Subhúti, if there were a man who kept for charity enough of the seven precious substances to fill innumerable asankyas of worlds, and if there was a disciple, male or female, who aspired after the perfectly enlightened heart, and adopted this Sútra and arrived to (the observance of) the four canons, and carefully recited the various passages of the work and proclaimed them generally for the advantage of men, the happiness of this man would far exceed that of the other. And in what way can the disciple “proclaim them generally?” simply by relying on no conditions or distinctions whatever; thus he will act without agitation or excitement. Wherefore the conclusion is this— That all things which admit of definition are as a dream, a phantom, a bubble, a shadow, as the dew and lightning flash. They ought to be regarded thus. Buddha having uttered this Sútra, the venerable Subhúti, and all the Bhikshus and Bhikshunis, the lay-disciples, male and female, and all the devas and asuras, hearing the words thus spoken, were filled with joy, and believing they accepted them and departed. [1] This is the well-known phrase, “evam mayá śrutam,” concerning which Burnouf has a note (Lotus, p. 286). I will observe here that the phrase in question was probably introduced by the compilers of the Buddhist Sútras in order to give these writings the same degree of sanctity which belongs to the Bráhmaṅas and Mantras, as forming the “S’ruti,” or Sacred Revelation of the followers of the Vedas.—_Vide_ Max Müller, Hist, of Sansc. Lit., p. 75. [2] For a full account of this garden, _vide_ S. Hardy, M. of Bud., p. 218. [Hardy gives the name of the prince as “Jeta,” and the gardenia called “Jeta-vana.” Burnouf Int. 22.—ED.] [3] Subhúti is in Chinese “Virtuous presence.” [4] Anuttara samyak sambodhi hṛdaya. [5] That is, the natural heart. [6] _Vide_ Julien ii. 390. [7] These four distinctions (lakshaṅa) are constantly referred to in this Sútra as the “four Canons,” or “Rules.” The idea seems to be this: if a man so destroy all marks of his individual character as to act without any reference to himself, or men, or other states of being, or continuance in the condition of a living creature, then he has arrived at the desired state of non-individuality, and must be lost in the ocean of Universal Life. This is the Pari nirváṅa, the condition of absolute rest—the desired repose of the Buddhist disciple. [8] That is, the four rules of non-individuality.—_Vide ante_, cap. iii. [9] The latter portion of this cap. is very obscure. I offer this translation with diffidence.—S.B. [10] I adopt the word “Karma” from Spence Hardy; the Chinese (_nieh_) has a similar meaning.