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　　stories from selected past lives of the Buddha as a bodhisattva. This literature actually predated

　　the Mahàyàna movement and was the inspiration for the bodhisattva vehicle.

　　15 I.e., the bodhisattvas purify the Buddha land with their pure deeds that benefit sentient beings

　　and improve the environment in general.

　　Diamond Perfection of Wisdom Såtra 7

　　supreme, best, most extraordinary Dharma. If this Såtra resides in his abode, then it

　　would be as though the Buddha were present there, if it is honored by the disciples."

　　13.

　　At that time, Subhåti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, what shall be the

　　name of this Såtra

　　 How are we to transmit and uphold it

　　"

　　The Buddha addressed Subhåti, "This Såtra”s name is the Diamond [Cutting]

　　Perfection of Wisdom16. With the words of this title, you should transmit and uphold it.

　　And why is that

　　 Subhåti, the Buddha says that it is the perfection of wisdom

　　(praj¤àpàramità), so it is not the perfection of wisdom.

　　"Subhåti, what do you think

　　 The Tathàgata has an exposition of the Dharma, no

　　"

　　Subhåti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, the Tathàgata has no exposition."

　　"Subhåti, what do you think

　　 The atoms of the trichiliocosm are many, no

　　"

　　Subhåti replied, "Very many, World Honored One."

　　"Subhåti, the Tathàgata has said that atoms are not atoms. They are called ”atoms”.

　　The Tathàgata has explained that the worlds are not worlds. They are called ”worlds”.

　　Subhåti, what do you think

　　 One can see the Tathàgata by the thirty-two signs, no

　　"

　　"No, World Honored One. One cannot see of the Tathàgata by the thirty-two signs.

　　And why

　　 The Tathàgata has explained that the thirty-two signs are not signs. They are

　　called the ”thirty-two signs”."

　　"Subhåti, suppose there are good sons and good daughters that give charity and

　　whose lives are equal to the sands of the Ganges River. And suppose again there is a

　　person who receives and keeps four lines of verse from within this Såtra and explains it

　　for another person. His merit would be much more."

　　14.

　　At that time Subhåti, having heard this Såtra expounded, deeply understood its

　　meaning suddenly. He wept and lamented, and then addressed the Buddha, saying, "It

　　is extraordinary, World Honored One, that the Buddha expounds such a profound Såtra

　　as this. Since the time I have had the wisdom-eye, I have never before heard such a

　　Såtra. World Honored One, if again there is a person who hears this Såtra with a faithful

　　mind that is pure, then in them will arise the sign of the real. It should be known that this

　　person will have consummated the best, most extraordinary virtue. World Honored One,

　　this sign of the real then is the a non-sign. This is why the Tathàgata has said that it is

　　called the ”sign of the real”. World Honored One, thus having heard this Såtra and

　　faithfully understood it, receiving and upholding it is no longer difficult for me. If the

　　sentient beings who come into the world in the last five hundred year era hear this Såtra

　　with faithful understanding, receive and uphold it, they then would be made most

　　extraordinary. And why

　　 These people would not have the images of a self, images of a

　　person, images of sentient beings, or images of a soul. And why is that

　　 The images of

　　the self then are non-signs. The images of a person, images of sentient beings, and

　　16 Kumàrajãva translated the title ”Vajracchedikà-praj¤àpàramità Såtra” as simply ”Vajrapraj¤

　　àpàramità Såtra”. I have adjusted his rendering for accuracy.

　　Diamond Perfection of Wisdom Såtra 8

　　images of a soul then are non-signs. And why

　　 Being free of all images therefore is

　　what is called a Buddha."

　　The Buddh…

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