QUOTE FROM HERE
Practice should not be separated from living, and living at all times should be one's practice.
Proper practice includes cultivating mindfulness, compassion, intuition, and wisdom. Think less about oneself and more about others. Be aware of your changing mental and physical conditions.
See how they affect your thoughts, words and actions. In all our actions, we should reflect on whether our intentions are beneficial to others. In this way, we will check ourselves before we act. If we put other sentient beings before ourselves, those selfish feelings will not arise as much.
Being considerate of others is as much a form of practice as meditation is.
However, sentient beings have their own karmic causes and conditions, their own merits and virtues, their own karma.
You cannot change them, nor can you take on other people's karma. Of key importance is one's intention. You should sincerely try to help others, whether or not you succeed. Do not do anything that will make you feel tense, tired, or miserable.
If you whip yourself all the time, you will be of no use to others or to yourself. Use meditation as a supporting discipline and the Buddhadharma as your guideline. Do the best you can, but don't push too hard.
In all situations, you must practice.
During your busy day, try to find little bits of time to sit, relax, and clear your mind. It is not always necessary to sit on a cushion to practice for thirty minutes. You can do your practice anywhere, at anytime, at your desk, in a car, bus, or train.
Relax your body and mind; breathe; settle your mind; let your mind and body refresh itself.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Zen Buddhism
What is Chan?
"Chan is the practise of liviing wisely and experiencing a blissful life."
"Chan is not the same as knowledge, yet knowledge is not completely apart from Chan. Chan is not just religion, yet the achievements of religion can be reached through Chan. Chan is not philosophy, yet philosophy can in no way exceed the scope of Chan. Chan is not science, yet spirit of emphasising reality and experience is also required in Chan."
- Ven Sheng Yen
Chan is everywhere, in space without limit and time without end.
Chan exists universally and eternally. There is no need for any teacher to transmit it; what is transmitted is just the method by which one can personally experience Chan. In China, the Chan school developed from Indian Dhyana Buddhism, which taught methods of meditative concentration aimed at the attainment of an absorbed, concentrated state of mind. This school later spread to other countries from China, and is called Zen in Japan, Son in Korea, and Thien in Vietnam.
Chan starts with gaining through knowledge of one's own self. Through letting go of all attachments and giving rise to wisdom, our mind can regain its luminosity. We call this knowledge of the notion of self "enlightenment" or "seeing one's self-nature." This is the beginning of helping yourself to thoroughly solve real problems. In the end, you will discover that you as an individual, together with whole of existence, are but one indivisible totality.
Chan encompasses four key elements: faith, understanding, practise, and realisation. Faith belongs to the realm of religion, understanding is philosophical, practise is belief put into action, and realisation is enlightenment. Without faith, we cannot understand; without understanding, we cannot practise; and without practise, we cannot realise enlightenment. Together, these four concepts create a doorway we enter to attain wisdom.
People interested in Chan practice often find it difficult to have religious faith. As faith is intrinsically emotional, and Chan practitioners emphasize personal cultivation to gain physical and mental benefits or the experience of Chan, they find it hard to accept religious faith. This is actually a great mistake.
Many people think that Chan practice depends solely on their own efforts, requiring self-reliance, while those who practice by reciting the Buddha’s name depend solely on external help. Both of these views are incorrect. In reality, Chan practice also requires external help, and the practice of reciting the Buddha’s name also requires one’s own effort. One can hardly become an accomplished Chan practitioner through one’s own efforts. In India, China and Tibet, all mediators need the support and the assistance of teachers, Dharma-protecting deities, and the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. That is why Chan monasteries in China erect and worship the status of Dharma-protecting deities such as the eight divisions of divinities and the four deva kings.
In the past, eminent masters often encouraged Chan practitioners to “entrust their bodies to the monastery and their lives to the Dharma-protecting deities” during Chan meditation. You do not need to be concerned about your body since it will be taken care of by the masters on duty. You simply follow the monastery’s routines. However, to achieve good results in your practice, you need the support of Dharma-protecting deities. Without such assistance, one may turn into demonic hindrances. Practicing Chan depending solely on one’s own efforts without believing in the power of the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and Dharma-protecting deities can not be considered practicing Buddhism at all.
Chan practitioners should believe in that in addition to meditating diligently and working on Chan, they need to accumulate merit and cultivate virtue. The idea that one can attain enlightenment or liberation by meditating on one’s own is itself an obstacle that precludes real liberation. How can a self-seeking person become enlightened? Therefore, the Chan school also emphasizes practices such as giving and repentance. If one does not show concern for the benefit of all sentient beings, sincerely give of oneself for others, and devotedly practice giving and make offering, it will be quite difficult to succeed in spiritual practice.
In the past, many as-yet-unenlightened Chan masters at large monasteries engaged in “work cultivation”, performing all linds of manual labor for their masters and monasteries. Such work included carrying water, chopping wood, cooking and other kitchen chores, growing vegetables, as well as cleaning up and maintaining the monastery and grounds.
At traditional Buddhist monasteries, forty-eight types of work were performed by monastic practitioners. Even today, they are relieved of complex tasks only during seven-day Chan retreats to avoid distractions. Otherwise, every monastic is assigned long-term tasks. Therefore, during our seven-day Chan retreats, we make it a rule to ask every participant to do some simple chores.
Chan monasteries encourage monastics to give their spare cloths, money or other possessions to the needy, keeping only the most basic necessities. In the past, a typical monastic Chan practitioner’s belongings weighed just a little over one kilo, because they gave away whatever came into their possession.
From these examples, we can see that a Chan practitioner must be ready to make offerings and practice giving, as well as give away unnecessary personal belongings to those who need them. Unfortunately, many Chan practitioners today are presumptuous, arrogant, selfish and petty, and lack faith. This is pity and dangerous. How did this happen? It is because people who take up Chan practice hope to have physical and mental experiences such as stability, joy and health. However, once these objectives are achieved, they see those achievements as the product of their own efforts, rather than the result of a spiritual response from the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, or the support of Dharma-protecting deities in the monastery. Nor do they believe these effects are due to the skilful guidance of a venerable master or certain teacher. As a result, they become arrogant, conceited and complacent, lacking both belief and a sense of respect.
“Faith” means that, in spite of our own limited capacities and knowledge, we believe in the existence of certain realities. This can best be illustrated by the Chinese expression: “We look up to a sage’s noble behavior like looking up to a lofty mountain. Unattainable though it may seem, we yearn for it in our hearts.” When we see a lofty mountain, even though we are as yet unable to reach its peak, we still believe that there must be great masters residing yonder, and the scenery must be fantastic. The higher we climb, the more we discover things we have never seen before. This is belief based on admiration. Standing far below, we revere what is high above us, generating a belief that there must be some unknown power above that can help us. But if our faith is insufficient, we will not be able to believe in things that Buddhism talks about that are beyond our ken, and our spiritual practice will not be effective.
Chan Buddhism advocates belief in our own nature, that is, the belief that we ourselves can attain Buddhahood, and that we are originally the same as all Buddhas, not lacking in any single attribute of a Buddha. Chan Buddhism asserts that if only we let go of our self-centeredness, we will instantly see our “original face,” so we can all attain Buddhahood. Our original face is the Buddha in our own nature. The Buddha-nature is inherent in us, not acquired after cultivation. For this reason, many people misunderstand Chan Buddhism and neglect the importance of faith.
The basic theory that we are all intrinsically Buddhas is correct. But in practice, it does not quite work that way. As an illustration, everyone may become a parent, but does that mean a newborn baby is a parent? He has yet to grow up and reach adulthood. He is not a parent yet, and is still a baby. Will a baby become a parent in the future? Not necessarily. Those who take monastic vows at an early age and practice celibacy will not become parents, nor will those who are married but infertile. In theory, everyone can be a parent. But in actuality, it is not necessarily so.
Similarly, in a democratic society every citizen has the right to vote, and be elected to office. However, while the majority has the right to vote, few have the opportunity to be elected. Due to a lack of ability or causes and conditions, we can only vote, but can never be elected. There are, however, those who, upon hearing that in Chan teaching “everyone has the Buddha-nature,” fancy themselves as equivalent to Buddhas with perfect wisdom, though they are nothing but ignorant, mediocre people. Seeing Buddha images, they not only refuse to prostrate, but scoff, saying that as present Buddhas themselves, they do not prostrate to past Buddhas. They think, “I have a Buddha within. Why bother to worship clay or wooden statues of Buddhas, or their painted images!”
Such people believe that only their own mind is the Buddha and that there is no Buddha outside their mind. When they see other people making prostrations, they call it attachment. When people prostrate to a venerable master, these self-proclaimed Chan practitioners shake their heads and sign, “There is no need to prostrate to the Buddha, let alone a monastic.”
One time, while someone was prostrating to me, they were pulled up by a lay practitioner who said to them, “Do not prostrate! Do not harm the master!” I, to whom the followers made prostrations, was being harmed? I was puzzled, so I asked, “What do you mean? How is he harming me? He said, “If you are really an eminent monk of great attainment, do you still need to have people prostrate to you? If you do, that means there is attachment in your mind. The more people prostrate, the more you feel like an eminent monk. You will not attain liberation and enlightenment your whole life.”
I though to myself, “Well! He has a point.”
The lay practitioner continued, “If you really attained liberation, then when he prostrate to you, you should reproach him saying, ‘Don’t be attached to anything. Since one should have no notion of self, person sentient beings, or beings with a lifespan, naturally there should be no notion of master and disciple. Why bother to make prostrations!”
Oh! This layman has a really sharp tongue. I asked him, “Do you prostrate to the Buddha?” He said, “I prostrate to the Buddha within.” I asked, “How do you do that?” He replied, “I do not do it with my body, but with my mind.” I asked, “How do you do it with your mind?”
He said, “Achieving a free and easy state of mind is prostration. Having no obstructions in the mind is prostration.” What he meant is that there was no need to prostrate to Buddhas or bodhisattvas, and he believed in nothing but himself. Actually, this is neither Buddhism nor Chan, but a type of arrogant, demonic view that lacks faith. This kind of person may have had some minor experiences in meditation and developed a kind of overconfidence, which we call “pride of superior attainment.” After having read some specious Chan texts, they are caught up in erroneous views. While in this life, they think they have already attained liberation. Once they die, they may be reborn in the heavenly realm if they have great merit. However, because they do not have the right view and understanding or believe in the Three Jewels, they will fall into a miserable plane of existence once they have exhausted their karmic rewards in heaven. If they have an improper attitude, do not keep the precepts, and always do evil, they will fall into hell as fast as an arrow.
Therefore, Chan master believe in the existence of heaven, hell, Buddha land, and worlds of troubles. Only to highly advanced Chan practitioners who are practicing vigorously but still harbor some attachment in their minds would a Chan master say, “There is no Buddha, no Dharma, and no Sangha, There is no heaven and hell.” Chan masters say this because liberation can never be attained if one’s mind is attached to the Three Jewels, heaven, or hell. On the other hand, beginning Chan practitioners must be remained to make a clear distinction between cause and effect, and between ordinary people and sages. Otherwise, in speaking against attachment, they become trapped in inverted views, reversing cause and effect, and, as ordinary people, passing themselves off as sages. Ordinary people are just ordinary people. We should not facy ourselves as ancient Buddhas who reappear in this world, equal in all respects to the Buddhas of the past, present and future.
Chan practice is not just sitting meditation. Chan practice is not about just talking big, or solely seeking enlightenment and wanting to be equal to all past, present and future Buddhas. While promoting Chan teachings, we should also emphasize the importance of faith. By so doing, we can make it easier for people to practice successfully and help uplift their character.
Chan methods also require that we let go of our attachment to the self. This must start with having faith, practicing giving, and keeping the precepts. Eliminating this attachment requires a sense of shame, humility, gratitude, and repentance. We should also have faith in the Three Jewels, Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the various Dharma-protecting deities, and Chan patriarchs, as well as the teachers who guide us in our practice.
Contrarily, if you are so arrogant that, having barely embarked on the Chan path, you refuse to prostrate to the Buddhas, respect the Dharma and Sangha, or believe in the various Dharma-protecting deities, then do not even think about the possibility of attaining enlightenment or seeing your true nature.
QUOTE FROM HERE
"Chan is the practise of liviing wisely and experiencing a blissful life."
"Chan is not the same as knowledge, yet knowledge is not completely apart from Chan. Chan is not just religion, yet the achievements of religion can be reached through Chan. Chan is not philosophy, yet philosophy can in no way exceed the scope of Chan. Chan is not science, yet spirit of emphasising reality and experience is also required in Chan."
- Ven Sheng Yen
Chan is everywhere, in space without limit and time without end.
Chan exists universally and eternally. There is no need for any teacher to transmit it; what is transmitted is just the method by which one can personally experience Chan. In China, the Chan school developed from Indian Dhyana Buddhism, which taught methods of meditative concentration aimed at the attainment of an absorbed, concentrated state of mind. This school later spread to other countries from China, and is called Zen in Japan, Son in Korea, and Thien in Vietnam.
Chan starts with gaining through knowledge of one's own self. Through letting go of all attachments and giving rise to wisdom, our mind can regain its luminosity. We call this knowledge of the notion of self "enlightenment" or "seeing one's self-nature." This is the beginning of helping yourself to thoroughly solve real problems. In the end, you will discover that you as an individual, together with whole of existence, are but one indivisible totality.
Chan encompasses four key elements: faith, understanding, practise, and realisation. Faith belongs to the realm of religion, understanding is philosophical, practise is belief put into action, and realisation is enlightenment. Without faith, we cannot understand; without understanding, we cannot practise; and without practise, we cannot realise enlightenment. Together, these four concepts create a doorway we enter to attain wisdom.
People interested in Chan practice often find it difficult to have religious faith. As faith is intrinsically emotional, and Chan practitioners emphasize personal cultivation to gain physical and mental benefits or the experience of Chan, they find it hard to accept religious faith. This is actually a great mistake.
Many people think that Chan practice depends solely on their own efforts, requiring self-reliance, while those who practice by reciting the Buddha’s name depend solely on external help. Both of these views are incorrect. In reality, Chan practice also requires external help, and the practice of reciting the Buddha’s name also requires one’s own effort. One can hardly become an accomplished Chan practitioner through one’s own efforts. In India, China and Tibet, all mediators need the support and the assistance of teachers, Dharma-protecting deities, and the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. That is why Chan monasteries in China erect and worship the status of Dharma-protecting deities such as the eight divisions of divinities and the four deva kings.
In the past, eminent masters often encouraged Chan practitioners to “entrust their bodies to the monastery and their lives to the Dharma-protecting deities” during Chan meditation. You do not need to be concerned about your body since it will be taken care of by the masters on duty. You simply follow the monastery’s routines. However, to achieve good results in your practice, you need the support of Dharma-protecting deities. Without such assistance, one may turn into demonic hindrances. Practicing Chan depending solely on one’s own efforts without believing in the power of the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and Dharma-protecting deities can not be considered practicing Buddhism at all.
Chan practitioners should believe in that in addition to meditating diligently and working on Chan, they need to accumulate merit and cultivate virtue. The idea that one can attain enlightenment or liberation by meditating on one’s own is itself an obstacle that precludes real liberation. How can a self-seeking person become enlightened? Therefore, the Chan school also emphasizes practices such as giving and repentance. If one does not show concern for the benefit of all sentient beings, sincerely give of oneself for others, and devotedly practice giving and make offering, it will be quite difficult to succeed in spiritual practice.
In the past, many as-yet-unenlightened Chan masters at large monasteries engaged in “work cultivation”, performing all linds of manual labor for their masters and monasteries. Such work included carrying water, chopping wood, cooking and other kitchen chores, growing vegetables, as well as cleaning up and maintaining the monastery and grounds.
At traditional Buddhist monasteries, forty-eight types of work were performed by monastic practitioners. Even today, they are relieved of complex tasks only during seven-day Chan retreats to avoid distractions. Otherwise, every monastic is assigned long-term tasks. Therefore, during our seven-day Chan retreats, we make it a rule to ask every participant to do some simple chores.
Chan monasteries encourage monastics to give their spare cloths, money or other possessions to the needy, keeping only the most basic necessities. In the past, a typical monastic Chan practitioner’s belongings weighed just a little over one kilo, because they gave away whatever came into their possession.
From these examples, we can see that a Chan practitioner must be ready to make offerings and practice giving, as well as give away unnecessary personal belongings to those who need them. Unfortunately, many Chan practitioners today are presumptuous, arrogant, selfish and petty, and lack faith. This is pity and dangerous. How did this happen? It is because people who take up Chan practice hope to have physical and mental experiences such as stability, joy and health. However, once these objectives are achieved, they see those achievements as the product of their own efforts, rather than the result of a spiritual response from the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, or the support of Dharma-protecting deities in the monastery. Nor do they believe these effects are due to the skilful guidance of a venerable master or certain teacher. As a result, they become arrogant, conceited and complacent, lacking both belief and a sense of respect.
“Faith” means that, in spite of our own limited capacities and knowledge, we believe in the existence of certain realities. This can best be illustrated by the Chinese expression: “We look up to a sage’s noble behavior like looking up to a lofty mountain. Unattainable though it may seem, we yearn for it in our hearts.” When we see a lofty mountain, even though we are as yet unable to reach its peak, we still believe that there must be great masters residing yonder, and the scenery must be fantastic. The higher we climb, the more we discover things we have never seen before. This is belief based on admiration. Standing far below, we revere what is high above us, generating a belief that there must be some unknown power above that can help us. But if our faith is insufficient, we will not be able to believe in things that Buddhism talks about that are beyond our ken, and our spiritual practice will not be effective.
Chan Buddhism advocates belief in our own nature, that is, the belief that we ourselves can attain Buddhahood, and that we are originally the same as all Buddhas, not lacking in any single attribute of a Buddha. Chan Buddhism asserts that if only we let go of our self-centeredness, we will instantly see our “original face,” so we can all attain Buddhahood. Our original face is the Buddha in our own nature. The Buddha-nature is inherent in us, not acquired after cultivation. For this reason, many people misunderstand Chan Buddhism and neglect the importance of faith.
The basic theory that we are all intrinsically Buddhas is correct. But in practice, it does not quite work that way. As an illustration, everyone may become a parent, but does that mean a newborn baby is a parent? He has yet to grow up and reach adulthood. He is not a parent yet, and is still a baby. Will a baby become a parent in the future? Not necessarily. Those who take monastic vows at an early age and practice celibacy will not become parents, nor will those who are married but infertile. In theory, everyone can be a parent. But in actuality, it is not necessarily so.
Similarly, in a democratic society every citizen has the right to vote, and be elected to office. However, while the majority has the right to vote, few have the opportunity to be elected. Due to a lack of ability or causes and conditions, we can only vote, but can never be elected. There are, however, those who, upon hearing that in Chan teaching “everyone has the Buddha-nature,” fancy themselves as equivalent to Buddhas with perfect wisdom, though they are nothing but ignorant, mediocre people. Seeing Buddha images, they not only refuse to prostrate, but scoff, saying that as present Buddhas themselves, they do not prostrate to past Buddhas. They think, “I have a Buddha within. Why bother to worship clay or wooden statues of Buddhas, or their painted images!”
Such people believe that only their own mind is the Buddha and that there is no Buddha outside their mind. When they see other people making prostrations, they call it attachment. When people prostrate to a venerable master, these self-proclaimed Chan practitioners shake their heads and sign, “There is no need to prostrate to the Buddha, let alone a monastic.”
One time, while someone was prostrating to me, they were pulled up by a lay practitioner who said to them, “Do not prostrate! Do not harm the master!” I, to whom the followers made prostrations, was being harmed? I was puzzled, so I asked, “What do you mean? How is he harming me? He said, “If you are really an eminent monk of great attainment, do you still need to have people prostrate to you? If you do, that means there is attachment in your mind. The more people prostrate, the more you feel like an eminent monk. You will not attain liberation and enlightenment your whole life.”
I though to myself, “Well! He has a point.”
The lay practitioner continued, “If you really attained liberation, then when he prostrate to you, you should reproach him saying, ‘Don’t be attached to anything. Since one should have no notion of self, person sentient beings, or beings with a lifespan, naturally there should be no notion of master and disciple. Why bother to make prostrations!”
Oh! This layman has a really sharp tongue. I asked him, “Do you prostrate to the Buddha?” He said, “I prostrate to the Buddha within.” I asked, “How do you do that?” He replied, “I do not do it with my body, but with my mind.” I asked, “How do you do it with your mind?”
He said, “Achieving a free and easy state of mind is prostration. Having no obstructions in the mind is prostration.” What he meant is that there was no need to prostrate to Buddhas or bodhisattvas, and he believed in nothing but himself. Actually, this is neither Buddhism nor Chan, but a type of arrogant, demonic view that lacks faith. This kind of person may have had some minor experiences in meditation and developed a kind of overconfidence, which we call “pride of superior attainment.” After having read some specious Chan texts, they are caught up in erroneous views. While in this life, they think they have already attained liberation. Once they die, they may be reborn in the heavenly realm if they have great merit. However, because they do not have the right view and understanding or believe in the Three Jewels, they will fall into a miserable plane of existence once they have exhausted their karmic rewards in heaven. If they have an improper attitude, do not keep the precepts, and always do evil, they will fall into hell as fast as an arrow.
Therefore, Chan master believe in the existence of heaven, hell, Buddha land, and worlds of troubles. Only to highly advanced Chan practitioners who are practicing vigorously but still harbor some attachment in their minds would a Chan master say, “There is no Buddha, no Dharma, and no Sangha, There is no heaven and hell.” Chan masters say this because liberation can never be attained if one’s mind is attached to the Three Jewels, heaven, or hell. On the other hand, beginning Chan practitioners must be remained to make a clear distinction between cause and effect, and between ordinary people and sages. Otherwise, in speaking against attachment, they become trapped in inverted views, reversing cause and effect, and, as ordinary people, passing themselves off as sages. Ordinary people are just ordinary people. We should not facy ourselves as ancient Buddhas who reappear in this world, equal in all respects to the Buddhas of the past, present and future.
Chan practice is not just sitting meditation. Chan practice is not about just talking big, or solely seeking enlightenment and wanting to be equal to all past, present and future Buddhas. While promoting Chan teachings, we should also emphasize the importance of faith. By so doing, we can make it easier for people to practice successfully and help uplift their character.
