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SECTION XVIII -
ALL MODES OF MIND ARE REALLY ONLY MIND
Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess the
human eye?
Yes, World-honored One, He does.
Well, do you think the Tathagata possesses the divine eye?
Yes, World-honored One, He does.
And do you think the Tathagata possesses the gnostic eye?
Yes, World-honored One, He does.
And do you think the Tathagata possesses the eye of
transcendent wisdom? Yes,
World-honored One, He does.
And do you think the Tathagata possesses the Buddha-eye
of omniscience?
Yes, World-honored One, He does.
Subhuti, what do you think? Concerning the sand-grains of
the Ganges, has the Buddha taught about them?
Yes, World-honored One, the Tathagata has taught
concerning these grains.
Well, Subhuti, if there were as many
Ganges rivers as the sand-grains of the Ganges and there was a
Buddha-land for each sand-grain in all those Ganges rivers,
would those Buddha-lands be many?
[Subhuti replied]: Many
indeed, World-honored One!
Then Buddha said: Subhuti,
however many living beings there are in all those Buddhalands,
though they have manifold modes of mind, the
Tathagata understands them all.Wherefore? Because the
Tathagata teaches that all these are not Mind; they are merely
called "mind".
Subhuti, it is impossible to retain past mind, impossible to
hold on to present mind, and impossible to grasp future mind.
SECTION XIX -
ABSOLUTE REALITY IS THE ONLY FOUNDATION
Subhuti, what do you think? If anyone filled three thousand
galaxies of worlds with the seven treasures and gave all away
in gifts of alms, would he gain great merit?
Yes, indeed,
World-honored One, he would gain great merit!
Subhuti, if
such merit was Real, the Tathagata would not have declared it
to be great, but because it is without a foundation the
Tathagata characterized it as "great."
SECTION XX -
THE UNREALITY OF PHENOMENAL DISTINCTIONS
Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be perceived
by His perfectly-formed body?
No, World-honored One, the
Tathagata cannot be perceived by His perfectlyformed body,
because the Tathagata teaches that a perfectly-formed body is
not really such; it is merely called "a perfectly-formed body."
Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be perceived
by means of any phenomenal characteristic?
No, Worldhonored
One, the Tathagata may not be perceived by any
phenomenal characteristic, because the Tathagata teaches that
phenomenal characteristics are not really such; they are
merely termed "phenomenal characteristics."
SECTION XXI -
WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS TRUTH.
THAT WHICH WORDS EXPRESS IS NOT TRUTH
Subhuti, do not say that the Tathagata conceives the idea: I
must set forth a Teaching. For if anyone says that the
Tathagata sets forth a Teaching he really slanders Buddha and
is unable to explain what I teach. As to any Truth-declaring
system, Truth is undeclarable; so "an enunciation of Truth" is
just the name given to it.
Thereupon, Subhuti spoke these words to Buddha: World honored
One, in the ages of the future will there be men
coming to hear a declaration of this Teaching who will be
inspired with belief?
And Buddha answered: Subhuti, those to
whom you refer are neither living beings nor not-living beings.
Wherefore? Because "living beings," Subhuti, these "living
beings" are not really such; they are just called by that name.
SECTION XXII -
IT CANNOT BE SAID
THAT ANYTHING IS ATTAINABLE
Then Subhuti asked Buddha: World-honored One, in the
attainment of the Consummation of Incomparable
Enlightenment did Buddha make no acquisition whatsoever?
Buddha replied: Just so, Subhuti. Through the Consummation
of Incomparable Enlightenment I acquired not even the least
thing; therefore it is called "Consummation of Incomparable
Enlightenment."
SECTION XXIII -
THE PRACTICE OF GOOD WORKS
PURIFIES THE MIND
Furthermore, Subhuti, This is altogether everywhere,
without differentiation or degree; therefore it is called
"Consummation of Incomparable Enlightenment." It is
straightly attained by freedom from separate personal selfhood
and by cultivating all kinds of goodness.
Subhuti, though we speak of "goodness", the Tathagata
declares that there is no goodness; such is merely a name.
SECTION XXIV -
THE INCOMPARABLE MERIT
OF THIS TEACHING
Subhuti, if there be one who gives away in gifts of alms a
mass of the seven treasures equal in extent to as many mighty
Mount Sumerus as there would be in three thousand galaxies
of worlds, and if there be another who selects even only four
lines from this Discourse upon the Perfection of
Transcendental Wisdom, receives and retains them, and
clearly expounds them to others, the merit of the latter will be
so far greater than that of the former that no conceivable
comparison can be made between them.
SECTION XXV -
THE ILLUSION OF EGO
Subhuti, what do you think? Let no one say the Tathagata
cherishes the idea: I must liberate all living beings. Allow nosuch thought, Subhuti. Wherefore? Because in reality there
are no living beings to be liberated by the Tathagata. If there
were living beings for the Tathagata to liberate, He would
partake in the idea of selfhood, personality entity, and separate
individuality.
Subhuti, though the common people accept egoity as real,
the Tathagata declares that ego is not different from non-ego.Subhuti, those whom the Tathagata referred to as "common
people" are not really common people; such is merely a name.
SECTION XXVII -
IT IS ERRONEOUS TO AFFIRM
THAT ALL THINGS ARE EVER EXTINGUISHED
Subhuti, if you should conceive the idea that the Tathagata
attained the Consummation of Incomparable Enlightenment by
reason of His perfect form, do not countenance such thoughts.
The Tathagata's attainment was not by reason of His perfect
form. [On the other hand] Subhuti, if you should conceive the
idea that anyone in whom dawns the Consummation of
Incomparable Enlightenment declares that all manifest
standards are ended and extinguished, do not countenance
such thoughts. Wherefore? Because the man in whom the
Consummation of Incomparable Enlightenment dawns does
not affirm concerning any formula that it is finally
extinguished. Diamond
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