Diamond Sutra from Dunhunag Library

Diamond Sutra

"The followers of the sect (Manichaean) also chant the Diamond Sutra . .."  Manicheism in China by Lieu

The Diamond Sutra
Translated by Charles Muller

1. Convocation of the Assembly

Thus I have heard. Once, the Buddha was staying in the Jetavana Grove in ?r?vast? with a community of 1250
monks. Then, at mealtime, the World Honored One put on his robe, took his bowl, and went into the great city of
?r?vast? to seek alms food, going from house to house within the city. Finishing, he returned home and took his
meal. He then put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, arranged his seat, and sat down.

2. Where should practitioners abide mentally, and how should they control their thoughts?

The elder Subh?ti, who was in the great assembly, then arose from his seat, stood up, bared his right shoulder,
kneeled down with his right knee, clasped his hands together and respectfully addressed the Buddha, saying: "How
rare is the World Honored One! The Tath?gata is well mindful of all the bodhisattvas; he keeps them well in his
fold.World Honored One, when good sons and good daughters seek peerless perfect enlightenment, in what should
they abide, and how should they subdue their thoughts?"
The Buddha said, "Excellent! Excellent! Subh?ti, it is as you have said. The Tath?gata is well mindful of all the
bodhisattvas, and is skilful at keeping them in his fold. Now you listen well, and I shall explain it for you."
"If good sons and good daughters would like to arouse the mind of peerless perfect enlightenment, they should
abide like this and subdue their thoughts like this."
The Venerable Subh?ti said: "Yes, please do so, World Honored One. We are listening with great anticipation."

3. The Bodhisattva's Vow

The Buddha said to Subh?ti: "The bodhisattvas and mah?sattvas should subdue their thoughts like this: All the
different types of sentient beings, whether they be born from eggs, born from a womb, born from moisture or born
spontaneously; whether or not they have form; whether they abide in perceptions or no perceptions; or without
either perceptions or non-perceptions, I save them by causing them to enter nirvana without remainder. And when
these immeasurable, countless, infinite number of sentient beings have been liberated, in actuality, no sentient
being has attained liberation. Why is this so? Subh?ti, If a bodhisattva abides in the signs of self, person, sentient
being, or life-span, she or he is not a bodhisattva."

4. Unattached practice of charity

"Furthermore Subh?ti, when bodhisattvas practice charity, they should not abide [in the notion that they are
practicing charity]. This is what is called 'practicing charity while not abiding in form,' and 'practicing charity while
not abiding in sound, odor, taste, touch, or conceptions.' Why? If bodhisattvas practice charity while not abiding in
signs of charity, their merit will be incalculable. Subh?ti, what do you think? The space in the easterly direction is
incalculable, is it not?"
"You are right, World Honored One, it is not calculable."
"Subh?ti, is all of the space in the four cardinal directions, the four intermediate directions, the zenith, and the
nadir calculable?"
"It is incalculable, World Honored One."
"Subh?ti, the merits attained by bodhisattvas who practice charity without abiding in its signs are also incalculable
like this. Subh?ti, the bodhisattvas need only focus themselves on this teaching."

5. Physical Characteristics of Buddhahood

"Subh?ti, what do you say? Can one discern the Tath?gata by means of his bodily characteristics?"
"No, World Honored One. One cannot see the Tath?gata by means of bodily characteristics. Why not? The bodily
characteristics taught by the Tath?gata are actually not bodily characteristics." The Buddha said to Subh?ti: "All
things that have characteristics are false and ephemeral. If you see all characteristics to be non-characteristics,
then you see the Tath?gata."

6. The merit of true faith

Subh?ti addressed the Buddha, saying: "World Honored One, will there be sentient beings who are able, upon
hearing these words and sentences, to give rise to true faith?"
The Buddha said to Subh?ti, "Do not even say such a thing. Five hundred lifetimes after my passing away, there
will be those who observe moral discipline and cultivate merit, who will be able to give rise to the mental state of
faith and take these words to be the truth. You should know that these people have not merely cultivated virtuous
roots with one buddha, two buddhas, three, four, or five buddhas. They have cultivated all kinds of virtuous roots
with countless hundreds of thousands of buddhas. Hearing these passages, in a single moment they give rise to
pure faith. Subh?ti, the Tath?gata fully knows and fully sees these sentient beings as they attain these countless
merits."