Chan methods also require that we let go of our attachment to the self. This must start with having faith, practicing giving, and keeping the precepts. Eliminating this attachment requires a sense of shame, humility, gratitude, and repentance. We should also have faith in the Three Jewels, Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the various Dharma-protecting deities, and Chan patriarchs, as well as the teachers who guide us in our practice.
Contrarily, if you are so arrogant that, having barely embarked on the Chan path, you refuse to prostrate to the Buddhas, respect the Dharma and Sangha, or believe in the various Dharma-protecting deities, then do not even think about the possibility of attaining enlightenment or seeing your true nature.
QUOTE FROM HERE
淨空法師影音講座
現場直播
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地藏菩薩本願經
佛說阿彌陀經要解
佛說大乘無量壽莊嚴清淨平等覺經
佛說觀無量壽佛經疏
往生論講記
阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛
CLICK HERE 淨空法師影音講座
地藏菩薩本願經
佛說阿彌陀經要解
佛說大乘無量壽莊嚴清淨平等覺經
佛說觀無量壽佛經疏
往生論講記
阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛 阿彌陀佛
True Wisdom
'I am not, I will not be.
I have not, I will not have.
This frightens all children,
And kills fear in the wise.'
Nagarjuna
CONVENTIONAL AND ULTIMATE WISDOM
Although Albert Einstein was certainly not a Buddhist, these statements sound much like it:
"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the 'universe', a part limited in time and space.
He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest
- a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.
This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affectation for a few people near us.
Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion
to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."
From Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh:
"Enlightenment for a wave in the ocean is the moment the wave realises that it is water."
Wisdom in Buddhism can refer to two types of insight: conventional wisdom and ultimate wisdom:
Conventional wisdom relates to understanding the conventional world, or the world as we know it. Traditionally it refers to understanding the way in which karma functions; to understand which actions bring us happiness and which bring us suffering. Conventional wisdom covers all understanding of the world as it functions, including science, with the exception of ultimate wisdom.
Ultimate wisdom (jñana in Sanskrit) refers to a direct realisation which is non-dualistic, and contradicts the way in which we ordinarily perceive the world. The experience of ultimate truth or emptiness is beyond duality.
It is important to remember that emptiness here does not refer to nothingness or some kind of nihilistic view. Emptiness refers to the fact that ultimately, our day-to-day experience of reality is wrong, and is 'empty' of many qualities that we normally assign to it.
Describing this non-dual experience in words is not really possible, as language is based on duality and contrasts. Trying to explain this experience - which contradicts our normal perception - is a bit like explaining colours to someone who is born blind; difficult to say the least.
WHY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT?
"...I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion, and elimination of ignorance, selfishness, and greed..."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
If it can not really be explained in words, why bother?
According to the Buddha, as long as we do not realise emptiness directly - especially of our idea of how our "I" or 'self' exists - we do not properly understand how the world functions and we will continue to create causes for our own misery.
"How much suffering and fear, and
How many harmful things are in existence?
If all arises from clinging to the "I",
What should I do with this great demon?"
Shantideva
Merely starting to doubt our perception of the world is invaluable if we ever hope to break the bondage to uncontrolled cyclic existence and suffering. In order to familiarise ourselves with this all-important experience, we can try to familiarise ourselves with it on an intellectual level. When we would experience emptiness, we would then be able to recognise it. Instead of believing we have suddenly gone mad, recognition would encourage us to enhance the experience and achieve liberation from suffering.
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INTERDEPENDENCE
The wisdom of emptiness refers to a lack of something: 'inherent existence'. 'Inherent existence' means that things appear to exist independently, in- and out of themselves, from the side of the object, by way of its' own character, self-powered, autonomous. Ultimately however, things exist in dependence upon causes and conditions. For example, a human being ceases to exist in a vacuum, we would instantly die when all conditions for life are suddenly gone. On another level, a human being needs to come into existence by the combination of a sperm from the father joining an egg from the mother and all the right conditions to grow into an embryo. So, considering ourselves as independently existing, fully autonomous is a mere illusion and does not accord with ultimate reality.
Ultimate wisdom can be compared to eco-thinking in biology: a century ago, biology focused mainly on categorising species of animals and plants and describing their specific aspects. Plants and animals were cut to ever smaller pieces to analyse how they function.
However, nature also functions at a completely different level; as relations and processes between living beings. Ecology appeared as a new branch of biology, more dealing with relations, cycles and interdependence of animals, plants and surroundings. This is somewhat similar to the view of emptiness. Instead of focusing on differences and individuality, the realisation of emptiness is about realising that nothing exists by itself alone, but depends on other things. Just as all living beings rely on other living beings - at least their ancestors, so do even inanimate objects depend on other objects, conditions, parts and processes to arise and disappear.
The fact that we normally do not realise emptiness and the relatedness of things is directly related to our perception. As soon as we perceive something in the outside world, it feels different from our own body or mind. We feel as if other things are "out there", separate from "my self", which is "in here".
But are they really separate? To begin with, if the outer object would not somehow "relate" to us in the form of sound, smell, light etc., we would be unable to perceive it. So our perception of objects depends on interaction, rather than the fact that we are separate. To put it simple, our perception of the world is only possible because of interaction, interrelation, dependence and exchange of information.
From the Avatamsaka Sutra:
"Far away, in the heavenly abode of the great god Indra, there is a wonderful net which has been hung by some cunning artificer in such a manner that it stretches out infinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel in each eye of the net, and since the net itself is infinite in dimension, the jewels are infinite in number.
There hang the jewels, glittering like stars of the first magnitude, a wonderful sight to behold. If we now look closely at any one of the jewels for inspection, we will discover that in its polished surface are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is reflecting all the other jewels, so that there is an infinite reflection process occuring.
This symbolises our world where every sentient being (and thing) is inter-related to one another."
His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, from The Compassionate Life:
"All events and incidents in life are so intimately linked with the fate of others that a single person on his or her own cannot even begin to act. Many ordinary human activities, both positive and negative, cannot even be conceived of apart from the existence of other people. Even the committing of harmful actions depends on the existence of others. Because of others, we have the opportunity to earn money if that is what we desire in life. Similarly, in reliance upon the existence of others it becomes possible for the media to create fame or disrepute for someone. On your own you cannot create any fame or disrepute no matter how loud you might shout. The closest you can get is to create an echo of your own voice.
Thus interdependence is a fundamental law of nature. Not only higher forms of life but also many of the smallest insects are social beings who, without any religion, law, or education, survive by mutual cooperation based on an innate recognition of their interconnectedness. The most subtle level of material phenomena is also governed by interdependence. All phenomena, from the planet we inhabit to the oceans, clouds, forests, and flowers that surround us, arise in dependence upon subtle patterns of energy. Without their proper interaction, they dissolve and decay."
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PERCEPTION AND OBJECTIVITY
When we perceive an object, we automatically tend to label it (like nice, bad, wet, dry, light, dark, etc.). As soon as our mind puts a label on an object, the label takes the place of the actual object in our mental processes. As our mental image or label can never represent all the different qualities and characteristics of any object, it is always just a simplified, usually exaggerated, subjective snap shot. However, our mind reacts on the basis of our own mental label of an object. No wonder we tend to react simplistic, exaggerated and subjective situations. All perceived objects are conditioned by our senses and our own mind. This leads to the dramatic conclusion that we are not and by definition can never be objective!
Or, as the famous physicist Werner Heisenberg said,
"What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning"....
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SEPARATENESS
Our labelling leads to problems like anger and attachment, but also to the more basic problem that we think we are somehow separate from the outside world. But are we separate from the outside world?
When we see something - for example a table - it appears to be separate from the rest of the world, just standing there by itself, but is that correct? How could the table stand there without the ground supporting it? How could the table exist without a carpenter making it from pieces of wood? The pieces of wood come from a tree, which comes from a seed, water, soil, air, the sun and its nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms etcetera.... Every object needs causes and conditions to exist, just like we need our parents, food, air, clothes and many more things to exist. Apart from that, our perception of an object is strongly coloured by our own senses, mental state and memories. In this way, it becomes impossible to maintain that 'I' am separate from the outside world, however much it feels that way.
"Monks, we who look at the whole and not just the part, know that we too are systems of interdependence, of feelings, perceptions, thoughts, and consciousness all interconnected. Investigating in this way, we come to realize that there is no me or mine in any one part, just as a sound does not belong to any one part of the lute."
-Samyutta Nikaya, from "Buddha Speaks"
"It is important to remember always that the principle of egolessness does not mean that there was an ego in the first place, and the Buddhists did away with it. On the contrary, it means there was never any ego at all to begin with. To realize that is called 'egolessness'."
Sogyal Rinpoche
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF EMPTINESS
Buddhism teaches that things are:
1. Dependent on their parts
2. Interrelated, not isolated
3. Merely labelled
To prevent misunderstanding, we must avoid the "two extremes", that is, believing that:
1. Things are permanent, independent of their parts, and independent of our labelling
2. Things do not exist at all (nihilism).
HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO ME?
This view has consequences when it is applied to whatever I call "I" and "mine":
* I am not isolated from my surroundings and other living beings.
* I "create" the world with my own concepts and ideas.
* The world is like an illusion: how I see the world depends on my own ideas/projections.
* This world is "my" film, "my" projection, I run the show, so I can change my experience of the world.
* I can change the world, if I start with my own mind.
* I can change, as "I" is only a concept, impermanent and dependent on causes and conditions, just like all phenomena (even emptiness itself).
* Although I can understand this intellectually, I don't perceive the world that way until I directly realise emptiness!
"It is important to remember always that the principle of egolessness does not mean that there was an ego in the first place, and the Buddhists did away with it. On the contrary, it means there was never any ego at all to begin with. To realize that is called 'egolessness'."
Sogyal Rinpoche
"Sometimes, the thought of "I" suddenly arises with great force....The situation is like that of a rock or a tree seen protruding up from the peak of a hill on the horizon: From afar it may be mistaken for a human being. Yet the existence of a human in that rock or tree is only an illusion. On deeper investigation, no human being can be found in any of the individual pieces of the protruding entity, nor in its collection of parts, nor in any other aspect of it. Nothing in the protrusion can be said to be a valid basis for the name "human being."
Likewise, the solid "I" which seems to exist somewhere within the body and mind is merely an imputation. The body and mind are no more represented by the sense of "I" than is the protruding rock represented by the word "human." This "I" cannot be located anywhere within any individual piece of the body and mind, nor is it found within the body and mind as a collection, nor is there a place outside of these that could be considered to be a substantial basis of the object referred to by the name "I"."
The Second Dalai Lama (1475-1542), in Samuel Bercholz's 'Entering the Stream'.
...when we talk about the notion of self in Buddhism, it is important to bear in mind that there are different degrees or types. There are some types of sense of self which are not only to be cultivated but also to be reinforced and enhanced. For instance, in order to have a strong determination to seek Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings, one needs a very strong sense of confidence, which is based upon a sense of commitment and courage. This requires a strong sense of self. Unless one has that identity or sense of self, one will not be able to develop the confidence and courage to strongly seek this aim. In addition, the doctrine of Buddha-nature gives us a lot of encouragement and confidence because we realize that there is this potential within us which will allow us to attain the perfection that we are seeking. However, there are different types of sense of self which are rooted in a belief in a permanent, solid, indivisible entity called "self" or "I." There is the belief that there is something very concrete or objective about this entity. This is a false notion of self which must be overcome.
From Healing Anger by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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HOW TO INTEGRATE EMPTINESS INTO DAILY LIFE
By Lama Thubten Yeshe
What is emptiness? Emptiness (shunyata) is the reality of the existence of ourselves, and all the phenomena around us. According to the Buddhist point of view, seeking reality and seeking liberation amount to the same thing. The person who doesn't want to seek reality doesn't really want to seek liberation, and is just confused.
If you seek reality and you think that it has to be taught to you by a Tibetan Lama, that you have to look for it outside yourself, in another place - maybe Shangrila! - then you are mistaken. You cannot seek reality outside yourself because you are reality. Perhaps you think that your life, your reality was made by society, by your friends? If you think that way you are far from reality. if you think that your existence, your life was made by somebody else it means that you are not taking the responsibility to understand reality.
You have to see that your attitudes, your view of the world, of your experiences, of your girlfriend or boyfriend, of your own self, are all the interpretation of your own mind, your own imagination. They are your own projection, your mind literally made them up. If you don't understand this then you have very little chance of understanding emptiness.
This is not just the Buddhist view but also the experience of Western physicists and philosophers - they have researched into reality too. Physicists look and look and look and they simply cannot find one entity that exists in a permanent, stable way: this is the Western experience of emptiness.
If you can imagine that then you will not have any concrete concepts; if you understand this experience of physicists then you will let go of your worldly problems - but you don't want to understand.
It seems to me that we twentieth century people are against nature, against reality, the very opposite of reality. Each moment we build up our artificial, polluted ego; we cover ourselves with heavy ego blankets - one, two, ten, one hundred blankets against nature, against reality. Modern life is the product of the intellectual mind, and we create it. The intellectual mind is superstition. We don't understand reality, and the intellectual life that we lead keeps us far from reality.
So we don't accept who we are. We are always looking to cover ourselves with thick blankets and say "this is me". We hide our own reality and run away from natural beauty, completely neglecting it. By not touching our reality, our modern life becomes so complicated and we create problems with our superstition. We are like a spider spinning his web, climbing on his thread then falling down; climbing up again and falling down again. In the same way we build our own intellectual web, a way of life, that is so complicated, that doesn't touch reality, that is so difficult to live in. This construction arises from our own mind and does not arise from anything else.
If I told you that you are nothing, you are zero, that you are nothing that you think you are, then you would be shocked. "What is this monk saying?" But what if I say that it is the truth! In fact you are non duality, non self existence. You do not exist, relatively or absolutely, as you think you do. If you really understood this then you would become more realistic and you would really gain satisfaction and peace. But as long as you hold on to the fantasy, concrete conception of yourself and project this wrong conception onto your environment, then no way will you understand reality.
In Western cities nowadays, you can see, the older you are the more problems you have. When we are young, not so many problems, but then there are drugs and sex, and eventually they become dissatisfying, then more depression, more depression. So, as your body becomes bigger and your brain becomes wider, you have more and more problems and become more and more depressed. The more money you have the more problems come. You can see this.
You only take care of your body, you never take care of your mind, and the result of this imbalance is depression. For most western people this is the case: only the body is reality and they don't care about the existence of the mind, the soul, the consciousness. They don't believe they can change their minds. They can change their nose through an operation but they don't believe they can change thei And when you believe this then no way can you resolve your depression.
Our thoughts, our mind or consciousness are mental energy and cannot be localised in the body. It cannot be touched; it has no form and does not travel in time and space. We cannot touch it or grasp it.
What is important to understand is that the view you have of yourself and the view you have of your environment are based on your own mind; they are the projection of your mind and that is why they are not reality.
I will give you a good example. When a western man or woman looks for a girl or boyfriend, there is this research energy from both sides and when suddenly they see each other they make up an incredible story. "Oh, so beautiful! Nothing wrong inside or outside". They build up a perfect myth. They push and push., the mind makes it all up. If they are Christian they say, "Oh, he looks just like Jesus. She looks just like an angel. So nice, so pure". Actually, they are just projecting their own fantasies onto each other.
If she is Hindu, then he would say, "Oh, she looks like Kali, like Mother Earth, like my universal mother"...and if you are Buddhist you fold your hands and say, "Oh, she is a dakini and she is showing me the true nature of all things". You understand? "When I am near her she gives me energy, energy. Before, I was so lazy, I couldn't move, I was like a dead person. But now whenever I go near her I can't believe my energy!" I tell you all this is superstitious interpretation. You think that she is your spiritual friend and all she does is really perfect, even her kaka and pee pee are so pure! Excuse me, perhaps I shouldn't talk like this - I am a Buddhist monk! But when we speak about Buddhism, about reality then we have to speak practically, from daily life, about what is earthy, what we can touch and see, not just get caught up in concepts.
What I mean is this: you should recognise how every appearance in your daily lift is in fact a false projection of your own mind. Your own mind makes it up and becomes an obstacle to touching reality. This is why, our entire life, no matter what kind of life we have, it is a disaster. If you have a rich life, your life is a disaster. If you have a middle class life, your life is a disaster. If you have a poor life, your life is even more of a disaster! You become a monk and your life is a disaster. If you become a Christian your life is a disaster. A Buddhist, disaster... Be honest. Be honest with yourself.
In fact reality is very simple. The simplicity of the mind can touch reality, and meditation is something that goes beyond the intellect and brings the mind into its natural state. We have the pure nature already, this reality exists in us now, it is born with us... The essence of your consciousness, your truth, your soul is not absolutely negative, it does not have an essentially negative character. Our mind is like the sky and our problems of ego grasping and self pity are like clouds. Eventually they all pass and disappear. You should not believe, "I am my ego, I am my problems, therefore I cannot solve my problems". Wrong. You can see. Sometimes we are so clear in our life we are almost radiating. We can have this experience right now. Now!
So it is wrong to think that we are always a disaster. Sometimes we are clean clear, sometimes we are a disaster. So, stay in meditation, just keep in that clean clear state as much as possible. All of us can have that clean clear state of mind.
Actually, maybe this is the moment to meditate. My feeling is to meditate now. So, close your eyes, don't think, "I am meditating", just close your eyes and whatever view is there, whatever view is there in your mind, just be aware. Don't interpret good, bad. Just be like a light - light doesn't think "I like this, I like that". It is just a light. Whatever is in your consciousness, whatever experience, just be aware. That is all.
Whatever your experience at the moment, whatever your colour, whatever appearance is there, just stay aware. Be aware. If it's black energy, then that black energy is clean clear. If it's white energy, just feel that clean clear state. Be aware of whatever is happening. No interpretation ... Don't try to hold onto something or to reject something.
Excerpt from Lama Yeshe's talk at VajraYogini Institute, France, September 5, 1983.
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HOW TO PRACTISE?
To realise emptiness, externally we need a qualified teacher, and internally we need enough merit (or karma), purification, practice of ethics, keeping our vows and generating single-pointed concentration.
In the Tibetan tradition: first one tries to intellectually understand it, then later the realisation can ripen in the well-prepared field of our mind.
It is advised to analyse the "I" first, and then later one analyses other phenomena in the same way, for example using the "fourfold analysis":
1. Identify object of negation: inherently existent "I"
2. Determine possibilities of how the "I" exists: is it the body, the mind, both or different? (We can say, "I have have a body and a mind", which would indicate that the "I" is something different from the body and the mind, but is that possible?)
3. Is the "I" same as body and/or mind?
4. Is the "I" other than body and mind?
"While you are meditating there is an "I" (representing the Self) which appears to exist from its own side. Right on top of that think, 'the I is merely labelled'. Just meditate on the meaning of the I being merely labelled. I is a name; a name does not exist from its own side, a name is given, imputed by the mind. We can completely agree with that. This I is merely labelled; concentrate on just that. Try to feel that. This automatically eliminates eternalism, the view of a truly existent I."
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
"The real glory of meditation lies not in any method but in its continual living experience of presence, in its bliss, clarity, peace, and most important of all, complete absence of grasping. The diminishing of grasping in yourself is a sign that you are becoming freer of yourself. And the more you experience this freedom, the clearer the sign that the ego and the hopes and fears that keep it alive are dissolving, and the closer you will come to the infinitely generous "wisdom of egolessness." When you live in the wisdom home, you'll no longer find a barrier between "I" and "you," "this" and "that," "inside" and "outside;" you'll have come, finally, to your true home, the state of non-duality."
Sogyal Rinpoche
"Intelligent Practice always deals with just one thing: the fear at the base of human existence, the fear that I am not. And of course I am not, but the last thing I want to know is that. I am impermanence itself in a rapidly changing human form that appears solid. I fear to see what I am: an ever-changing energy field. I don't want to be that. So good practice is about fear. Fear takes the form of constantly thinking, speculating, analyzing, fantasizing. With all that activity we create a cloud to keep ourselves safe in make-believe practice. True practice is not safe; it's anything but safe. But we don't like that, so we obsess with our feverish efforts to achieve our version of the personal dream. Such obsessive practice is itself just another cloud between ourselves and reality. The only thing that matters is seeing with an impersonal spotlight: seeing things as they really are. When the personal barrier drops away, why do we have to call it anything? We just live our lives. And when we die, we just die. No problem anywhere."
Charlotte Joko Beck, in 'Everyday Zen'
"Our exaggerated sense of self and our compulsion to find happiness for this larger-than-life self we have fabricated cause us to ignore, neglect and harm others. Of course, it is our right to love and take care of ourselves, but not at the expense of others. While "As long as I'm alright" is our motto, we have no hesitation in acting with total disregard for others."
From: The Three Principal Aspects of the Path: An Oral Teaching by Geshe Sonam Rinchen
For a funny practical teaching; click on the Snowman to download this self-extracting Flash file (it is 256kB, so may take a couple of minutes to download).
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TO THINK OR NOT TO THINK?
One issue which can create much confusion is about our dualistic mind. Normally, our mind functions on a very dualistic level, which means that we continuously make distinctions, like black and white, good and bad, hard and soft. This level of mind reasons and is the basis for our ability to think logical using concepts. However, the goal of the teachings on emptiness is to lead to a non-dualistic experience (realisation) of emptiness. Different schools may approach this problem differently; for example, the Zen schools tend to emphasise first achieving a non-dualistic state of mind in meditation, the Tibetan schools first emphasise proper dualistic, inferential, logical understanding of the subject, and then meditating on it to achieve the direct realisation.
A question was put to to His Holiness Dalai Lama:
"How does one go from inferential knowledge to nonconceptual knowledge? Since analysis is used to arrive at total inferential knowledge any more analysis would still be inferential."
His Holiness' answer:
"Among meditations there are many different types and in special situations such as certain levels of Highest Yoga Tantra for example, analysis is discouraged. The general mode of procedure on the Buddhist path is that through constant reflection on the knowledge which is initially inferential, through various stages of familiarisation, reflection and contemplation, that knowledge which is initially inferential could eventually become nonconceptual. The engagement of that knowledge in relation to the object becomes subtler and subtler, eventually the knowledge becomes direct and unveiled.
