Fourteen

By the force of this dharma, the venerable Subhuti was moved to tears. Wiping his eyes, he said to the Buddha, "How remarkable, Bhagavan, how most remarkable, Sugata, is this dharma teaching that the Bhagavan speaks for the benefit of those beings who seek the foremost of paths, for the benefit of those who seek the best of paths, and from which my own awareness is born. Bhagavan, I have never heard such a teaching as this! They shall be the most remarkably blessed of bodhisattvas, Bhagavan, who hear what is said in this sutra and give birth to a perception of its truth. And how so? Bhagavan, a perception of its truth is no perception of its truth. Thus does the Tathagata speak of a perception of its truth as a `perception of its truth.'

"Hearing such a dharma teaching as this, Bhagavan, it is not remarkable that I should trust and believe it. But in the future, Bhagavan, in the final epoch, in the final period, in the final five hundred years of the dharma-ending age, Bhagavan, those beings who grasp this dharma teaching and memorize it, recite it, master it, and explain it in detail to others, they shall be most remarkably blessed. Moeover, Bhagavan, they shall not create the perception of a self, nor shall they create the perception of a being, the perception of a life, or the perception of a soul. They shall create neither a perception nor no perception. And why not? Bhagavan, the perception of a self is no perception, and the perception of a being, a life, or a soul is also no perception. And why not? because buddhas and bhagavans are free of all perceptions."

This having been said, the Buddha told the venerable Subhuti, "So it is, Subhuti. So it is. Those beings shall be most remarkably blessed, Subhuti, who are not alarmed, not frightened, and not distressed by what is said in this sutra. And how so? Subhuti, what the Tathagata proclaims as the best of perfections is, in truth, no perfection. Moreover, Subhuti, what the Tathagata proclaims as the best of perfections is also proclaimed by countless buddhas and bhagavans. Thus is it called the `best of perfections.'

"So, too, Subhuti, is the Tathagata's perfection of forbearance no perfection. And how so? Subhuti, when King Kali cut off my limbs, my ears and nose, and my flesh, at that moment I had no perception of a self, a being, a life, or a soul. I had neither a perception nor no perception. And why not? At that moment, Subhuti, if I had the perception of a self, at that moment I would alos have the perception of anger. Or if I had had the perception of a being, the perception of a life, or the perception of a soul, at that moment I would have had the perception of anger. And how so? Subhuti, I recall the five hundred lifetimes I was the mendicant Kshanti, and during that time I had no perception of a self. Nor did I have the perception of a being, the perception of a life, or the perception of a soul.

"Therefore, Subhuti, fearless bodhisattvas should get rid of all perceptions in giving birth to the thought of unexcelled, perfect enlightenment. They should not give birth to a thought attached to a sight, nor should they give birth to a thought attached to a sound, a smell, a taste, a touch, or a dharma. They should not give birth attached to a dharma, nor should they give birth to a thought attached to no dharma. They should not give birth to a thought attached to anything. And why not? Every attachment is no attachment. Thus the Tathagata says that bodhisattvas give gifts without being attached. They should give gifts without being attached to a sight, a sound, a smell, a taste, a touch, or a dharma.

"Moreover, Subhuti, bodhisattvas should practice charity in this manner for the benefit of all beings. And how so? Subhuti, the perception of a being is no perception. Likewise, all the beings of whom the Tathagata speaks are thus no beings. And how so? Subhuti what the Tathagata says is real. What the Tathagata says is true and is as he says it is and is not other than as he says it is. What the Tathagata says is not false. Moreover, Subhuti, in the dharma realized, taught, and reflected on by the Tathagata, there is nothing true and nothing false.

"Subhuti, imagine a person who enters a dark place and who can't see a thing. he is like a bodhisattva ruled by objects, like someone practicing charity ruled by objects. Now, Subhuti, imagine a person with eyesight at the end of the night when the sun shines forth who can see all manner of things. He is like a bodhisattva not ruled by objects, like someone practicing charity not ruled by objects.

"Furthermore, Subhuti, if a noble son or daughter should grasp this dharma teaching and memorize it, recite it, master it, and explain it in detail to others, the Tathagata will know them, Subhuti by means of his buddha knowledge. And the Tathagata will see them, Subhuti, ny means of his buddha vision. The Tathagata will be aware of them, Subhuti, for all such beings produce and obtain an immeasurable, infinite, body of merit." [Translation: Red Pine]

Subhuti, hearing this discourse on dharma, understood it and was moved to tears. He spoke:

"Buddha! The teaching of the Tathagata regarding dharma is most precious. Through it, Buddha-cognition has arisen in me. Never havi I witnessed such a teaching! Blessed are those who when this discourse is taight, have true perception. Yet true perception is in fact no perception, thought the Tathagata teaches true perception.

"When this discourse on dharma is being taught , it is easy for me to accept and believe it. But in future days, when the teaching wanes, beings will listen to this teaching, retain it, ponder it, and illuminate it for others, and they will be blessed indeed. For in them no sense of selfm no conception of an entity, no perception of personality, will exist. A sense of self is no sense, intruth, a conception of being is no conception, and a perception of personality is no perception. The Buddhas have transcended all perceptions!"

