully sees that these sentient beings will attain such immeasurable merit. Why? These sentient beings will no longer have the perception of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span.
“They have no perception of dharmas, nor any perception of non-dharmas. Why? If these sentient beings grasp at appearances with their minds, they become attached to self, person, sentient being, and life span. Work sharing
“If they grasp at the appearance of dharmas, they become attached to self, person, sentient being, and life span. Why? If they grasp at the appearance of non-dharmas, they likewise become attached to self, person, sentient being, and life span. Therefore one should neither grasp at dharmas nor grasp at non-dharmas. For this reason, the Tathagata always says: ‘Monks, you should know that my teaching is like a raft. Even the Dharma should be abandoned, so how much more so what is not the Dharma.’
“Subhuti, what do you think? Has the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment? Does the Tathagata have any Dharma to teach?” Work sharing
Subhuti said: “As I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has said, there is no fixed Dharma called unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, nor is there any fixed Dharma that the Tathagata can teach. Why? The Dharma spoken by the Tathagata cannot be grasped, cannot be spoken of, is neither Dharma nor not-Dharma. Why is this? All sages differ through the unconditioned Dharma.
“Subhuti, what do you think? If someone filled the three-thousand-great-thousand world-system with the seven treasures and gave them in charity, would that person gain much merit?”
Subhuti said: “Very much, World-Honored One! Why? This merit is not the nature of merit; therefore the Tathagata says that the merit is great.”
“If another person were to receive and uphold even four lines of verse from this sutra and explain them to others, that person’s merit would surpass the former. Why? Subhuti, all Buddhas and the Dharma of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas arise from this sutra. Subhuti, what is called Buddha and Dharma is not Buddha and Dharma.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a stream-enterer think, ‘I have attained the fruit of stream-entry’?”
Subhuti said: “No, World-Honored One! Why? A stream-enterer is called one who has entered the stream, yet there is nowhere entered; he does not enter forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or dharmas. This is why he is called a stream-enterer.” Work sharing
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a once-returner think, ‘I have attained the fruit of once-returning’?”
Subhuti said: “No, World-Honored One! Why? A once-returner is called one who returns once, yet in reality there is neither returning nor not returning. This is why he is called a once-returner.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a non-returner think, ‘I have attained the fruit of non-returning’?” Work sharing
Subhuti said: “No, World-Honored One! Why? A non-returner is called one who does not return, yet in reality there is no non-returning. Therefore he is called a non-returner.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can an arhat think, ‘I have attained the path of arhatship’?”
Subhuti said: “No, World-Honored One! Why? In reality, there is no Dharma called arhat. World-Honored One, if an arhat thought, ‘I have attained the path of arhatship,’ he would be attached to self, person, sentient being, and life span. World-Honored One, the Buddha has said that I have attained the samadhi of non-contention, foremost among humans, the foremost arhat free from desire. World-Honored One, I do not think, ‘I am an arhat free from desire.’ World-Honored One, if I thought, ‘I have attained the path of arhatship,’ the World-Honored One would not say that Subhuti delights in practicing in a secluded, peaceful place! Since Subhuti in reality practices nothing, he is called one who delights in practicing in a secluded, peaceful place.”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “What do you think? When the Tathagata was formerly with Dipamkara Buddha, did he attain anything in the Dharma?” Work sharing
“No, World-Honored One! When the Tathagata was with Dipamkara Buddha, he truly attained nothing in the Dharma.” Work sharing
“Subhuti, what do you think? Does a bodhisattva adorn a Buddha-field?”
“No, World-Honored One! Why? Adorning a Buddha-field is not adornment; it is called adornment.”
“Therefore, Subhuti, bodhisattva-mahasattvas should give rise to a pure mind thus: they should not give rise to a mind abiding in form, nor give rise to a mind abiding in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; they should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere.
“Subhuti, imagine a person whose body is as large as Mount Sumeru, king of mountains. What do you think? Would that body be large?” Work sharing
Subhuti said: “Very large, World-Honored One! Why? The Buddha says it is not a body; therefore it is called a great body.”
“Subhuti, the number of grains of sand in the Ganges, and Ganges Rivers equal in number to those grains of sand—what do you think? Would the number of sand grains in all those Ganges Rivers be great?”
Subhuti said: “Very great, World-Honored One! The Ganges Rivers themselves would be innumerable, let alone their grains of sand!” Work sharing
“Subhuti, I now tell you truly: if a good man or good woman filled as many three-thousand-great-thousand world-systems with the seven treasures as there are grains of sand in the Ganges and gave them in charity, would the merit be great?”
