OR DIAMOND-CUTTER. II5
O Bhagavat.' Bhagavat said : 'In the same manner, O Subhûti, the measure of the stock of merit of a Bodhisattva, who gives a gift without believing in anything, is not easy to learn. And thus indeed, O Subhûti, should one who has entered on the path of Bodhisattvas give a gift, that he should not be- lieve even in the idea of cause/ (4)
V.
1 Now, what do you think, O Subhûti, should a Tathâgata be seen (known) by the possession of signs 1 ?' Subhûti said : 'Not indeed, O Bhagavat, a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the pos- session of signs. And why? Because what has been preached by the Tathâgata as the possession of signs, that is indeed the possession of no-signs.'
After this, Bhagavat spoke thus to the venerable Subhûti : ' Wherever there is, O Subhûti, the pos- session of signs, there is falsehood; wherever there is no possession of signs, there is no falsehood. Hence the Tathfigata is to be seen (known) from no-signs as signs 2.' (5)
VI.
After this, the venerable Subhûti spoke thus to the Bhagavat: ' Forsooth, O Bhagavat, will there be any beings in the future, in the last time, in the last moment, in the last 500 years 3, during the time
1 Qualities by which he could be known.
2 It would be easier to read lakshanâlakshanatvatah, from the signs having the character of no-signs. M. de Harlez translates rightly, 'c'est par le non-marque de marquer que la Tathâgata doit être vu et reconnu.'
3 I have changed Pañkâsatî into Pañkasatî, because what is
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