English
English version: Subhuti, if someone were to take all the Mount Sumerus (Mount Sumeru, the sacred mountain in Buddhist cosmology) in the great thousand world system, filled with heaps of the seven treasures, and give them away in generosity; and if someone else, having received and recited even just four lines of this Prajnaparamita Sutra (Prajnaparamita Sutra, the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra), and explained it to others, the merit of the latter would be far greater than that of the former, not even one percent, not even one hundred millionth part, not even comparable by calculation or analogy. The verse says: 'Although it speaks of the unconditioned dharma (avyākrta-dharma, neither good nor bad dharma), it is the cause of Bodhi.' Therefore, one treasure of Dharma surpasses countless precious jewels. The treatise says: 'Because one cannot attain Great Bodhi (Mahabodhi, Great Enlightenment) apart from the Dharma that is spoken,' therefore this Dharma can be the cause of Bodhi. It also says: 'Your Dharma is unconditioned, while my Dharma is conditioned (vyākrta, good or bad dharma).' Therefore, it surpasses giving away countless seven treasures. Twenty-first, severing the doubt of equality, how to deliver beings: If the Dharma is equal without high or low, how does the Tathagata (Tathagata, title of the Buddha) deliver sentient beings? The treatise says: If the Dharma is equal, without high or low, how does the Tathagata deliver sentient beings? The text for severing the doubt has four parts: First, refuting the mistaken understanding. Subhuti, what do you think? Do not think that the Tathagata would think, 'I should deliver sentient beings.' Subhuti, do not think like that. Second, showing the correct view. Why? In reality, there are no sentient beings delivered by the Tathagata. The verse says: 'In the equal realm of true Dharma (dharma-dhātu, the realm of Dharma), the Buddha does not deliver sentient beings. The name exists together with the five skandhas (skandha, the five aggregates that constitute an individual), not separate from the realm of Dharma.' The treatise says: 'The provisional name of sentient beings exists together with the five skandhas, not separate from the realm of Dharma.' Third, explaining the reason in reverse. If there were sentient beings delivered by the Tathagata, then the Tathagata would have the perception of self (ātman, self), the perception of person (pudgala, person), the perception of sentient beings (sattva, sentient being), and the perception of lifespan (jīva, lifespan). The treatise says: 'If the Tathagata had such a thought, thinking that there are sentient beings in the five skandhas that can be delivered, this is the fault of grasping at appearances.' Asanga (Asanga, one of the founders of the Yogacara school of Indian Buddhism) says: 'The Tathagata knows things as they truly are, therefore if there is a thought of sentient beings, then there is attachment to self.' Fourth, subtly erasing the traces. Subhuti, when the Tathagata speaks of a self, it is not a true self, but ordinary people think there is a self. Subhuti, the ordinary people spoken of by the Tathagata are not truly ordinary people. Twenty-second, severing the doubt of comparing to the true Buddha: The treatise says: 'Although adorned with excellent marks, one cannot see the Tathagata through these marks, but by observing the accomplishment of these marks, one can understand the Dharmakaya (Dharmakaya, the Dharma body of the Buddha) of the Tathagata through inferential wisdom.' The text for severing the doubt has five parts: First, questioning using marks to represent the Buddha. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
