[16] The blessed one continued, “Subhuti, should there be among
the faithful some who have not yet matured their karma and who
must first suffer the natural retribution of evils committed in
some previous life by being degraded to a lower life form, and
should they earnestly and faithfully observe and study this
scripture, and thereby be despised and persecuted by people,
their karma will immediately mature and they will attain supreme,
total awakening.

“Subhuti, I recall that long ago, numerous eons before the
time of Dipankara buddha, without my having been at fault, I
served and worshiped and received spiritual instruction and
discipline from 84,000 myriad buddhas. Yet in the far future ages
of the last era of this world, if a student faithfully observes,
studies, and puts into practice the teachings in this scripture,
the blessing that will accrue will far exceed that acquired by me
during those long years of service and discipline under those
many buddhas. Yes, it will exceed my poor merit, billions to one.
Yes, even more, it will exceed uncountable myriads to one.
The lord buddha continued, “Subhuti, in contrast to what I
have said about the inestimable blessing that will come to
earnest followers who observe and study and practice this
scripture in that far off time, I must tell you that there will
probably be some students who, upon hearing this scripture, will
become bewildered and will not believe what they hear. Subhuti,
you should remember that just as the spiritual message of this
scripture transcends human thought, so also the effect and the
final result of studying it and putting it into practice is
inscrutable.”

[17] Then Subhuti asked the lord buddha, “Suppose a good person,
either man or woman, having aimed themself toward total
enlightenment, still finds their mind to be disturbed. How are
they to keep the mind tranquil, how subdue wandering thoughts and
cravings?”

“The lord buddha replied, “Subhuti, any good person who
concentrates on attaining total enlightenment should cherish one
thought: the intention to attain the highest transcendent
awareness in order to show all sentient beings the eternal peace
and freedom of nirvana. If this intention is sincere, these
sentient beings are already freed. And yet, Subhuti, if the full
truth is realized, one knows that not a single sentient being has
ever been freed. And why, Subhuti? Because if the great
bodhisattvas have held onto any such arbitrary conceptions as
one’s own self, other selves, living beings, or a universal self,
they could not be called great bodhisattvas. And what does this
mean, Subhuti? It means that there are no sentient beings to be
freed and there is no selfhood that can begin the practice of
seeking to attain total enlightenment.

“What do you think, Subhuti? When the well-traveled one was
with the buddha Dipankara did he have any such arbitrary
conception of the spiritual truth by which he sought to attain
total enlightenment intuitively?”

“No, blessed lord. As I understand what you are saying, when
you were with buddha Dipankara you had no such arbitrary
conception of spirituality by which you sought total
enlightenment intuitively.”

The lord buddha was very pleased with this, and said, “You
are right, Subhuti. Speaking truthfully there is no such
arbitrary conception of spiritual truth as that. If there had
been, Dipankara would not have predicted that in some future life
I would attain buddhahood under the name Shakyamuni. What does
this mean Subhuti? It means that what I attained is not something
limited and arbitrary that can be called ‘total enlightenment,’
but is that buddhahood whose being is identical with the being of
all things and is what it is–universal, inconceivable,
inscrutable.

“Suppose, Subhuti, there were a student who asserts that the
well-traveled one had some ideas about the spiritual truth that
warranted his seeking to attain complete enlightenment.
Understand, Subhuti, that the well-traveled one truly had no
ideas of the spiritual truth by which he sought to attain total
enlightenment.”

The lord buddha emphasized this by saying, “Subhuti, the
buddhahood which the well-traveled one attained is both the same
and not the same as total enlightenment. This is merely another
way of saying that the phenomena of all things is one beingness
with buddhahood and complete enlightenment, and is neither
reality nor unreality, but is together with all phenomena in
openness and silence, inconceivable and inscrutable. Subhuti,
that is why I say that the spiritual truth of all things can
never be encompassed by any arbitrary conception of phenomena,
however universal that conception may be. That is why it is
called the truth, and that is why there is no such thing as the
truth.

“Subhuti, suppose I were to speak of the largeness of the
human body. What would you understand thereby?”
“World-honored one, I would understand that the lord buddha
was not speaking of the largeness of the human body as an
arbitrary conception of its being. I would understand that the
words carried merely an imaginary meaning.”

