Diamond Sutra – Are we living beings? Are we not? – 金刚经 – 彼非众生,非不众生

After learning the highly profound yet seemingly paradoxical teachings from the Buddha, Subhuti couldn’t help but ask the Buddha, based on our limited wisdom, can we as living beings develop faith to accept and follow these teachings?

The Buddha, possessing the perfect 5 eyes which penetrate all truths, see that there is the potential of falling into the attachment of the notion of ” living beings”, responded to Subhuti: in reality, there is no such thing as living beings and non living beings.  They are merely called as such.

Do you understand why the Buddha said so?  Aren’t we living beings? or…  are we not?

* * *

尔时,慧命须菩提白佛言:世尊!颇有众生,于未来世,闻说是法,生信心不?
Then the wise Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World Honoured One, will there be in future ages living beings who will believe this Dharma when they hear it?”

佛言:须菩提!彼非众生,非不众生。何以故?
须菩提!众生众生者,如来说非众生,是名众生。
The Buddha said: “Subhuti, the living beings (you just mentioned) are neither living nor not living beings. Why?
Because, Subhuti, the Tathagata says these living beings are not (really), but they are (expediently), called living beings.”从佛陀那里学习了这看似矛盾但极其高深的教导后,须菩提忍不住问佛,根据众生有限的智慧,众生能在听到这佛法后发出信心,接受并遵循这些教导吗?

拥有能穿透一切的真理的5眼的佛陀,看到众生有落入“众生”这概念的可能的时候,便回应须菩提说,其实在现实中,我们不是众生,也不是不是众生。众生只是个名相而已。

你明白为什么佛陀这么说吗?我们不就是众生吗?还是。。。我们不是?

* * *

尔时,慧命须菩提白佛言:世尊!颇有众生,于未来世,闻说是法,生信心不?

佛言:须菩提!彼非众生,非不众生。何以故?

须菩提!众生众生者,如来说非众生,是名众生。


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