Part 17-9
“For example, Subhuti, it is like a person whose body is large.” Subhuti said, “World Honoured One, the large body that you, the Realised One said is not a large body but just called a large body.”
Commentary:
As with part 17-8 that says ‘all things’ are not all things; therefore, they are called ‘all things’, none of the things that are depicted with words are real, but illusionary. In essence there is nothing but Emptiness. All things that we think are not only real but also different and separate from each other, are no more than illusions created through being divided by words, imaginary lines, by our imagination.
All things we can express with words are illusions, and the essence of them is Emptiness. This is why it is said that everything is the Buddha. From this perspective, a large body is not a large body, but it is just called a large body, and a small body is not a small body, but it is just called a small body. Then, there is no distinction between a large body and a small body. This is why it is said that we should be able to put a huge mountain into a mustard seed. Seen in this way, there is no difference amongst all things in the universe. At that time everything becomes Oneness. The purpose of Buddhism is to realise that everything is the same and one.
Student: “Sir, if you are not a human being but just called a human being, what are you?”
Master: “Even the Buddha cannot know it.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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