Part 14-3
“World Honoured One, it is not difficult for me to hear this Sutra, believe in it, understand it, and accept and hold it now.”
Commentary:
We should understand what Subhuti meant by saying, “It is not difficult for me to hear this sutra, believe in it, understand it, and accept and hold it.” It was not the Sutra composed of words but the true-Self that he meant by ‘this Sutra’. To Subhuti everything is the Sutra, and every sound is a four-line verse. Even Subhuti himself is the Sutra, and all sounds he makes are a four-line verse. This is why it was not difficult for him to hear and carry it.
Although Subhuti said that it was not difficult, there are few, if any, who can feel the same way as Subhuti did. In fact, to those who cannot stop dwelling on things and words, it is more difficult than lifting a huge mountain, whilst to those who can see things as they are without dwelling on them, it is easier than lifting a feather.
Once we’ve realised what the sutra is, even though we try to put the Sutra down, we can’t, and we also cannot stop hearing and reading it even for a moment, because everything, including ourselves, is the Sutra, which is open all the time. Every sound we make is no other than a dharma talk and a four-line verse.
Student: “Why is it so difficult to hear this Sutra, believe in it, understand it, and accept and hold it?”
Master: “Because you try to hear, believe in, understand, and accept and hold what is not the Sutra as the Sutra.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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