Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter) · 17 of 19 · tr. E.B. Cowell, F. Max Müller, and J. Kakakusu
Section 1q
Free from self, free from being, free from life, free from personality, that highest perfect knowledge is always the same, and thus known with all good things.
And why?
Because, what were preached as good things, good things indeed, O Subhûti, they were preached as no-things by the Tathâgata, and therefore they are called good things.' (23) XXIV.
'And if, O Subhûti, a woman or man, putting together as many heaps of the seven treasures as there are Sumerus, kings of mountains, in the sphere of a million millions of worlds, should give them as a gift to holy and fully enlightened Tathâgatas; and, if a son or a daughter of a good family, after taking from this treatise of the Law, this Pra gñ âpâramitâ, one Gâthâ of four lines only, should teach it to others, then, O Subhûti, compared with his stock of merit, the former stock of merit would not come to the one hundredth part,' &c., till 'it will not bear an approach.' (24) XXV.
'What do you think then, O Subhûti, does a Tathâgatas think in this wise: Beings have been delivered by me?
You should not think so, O Subhûti.
And why?
Because there is no being, O Subhûti, that has been delivered by the Tathâgata.
And, if there were a being, O Subhûti, that has been delivered by the Tathâgatas, then the Tathâgata would believe in self, believe in a being, believe in a living being, and believe in a person.
And what is called a belief in self, O Subhûti, that is preached [1.
As before, in chap.
xvi.] as no-belief by the Tathâgata.
And this is learned by children and ignorant persons; and they who were preached as children and ignorant persons, O Subhûti, were preached as no-persons by the Tathâgata, and therefore they are called children and ignorant persons.' (25) XXVI.
'What do you think then, O Subhûti, is the Tathâgata to be seen (known) by the possession of signs?' Subhûti said: 'Not indeed, O Bhagavat.
So far as I know the meaning of the preaching of the Bhagavat, the Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs.' Bhagavat said: 'Good, good, Subhûti, so it is, Subhûti; so it is, as you say; a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs.
And why?
Because, O Subhûti, if the Tathâgata were to be seen (known) by the possession of signs, a wheel-turning king also would be a Tathâgata; therefore a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs.' The venerable Subhûti spoke thus to the Bhagavat: 'As I understand the meaning of the preaching of the Bhagavat, a Tathâgata is not to be seen (known) by the possession of signs.' Then the Bhagavat at that moment preached these two Gâthâs: They who saw me by form, and they who heard me by sound, They engaged in false endeavours, will not see me.
[1.
§ Ask Guru about this passage →Themes
Apophatic Theologytheology
Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.
The passage defines the highest knowledge and beings primarily through negation, stating they are 'no-beings' and that 'nothing... has been known'.
All passages →Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
The passage centers on the nature of 'highest perfect knowledge' as the ultimate realization, even while negating its conceptual form.
All passages →Opposites Transcendedanthropology
The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion.
It explicitly states 'all is the same there, there is no difference there,' dissolving binary oppositions like being and non-being.
All passages →Paradox As Teachingethics
Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.
The text employs apparent contradictions such as 'beings... preached as no-beings' to destabilize ordinary conceptual understanding.
All passages →Sunyata Emptinesssoteriology
The Buddhist doctrine that all phenomena lack independent self-nature; emptiness as the positive recognition that things arise only in dependence on conditions — distinct from kenoma's mere deficiency.
[auto] The passage centrally defines beings as 'no-beings' and highest knowledge as knowing 'nothing', directly expressing the doctrine of emptiness.
All passages →Related passages · 8 parallels
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Is it yet accessible to mankind, or does it lie buried beneath the rubbish of ages, entombed within the…”
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Shared concept: Gnosis Direct Knowledge — Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone. (derived)
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Shared concept: Sunyata Emptiness — The Buddhist doctrine that all phenomena lack independent self-nature; emptiness as the positive recognition that things arise only in dependence on conditions — distinct from kenoma's mere deficiency. (derived)
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“-- Continued .
5.
T HE S EVEN ( Sons ) WERE NOT YET BORN FROM THE W EB OF L IGHT.
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Shared concept: Opposites Transcended — The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion. (derived)
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 11, Section 1c
“And the perfect Peace guards each several individuality unalloyed by Its providential gift of peace, keeping all things without internal or mutual discord or confusion, and establishing all things, in the power of unswerving stability, so a…”
Shared concept: Paradox As Teaching — Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight. (derived)
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From a Greek Vase Painting.
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Shared concept: Paradox As Teaching — Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight. (derived)