Diamond Sūtra 17

At that time the venerable Subhuti thus spoke to the Bhagavat: How should a person, after having entered on the path of the Bodhisattvas, behave, how should he advance, and how should he restrain his thoughts’ Bhagavat said: ‘He who has entered on the path of the Bodhisattvas should thus frame his thought: All beings must be delivered by me in the perfect world of Nirvaza; and yet after I have thus delivered these beings, no being has been delivered. And why? Because, O Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva had any idea of beings, he could not be called a Bodhisattva, and so on! from the idea of a living being to the idea of a person; if he had any such idea, he could not be called a Bodhisattva. And why? Because, O Subhati, there is no such thing (dharma) as one who has entered on the path of the Bodhisattvas.

‘What do you think, O Subhfiti, is there anything which the Tathagata has adopted from the Tathagata Dipankara with regard to the highest perfect knowledge’ After this, the venerable Subhiti spoke thus to the Bhagavat: ‘As far as I, O Bhagavat, understand the meaning of the preaching of the Bhagavat, there is nothing which has been adopted by the Tathagata from the holy and fully enlightened Tathigata Dipahkara with regard to the highest perfect knowledge.’ After this, Bhagavat thus spoke to the venerable Subhuti: ‘So it is, Subhhti, so it is. There is not, O Subhiti, anything which has been adopted by the Tathagata from the holy and fully enlightened Tathagata Dipankara with regard to the highest perfect knowledge. And if, O Subhuti, anything had been adopted by the Tathagata, the Tathagata Dipankara would not have prophesied of me, saying: “Thou, O boy, wilt be in the future the holy and fully enlightened Tathagata called Sakyamuni.” Because then, O Subhtiti, there is nothing that has been adopted by the holy and fully enlightened Tathigata with regard to the highest perfect knowledge, therefore I was prophesied by the Tathagata Dipankara, saying: “Thou, boy, wilt be in the future the holy and fully enlightened Tathagata called.Sakyamuni.”

‘And why, O Subhati; the name of Tathigata? It expresses true suchness. And why Tathagata, O Subhuti? It expresses that he had no origin. And why Tathagata, O Subhuti? It expresses the destruction of all qualities. And why Tathagata, O Subhuti? It expresses one who had no origin whatever. And why this? Because, O Subhati, no-origin is the highest goal.

‘And whosoever, O Subhuti, should say that, by ini MMMM EDR MA on tite bee as) ol perfect knowledge has been known, he would speak an untruth, and would slander me, O Subhuti, with some untruth that he has learned. And why? Because there is no such thing, O Subhhti, as has been known by the Tathâgata with regard to the highest perfect knowledge. And in that, O Subhati, which has been known and taught by the Tathagata, there is neither truth nor falsehood. Therefore the Tathâgata preaches: “All things are Buddhathings.” And why? Because what was preached by the Tathagata, O Subhuti, as all things, that was preached as no-things; and therefore all things are called Buddha-things.

‘Now, O Subhhti, a man might have a body and a large body.’ The venerable Subhhti said: ‘That man who was spoken of by the Tathâgata as a man with a body, with a large body, he, O Bhagavat, was spoken of by the Tathagata as without a body, and therefore he is called a man with a body and with a large body.’

Bhagavat said: ‘So it is, O Subhhti; and if a Bodhisattva were to say: “I shall deliver all beings,” he ought not to be called a Bodhisattva. And why? Is there anything, O Subhuti, that is called a Bodhisattva’ Subhhti said: ‘Not indeed, Bhagavat, there is nothing which is called a Bodhisattva.’ Bhagavat said: ‘Those who were spoken of as beings, beings indeed, O Subhhti, they were spoken of as no-beings by the Tathagata, and therefore they are called beings. Therefore the Tathigata says: “All beings are without self all beings are without life, without manhood ', without a personality.”

Sans croissance, Harlez; see Childers, s. v. poriso.

‘If, O Subhati, a Bodhisattva were to say: “I shall create numbers of worlds,” he would say what is untrue. And why? Because, what were spoken of as numbers of worlds, numbers of worlds indeed, O Subhhti, these were spoken of as no-numbers by the Tathâgata, and therefore they are called numbers of worlds.

‘A Bodhisattva, O Subhuti, who believes that all things are without self, that all things are without self, he has faith, he is called a noble-minded Bodhisattva by the holy and fully enlightened Tathagata,’