Part 15-1
“Subhuti, suppose there are good men and good women who in the morning give in charity as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, then in the afternoon again give in charity as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and then in the evening also give in charity as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and go on giving bodies in charity this way for countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of eons. Now suppose there are people who hear this Sutra, believe in it, and do not oppose it. The blessings of these latter people surpass those of the former; how much the more so if they copy the sutra, accept and hold it, read and recite it, and explain it to others!”
Commentary:
As mentioned a few times in the preceding parts, the core of Buddhism is to see things as they are and do things without one’s mind dwelling on anything.
This part means that people who, unable to see things as they are, do things with their minds dwelling on what they see and hear, might build up good karma that is to come to a halt someday, but they cannot attain enlightenment, the final goal of Buddhism through which they can enjoy eternity, no matter how many good things they may do.
In contrast, those who, seeing things as they are, can do everything without their minds dwelling on it, through this Sutra, can attain enlightenment and can enjoy permanent blessings.
This is why the blessings of these latter people surpass those of the former.
The key point of this part is that doing many good things with one’s mind dwelling on what one does is not as good as doing an ordinary thing without one’s mind dwelling on what one does. This doesn’t mean that we should not give things in charity but that we should give things in charity without our minds dwelling on anything.
In the same way, reading this Sutra countless times with one’s mind dwelling on words is not as good as reading a single word without one’s mind dwelling on it.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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