Generally speaking it is very true that there must be a correlation between cause and its effects. Any cause can not give rise to any effect. There must be some causal relationship and connection but that does not mean that every effect must have completely similar causes. Take for instance the omnisicent mind of the Buddha; if we insist that its cause must be completely similar in characteristics with its effect which is omniscient mind, then we will have to maintain that within us we possess the seed for attaining Buddha's omniscient mind and wisdom. Then we must possess within us, even to a slight degree some form of Buddha's omniscient mind which cannot be maintained. As far as non-conceptual awareness or wisdom of Arya beings is concerned, the causes need not be such high states of realisation. Therefore regarding the non-dualistic awareness or wisdom of Arya beings, their causes can be said to exist even within ordinary beings.
If we examine our mind, as long as we remain in an ordinary state of existence, our mind is characterized by dualistic perceptions, dualistic experiences. Within this dualistic experience and perception we must be able to seek some kind of seed which would give rise to non-dual wisdom and awareness. Therefore in the initial stage of knowledge, it is inferential, dualistic and characterized by duality between subject and object. As you train your mind and constantly reflect and cultivate your familiarity with that object, then that subject and object duality will gradually diminish in its intensity. Gradually it will lead you to realization. Your knowledge of the object becomes direct, intuitive and non-conceptual.
When we talk of non-dual awareness in the context of dualistic appearances or dualism, one must bear in mind that there are many different meanings of the term. Dualistic experience could be understood in terms of a multitude of ways: conventional appearance as dualistic appearance, subject and object duality or separateness as being dualistic appearance; or as a generated image through which we can conceive as object, that image can be seen as dualistic appearance. Similarly when we come across the term non-conceptuality we do not have the notion that there is only a single meaning which is universal in every single context. Non-conceptuality will have different meanings in different contexts."
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WISDOM AND COMPASSION
With this explanation, you may be tempted to think that emptiness is all about playing with words and doing complicated mind games. However, it is said that realising emptiness directly can solve all our problems, as all our problems are caused by our misunderstanding of the world. As all our communication is based on words which cannot express the ultimate truth, please try to discover the real meaning behind the words for yourself!
Another thing that should be kept in mind is that when one directly experiences emptiness, the mind cannot perceive anything dualistic, meaning it cannot perceive anything of the "normal" world. This is why discussions on emptiness often tend to go astray and may have an "otherworldly" feel to them. It is said that only a fully realised Buddha can experience emptiness and ordinary existence simultaneously.
Now a few words on the combination of wisdom and compassion. In Tibetan Buddhism, these are considered the two most important aspects of practice. Just like a bird needs two wings to fly; a very compassionate person without wisdom is only a likeable fool, and a person with wisdom and no compassion is like a lonely hermit in an ivory tower... Both will reinforce each other: once we realise how interrelated we all are, it is hard not to feel some level of compassion, and once we feel compassionate to others we realise our interrelatedness.
"Recently I am emphasizing that due to the modern economy, and also due to information and education, the world is now heavily interdependent, interconnected. Under such circumstances, the concept of 'we' and 'they' is gone: harming your neighbor is actually harming yourself. If you do negative things towards your neighbor, that is actually creating your own suffering. And helping them, showing concern about others' welfare -- actually these are the major factors of your own happiness. If you want a community full of joy, full of friendship, you should create that possibility. If you remain negative, and meantime want more smiles and friendship from your neighbors, that's illogical. If you want a more friendly neighbor, you must create the atmosphere. They they will respond."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama (from an interview in the November issue of the Shambala Sun)
"The one thing to be attained is essentially void and compassionate. Let me explain.
The realisation of voidness is the absolute spirit of enlightenment; it is seeing that all things are unborn.
Compassion is the relative spirit of enlightenment; it is reaching out in love to all beings who have yet to realise that they are unborn.
Those who follow the Mahayana path should develop these two forms of the spirit of enlightenment."
Drom Tonpa
"The supreme goal of the teachings is the emptiness whose nature is compassion."
Atisha
"Know emptiness, be compassionate."
Milarepa
Samadhi Raja Sutra
Know all things to be like this:
A mirage, a cloud castle,
A dream, an apparition,
Without essence, but with qualities that can be seen.
Know all things to be like this:
As the moon in a bright sky
In some clear lake reflected,
Though to that lake the moon has never moved.
Know all things to be like this:
As an echo that derives
From music, sounds, and weeping,
Yet in that echo is no melody.
Know all things to be like this:
As a magician makes illusions
Of horses, oxen, carts and other things,
Nothing is as it appears.
The Buddha
QUOTED FROM HERE
I have not, I will not have.
This frightens all children,
And kills fear in the wise.'
Nagarjuna
CONVENTIONAL AND ULTIMATE WISDOM
Although Albert Einstein was certainly not a Buddhist, these statements sound much like it:
"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the 'universe', a part limited in time and space.
He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest
- a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.
This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affectation for a few people near us.
Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion
to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."
From Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh:
"Enlightenment for a wave in the ocean is the moment the wave realises that it is water."
Wisdom in Buddhism can refer to two types of insight: conventional wisdom and ultimate wisdom:
Conventional wisdom relates to understanding the conventional world, or the world as we know it. Traditionally it refers to understanding the way in which karma functions; to understand which actions bring us happiness and which bring us suffering. Conventional wisdom covers all understanding of the world as it functions, including science, with the exception of ultimate wisdom.
Ultimate wisdom (jñana in Sanskrit) refers to a direct realisation which is non-dualistic, and contradicts the way in which we ordinarily perceive the world. The experience of ultimate truth or emptiness is beyond duality.
It is important to remember that emptiness here does not refer to nothingness or some kind of nihilistic view. Emptiness refers to the fact that ultimately, our day-to-day experience of reality is wrong, and is 'empty' of many qualities that we normally assign to it.
Describing this non-dual experience in words is not really possible, as language is based on duality and contrasts. Trying to explain this experience - which contradicts our normal perception - is a bit like explaining colours to someone who is born blind; difficult to say the least.
WHY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT?
"...I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion, and elimination of ignorance, selfishness, and greed..."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
If it can not really be explained in words, why bother?
According to the Buddha, as long as we do not realise emptiness directly - especially of our idea of how our "I" or 'self' exists - we do not properly understand how the world functions and we will continue to create causes for our own misery.
"How much suffering and fear, and
How many harmful things are in existence?
If all arises from clinging to the "I",
What should I do with this great demon?"
Shantideva
Merely starting to doubt our perception of the world is invaluable if we ever hope to break the bondage to uncontrolled cyclic existence and suffering. In order to familiarise ourselves with this all-important experience, we can try to familiarise ourselves with it on an intellectual level. When we would experience emptiness, we would then be able to recognise it. Instead of believing we have suddenly gone mad, recognition would encourage us to enhance the experience and achieve liberation from suffering.
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INTERDEPENDENCE
The wisdom of emptiness refers to a lack of something: 'inherent existence'. 'Inherent existence' means that things appear to exist independently, in- and out of themselves, from the side of the object, by way of its' own character, self-powered, autonomous. Ultimately however, things exist in dependence upon causes and conditions. For example, a human being ceases to exist in a vacuum, we would instantly die when all conditions for life are suddenly gone. On another level, a human being needs to come into existence by the combination of a sperm from the father joining an egg from the mother and all the right conditions to grow into an embryo. So, considering ourselves as independently existing, fully autonomous is a mere illusion and does not accord with ultimate reality.
Ultimate wisdom can be compared to eco-thinking in biology: a century ago, biology focused mainly on categorising species of animals and plants and describing their specific aspects. Plants and animals were cut to ever smaller pieces to analyse how they function.
However, nature also functions at a completely different level; as relations and processes between living beings. Ecology appeared as a new branch of biology, more dealing with relations, cycles and interdependence of animals, plants and surroundings. This is somewhat similar to the view of emptiness. Instead of focusing on differences and individuality, the realisation of emptiness is about realising that nothing exists by itself alone, but depends on other things. Just as all living beings rely on other living beings - at least their ancestors, so do even inanimate objects depend on other objects, conditions, parts and processes to arise and disappear.
The fact that we normally do not realise emptiness and the relatedness of things is directly related to our perception. As soon as we perceive something in the outside world, it feels different from our own body or mind. We feel as if other things are "out there", separate from "my self", which is "in here".
But are they really separate? To begin with, if the outer object would not somehow "relate" to us in the form of sound, smell, light etc., we would be unable to perceive it. So our perception of objects depends on interaction, rather than the fact that we are separate. To put it simple, our perception of the world is only possible because of interaction, interrelation, dependence and exchange of information.
From the Avatamsaka Sutra:
"Far away, in the heavenly abode of the great god Indra, there is a wonderful net which has been hung by some cunning artificer in such a manner that it stretches out infinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel in each eye of the net, and since the net itself is infinite in dimension, the jewels are infinite in number.
There hang the jewels, glittering like stars of the first magnitude, a wonderful sight to behold. If we now look closely at any one of the jewels for inspection, we will discover that in its polished surface are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is reflecting all the other jewels, so that there is an infinite reflection process occuring.
This symbolises our world where every sentient being (and thing) is inter-related to one another."
His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, from The Compassionate Life:
"All events and incidents in life are so intimately linked with the fate of others that a single person on his or her own cannot even begin to act. Many ordinary human activities, both positive and negative, cannot even be conceived of apart from the existence of other people. Even the committing of harmful actions depends on the existence of others. Because of others, we have the opportunity to earn money if that is what we desire in life. Similarly, in reliance upon the existence of others it becomes possible for the media to create fame or disrepute for someone. On your own you cannot create any fame or disrepute no matter how loud you might shout. The closest you can get is to create an echo of your own voice.
Thus interdependence is a fundamental law of nature. Not only higher forms of life but also many of the smallest insects are social beings who, without any religion, law, or education, survive by mutual cooperation based on an innate recognition of their interconnectedness. The most subtle level of material phenomena is also governed by interdependence. All phenomena, from the planet we inhabit to the oceans, clouds, forests, and flowers that surround us, arise in dependence upon subtle patterns of energy. Without their proper interaction, they dissolve and decay."
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PERCEPTION AND OBJECTIVITY
When we perceive an object, we automatically tend to label it (like nice, bad, wet, dry, light, dark, etc.). As soon as our mind puts a label on an object, the label takes the place of the actual object in our mental processes. As our mental image or label can never represent all the different qualities and characteristics of any object, it is always just a simplified, usually exaggerated, subjective snap shot. However, our mind reacts on the basis of our own mental label of an object. No wonder we tend to react simplistic, exaggerated and subjective situations. All perceived objects are conditioned by our senses and our own mind. This leads to the dramatic conclusion that we are not and by definition can never be objective!
Or, as the famous physicist Werner Heisenberg said,
"What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning"....
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SEPARATENESS
Our labelling leads to problems like anger and attachment, but also to the more basic problem that we think we are somehow separate from the outside world. But are we separate from the outside world?
When we see something - for example a table - it appears to be separate from the rest of the world, just standing there by itself, but is that correct? How could the table stand there without the ground supporting it? How could the table exist without a carpenter making it from pieces of wood? The pieces of wood come from a tree, which comes from a seed, water, soil, air, the sun and its nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms etcetera.... Every object needs causes and conditions to exist, just like we need our parents, food, air, clothes and many more things to exist. Apart from that, our perception of an object is strongly coloured by our own senses, mental state and memories. In this way, it becomes impossible to maintain that 'I' am separate from the outside world, however much it feels that way.
"Monks, we who look at the whole and not just the part, know that we too are systems of interdependence, of feelings, perceptions, thoughts, and consciousness all interconnected. Investigating in this way, we come to realize that there is no me or mine in any one part, just as a sound does not belong to any one part of the lute."
-Samyutta Nikaya, from "Buddha Speaks"
"It is important to remember always that the principle of egolessness does not mean that there was an ego in the first place, and the Buddhists did away with it. On the contrary, it means there was never any ego at all to begin with. To realize that is called 'egolessness'."
Sogyal Rinpoche
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF EMPTINESS
Buddhism teaches that things are:
1. Dependent on their parts
2. Interrelated, not isolated
3. Merely labelled
To prevent misunderstanding, we must avoid the "two extremes", that is, believing that:
1. Things are permanent, independent of their parts, and independent of our labelling
2. Things do not exist at all (nihilism).
HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO ME?
This view has consequences when it is applied to whatever I call "I" and "mine":
* I am not isolated from my surroundings and other living beings.
* I "create" the world with my own concepts and ideas.
* The world is like an illusion: how I see the world depends on my own ideas/projections.
* This world is "my" film, "my" projection, I run the show, so I can change my experience of the world.
* I can change the world, if I start with my own mind.
* I can change, as "I" is only a concept, impermanent and dependent on causes and conditions, just like all phenomena (even emptiness itself).
* Although I can understand this intellectually, I don't perceive the world that way until I directly realise emptiness!
"It is important to remember always that the principle of egolessness does not mean that there was an ego in the first place, and the Buddhists did away with it. On the contrary, it means there was never any ego at all to begin with. To realize that is called 'egolessness'."
Sogyal Rinpoche
"Sometimes, the thought of "I" suddenly arises with great force....The situation is like that of a rock or a tree seen protruding up from the peak of a hill on the horizon: From afar it may be mistaken for a human being. Yet the existence of a human in that rock or tree is only an illusion. On deeper investigation, no human being can be found in any of the individual pieces of the protruding entity, nor in its collection of parts, nor in any other aspect of it. Nothing in the protrusion can be said to be a valid basis for the name "human being."
Likewise, the solid "I" which seems to exist somewhere within the body and mind is merely an imputation. The body and mind are no more represented by the sense of "I" than is the protruding rock represented by the word "human." This "I" cannot be located anywhere within any individual piece of the body and mind, nor is it found within the body and mind as a collection, nor is there a place outside of these that could be considered to be a substantial basis of the object referred to by the name "I"."
The Second Dalai Lama (1475-1542), in Samuel Bercholz's 'Entering the Stream'.
...when we talk about the notion of self in Buddhism, it is important to bear in mind that there are different degrees or types. There are some types of sense of self which are not only to be cultivated but also to be reinforced and enhanced. For instance, in order to have a strong determination to seek Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings, one needs a very strong sense of confidence, which is based upon a sense of commitment and courage. This requires a strong sense of self. Unless one has that identity or sense of self, one will not be able to develop the confidence and courage to strongly seek this aim. In addition, the doctrine of Buddha-nature gives us a lot of encouragement and confidence because we realize that there is this potential within us which will allow us to attain the perfection that we are seeking. However, there are different types of sense of self which are rooted in a belief in a permanent, solid, indivisible entity called "self" or "I." There is the belief that there is something very concrete or objective about this entity. This is a false notion of self which must be overcome.
From Healing Anger by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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HOW TO INTEGRATE EMPTINESS INTO DAILY LIFE
By Lama Thubten Yeshe
What is emptiness? Emptiness (shunyata) is the reality of the existence of ourselves, and all the phenomena around us. According to the Buddhist point of view, seeking reality and seeking liberation amount to the same thing. The person who doesn't want to seek reality doesn't really want to seek liberation, and is just confused.
If you seek reality and you think that it has to be taught to you by a Tibetan Lama, that you have to look for it outside yourself, in another place - maybe Shangrila! - then you are mistaken. You cannot seek reality outside yourself because you are reality. Perhaps you think that your life, your reality was made by society, by your friends? If you think that way you are far from reality. if you think that your existence, your life was made by somebody else it means that you are not taking the responsibility to understand reality.
You have to see that your attitudes, your view of the world, of your experiences, of your girlfriend or boyfriend, of your own self, are all the interpretation of your own mind, your own imagination. They are your own projection, your mind literally made them up. If you don't understand this then you have very little chance of understanding emptiness.
This is not just the Buddhist view but also the experience of Western physicists and philosophers - they have researched into reality too. Physicists look and look and look and they simply cannot find one entity that exists in a permanent, stable way: this is the Western experience of emptiness.
If you can imagine that then you will not have any concrete concepts; if you understand this experience of physicists then you will let go of your worldly problems - but you don't want to understand.
It seems to me that we twentieth century people are against nature, against reality, the very opposite of reality. Each moment we build up our artificial, polluted ego; we cover ourselves with heavy ego blankets - one, two, ten, one hundred blankets against nature, against reality. Modern life is the product of the intellectual mind, and we create it. The intellectual mind is superstition. We don't understand reality, and the intellectual life that we lead keeps us far from reality.
So we don't accept who we are. We are always looking to cover ourselves with thick blankets and say "this is me". We hide our own reality and run away from natural beauty, completely neglecting it. By not touching our reality, our modern life becomes so complicated and we create problems with our superstition. We are like a spider spinning his web, climbing on his thread then falling down; climbing up again and falling down again. In the same way we build our own intellectual web, a way of life, that is so complicated, that doesn't touch reality, that is so difficult to live in. This construction arises from our own mind and does not arise from anything else.
If I told you that you are nothing, you are zero, that you are nothing that you think you are, then you would be shocked. "What is this monk saying?" But what if I say that it is the truth! In fact you are non duality, non self existence. You do not exist, relatively or absolutely, as you think you do. If you really understood this then you would become more realistic and you would really gain satisfaction and peace. But as long as you hold on to the fantasy, concrete conception of yourself and project this wrong conception onto your environment, then no way will you understand reality.
In Western cities nowadays, you can see, the older you are the more problems you have. When we are young, not so many problems, but then there are drugs and sex, and eventually they become dissatisfying, then more depression, more depression. So, as your body becomes bigger and your brain becomes wider, you have more and more problems and become more and more depressed. The more money you have the more problems come. You can see this.
You only take care of your body, you never take care of your mind, and the result of this imbalance is depression. For most western people this is the case: only the body is reality and they don't care about the existence of the mind, the soul, the consciousness. They don't believe they can change their minds. They can change their nose through an operation but they don't believe they can change thei And when you believe this then no way can you resolve your depression.
Our thoughts, our mind or consciousness are mental energy and cannot be localised in the body. It cannot be touched; it has no form and does not travel in time and space. We cannot touch it or grasp it.
What is important to understand is that the view you have of yourself and the view you have of your environment are based on your own mind; they are the projection of your mind and that is why they are not reality.
I will give you a good example. When a western man or woman looks for a girl or boyfriend, there is this research energy from both sides and when suddenly they see each other they make up an incredible story. "Oh, so beautiful! Nothing wrong inside or outside". They build up a perfect myth. They push and push., the mind makes it all up. If they are Christian they say, "Oh, he looks just like Jesus. She looks just like an angel. So nice, so pure". Actually, they are just projecting their own fantasies onto each other.
If she is Hindu, then he would say, "Oh, she looks like Kali, like Mother Earth, like my universal mother"...and if you are Buddhist you fold your hands and say, "Oh, she is a dakini and she is showing me the true nature of all things". You understand? "When I am near her she gives me energy, energy. Before, I was so lazy, I couldn't move, I was like a dead person. But now whenever I go near her I can't believe my energy!" I tell you all this is superstitious interpretation. You think that she is your spiritual friend and all she does is really perfect, even her kaka and pee pee are so pure! Excuse me, perhaps I shouldn't talk like this - I am a Buddhist monk! But when we speak about Buddhism, about reality then we have to speak practically, from daily life, about what is earthy, what we can touch and see, not just get caught up in concepts.
What I mean is this: you should recognise how every appearance in your daily lift is in fact a false projection of your own mind. Your own mind makes it up and becomes an obstacle to touching reality. This is why, our entire life, no matter what kind of life we have, it is a disaster. If you have a rich life, your life is a disaster. If you have a middle class life, your life is a disaster. If you have a poor life, your life is even more of a disaster! You become a monk and your life is a disaster. If you become a Christian your life is a disaster. A Buddhist, disaster... Be honest. Be honest with yourself.
In fact reality is very simple. The simplicity of the mind can touch reality, and meditation is something that goes beyond the intellect and brings the mind into its natural state. We have the pure nature already, this reality exists in us now, it is born with us... The essence of your consciousness, your truth, your soul is not absolutely negative, it does not have an essentially negative character. Our mind is like the sky and our problems of ego grasping and self pity are like clouds. Eventually they all pass and disappear. You should not believe, "I am my ego, I am my problems, therefore I cannot solve my problems". Wrong. You can see. Sometimes we are so clear in our life we are almost radiating. We can have this experience right now. Now!
So it is wrong to think that we are always a disaster. Sometimes we are clean clear, sometimes we are a disaster. So, stay in meditation, just keep in that clean clear state as much as possible. All of us can have that clean clear state of mind.
Actually, maybe this is the moment to meditate. My feeling is to meditate now. So, close your eyes, don't think, "I am meditating", just close your eyes and whatever view is there, whatever view is there in your mind, just be aware. Don't interpret good, bad. Just be like a light - light doesn't think "I like this, I like that". It is just a light. Whatever is in your consciousness, whatever experience, just be aware. That is all.
Whatever your experience at the moment, whatever your colour, whatever appearance is there, just stay aware. Be aware. If it's black energy, then that black energy is clean clear. If it's white energy, just feel that clean clear state. Be aware of whatever is happening. No interpretation ... Don't try to hold onto something or to reject something.
Excerpt from Lama Yeshe's talk at VajraYogini Institute, France, September 5, 1983.
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HOW TO PRACTISE?
To realise emptiness, externally we need a qualified teacher, and internally we need enough merit (or karma), purification, practice of ethics, keeping our vows and generating single-pointed concentration.
In the Tibetan tradition: first one tries to intellectually understand it, then later the realisation can ripen in the well-prepared field of our mind.
It is advised to analyse the "I" first, and then later one analyses other phenomena in the same way, for example using the "fourfold analysis":
1. Identify object of negation: inherently existent "I"
2. Determine possibilities of how the "I" exists: is it the body, the mind, both or different? (We can say, "I have have a body and a mind", which would indicate that the "I" is something different from the body and the mind, but is that possible?)
