..续本文上一页athâgata, and therefore they are called children and ignorant persons.” (25)

　　XXVI.

　　 ”What do you think then, O Subhûti, is the Tathâg, ata to be seen (known) by the possession of signs

　　” Subhûti said: ”Not indeed, O Bhagavat. So far as I know the meaning of the preaching of the Bhagavat, the Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs.” Bhagavat said: ”Good, good, Subhûti, so it is, Subhûti; so it is, as you say; a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs. And why

　　 Because, O Subhûti, if the Tathâgata were to be seen (known) by the possession of signs, a wheel-turning king also would be a Tathâgata[1]; therefore a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs.” The venerable Subhûti spoke thus to the Bhagavat: ”As I understand the meaning of the preaching of the Bhagavat, a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs.” Then the Bhagavat at that moment preached these two Gâthâs:

　　They who saw me by form, and they who heard me by sound,

　　They engaged in false endeavours, will not see me.

　　[1. This probably refers to the auspicious signs discovered in Sâkyamuni at his birth, which left it open whether he should become a king or a Buddha.]

　　{p. 141}

　　A Buddha is to be seen (known) from the Law; for the Lords (Buddhas) have the Law-body;

　　And the nature of the Law cannot be understood, nor can it be made to be understood. (26)

　　XXVII.

　　 ”What do you think then, O Subhûti, has the highest perfect knowledge been known by the Tathâgata through the possession of signs

　　 You should not think so, O Subhûti. And why

　　 Because, O Subhûti, the highest perfect knowledge would not be known by the Tathâgata through the possession of signs. Nor should anybody, O Subhûti, say to you that the destruction or annihilation of any thing is proclaimed by those who have entered on the path of the Bodhisattvas.” (27)

　　XXVIII.

　　 ”And if, O Subhûti, a son or a daughter of a good family were to fill worlds equal to the number of grains of sand of the river Gangâ with the seven treasures, and give them as a gift to holy and fully enlightened Tathâgatas; and if a Bodhisattva acquired endurance in selfless and uncreated things, then the latter will on the strength of this produce a larger stock of merit, immeasurable and innumerable.

　　 ”But, O Subhûti, a stock of merit should not be appropriated by a noble-minded Bodhisattva.” The venerable Subhûti said: ”Should a stock of merit, O Bhagavat, not be appropriated by a Bodhisattva

　　” Bhagavat said: ”It should be appropriated, O Subhûti; it should not be appropriated; and therefore it is said: It should be appropriated.” (28)

　　{p. 142}

　　XXIX.

　　 ”And again, O Subhûti, if anybody were to say that the Tathâgata goes, or comes, or stands, or sits, or lies down, he, O Subhûti, does not understand the meaning of my preaching. And why

　　 Because the word Tathâgata means one who does not go to anywhere, and does not come from anywhere; and therefore he is called the Tathâgata (truly come), holy and fully enlightened.” (29)

　　XXX.

　　 ”And again, O Subhûti, if a son or a daughter of a good family were to take as many worlds as there are grains of earth-dust in this sphere of a million millions of worlds, and reduce them to such fine dust as can be made with immeasurable strength, like what is called a mass of the smallest atoms, do you think, O Subhûti, would that be a mass of many atoms

　　” Subhûti said: ”Yes, Bhagavat, yes, Sugata, that would be a mass of many atoms. And why

　　 Because, O Bhagavat, if it were a mass of many atom…

《金刚经 Diamond-Cutter Translated by E· B· Cowell, F· Max Mulller, and J· Takakusu》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…