Subhuti said: “Very great, World-Honored One!”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “If a good man or good woman receives and upholds even four lines of verse from this sutra and explains them to others, that merit surpasses the former merit. Furthermore, Subhuti, wherever this sutra, even four lines of verse, is expounded, you should know that all beings of the world—gods, humans, and asuras—should make offerings there, as if it were a Buddha stupa or temple. How much more so if someone can receive, uphold, read, and recite the entire sutra! Subhuti, you should know that such a person has accomplished the foremost and rarest Dharma. Wherever this scripture is found, there is a Buddha, along with disciples worthy of respect.” Work sharing
At that time, Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, what should this sutra be called, and how should we uphold it?”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “This sutra is called The Perfection of Wisdom of the Diamond, and by this name you should uphold it. Why? Subhuti, what the Buddha calls the Perfection of Wisdom is not the Perfection of Wisdom; therefore it is called the Perfection of Wisdom. Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have any Dharma to teach?”
Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, the Tathagata has nothing to teach.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Are the fine particles composing the three-thousand-great-thousand world-system numerous?” Work sharing
Subhuti said: “Very numerous, World-Honored One!”
“Subhuti, the Tathagata says that these fine particles are not fine particles; therefore they are called fine particles. The Tathagata says that a world is not a world; therefore it is called a world.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen through the thirty-two marks?” Work sharing
“No, World-Honored One! The Tathagata cannot be seen through the thirty-two marks. Why? The Tathagata says that the thirty-two marks are not marks; therefore they are called the thirty-two marks.”
“Subhuti, if a good man or good woman gave in charity as many bodies and lives as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and another person received and upheld even four lines of verse from this sutra and explained them to others, the latter’s merit would be very great!”
At that time, upon hearing this sutra, Subhuti deeply understood its meaning and significance. He wept with tears and said to the Buddha: “Rare indeed, World-Honored One! The Buddha has spoken this profoundly deep sutra. From the wisdom-eye I have attained since long ago, I have never before heard such a sutra. World-Honored One, if someone hears this sutra, develops pure faith, and gives rise to true reality, you should know that this person has accomplished the foremost and rarest merit. World-Honored One, this true reality is not an appearance; therefore the Tathagata calls it true reality. World-Honored One, having now heard such a sutra, it is not difficult for me to believe, understand, receive, and uphold it. But in the future, in the final five hundred years, if there are sentient beings who hear this sutra, believe, understand, receive, and uphold it, such people will be the foremost and rarest. Why? Such people will have no perception of self, person, sentient being, or life span. Why? The perception of self is not a perception; the perceptions of person, sentient being, and life span are likewise not perceptions. Why? To be free from all appearances is called being a Buddha.”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “So it is, so it is! If another person hears this sutra and is neither startled, frightened, nor afraid, you should know that this person is exceedingly rare. Why? Subhuti, what the Tathagata calls the foremost perfection is not the foremost perfection; therefore it is called the foremost perfection. Subhuti, the perfection of patience is said by the Tathagata not to be the perfection of patience; therefore it is called the perfection of patience. Why? Subhuti, when long ago King Kali cut my body to pieces, at that time I had no perception of self, person, sentient being, or life span. Why? When my limbs were cut apart in the past, if I had possessed the perceptions of self, person, sentient being, or life span, I would have felt anger and resentment. Subhuti, I also remember that in five hundred former lives I was a patient-seeking ascetic, and during those lives I had no perception of self, person, sentient being, or life span. Therefore, Subhuti, a bodhisattva should be free from all appearances and arouse the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment. One should not give rise to a mind abiding in form, nor to a mind abiding in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; one should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere. If the mind abides anywhere, that is not abiding.
“Therefore the Buddha says that a bodhisattva’s mind should not abide in form when giving. Subhuti, for the benefit of all sentient beings, a bodhisattva should give thus. The Tathagata says that all appearances are not appearances. He also says that all sentient beings are not sentient beings. Subhuti, the Tathagata is one who speaks truth, speaks what is real, speaks what is thus, speaks without deception, and speaks without contradiction.
“Subhuti, the Dharma attained by the Tathagata is neither real nor unreal. Subhuti, if a bodhisattva’s mind abides in phenomena while practicing giving, it is like a person entering darkness and seeing nothing. If a bodhisattva’s mind does not abide in phenomena while practicing giving, it is like a person with eyes who, illuminated by the sunlight, sees various forms.
Complete
“Subhuti, in the future, if good men and good women can receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, the Tathagata will know and see all such people through the Buddha’s wisdom, and they will all accomplish immeasurable and boundless merit.
“Subhuti, if a good man or good woman gives away as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges in the morning, again gives away as many bodies at midday, and again gives away as many bodies in the evening, doing so for countless hundreds of thousands of millions of eons; and if another person hears this sutra and has unwavering faith, that person’s merit surpasses the former. How much more so if they write it, receive and uphold it, read and recite it, and explain it to others.
“Subhuti, to summarize, this sutra has inconceivable, immeasurable, and boundless merit. The Tathagata speaks it for those who aspire to the Great Vehicle and for those who aspire to the highest vehicle. If someone can receive, uphold, read, and recite it and explain it extensively to others, the Tathagata fully knows and sees that person, and they will accomplish immeasurable, indescribable, boundless, inconceivable merit. Such people carry the Tathagata’s unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment. Why? Subhuti, those who delight in lesser teachings and cling to views of self, person, sentient being, and life span cannot hear, receive, read, recite, or explain this sutra to others.
“Subhuti, wherever this sutra is found, all beings of the world—gods, humans, and asuras—should make offerings there. You should know that such a place is a stupa; all should respectfully bow, circumambulate, and scatter flowers and incense there.
Kang
“Furthermore, Subhuti, if good men and good women receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, and are despised by others, their offenses from previous lives, which should have caused them to fall into unfortunate realms, will be extinguished because they are despised by people in this life, and they will attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment.
“Subhuti, I remember that in the past, through countless eons as many as innumerable asamkhyeyas, before Dipamkara Buddha, I encountered eight hundred forty-four thousand million nayutas of Buddhas, honored and served them all, and never passed one without doing so. If another person in the latter age can receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, the merit obtained would not amount to one hundredth of the merit I gained from honoring those Buddhas—not even one part in a thousand, a million, a billion, or any number that calculation or analogy could express.
“Subhuti, if I were to fully describe the merit obtained by good men and good women in the latter age who receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, some people might hear it and become mentally disordered, doubtful, and unable to believe. Subhuti, you should know that the meaning of this sutra is inconceivable, and its karmic results are also inconceivable.”
At that time, Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, how should good men and good women who have aroused the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment abide? How should they subdue their minds?”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “Good men and good women who have aroused the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment should give rise to this thought: ‘I should liberate all sentient beings.’ Having liberated all sentient beings, in reality not a single sentient being has been liberated. Why? Subhuti, if a bodhisattva has the perception of self, person, sentient being, or life span, he is not a bodhisattva. Why? Subhuti, there is truly no Dharma that arouses the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment.
“Subhuti, what do you think? When the Tathagata was with Dipamkara Buddha, was there any Dharma by which he attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment?”
“No, World-Honored One! As I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has said, when the Buddha was with Dipamkara Buddha, there was no Dharma by which he attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment.”
The Buddha said: “So it is, so it is, Subhuti! There truly is no Dharma by which the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment. Subhuti, if there had been a Dharma by which the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, Dipamkara Buddha would not have given me the prediction: ‘In a future life, you will become a Buddha named Shakyamuni.’ Because there truly is no Dharma by which unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment is attained, Dipamkara Buddha therefore gave me the prediction, saying: ‘In a future life, you will become a Buddha named Shakyamuni.’ Why? The Tathagata means the suchness of all dharmas.
“If someone says that the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, Subhuti, in reality there is no Dharma by which the Buddha attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment. Subhuti, the unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment attained by the Tathagata is neither real nor unreal. Therefore the Tathagata says that all dharmas are Buddha-dharmas. Subhuti, what are called all dharmas are not all dharmas; therefore they are called all dharmas.
“Subhuti, it is like a person whose body is large.”
Subhuti said: “World-Honored One, the Tathagata says that a person whose body is large is not a great body; therefore it is called a great body.”
“Subhuti, a bodhisattva is likewise. If one says, ‘I will liberate countless sentient beings,’ one is not called a bodhisattva. Why? Subhuti, in reality there is no Dharma called bodhisattva. Therefore the Buddha says that all dharmas are without self, person, sentient being, or life span. Subhuti, if a bodhisattva says, ‘I will adorn the Buddha-field,’ he is not called a bodhisattva. Why? The Tathagata says that adorning the Buddha-field is not adornment; therefore it is called adornment. Subhuti, if a bodhisattva fully understands the Dharma of no-self, the Tathagata calls that person a true bodhisattva.”