3. Is the "I" same as body and/or mind?
4. Is the "I" other than body and mind?
"While you are meditating there is an "I" (representing the Self) which appears to exist from its own side. Right on top of that think, 'the I is merely labelled'. Just meditate on the meaning of the I being merely labelled. I is a name; a name does not exist from its own side, a name is given, imputed by the mind. We can completely agree with that. This I is merely labelled; concentrate on just that. Try to feel that. This automatically eliminates eternalism, the view of a truly existent I."
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
"The real glory of meditation lies not in any method but in its continual living experience of presence, in its bliss, clarity, peace, and most important of all, complete absence of grasping. The diminishing of grasping in yourself is a sign that you are becoming freer of yourself. And the more you experience this freedom, the clearer the sign that the ego and the hopes and fears that keep it alive are dissolving, and the closer you will come to the infinitely generous "wisdom of egolessness." When you live in the wisdom home, you'll no longer find a barrier between "I" and "you," "this" and "that," "inside" and "outside;" you'll have come, finally, to your true home, the state of non-duality."
Sogyal Rinpoche
"Intelligent Practice always deals with just one thing: the fear at the base of human existence, the fear that I am not. And of course I am not, but the last thing I want to know is that. I am impermanence itself in a rapidly changing human form that appears solid. I fear to see what I am: an ever-changing energy field. I don't want to be that. So good practice is about fear. Fear takes the form of constantly thinking, speculating, analyzing, fantasizing. With all that activity we create a cloud to keep ourselves safe in make-believe practice. True practice is not safe; it's anything but safe. But we don't like that, so we obsess with our feverish efforts to achieve our version of the personal dream. Such obsessive practice is itself just another cloud between ourselves and reality. The only thing that matters is seeing with an impersonal spotlight: seeing things as they really are. When the personal barrier drops away, why do we have to call it anything? We just live our lives. And when we die, we just die. No problem anywhere."
Charlotte Joko Beck, in 'Everyday Zen'
"Our exaggerated sense of self and our compulsion to find happiness for this larger-than-life self we have fabricated cause us to ignore, neglect and harm others. Of course, it is our right to love and take care of ourselves, but not at the expense of others. While "As long as I'm alright" is our motto, we have no hesitation in acting with total disregard for others."
From: The Three Principal Aspects of the Path: An Oral Teaching by Geshe Sonam Rinchen
For a funny practical teaching; click on the Snowman to download this self-extracting Flash file (it is 256kB, so may take a couple of minutes to download).
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TO THINK OR NOT TO THINK?
One issue which can create much confusion is about our dualistic mind. Normally, our mind functions on a very dualistic level, which means that we continuously make distinctions, like black and white, good and bad, hard and soft. This level of mind reasons and is the basis for our ability to think logical using concepts. However, the goal of the teachings on emptiness is to lead to a non-dualistic experience (realisation) of emptiness. Different schools may approach this problem differently; for example, the Zen schools tend to emphasise first achieving a non-dualistic state of mind in meditation, the Tibetan schools first emphasise proper dualistic, inferential, logical understanding of the subject, and then meditating on it to achieve the direct realisation.
A question was put to to His Holiness Dalai Lama:
"How does one go from inferential knowledge to nonconceptual knowledge? Since analysis is used to arrive at total inferential knowledge any more analysis would still be inferential."
His Holiness' answer:
"Among meditations there are many different types and in special situations such as certain levels of Highest Yoga Tantra for example, analysis is discouraged. The general mode of procedure on the Buddhist path is that through constant reflection on the knowledge which is initially inferential, through various stages of familiarisation, reflection and contemplation, that knowledge which is initially inferential could eventually become nonconceptual. The engagement of that knowledge in relation to the object becomes subtler and subtler, eventually the knowledge becomes direct and unveiled.
Generally speaking it is very true that there must be a correlation between cause and its effects. Any cause can not give rise to any effect. There must be some causal relationship and connection but that does not mean that every effect must have completely similar causes. Take for instance the omnisicent mind of the Buddha; if we insist that its cause must be completely similar in characteristics with its effect which is omniscient mind, then we will have to maintain that within us we possess the seed for attaining Buddha's omniscient mind and wisdom. Then we must possess within us, even to a slight degree some form of Buddha's omniscient mind which cannot be maintained. As far as non-conceptual awareness or wisdom of Arya beings is concerned, the causes need not be such high states of realisation. Therefore regarding the non-dualistic awareness or wisdom of Arya beings, their causes can be said to exist even within ordinary beings.
If we examine our mind, as long as we remain in an ordinary state of existence, our mind is characterized by dualistic perceptions, dualistic experiences. Within this dualistic experience and perception we must be able to seek some kind of seed which would give rise to non-dual wisdom and awareness. Therefore in the initial stage of knowledge, it is inferential, dualistic and characterized by duality between subject and object. As you train your mind and constantly reflect and cultivate your familiarity with that object, then that subject and object duality will gradually diminish in its intensity. Gradually it will lead you to realization. Your knowledge of the object becomes direct, intuitive and non-conceptual.
When we talk of non-dual awareness in the context of dualistic appearances or dualism, one must bear in mind that there are many different meanings of the term. Dualistic experience could be understood in terms of a multitude of ways: conventional appearance as dualistic appearance, subject and object duality or separateness as being dualistic appearance; or as a generated image through which we can conceive as object, that image can be seen as dualistic appearance. Similarly when we come across the term non-conceptuality we do not have the notion that there is only a single meaning which is universal in every single context. Non-conceptuality will have different meanings in different contexts."
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WISDOM AND COMPASSION
With this explanation, you may be tempted to think that emptiness is all about playing with words and doing complicated mind games. However, it is said that realising emptiness directly can solve all our problems, as all our problems are caused by our misunderstanding of the world. As all our communication is based on words which cannot express the ultimate truth, please try to discover the real meaning behind the words for yourself!
Another thing that should be kept in mind is that when one directly experiences emptiness, the mind cannot perceive anything dualistic, meaning it cannot perceive anything of the "normal" world. This is why discussions on emptiness often tend to go astray and may have an "otherworldly" feel to them. It is said that only a fully realised Buddha can experience emptiness and ordinary existence simultaneously.
Now a few words on the combination of wisdom and compassion. In Tibetan Buddhism, these are considered the two most important aspects of practice. Just like a bird needs two wings to fly; a very compassionate person without wisdom is only a likeable fool, and a person with wisdom and no compassion is like a lonely hermit in an ivory tower... Both will reinforce each other: once we realise how interrelated we all are, it is hard not to feel some level of compassion, and once we feel compassionate to others we realise our interrelatedness.
"Recently I am emphasizing that due to the modern economy, and also due to information and education, the world is now heavily interdependent, interconnected. Under such circumstances, the concept of 'we' and 'they' is gone: harming your neighbor is actually harming yourself. If you do negative things towards your neighbor, that is actually creating your own suffering. And helping them, showing concern about others' welfare -- actually these are the major factors of your own happiness. If you want a community full of joy, full of friendship, you should create that possibility. If you remain negative, and meantime want more smiles and friendship from your neighbors, that's illogical. If you want a more friendly neighbor, you must create the atmosphere. They they will respond."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama (from an interview in the November issue of the Shambala Sun)
"The one thing to be attained is essentially void and compassionate. Let me explain.
The realisation of voidness is the absolute spirit of enlightenment; it is seeing that all things are unborn.
Compassion is the relative spirit of enlightenment; it is reaching out in love to all beings who have yet to realise that they are unborn.
Those who follow the Mahayana path should develop these two forms of the spirit of enlightenment."
Drom Tonpa
"The supreme goal of the teachings is the emptiness whose nature is compassion."
Atisha
"Know emptiness, be compassionate."
Milarepa
Samadhi Raja Sutra
Know all things to be like this:
A mirage, a cloud castle,
A dream, an apparition,
Without essence, but with qualities that can be seen.
Know all things to be like this:
As the moon in a bright sky
In some clear lake reflected,
Though to that lake the moon has never moved.
Know all things to be like this:
As an echo that derives
From music, sounds, and weeping,
Yet in that echo is no melody.
Know all things to be like this:
As a magician makes illusions
Of horses, oxen, carts and other things,
Nothing is as it appears.
The Buddha
QUOTED FROM HERE
Heart Sutra
Heart Sutra
Click for heart sutra
The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom
In Sanskrit: Bhagavati prajnaparamitahrdaya
In Tibetan: Bcom Idan 'das ma shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa'I snying po
In English: The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom, the Bhagavati
Thus have I once heard:
The Blessed One was staying in Rajagrha at Vulture Peak along with a great community of monks and great community of bodhisattvas, and at that time, the Blessed One fully entered the meditative concentration on the varieties of phenomena called the Appearance of the Profound. At that very time as well, holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being, beheld the practice itself of the profound perfection of wisdom, and he even saw the five aggregates as empty of inherent nature. Thereupon, through the Buddha's inspiration, the venerable Sariputra spoke to holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being, and said, "Any noble son who wishes to engage in the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom should train in what way?"
When this had been said, holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being, spoke to venerable Sariputra and said, "Sariputra, any noble sons or daughters who wish to practice the perfection of wisdom should see this way: they should see insightfully, correctly, and repeatedly that even the five aggregates are empty of inherent nature. Form is empty, emptiness is form, Emptiness is not other than form, form is also not other than emptiness. Likewise, sensation, discrimination, conditioning, and awareness are empty. In this way, Sariputra, all things are emptiness; they are without defining characteristics; they are not born, they do not cease, they are not defiled, they are not undefiled. They have no increase, they have no decrease.
"Therefore, Sariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, no discrimination, no conditioning, and no awareness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind. There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture, no phenomenon. There is no eye-element and so on up to no mind-element and also up to no element of mental awareness. There is no ignorance and no elimination of ignorance and so on up to no aging and death and no elimination of aging and death. Likewise, there is no suffering, origin, cessation, or path; there is no wisdom, no attainment, and even no non-attainment.
"Therefore, Sariputra, since the bodhisattvas have no obtainments, they abide relying on the perfection of wisdom. Having no defilements in their minds, they have no fear, and passing completely beyond error, they reach nirvana. Likewise, all the Buddhas abiding in the three times clearly and completely awaken to unexcelled, authentic, and complete awakening in dependence upon the perfection of wisdom.
"Therefore, one should know that the mantra of the perfection of wisdom - the mantra of great knowledge, the precious mantra, the unexcelled mantra, the mantra equal to the unequalled, the mantra that quells all suffering - is true because it is not deceptive. The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is proclaimed:
tadyatha - gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha!
Sariputra, a bodhisattva, a great being, should train in the profound perfection of wisdom in that way."
Thereupon, the Blessed One arose for that meditative concentration, and he commended holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being. "Excellent!" he said. "Excellent! Excellent! Noble child, it is just so. Noble child, it is just so. One should practice the profound perfection of wisdom in the manner that you have revealed - the Tathagatas rejoice!" This is what the Blessed One said.
Thereupon, the venerable Sariputra, the holy Avalokitsevara, the bodhisattva, the great being, and that entire assembly along with the world of gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, all rejoiced and highly praised what the Blessed One had said.
Quoted from HERE
觀自在菩薩，行深般若波羅蜜多時，照見五蘊皆空，渡 一切苦厄。
舍利子，色不異空，空不異色，色即是空， 空即是色; 受、想、行、識，亦復如是。舍利子，是諸法空相 ，不生、不滅，不垢、不淨，不增、不減;是故空中無色，無 受、想、行、識，無眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意，無色、聲、香、味、觸、法;無眼界，乃至無意識界，無無明，亦無無明盡，乃至無老死，亦無老死盡; 無苦、集、滅、道，無智亦無得。
以無所得故， 菩提薩埵，依般若波羅密多故，心無罣礙，無罣礙故， 無有恐怖，遠離顛倒夢想，究竟涅槃。
三世諸佛，依般 若波羅密多故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，故知般若波羅蜜 多，是大神咒，是大明咒，是無上咒，是無等等咒，能 除一切苦，真實不虛。
故說般若波羅蜜多咒，即說咒曰 ：「揭諦揭諦，波羅揭諦，波羅僧揭諦，菩提薩婆訶。」
般若心經全篇的主旨，是描述空。在內容上，可以分為三段；第一段指出，空是在修練中體現在一般經驗中。凡夫只看到種種生命現象，亦即是五蘊。
第二段是破解自原始佛教所成立的代表存在概念。這些概念可分為五蘊、十二處、十八界的解扣。
第三段是通過十二因緣、四諦的解扣，及研究客觀存在的性質問題如色蘊及六境等，解釋五蘊不實的狀況。心經沒有交代生命現象是空的理由，而是破斥它們的存在。先破五蘊中的色蘊及其餘四蘊，再破十二處、十八界、十二因緣、四聖諦的實踐。
個人覺得要了解心經，應從天台宗五時八教之判教開始。根椐天台宗的闡釋，所謂五時是根據所說的經立時間；其一是華嚴時，是指釋迦初成正覺，於最初的二十一日，向大乘菩薩眾及天人等說法。講述自證的境界，即華嚴經。
其二是在釋迦認為自己所說的法，只利利根眾生，便花十二年的時間，於鹿野宛說四含等經。其意在誘導小機鈍根，所說即小乘佛法。
其後八年，釋迦說維摩楞伽等經，即復說大乘佛法。從小乘轉入大乘稱為方等時。
後十二年，釋迦說般若經及諸部般若，乃進大乘佛法的深法。
最後八年，釋迦說法華經，並於圓寂前以一晝夜說涅槃經。
以時代說，心經及諸部般若，應是天台宗五時中之第四時的說法。但在解讀心經時，難免要了解其餘四時的思想。
個人學養不深，當中釋義，當有不善之處，萬望各方大德指正。
般若(音波野)
般若是梵語大智慧的音譯。是通達智慧的意思。
波羅蜜多
華語是“到彼岸”的意思
般若波羅蜜多是說般若如船，能將眾生有情從生死輪迴的此岸，渡到不生不死的酙盤彼岸。
經文句解
觀自在菩薩
觀自在菩薩有兩種意思。
其一是觀世音菩薩的別名。因為觀音菩薩無論是自利或利人，都能得到大自在。而自在即是進退無綛的意思。
其一是觀一切法很自在的意思。菩薩是菩提薩埵的簡稱，華語是覺有情，即是覺悟有情的意思，也就是上求佛果和下化眾生的大聖人。
這裏引用第二雒解釋。
菩薩是以菩提圓滿為目的，非加一番勇猛精勤的修行不為效。從正義言，唐代諸大譯家均將菩提譯為覺，薩埵為有情，有情是總指一切有意志及思想感情的生命。如發撺了上佛覺之志願的有情，方可稱為菩薩。若未能真正發起上求佛果的心願，無論他有多大的福報或神通變化的能力，都不可以稱為菩薩。
坊間有傳，觀自在菩薩即觀世音菩薩。可能是因為兩者梵文讀音差異不大。觀自在菩薩的梵文全名是(Aryavalokitesvara Bodhisattva)，而心經的另一早期版本中，鳩摩羅什便將此段梵文譯為觀世音菩薩(Avalokita svara)。事實上觀世音菩薩與觀自在菩薩，應是有不同的德性。由觀世間之苦而尋聲救度稱為觀世音，從自己修養上得到大自在則稱為觀自在。
觀自在是否即觀音菩薩自古已有爭議。中文譯本的觀自在與梵文譯本出現差異其中一個可能是唐以前，譯經的學者多數將觀世音與觀自在互通。例如，據晉時譯出的大方廣佛雜華嚴飾經中在描述人死前的情況便有；
.....即見阿彌陀佛文殊菩薩，普賢菩薩觀自在菩薩.....
但在玄奘法師譯出的藥師琉璃如來本願功德經中所描述人死前的情況便有；
.....有八大菩薩，其名曰文殊師利菩薩，觀世音菩薩......
