Ten

The Buddha said, "Subhuti, what do you think? did the Tathagata obtain any such dharma in the presence of Dipankara Tathagata, the Arhan, the Fully-Enlightened One."

Subhuti replied, "No, indeed, Bhagavan. The Tathagata did not obtain any such dharma in the presence of Dipankara Tathagata, the Arhan, the Fully-Enlightened One."

The Buddha said, "Subhuti, if any bodhisattva should thus claim, 'I shall bring about the transformation of a world,' such a claim would be untrue. And how so? The transformation of a world, Subhuti, the 'transformation of a world' is said by the Tathagata to be no transformation. Thus it is called the 'transformation of a world.' Therefore, Subhuti, fearless bodhisattvas should thus give birth to a thought that is not attached and not give birth to a thought attached to anything. They should not give birth to a thought attached to a sight. Nor should they giove birth to a thought attached to a sound, a smell, a taste, a touch, or a dharma.

"Subhuti, imagine a person with an immense, perfect body whose self-existence is like that of Mount Sumeru. What do you think, Subhuti? Would such self-existence be great?"

Subhuti replied, "Great, indeed, Bhagavan. Such self-existence would be great, Sugata. And why? because self-existence, Bhagavan, 'self-existence' is said by the Tathagata to be no existence. Thus it is called `self-existence.' Because, Bhagavan, it is neither existence nor no existence. Thus it is called `self-existence.' [T: RP]

"Do you think, Subhuti," Buddha then asked, "there is any dharma or attainment which the Tathagata acquired from the fully enlightened one?"

"No, not one," Subhuti replied.

Buddha said: "If a Bodhisattva declared 'I perfect serene Buddha-fields,' his words would be false. Why? Because the Tathagata has taught that the perfection of serene Buddha-fields is non-perfection. Thus the Tathagata speaks of serene Buddha-fields.

"The Bodhisattva should develop a thought which is in no way dependent upon sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations or mental objects.

"Suppose, Subhuti, a man had an enomous body, like Sumeru, the king of mountains. Would the sense of personal existence he had also be enormous?"

"Yes indeed, Buddha," Subhuti answered. "His sense of personal existence would be enormous. But the Tathagata has taught that personal existence is no-existence, for it is in facft neither existence nor no-existence. So it is called 'personal existence.'" [T:JP]

The Buddha said to Subhuti, "What do you think---when the Realized One was with Dipankara Buddha in the past, did he gain anything in the way of truth?"

"No, World-Honored One. The Realized One really did not gain anything in the way of truth from Dipankara Buddha."

"Subhuti, what do you think---do bodhisattvas adorn buddha-lands?"

"No World-Honored One. Why? Adorning buddha-lands is not adornment---this is called adornment."

"Therefore, Subhuti, bodhisattva mahasattvas should generate a pure mind thus: 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 without dwelling on anything.

"Subhuti, suppose a man had a body as big as the polar mountain. Do you think this body would be large?"

Subhuti said, "Very large, World-Honored One. Why? The incorporeal spoken of by the Buddha is called a large body."[T: TC]