Why is this? It is because these sentient beings do not again [abide in] the notions of self, person, sentient being, or
life span. Nor do they abide in the notions of the dharma, or the notions of non-dharma. Why? If these sentient
beings their minds grasp to these notions, then they will cling to self, person, sentient being, and life-span. If they
grasp to the notions of phenomena, they will attach to self, person, sentient being, and life span. Why? If they grasp
to the denial of phenomena, then they will attach to self, person, sentient being, and life span. Therefore one should
not grasp to phenomena, and one should not deny phenomena. Expressing this, the Tath?gata always teaches:
'Monks, understand my correct teachings to be like a raft.' If even my correct teachings are to be abandoned, how
much more incorrect teachings?

7. No attainment, no teaching

"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does the Tath?gata attain peerless perfect enlightenment? And does he have a
teaching that he explains?"
Subh?ti said: "As I understand the implications of what the Buddha has explained, there is no determinable
phenomenon called peerless perfect enlightenment. And there is also no set teaching that can be delivered by the
Tath?gata. Why? The teachings explained by the Tath?gata can neither be appropriated nor explained. There is
neither a teaching nor a non-teaching. How can this be? All the enlightened sages are distinguished [from worldly
teachers] by indeterminate phenomena."

8. Real merit has no merit

"Subh?ti, what do you think? If a person were to fill a chiliocosm with the seven kinds of jewels and give them away
charitably, wouldn't the merit attained by this person be great?"
Subh?ti said, "Extremely great, World Honored One. And why? This merit has no nature of merit; therefore the
tath?gata says that this merit is great."
The Buddha said: "But if there were a person well-attentive to this s?tra such that he or she could teach a four line
verse from it to others, this person's merit would exceed that of the former example. Why? Subh?ti, all of the
buddhas and all of their teachings of peerless perfect enlightenment spring forth from this s?tra. Subh?ti, that which
is called the buddhadharma is not the buddhadharma."

9. The four lesser vehicle realizations

"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does a practitioner who has attained the level of srota-?panna think: 'I have attained
the realization of the srota-?panna?' "
Subh?ti said, "No, World Honored One. And why not? Because the name srota-?panna means 'stream-enterer,'
and there is in fact no stream to be entered. One does not enter form, sound, odor, taste, touch, or concepts.
Therefore one is called a srota-?panna."
"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does a sak?d?g?min think, 'I have attained the realization of sak?d?g?min?' "
Subh?ti said: "No, World Honored One. And why not? Although the name sak?d?g?min means to go and come one
[more time], there is, in reality, no going or coming. Therefore he is called a sak?d?g?min."

"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does the adept who has attained the level of an?g?min say, 'I have achieved the
realization of the an?g?min?' "
Subh?ti said, "No, World Honored One. And why not? An?g?min means non-returning [to this world], but there is,
in fact, no such thing as returning. Therefore this person is called an an?g?min."
"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does the arhat think, 'I have attained the realization of the arhat?' "
"No, World Honored One. And why not? There is, in reality, no such a thing called 'arhat.' World Honored One, if
an arhat should give rise to the thought, 'I have attained the realization of the arhat, this would mean that he is
attached to the notions of self, person, sentient being, and life span.' "

"World Honored One, you have said that I am the most proficient in terms of the attainment of the meditative
absorption of no-contention, and that I am the arhat most free from the desire. But I do not give rise to the thought
that I am an arhat who is free from desire. World Honored One, if I were to give rise to the thought that I have
attained the level of the arhat, then you would not said of me that I enjoy the practice of forest-dwelling, since there
is in actuality nothing for me to practice. Therefore I am called 'Subh?ti, the one who enjoys the practice of
forest-dwelling.' "

10. Arousing the pure aspiration without abiding

The Buddha said to Subh?ti, "What do you think? When the tath?gata studied under D?pa?kara Buddha, did he
gain any attainment in the dharma?"
"World Honored One, when the Tath?gata studied under D?pa?kara Buddha, there was, in reality, nothing that he
attained in the dharma."
"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does the Buddha create sublime Buddha-lands?"
"No, he does not, World Honored One. And why not? Sublime Buddha-lands are not sublime. Therefore they care
called sublime."
"And so, Subh?ti, the bodhisattvas and mahasattvas should give rise to the pure aspiration in this way: they should
not give rise to the aspiration while abiding in form. They should not give rise to the aspiration while abiding in
sound, odor, taste, touch, or concepts. They should give rise to the aspiration while not abiding in anything."

