The Diamon Sutra: 9 of 12

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess human eyes?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata possesses human eyes.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess deva eyes?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata possesses deva eyes.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess wisdom eyes?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata possesses wisdom eyes.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata possess Dharma eyes?

‘Yes, World Honored One. The Tathagata possesses Dharma eyes’

‘Subhuti, What do you think? Does the Tathagata possess Buddha eyes?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata possesses Buddha eyes.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata say that the sand-grains in the Ganges are sand-grains?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, the Tathagata says they are sand-grains.’

‘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 sand-grains of all these Ganges rivers, would there be many world systems?’

‘Many, World Honored One!’

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.

‘Subhuti, what do you think? If someone filled the universe with the seven treasures and gave all away in his practice of dana, would this (good) cause enable the giver to gain a great merit?’

‘Yes, World Honored One, because of this (good) cause the giver would gain a great merit.’

‘Subhuti, if the merit was real, the Tathagata would not say it was great. He says so because there is no merit.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be perceived by His completely perfect physical body (rupa-kaya)?’

‘No, World Honored One, the Tathagata should not be so perceived. Why? Because the Buddha says the completely perfect rupa-kaya is not, but is called the completely perfect (rupa-kaya).’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be perceived by His completely perfect forms?’

‘No, World Honored One, the Tathagata should not be so perceived, because the Tathagata says the completely perfect forms are not, but are called completely perfect forms.’