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Diamond Sūtra Discussion

Not receiving, not desiring 不受不貪分

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Not receiving, not desiring 不受不貪


Text



須菩提菩薩滿恆河沙世界七寶布施有人一切法無我菩薩菩薩所得功德須菩提諸菩薩不受福德。」 須菩提白佛:「世尊云何菩薩不受福德?」 「須菩提菩薩福德貪著是故不受福德

Yifa: “Subhuti, if a bodhisattva filled as many trichiliocosms as there are grains of sand [vālukā] in the Ganges River [gaṅgānadī] with the seven treasures [saptaratnaparipūrṇa] and used them to practice giving [dāna], and if, however, there is someone who knows all dharmas are selfless, achieving forbearance [kṣānti], this bodhisattva surpasses the merit [puṇya] obtained by the aforementioned bodhisattva.”

“Subhuti, this is because all bodhisattvas do not receive rewards [puṇya].”

Subhuti addressed the Buddha saying, “World-Honored One, why do you say bodhisattvas do not receive rewards?”

“Subhuti, the rewards bodhisattvas earn should not be desired. For this reason it is said they do not receive rewards.”

Sanskrit: yaśca khalu punaḥ subhūte kulaputro vā kuladuhitā vā gaṅgānadīvālukāsamāllokadhātūn saptaratnaparipūrṇaṁ kṛtvā tathāgatebhyo'rhadbhayaḥ samyaksaṁbuddhebhyo dānaṁ dadyāt, yaśca bodhisattvo nirātmakeṣvanutpattikeṣu dharmeṣu kṣāntiṁ pratilabhate, ayameva tatonidānaṁ bahutaraṁ puṇyaskandhaṁ prasavedaprameyamasaṁkhyeyam| na khalu punaḥ subhūte bodhisattvena mahāsattvena puṇyaskandhaḥ parigrahītavyaḥ| āyuṣmān subhūtirāha- nanu bhagavan bodhisattvena puṇyaskandhaḥ parigrahītavyaḥ ? bhagavānāha-parigrahītavyaḥ subhūte no grahītavyaḥ| tenocyate parigrahītavya iti||28||


Comments



The English word endurance translates the Chinese , Sanskrit kṣānti. This could be better translated as tolerance or forbearance. It is the third of the six paramitas. The English word acquire translates the Chinese , Sanskrit parigraha.

In the Issattha Sutta King Pasenadi of Kosala asked the Blessed One

Blessed One: "Where, lord, should a gift be given?"

"Wherever the mind feels confidence, great king."

"But a gift given where, lord, bears great fruit?"

"This [question] is one thing, great king — 'Where should a gift be given?' — while this — 'A gift given where bears great fruit?' — is something else entirely. What is given to a virtuous person — rather than to an unvirtuous one — bears great fruit.
(SN 3.241)


This chapter resolves the reason for the Buddha saying previously that no merit was obtained: he says that so that bodhisattvas would not attach to it.

The statement “... someone who knows all dharmas are selfless, achieving forbearance ...” seems to relate forbearance as a result of knows all dharmas are selfless. It seems like an odd conclusion because knowing that all dharmas are selfless may lead to many other results as well. The Chinese text is very consistent with this translation: 有人一切法無我. Red Pine's explains “... by realizing and accepting that all dharmas have no self, that they are not real, a bodhisattva gives up attachment to all things ...”

Notes

  1. "Issattha Sutta: Archery Skills" (SN 3.24), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.024.than.html.

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