"Subh?ti, it is like if there were a person with a body as large as Mt. Sumeru. What do you think? Would this body
not be huge?"
"Extremely huge, World Honored One. And why so? The Buddha teaches us that it is not a body. Hence it is called
a huge body"

11. Merits of memorizing this s?tra (#1)

"Subh?ti, if each of the sands in the Ganges river contained its own Ganges river, would not the number of sands
contained in all those Ganges rivers be great?"
Subh?ti said, "Extremely great, World Honored One. If the number of even the Ganges rivers were countless, how
much more so its grains of sand?"
"Subh?ti, now I am going to tell you a truth. If a good son or good daughter filled three thousand galaxies with the
seven jewels equal to the number of grains of sand in all those Ganges rivers and gave them away charitably, would
his or her merit not be great?"
"Extremely great, World Honored One."
The Buddha said to Subh?ti: "If a good son or good daughter is able to memorize four lines of verse from this s?tra
and teach them to others, his or her merit will be far greater."

12. Merits of memorizing this s?tra (#2)

"Furthermore, Subh?ti, if someone were to recite as much as a four line verse of this sutra, that place would
become like a shrine to the Buddha, where the celestials, humans, and titans in all the worlds would come and make
offerings. How much more so in the case where one completely memorizes and recites the sutra. Subh?ti, you
should know that such a person has accomplished the most subtle state of awareness. Wherever this sutra is kept,
the Buddha's most revered disciples are also present."

13. Naming of the s?tra

Then Subh?ti addressed the Buddha, saying: "World Honored One, what should we call this scripture, and how
should we practice it?"
The Buddha said to Subh?ti: "This scripture is called the Diamond of Transcendent Wisdom. You should practice it
according to this name. And why? That which the Buddha calls 'transcendent wisdom' is not transcendent wisdom.
Subh?ti, what does this mean? Does the tath?gata have a teaching to explain?"
Subh?ti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, the Tath?gata has no teaching to explain."
"Subh?ti, what do you think? Are not the tiniest particles contained in the worlds of three thousand galaxies great
in number?"
Subh?ti said, "Extremely great in number, World Honored One."
"Subh?ti, the Tath?gata teaches that tiny particles are not tiny particles. Therefore they are called tiny particles.
The Tath?gata teaches that worlds are not worlds. Therefore they are called worlds."

"Subh?ti, what do you think? Can the Tath?gata be discerned by means of his thirty-two bodily characteristics?"
"No, he cannot, World Honored One. One cannot discern a Tath?gata by means of his thirty-two bodily
characteristics. And why not? Because the thirty-two bodily characteristics that are taught by the Tath?gata are in
fact not characteristics. Therefore they are called the thirty-two characteristics."
"Subh?ti, if a good son or good daughter dedicates lifetimes as numerous as the sands in the Ganges river to
charitable acts, and there were another person who memorized as much as a four-line verse of this scripture and
taught it to others, the merit of the latter person would be by far greater."

14. True characteristics are not characteristics

Then, Subh?ti, having heard this sermon, deeply understood its point. He was moved to tears, and said to the
Buddha: "It is a rare treasure for us, World Honored One, that you have taught this profound scripture. Since the
time long ago when I attained the eye of insight, I have never had access to this sort of teaching. World Honored
One, if someone is able to hear this kind of scripture, purify his faith and thus [perceive] the true characteristics of
things, we should know that this person has attained the most rare kind of merit. World Honored One, these true
characteristics are actually not characteristics. Therefore the Tath?gata calls them true characteristics."

"World Honored One: Having presently heard the teaching of this scripture, I do not have difficulty in adequately
grasping its point. But if there is someone five hundred years hence who is able to hear this scripture, and believe,
understand, and commit it to memory, then this person will be most rare. Why? This person will not be abiding in
the notion of self, the notion of person, the notion of sentient being, or the notion of life span. And why? Because
the notion of self is not a notion. The notion of person, the notion of sentient being, and the notion of life span are
also not notions. And why? Those who are free from all notions are called buddhas."
The Buddha said to Subh?ti: "Yes, yes. You are right. You should know that if someone hears the teaching of this
scripture and is neither shocked, afraid, or alarmed, this person is extremely rare. And why? Subh?ti, what the
Tath?gata calls the greatest transcendence, is not the greatest transcendence. Therefore it is called the greatest
transcendence."

