Original Chinese Text (from Sanskrit to Chinese by Kumārajīva, 鳩摩羅什)
English Translation (by William Gemmell from Chinese to English)
English Translation (by Max Muller from Sanskrit to English)
97. 「須菩提！一合相者，則是不可說，但凡夫之人貪著其事。」
The Lord Buddha thereupon declared unto Subhuti, “Belief in the unity or eternity of matter is incomprehensible; 2 and only common, worldly-minded people, for purely materialistic reasons, covet this hypothesis.”
Bhagavat said: 'And a belief in matter itself, O Subhûti, is unmentionable and inexpressible; it is neither a thing nor no-thing, and this is known by children and ignorant persons.'
98. 「須菩提！若人言：佛說我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。須菩提！於意云何？是人解我所說義不？」
The Lord Buddha addressed Suhhuti, saying: “If a disciple affirmed that the Lord Buddha enunciated a belief that the mind can comprehend the idea of an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality; what think you, Subhuti, would that disciple be interpreting aright the meaning of my discourse?”
'And why? Because, O Subhûti, if a man were to say that belief in self, belief in a being, belief in life, belief in personality had been preached by the Tathâgata, would he be speaking truly?'
99. 「不也，世尊！是人不解如來所說義。何以故？世尊說：我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，即非我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，是名我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。」
Subhuti replied, saying: “Honoured of the Worlds! that disciple would not be interpreting aright the meaning of the Lord Buddha’s discourse. And why? Because, Honoured of the Worlds! discoursing upon comprehending such ideas as an entity, a being, a living being, and a personality, it was declared that these are entirely unreal and illusive, and therefore they are merely termed an entity, a being, a living being, and a personality.”
Subhûti said: 'Not indeed, Bhagavat, not indeed, Sugata; he would not be speaking truly. And why? Because, O Bhagavat, what was preached by the Tathâgata as a belief in self, that was preached by the Tathâgata as no-belief; therefore it is called belief in self.'
100.「須菩提！發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於一切法，應如是知，如是見，如是信解，不生法相。須菩提！所言法相者，如來說即非法相，是名法相。」
The Lord Buddha thereafter addressed Subhuti, saying: “Those who aspire to the attainment of supreme spiritual wisdom ought thus to know, believe in, and interpret phenomena. They ought to eliminate from their minds every tangible evidence of every visible object. Subhuti, concerning ‘visible objects,’ the Lord Buddha declared that these are not really ‘visible objects,’ they are merely termed ‘visible objects.’”
Bhagavat said: 'Thus then, O Subhûti, are all things to be perceived, to be looked upon, and to be believed by one who has entered on the path of the Bodhisattvas. And in this wise are they to be perceived, to be looked upon, and to be believed, that a man should believe neither in the idea of a thing nor in the idea of a no-thing. And why? Because, by saying: The idea of a thing, the idea of a thing indeed, it has been preached by the Tathâgata as no-idea of a thing.'
101. 「須菩提！若有人以滿無量阿僧祇世界七寶持用布施，若有善男子、善女人，發菩提心者，持於此經，乃至四句偈等，受持讀誦，為人演說，其福勝彼。云何為人演說，不取於相，如如不動。」
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “If a disciple, having immeasurable spheres filled with the seven treasures, bestowed these in the exercise of charity; and if a disciple, whether man or woman, having aspired to supreme spiritual wisdom, selected from this Scripture a stanza comprising four lines, then rigorously observed it, studied it, and diligently explained it to others; the cumulative merit of such a disciple would be relatively greater than the other. In what attitude of mind should it be diligently explained to others? Not assuming the permanency or the reality of earthly phenomena, but in the conscious blessedness of a mind at perfect rest."
'And, O Subhûti, if a noble-minded Bodhisattva were to fill immeasurable and innumerable spheres of worlds with the seven treasures, and give them as a gift to holy and fully enlightened Tathâgatas; and if a son or a daughter of a good family, after taking from this treatise of the Law, this Pragñâpâramitâ, one Gâthâ of four lines only, should learn it, repeat it, understand it, and fully explain it to others, then the latter would on the strength of this produce a larger stock of merit, immeasurable and innumerable."
102.「何以故？
一切有為法, 如夢幻泡影, 如露亦如電, 應作如是觀。」
"And why? Because, the phenomena of life may be likened unto a dream, a phantasm, a bubble, a shadow, the glistening dew, or lightning flash, and thus they ought to be contemplated.”
'And how should he explain it? As in the sky:
Stars, darkness, a lamp, a phantom, dew, a bubble.
A dream, a flash of lightning, and a cloud--thus we should look upon the world (all that was made).
Thus he should explain; therefore it is said: He should explain.'
103. 佛說是經已，長老須菩提及諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷、一切世間、天、人、阿修羅，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜，信受奉行。
When the Lord Buddha concluded his enunciation of this Scripture, the venerable Subhuti, the monks, nuns, lay-brethren and sisters, all mortals, and the whole realm of spiritual beings, rejoiced exceedingly, and consecrated to its practice, they received it and departed.
Thus spoke the Bhagavat enraptured. The elder Subhûti, and the friars, nuns, the faithful laymen and women, and the Bodhisattvas also, and the whole world of gods, men, evil spirits and fairies, praised the preaching of the Bhagavat.
Thus is finished the Diamond-cutter, the blessed Pragñâpâramitâ.
END