In a typical learning process, we receive some information, digest it intellectually or follow it experimentally, then it become part of us as an integrated part of our life.  Very often, we consider it a gain after we learn something.  However, in this sutra, after telling us that there is really no Dharma to teach, and that there is no Buddha who had taught any Dharma, the Buddha shared in this chapter that in his realization, there is really no Dharma to gain…  Why is it so?

Furthermore, in our earlier discussion, we also recalled that the Buddha said that everything is teaching to enlightenment.  So in the end, is there a Buddha who shared the state of enlightenment and pathway towards it? … If there is really nothing being shared and no one who can really gain from these teachings, how can we as spiritual students received and integrate these information into our lives?

A possible way to resolve the above paradoxes is shared in our earlier post: how does bodhisattva do charity.  If we can apply the same approach we use to do charity in learning, then we can proceed safely without deepening our confusion to/from the temporary self.

* * *

无法可得分第二十二

NO DHARMA CAN BE OBTAINED, TWENTY-TWO

须菩提白佛言：世尊！佛得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，为无所得耶？
Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World Honored One, does your (own) attainment of Supreme Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi) mean that you have not gained anything whatsoever?”

如是，如是。须菩提！
我于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提乃至无有少法可得，是名阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。
The Buddha replied: “Just so, Subhuti, just so, I have not gained even the least Dharma from Supreme enlightenment, and this is called Supreme Enlightenment.”

There is really no Dharma to teach, said the Buddha.  Does it sound familiar to Chapter 1 of Laozi’s Daodejing (whatever spoken is not the real and everlasting Dao)?  If the two masters met, i imagine there will be a smile of mutual recognition!

But the Buddha put it out more seriously in this chapter, saying whoever said the Buddha has expounded on Dharma is slandering him!  Why? For the real Dharma is beyond words and no word, and the real Buddha beyond form and no-form.   So, can truth be spoken?  Can the Buddha be seen?  Can charity work be done? Can a human life be lived?  If we can ponder on these questions carefully… maybe one day we will get a smile with the Buddha and Laozi!

* * *

非说所说分第二十一

WHAT IS SPOKEN IS NOT SPOKEN, TWENTY-ONE

须菩提！汝勿谓如来作是念：
“我当有所说法。”
莫作是念，何以故？
若人言：如来有所说法，即为谤佛，不能解我所说故。
须菩提！说法者，无法可说，是名说法。
“’Subhuti, do not say that the Tathagata thinks:
“‘I must expound the Dharma.’
“Do not have such a thought. Why?
“Because if someone says so, he will really slander the Buddha and be unable to understand my teaching.
“Subhuti, when (the Tathagata) expounds the Dharma, there is really no Dharma to teach: but this is (expediently) called teaching the Dharma.”

After learning that the Buddha possesses 5 eyes, which penetrate different levels of truth of this world, the Buddha explains how this penetration works.  He explained, there are many worlds he sees, as numerous as the sands in the Ganges River, and there are many beings in each of these numerous worlds with different minds.  Yet, all these different minds in different worlds are known to the Buddha.  How could it be possible?  Does it sound familiar with the notion of omni-science (all knowing) in some of other major religions in the world?

Not only did the Buddha described this from his subjective reality, he also explained that it (the penetration of truth) can be achieved when we transcend our mind, which habitually dwells on the concepts of the self, in the time frame of past or future, and on the concept or descriptions of the present (as  suppose to the reality of the present).  Therefore, the Buddha concluded: neither the past, the present nor the future mind can be found (can be used to find ultimate reality, or could be dwelled on as stable reality).

* * *

须菩提！于意云何？恒河中所有沙，佛说是沙不？
如是，世尊！如来说是沙。
“Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata say that the sand-grains in the Ganges are sand-grains?”
“Yes, World Honoured One, the Tathagata says they are sand-grains.”

须菩提！于意云何？如一恒河中所有沙，有如是沙等恒河，是诸恒河所有沙数，佛世界如是，宁为多不？
甚多，世尊！
“Subhuti, what do you think? If there were as many Ganges rivers as sand-grains in the Ganges, and if there were as many Buddha realms as sandgrains of all these Ganges rivers, would there be many world systems?”
“Many, World Honoured One!”

佛告须菩提：尔所国土中，所有众生，若干种心，如来悉知。何以故？
如来说：诸心皆为非心，是名为心。所以者何？
须菩提！过去心不可得，现在心不可得，未来心不可得。
“The Buddha said the living beings in all these world systems have many different minds which are all known to the Tathagata. Why?”
“Because the minds the Tathagata speaks of are not minds, but are (expediently) called minds. And why?”
“Because, Subhuti, neither the past, the present nor the future mind can be found.”