须菩提于意云何。可以三十二相观如来不 二答因苗识根。 须菩提言。如是如是。以三十二相观如来大云云。前悟色身今迷法身。意谓法身既流出相身。即由此相。知佛证得无相法身○三难凡圣不分。 佛言须菩提。若以三十二相。观如来者。转轮圣王则是如来 偈云。非是色身相。可比知如来。诸佛唯法身。转轮王非佛○四悟佛非相见。 须菩提白佛言世尊。如我解佛所说义。不应以三十二相观如来 五即见闻不及。 尔时世尊而说偈言。若以色见我。以音声求我。是人行邪道。不能见如来 魏加后偈云。彼如来妙体。即法身诸佛。法身不可见。彼识不能知。偈云。唯见色闻声。是人不知佛。以真如法身。非是识境故。无著云。以彼法真如相故。非如言说而知。唯自证知故。二十三断佛果非关福相疑。由前相比法身是失。又闻以色见声求是邪。遂作念云。佛果一向无相无为。若尔则修福德之因。但成相果。相果既非佛果。佛果则不以具相而得。故佛果毕竟不关福相。故论云。有人起如是心。若不依福德得大菩提。如是诸菩萨。则失福德。及失果报○断之文四。初遮毁相之念。 须菩提汝若作是念。如来不以具足相故。得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。须菩提莫作是念。如来不以具足相故。 现代汉语译本 须菩提，你的意思如何？可以凭借三十二相来观察如来（Tathagata，佛的称号）吗？——这是通过现象来认识本质。 须菩提回答说：‘是的，是的。’凭借三十二相来观察如来。——之前领悟了色身（Rupakaya，佛的化身），现在迷惑于法身（Dharmakaya，佛的真身）。认为法身既然流出相身，就可以通过这些相来了解佛证得的无相法身。——这是混淆了凡夫和圣人。 佛说：‘须菩提，如果凭借三十二相来观察如来，那么转轮圣王（Chakravartin，拥有统治世界的理想君主）就是如来了。’——偈语说：‘不是凭借色身的相，可以比拟了解如来。诸佛唯有法身，转轮圣王不是佛。’——这是领悟到不能通过相来见佛。 须菩提对佛说：‘世尊，按照我理解佛所说的意义，不应该凭借三十二相来观察如来。’——这是见闻达不到的境界。 这时，世尊说了偈语：‘如果凭借外貌来看我，用声音来寻求我，这个人就是在走邪道，不能见到如来。’——魏加后来的偈语说：‘那如来的妙体，就是法身诸佛。法身不可见，那意识不能知。’偈语说：‘只看到外貌听到声音，这个人不了解佛。因为真如法身，不是意识的境界。’无著说：‘因为那法真如的相，不是像言语所能表达而知晓的，唯有自己证悟才能知晓。’第二十三部分是断除对佛果并非与福相有关的疑惑。因为之前将相与法身相比是错误的。又听到凭借外貌来看，用声音来寻求是邪道，于是产生这样的想法：佛果一向是无相无为的。如果这样，那么修福德的因，只能成就相果。相果既然不是佛果，佛果就不应该凭借具相而得到。所以佛果毕竟与福相无关。’所以论中说：‘有人产生这样的想法，如果不依靠福德得到大菩提（Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi，无上正等正觉），那么这些菩萨，就失去了福德，以及失去了果报。’——断除这种想法的文字有四部分。首先是阻止毁谤相的念头。 须菩提，如果你这样想：‘如来不是凭借具足相的缘故，得到阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。’须菩提，不要这样想。如来是凭借具足相的缘故。
English
English version Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata (Tathagata, title of the Buddha) be viewed by means of the thirty-two marks? -- This is recognizing the essence through phenomena. Subhuti said, 'Yes, yes.' The Tathagata can be viewed by means of the thirty-two marks. -- Previously, he understood the Rupakaya (Rupakaya, the Buddha's manifested body), but now he is confused about the Dharmakaya (Dharmakaya, the Buddha's true body). He believes that since the Dharmakaya emanates the manifested body, one can understand the Buddha's attainment of the formless Dharmakaya through these marks. -- This is confusing ordinary people with sages. The Buddha said, 'Subhuti, if the Tathagata is viewed by means of the thirty-two marks, then the Chakravartin (Chakravartin, the ideal monarch who possesses the world) is the Tathagata.' -- The verse says, 'It is not by the marks of the physical body that the Tathagata can be compared and understood. All Buddhas have only the Dharmakaya; the Chakravartin is not a Buddha.' -- This is realizing that the Buddha cannot be seen through marks. Subhuti said to the Buddha, 'World Honored One, according to my understanding of the meaning of what the Buddha said, the Tathagata should not be viewed by means of the thirty-two marks.' -- This is a realm that cannot be reached by seeing and hearing. At that time, the World Honored One spoke this verse: 'If one sees me by form, or