“Subhuti, it is just the same when the great bodhisattvas
speak of delivering numberless sentient beings. If they have in
mind any arbitrary conception of sentient beings or of definite
numbers, they are unworthy of being called great bodhisattvas.
And why, Subhuti? Because the very reason they are called great
bodhisattvas is because they have abandoned all such arbitrary
conceptions. And what is true of one arbitrary conception is true
of all conceptions. The well-traveled one’s teachings are
entirely free of all such arbitrary conceptions as one’s own
self, other selves, living beings, and a universal self.”

To make this teaching even more empathic, the lord buddha
continued, “If a great bodhisattva were to speak as follows, ‘I
will add embellishments to the buddhafields’ he would be unworthy
of being called a great bodhisattva. Why? Because the well-
traveled one has explicitly taught that when a great bodhisattva
uses such words, they must not bear in mind any such arbitrary
conception of phenomena; they are to use such expressions merely
as so many words.

“Subhuti, it is only those students whose understanding can
penetrate deeply enough into the meaning of the well-traveled
one’s teachings concerning the egolessness of both things and
living beings, and who can clearly understand their significance,
that are worthy to be called great bodhisattvas.”

[18] The buddha then asked Subhuti, “What do you think? Does the
well-traveled one have ordinary eyes?”
“Subhuti replied, “Sure, he has ordinary eyes.”
“Does he have the eyes of enlightenment?”
“Of course, the well-traveled one has the eyes of
enlightenment, otherwise he would not be the buddha.”
“Does the well-traveled one have the eyes of transcendent
intelligence?”
“Yes, the well-traveled one has the eyes of transcendent
intelligence.”
“Does the well-traveled one have the eyes of spiritual
intuition?”
“Yes, lord, the well-traveled one has the eyes of spiritual
intuition.”
“Does the well-traveled one have the buddha eyes of love and
compassion for all sentient beings?”

Subhuti agreed and said, “Lord, you love all sentient life.”
“What do you think, Subhuti? When I referred to the grains
of sand in the river Ganges, did I assert that they were truly
grains of sand?”

“No blessed lord, you only spoke of them as grains of sand.”
“Subhuti, if there were as many Ganges rivers as there are
grains of sand in the river Ganges, and if there were as many
buddhalands as there are grains of sand in all those innumerable
rivers, would these buddhalands be considered numerous?”
“Very numerous indeed, lord buddha.”

“Listen up, Subhuti. Within these innumerable buddhalands
there are every form of sentient beings with all their various
mentalities and attitudes, all of which are fully known to the
well-traveled one, but not one of them is held in the well-
traveled one’s mind as an arbitrary conception. They are all
merely thought of. Not one of this vast accumulation of
conceptions since beginningless time, through to the never ending
future, not one of them is graspable.”

[19] The buddha continued, “What do you think Subhuti? If a
follower were to give away enough goods to fill 3,000 universes,
would a great blessing and merit incur to him or her?”
Subhuti replied, “Honored one, such a follower would acquire
considerable blessings and merit.”

The lord buddha said, “Subhuti, if such a blessing had any
substantiality, if it were anything other than a figure of
speech. The well-traveled one would not have used the words
blessings and merit.”

[20] Again the lord buddha inquired of Subhuti, saying, “Can the
well-traveled one be fully known through any manifestation of
form or idea?”

“No, world-honored one! The well-traveled one cannot be
fully known through any manifestation of form or idea. Why?
Because the phenomena of form and idea are inadequate to express
buddhahood. They can only serve as mere expressions, a hint of
that which is inconceivable.

“What do you think, Subhuti? Can the well-traveled one be
fully known through any of his transcendent transformations?”
“No, world-honored one! The well-traveled one cannot be
fully known even by his transcendent transformations. Why?
Because what the well-traveled one has referred to as
‘transcendent transformations’ is merely a figure of speech. Even
the most advanced bodhisattvas are unable to fully realize via
intuition that which is essentially inscrutable.”