"Subh?ti, the transcendent forbearance that I teach is not transcendent forbearance. And why not? Subh?ti, in a
former lifetime my body was cut into pieces by the R?jah Kali?ga. If, at that time, I was not abiding in the notions
of self, person, sentient being, or life span. And why not? If, at the time body was cut into pieces, if I had been
holding to the notions of self, person, sentient being, or life span, I would have felt ill-will [toward Kali?ga]. Subh?ti,
I also remember some five hundred lifetimes ago having practiced forbearance as a renunciant sage.1 At that time
I was also free from the notions of self, person, sentient being, and life. Therefore, Subh?ti, the bodhisattvas should
free themselves from all notions and arouse the aspiration for peerless perfect enlightenment. They should not
arouse this aspiration while abiding in form, and they should not arouse this aspiration while abiding in sound, odor,
taste, touch, or conceptualization. They should give rise to the aspiration that has no abode. If the mind abides,
then this is not abiding. Therefore I say that the mind of the bodhisattvas should not abide in the form of charity."

"Subh?ti, when a bodhisattva wants to confer benefit on all sentient beings, she should practice charity like this. I
teach that all notions are not notions. I also teach that all sentient beings are not sentient beings. Subh?ti, my
words are true — they are authentic, and they explain things they way they are. My words are not deceptions, and
they are not erroneous. Subh?ti, the dharma that I have attained, as a teaching, has neither truth nor falsity.
Subh?ti, if a bodhisattva practices charity while abiding in [notions of] the teaching, it is like a person in the dark
who cannot see anything. If a bodhisattva practices charity while not abiding in [notions of] the teaching, it is like a
person with eyes wide open in the sunlight, seeing all kinds of forms. Subh?ti, if, in a future time there are good
sons and good daughters who are able to memorize this scripture and recite it, then I will, with my buddha-wisdom,
be fully aware of these people, seeing each one of them, as each one attains countless, limitless merit."

15. The s?tra is not for lesser vehicle practitioners

"Subh?ti, suppose there were a good son or good daughter who made dedications of his or her life to charity in a
quantity equal to the number of grains of sand in the Ganges, and in the middle of the day made dedications of his
or her life to charity in a quantity equal to the number of grains of sand in the Ganges, and at the end of the day
also made dedications of his or her life to charity in a quantity equal to the number of grains of sand in the Ganges,
and made these dedications of his or her life to charity in this way for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of
billions of eons. If, on the other hand, there were a person who heard the teaching of this scripture with the mental
attitude of faith, and did not doubt it, the merit of this person would exceed that of the prior. How much more so in
the case of the person who copies it, memorizes it, chants it, and explains it to others."

"Subh?ti, it can be summarized like this: this scripture carries inconceivable, immeasurable, limitless merit, and the
Tath?gata teaches it to those who have entered into the great vehicle, and to those who have entered into the
supreme vehicle. Any person who is able to memorize, recite, and teach this scripture to others is perceived by the
Tath?gata, and is seen by the Tath?gata, and all attain innumerable, immeasurable, limitless, inconceivable merit.
These people are the carriers of the Tath?gata's peerless perfect enlightenment. And why? Subh?ti, those who are
contented with inferior teachings are attached to the view of self, the view of person, the view of sentient being, and
the view of life span. Such a person is not able to hear, understand, recite, and teach this scripture to others.
Subh?ti, any place where this scripture is present, all the gods, humans, and titans in all the worlds will come and
make offerings. You should know that such a place is equivalent to a shrine, where all should venerate, pay
obeisance, and circumambulate while scattering flowers and incense around the place."

16. Purgation through suffering of bad karma

"Furthermore, Subh?ti, if there is a good son or good daughter who memorizes and recites this scripture, but is
belittled by others, it is because this person committed crimes in a prior life which resulted in negative rebirths.
Through enduring the disparagement of others in the present life, the bad karma from the prior lives can be
removed, and one can attain peerless perfect enlightenment. Subh?ti, billions of countless eons ago, before the
time of D?pa?kara Buddha, I have encountered 84,000 billions of countless buddhas, serving them and making
offerings to them without lapse. If there is also a person in the final age who is able to memorize and recite this
scripture, this person's merit will be one hundred times, a hundred trillion times — nay, an incalculable number of
times greater than that which I gained when I made offerings to all these buddhas. "

"Subh?ti, if I completely elucidated the merits to be gained by good sons and good daughters in the final age who
memorize and recite this scripture, there may be people who, upon its hearing, become confused, suspicious, and
unbelieving. Subh?ti, you should know that the underlying meaning of this s?tra is inconceivable, and the results
[obtained from its memorization and recitation] are also inconceivable."

