Part 25-2
“Subhuti, the Realised One speaks as if there were an ‘I’, but it doesn’t mean that ‘I’ exists, yet ordinary people think that there is ‘I’. Subhuti, the Realised One says ordinary people are not ordinary people, they are just called ordinary people.”
Commentary:
Here the Buddha emphasizes again that everything is empty. He means that although he uses the words ‘I’ and ‘ordinary people’ in order to preach the Dharma, he says these words not because they actually exist but only as an expedient means to reveal the true-Self. For example, when the Buddha says, “I want to lead ordinary people to enlightenment”, he doesn’t mean that there are ‘I’, ‘ordinary people’ and ‘enlightenment’. This is why the Buddha says, “The Realised One says ordinary people are not ordinary people, they are just called ordinary people.”
Student: “If ordinary people are not ordinary people, are they the Buddha?”
Master: “The Buddha is not the Buddha, but just called the Buddha.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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