The Buddha said: “Excellent, excellent, Subhuti! As you have said: The Tathagata skillfully protects and mindfuly regards all bodhisattvas, and skillfully entrusts and instructs all bodhisattvas. Now listen attentively! I shall explain it for you: Good men and good women who have aroused the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment should abide thus and subdue their minds thus.”
Work sharing: “Yes, World-Honored One! I gladly wish to hear it.”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “All bodhisattva-mahasattvas should subdue their minds thus! Regarding all the many kinds of sentient beings—whether born from eggs, from wombs, from moisture, or by transformation; whether with form or without form; whether possessing perception, without perception, or neither possessing perception nor without perception—I will cause them all to enter final nirvana and be liberated. Yet when countless, innumerable, boundless sentient beings have thus been liberated, in reality not a single sentient being has been liberated. Why is this? Subhuti, if a bodhisattva has the perception of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span, then he is not a bodhisattva. Work sharing
--
Our company has operated in Taiwan for 30 years and has never been involved in litigation over any fraudulent conduct.
To protect every customer’s transaction security, our company records every customer purchase in its entirety.
A transaction is established only after confirmation by the consumer. Any dispute can be supported by reviewing the recordings; we absolutely do not allow any fraudulent conduct to occur.
We also fulfill our responsibility to protect our employees. Employee salaries and benefits comply with Labor Bureau regulations; there has never been any underpayment or arrears in wages. We have also passed the Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency’s assessment and received the “Talent Development Quality Management System Assessment Level Certificate,” Certificate No. 10700300341.
If you have any comments regarding our company, please contact our customer service by telephone. If you remain dissatisfied, you may assert your rights in accordance with the law, rather than anonymously making false attacks and defamatory statements online.
The above-mentioned anonymous user “Kang-ge’s” allegation that our company is a scam company has seriously defamed the reputation our company has built over many years.
Our company has already filed a complaint with the prosecutors’ and police authorities for handling. Case No.: Z110089AW1Q175U.
Because the above defamatory content posted by the anonymous user “Kang-ge” was made anonymously, with multiple people using website addresses to evade investigation, this sufficiently indicates that the anonymous user “Kang-ge” does not dare to take responsibility for those statements. Our company therefore especially urges online speakers to continue to strictly comply with the law. Any comments should be handled through proper channels, rather than by anonymously spreading false statements and risking violation of the law.
--
“Furthermore, Subhuti, a bodhisattva should practice giving without abiding anywhere in phenomena. This means giving without abiding in forms, and giving without abiding in sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or dharmas. Subhuti, a bodhisattva should give thus, without abiding in appearances. Why? If a bodhisattva gives without abiding in appearances, his merit cannot be measured.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can the space in the east be measured?”
“No, World-Honored One!” Work sharing
“Subhuti, can the space in the south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, and below be measured?”
“No, World-Honored One!” Work sharing
“Subhuti, the merit of a bodhisattva who gives without abiding in appearances is likewise immeasurable. Subhuti, a bodhisattva should simply abide as taught.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen through bodily characteristics?”
“No, World-Honored One! The Tathagata cannot be seen through bodily characteristics. Why? The bodily characteristics spoken of by the Tathagata are not bodily characteristics.”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “All appearances whatsoever are illusory. If one sees that all appearances are not appearances, then one sees the Tathagata.” Work sharing
Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, are there sentient beings who, upon hearing these words and phrases, will develop genuine faith?”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “Do not say that. Five hundred years after the Tathagata’s passing, there will be those who observe the precepts and cultivate merit, and who can give rise to faith in these passages, taking them as truth. You should know that such people have not planted good roots in the presence of merely one, two, three, four, or five Buddhas, but have planted all kinds of good roots in the presence of countless millions of Buddhas. Upon hearing these passages, even if they give rise to pure faith for a single thought, Subhuti, the Tathagata fully knows and fully sees that these sentient beings will attain such immeasurable merit. Why? These sentient beings will no longer have the perception of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span.
