..續本文上一頁instruction by the Tathâgata. Therefore, O Subhûti, listen and take it to heart, well and rightly. I shall tell you, how any one who has entered on the path of Bodhisanvas should behave, how he should advance, and how he should restrain his thoughts.” Then the venerable Subhûti answered the Bhagavat and said: ”So be it, O Bhagavat.” (2)

　　III.

　　 Then the Bhagavat thus spoke to him: ”Any one, O Subhûti, who has entered here on the path of the Bodhisattvas must thus frame his thought: As many beings as there are in this world of beings, comprehended under the term of beings (either born of eggs, or from the womb, or from moisture, or miraculously), with form or without form, with name or without name, or neither with nor without name, as far as

　　[1. I have followed the Chinese translator, who translates parîndita by instructed, entrusted, not by protected.]

　　{p. 114}

　　any known world of beings is known, all these must be delivered by me in the perfect world of Nirvâna. And yet, after I have thus delivered immeasurable beings, not one single being has been delivered. And why

　　 If, O Subhûti, a Bodhisattva had any idea of (belief in) a being, he could not be called a Bodhisattva (one who is fit to become a Buddha). And why

　　 Because, O Subhûti, no one is to be called a Bodhisattva, for whom there should exist the idea of a being, the idea of a living being, or the idea of a person.” (3)

　　IV.

　　 ”And again, O Subhûti, a gift should not be given by a Bodhisattva, while he believes[1] in objects; a gift should not be given by him, while he believes in anything; a gift should not be given by him, while he believes in form; a gift should not be given by him, while he believes in the special qualities of sound, smell, taste, and touch. For thus, O Subhûti, should a gift be given by a noble-minded Bodhisattva, that he should not believe even in the idea of cause. And why

　　 Because that Bodhisattva, O Subhûti, who gives a gift, without believing in anything, the measure of his stock of merit is not easy to learn.”--”What do you think, O Subhûti, is it easy to learn the measure of space in the eastern quarter

　　” Subhûti said: ”Not indeed, O Bhagavat.”--Bhagavat said: ”In like manner, is it easy to learn the measure of space in the southern, western, northern quarters, below and above (nadir and zenith), in quarters and subquarters, in the ten quarters all round

　　” Subhûti said: ”Not indeed,

　　[1. To believe here means to depend on or ta accept as real.]

　　{p. 115}

　　O Bhagavat.” Bhagavat said: ”In the same manner, O Subhûti, the measure of the stock of merit of a Bodhisattva, who gives a gift without believing in anything, is not easy to learn. And thus indeed, O Subhûti, should one who has entered on the path of Bodhisattvas give a gift, that he should not believe even in the idea of cause.” (4)

　　V.

　　 ”Now, what do you think, O Subhûti, should a Tathâgata be seen (known) by the possession of signs[1]

　　” Subhûti said: ”Not indeed, O Bhagavat, a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs. And why

　　 Because what has been preached by the Tathâgata as the possession of signs, that is indeed the possession of no-signs.”

　　 After this, Bhagavat spoke thus to the venerable Subhûti: ”Wherever there is, O Subhûti, the possession of signs, there is falsehood; wherever there is no possession of signs, there is no falsehood. Hence the Tathâgata is to be seen (known) from no-signs as signs[2].” (5)

　　VI.

　　 After this, the venerable Subhûti spoke thus to the Bhagavat: ”Forsooth, O Bhagavat, will there be any beings in the future, in the last time, in the last moment, in the last 500 years[3], d…

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