當中可見，唐以前，觀世音菩薩與觀自在菩薩可能是通用。
根據華嚴經說，人地菩薩有＋種自在；
一. 壽命自在
二. 心自在
三. 色自在
四. 業自在
五. 受生自在
六. 勝解自在
七. 願自在
八. 如意自在
九. 法自在
十. 智自在
如果我們再研究般若經，便會發覺觀自在菩薩可能真的不是觀世音菩薩
經云﹕「復次，舍利弗﹗菩薩摩訶薩，行般若波羅蜜(時)，色不與薩婆若合 (藏譯﹕不以薩婆若合色)，色(性)不可見故﹔受、想、行識亦如是。眼不與薩婆若合，眼(性)不可見故﹔耳、鼻、舌、身、意亦如是。色不與薩婆若合，色 (性)不可見故﹔香、味、觸、法亦如是。舍利弗﹗菩薩摩訶薩，如是習相應者，是名與般若波羅蜜相應。」將心經與般若經比較，便可發覺，觀自在菩薩應是指修為極深的菩薩，即菩薩摩訶薩。
而據佛經所示，十地菩薩之狀況：
（一）歡善地：捨異生性（眾生性）得聖種性，證二空之理， 利益自他生大歡喜。
（二）離垢地：成就淨戒，遠離諸犯戒之垢。
（四）發光地：成就勝定大法（三摩缽底等），發生無邊妙慧 （聞思修三慧）。
（四）焰慧地：安住最勝菩提分法，發出智慧燒去一切煩惱。
（五）極難勝地：真智（根本智）與俗智（後得智）二者皆現前互相圓融，且了知二者非一非異。
（六）現前地：觀十二緣起，善能得染淨無分別。現前即此無 分別之最勝般若現前之義。
（七）遠行地：住於無相，遠離世間與二乘之有相行。此地有 「七地沈空難」之危險，易落入「木頭空」，此乃渡生與菩提 均無功用之偏見。
（八）不動地：無漏之無分別智不用加行自行現前，不為一切 煩惱與有相功用所動。
（九）善慧地：成就四無礙解，遊十方說法無礙之義。
（十）法雲地：大法智遮一切惑障，如空中現出大雲作大法雨 之義。
如按十地經的解釋，觀自在菩薩應是指七地以上的修行者。七地以前的菩薩，因為觀智未成熟，未能自然地修習無相觀。而離開第七地後，便能自然任運地修習無相觀。
行深般若波羅蜜多時
行即執行的意思，這裏是在修行到達涅盤超脫生死的智慧的時候。
照見五蘊皆空
觀照是用心光向心中看，向心中照，是一種修慧的方法。蘊是積集的意思。
據大乘五蘊論：
如薄伽梵略說五蘊。一者色蘊。二者受蘊。三者想蘊。四者行蘊。五者識蘊
五蘊是色、受、想、行、識等五種。色是一般說的物質，變礙為義，是地水風火四大種所做。佛典中地水火風等四大種與通俗之地水火風有很大的區別。佛典中此四大種能產生一切事物，能生一切色法之物，乃帶數持業釋也。此四大種眼識弗見，與現時我們的定義大不同
受是感受，領納為義，其中包括苦，樂，捨三受。想就是想像，於善惡憎愛等境界中，取種種相，作種種想。行是行為或做作，由意念而行動去造作種種的善惡業。識是了別的意思，由識去辨別所緣所對的境界。在此五蘊中，前一種是物質，後四種是精神，是構成人身的五種原素。五蘊皆空是色、受、想、行、識，因色是四大假合而有，受想行識是由妄念、而生，故五蘊諸法，如幻如化，從因緣起，本無實性，當體即空。
這句的意思是發現人身一切事物，均是虛幻不實。
渡一切苦厄
是超脫一切苦的意思。依據梵本心經並無此句因此可能是玄奘法師依照般若空觀的精神潤增。
舍利子，色不異空，空不異色，色即是空，空即是色。受、想、行、識，亦復如是。
舍利子有兩個解釋。其一是靈骨，是由修戒定慧之功德結晶而成。其一是釋迦牟尼的弟子，即舍利弗。舍利是鶖鷺，舍利子的母親眼似鶖鷺，固名為舍利弗。為佛的十大弟子之一，以智慧第一著稱，梵文 Sariputra 的音譯。或譯作鶖鷺子、舍利子。初從六師外道的刪闍那毗羅胝子出家，後因聽到馬勝比丘說因緣所生法的偈頌，改學佛法。由於他持戒多聞,敏捷智慧,善講佛法,因此很快成為佛陀的十大弟子之一。
色在這裏，是泛言物質現象。根據原始佛教的解釋，色是指肉身；空是因緣和合而生的一切事物，究竟而無實體，叫做空，也是假和不實的意思。
這裏是告訊舍利弗五蘊皆空，全是不實的道理。全句的意思，應是生命的肉身與空的存在沒有分別；空的存在與生命的肉身也沒有分別；因此，空與其餘四種生命現象也沒有分別。
舍利子，是諸法空相，不生不滅，不垢不淨，不增不減。
諸法是一道理和事物的意思。空相是諸法皆空的相狀。因緣生的事物，均沒有自性，此即空的相狀。不生不滅是不生也猤滅，是常住的別名，也是永生的意思。垢是煩惱，淨是沒有煩惱；也是清潔與污垢的意思。整句的意思是所有事物都是沒有自性，是真空的。因此所以事物都不存在自身的存在與滅亡，亦不會有所增減。以上六(不)，分別組成三對，都是描述空的狀態。由於一切現象都是空的狀態，所以沒有存在主體，沒有主體便沒有生、滅、垢、淨、增、減的活動。
是故空中無色﹐無受、想、行、識。
這裡是說明；處於空的狀態就沒有真實的肉身現象亦沒有其餘四種生命現象。
無眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意。
此句經文是由前句「是故空中無色，無受想行識」承貫而下的。眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六根，能生者謂之「根」，根能生枝葉，眼根能生眼識，耳根能生耳識，乃至意根能生意識。六根中眼、耳、鼻、舌、身五根是身體所具有的生理器官，是由物質組成的，是有相的，故為色根。意根屬於思想、精神作用，是無相的，故為心根。佛教以之代表自我活動能力，但從空的角度，都不能說根有自主性。身體既是四大假合之體，空無所有，因此六根亦無有。身體包括這五根生理器官，是因緣和合而有，緣生性空，無自性、無實體，故云「無眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意」。
無色、聲、香、味、觸、法
色、聲、香、味、觸、法是對應六根而言﹐又叫六塵。此句是六塵皆空之意。塵又名為「境」，能染汙心性，猶如塵埃一樣，使其本來面目由於六塵所蓋而無法顯現。萬有諸法雖多，均為四大所顯。一切有情，歸納起來不外乎「色聲香味觸法」六塵。所謂色塵者，就是眼根所對、四大所顯的情器世間中，一切以色相為體的境；聲塵者，即是耳根所對、四大所顯的情器世間中，以聲響為體的境；香塵者，則是鼻根所對、四大所顯的情器世間中，以諸氣味為體的境；味塵者，則是舌根所對、四大所顯的情器世間中，以諸味道為體的境；觸塵者，則是身根所對、四大所顯的情器世間中，以接觸感受為體的境；法塵者，乃是眼、耳、鼻、舌、身五根，每一根對境時，意根也隨之而加以分別。每起一根，意根則同時相應分別而起之，由此而生色聲香味觸法。倘若五根對境時，意根不起分別，則會視而不見、聽而不聞、食而不知其味，則無色、聲、香、味、觸、法也。猶如鏡照諸物，物去鏡空，物來鏡映。因此，前五根對境時，意根不隨之分別，那就是現量而不是比量。若不執、不住五根所對的幻化之相，此乃無相之境。由此六根已空，則無六塵。故無色、聲、香、味、觸、法。
無眼界。乃至無意識界。
此句是無眼界，無耳界，無鼻界，無舌界，無身界，無意識界的簡化說法。界﹐解作「識」﹐所以也可以說成是無眼識乃至無意識識。六根、六塵既空，六識也空無所有。因為眼識、耳識、鼻識、舌識、身識、意識（六識）屬於心法，它的產生必須是內依根、外和塵（境），根塵相對，並分別其領受的形象，由此集合而產生了識。單方面孤立地是不會產生識的。比如：單獨一根或一塵，或是前五根對五塵不加分別，則不是識。眼根對色塵則生眼識，故名眼識界。其他亦復如是。六根、六塵、六識合稱「十八界」。六識如同六根、六塵一樣，都屬於眾緣和合而生。緣生性空，皆非實相，均屬夢幻泡影，都是我人真性光中的幻影，心光之影像，均是影子，均生滅無常，當體即空無所有，故稱為「無」。「無」是諸佛妙有真空的體性。這真空妙體，並非佛所獨有，凡夫也同樣俱足。「無眼界，乃至無意識界。」這一句是省略之詞，十八界不一個個地說出來了。「界」乃界限之意。無眼界，則是無眼識界限。內六根、外六塵、根塵相對生起六識，故名十八界。本來沒有界，皆因著相，故而有了界。
無無明，亦無無明盡，乃至無老死，亦無老死盡。
佛在破了五蘊十八界的執見後，便續破十二因緣的執見。十二因緣是佛教的基本道理。根據經典的記載，佛陀在菩提樹下覺悟時，就是觀這十二因緣。十二因緣說明有情流轉生死的前因后果，在此流轉中唯是煩惱、業行及苦果（即惑、業、苦）﹔它們相依，因緣生滅的相續流轉，使到我們感受到有個人生的過程，有一個生命在生死輪回﹔實際上這其中無有主宰者、沒有作者、也沒有受者。＜br>
十二因緣又稱為十二緣起支。此十二支互相為因果，因為一個因緣升起，而造成另一個因緣也生起。
一、十二因緣三世二重因果：
第一重因果：過去因到現在果。
過去因有二：
一. 無明，即過去迷惑。
二. 行，即過去造業。
現在果有五：
一. 識
二.名色
三. 六入
四. 觸
五. 受
現在因有二：
一. 愛
二. 取
未來果有二：
一. 生
二. 老死 十二因緣就是因為有無明，所以有“行”之造作﹔因為造業而入胎，故有入胎之識﹔因為入胎，名色就展開活動，它擴展、擴大，就產生了六入﹔胎兒的六根圓滿后就出世，然后與外面的境界接觸﹔根、塵、識和合產生觸的心理，有了觸就產生受，過去我們貪愛的業習就會引發出來，愛即生﹔愛加深就有取，使我們希求它再來、再有，就形成了有﹔有將來的業，促使我們再來生，再來死。這十二因緣就是有情眾生的流轉生死的前因后果，它的流轉并不是直線式，而是一個輪轉。既是過去的無明，造成現在的受﹔現在的無明，就是愛、取﹔現在的愛、取，就是下一世的無明，它一直循環不息，周而復始。在十二因緣中，我們要知道有迷惑，因迷惑而造業﹔造業后我們就要受業的果報--苦果。在受苦果的當中，我們繼續迷惑，繼續造業，造業后又再受報，這樣的循環作用，稱為十二因緣的流轉。。
無苦、集、滅、道
苦、集、滅、道即四聖諦。巴利文聖典所載四聖諦的最早記錄之一，據說是如下簡單內容﹕「此即是苦聖諦－－生是苦，老是苦，病是苦，死是苦，怨憎會是苦，愛別離是苦，所求不得是苦，約言之，五取蘊是苦。此即是苦集聖諦－－帶來後有，喜貪所伴，而隨處悅喜之愛欲，指謂欲愛、有愛、無有愛。此即是苦滅聖諦－－即謂無有愛欲殘存之滅盡、捨離、解脫、無執著。此即是苦滅道聖諦－－即謂八支聖道，乃指正見、正思惟、正語、正業、正命、正精進、正念、正定而言。」＜br>
如果我們把小乘佛教的三法印包括在苦諦之中，則可以說，由於世間凡夫未能了透「諸行無常」與「諸法無我」的真諦，因此才會產生「一切皆苦」。這裡所說的「苦」，不但指謂八苦 (即生、老、病、死等四苦，另加愛別離苦、怨憎會苦、求不得苦與五陰熾盛苦)。
苦諦不必限於苦的現實，一般指謂事物缺失理想的無自覺狀態的現實(世界)，因此不必限於苦。然從宗教的立場，尤其從佛教的立場去看，世俗世間無有理想的無自覺狀態即是苦。」。集諦則說明「一切皆苦」的原因或理由，苦、集二諦合起來說構成流轉緣起，即以十二因緣 (無明→行→識→名色→六處→觸→受→愛→取→有→生→老死及憂悲苦愁惱)。十二因緣之中，「(貪)愛」是當前容易辨認的生死流轉主因，但最根本的原因是在「無明」，又稱「根本無明」。
滅諦指謂「涅槃寂靜」，最早的原義很可能是「貪欲的壞滅，瞋恚的壞滅，愚痴的壞滅」，亦即貪瞋痴三毒的消除滅盡(nirodha)，此一解脫境界亦稱「不死」(amata)、「彼岸」(para) 或「無為」(asankhata)。涅槃即不外是滅盡(一切有)漏、自知、自證、體得心解脫與慧解脫於現法。滅諦(及與其他三諦所成的四聖諦)並不是所謂「永恒不變的理法」，而不許多元開放的種種可能詮釋。
如說滅諦與道諦構成還滅緣起，則前者所指的涅槃解脫，即是佛教的理想境界或目標，後者則指達到此一境界或目標的修行實踐必需手段或進路，即指八正道、三十七道品而言，八正道又可以分別歸類於戒定慧三學，而整個道諦的根本旨趣，亦可以用釋迦成道之前已體現到的不苦不樂的「中道」。
故然苦集是世間法滅道是出世間法而在世間法中了悟道理不為世間法束縛便是出世間法此四諦法亦是顯出因緣的道理其中無實性故說無苦集滅道
無智亦無得，以無所得故。
此十個字可依識解，亦可依般若解。智是指認知主體；得是指對象。這句是牐上句，意思可為；所有一切把目光放射於外，以一種主客二分的思路，來找尋存在的想法是不相應。因為空根本不是一個對象。所以無智亦無得。而因為空不是一個對象，亦不能有所取的緣故。
另一方面，智(jnana)在梵文可解作知識。得，可解作實踐上的結果。在此情況，此十字的解釋應為；在知識上無所知，在實踐修行上亦無結果。因為空不是一個對象，猤能有所取的緣故。
菩提薩埵，依般若波羅蜜多故，心無罣礙
菩薩，梵語菩提薩埵(bodhi-sattva)的簡稱，意譯為覺眾生、道心眾生，即發願追求無上菩提、利益眾生、修諸波羅蜜行，且相信一定成為「當來佛」的大心眾生。印度‧龍樹菩薩造，姚秦‧鳩摩羅什譯《大智度論》卷四〈大智度初品中菩薩釋論〉﹕
問曰﹕何等名菩提，何等名薩埵。答曰﹕菩提名諸佛道，薩埵名成眾生或大心。是人諸佛道功德盡欲得，其心不可斷不可破，如金剛山，是名大心。如偈說﹕ 一切諸佛法，智慧及戒定，能利益一切，是名為菩提。其心不可動，能忍成道事，不斷亦不破，是心名薩埵。復次稱讚好法名為薩，好法體相名為埵。菩薩心自利利他故，度一切眾生故，知一法實性故，行阿耨多羅三藐三菩提道故，為一切賢聖之所稱讚故，是名菩提薩埵。所以者何﹖一切諸法中，佛法第一。是人欲取是法故，為賢聖所讚嘆。復次，如是人為一切眾生，脫生死者，故索佛道。是名菩提薩埵。……
問曰﹕齊何名為菩提薩埵。答曰﹕有大誓願，心不可動，精進不退，以是三事，名為菩提薩埵。復次有人言，初發心度一切眾生，作願言我當作佛度一切眾生。
這裏的意思應是修行的人，根據這種般若波羅蜜多的作用，內心的活動便再沒有障礙。
無罣礙故﹐無有恐怖
根據十地經中，有煩惱的眾生有五種恐怖；
一. 不活畏，即生活不安的恐懼
二. 惡名畏，即害怕得到壞名聲的恐懼
三. 死畏，即害怕死亡
四. 惡趣畏，即死後墮生惡趣的恐懼
五. 怯眾畏，即自卑
這裏的意思應是由於沒有障礙的緣故，便消除了種種的恐懼。
無有恐怖，遠離顛倒夢想，究竟涅槃
根據大品般若經，顛倒有三種；
一. 想顛倒，即對境象產生錯誤的認知
二. 見顛倒，即對所知產生錯誤的見解
三. 心顛倒，即產生前兩者的心識，即是虛妄
涅槃是梵文nirvana的音譯。本是熄滅的意思，在梵文中，是用來借喻煩惱之火熄滅、生命不再受縛，不再輪迴而得解脫。即是四聖諦中的滅聖諦涅槃應是依是四聖諦教，修行道諦，斷集諦所說的一切煩惱與業，不再有苦諦所說的世間苦果，而證入滅諦所說的諸漏已盡的阿羅漢果的最高存在境界。
這裏的意思應是因為消除了種種恐懼，便可以超出一切不真實的了解，從而進入涅槃的境界。
三世諸佛，依般若波羅蜜多故，得亞耨多羅三藐三菩提
過去，現在，未來，稱為三世。此句意思是過去現在未來三世十方諸佛皆是依般若波羅蜜多之故，得到無上正等正覺。阿耨多羅三藐三菩提為梵語音譯。阿耨多羅意譯是無上，三藐是正等，三菩提是正覺，全稱作「無上正等正覺」。此乃無以上之的大覺情唯佛可得其餘聲聞等聖者皆不能達至。
故知般若波羅蜜多，是大神咒是，大明咒，是無上咒，是無等等咒。
大神咒是偉大的咒語；大明咒是大智慧的咒語；無上咒及無等等咒是超過一切，無與倫比的咒語。用白話文重寫，便是；般若波羅密多是偉大的咒語；大智慧的咒語；超過一切，無與倫比的咒語。
能除一切苦﹐真實不虛 用白話文重寫，便是；它能此息一切苦痛，因為它是真實及不虛妄。
故說般若波羅蜜多咒，即說咒曰：揭諦揭諦，波羅揭諦，波羅僧揭諦，菩提薩婆訶。
唐玄奘法師有五不譯；
一. 祕密
二. 多重意義
三. 無意義
四. 古時已有意義
五. 咒語
這句便因為是梵文咒語，他便只用音譯。
用白話文重寫，便是；以下便是通過般若波羅蜜多時所說的咒語。
去罷！去罷！到彼岸去罷！完全的到彼岸去罷！要覺悟！謹願！
我們解讀《般若波羅蜜多心經》時，往往有誤解，可能是我們對淨土行門有誤解，以為經是用來唸，不是用來解。
大乘初期的般若思想，是以《阿含經》為基礎，做進一步的發展。原始佛教是要面對人生問題據雜阿含經的記載；
如是我聞：一時，佛住舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。爾時、世尊告諸比丘：「於色不知、不明、不斷、不離欲，則不能斷苦。如是受、想、行、識，不知、不明、不斷、不離欲，則不能斷苦。諸比丘！於色若知、若明、若斷、若離欲，則能斷苦。如是受、想、行、識，若知、若明、若斷、若離欲，則能堪任斷苦」。時諸比丘聞佛所說，歡喜奉行。
事實上，空義在《阿含經》中已出現，但多以十二支緣起闡明我空（人空），並以五蘊、十二處、十八界等說明有情個體之中，沒有自我的自性存在，多局限於有情生命流轉的說明。直至《般若經》的出現，空義始擴大到因緣所生的一切法，實無自性的存在，一切法空（人、法二空）的思想，始成大乘佛法的特色。
小乘佛學，已教人認識五蘊皆空的道理。而小乘成實宗亦有人空觀及法空觀兩種觀。前者是觀人我皆為五蘊的假和合，即是此五蘊是由各種因緣組合而成，無一為人我的絕對獨立存在本質，由是不見有其真實。後者是認為五蘊諸法有假命，無實體亦無獨立恒常存在。但要充分了解諸部般若則必須要了解龍樹菩薩所著的中論。
不過，《般若經》的論空，大都是直截了當地說明空義（主要是空義的實踐），少有空義的論證，故哲學思想的成分很淡。及至龍樹菩薩《中論》一出現，始真正有系統地證立空義的理論，以論的形式針對不同主題作不同的論證，充滿了濃厚的哲學色彩。所以，龍樹菩薩的中觀學強調空的立場，確實繼承了般若思想。龍樹菩薩透過《中論》對各種不同論題的嚴謹論證，證立《般若經》中所述的種種義理，奠定了初期大乘佛法空義的思想基礎，也因此空義形成後來大乘佛教各宗派的共通思想，故天台宗說龍樹菩薩一系的中觀與般若為「通教」，其因即在此。
般若波羅蜜多心經可以說是諸部般若的撮要。它最早在中國流傳，應是在公元四世紀前後，姚秦時，鳩摩羅什所譯出的摩訶般若波羅蜜多咒經。鳩摩羅什師傳龍樹菩薩，因此，可以相信，鳩摩羅什編譯諸部般若時，會深受龍樹菩薩的中論思想影響。個人覺得，如果要理解心經的思想，絕不可能不對般若經的源頭，即《阿含經》；及空的釋義，即《中論》等作出研究。
Gold Sutra
金剛般若波羅蜜經
切有為法，如夢幻泡影，如露亦如電，應作如是觀。
金剛般若波羅蜜經
姚秦 三藏法師 鳩摩羅什 譯
如是我聞。一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。爾時，世尊食時，著衣持缽，入舍衛大城乞食。於其城中，次第乞已，還至本處。飯食訖，收衣缽，洗足已，敷座而坐。
時，長老須菩提在大眾中即從座起，偏袒右肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬而白佛言：「希有！世尊！如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。世尊！善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，應云何住？云何降伏其心？」
佛言：「善哉，善哉。須菩提！如汝所說：如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩，汝今諦聽！當為汝說：善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，應如是住，如是降伏其心。」
「唯然。世尊！願樂欲聞。」
佛告須菩提：「諸菩薩摩訶薩應如是降伏其心！所有一切眾生之類：若卵生、若胎生、若濕生、若化生；若有色、若無色；若有想、若無想、若非有想非無想，我皆令入無餘涅槃而滅度之。如是滅度無量無數無邊眾生，實無眾生得滅度者。何以故？須菩提！若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，即非菩薩。
「復次，須菩提！菩薩於法，應無所住，行於布施，所謂不住色布施，不住聲香味觸法布施。須菩提！菩薩應如是布施，不住於相。何以故？若菩薩不住相布施，其福德不可思量。
「須菩提！於意云何？東方虛空可思量不？」
「不也，世尊！」
「須菩提！南西北方四維上下虛空可思量不？」
「不也，世尊！」
「須菩提！菩薩無住相布施，福德亦復如是不可思量。須菩提！菩薩但應如所教住。
「須菩提！於意云何？可以身相見如來不？」
「不也，世尊！不可以身相得見如來。何以故？如來所說身相，即非身相。」
佛告須菩提：「凡所有相，皆是虛妄。若見諸相非相，則見如來。」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！頗有眾生，得聞如是言說章句，生實信不？」
佛告須菩提：「莫作是說。如來滅後，後五百歲，有持戒修福者，於此章句能生信心，以此為實，當知是人不於一佛二佛三四五佛而種善根，已於無量千萬佛所種諸善根，聞是章句，乃至一念生淨信者，須菩提！如來悉知悉見，是諸眾生得如是無量福德。何以故？是諸眾生無復我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相。
「無法相，亦無非法相。何以故？是諸眾生若心取相，則為著我人眾生壽者。
「若取法相，即著我人眾生壽者。何以故？若取非法相，即著我人眾生壽者，是故不應取法，不應取非法。以是義故，如來常說：汝等比丘，知我說法，如筏喻者，法尚應捨，何況非法。
「須菩提！於意云何？如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提耶？如來有所說法耶？」
須菩提言：「如我解佛所說義，無有定法名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，亦無有定法，如來可說。何以故？如來所說法，皆不可取、不可說、非法、非非法。所以者何？一切賢聖，皆以無為法而有差別。」
「須菩提！於意云何？若人滿三千大千世界七寶以用布施，是人所得福德，寧為多不？」
須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！何以故？是福德即非福德性，是故如來說福德多。」
「若復有人，於此經中受持，乃至四句偈等，為他人說，其福勝彼。何以故？須菩提！一切諸佛，及諸佛阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，皆從此經出。須菩提！所謂佛、法者，即非佛、法。
「須菩提！於意云何？須陀洹能作是念：『我得須陀洹果』不？」
須菩提言：「不也，世尊！何以故？須陀洹名為入流，而無所入，不入色聲香味觸法，是名須陀洹。」
「須菩提！於意云何？斯陀含能作是念：『我得斯陀含果』不？」
須菩提言：「不也，世尊！何以故？斯陀含名一往來，而實無往來，是名斯陀含。」
「須菩提！於意云何？阿那含能作是念：『我得阿那含果』不？」
須菩提言：「不也，世尊！何以故？阿那含名為不來，而實無不來，是故名阿那含。」
「須菩提！於意云何？阿羅漢能作是念：『我得阿羅漢道』不？」
須菩提言：「不也，世尊！何以故？實無有法名阿羅漢。世尊！若阿羅漢作是念：『我得阿羅漢道』，即為著我人眾生壽者。世尊！佛說我得無諍三昧，人中最為第一，是第一離欲阿羅漢。我不作是念：『我是離欲阿羅漢』。世尊！我若作是念：『我得阿羅漢道』，世尊則不說須菩提是樂阿蘭那行者！以須菩提實無所行，而名須菩提是樂阿蘭那行。」
佛告須菩提：「於意云何？如來昔在燃燈佛所，於法有所得不？」
「世尊！如來在燃燈佛所，於法實無所得。」
「須菩提！於意云何？菩薩莊嚴佛土不？」
「不也，世尊！何以故？莊嚴佛土者，則非莊嚴，是名莊嚴。」
「是故須菩提，諸菩薩摩訶薩應如是生清淨心，不應住色生心，不應住聲香味觸法生心，應無所住而生其心。
「須菩提！譬如有人，身如須彌山王，於意云何？是身為大不？」
須菩提言：「甚大，世尊！何以故？佛說非身，是名大身。」
「須菩提！如恒河中所有沙數，如是沙等恒河，於意云何？是諸恒河沙寧為多不？」
須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！但諸恒河尚多無數，何況其沙！」
「須菩提！我今實言告汝：若有善男子、善女人，以七寶滿爾所恒河沙數三千大千世界，以用布施，得福多不？」
須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！」
佛告須菩提：「若善男子、善女人，於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德勝前福德。復次，須菩提！隨說是經，乃至四句偈等，當知此處，一切世間、天、人、阿修羅，皆應供養，如佛塔廟，何況有人盡能受持讀誦。須菩提！當知是人成就最上第一希有之法，若是經典所在之處，則為有佛，若尊重弟子。」
爾時，須菩提白佛言：「世尊！當何名此經？我等云何奉持？」
佛告須菩提：「是經名為《金剛般若波羅蜜》，以是名字，汝當奉持。所以者何？須菩提！佛說般若波羅蜜，則非般若波羅蜜。須菩提！於意云何？如來有所說法不？」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如來無所說。」
「須菩提！於意云何？三千大千世界所有微塵是為多不？」
須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！」
「須菩提！諸微塵，如來說非微塵，是名微塵。如來說：世界，非世界，是名世界。
「須菩提！於意云何？可以三十二相見如來不？」
「不也，世尊！何以故？如來說：三十二相，即是非相，是名三十二相。」
「須菩提！若有善男子、善女人，以恒河沙等身命布施；若復有人，於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，其福甚多！」
爾時，須菩提聞說是經，深解義趣，涕淚悲泣，而白佛言：「希有，世尊！佛說如是甚深經典，我從昔來所得慧眼，未曾得聞如是之經。世尊！若復有人得聞是經，信心清淨，則生實相，當知是人，成就第一希有功德。世尊！是實相者，則是非相，是故如來說名實相。世尊！我今得聞如是經典，信解受持不足為難，若當來世，後五百歲，其有眾生，得聞是經，信解受持，是人則為第一希有。何以故？此人無我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相。所以者何？我相即是非相，人相、眾生相、壽者相即是非相。何以故？離一切諸相，則名諸佛。」