[21] The lord buddha then warned Subhuti, saying, “Subhuti, do
not believe that the well-traveled one ever thinks, ‘I ought to
present a system for teaching spiritual truths.’ You should never
entertain such an idea. Why? Because if anyone thinks this way,
they will not only be misunderstanding the teachings of the well-
traveled one, but they will be slandering as well. Furthermore,
what has been referred to as ‘a system of teaching’ has no
meaning, because truth cannot be cut up into pieces and arranged
into a system. The words can only be used as figures of speech.”
Then Subhuti, blessed with enlightened, transcendent
intelligence, said to the buddha, “Blessed lord, in future ages
when any sentient beings happen to hear this scripture, will the
essential elements of faith arise within their hearts?”
The lord buddha said, “Subhuti, why do you still think in
such arbitrary terms? There are no such things as sentient
beings, neither are there any non-sentient beings. Why? Because
what you think of as sentient beings are unreal and non-existent.
When the well-traveled one has used such words in is teachings,
he has merely used them as figures of speech. Your question is
therefore irrelevant.”

[22] Subhuti again asked, “Blessed lord, when you attained
complete enlightenment, did you feel in your mind that nothing
had been acquired?”

The buddha replied, “That is it precisely, Suhuti. When I
attained total enlightenment, I did not feel, as the mind feels,
any arbitrary conception of spiritual truth, not even the
slightest. Even the words ‘total enlightenment’ are merely words.

[23a] “Furthermore Subhuti, what I have attained in total
enlightenment is the same as what all others have attained. It is
undifferentiated, regarded neither as a high state, nor a low
state. It is wholly independent of any definite or arbitrary
conceptions of an individual self, other selves living beings, or
a universal self.”

[23b] “Subhuti, when someone is selflessly charitable, they
should also practice being ethical by remembering that there is
no distinction between one’s self and the selfhood of others.
Thus one practices charity by giving not only gifts, but through
kindness and sympathy. Simply practice kindness and you will
become fully enlightened.

“Subhuti, what I just said about kindness does not mean that
when someone is being charitable they should hold onto arbitrary
conceptions about kindness, for kindness is, after all, only a
word and charity needs to be spontaneous and selfless.”

[24] The buddha continued, “Subhuti, if a person collected
treasures as high as 3,000 of the highest mountains, and gave
them to others, his or her merit would be less than what would
accrue to the person who simply observed and studied this
scripture and, out of kindness, explained it to others. The
latter person would accumulate hundreds of times the merit,
hundreds of thousands of trillions of times the merit. There is
no comparison.”

[25] The lord buddha continued, “Do you think, Subhuti, that the
well-traveled one would consider in his own mind, ‘I will deliver
human beings’? That would be a degrading thought. Why? Because
there are not really any sentient beings to be delivered by the
well-traveled one. Should there be any sentient beings to be
delivered by the well-traveled one, it would mean that the well-
traveled one was harboring in his mind some arbitrary conceptions
about phenomena, such as a self, other selves, living beings, and
universal self. Even when the well-traveled one refers to himself
he is not holding on to such arbitrary thoughts. Only earth
people think of selfhood as a personal thing. Subhuti, even the
expression ‘earth people’ as used by the well-traveled one does
not mean that there are any such beings. It is merely used as a
figure of speech.”

[26] Then the buddha inquired of Subhuti, “What do you think
Subhuti? Is it possible to recognize the well-traveled one by the
32 physical marks?”

Subhuti replied, “Yes, world-honored one, the well-traveled
one may thus be recognized.”

“Subhuti, if that were true then Chakravartin, the
mythological king (who also had the 32 marks) would be called a
well-traveled one.”

Then Subhuti, realizing his error, said, “World-honored one,
now I realize that the well-traveled one cannot be recognized
merely by his 32 physical marks of excellence.”

The lord buddha then said, “Should anyone, looking at an
image or likeness of the well-traveled one, claim to know the
well-traveled one and worship him, that person would be mistaken,
not knowing the true well-traveled one.”

[27] The lord buddha continued, “Subhuti, do not think the
opposite either, that when the well-traveled one attained total
enlightenment it was not by means of his possessing the 32 marks
of physical excellence. Don’t think that way. Otherwise, when you
begin the practice of seeking total enlightenment you would think
that all systems of phenomena and all conceptions about phenomena
are to be rejected. Don’t think that way. Why? Because when a
person seeks to attain complete enlightenment, they should
neither grasp after nor reject arbitrary conceptions of reality.”