17. Defining the bodhisattva

Then Subh?ti addressed the Buddha, saying: "World Honored One, if good sons and good daughters would like to
arouse the aspiration for peerless perfect enlightenment, in what should they mentally abide, and how should they
gain mastery over their thoughts?"
The Buddha said to Subh?ti: "Good sons and good daughters who want to arouse the aspiration for peerless
perfect enlightenment should think like this: 'I will save all sentient beings.' Yet when all sentient beings have been
liberated, in fact, not a single sentient being has been liberated. And why not? Subh?ti, if a bodhisattva holds the
notion of a self, the notion of person, the notion of sentient being, and the notion of life span, then she is not a
bodhisattva. Why? Subh?ti, there is actually no such a thing as peerless perfect enlightenment."

"Subh?ti, what do you think? When the Tath?gata was with D?pa?kara Buddha, was there any such a thing as
peerless perfect enlightenment?"
"No, World Honored One. As I understand the content of your teaching, when you were with D?pa?kara Buddha,
there was no thing as peerless perfect enlightenment."
The Buddha said, "Correct, correct. Subh?ti, there is, in fact, no such thing as the attainment of peerless perfect
enlightenment by the Tath?gata. Subh?ti, if there were such as thing as the attainment of peerless perfect
enlightenment by the Tath?gata, D?pa?kara Buddha would not have conferred upon me the prediction of
attainment of buddhahood, saying, 'You will attain buddhahood in the future, with the name ??kyamuni.' It is
precisely because there is actually no such thing as the attainment of peerless perfect enlightenment, that
D?pa?kara Buddha conferred the prediction of buddhahood upon me, saying, 'You will attain buddhahood in the
future, with the name ??kyamuni.' "

"And why? Because 'Tathagata' means 'all phenomena (dharmas) as they really are.' Subh?ti, if someone says that
the Tath?gata attains peerless perfect enlightenment, there is in fact, no such thing as the Buddha attaining
peerless perfect enlightenment. Subh?ti, the peerless perfect enlightenment attained by the Tath?gata is neither
real nor unreal. Therefore the Tath?gata teaches that all dharmas are the buddhadharma. Subh?ti, those things
that are described as 'all dharmas' are not all dharmas. Therefore they are called 'all dharmas.' "

"Subh?ti, please take, for example, the case of a large human body."
Subh?ti said, "World Honored One, the large human body that you have mentioned is not a large body; therefore it
is called a large body."
"Subh?ti, it is the same with a bodhisattva. If he says, 'I will save numberless sentient beings,' then he is not a
bodhisattva. Why? Subh?ti, there is actually no such state called bodhisattvahood. Therefore I say that all
phenomena have no self, no personality, no sentient beingness, and no life span. Subh?ti, if a bodhisattva says 'I
will adorn buddha-lands,' I would not call this person a bodhisattva. Why? What the Tath?gata has called
adornment of buddha-lands is not adornment. Therefore it is called adornment. Subh?ti, if a bodhisattva realizes
the selflessness of phenomena, the Tath?gata calls this person a real bodhisattva."

18. Physical and mental faculties are unobtainable

"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does the Tath?gata have the physical eye?"
"Yes, World Honored One. The Tath?gata has the physical eye."
"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does the Tath?gata have the divine eye?"
"Yes, World Honored One, the Tath?gata has the divine eye."
"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does the Tath?gata have the wisdom eye?"
"Yes, World Honored One, the Tath?gata has the wisdom eye."
"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does the Tath?gata have the dharma eye?"
"Yes, World Honored One. The Tath?gata has the dharma eye?"
"Subh?ti, what do you think? Does the Tath?gata have the buddha eye?"
"Yes, World Honored One. The Tath?gata has the buddha eye."

"Subh?ti, what do you think? When discussing the sands in Ganges river, the Buddha calls these 'sands,' does he
not?"
"Yes, World Honored One, the Tath?gata calls them 'sands.' "
"Subh?ti, what do you think? If each of the sands in the one Ganges river each contained its own Ganges river, and
each grain of sand in all these Ganges rivers represented a buddha-world, would not their number be many?"
"Very many, World Honored One."
The Buddha said to Subh?ti: "The Tath?gata is fully aware of the various thoughts of each of the sentient beings
dwelling in these buddha worlds. And how so? None of what the Tath?gata calls 'thoughts' are actually thoughts.
Therefore they are called thoughts. Why? Because the past thought is unobtainable, the present thought is
unobtainable, and the future thought is unobtainable."