佛告須菩提：「如是！如是！若復有人，得聞是經，不驚、不怖、不畏，當知是人甚為希有。何以故？須菩提！如來說：第一波羅蜜，非第一波羅蜜，是名第一波羅蜜。須菩提！忍辱波羅蜜，如來說非忍辱波羅蜜。何以故？須菩提！如我昔為歌利王割截身體，我於爾時，無我相、無人相、無眾生相、無壽者相。何以故？我於往昔節節支解時，若有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，應生瞋恨。須菩提！又念過去於五百世作忍辱仙人，於爾所世，無我相、無人相、無眾生相、無壽者相。是故須菩提！菩薩應離一切相，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，不應住色生心，不應住聲香味觸法生心，應生無所住心。若心有住，則為非住。
「是故佛說：菩薩心不應住色布施。須菩提！菩薩為利益一切眾生，應如是布施。如來說：一切諸相，即是非相。又說：一切眾生，則非眾生。須菩提！如來是真語者、實語者、如語者、不誑語者、不異語者。
「須菩提！如來所得法，此法無實無虛。須菩提！若菩薩心住於法而行布施，如人入暗，則無所見；若菩薩心不住法而行布施，如人有目，日光明照，見種種色。
「須菩提！當來之世，若有善男子、善女人，能於此經受持讀誦，則為如來以佛智慧，悉知是人，悉見是人，皆得成就無量無邊功德。
「須菩提！若有善男子、善女人，初日分以恒河沙等身布施，中日分復以恒河沙等身布施，後日分亦以恒河沙等身布施，如是無量百千萬億劫以身布施；若復有人，聞此經典，信心不逆，其福勝彼，何況書寫、受持、讀誦、為人解說。
「須菩提！以要言之，是經有不可思議、不可稱量、無邊功德。如來為發大乘者說，為發最上乘者說。若有人能受持讀誦，廣為人說，如來悉知是人，悉見是人，皆成就不可量、不可稱、無有邊、不可思議功德，如是人等，則為荷擔如來阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。何以故？須菩提！若樂小法者，著我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，則於此經，不能聽受讀誦、為人解說。
「須菩提！在在處處，若有此經，一切世間、天、人、阿修羅，所應供養；當知此處，則為是塔，皆應恭敬，作禮圍繞，以諸華香而散其處。
「復次，須菩提！善男子、善女人，受持讀誦此經，若為人輕賤，是人先世罪業，應墮惡道，以今世人輕賤故，先世罪業則為消滅，當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
「須菩提！我念過去無量阿僧祇劫，於燃燈佛前，得值八百四千萬億那由他諸佛，悉皆供養承事，無空過者；若復有人，於後末世，能受持讀誦此經，所得功德，於我所供養諸佛功德，百分不及一，千萬億分、乃至算數譬喻所不能及。
「須菩提！若善男子、善女人，於後末世，有受持讀誦此經，所得功德，我若具說者，或有人聞，心則狂亂，狐疑不信。須菩提！當知是經義不可思議，果報亦不可思議。」
爾時，須菩提白佛言：「世尊！善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，云何應住？云何降伏其心？」
佛告須菩提：「善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，當生如是心，我應滅度一切眾生。滅度一切眾生已，而無有一眾生實滅度者。何以故？若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，則非菩薩。所以者何？須菩提！實無有法發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者。
「須菩提！於意云何？如來於燃燈佛所，有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不？」
「不也，世尊！如我解佛所說義，佛於燃燈佛所，無有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」
佛言：「如是，如是。須菩提！實無有法如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！若有法如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，燃燈佛則不與我授記：『汝於來世，當得作佛，號釋迦牟尼。』以實無有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，是故燃燈佛與我授記，作是言：『汝於來世，當得作佛，號釋迦牟尼。』何以故？如來者，即諸法如義。
「若有人言：如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！實無有法，佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！如來所得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，於是中無實無虛。是故如來說：一切法皆是佛法。須菩提！所言一切法者，即非一切法，是故名一切法。
「須菩提！譬如人身長大。」
須菩提言：「世尊！如來說：人身長大，則為非大身，是名大身。」
「須菩提！菩薩亦如是。若作是言：『我當滅度無量眾生』，則不名菩薩。何以故？須菩提！無有法名為菩薩。是故佛說：一切法無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者。須菩提！若菩薩作是言：『我當莊嚴佛土』，是不名菩薩。何以故？如來說：莊嚴佛土者，即非莊嚴，是名莊嚴。須菩提！若菩薩通達無我、法者，如來說名真是菩薩。
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有肉眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有肉眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有天眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有天眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有慧眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有慧眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有法眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有法眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有佛眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有佛眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？恒河中所有沙，佛說是沙不？」
「如是，世尊！如來說是沙。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如一恒河中所有沙，有如是沙等恒河，是諸恒河所有沙數，佛世界如是，寧為多不？」
「甚多，世尊！」
佛告須菩提：「爾所國土中，所有眾生，若干種心，如來悉知。何以故？如來說：諸心皆為非心，是名為心。所以者何？須菩提！過去心不可得，現在心不可得，未來心不可得。
「須菩提！於意云何？若有人滿三千大千世界七寶以用布施，是人以是因緣，得福多不？」
「如是，世尊！此人以是因緣，得福甚多。」
「須菩提！若福德有實，如來不說得福德多；以福德無故，如來說得福德多。
「須菩提！於意云何？佛可以具足色身見不？」
「不也，世尊！如來不應以色身見。何以故？如來說：具足色身，即非具足色身，是名具足色身。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來可以具足諸相見不？」
「不也，世尊！如來不應以具足諸相見。何以故？如來說：諸相具足，即非具足，是名諸相具足。」
「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！頗有眾生，於未來世，聞說是法，生信心不？」
佛言：「須菩提！彼非眾生，非不眾生。何以故？須菩提！眾生眾生者，如來說非眾生，是名眾生。」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，為無所得耶？」
「如是，如是。須菩提！我於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提乃至無有少法可得，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
「復次，須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者，修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法。
「須菩提！若三千大千世界中所有諸須彌山王，如是等七寶聚，有人持用布施；若人以此《般若波羅蜜經》，乃至四句偈等，受持讀誦、為他人說，於前福德百分不及一，百千萬億分，乃至算數譬喻所不能及。
「須菩提！於意云何？汝等勿謂如來作是念：『我當度眾生。』須菩提！莫作是念。何以故？實無有眾生如來度者，若有眾生如來度者，如來則有我人眾生壽者。須菩提！如來說：『有我者，則非有我，而凡夫之人以為有我。』須菩提！凡夫者，如來說則非凡夫。
「須菩提！於意云何？可以三十二相觀如來不？」
須菩提言：「如是！如是！以三十二相觀如來。」
佛言：「須菩提！若以三十二相觀如來者，轉輪聖王則是如來。」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如我解佛所說義，不應以三十二相觀如來。」
爾時，世尊而說偈言：
「若以色見我 以音聲求我 是人行邪道 不能見如來
「須菩提！汝若作是念：『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』須菩提！莫作是念：『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』
「須菩提！汝若作是念，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，說諸法斷滅。莫作是念！何以故？發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，於法不說斷滅相。
「須菩提！若菩薩以滿恒河沙等世界七寶布施；若復有人知一切法無我，得成於忍，此菩薩勝前菩薩所得功德。須菩提！以諸菩薩不受福德故。」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！云何菩薩不受福德？」
「須菩提！菩薩所作福德，不應貪著，是故說不受福德。
「須菩提！若有人言：如來若來若去、若坐若臥，是人不解我所說義。何以故？如來者，無所從來，亦無所去，故名如來。
「須菩提！若善男子、善女人，以三千大千世界碎為微塵，於意云何？是微塵眾寧為多不？」
「甚多，世尊！何以故？若是微塵眾實有者，佛則不說是微塵眾，所以者何？佛說：微塵眾，則非微塵眾，是名微塵眾。世尊！如來所說三千大千世界，則非世界，是名世界。何以故？若世界實有，則是一合相。如來說：一合相，則非一合相，是名一合相。」
「須菩提！一合相者，則是不可說，但凡夫之人貪著其事。
「須菩提！若人言：佛說我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。須菩提！於意云何？是人解我所說義不？」
「世尊！是人不解如來所說義。何以故？世尊說：我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，即非我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，是名我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。」
「須菩提！發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於一切法，應如是知，如是見，如是信解，不生法相。須菩提！所言法相者，如來說即非法相，是名法相。
「須菩提！若有人以滿無量阿僧祇世界七寶持用布施，若有善男子、善女人，發菩薩心者，持於此經，乃至四句偈等，受持讀誦，為人演說，其福勝彼。云何為人演說，不取於相，如如不動。何以故？
「一切有為法 如夢幻泡影 如露亦如電 應作如是觀」
佛說是經已，長老須菩提及諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷、一切世間、天、人、阿修羅，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜，信受奉行。
See here the original
See here for explanation
法會因由分第一
如是我聞：一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。爾時，世尊食時，著衣持缽，入舍衛大城乞食。於其城中次第乞已，還至本處。飯食訖，收衣缽。洗足已，敷座而坐。
弟子阿難說：這本金剛般若波羅蜜經是我親自聽到如來佛說的。在說此經的時候，佛是在舍衛城的祇樹給孤獨園，與有德性的高僧及各弟子，約有一千二百五十人等共同生活。那時候已經是快到吃飯的時刻。大夥兒穿上了架裟，拿著盛飯的缽，由祇樹給孤獨園走進舍衛大城去乞食。在城中依次乞食完了，便回到原處吃飯。佛吃過了飯，就將衣缽收拾乾淨，也洗淨了腳，親自在地上鋪好座位坐下來。
善現啟請分第二
時長老須菩提在大眾中，即從座起，偏袒右肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬。而白佛言：「希有！世尊。如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。世尊！善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，云何應住？云何降伏其心？」佛言：「善哉！善哉！須菩提！如汝所說，如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。汝今諦聽，當為汝說。善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，應如是住，如是降伏其心。」「唯然！世尊！願樂欲聞。」
這個時候，眾弟子中德高年長的須菩提，在大眾中從自己的座位上站了起來。他露出右肩，右膝跪地，兩手合掌，很敬重地對如來佛行了一個禮，讚嘆地說：「希有的世尊，您對於未成佛的菩薩弟子，善盡保護憐念他們的善心；又善於咐囑指導一切學佛的大眾。世尊！還有那些善男信女，若是發了無上正等正覺的菩提心時，要怎樣才能使這個菩提心常住不退呢？如果他們起了妄念的時候，又要怎樣去降伏他的妄心呢？」佛回答說：「問得好！問得好啊！照你所說的，知道我善盡保護憐念未成佛的菩薩弟子，也善於咐囑指導一切學佛的大眾，你既然明白這個道理，就要仔細用心地聽，我來為你們解說。」須菩提聽了很快地回答說：「是的，世尊！我很高興聽師父說明這個道理。」
大乘正宗分第三
佛告須菩提：「諸菩薩摩訶薩，應如是降伏其心：所有一切眾生之類─若卵生、若胎生、若濕生、若化生；若有色、若無色；若有想、若無想；若非有想非無想，我皆令入無餘涅槃而滅度之。如是滅度無量無數無邊眾生，實無眾生得滅度者。何以故？須菩提！若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，即非菩薩。」
佛告訴須菩提說：「諸菩薩、摩訶薩等應按照我下面所說的方法，降伏其妄念心，方可常住菩提心。降伏妄心的方法，就是要不著一切眾生相。我把一切眾生歸分為九類：如卵生、胎生、濕生、化生，如有色、無色，如有想、無想、非有想非無想等眾生。我要為所有眾生滅他們的業障，度他們超脫輪迴六道，以至於不生不死入於清淨無為之鄉。話又說回來，我雖然這樣滅度，但是一切眾生實在沒有得我的滅度。這是為什麼呢？因為眾生與菩薩，同具此菩提心，現在滅他們的妄心而度歸清淨，不過還其所本有，也就是他們自性自度，並非是我所度的。須菩提！若他們有得我滅度的念頭，即是還執著我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，還是執著自性的眾生，尚未滅度無餘，自然不是菩薩。」
妙行無住分第四
復次：「須菩提！菩薩於法，應無所住，行於布施。所謂不住色布施，不住聲、香、味、觸、法布施。須菩提！菩薩應如是布施，不住於相。何以故？若菩薩不住相布施，其福德不可思量。須菩提！於意云何？東方虛空可思量不？」「不也，世尊！」「須菩提！南、西、北方、四維、上、下虛空，可思量不？」「不也。世尊！」「須菩提！菩薩無住相布施，福德亦復如是，不可思量。須菩提！菩薩但應如所教住！」
佛再對須菩提說：「菩薩於無上正等正覺之法，應該不著相布施。所謂不著相布施，就是要六根清淨，離開色、聲、香、味、觸、法等塵相而布施，也就是施者忘施，受者忘受，並且要忘記所施之物。（如此施空、受空、物空即所謂的『三輪體空』。）須菩提，菩薩應該不住相布施，為什麼呢？因為著相布施，是局於有相；而眾生之相，實在只等於一微塵，即使能因此而獲福也是有限的。若不著相布施，就無相可住，像這樣不住相布施的福德就不可限量了。須菩提！譬如說東方那無邊際的虛空，你可以以心思度量嗎？」須菩提回答說：「不可以。世尊！」佛又說：「須菩提！再與南、西、北四方及上下的虛空那樣毫無邊際，你是否可以用你的心思去度量嗎？」須菩提回答說：「不可以的。世尊！」佛又說：「須菩提！菩薩若能不著相布施，所得的福德也就像虛空這樣的不可限量。須菩提！菩薩應該照我善護念、善咐囑之教，如是降伏妄心，而又不著相布施，常堅守著菩提心。」
如理實見分第五
「須菩提！於意云何？可以身相見如來不？」「不也，世尊！不可以身相得見如來。何以故？如來所說身相，即非身相。」佛告須菩提：「凡所有相，皆是虛妄。若見諸相非相，即見如來。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為普通修行的人，能看見如來的形體嗎？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不能見到如來的形體。原因是師父如來您所說的形體，並非形體，是法相，所以不能看見。」佛又告訴須菩提說：「不但我的形相是這樣的，凡世間所有的相，都是虛無不實的。若是識破了諸相都是虛空的道理，就可以見如來的法相了。」
正信希有分第六
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！頗有眾生，得聞如是言說章句，生實信不？」佛告須菩提：「莫作是說！如來滅後，後五百歲，有持戒修福者，於此章句，能生信心，以此為實。當知是人，不於一佛、二佛、三四五佛而種善根，已於無量千萬佛所種諸善根。聞是章句，乃至一念生淨信者；須菩提！如來悉知悉見，是諸眾生得如是無量福德。何以故？是諸眾生，無復我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相、無法相，亦無非法相。何以故？是諸眾生若心取相，即為著我、人、眾生、壽者。若取法相，即著我、人、眾生、壽者。何以故？若取非法相，即著我、人、眾生、壽者。是故不應取法，不應取非法。以是義故，如來常說：汝等比丘！知我說法，如筏喻者；法尚應捨，何況非法？」
須菩提向如來佛稟告說：「世尊！您所說的不住相布施，以及所謂見諸相非相即見如來，這種無相真空的妙理，一般眾生聽了能瞭解相信嗎？」如來佛聽了就告訴須菩提說：「你不能這樣說。我說的法，雖是深妙，難道都沒有相信的人嗎？不但現在有人相信，將來也是會有的。就是到我死後，後五百歲，有持守戒律廣修福田的人，看到此經中的一章一句，自能信以為真。也就可以知道這種人善根深厚，不僅是一二三四五佛所種的善根，乃是從無量佛所種得來的善根。這種人看到此經的一章一句，而能心淨不亂，心信不疑。須菩提！我確可以洞悉此種淨信眾生是通佛性的，是可以得到如十方虛空漫無天際的無量福德。為什麼呢？因為這些眾生善根純熟，已悟得真空無相的道理，已離開我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相；並且無法相，也無非法相。這又為什麼呢？如果這些眾生，若心有所取相，即著了我人眾生壽者四相；若執著此經章句，也是著了我人眾生壽者四相。若心執偏空，就是固執人死身心皆斷滅，歸於空無的一個錯誤的斷見，也與著四相無異。所以於法相實不應執有也不應執無，才得以悟入性空，自然離法。就因為這個道理，所以我常告訴你們這些比丘，對於我所說的一切法，只是要你們假借此法而離相見性；假借此法使你們度脫生死的苦海。如果你們見了自己的本性，證了涅槃之樂時，就可以捨去此法。就好比編竹筏，渡人過河，到了彼岸就不須要再用筏了。似此佛的正法尚且要捨去，何況不是佛法的世間文詞，又為什麼堅持不捨呢？」
無得無說分第七
「須菩提！於意云何？如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提耶？如來有所說法耶？」須菩提言：「如我解佛所說義，無有定法，名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；亦無有定法如來可說。何以故？如來所說法，皆不可取、不可說；非法、非非法。所以者何？一切賢聖，皆以無為法，而有差別。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為我已得無上正等正覺的菩提嗎？你認為我有說一定之法嗎？」須菩提回答說：「就我所知道了解佛您所說的意思，沒有一定的法。而無上正等正覺的菩提，也沒有一定的法可說。同時，也沒有定法讓如來可說的。為什麼呢？因為您所說的法，是無上菩提之法，可以心悟，而不可以色相取；只可意會，不可以言說；是非法，又是非非法。就是因為這個緣故，不但我師父如來以外，就是一切賢聖，皆用這個無為法自修。只是隨各人所修的程度不同，而所得證悟就有差別。」
依法出生分第八
「須菩提！於意云何？若人滿三千大千世界七寶，以用布施。是人所得福德，寧為多不？須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！何以故？是福德，即非福性。是故如來說福德多。」「若復有人，於此經中，受持乃至四句偈等，為他人說，其福勝彼。何以故？須菩提！一切諸佛，及諸佛阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，皆從此經出。須菩提！所謂佛法者，即非佛法。」
佛說：「須菩提！如果有人以充滿了大千世界的金銀七寶來行布施，你認為這個人所得的福德難道不多嗎？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！當然是很多。為什麼呢？因為這種福德，是有相的布施，畢竟還是無福德性。然以人世報施的福德而言，所以您說這個人所得的福德多。」如來佛又說：「如果有人，受持此般若經，甚而只要為人演說此經其中的四句偈、四句等，那麼他所得到的福德，比前面說的用大千世界的七寶施福所得福德更多。為什麼呢？須菩提！因為一切諸佛，及成佛的無上正等正覺菩提法，皆從此經緣生的。所以才說般若是諸佛之母。須菩提！但要注意般若並非佛法。意思就是本來就沒有佛法可言，不過藉之以開悟眾生，替它取名為佛法而已。所以所謂的佛法，就不是佛法。
一相無相分第九
「須菩提！於意云何？須陀洹能作是念，我得須陀洹果不？」須菩提言：「不也。世尊！何以故？須陀洹名為入流，而無所入；不入色、聲、香、味、觸、法。是名須陀洹。」「須菩提！於意云何？斯陀含能作是念，我得斯陀含果不？」須菩提言：「不也。世尊！何以故？斯陀含名一往來，而實無往來，是名斯陀含。」「須菩提，於意云何？阿那含能作是念，我得阿那含果不？」須菩提言：「不也。世尊！何以故？阿那含名為不來，而實無不來，是故名阿那含。」「須菩提！於意云何？阿羅漢能作是念，我得阿羅漢道不？」須菩提言：「不也。世尊！何以故？實無有法名阿羅漢。世尊！若阿羅漢作是念，我得阿羅漢道，即為著我、人、眾生、壽者。世尊！佛說我得無諍三昧，人中最為第一，是第一離欲阿羅漢。世尊！我不作是念：『我是離欲阿羅漢。』世尊！我若作是念，我得阿羅漢道，世尊則不說須菩提是樂阿蘭那行者，以須菩提實無所行，而名須菩提，是樂阿蘭那行。」