[28] The lord buddha continued, “Subhuti, if someone gives
treasures equal to the number of sands on the shores of the
Ganges River, and if another, having realized the egolessness of
all things, thereby understands selflessness, the latter would be
more blessed than the one who practiced external charity. Why?
Because great bodhisattvas do not see blessings and merit as a
private possession.”

Subhuti inquired of the lord buddha, “What do you mean
‘great bodhisattvas do not see blessings and merit as a private
possession’?”

The lord buddha replied, “Because those blessings and merit
have never been lusted after by those great bodhisattvas, they do
not see them as private possessions, but as the common possession
of all beings.”

[29] The buddha said, “Subhuti, if any person were to say that
the well-traveled one is now coming or going, or sitting up or
lying down, they would not have understood the principle I have
been teaching. Why? Because while the expression ‘well-traveled
one’ means ‘he who has thus come, thus gone,’ the true well-
traveled one is never coming from anywhere or going anywhere. The
name ‘well-traveled one’ is merely an expression.”

[30] The lord buddha resumed, “Subhuti, if any good person,
either man or woman, were to take 3,000 galaxies and grind them
into microscopic powder and blow it into space, what do you
think, would this powder have any individual existence?”
“Subhuti replied, “Yes, lord, as a microscopic powder
infinitely dissipated, it might be said to have a relative
existence, but as you use words, it has no existence. The words
have only a figurative meaning. Otherwise the words would imply a
belief in the existence of matter as an independent and self-
existent thing, which it is not.

“Furthermore, when the well-traveled one refers to the
‘3,000 galaxies,’ he could only do so as a figure of speech. Why?
Because if the 3,000 galaxies really existed, their only reality
would consist in their cosmic unity. Whether as microscopic
powder or as galaxies, what does it matter? Only in the sense of
the cosmic unity of ultimate being can the well-traveled one
rightfully refer to it.”

The lord buddha was very pleased with this reply and said,
“Subhuti, although earth people have always grasped after an
arbitrary conception of matter and galaxies, the concept has no
true basis; it is an illusion of the mortal mind. Even when it is
referred to as ‘cosmic unity’ it is inscrutable.”

[31] The lord buddha continued, “If any person were to say that
the well-traveled one, in his teachings, has constantly referred
to himself, to other selves, to living beings, and a universal
self, what do you think, would that person have understood my
meaning?”

Subhuti replied, “No, blessed lord. That person would not
have understood the meaning of your teachings. For when you refer
to them, you are not referring to their actual existence, you
only use words as figures of speech, as symbols. Only in that
sense can words be used, for conceptions, ideas, limited truths,
and spiritual truths have no more reality than have matter and
phenomena.”

Then the lord buddha made his meaning even more emphatic by
saying, “Subhuti, when people begin their practice of seeking to
attaining total enlightenment, they ought to see, to perceive, to
know, to understand, and to realize that all things and all
spiritual truths are no-things, and, therefore, they ought not to
conceive within their minds any arbitrary conceptions
whatsoever.”

[32] The lord buddha continued, “Subhuti, if anyone gave to the
well-traveled one treasures sufficient to fill the universe; and
if another person, a good man or woman, in seeking to attain
complete enlightenment were to earnestly and faithfully observe
and study even a single stanza of this scripture and explain it
to others, the accumulated blessing and merit of that latter
person would be greater.

“Subhuti, how can one explain this scripture to others
without holding in mind any arbitrary conception of things and
phenomena and spiritual truths? It can only be done, Subhuti, by
keeping the mind in perfect tranquility and in selfless harmony
with the thusness of being well-traveled. Why? Because all the
mind’s arbitrary conceptions of matter, phenomena, and of all
conditioning factors and all conceptions and ideas relating
thereto are like a dream, a phantasm, a bubble, a shadow,
evanescent dew, a flash of lightening. Every true student should
see all phenomena and all activities this way, and thus keep the
mind free and selfless and tranquil.”