172. （一七二）心经

mind, floating, feeling, Dharma, two, practice, meditation, teaching
hunter, five branches, property owner, Gautami, many realms

I have heard thus:

Once, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Shravasti, staying at the Jetavana Anathapindika Monastery in the Anathapindaka Grove.

At that time, a certain bhikṣu was alone in a quiet place, sitting in meditation and reflecting, thinking in his mind, "Who takes the world away? Who is attached to it? Who creates self-mastery?" Then, at dusk, the bhikṣu rose from his meditation and went to where the Buddha was. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, sat to one side, and said, "World-Honored One! I was alone in a quiet place, sitting in meditation and reflecting, thinking in my mind, 'Who takes the world away? Who is attached to it? Who creates self-mastery?'"

Having heard this, the World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Bhikṣu! It is said that there is the noble path and noble contemplation, with supreme eloquence and good reflection. 'Who takes the world away? Who is attached to it? Who creates self-mastery?' Bhikṣu! Is your question like this?"

The bhikṣu replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "Bhikṣu! The mind takes the world away, the mind is attached, the mind creates self-mastery. Bhikṣu! It is that which takes the world away, that which is attached, that which creates self-mastery. Bhikṣu! The well-learned noble disciple is not taken away by the mind, is not attached to the mind, and is not self-mastered by the mind. Bhikṣu! The well-learned noble disciple does not follow the mind's self-mastery, but the mind follows the well-learned noble disciple."

The bhikṣu said, "Excellent! Excellent! Yes, World-Honored One!" At that time, the bhikṣu, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

He asked, "World-Honored One! You speak of a well-learned bhikṣu. World-Honored One! What is a well-learned bhikṣu? How is a well-learned bhikṣu established?"

Having heard this, the World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Bhikṣu! There is the noble path and noble contemplation, with supreme eloquence and good contemplation. 'World-Honored One! You speak of a well-learned bhikṣu. World-Honored One! What is a well-learned bhikṣu? How is a well-learned bhikṣu established?' Bhikṣu! Is your question like this?"

The bhikṣu replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "Bhikṣu! I have spoken much, namely, the true sūtras, songs, verses, causes and conditions, compilations, past lives, this teaching, birth stories, extensive explanations, the unheard-of Dharma, and the explanation of the meaning. Bhikṣu! If there is a noble son who knows the meaning and the Dharma of the four-line verses I have spoken, and who practices the Dharma and follows the Dharma, he is practicing the holy life. Bhikṣu! Speaking of a well-learned bhikṣu, there is no further surpassing this. Bhikṣu! A well-learned bhikṣu is established by the Tathāgata in this way."

The bhikṣu said, "Excellent! Excellent! Yes, World-Honored One!" At that time, the bhikṣu, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

He asked, "World-Honored One! A well-learned bhikṣu is clear and wise. Speaking of a well-learned bhikṣu being clear and wise, World-Honored One! How is a well-learned bhikṣu clear and wise? How is a well-learned bhikṣu established as clear and wise?"

Having heard this, the World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Bhikṣu! There is the noble path and noble contemplation, with supreme eloquence and good contemplation. 'World-Honored One! A well-learned bhikṣu is clear and wise. Speaking of a well-learned bhikṣu being clear and wise, World-Honored One! How is a well-learned bhikṣu clear and wise? How is a well-learned bhikṣu established as clear and wise?' Bhikṣu! Is your question like this?"

The bhikṣu replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "Bhikṣu! If a bhikṣu hears this suffering and further sees suffering with right wisdom as it truly is, and hears the origin, cessation, and path of suffering, and further sees the cessation of suffering and the path to the cessation of suffering with right wisdom as it truly is, bhikṣu! A well-learned bhikṣu is clear and wise in this way. The Tathāgata establishes a well-learned bhikṣu as clear and wise in this way."

The bhikṣu said, "Excellent! Excellent! Yes, World-Honored One!" At that time, the bhikṣu, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

"World-Honored One! The wise bhikṣu, the wise bhikṣu of great wisdom, speaks of the wise bhikṣu, the wise bhikṣu of great wisdom. World-Honored One! How is the wise bhikṣu, the wise bhikṣu of great wisdom? How is the wise bhikṣu, the wise bhikṣu of great wisdom, established?"

The World-Honored One, having heard this, praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Bhikṣu, there is the noble path and noble contemplation, the utmost fine eloquence, and good contemplation. 'World-Honored One! How is the wise bhikṣu, the wise bhikṣu of great wisdom? How is the wise bhikṣu, the wise bhikṣu of great wisdom, established?' Bhikṣu, is your question like this?"

The bhikṣu replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "If a bhikṣu does not think of harming himself, harming others, or harming both, but only thinks of benefiting himself, benefiting others, benefiting many people, having compassion for the world, seeking benefit and benefit for the sake of gods and humans, seeking peace and happiness, then such a wise bhikṣu is wise and has great wisdom. The Tathāgata establishes such a wise bhikṣu as wise and having great wisdom."

The bhikṣu said, "Excellent! Excellent! Yes, World-Honored One!"

At that time, the bhikṣu, having heard the Buddha's teaching, received it well, upheld it well, and recited it well. He then rose from his seat, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated him three times, and returned.

At that time, the bhikṣu, having received the World-Honored One's teaching, dwelt in seclusion, alone, without negligence, practicing diligently. Having dwelt in seclusion, alone, without negligence, and practicing diligently, the noble son, for the sake of shaving his head and beard, putting on the dyed robe, with true faith leaving home, becoming a homeless one, and practicing the path, completed the unsurpassed holy life, in this very life, he himself knew, himself realized, himself accomplished, and dwelt, with the end of birth, the holy life established, what was to be done done, no more coming to any state of existence, knowing as it really is. Having known the Dharma, he attained arahantship.

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and upheld it.