佛說：「須菩提，你認為當人在修行須陀洹時，是否要預先思念自己得聲聞初果嗎？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不會。初得聖果的人，不會起這樣的思念。為什麼呢？因為須陀洹的意思雖稱為入流卻無所入，因其不入色、聲、香、味、觸、法，所以才稱為須陀洹。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為當人在修行斯陀含，會不會預先思念自己得聲聞第二果呢？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不會。修行第二聖果的人，不會起這樣的思念。為什麼呢？因為斯陀含的心境，已達於至靜之處，雖然當時的修行還是一生一滅，所以稱之為一往來，實際上已無第二個生滅，心不著生滅之相，所以實無往來。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為當人在修行阿那含時，會不會預先思念自己已得聲聞第三果呢？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不會。修行第三聖果的人，不會起這樣的思念。為什麼呢？因為阿那含，心空無我，已斷塵識思惑，六塵四相，一一證空，而無不來之相。所以阿那含意思雖稱為不來，其實是永不來欲界受生的意思。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為當人在修行阿羅漢時，會不會預先思念自己已得聲聞第四果呢？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不會。修行第四聖果的人，不會起這樣的思念。為什麼呢？因為阿羅漢已心空相俱滅。既無得道之念，也沒有得果之念，不再感受未來的生死，並不是另外有個實在的自性法，可以稱之為阿羅漢。如果阿羅漢自念得道，即著四相，就不能叫做阿羅漢了。世尊！您曾經這樣說過我：說我遠離一切著相、取相的分別，遠離一切是非，契合真理，已到奧妙之處。在諸弟子中，讚許我為解空第一。是第一個脫盡人我，斷絕此念，離欲的阿羅漢。世尊！我雖蒙師父您如此的稱讚，我確實沒有得了阿羅漢的念頭。世尊！我若有得了阿羅漢的念頭，便是生了妄念，又如何得到六欲皆空的阿羅漢。如果是這樣，您就不會說我是好寂靜的阿蘭那行者，因為我心原無所得，亦無所行，只因本分上一塵不染，以此得名須菩提而已。所以師父您才稱讚我是好寂靜之行者。」
莊嚴淨土分第十
佛告須菩提：「於意云何？如來昔在然燈佛所，於法有所得不？」「不也，世尊！如來在然燈佛所，於法實無所得。」「須菩提！於意云何？菩薩莊嚴佛土不？」「不也。世尊！何以故？莊嚴佛土者，即非莊嚴，是名莊嚴。」「是故，須菩提！諸菩薩摩訶薩，應如是生清淨心，不應住色生心，不應住聲、香、味、觸、法生心，應無所住，而生其心。須菩提！譬如有人，身如須彌山王，於意云何？是身為大不？」須菩提言：「甚大。世尊！何以故？佛說非身，是名大身。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為以前我在與然燈佛會晤時，從他那兒有沒有得法呢？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！您在與然燈佛會晤時，是自修自悟，於法實無所得。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為菩薩發心從事莊嚴佛土，是不是真的有佛土可莊嚴呢？」須菩提回答說：「不是。世尊！為什麼呢？因為你所說的莊嚴，不是形相莊嚴，不過假藉莊嚴之名而已。」佛又說：「就因為如此，須菩提！所以諸菩薩、摩訶薩應該像這樣一心不亂，生清淨心，不可執著在色聲香味觸法之上生意念。否則便受六塵所蒙蔽、所束縛，妄念旋起，怎麼能清淨呢？原來清淨心，本無所住的。須菩提！譬如有人，其身如須彌山王，你認為他的身形是否很大？」須菩提回答說：「非常大。世尊！但是此人身形雖大，不能稱為大身。為什麼呢？因為他的身形再大，也是有生有滅，終受輪迴；而師父您前面說的非相法身，乃是清淨本心，是真法身，此心包廓太虛，周藏法界，無相無住，豈是須彌山所能比量的嗎？這只不過假藉一個名，稱之為大身而已。」
無為福勝分第十一
「須菩提！如恆河中所所沙數，如是沙等恆河，於意云何？是諸恆河沙，寧為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！但諸恆河，尚多無數，何況其沙？」「須菩提！我今實言告汝，若有善男子、善女人，以七寶滿爾所恆河沙數三千大千世界，以用布施，得福多不？」須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！」佛告須菩提：「若善男子、善女人，於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德，勝前福德。」
佛說：「須菩提！如用恒河中所有的沙數來作比喻，以一粒沙比喻一條恒河，那麼所有恒河內的所有沙，難道你認為不多嗎？」須菩提回答說：「非常多。世尊！以一沙各代表一恒河，河尚且就有無數多，何況是所有河中的所有沙呢！」佛又說：「須菩提，我實在告訴你，若有善男子或善女人，以一粒沙當作一個世界，用充滿如恒河沙數那麼多的三千大千世界的七寶來布施，那他所得的福德多不多？」須菩提回答說：「當然很多。世尊！」佛又告訴須菩提說：「若有善男子或善女子，為他人說及此經，甚至只是受持四句偈、四句等，而這個法施所得的福德又勝過前面用七寶布施所得的福德來得多了。」
尊重正教分第十二
復次：「須菩提！隨說是經，乃至四句偈等，當知此處，一切世間天、人、阿修羅，皆應供養，如佛塔廟。何況有人，盡能受持、讀誦。須菩提！當知是人，成就最上第一希有之法；若是經典所在之處，即為有佛，若尊重弟子。」
佛再進一步的說：「須菩提！若有人隨便在什麼地方，演講此經，甚而至少只說四句偈、四句等，使那些聽到說經的人，消除妄念。應該知道遇到說此經的處所是十分難得的，一切世間的天、人、鬼神等對於此處，皆應恭敬供養，作禮散花，如供養佛的塔廟一般。何況是那種人能完全受持讀誦般若經典，當然是格外值得尊敬了。須菩提！你可知這種人就是成就世上第一希有的無上菩提法。因般若能趨於無上菩提，世間沒有一法可與般若相比的，正因為如此，所以若是般若經典所在之處，即如有佛在，可以說得與佛弟子三寶同居，亦要宛如對佛弟子一樣的尊重。」
如法受持分第十三
爾時，須菩提白佛言：「世尊！當何名此經？我等云何奉持？」佛告須菩提：「是經名為金剛般若波羅蜜，以是名字，汝當奉持。所以者何？須菩提！佛說般若波羅蜜，即非般若波羅蜜，是名般若波羅蜜。須菩提！於意云何？如來有所說法不？」須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如來無所說。」「須菩提！於意云何？三千大千世界所有微塵，是為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！」「須菩提！諸微塵，如來說非微塵，是名微塵。如來說世界非世界，是名世界。須菩提，於意云何？可以三十二相見如來不？」「不也。世尊！不可以三十二相得見如來。何以故？如來說三十二相，即是非相，是名三十二相。」「須菩提！若有善男子、善女人，以恆河沙等身命布施，若復有人，於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，其福甚多！」
那個時候，須菩提對佛稟白說：「世尊！此經應該取一個什麼名字？我們應該怎樣受持奉行此經呢？」佛就告訴須菩提說：「此經就取名為金剛般若波羅蜜，你們應當依法奉持。為什麼取這個名字呢？須菩提！我所說的般若波羅蜜，是妙覺本性，空如太虛。本體既然是虛無，那裡還會有什麼名字。不過恐怕人生斷見，不得已勉強取個『金剛般若波羅蜜』的名稱，為便於眾弟子奉持而已。須菩提！你認為我對此有所說法嗎？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！般若是在於自性自悟，既無可名之名，我師父就無所說。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為三千大千世界裡所有的微塵多不多？」須菩提回答說：「甚多。世尊！」佛又說：「須菩提！微塵雖多，但皆無自性，悉假因緣而有。凡是因緣的，必然是空的，所以因其原無實性，所以說是非微塵，只不過假藉個名，稱為微塵而已。同樣的道理，我說世界雖大，然一切劫盡則壞，也是虛空不實的，只不過假藉個名，稱為世界而已。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為可以以三十二相見如來嗎？」須菩提回答說：「不可以，世尊！不可以三十二相見如來。為什麼呢？因為您所說的三十二相，是屬於因緣假合，亦即隨著眾生的妄心所現的假相，根本沒有它的實在自相可得，也是假藉個名稱為三十二相而已。」佛又再提醒說：「須菩提！若有善男子或善女人，以相等恒河沙的生命來布施眾生，以犧牲生命來布施以求福德。再說假如有另一種人，演說此經，甚而至少只說四句偈、四句等，他持經布施所得的福，還是比前面說的捨身布施的福更多了。」
離相寂滅分第十四
爾時，須菩提聞說是經，深解義趣，涕淚悲泣，而白佛言：「希有！世尊。佛說如是甚深經典，我從昔來所得慧眼，未曾得聞如是之經。世尊！若復有人得聞是經，信心清淨，即生實相。當知是人成就第一希有功德。世尊！是實相者，則是非相，是故如來說名實相。世尊！我今得聞如是經典，信解受持不足為難，若當來世後五百歲，其有眾生，得聞是經，信解受持，是人則為第一希有。何以故？此人無我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，所以者何？我相，即是非相；人相、眾生相、壽者相，即是非相。何以故？離一切諸相，則名諸佛。」佛告須菩提：「如是，如是！若復有人，得聞是經，不驚、不怖、不畏，當知是人，甚為希有。何以故？須菩提！如來說第一波羅蜜即非第一波羅蜜，是名第一波羅蜜。須菩提！忍辱波羅蜜，如來說非忍辱波羅蜜，是名忍辱波羅蜜。何以故？須菩提！如我昔為歌利王割截身體，我於爾時，無我相、無人相、無眾生相，無壽者相。何以故？我於往昔節節支解時，若有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，應生瞋恨。須菩提！又念過去於五百世，作忍辱仙人，於爾所世，無我相、無人相、無眾生相、無壽者相。是故，須菩提！菩薩應離一切相，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，不應住色生心，不應住聲、香、味、觸、法生心，應生無所住心。若心有住，即為非住。是故佛說菩薩心，不應住色布施。須菩提！菩薩為利益一切眾生故，應如是布施。如來說一切諸相，即是非相；又說一切眾生，即非眾生。須菩提！如來是真語者、實語者、如語者、不誑語者、不異語者。須菩提！如來所得此法，此法無實無虛。須菩提！若菩薩心住於法，而行布施，如人入闇，則無所見。若菩薩心不住法，而行布施，如人有目日光明照，見種種色。須菩提！當來之世，若有善男子、善女人，能於此經受持、讀誦，則為如來，以佛智慧，悉知是人，悉見是人，皆得成就無量無邊功德。」
那時，須菩提聽如來佛說到這裡，心中已經深悟佛理旨趣，頗為感動的流下淚來。不禁向如來佛讚嘆了一聲：「希有的世尊！您所說這個深奧的經典，即使在從前，我雖具有慧眼，也能一聞千悟，卻是未曾聽得如此深奧的經。我既聞此經，自性清淨中，已悟有本來全真的實相。如果有人，得聞此經，而信心純正清淨，毫無塵念。而生般若真實之實相，就可知道這種人，是非常難得，是成就第一希有功德的人。但是，世尊！究竟這般若實相，就是諸法空相，不是一般所說實物，但為引導眾生離開執著而找回本心，不得不假藉一個名，稱之為實相而已。世尊，此經我聽到這裡，已能了解其中的妙理，信奉修持，應該不是難事。倘若後世過五百年之後，是濁世末法的時候，離開師父您的時期已遠的苦海茫茫眾生，聽到此經而能信解受持的人，則此人真的是明了自性的第一人，實在難得。為什麼呢？因為這個人頓悟真空，必無我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，就因為他已經了悟我相即是非相，人相、眾生相、壽者相也是非相，所以能夠離一切相，其心滅寂，就可以稱之為佛。」佛告訴須菩提說：「對的！你這樣說是對的。當知後世如果有人，聽到般若之妙法而不驚駭、不恐怖、不畏懼，這種人實在是很少有的。為什麼呢？須菩提！這就是我所謂的第一波羅蜜，此人的智慧已到彼岸了。不過修持的人卻不可以對彼岸有所執著，不過為了要引導眾生修持，特別給予一個名稱，稱之為第一波羅蜜而已。須菩提！再說到忍辱波羅蜜，凡辱境之來，恬然處之，不生忿怒即是忍辱波羅蜜，但真空本來無相，外不見其辱，內不見其忍，渾然兩忘，切勿執著於忍辱，所以我說非忍辱波羅蜜，只是為便於眾生修持，特別給予一個名稱，稱之為忍辱波羅蜜。為什麼呢？須菩提！就好比我的前生，被歌利王支解身體的時候，確實無我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，否則當時我在被支解時，如果著有四相，必定心生忿恨，必成苦果。須菩提，我又想起過去的前五百世，做忍辱仙人修忍辱之行時，就已離我人眾生壽者四相，由歷劫頓悟真空，可知吾人所修行的，決不是一朝一夕所成的。所以說，須菩提！菩薩之修行，首當空其心，離一切相，方能發無上正等正覺的菩提心。此心中不執著於色，不執著於聲、香、味、觸、法，應生無所住心，此心才能圓通無礙。若於六塵中，一有執著，便不能解脫其住心，即非菩薩的住處。所以我說，菩薩心本來是虛而明，若住於六塵就不能覺悟，我所謂的不應住色布施，原因就在於此。須菩提！菩薩不住色布施，發心廣大，不是為己，是為有利於一切眾生，應該要如此無相布施。而我所說的一切諸相，原是指點諸菩薩解脫的，其實真寶的本體皆是空的，原是非相。而一切眾生，也是引導諸菩薩滅度而已，其實若見本性，妄心自離而入佛境，那麼一切眾生也就不是眾生了。須菩提！我所說的般若波羅蜜，皆是無上的菩提，是真而不妄、實而不虛、如常不變，不是欺人的，也沒有兩種說法。須菩提！我所說的般若之法，是真如無相，無實性；是自性自足、無虛的。須菩提！如果菩薩是一心執著於法而行布施，則是未離四相，有如人進入暗室，一無所見。如果菩薩心不執著於法而行布施，則如同人張開眼時，日光四照，見種種色；其心洞澈真空，可了一切之境。須菩提！當我滅後，到了後世，若有善男子或善女人，能於此經，受持讀誦，即到菩提之覺位，成自性之如來，我當知此人，也必以無上智慧照鑒之。而此人成就見性的功德，是無量無邊的。」
持經功德分第十五
「須菩提！若有善男子、善女人，初日分以恆河沙等身布施；中日分復以恆河沙等身布施；後日分亦以恆河沙等身布施，如是無量百千萬億劫，以身布施。若復有人，聞此經典，信心不逆，其福勝彼。何況書寫、受持、讀誦、為人解說。須菩提！以要言之，是經有不可思議，不可稱量，無邊功德，如來為發大乘者說，為發最上乘者說，若有人能受持、讀誦、廣為人說，如來悉知是人、悉見是人，皆得成就不可量、不可稱、無有邊、不可思議功德，如是人等，即為荷擔如來阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。何以故？須菩提！若樂小法者，著我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，則於此經不能聽受、讀誦、為人解說。須菩提！在在處處，若有此經，一切世間，天、人、阿修羅所應供養，當知此處，則為是塔，皆應恭敬，作禮圍遶，以諸華香而散其處。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有善男子或善女人，於一日之間，早晨以相當於恒河沙數的身命布施，中午又以相當於恒河沙數的身命布施，晚上也以相當於恒河沙數的身命布施。如此經百千萬億劫之久，一日三次皆如此布施，自當得布施之福。如果有人，聽說此經，而能篤信不違逆，那麼他所得的福德則勝過前面說的以身命布施的人。何況是手書口誦，為人解說此經的意義，不但明自性，還要使人人見性，善根純熟，其所得的福德之無量，更不用說了。須菩提！簡而言之，因為此經所得的福德不以心思口議，不可以多少稱量，實是無邊際的功德。而此經在於讓我們妙用本性，是大乘菩薩的最上乘，所以我為啟發大乘人，說明此真空之妙；為啟發最上乘的人，說明此般若之法。如有大慧根的人，持此大乘經典，廣為人闡發妙旨，印契佛旨，所成就之功德，我全部知道，也全都看得到。這種人既能成就此功德，就足以能擔任如來無上菩提正法。這就是為什麼喜好小乘法的人，局於妄心，不免執著於我、人、眾生、壽者等私見，對此大乘最上乘法，不能理解，不能聽受讀誦，更不能為人解說此經。須菩提！無論是什麼人，在什麼地方，講解此經，那麼無論天、人、鬼神都會齊來護衛法身，皆來供養。當知此經所在之處，即等於是佛塔的地方。皆應尊敬法身，作禮圍繞，並帶香花來此處供奉。」
能淨業障分第十六
復次：「須菩提！善男子、善女人，受持、讀誦此經，若為人輕賤，是人先世罪業，應墮惡道。以今世人輕賤故，先世罪業，則為消滅，當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！我念過去無量阿僧祇劫，於然燈佛前，得值八百四千萬億那由他諸佛，悉皆供養承事，無空過者。若復有人，於後末世，能受持、讀誦此經，所得功德，於我所供養諸佛功德，百分不及一，千萬億分，乃至算數譬喻所不能及。須菩提！若善男子、善女人，於後末世，有受持、讀誦此經，所得功德，我若具說者，或有人聞，心則狂亂，狐疑不信。須菩提！當知是經義不可思議，果報亦不可思議。」
佛再進一步說明：「須菩提！若有善男子或善女人，受持讀誦此經，不但不得天人恭敬，卻被人輕賤。為什麼呢？是因為他在前世所種的罪業。既有罪業，則來世應該墮入地獄、惡鬼、畜生三惡道中，受盡苦難。而今以持經功德，減輕他的罪業；其所以被人輕賤，就可以相抵消。不過他漸漸修持，因除果現，罪滅福生，依然可得無上正等正覺。須菩提！我想到前世，歷經了無數無量的劫數。在未遇然燈佛前，曾供養無數量佛，且尊重每一位佛都一樣，無一不全心全意的供養。如果後人持誦此經，見自本性，永離輪迴，他持經所得的功德，比我以前供佛的功德，還勝過無數倍。須菩提！若善男子或善女人於後末世，受持讀誦此經，必得無量之功德。此功德我只是約略而言，我如果要詳細說明，則其多有如恒河沙數說不盡，恐怕慧根淺的人，大則誑亂，小則狐疑，反以為我所說的為怪談滑稽之談。須菩提！當知功德，由於經義，應於果報。經義甚深，不可推測；果報甚重，不可思議。」
究竟無我分第十七
爾時，須菩提白佛言：「世尊，善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，云何應住？云何降伏其心？」佛告須菩提：「善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，當生如是心：我應滅度一切眾生；滅度一切眾生已，而無有一眾生實滅度者，何以故？須菩提若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，則非菩薩。所以者何？須菩提！實無有法，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者。須菩提！於意云何？如來於然燈佛所，有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不？」「不也。世尊！如我解佛所說義，佛於然燈佛所，無有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」佛言：「如是！如是！須菩提！實無有法，如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！若有法如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，然燈佛即不與我授記：『汝於來世當得作佛，號釋迦牟尼。』以實無有法，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，是故然燈佛與我授記，作是言：『汝於來世，當得作佛，號釋迦牟尼。』何以故？如來者，即諸法如義。若有人言：如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，須菩提！實無有法，佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！如來所得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，於是中無實無虛。是故如來說一切法，皆是佛法。須菩提！所言一切法者，即非一切法，是故名一切法。須菩提！譬如人身長大。」須菩提言：「世尊！如來說人身長大，則為非大身，是名大身。」「須菩提！菩薩亦如是。若作是言：『我當滅度無量眾生。』則不名菩薩。何以故？須菩提！實無有法，名為菩薩。是故佛說：『一切法，無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者。』須菩提！若菩薩作是言：『我當莊嚴佛土。』是不名菩薩。何以故？如來說莊嚴佛土者，即非莊嚴，是名莊嚴。須菩提！若菩薩通達無我法者，如來說名真是菩薩。」
那時，須菩提當機稟白佛說：「善男子或善女人已發菩提心的人，如何能常保持這菩提心？又如何能降伏妄念心呢？」佛告訴須菩提說：「菩提心本來人人都具足，只因眾生為塵染所蒙蔽，如一切煩惱、妄想、取捨、貪瞋、嫉妒、人我四相等，佛等應一一為之滅度，所謂無欲，就能住心，亦能降伏妄心。我所謂滅度者，不過指點出真性情，使之自悟，我外不見所愛之眾生，內不見能度之我。而眾生既見性真，則般若觀照，已常住不滅，說到究竟，實無一眾生是我所滅度的。為什麼呢？因為學道的菩薩，若存有滅度眾生之心，則尚存有人我四相，則又要從何發菩提心，又如何能稱為菩薩呢？這又是為什麼呢？須菩提！原因就是性本空寂，發此心的人，不過是自修自悟而成，而在真性中，實在沒有發菩提心之法。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為我在遇見然燈佛時，有沒有從他那兒學得菩提心法？」須菩提回答說：「沒有。世尊！沒有法可得菩提心，因為菩提心完全是自性自悟，雖在然燈佛所，也是無法可得菩提心法。」佛說：「是的。須菩提！誠如你所說的，實在無法可得無上正等正覺的菩提心。須菩提！如果說有方法可得菩提心，那麼然燈佛就不會為我授記，當下就應該傳授我成佛之法。他所以才懸記來世說我方能成佛，並預定來世成佛之名號，稱之為釋迦牟尼。為什麼呢？因為如來的意思，就是本性寂然，不染不著，如其本來，而以釋迦牟尼稱之，最能合其意。如果有人說：如來已得無上正等正覺的菩提心，那就錯了。須菩提！就因為實在沒有方法可得此菩提心。須菩提！我所謂的菩提心，是平等真如，實相妙法，不可以有形相見，乃是無實無虛，不可以言語形容，所以我說一切法中，只要能自悟真如，都可稱之為佛法。但是，須菩提！於法不可拘泥於有無，所稱的一切法，實際上並非是一切法，只是假藉一個名，稱之為一切法而已。須菩提！譬如有個人的身體高而且大，真的是大身嗎？」須菩提回答說：「您所說的大身，是有生有滅的，仍是有限量的，如何能稱之為大身？不過假藉一個名，稱之為大身而已。」佛又說：「須菩提！菩薩也是如此，真如清淨才稱之為菩薩。而度生本是菩薩份內的事，如果他執著一念，認為他是菩薩，應該滅度一切眾生，便有我相的觀念，就不能稱之為菩薩。為什麼呢？因為從發心到度生，沒有不是緣成幻成的，實在無法可以得到而使之成為菩薩的，所以我說，一切法中沒有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，則一切法自然都是佛法。須菩提！如果菩薩說：我應當莊嚴整飾佛的剎土，也是著於相，不可稱之為菩薩。為什麼呢？因為所謂莊嚴佛土，是沒有能莊嚴的人及能莊嚴的法，亦即沒有實性的莊嚴佛土可言，只是假借一個名，稱之為莊嚴而已。須菩提！若菩薩能大徹大悟，通達無我無法的人，即可以稱之為菩薩。」
一體同觀分第十八
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有肉眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有肉眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來有天眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有天眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來有慧眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有慧眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來有法眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有法眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來有佛眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有佛眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如恆河中所有沙，佛說是沙不？」「如是，世尊！如來說是沙。」「須菩提！於意云何？如一恆河中所有沙，有如是沙等恆河，是諸恆河所有沙數，佛世界如是，寧為多不？」「甚多。世尊！」佛告須菩提：「爾所國土中，所有眾生若干種心，如來悉知。何以故？如來說諸心，皆為非心，是名為心。所以者何？須菩提！過去心不可得，現在心不可得，未來心不可得。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有肉眼嗎？」須若提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有肉眼。」佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有天眼嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有天眼。」佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有慧眼嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有慧眼。」佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有法眼嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有法眼。」佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有佛眼嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有佛眼。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為在恒河中所有的沙，我是不是說它是沙呢？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您說它是沙。」佛說：「那麼，須菩提f如一恒河中所有的沙，如果以其中一粒沙比作一恒河，再以所有恒河中的所有沙，以一粒沙比作一佛世界，你認為這樣的佛世界難道不多嗎？」須菩提回答說：「非常多。世尊！」佛告訴須菩提說：「不必遠說到那麼多的佛世界，就拿你所處的世界來說，所有眾生的心思，隨情而遷，逐境而生，種種心思顛倒妄想，我卻能以清淨的五眼完全看得見，完全知道。為什麼呢？因為所有這些心思，皆是眾生的妄心，並非本性常住的真心，只是假藉一個名，稱之為心罷了。這又為什麼呢？須菩提！常住的真心是寂然不動的，過去的心思不可滯留，現在心思不可執著，未來的心思又不可預期，反觀內照，則三心總不可得。知其不可得，則清淨的般若才會顯出，所謂人心淨而道心生，此方為菩提的真心。」