“They have no perception of dharmas, nor any perception of non-dharmas. Why? If these sentient beings grasp at appearances with their minds, they become attached to self, person, sentient being, and life span. Work sharing
“If they grasp at the appearance of dharmas, they become attached to self, person, sentient being, and life span. Why? If they grasp at the appearance of non-dharmas, they likewise become attached to self, person, sentient being, and life span. Therefore one should neither grasp at dharmas nor grasp at non-dharmas. For this reason, the Tathagata always says: ‘Monks, you should know that my teaching is like a raft. Even the Dharma should be abandoned, so how much more so what is not the Dharma.’
“Subhuti, what do you think? Has the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment? Does the Tathagata have any Dharma to teach?” Work sharing
Subhuti said: “As I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has said, there is no fixed Dharma called unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, nor is there any fixed Dharma that the Tathagata can teach. Why? The Dharma spoken by the Tathagata cannot be grasped, cannot be spoken of, is neither Dharma nor not-Dharma. Why is this? All sages differ through the unconditioned Dharma.
“Subhuti, what do you think? If someone filled the three-thousand-great-thousand world-system with the seven treasures and gave them in charity, would that person gain much merit?”
Subhuti said: “Very much, World-Honored One! Why? This merit is not the nature of merit; therefore the Tathagata says that the merit is great.”
“If another person were to receive and uphold even four lines of verse from this sutra and explain them to others, that person’s merit would surpass the former. Why? Subhuti, all Buddhas and the Dharma of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas arise from this sutra. Subhuti, what is called Buddha and Dharma is not Buddha and Dharma.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a stream-enterer think, ‘I have attained the fruit of stream-entry’?”
Subhuti said: “No, World-Honored One! Why? A stream-enterer is called one who has entered the stream, yet there is nowhere entered; he does not enter forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or dharmas. This is why he is called a stream-enterer.” Work sharing
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a once-returner think, ‘I have attained the fruit of once-returning’?”
Subhuti said: “No, World-Honored One! Why? A once-returner is called one who returns once, yet in reality there is neither returning nor not returning. This is why he is called a once-returner.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can a non-returner think, ‘I have attained the fruit of non-returning’?” Work sharing
Subhuti said: “No, World-Honored One! Why? A non-returner is called one who does not return, yet in reality there is no non-returning. Therefore he is called a non-returner.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can an arhat think, ‘I have attained the path of arhatship’?”
Subhuti said: “No, World-Honored One! Why? In reality, there is no Dharma called arhat. World-Honored One, if an arhat thought, ‘I have attained the path of arhatship,’ he would be attached to self, person, sentient being, and life span. World-Honored One, the Buddha has said that I have attained the samadhi of non-contention, foremost among humans, the foremost arhat free from desire. World-Honored One, I do not think, ‘I am an arhat free from desire.’ World-Honored One, if I thought, ‘I have attained the path of arhatship,’ the World-Honored One would not say that Subhuti delights in practicing in a secluded, peaceful place! Since Subhuti in reality practices nothing, he is called one who delights in practicing in a secluded, peaceful place.”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “What do you think? When the Tathagata was formerly with Dipamkara Buddha, did he attain anything in the Dharma?” Work sharing
“No, World-Honored One! When the Tathagata was with Dipamkara Buddha, he truly attained nothing in the Dharma.” Work sharing
“Subhuti, what do you think? Does a bodhisattva adorn a Buddha-field?”
“No, World-Honored One! Why? Adorning a Buddha-field is not adornment; it is called adornment.”
“Therefore, Subhuti, bodhisattva-mahasattvas should give rise to a pure mind thus: they should not give rise to a mind abiding in form, nor give rise to a mind abiding in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; they should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere.
“Subhuti, imagine a person whose body is as large as Mount Sumeru, king of mountains. What do you think? Would that body be large?” Work sharing
Subhuti said: “Very large, World-Honored One! Why? The Buddha says it is not a body; therefore it is called a great body.”
“Subhuti, the number of grains of sand in the Ganges, and Ganges Rivers equal in number to those grains of sand—what do you think? Would the number of sand grains in all those Ganges Rivers be great?”
Subhuti said: “Very great, World-Honored One! The Ganges Rivers themselves would be innumerable, let alone their grains of sand!” Work sharing
“Subhuti, I now tell you truly: if a good man or good woman filled as many three-thousand-great-thousand world-systems with the seven treasures as there are grains of sand in the Ganges and gave them in charity, would the merit be great?”
