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)
73. 「須菩提！於意云何？如一恒河中所有沙，有如是沙等恒河，是諸恒河所有沙數，佛世界如是，寧為多不？」
「甚多，世尊！」
The Lord Buddha enquired of Subhuti, saying: “What think you? If there were as many rivers Ganges as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and if there were as many Buddhist worlds as the grains of sand in those innumerable rivers, would these Buddhist worlds be numerous?”
Subhuti replied, saying: “Honoured of the Worlds! these Buddhist worlds would be very numerous.”
Bhagavat said: 'What do you think, O Subhûti, if there were as many Gangâ rivers as there are grains of sand in the great river Gangâ; and, if there were as many worlds as there are grains of sand in these, would these worlds be many?'
Subhûti said: 'So it is, O Bhagavat, so it is, O Sugata, these worlds would be many.'
74. 佛告須菩提：「爾所國土中，所有眾生，若干種心，如來悉知。何以故？如來說：諸心皆為非心，是名為心。所以者何？須菩提！過去心不可得，現在心不可得，未來心不可得。」
The Lord Buddha, continuing, addressed Subhuti, saying: “Within these innumerable worlds, every form of sentient life, with their various mental dispositions, are entirely known to the Lord Buddha. And why? Because, what the Lord Buddha referred to as their ‘various mental dispositions,’ are not in reality their ‘various mental dispositions,’ these are merely termed their ‘various mental dispositions.’ And why? Because, Subhuti, dispositions of mind, or modes of thought, whether relating to the past, the present, or the future, are alike unreal and illusory.”
Bhagavat said: 'As many beings as there are in all those worlds, I know the manifold trains of thought of them all. And why? Because what was preached as the train of thoughts, the train of thoughts indeed, O Subhûti, that was preached by the Tathâgata as no-train of thoughts, and therefore it is called the train of thoughts. And why? Because, O Subhûti, a past thought is not perceived, a future thought is not perceived, and the present thought is not perceived.'
75. 「須菩提！於意云何？若有人滿三千大千世界七寶以用布施，是人以是因緣，得福多不？」
「如是，世尊！此人以是因緣，得福甚多。」
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? If a disciple, having obtained all the treasures of this universe, were to bestow these in the exercise of charity, would such a disciple consequently enjoy a considerable merit?”
Subhuti assenting, said: “Honoured of the Worlds! such a disciple would consequently enjoy a very considerable merit.”
'What do you think, O Subhûti, if a son or a daughter of a good family should fill this sphere of a million millions of worlds with the seven treasures, and give it as a gift to holy and fully enlightened Buddhas, would that son or daughter of a good family produce on the strength of this a large stock of merit?'
Subhûti said: 'Yes, a large one.'
76. 「須菩提！若福德有實，如來不說得福德多；以福德無故，如來說得福德多。」
The Lord Buddha thereupon addressed Subhuti, saying: “If there were any real or permanent quality in merit, the Lord Buddha would not have spoken of such merit as ‘considerable.’ It is because there is neither a tangible nor material quality in merit, that the Lord Buddha referred to the merit of that disciple as ‘considerable.’”
Bhagavat said: 'So it is, Subhûti, so it is; that son or daughter of a good family would produce on the strength of this a large stock of merit, immeasurable and innumerable. And why? Because what was preached as a stock of merit, a stock of merit indeed, O Subhûti, that was preached as no-stock of merit by the Tathâgata, and therefore it is called a stock of merit. If, O Subhûti, there existed a stock of merit, the Tathâgata would not have preached: "A stock of merit, a stock of merit indeed!"'
77. 「須菩提！於意云何？佛可以具足色身見不？」
「不也，世尊！如來不應以具足色身見。何以故？如來說：具足色身，即非具足色身，是名具足色身。」
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? Can the Lord Buddha be perceived by means of his perfect material body?”
Subhuti replied, saying: “Honoured of the Worlds! it is improbable that the Lord Buddha can be perceived by means of his perfect material body. And why? Because, what the Lord Buddha referred to as a ‘perfect material body,’ is not in reality a ‘perfect material body,’ it is merely termed a ‘perfect material body.’”
'What do you think then, O Subhûti, is a Tathâgata to be seen (known) by the shape of his visible body?'
Subhûti said: 'Not indeed, O Bhagavat, a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the shape of his visible body. And why? Because, what was preached, O Bhagavat, as the shape of the visible body, the shape of the visible body indeed, that was preached by the Tathâgata as no-shape of the visible body, and therefore it is called the shape of the visible body.'
78. 「須菩提！於意云何？如來可以具足諸相見不？」
「不也，世尊！如來不應以具足諸相見。何以故？如來說：諸相具足，即非具足，是名諸相具足。」
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? Can the Lord Buddha be perceived by means of any physical phenomena?”
Subhuti replied, saying: “Honoured of the Worlds! it is improbable that the Lord Buddha can be perceived by means of any physical phenomena. And why? Because, what the Lord Buddha referred to as ‘physical phenomena,’ are not in reality ‘physical phenomena,’ these are merely termed ‘physical phenomena.’”
Bhagavat said: 'What do you think, O Subhûti, should a Tathâgata be seen (known) by the possession of signs?'
Subhûti said: 'Not indeed, O Bhagavat, a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs. And why? Because, what was preached by the Tathâgata as the possession of signs, that was preached as no-possession of signs by the Tathâgata, and therefore it is called the possession of signs.'
79. 「須菩提！汝勿謂如來作是念：『我當有所說法。』莫作是念，何以故？若人言：如來有所說法，即為謗佛，不能解我所說故。須菩提！說法者，無法可說，是名說法。」
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “Do not affirm that the Lord Buddha thinks thus within himself, ‘I ought to promulgate a system of Law or doctrine.’ Have no such irrelevant thought! And why? Because, if a disciple affirmed that the Lord Buddha promulgated a system of Law or doctrine, he would defame the Lord Buddha, being manifestly unable to understand the purport of my instruction. Subhuti, regarding the promulgation of a ‘system of Law or doctrine,’ there is in reality no ‘system of Law or doctrine’ to promulgate, it is merely termed a ‘system of Law or doctrine.’”
Bhagavat said: 'What do you think, O Subhûti, does the Tathâgata think in this wise: The Law has been taught by me?'
Subhûti said: 'Not indeed, O Bhagavat, does the Tathâgata think in this wise: The Law has been taught by me.'
Bhagavat said: 'If a man should say that the Law has been taught by the Tathâgata, he would say what is not true; he would slander me with untruth which he has learned. And why? Because, O Subhûti, it is said the teaching of the Law, the teaching of the Law indeed. O Subhûti, there is nothing that can be perceived by the name of the teaching of the Law.'
80. 爾時，慧命須菩提白佛言：「世尊！頗有眾生，於未來世，聞說是法，生信心不？」
Upon that occasion, the virtuous and venerable Subhuti enquired of the Lord Buddha, saying: “Honoured of the Worlds! in ages to come, will sentient beings destined to hear this Law, engender within their minds the essential elements of faith?”
After this, the venerable Subhûti spoke thus to the Bhagavat: 'Forsooth, O Bhagavat, will there be any beings in the future, in the last time, in the last moment, in the last 500 years, during the time of the decay of the good Law, who, when they have heard these very Laws, will believe?'
81. 佛言：「須菩提！彼非眾生，非不眾生。何以故？須菩提！眾生眾生者，如來說非眾生，是名眾生。」
The Lord Buddha replied, saying: “Subhuti, it cannot be asserted that these are sentient beings, or that these are not sentient beings. And why? Because, Subhuti, regarding ‘sentient beings,’ the Lord Buddha declared that in reality these are not ‘sentient beings,’ they are merely termed ‘sentient beings.’”
'Bhagavat said: 'These, O Subhûti, are neither beings nor no-beings. And why? Because, O Subhûti, those who were preached as beings, beings indeed, they were preached as no-beings by the Tathâgata, and therefore they are called beings.'
82. 須菩提白佛言：「世尊！佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，為無所得耶？」
佛言：「如是，如是。須菩提！我於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提乃至無有少法可得，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」
Subhuti enquired of the Lord Buddha, saying: “Honoured of the Worlds! did the Lord Buddha, in attaining to supreme spiritual wisdom, obtain nothing of a real or tangible nature?” The Lord Buddha replied, saying: “In attaining to supreme spiritual wisdom, not a vestige of Law or doctrine was obtained,1 and therefore it is termed ‘supreme spiritual wisdom.’”
(Bhagavat said:) 'What do you think then, O Subhûti, is there anything which has been known by the Tathâgata in the form of the highest perfect knowledge?' The venerable Subhûti said: 'Not indeed, O Bhagavat, there is nothing, O Bhagavat, that has been known by the Tathâgata in the form of the highest perfect knowledge.' Bhagavat said: 'So it is, Subhûti, so it is. Even the smallest thing is not known or perceived there, therefore it is called the highest perfect knowledge.'
83. 「復次，須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者，修一切善法，即得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法者，如來說即非善法，是名善法。」
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “This Law is coherent and indivisible, it is neither ‘above’ nor ‘below,’ therefore it is termed ‘supreme spiritual wisdom.’ It excludes such arbitrary ideas as an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality; but includes every Law pertaining to the cultivation of goodness. Subhuti, what were referred to as ‘Laws pertaining to goodness,’ these the Lord Buddha declared are not in reality ‘Laws pertaining to goodness,’ they are merely termed ‘Laws pertaining to goodness.’”
'Also, Subhûti, all is the same there, there is no difference there, and therefore it is called the highest perfect knowledge. Free from self, free from being, free from life, free from personality, that highest perfect knowledge is always the same, and thus known with all good things. And why? Because, what were preached as good things, good things indeed, O Subhûti, they were preached as no-things by the Tathâgata, and therefore they are called good things.'
84. 「須菩提！若三千大千世界中所有諸須彌山王，如是等七寶聚，有人持用布施；若人以此《般若波羅蜜經》，乃至四句偈等，受持讀誦、為他人說，於前福德百分不及一，百千萬億分，乃至算數譬喻所不能及。」
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “If within this universe of universes, the seven treasures were heaped together, forming as many great elevations as there are Sumerus, prince of mountains, and these treasures bestowed entirely in the exercise of charity; and if a disciple were to select a stanza of this Scripture, rigorously observe it, and diligently explain it to others, the merit thus obtained would so far exceed the former excellence, that it cannot be stated in terms of proportion, nor comprehended by any analogy.”
'And if, O Subhûti, a woman or man, putting together as many heaps of the seven treasures as there are Sumerus, kings of mountains, in the sphere of a million millions of worlds, should 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 teach it to others, then, O Subhûti, compared with his stock of merit, the former stock of merit would not come to the one hundredth part, 'till it will not bear an approach.''