19. No merit is great merit

"Subh?ti, what do you think? If there were a person who was able to take enough of the seven jewels to fill all the
worlds of the three galaxies, and gave them away for charity, would not, based on these causes and conditions, this
person's merit be great?"
"Yes, World Honored One, based on these causes and conditions this person's merit would be extremely great."
"Subh?ti, if this merit were real, the Tath?gata would not say that there was attainment of great merit. It is
because this merit is non-existent that the Tath?gata says that the merit is great."

20. Discerning the Buddha by his body

"Subh?ti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be discerned by seeing his perfectly-formed body?"
"No, World Honored One. The Tath?gata cannot be discerned by seeing his perfectly-formed body. Why? What
the Tath?gata calls a perfectly-formed body is not a perfectly-formed body. Hence it is called a perfectly-formed
body."
"Subh?ti, what do you think? Can the Tath?gata be discerned by his perfect bodily characteristics?"
"No, World Honored One. The Tath?gata cannot be discerned by his perfect bodily characteristics. Why? Those
characteristics that the Tath?gata has called 'perfect' are actually not perfect. Therefore he says that these
characteristics are perfect."

21. No dharma is dharma; non-sentient beings are sentient beings

Subh?ti, do not think such a thought as "I [the Tath?gata] have something to teach." Do not even think such a
thing. Why not? If someone says that the Tath?gata has a teaching to offer then he is slandering the Buddha,
because he does not understand what I am teaching. Subh?ti, in the teaching of the dharma, there is no dharma that
can be taught. This is called teaching the dharma.
Then Insight-Life Subh?ti said to the Buddha: "World Honored One. Might there at some time in the future be
sentient beings who will gain faith upon hearing this discourse?"
The Buddha said, "Subh?ti, they will not be sentient beings, and they will not be non-sentient beings. Why?
Subh?ti, the Tath?gata has taught that 'sentient beings' are not sentient beings. Thus they are called sentient
beings."

22. The attainability of peerless perfect enlightenment

Subh?ti said to the Buddha: "World Honored One. When the buddhas attain peerless perfect enlightenment, is it
the case that actually nothing is attained?"
"Exactly right. Subh?ti, as far as peerless perfect enlightenment is concerned, I have not attained the slightest
thing. This is why it is called peerless perfect enlightenment."

23. The role of good factors

"Furthermore, Subh?ti, this state is equal, have neither high or low. Therefore it is called peerless perfect
enlightenment. When one, not abiding in the notions of self, person, sentient being, and lifespan, cultivates all kinds
of good factors, then one attains peerless perfect enlightenment. Subh?ti, the Tath?gata says that these so-called
'good factors' are not good factors. Therefore they are called good factors."

24. Merits of transmitting the s?tra: far greater than those of charity

"Subh?ti, if there were a person who accumulated the seven jewels in mounds equivalent to all the Mt. Sumerus in
the worlds of three thousand galaxies and gave them away charitably, the merit gained by such a person, compared
to that of someone who memorized, recited, and explained to others as much as a four-line verse of this scripture of
transcendent wisdom, would not amount to a hundredth. Nor would it amount to billionth part. In fact, no metaphor
of number is capable of describing this difference in merit."

25. No sentient beings for the Tath?gata to save

"Subh?ti, what do you think? You should not claim that the Tath?gata thinks 'I will save sentient beings.' Subh?ti,
do not think such a thing. Why? There are in fact no sentient beings for the Tath?gata to save. If there were
sentient beings for the Tath?gata to save, it would mean that the Tath?gata holds the notions of self, person,
sentient being, and life span. Subh?ti, when the Tath?gata says 'I,' there is actually no ' I.' Yet immature beings
take this to be an I. Subh?ti, as far as immature beings are concerned, the Tath?gata says that they are not
immature beings."

