Then, the elder Subhuti in the assembly arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee with his palms joined, and respectfully addressed the Buddha: “How remarkable, World Honored One, that the Tathagata is ever-mindful of bodhisattvas, protecting and instructing them well! World Honored One, when good men and good women resolve to attain unsurpassed complete enlightenment (anuttara-samyak-sambodhi), how should they abide their mind, and how should they subdue their thoughts?”
The Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “The bodhisattvas and mahasattvas should thus subdue their thoughts: All the different types of sentient beings, whether they are born from eggs, from wombs, from moisture, or by transformation; whether or not they have form; whether they have thoughts or no thoughts, or have neither thought nor non-thought, I will liberate them by leading them to nirvana without residue. When immeasurable, countless, infinite numbers of sentient beings have been liberated, in reality, no sentient beings have been liberated. Why is this so? Subhuti, if bodhisattvas abide in the notions of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span, they are not bodhisattvas.”
The Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra
“Furthermore, Subhuti, in the practice of charity, bodhisattvas should abide in nothing whatsoever. That is, to practice charity without attachment to form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. Subhuti, bodhisattvas should practice charity this way, without attachment to anything. Why? If bodhisattvas practice charity without attachment, their merits are immeasurable.”
The Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra
“Subhuti, what do you think? Does a srotapanna have the thought: ‘I have attained the realization of the srotapanna’?” Subhuti said, “No, World Honored One. Why not? Because ‘srotapanna’ means ‘stream-enterer,’ and there is in fact nothing to enter; one who does not enter into form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas is called a srotapanna.”
The Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra
“World Honored One, you have said that of all people I am the foremost in attaining the samadhi of non-contention, and the foremost arhat in being free from desires. But I do not have the thought that I am an arhat who is free from desires. World Honored One, if I give rise to the thought that I have attained arhatship, then you would not have said that Subhuti practices aranya—abiding peacefully in non-contention. In reality, Subhuti abides in nothing at all, therefore Subhuti is called one who abides peacefully in non-contention.”
The Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra
Upon hearing this sermon, Subhuti was moved to tears, having deeply understood its meaning and significance. He said to the Buddha: “How remarkable, World Honored One! You have taught us such a profound sutra. Even though I have long attained the Wisdom Eye, I have never heard such a teaching before. World Honored One, if someone who hears this sutra gives rise to pure faith, and thus perceives the true nature of reality, we should know that this person has achieved the most extraordinary virtue. World Honored One, the true nature of reality is empty. This is what the Tathagata calls the true nature of reality.”
The Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra
“World Honored One, having just heard this sutra, I have no difficulty in believing, comprehending, and following it. But in the ages to come, in the last five hundred years, if there are sentient beings who hear this sutra, believe, comprehend, and follow it, they will be most remarkable beings. Why? These beings do not abide in the notions of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a life span. Why? Because a self is not a self. The appearances of a person, a sentient being, and a life span are likewise illusory. Why? Those who relinquish all appearances and notions are called buddhas.”
The Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra
“Therefore, Subhuti, bodhisattvas should relinquish all appearances and notions in their resolve to attain unsurpassed complete enlightenment. They should not give rise to any thought attached to form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma. They should give rise to a mind without any attachments. Any attachment of the mind is errant. Therefore the Buddha says that a bodhisattva should practice charity with a mind unattached to form. Subhuti, to benefit all sentient beings, a bodhisattva should practice charity in this way.”
The Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra
“Subhuti, if a person amasses enough of the seven jewels to fill countless worlds and gives them away in charity, and if a good man or good woman with the bodhisattva resolve takes as few as a four-line verse of this sutra, recites, remembers, follows, and expounds it to others, the latter’s merit would far exceed that of the former. How should one teach it to others? Without attachment, abiding in stillness and suchness. Why?
All conditioned phenomena
Are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow,
Like dew or a flash of lightning;
Thus we shall perceive them.”
The Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra