Bhagavat said: “What do you think, O Subhūti, is there anything (dharma) which the Tathāgata has adopted from the Tathāgata Dīpaṅkara, the holy and fully enlightened?” Subhūti said: “Not indeed, O Bhagavat; there is not anything which the Tathāgata has adopted from the Tathāgata Dīpaṅkara, the holy and fully enlightened.”
Bhagavat said: “If, O Subhūti, a Bodhisattva should say: ‘I shall create numbers of worlds,’ he would say what is untrue. And why? Because, O Subhūti, when the Tathāgata preached: ‘Numbers of worlds, numbers of worlds indeed!’ they were preached by him as no-numbers. Therefore they are called numbers of worlds.
“Therefore, O Subhūti, a noble-minded Bodhisattva should in this wise frame an independent
Bhagavat said: “If, O Subhūti, a Bodhisattva should say: ‘I shall create numbers of worlds,’ he would say what is untrue. And why? Because, O Subhūti, when the Tathāgata preached: ‘Numbers of worlds, numbers of worlds indeed!’ they were preached by him as no-numbers. Therefore they are called numbers of worlds.
“Therefore, O Subhūti, a noble-minded Bodhisattva should in this wise frame an independent
mind, which is to be framed as a mind not believing in anything, not believing in form, not believing in sound, smell, taste, and anything that can be touched. Now, for instance, O Subhuti, a man might have a body and a large body, so that his size should be as large as the king of mountains, Sumeru. Do you think then, O Subhuti, that his selfhood (he himself) would be large?’ Subhuti said: ‘Yes, O Bhagavat, yes, O Sugata, his selfhood would be large. And why? Because, O Bhagavat, when the Tathagata preached: “Selfhood, selfhood indeed!” it was preached by him as no-selfhood. Therefore it is called selfhood.’ (10)
Bhagavat said: ‘What do you think, O Subhuti, if there were as many Ganga rivers as there are grains of sand in the large river Ganga, would the grains of sand be many?’ Subhuti said: ‘Those Ganga rivers would indeed be many, much more the grains of sand in those Ganga rivers.’ Bhagavat said: ‘I tell you, O Subhuti, I announce to you, If a woman or man were to fill with the seven treasures as many worlds as there would be grains of sand in those Ganga rivers and present them as a gift to the holy and fully enlightened Tathagatas—what do you think, O Subhuti, would that woman or man on the strength of this produce a large stock of merit?’ Subhuti said: ‘Yes, O Bhagavat, yes, O Sugata, that woman or man would on the strength of this produce a large stock of merit, immeasurable and innumerable.’
Bhagavat said: ‘And if, O Subhuti, a woman or man having filled so many worlds with the seven treasures should give them as a gift to the holy and enlightened Tathagatas, and if another son or daughter of a good family, after taking from this treatise of the Law one Gatha of four lines only, should fully teach others and explain it, he, indeed, would on the strength of this produce a larger stock of merit, immeasurable and innumerable.’ (11)
‘Then again, O Subhuti, that part of the world in which, after taking from this treatise of the Law one Gatha of four lines only, it should be preached or explained, would be like a Caitya (holy shrine) for the whole world of gods, men, and spirits; what should we say then of those who learn the whole of this treatise of the Law to the end, who repeat it, understand it, and fully explain it to others? They, O Subhuti, will be endowed with the highest wonder. And in that place, O Subhuti, there dwells the teacher, or one after another holding the place of the wise preceptor.’ (12)
‘Then again, O Subhuti, that part of the world in which, after taking from this treatise of the Law one Gatha of four lines only, it should be preached or explained, would be like a Caitya (holy shrine) for the whole world of gods, men, and spirits; what should we say then of those who learn the whole of this treatise of the Law to the end, who repeat it, understand it, and fully explain it to others? They, O Subhuti, will be endowed with the highest wonder. And in that place, O Subhuti, there dwells the teacher, or one after another holding the place of the wise preceptor.’ (12)
After these words, the venerable Subhuti spoke thus to Bhagavat: ‘O Bhagavat, how is this treatise of the Law called, and how can I learn it?’ After this, Bhagavat spoke thus to the venerable Subhuti: ‘This treatise of the Law, O Subhuti, is called the Prajñā-pāramitā (Transcendent wisdom), and you should learn it by that name. And why? Because, O Subhuti, what was preached by the Tathagata as the Prajñā-pāramitā, that was preached by the Tathagata as no-Pāramitā. Therefore it is called the Prajñā-pāramitā.
Then, what do you think, O Subhuti, is there anything (dharma) that was preached by the Tathagata?’ Subhuti said: ‘Not indeed, O Bhagavat, there is not anything that was preached by the Tathagata.’
Then, what do you think, O Subhuti, is there anything (dharma) that was preached by the Tathagata?’ Subhuti said: ‘Not indeed, O Bhagavat, there is not anything that was preached by the Tathagata.’
Bhagavat said: ‘What do you think then, O Subhuti,—the dust of the earth which is found in this sphere of a million millions of worlds, is that much?’ Subhuti said: ‘Yes, O Bhagavat, yes, O Sugata, that dust of the earth would be much. And why? Because, O Bhagavat, what was preached by the Tathagata as the dust of the earth, that was preached by the Tathagata as no-dust. Therefore it is called the dust of the earth. And what was preached by the Tathagata as the sphere of worlds, that was preached by the Tathagata as no-sphere. Therefore it is called the sphere of worlds.’
Bhagavat said: ‘What do you think, O Subhuti, is a holy and fully enlightened Tathagata to be seen (known) by the thirty-two signs of a hero?’ Subhuti said: ‘No indeed, O Bhagavat; a holy and fully enlightened Tathagata is not to be seen (known) by the thirty-two signs of a hero. And why? Because what was preached by the Tathagata as the thirty-two signs of a hero, that was preached by the Tathagata as no-signs. Therefore they are called the thirty-two signs of a hero.’
Bhagavat said: ‘What do you think, O Subhuti, is a holy and fully enlightened Tathagata to be seen (known) by the thirty-two signs of a hero?’ Subhuti said: ‘No indeed, O Bhagavat; a holy and fully enlightened Tathagata is not to be seen (known) by the thirty-two signs of a hero. And why? Because what was preached by the Tathagata as the thirty-two signs of a hero, that was preached by the Tathagata as no-signs. Therefore they are called the thirty-two signs of a hero.’
Bhagavat said: ‘If, O Subhuti, a woman or man should day by day sacrifice his life (selfhood) as many times as there are grains of sand in the river Ganga, and if he should thus sacrifice his life for as many kalpas as there are grains of sand in the river Ganga, and if another man, after taking from this treatise of the Law one Gatha of four lines only, should fully teach others and explain it, he indeed would on the strength of this produce a larger stock of merit, immeasurable and innumerable.’ (13)