Subhuti said: “Very great, World-Honored One!”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “If a good man or good woman receives and upholds even four lines of verse from this sutra and explains them to others, that merit surpasses the former merit. Furthermore, Subhuti, wherever this sutra, even four lines of verse, is expounded, you should know that all beings of the world—gods, humans, and asuras—should make offerings there, as if it were a Buddha stupa or temple. How much more so if someone can receive, uphold, read, and recite the entire sutra! Subhuti, you should know that such a person has accomplished the foremost and rarest Dharma. Wherever this scripture is found, there is a Buddha, along with disciples worthy of respect.” Work sharing
At that time, Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, what should this sutra be called, and how should we uphold it?”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “This sutra is called The Perfection of Wisdom of the Diamond, and by this name you should uphold it. Why? Subhuti, what the Buddha calls the Perfection of Wisdom is not the Perfection of Wisdom; therefore it is called the Perfection of Wisdom. Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata have any Dharma to teach?”
Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, the Tathagata has nothing to teach.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Are the fine particles composing the three-thousand-great-thousand world-system numerous?” Work sharing
Subhuti said: “Very numerous, World-Honored One!”
“Subhuti, the Tathagata says that these fine particles are not fine particles; therefore they are called fine particles. The Tathagata says that a world is not a world; therefore it is called a world.
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen through the thirty-two marks?” Work sharing
“No, World-Honored One! The Tathagata cannot be seen through the thirty-two marks. Why? The Tathagata says that the thirty-two marks are not marks; therefore they are called the thirty-two marks.”
“Subhuti, if a good man or good woman gave in charity as many bodies and lives as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and another person received and upheld even four lines of verse from this sutra and explained them to others, the latter’s merit would be very great!”
At that time, upon hearing this sutra, Subhuti deeply understood its meaning and significance. He wept with tears and said to the Buddha: “Rare indeed, World-Honored One! The Buddha has spoken this profoundly deep sutra. From the wisdom-eye I have attained since long ago, I have never before heard such a sutra. World-Honored One, if someone hears this sutra, develops pure faith, and gives rise to true reality, you should know that this person has accomplished the foremost and rarest merit. World-Honored One, this true reality is not an appearance; therefore the Tathagata calls it true reality. World-Honored One, having now heard such a sutra, it is not difficult for me to believe, understand, receive, and uphold it. But in the future, in the final five hundred years, if there are sentient beings who hear this sutra, believe, understand, receive, and uphold it, such people will be the foremost and rarest. Why? Such people will have no perception of self, person, sentient being, or life span. Why? The perception of self is not a perception; the perceptions of person, sentient being, and life span are likewise not perceptions. Why? To be free from all appearances is called being a Buddha.”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “So it is, so it is! If another person hears this sutra and is neither startled, frightened, nor afraid, you should know that this person is exceedingly rare. Why? Subhuti, what the Tathagata calls the foremost perfection is not the foremost perfection; therefore it is called the foremost perfection. Subhuti, the perfection of patience is said by the Tathagata not to be the perfection of patience; therefore it is called the perfection of patience. Why? Subhuti, when long ago King Kali cut my body to pieces, at that time I had no perception of self, person, sentient being, or life span. Why? When my limbs were cut apart in the past, if I had possessed the perceptions of self, person, sentient being, or life span, I would have felt anger and resentment. Subhuti, I also remember that in five hundred former lives I was a patient-seeking ascetic, and during those lives I had no perception of self, person, sentient being, or life span. Therefore, Subhuti, a bodhisattva should be free from all appearances and arouse the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment. One should not give rise to a mind abiding in form, nor to a mind abiding in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; one should give rise to a mind that abides nowhere. If the mind abides anywhere, that is not abiding.
“Therefore the Buddha says that a bodhisattva’s mind should not abide in form when giving. Subhuti, for the benefit of all sentient beings, a bodhisattva should give thus. The Tathagata says that all appearances are not appearances. He also says that all sentient beings are not sentient beings. Subhuti, the Tathagata is one who speaks truth, speaks what is real, speaks what is thus, speaks without deception, and speaks without contradiction.
“Subhuti, the Dharma attained by the Tathagata is neither real nor unreal. Subhuti, if a bodhisattva’s mind abides in phenomena while practicing giving, it is like a person entering darkness and seeing nothing. If a bodhisattva’s mind does not abide in phenomena while practicing giving, it is like a person with eyes who, illuminated by the sunlight, sees various forms.
Complete
“Subhuti, in the future, if good men and good women can receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, the Tathagata will know and see all such people through the Buddha’s wisdom, and they will all accomplish immeasurable and boundless merit.