Buddha said: "It is as you say, Subhuti. Blessed indeed are those beings who do not trembe with fear or awe when they hear this teaching. The Tathagata has taught parama paramita, the supreme perfection. And this teaching of the Tathagata is also the teaching of countless Buddhas.

"Further, Subhuti, the perfection of patience taught by the Tathagata is in reality no perfection. Why? When the Raja of Kalinga mutilated my body, I had at that time no sense of self, no conception of being, no perception of personality. If such a conception or perception had arisen at that time, anger and hatred would have arisen in me. But for five hundred lives I have been a sage suffused with patience, having no sense of self, no conception of being, no perception of personality.

"A Bodhisattva, once he has relinquished all perceptions, raises his thought to the enlightenment. He releases a thought free of form, sound, taste, touch, or mental activity, free even from dharma and adharma, for all supporting conditions are in reality no support at all. Hence the Tathagata teaches: virtue should be practiced by a Bodhisattva who relies on no supporting conditions.

"A Bodhisattva should practice virtue in this way for the welfare of all beings. And yet, the perception of a being, SUbhuti, is no perception. All those beings just spoken of are in fact no beings. The Tathagata does not speak falsely, but rather speaks the truth, in accord with reality. Yet the dharma which the Tathagata has attained and now illuminates for others is neither real nor unreal.

"A Bodhisattva who is attached to conceptions and perceptions, and who renounces virtue, is like a man groping in the dark. A Bodhisattva sho is free from conceptions and perceptions, and who renounces virtue, is like a man whose eyes see all things clearly in the bright morning sun."

Buddha said: "Those good men and women who will take up this teaching on dharma, who will think on it, recite it, study it, and who will illuminate the whole of it for others, they are known to the Tathagata. He recognizes them by his Buddha-cognition and perceives them with his Buddha-eye. These good beings will each bring to fruitation immeasurable and incalculable merit." [Translation: Joshua Pritikin]

Then Subhuti, hearing the exposition of this sutra, profoundly understood the import. Weeping, he said to the Buddha, "It is wonderful, World Honored One, how the Buddha expounds such an extremely profound scripture. What with all the insight I have gained since long ago, I have never gotten to hear such a sutra.

"World Honored One, if there are any people who get to hear this sutra and have pure faith, this gives rise to the manifestation of truth. One should know that such people accomplish the most wonderful virtues."

"World Honored One, this manifestation of truth is not a form: therefore the Realized One says it is called the manifestation of truth."

"World Honored One, that I have now gotten to hear such a sutra, believe in it, understand it, and accept and hold it, is not to be considered difficult. If, in a future age, in the final five hundred years, there are people who get to hear this sutra, believe in it, understand it, and accept and hold it, these people will be most rare. Why? These people will have no image of self, no image of person, no image of being, no image of a liver of life. Why? The image of self is not a characteristic; the image of person, the image of being, and the image of a liver of life are not characteristics. Why? Being detached from all images, they are called Buddhas."

Buddha said to Subhuti, "It is so. It is so. If, moreover, there are people who, on getting to hear this sutra, are not shocked, not frightened, and not intimidated, know that these people will be extremely rare.

"Why? Subhuti, the first perfection the Realized One expounds is not the first perfection; this is called the first perfection.

"Subhuti, the perfection of patience under insult the Realized One says is not perfection of patience under insult.

"Why? Subhuti, it is like when I was dismembered by King Kali long ago. At that time I had no image of self, no image of person, no image of being, and no image of a liver of life. Why? As I was being didmembered in the past, if I had an image of self, an image of person, an image of being, and an image of a liver of life, I would have become angry and hateful.

"Subhuti, I also remember that in the past I was wizard of forbearance for five hundred generations, and during all that time I had no image of self, no image of person, no image of being, no image of liver of life.

"Therefore, Subhuti, bodhisattvas should aspire to enlightenment detached from all images. They should not activate the mind dwelling on form, they should not activate the mind dwelling on sound, scent, flavor, feeling, or phenomena. They should activate the mind that does not dwell on anything. If the mind dwells anywhere this is an abode. This is why Buddha says the minds of Bodhisattvas should not dwell on matter as they give charity. Subhuti, bodhisattvas should give in this way so as to benefit all beings.

"The Realized One, coming from thusness, says that all apearances are not characteristics, and that all beings are not beings.

"Subhuti, the Realized One is one who speaks genuinely, one who speaks truly, one who speaks as is, one who speaks without deception, one who speaks without contradiction. Subhuti, the truth realized by the Realized One has neither reality nor unreality.

"Subhuti, if bodhisattvas practice giving in charity with their minds dwelling on things, they are like people who have gone into darkness and so see nothing. If bodhisattvas practice giving charity with their minds not dwelling on things, they are like people with sight in the sunlight, seeing all sorts of shapes and colors.

"Subhuti, in future ages, if there are good men and good women who are able to accept and hold this sutra, read and recite it, the Realized One will know and see all of these people by means of enlightened wisdom; all of them will develop infinite, boundless virtues." [Translation by Thomas Cleary]