26. Trying to discern the Buddha by his bodily characteristics

"Subh?ti, what do you think? Can one discern the Tath?gata by means of the thirty-two bodily characteristics?"
Subh?ti said, "Yes, yes. One discerns the Tath?gata by means of the thirty-two bodily characteristics."
The Buddha said, "Subh?ti, if one discerns the Tath?gata by means of the thirty-two bodily characteristics, then
the wheel-turning sage kings (temporal rulers) are Tath?gatas."
Subh?ti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, as I understand the gist of what you have said, one should not
try to discern the Tath?gata by means of the thirty-two bodily characteristics."
Then the World Honored One spoke in a verse:
Someone who tries to discern me in form
Or seek me in sound
Is practicing non-Buddhist methods
And will not discern the Tath?gata

27. Attainment of enlightenment based on bodily characteristics

"Subh?ti, if you think that the Tath?gata attains peerless perfect enlightenment based on the perfection of bodily
characteristics, then, Subh?ti, you should not think like this, because the Tath?gata does not attain peerless perfect
enlightenment based on the perfection of bodily characteristics. Subh?ti, if you think that one who gives rise to
peerless perfect enlightenment claims the extinction of all marks of phenomena, you should not think like this.
Why? The person who gives rise to the intention for peerless perfect enlightenment does not claim the extinction of
the marks of phenomena."

28. Bodhisattvas do not appropriate merit

"Subh?ti, if a bodhisattva filled worlds as many as the grains of sand in the Ganges river, and another bodhisattva
perfected his forbearance based on the awareness of the selflessness of all phenomena, the merit gained by this
bodhisattva would exceed that of the former. Subh?ti, this is because the bodhisattvas do not experience merit."
Subh?ti said to the Buddha: "World Honored One, how is it that the bodhisattva does not experience merit?"
"Subh?ti, the merit generated by the bodhisattvas is not to be appropriated by them. Therefore I say that they do
not experience merit."

29. The Thus-come One doesn't come or go

"Subh?ti, if someone says that the Tath?gata ( 'Thus-come One' ) comes, goes, sits, or lies down, this person does
not understand the point of my teaching. Why? The Thus-come One has no place from whence he comes, and no
place to go. Therefore he is called 'Thus-come.' "

30. The status of composite things

"Subh?ti, what do you think? If a good son or good daughter were to take all the worlds contained in three
thousand galaxies and crush them into tiny particles, would these particles not be numerous?"
"Extremely numerous, World Honored One. And why? If these numerous tiny particles had real existence, the
Buddha would not call them numerous tiny particles. What does this mean? Those things that the Buddha calls
'numerous tiny particles' are not numerous tiny particles. Therefore they are called numerous tiny particles. World
Honored One. That which the Tath?gata calls 'all the worlds in three thousand galaxies' are actually not worlds.
Therefore they are called worlds. Why? To the extent that these worlds really exist, they do so as a composite. The
Tath?gata teaches that composites are not composites. Therefore they are called composites."
"Subh?ti, a composite is something that is ineffable. Only immature beings attach to such phenomena."

31. Wrapping up the four views

"Subh?ti, if someone claims that I teach the view of self, view of person, view of sentient being, or view of life span,
what would you say? Has this person understood the point of my teaching?"
"World Honored One, this person has not understood the point of the Tath?gata's teaching. Why? What the World
Honored One has explained as the view of self, view of person, view of sentient being, and view of life span, are
actually not a view of self, view of person, view of sentient being, or view of life span. Therefore they are called
view of self, view of person, view of sentient being, and view of life span."
"Subh?ti, the person who gives rise to the aspiration for peerless perfect enlightenment, should, in regard to all
phenomena, think like this, discern like this, and believe and understand like this. One should not give rise to signs
for phenomena. Subh?ti, the Tath?gata has explained that these so-called signs of phenomena are precisely not
signs of phenomena. Therefore they are called signs of phenomena."

32. Conclusion

Subh?ti, if there were a person who took the amount of the seven jewels in numberless, countless worlds and gave
them away charitably, and there were also a good son or good daughter who gave rise to the bodhisattva's
aspiration, taking just a four line verse of this scripture, memorizing it, reciting it, and teaching it to others, this
person's merit would exceed that of the former. How should one teach it to others? Without grasping to signs,
staying with things as they are, immovable. Why?
All conditioned phenomena
Are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow
Like the dew, or like lightning
You should discern them like this
The Buddha concluded his delivery of this scripture. The elder Subh?ti, along with all the other monks, nuns, male
and female lay practitioners, all the worlds of celestials, men, and titans, having heard this teaching of the Buddha,
experienced great bliss. They believed, memorized, and practiced according to the Scripture of the Diamond
Transcendent Wisdom Scripture.