“Subhuti, if a good man or good woman gives away as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges in the morning, again gives away as many bodies at midday, and again gives away as many bodies in the evening, doing so for countless hundreds of thousands of millions of eons; and if another person hears this sutra and has unwavering faith, that person’s merit surpasses the former. How much more so if they write it, receive and uphold it, read and recite it, and explain it to others.
“Subhuti, to summarize, this sutra has inconceivable, immeasurable, and boundless merit. The Tathagata speaks it for those who aspire to the Great Vehicle and for those who aspire to the highest vehicle. If someone can receive, uphold, read, and recite it and explain it extensively to others, the Tathagata fully knows and sees that person, and they will accomplish immeasurable, indescribable, boundless, inconceivable merit. Such people carry the Tathagata’s unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment. Why? Subhuti, those who delight in lesser teachings and cling to views of self, person, sentient being, and life span cannot hear, receive, read, recite, or explain this sutra to others.
“Subhuti, wherever this sutra is found, all beings of the world—gods, humans, and asuras—should make offerings there. You should know that such a place is a stupa; all should respectfully bow, circumambulate, and scatter flowers and incense there.
Kang
“Furthermore, Subhuti, if good men and good women receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, and are despised by others, their offenses from previous lives, which should have caused them to fall into unfortunate realms, will be extinguished because they are despised by people in this life, and they will attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment.
“Subhuti, I remember that in the past, through countless eons as many as innumerable asamkhyeyas, before Dipamkara Buddha, I encountered eight hundred forty-four thousand million nayutas of Buddhas, honored and served them all, and never passed one without doing so. If another person in the latter age can receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, the merit obtained would not amount to one hundredth of the merit I gained from honoring those Buddhas—not even one part in a thousand, a million, a billion, or any number that calculation or analogy could express.
“Subhuti, if I were to fully describe the merit obtained by good men and good women in the latter age who receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, some people might hear it and become mentally disordered, doubtful, and unable to believe. Subhuti, you should know that the meaning of this sutra is inconceivable, and its karmic results are also inconceivable.”
At that time, Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, how should good men and good women who have aroused the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment abide? How should they subdue their minds?”
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “Good men and good women who have aroused the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment should give rise to this thought: ‘I should liberate all sentient beings.’ Having liberated all sentient beings, in reality not a single sentient being has been liberated. Why? Subhuti, if a bodhisattva has the perception of self, person, sentient being, or life span, he is not a bodhisattva. Why? Subhuti, there is truly no Dharma that arouses the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment.
“Subhuti, what do you think? When the Tathagata was with Dipamkara Buddha, was there any Dharma by which he attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment?”
“No, World-Honored One! As I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has said, when the Buddha was with Dipamkara Buddha, there was no Dharma by which he attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment.”
The Buddha said: “So it is, so it is, Subhuti! There truly is no Dharma by which the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment. Subhuti, if there had been a Dharma by which the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, Dipamkara Buddha would not have given me the prediction: ‘In a future life, you will become a Buddha named Shakyamuni.’ Because there truly is no Dharma by which unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment is attained, Dipamkara Buddha therefore gave me the prediction, saying: ‘In a future life, you will become a Buddha named Shakyamuni.’ Why? The Tathagata means the suchness of all dharmas.
“If someone says that the Tathagata attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment, Subhuti, in reality there is no Dharma by which the Buddha attained unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment. Subhuti, the unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment attained by the Tathagata is neither real nor unreal. Therefore the Tathagata says that all dharmas are Buddha-dharmas. Subhuti, what are called all dharmas are not all dharmas; therefore they are called all dharmas.
“Subhuti, it is like a person whose body is large.”
Subhuti said: “World-Honored One, the Tathagata says that a person whose body is large is not a great body; therefore it is called a great body.”
“Subhuti, a bodhisattva is likewise. If one says, ‘I will liberate countless sentient beings,’ one is not called a bodhisattva. Why? Subhuti, in reality there is no Dharma called bodhisattva. Therefore the Buddha says that all dharmas are without self, person, sentient being, or life span. Subhuti, if a bodhisattva says, ‘I will adorn the Buddha-field,’ he is not called a bodhisattva. Why? The Tathagata says that adorning the Buddha-field is not adornment; therefore it is called adornment. Subhuti, if a bodhisattva fully understands the Dharma of no-self, the Tathagata calls that person a true bodhisattva.”