seeks me by sound, that person is walking a false path and cannot see the Tathagata.' -- Wei Jia's later verse says, 'That wonderful body of the Tathagata is the Dharmakaya Buddhas. The Dharmakaya cannot be seen; that consciousness cannot know it.' The verse says, 'Only seeing form and hearing sound, that person does not understand the Buddha. Because the True Thus Dharmakaya is not a realm of consciousness.' Asanga said, 'Because of the characteristic of that Dharma's True Thusness, it cannot be known as expressed in words; it can only be known through self-realization.' The twenty-third part is to dispel doubts that the Buddha's fruit is not related to blessed marks. Because comparing marks with the Dharmakaya earlier was a mistake. Also, hearing that seeing by form and seeking by sound is a false path, one then has this thought: the Buddha's fruit is always formless and non-active. If so, then the cause of cultivating blessings can only achieve the fruit of marks. Since the fruit of marks is not the Buddha's fruit, the Buddha's fruit should not be attained by possessing marks. Therefore, the Buddha's fruit is ultimately unrelated to blessed marks.' Therefore, the treatise says, 'Someone has this thought: if one does not rely on blessings to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, unsurpassed perfect enlightenment), then these Bodhisattvas will lose blessings and lose the fruit of their actions.' -- There are four parts to the text that dispel this thought. First is to prevent the thought of slandering marks. Subhuti, if you have this thought: 'The Tathagata did not attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi because of possessing complete marks.' Subhuti, do not have this thought. The Tathagata did attain it because of possessing complete marks. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提 华严经云。色身非是佛。音声亦复然。亦不离色声。见佛神通力。肇云。不偏在色声故言非。非不身相故复言是。大云云。若言如来不以相具断灭见矣。故佛止云莫作是念○二出毁相之过。 须菩提汝若作是念。发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者。说诸法断灭。莫作是念 毁相则堕断灭。断灭是损减之过。断见边见之过。○三明福相不失。 何以故。发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者。于法不说断灭相 无著云。于法不说断灭者。谓如所住法而通达。不断一切生死影像法。于涅槃自在行。利益众生事。此中为遮一向寂静故。显示不住涅槃。偈云不失功德因及彼胜果报。论云。虽不依福德。得真菩提而不失福德及彼果报。以能成就智慧庄严功德庄严○四明不失所以二○初明得忍故不失。 须菩提。若菩萨以满恒河沙等世界七宝布施。若复有人知一切法无我。得成于忍。此菩萨胜前菩萨所得功德 论云。有人起如是心。诸菩萨得出世智。失彼福德及以果报。为遮此故。偈云。得胜忍不失以得无垢果。无我者二种无我也○一明不受故不失二○初正明。 须菩提。以诸菩萨不受福德故 论云。彼福德得有漏果报。故可诃也。无著云。此显示不着生死故。若住生死即受福德○二徴释。 得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提（anuttara-samyak-sambodhi，无上正等正觉）——《华严经》说：‘色身不是佛，音声也不是佛。但也不离色身和音声，才能见到佛的神通力。’僧肇说：‘不偏执于色身和音声，所以说‘非’。但也不是没有身相，所以又说是。’《大云经》说：‘如果说如来不具备相好，那就是断灭见了。’所以佛制止说：‘不要这样想。’——二、指出毁谤佛相的过失。 须菩提，如果你这样想：‘发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心的人，说诸法是断灭的。’不要这样想！——毁谤佛相就会堕入断灭见，断灭见是损减的过失，是断见和边见的过失。——三、说明福德之相不会失去。 什么缘故呢？发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心的人，对于诸法不说断灭之相。’无著说：‘对于诸法不说断灭，是指安住于所证悟的法而通达，不断绝一切生死影像之法，在涅槃中自在地行，利益众生的事业。’这里是为了遮止一味追求寂静，所以显示不住于涅槃。偈颂说：‘不失去功德之因以及殊胜的果报。’论中说：‘虽然不依赖福德，得到真菩提，但也不会失去福德以及它的果报，因为能够成就智慧庄严和功德庄严。’——四、说明不失去的原因，分为两部分——首先说明得到忍辱所以不失去。 须菩提，如果菩萨用充满恒河沙数等世界七宝来布施，如果又有人了知一切法无我，成就忍辱，这位菩萨胜过前面那位菩萨所得的功德。’论中说：‘有人生起这样的想法：诸菩萨得到出世智慧，就会失去福德以及果报。’为了遮止这种想法，偈颂说：‘得到殊胜的忍辱，不会失去，因为得到了无垢的果报。’无我，有两种无我——首先说明不接受所以不失去，分为两部分——首先正式说明。 须菩提，因为诸菩萨不接受福德的缘故。’论中说：‘那些福德得到有漏的果报，所以应该呵斥。’无著说：‘这显示不执着于生死，如果安住于生死，就是接受福德。’——二、征问解释。