The Buddha has 5 eyes:

1) Human eyes – what we ordinarily use to see

2) Deva eyes – sight that transcend ordinary time and space

3) Wisdom eyes – mental/psychic discernment that aligns with truth

4) Dharma eyes – perception of one’s innate unchanging reality

5) Buddha eyes – perfect perception as the Buddha upon completing the entire journey of Buddhist cultivation

The public aware mostly of their Human eyes, the curious are easily drawn to the Deva eyes, truth seekers cultivate their Wisdom eyes, the realized ones see with the Dharma eyes, those who continue on eventually perfects the Buddha eyes.

* * *

CONTEMPLATING THE ONENESS OF EVERYTHING, EIGHTEEN

须菩提！于意云何？如来有肉眼不？
如是，世尊！如来有肉眼。
须菩提！于意云何？如来有天眼不？
如是，世尊！如来有天眼。
须菩提！于意云何？如来有慧眼不？
如是，世尊！如来有慧眼。
须菩提！于意云何？如来有法眼不？
如是，世尊！如来有法眼。
须菩提！于意云何？如来有佛眼不？
如是，世尊！如来有佛眼。

“Subhuti, what do you think.? Does the Tathagata possess human eyes?”
“Yes, World Honoured One, the Tathagata possesses human eyes.”
“’Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess deva eye?”
“’Yes, World Honoured One, the Tathagata possesses deva eyes.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess wisdom eyes?”
“Yes, World Honoured One, the Tathagata possesses wisdom eyes.”
“Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess Dharma eyes?”
“Yes, World Honoured One. The Tathagata possess Dharma eyes.”
“Subhuti, What do you think? Does the Tathagata possess Buddha eyes?”
“Yes, World Honoured One, the Tathagata possesses Buddha eyes.”

After learning how to set spiritual intention (beyond form) and how to pray (quieting our self), the Buddha reminded us through his own example that enlightenment could not be obtained (as it is beyond the dualistic paradigm of a separate someone who obtain a separate something), there is no teaching which leads one to enlightenment (the second level of surrender, see former post – the 2 stages of surrender), and enlightenment could neither be categorized by real or not real (it is beyond, yet inclusive of human language and description).

Then, the Buddha expound that as we surrender our self and orientate our life towards spiritual studies and devotion, everything becomes teaching to enlightenment (是故如来说：一切法皆是佛法。).  Does it sound familiar with what Confucius said in our earlier blog (Confuscius Analects – there are teachers everywhere) ?

And of course, to prevent our mind from quickly attaching itself to this new notion of “everything is teaching to enlightenment”, the Buddha immediately reminded us that this conclusion too is transitory and needs to be surrendered.

* * *

须菩提！于意云何？如来于燃灯佛所，有法得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提不？

“Subhuti, what do you think? When the Tathagata was with Dipamkara Buddha, did He have any Dharma by means of which He attained Supreme Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi)?”

不也，世尊！

如我解佛所说义，佛于燃灯佛所，无有法得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

“No, World Honoured One.

“As I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, when He was with Dipamkara Buddha, He had no Dharma by means of which He attained ‘Supreme Enlightenment’”.

佛言：如是，如是。须菩提！

实无有法如来得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

须菩提！若有法如来得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，燃灯佛则（即）不与我授记：汝于来世，当得作佛，号释迦牟尼。以实无有法得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，是故燃灯佛与我授记，作是言：“汝于来世，当得作佛，号释迦牟尼。”

The Buddha said: “Just so! Subhuti, just so!

“There was really no Dharma by means of which the Tathagata attained Supreme Enlightenment.

“Subhuti, if there had been, Dipamkara Buddha would not have predicted: In your next life, you will be a Buddha named Sakyamuni”.

何以故？如来者，即诸法如义。

若有人言：如来得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

须菩提！实无有法，佛得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

须菩提！如来所得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，于是中无实无虚。

“Why is it? Because ‘Tathagata’ means the suchness of all Dharmas.

“If someone still says: ‘The Tathagata obtained Supreme Enlightenment,’

“(I tell you,) Subhuti, there is no Dharma by means of which the Buddha did so,

“(because), Subhuti, that Enlightenment was by itself neither real nor unreal.

是故如来说：一切法皆是佛法。

须菩提！所言一切法者，即非一切法，是故名一切法。

须菩提！譬如人身长大。

“This is why the Tathagata says that all Dharmas are Buddha’s Dharmas.

“Subhuti, these so-called Dharmas are not, but are (expediently), called all Dharmas.

“Subhuti, supposing there is a man whose body is great.

须菩提言：世尊！如来说：人身长大，则为非大身，是名大身。

”Subhuti said: “World Honoured One, the great body of which the Tathagata speaks is not great, but is (expediently) called a great body.”