須菩提 汝勿謂如來作是念 我當有所說法 莫作是念 何以故 若人言如來有所說法 即為謗佛 不能解我所說故 須菩提 說法者 無法可說 是名說法 爾時慧命須菩提白佛言 世尊 頗有衆生 於未來世 聞說是法 生信心不 佛言 須菩提 彼非衆生 非不衆生 何以故 須菩提 衆生衆生者 如來說非衆生 是名衆生
xū pú tí rǔ wù wèi rú lái zuò shì niàn wǒ dāng yǒu suǒ shuō fǎ mò zuò shì niàn hé yǐ gù ruò rén yán rú lái yǒu suǒ shuō fǎ jí wéi bàng fó bù néng jiě wǒ suǒ shuō gù xū pú tí shuō fǎ zhě wú fǎ kě shuō shì míng shuō fǎ ěr shí huì mìng xū pú tí bái fó yán shì zūn pō yǒu zhòng shēng yú wèi lái shì wén shuō shì fǎ shēng xìn xīn bù fó yán xū pú tí bǐ fēi zhòng shēng fēi bù zhòng shēng hé yǐ gù xū pú tí zhòng shēng zhòng shēng zhě rú lái shuō fēi zhòng shēng shì míng zhòng shēng
Key Message
Truth is transmitted through language but cannot be imprisoned within it. To expound the Dharma is only called expounding the Dharma — no fixed dharma has ever been spoken.
▸Section 21 confronts the paradox of teaching itself.
Section 21 confronts the paradox of teaching itself. The Buddha urges Subhūti: do not think the Tathāgata intends to say, 'I shall expound the Dharma.' To hold such a view would be to slander the Buddha, because one has failed to understand what has been said. The reason: 'As for expounding the Dharma — there is no dharma that can be expounded. This is merely called expounding the Dharma.' Truth transcends language; the moment it is fixed in words and treated as a definitive object, it is no longer truth itself. Subhūti, now addressed as Huìmìng (慧命, 'Life of Wisdom'), asks whether future beings will arise who can generate faith upon hearing this teaching. The Buddha applies the 'is-not/is-named' logic to the very category of 'sentient being': those who will hear are neither sentient beings nor non-sentient beings — for what the Tathāgata calls sentient beings are in truth not sentient beings; they are only called sentient beings.