Five

"What do you think, Subhuti, can the Tathagata be seen by means of the posession of attributes?"

Subhuti replied, "No indeed Bhagavan, the Tathagata cannot be seen by means of the posession of attributes. And why not? Bhagavan, what the Tathagata says is the possesion of attributes is no posession of attributes."

This having been said, the Buddha told the venerable Subhuti, "Since the posession of attributes is an illusion, Subhuti, and no posession of attributes is no illusion, by means of attributes that are no attributes the Tathagata can, indeed, be seen." [Red Pine]

Buddha the asked Subhuti, "But what do you think? Can the Tathagata be recognized by any phenomenal attribute?"

"No Buddha. Why? Because the Tathagat has taught that the posession of phenomenal attributes is in fact non-posession of any phenomenal attributes."

Buddha elaborated: "Where there is posession of phenomenal attributes, there is delusion; where there is non-posession of any phenomenal attributes there is no delusion. The Tathagat is therefore recognized by the attribute of having no phenomenal attributes." [Joshua Pritikin]

"Subhuti, what do you think--is it possible to see the Realized One in terms of physical characteristics?"

"No, World Honored One; it is not possible to see the Realized One in terms of physical characteristics. Why? Because physical characteristics explained by the Realized are not physical characteristics."

The Buddha said to Subhuti. "All appearances are illusory; if you see that appearances are not characteristics, then you see the Realized One." [Thomas Cleary]