法界通化分第十九
「須菩提！於意云何？若有人滿三千大千世界七寶，以用布施，是人以是因緣，得福多不？」「如是，世尊！此人以是因緣，得福甚多。」「須菩提！若福德有實，如來不說得福德多，以福德無故，如來說得福德多。」
佛說：「須菩提！如果有人用充滿三千大千世界的七寶來行布施，你認為此人因所播的因緣而得來的福德多不多？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！此人以這種布施因緣所得的福德非常多。」佛又說：「須菩提！若以有實相的因緣布施，因其心執著於福報，其福報亦因其所施的因緣有限而有時盡的，所以我說他因此所得的福德不多，如果以無住實相布施，以無求福之心布施，正是無為清淨之功德，我說此種福德才是真正的無限。」
離色離相分第二十
「須菩提！於意云何？佛可以具足色身見不？」「不也，世尊！如來不應以具足色身見。何以故？如來說具足色身，即非具足色身，是名具足色身。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來可以具足諸相見不？」「不也，世尊！如來不應以具足諸相見。何以故？如來說諸相具足，即非諸相具足，是名諸相具足。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為所謂的佛陀，可不可以用圓滿的色身來觀察嗎？」須菩提回答說：「不可以。世尊！如來不可以用圓滿的色身來觀察。為什麼呢？因為您所說的具足色身，雖有三十二相，變化神通，但仍是緣起而非實相，只是假借一個名，稱之為具足色身。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為我可不可以用圓滿具足諸相來觀察？」須菩提回答說：「不可以。世尊！您不可以用圓滿具足諸相來觀察。為什麼呢？因為您所說的圓滿諸相，亦是緣起而無自性的，只是假借一個名，稱之為具足諸相而已。」
非說所說分第二十一
「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！頗有眾生，於未來世，聞說是法，生信心不？」佛言：「須菩提！彼非眾生，非不眾生。何以故？須菩提！眾生，眾生者，如來說非眾生，是名眾生。」
佛說：「須菩提！你不要以為我會作這樣想：『我當為眾生說種種法』，因為我只是機緣相感，隨人悟性，為之指點，未嘗有說法之念頭。你切勿有以為我應當說法的念頭。為什麼呢？如果有人說：『如來有所說法。』他這麼說，即是毀謗佛，是他拘泥於文字，不能了解我所說的道理，才會這麼說。須菩提！所謂說法的意思，不是假於口說就能盡的，佛的真空妙理，原來無法，只不過為眾生解除外邪妄心而說的，使之了悟真性，自證佛理，此乃假藉一個名，稱之為說法而已，實際上我並沒有說法。」那時，須菩提向如來佛稟白說：「世尊！恐怕未來世的諸眾生，聽到這個無法之法，無說之說，不能完全了解，不知能否生信心。」佛回答說：「須菩提！眾生本來各具有佛性，所以說他們非眾生，但他們尚未解脫妄心，所以也不是非眾生。為什麼呢？須菩提！因為眾生之所以為眾生，只是尚未了悟，如果能了悟，即可立地成佛，而非為眾生，現在不過先假借一個眾生之名稱之而已。」
無法可得分第二十二
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，為無所得耶？」佛言：「如是！如是！須菩提！我於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，乃至無有少法可得，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」
須菩提向如來佛稟問說：「世尊！您得正等正覺菩提心，真是得無所得嗎？」佛回答說：「正是！你說正合我的意思。須菩提！我於菩提正法，絲毫都無所得。因為凡是可以用得失來衡量的，都是身外之物，而不是自性的。自性菩提，人人具足，如何能得，也無法可得，只是假借一個名，稱之為無上正等正覺而已。」
淨心行善分第二十三
復次：「須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者，修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法者，如來說即非善法，是名善法。」
佛再進一步地說明：「須菩提！我所說的無上正等正覺之法，是人人具足，世世相同，故曰平等，佛與眾生所具有的菩提心，亦沒有高下，所以才稱之為無上正等正覺菩提。因為在真性中，原本無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者等四相，如有此四相，則是受浮塵妄念所蒙蔽。所以能修明心見性的一切善法，就可以得無上菩提。須菩提！我所謂的善法，乃本性中自然的覺性，原本就無善惡，只因為了開悟眾生，假藉一個名，稱之為善法而已。」
福智無比分第二十四
「須菩提！若三千大千世界中，所有諸須彌山王，如是等七寶聚，有人持用布施。若人以此般若波羅蜜經，乃至四句偈等，受持、讀誦，為他人說，於前福德，百分不及一，百千萬億分，乃至算數譬喻所不能及。」
佛說：「須菩提！如果有人以相當於三千大千世界所有的須彌山堆積起來的七寶來行布施；如果另外有人受持這個般若波羅蜜經，甚至只是少至其中的四句偈、四句等來為人演說，則前者以七寶布施所得的福德比不上後者所得福德的百千萬億分之一，甚至是不能用算數的譬喻所能算的。」
化無所化分第二十五
「須菩提！於意云何？汝等勿謂如來作是念：『我當度眾生。』須菩提！莫作是念！何以故？實無有眾生如來度者。若有眾生如來度者，如來即有我、人、眾生、壽者。須菩提！如來說有我者，則非有我，而凡夫之人，以為有我。須菩提！凡夫者，如來說則非凡夫，是名凡夫。」
佛說：「須菩提！你知道嗎？你們不要以為，我在度化眾生時，會有『我應當度化眾生』的念頭。須菩提！你切勿有這種想法。為什麼呢？因為眾生之心，本來空寂，其般若智慧，原本各自具足。如果他們聞經悟道，他們自可化度自己，實在沒有眾生被我度化的。若有眾生說是由我所度化的，那麼我即有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，自己尚未度化，如何度化別人？須菩提！我雖口稱有我，實際上卻無我見，而在凡夫看來，則執著有我，以為只有我能度化他們。須菩提！事實上，迷則為凡夫，悟則成佛，佛與凡夫，本性是相同的，只要能了悟，就不是凡夫，不過在他們未悟時，稱之為凡夫而已。」
法身非相分第二十六
「須菩提！於意云何？可以三十二相觀如來不？」須菩提言：「如是！如是！以三十二相觀如來。」佛言：「須菩提！若以三十二相觀如來者，轉輪聖王即是如來。」須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如我解佛所說義，不應以三十二相觀如來。」爾時，世尊而說偈言：「若以色見我，以音聲求我，是人行邪道，不能見如來。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為我如來可以用三十二相來觀察嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的！您是可以三十二相來觀察。」佛因為須菩提尚未明白其中的深義，於是說：「須菩提！轉輪聖王，因以福業厚重，亦具有三十二相色身，若我也可以用此三十二相來觀察，那麼轉輪聖王豈不就可以成為如來了嗎？」須菩提聞言立即稟白佛說：「世尊！我已了解您所說的道理，您是不可以用三十二相來觀察。」這個時候，如來看時機已成熟，可以告誡他們離相的偈言如下：「你們如果只見我的形色外表，或是只是執著我的聲教，欲以此二者求見我的真性，那麼這種人，只是執於色身四相見佛。便是捨去正途，不知即心即是佛。而向外馳求的人是人行外道，決不能見如來真正的面目。」
無斷無滅分第二十七
「須菩提！汝若作是念：『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」須菩提！莫作是念：『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』須菩提！汝若作是念，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，說諸法斷滅。莫作是念！何以故？發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於法不說斷滅相。』
佛一再地說無相，只是教人離相，不是教人滅相。所以說：「須菩提！你如果是這樣想：如來是因為不具圓滿的三十二相的緣故，才證得無上菩提，那你就錯了。須菩提！你千萬不可有這種想法，以為我是因為不具圓滿的三十二相才得證無上菩提。須菩提！你如果也這樣想，發無上菩提心，想證得無上菩提，而執於一切皆空，而誤以為不因修福，而可直證菩提。錯是錯在說諸法斷滅，你不可以有這種觀念。為什麼呢？因為發無上菩提心的，還是要從基本的修一切善法做起，只是可以不依佛法修行，乃在於勸勉修行的人勿執著於法，只是離法而行，不是滅法而不行的。」
不受不貪分第二十八
「須菩提！若菩薩以滿恆河沙等世界七寶，持用布施。若復有人，知一切法無我，得成於忍。此菩薩勝前菩薩所得功德。何以故？須菩提！以諸菩薩不受福德故。」須菩提白佛言：「世尊！云何菩薩，不受福德？」「須菩提！菩薩所作福德，不應貪著，是故說：不受福德。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有菩薩雖以無量世界所有七寶行布施，因其心著於相，所以所得的福德雖多卻有限。如果另有菩薩，心不著於相，知一切法無我，得成無我之忍，以至忍而忘忍，無我始得以完成。如此則後面所說的菩薩，但所得的福德要勝過前面的菩薩多得多了。為什麼呢？須菩提！因為這些菩薩有離相之因，在布施時，就有不受福德的果，因其不受福德的緣故，則所得的福德就無限量了。」須菩提於是問說：「世尊！因果受施是理所當然，為何要說菩薩不受福德呢？」佛告訴他說：「須菩提！菩薩度生布施，本來是行所當行，不應貪求福德才行布施，福德之有或沒有，悉聽自然，所以才說菩薩不受福德。」
威儀寂靜分第二十九
「須菩提！若有人言：『如來若來、若去；若坐、若臥。』是人不解我所說義。何以故？如來者，無所從來，亦無所去，故名如來。」
佛說：「須菩提！如果有人說我如來有行、住、坐、臥四種威儀，也就以為我也著於相，是不了解我所說的道理。為什麼呢？因為如來的本性，是真性自如，充滿法界，隨感而發，來固非來，去亦非去。就因為無去無來，所以稱之為如來。」
一合理相分第三十
「須菩提！若善男子、善女人，以三千大千世界碎為微塵；於意云何？是微塵眾，寧為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！何以故？若是微塵眾實有者，佛則不說是微塵眾。所以者何？佛說微塵眾，即非微塵眾，是名微塵眾。世尊！如來所說三千大千世界，則非世界，是名世界。何以故？若世界實有者，即是一合相；如來說一合相，則非一合相，是名一合相。」「須菩提！一合相者，則是不可說，但凡夫之人，貪著其事。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有善男子或善女人，將三千大千世界，搗碎成為微塵，你以為這些微塵難道不多嗎？」須菩提回答說：「非常多。世尊！為什麼呢？因為微塵雖多，但它的緣起是無性，絕不會執著它實有的自體。如果這些微塵是有實體的，那您就不會稱它們為微塵眾了。這是什麼緣故呢？因為您所說的微塵眾，也是緣起非真實的，只是假藉一個名，稱之為微塵眾而已。世尊！您所稱的三千大千世界，同樣也是緣起的假象，也是非真實性，也只是假藉一個名，稱之為世界而已。為什麼呢？如果有一真實性的世界，即是一合相，渾然成一體。不能被碎為微塵的。所以您說一合相亦非實有，只是假藉一個名，稱之為一合相而已。」佛說：「須菩提！一合相之理，空而不空，妙不可言喻。但凡夫蔽塞不明本性，依戀眼前幻境。六根著各相而不能了悟。」
知見不生分第三十一
「須菩提！若人言：『佛說我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。』須菩提！於意云何？是人解我所說義不？」「不也，世尊！是人不解如來所說義。何以故？世尊說我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，即非我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，是名我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。」「須菩提！發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於一切法，應如是知、如是見、如是信解，不生法相。須菩提！所言法相者，如來說即非法相，是名法相。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有人說：『佛說過我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見』這種話。須菩提！你認為這個人是否了解我所說的意思？」須菩提回答說：「沒有，世尊！」這個人並不了解您所說的意思。為什麼呢？因為您所說的這四見，只是為了凡夫便於了解佛的深意而說，事實上應該要超乎此四見之外，並非耍拘泥於其中而存此四見，所以只是為了便於說明，而假借一個名，稱之為我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見而已。」佛又說：「須菩提！凡是發無上正等正覺菩提心的，應如此認知，應如此為見，了悟無相妙理，自然行無相妙行，則知無所蔽，見無所障，如此信解。即為妙悟，而不生法相，至此才得真空無相之妙。須菩提！法相本是虛空的，即非法相；虛空中有幻相，所以才稱之為法相。」
應化非真分第三十二
「須菩提！若有人以滿無量阿僧祇世界七寶，持用布施。若有善男子、善女人，發菩提心者，持於此經，乃至四句偈等，受持、讀誦，為人演說，其福勝彼。云何為人演說？不取於相，如如不動。何以故？一切有為法，如夢、幻、泡、影；如露，亦如電，應作如是觀。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有人以充滿了無窮世界的七寶來行布施。此外，如果另有善男子或善女人，發了無上菩提心，受持讀誦此經，甚至少至以其中的四句偈、四句等，為人演說，使人悟性，那麼此人因此所得的福德勝過前面以七寶布施的人甚多。而受持此經要如何為人演說呢？必須要不著相，不動心。為什麼呢？因為世間，凡是有所為而成的法，都是生滅無常，如夢、如幻、如泡、如影、如露亦如電，凡屬有所為，終究是虛幻的，應該都視為有如此六種一般。」
佛說是經已，長老須菩提，及諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，一切世間天、人、阿修羅，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜，信受奉行。
佛反覆闡明般若之法，至此已說解完畢。長老須菩提，與同時在法會聽經的諸僧人、女尼、善男、信女、及一切世間的天人鬼神等，聽完佛所說的般若大法，無不歡喜感化，信受其言，奉行其教。
CLICK HERE FOR THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION
切有為法，如夢幻泡影，如露亦如電，應作如是觀。
金剛般若波羅蜜經
姚秦 三藏法師 鳩摩羅什 譯
如是我聞。一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。爾時，世尊食時，著衣持缽，入舍衛大城乞食。於其城中，次第乞已，還至本處。飯食訖，收衣缽，洗足已，敷座而坐。
時，長老須菩提在大眾中即從座起，偏袒右肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬而白佛言：「希有！世尊！如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。世尊！善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，應云何住？云何降伏其心？」
佛言：「善哉，善哉。須菩提！如汝所說：如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩，汝今諦聽！當為汝說：善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，應如是住，如是降伏其心。」
「唯然。世尊！願樂欲聞。」
佛告須菩提：「諸菩薩摩訶薩應如是降伏其心！所有一切眾生之類：若卵生、若胎生、若濕生、若化生；若有色、若無色；若有想、若無想、若非有想非無想，我皆令入無餘涅槃而滅度之。如是滅度無量無數無邊眾生，實無眾生得滅度者。何以故？須菩提！若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，即非菩薩。
「復次，須菩提！菩薩於法，應無所住，行於布施，所謂不住色布施，不住聲香味觸法布施。須菩提！菩薩應如是布施，不住於相。何以故？若菩薩不住相布施，其福德不可思量。
「須菩提！於意云何？東方虛空可思量不？」
「不也，世尊！」
「須菩提！南西北方四維上下虛空可思量不？」
「不也，世尊！」
「須菩提！菩薩無住相布施，福德亦復如是不可思量。須菩提！菩薩但應如所教住。
「須菩提！於意云何？可以身相見如來不？」
「不也，世尊！不可以身相得見如來。何以故？如來所說身相，即非身相。」
佛告須菩提：「凡所有相，皆是虛妄。若見諸相非相，則見如來。」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！頗有眾生，得聞如是言說章句，生實信不？」
佛告須菩提：「莫作是說。如來滅後，後五百歲，有持戒修福者，於此章句能生信心，以此為實，當知是人不於一佛二佛三四五佛而種善根，已於無量千萬佛所種諸善根，聞是章句，乃至一念生淨信者，須菩提！如來悉知悉見，是諸眾生得如是無量福德。何以故？是諸眾生無復我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相。
「無法相，亦無非法相。何以故？是諸眾生若心取相，則為著我人眾生壽者。
「若取法相，即著我人眾生壽者。何以故？若取非法相，即著我人眾生壽者，是故不應取法，不應取非法。以是義故，如來常說：汝等比丘，知我說法，如筏喻者，法尚應捨，何況非法。
「須菩提！於意云何？如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提耶？如來有所說法耶？」
須菩提言：「如我解佛所說義，無有定法名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，亦無有定法，如來可說。何以故？如來所說法，皆不可取、不可說、非法、非非法。所以者何？一切賢聖，皆以無為法而有差別。」
「須菩提！於意云何？若人滿三千大千世界七寶以用布施，是人所得福德，寧為多不？」
須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！何以故？是福德即非福德性，是故如來說福德多。」
「若復有人，於此經中受持，乃至四句偈等，為他人說，其福勝彼。何以故？須菩提！一切諸佛，及諸佛阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，皆從此經出。須菩提！所謂佛、法者，即非佛、法。
「須菩提！於意云何？須陀洹能作是念：『我得須陀洹果』不？」
須菩提言：「不也，世尊！何以故？須陀洹名為入流，而無所入，不入色聲香味觸法，是名須陀洹。」
「須菩提！於意云何？斯陀含能作是念：『我得斯陀含果』不？」
須菩提言：「不也，世尊！何以故？斯陀含名一往來，而實無往來，是名斯陀含。」
「須菩提！於意云何？阿那含能作是念：『我得阿那含果』不？」
須菩提言：「不也，世尊！何以故？阿那含名為不來，而實無不來，是故名阿那含。」
「須菩提！於意云何？阿羅漢能作是念：『我得阿羅漢道』不？」
須菩提言：「不也，世尊！何以故？實無有法名阿羅漢。世尊！若阿羅漢作是念：『我得阿羅漢道』，即為著我人眾生壽者。世尊！佛說我得無諍三昧，人中最為第一，是第一離欲阿羅漢。我不作是念：『我是離欲阿羅漢』。世尊！我若作是念：『我得阿羅漢道』，世尊則不說須菩提是樂阿蘭那行者！以須菩提實無所行，而名須菩提是樂阿蘭那行。」
佛告須菩提：「於意云何？如來昔在燃燈佛所，於法有所得不？」
「世尊！如來在燃燈佛所，於法實無所得。」
「須菩提！於意云何？菩薩莊嚴佛土不？」
「不也，世尊！何以故？莊嚴佛土者，則非莊嚴，是名莊嚴。」
「是故須菩提，諸菩薩摩訶薩應如是生清淨心，不應住色生心，不應住聲香味觸法生心，應無所住而生其心。
「須菩提！譬如有人，身如須彌山王，於意云何？是身為大不？」
須菩提言：「甚大，世尊！何以故？佛說非身，是名大身。」
「須菩提！如恒河中所有沙數，如是沙等恒河，於意云何？是諸恒河沙寧為多不？」
須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！但諸恒河尚多無數，何況其沙！」
「須菩提！我今實言告汝：若有善男子、善女人，以七寶滿爾所恒河沙數三千大千世界，以用布施，得福多不？」
須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！」
佛告須菩提：「若善男子、善女人，於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德勝前福德。復次，須菩提！隨說是經，乃至四句偈等，當知此處，一切世間、天、人、阿修羅，皆應供養，如佛塔廟，何況有人盡能受持讀誦。須菩提！當知是人成就最上第一希有之法，若是經典所在之處，則為有佛，若尊重弟子。」
爾時，須菩提白佛言：「世尊！當何名此經？我等云何奉持？」
佛告須菩提：「是經名為《金剛般若波羅蜜》，以是名字，汝當奉持。所以者何？須菩提！佛說般若波羅蜜，則非般若波羅蜜。須菩提！於意云何？如來有所說法不？」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如來無所說。」
「須菩提！於意云何？三千大千世界所有微塵是為多不？」
須菩提言：「甚多，世尊！」
「須菩提！諸微塵，如來說非微塵，是名微塵。如來說：世界，非世界，是名世界。
「須菩提！於意云何？可以三十二相見如來不？」
「不也，世尊！何以故？如來說：三十二相，即是非相，是名三十二相。」
「須菩提！若有善男子、善女人，以恒河沙等身命布施；若復有人，於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，其福甚多！」
爾時，須菩提聞說是經，深解義趣，涕淚悲泣，而白佛言：「希有，世尊！佛說如是甚深經典，我從昔來所得慧眼，未曾得聞如是之經。世尊！若復有人得聞是經，信心清淨，則生實相，當知是人，成就第一希有功德。世尊！是實相者，則是非相，是故如來說名實相。世尊！我今得聞如是經典，信解受持不足為難，若當來世，後五百歲，其有眾生，得聞是經，信解受持，是人則為第一希有。何以故？此人無我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相。所以者何？我相即是非相，人相、眾生相、壽者相即是非相。何以故？離一切諸相，則名諸佛。」
佛告須菩提：「如是！如是！若復有人，得聞是經，不驚、不怖、不畏，當知是人甚為希有。何以故？須菩提！如來說：第一波羅蜜，非第一波羅蜜，是名第一波羅蜜。須菩提！忍辱波羅蜜，如來說非忍辱波羅蜜。何以故？須菩提！如我昔為歌利王割截身體，我於爾時，無我相、無人相、無眾生相、無壽者相。何以故？我於往昔節節支解時，若有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，應生瞋恨。須菩提！又念過去於五百世作忍辱仙人，於爾所世，無我相、無人相、無眾生相、無壽者相。是故須菩提！菩薩應離一切相，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，不應住色生心，不應住聲香味觸法生心，應生無所住心。若心有住，則為非住。
「是故佛說：菩薩心不應住色布施。須菩提！菩薩為利益一切眾生，應如是布施。如來說：一切諸相，即是非相。又說：一切眾生，則非眾生。須菩提！如來是真語者、實語者、如語者、不誑語者、不異語者。
「須菩提！如來所得法，此法無實無虛。須菩提！若菩薩心住於法而行布施，如人入暗，則無所見；若菩薩心不住法而行布施，如人有目，日光明照，見種種色。
「須菩提！當來之世，若有善男子、善女人，能於此經受持讀誦，則為如來以佛智慧，悉知是人，悉見是人，皆得成就無量無邊功德。
「須菩提！若有善男子、善女人，初日分以恒河沙等身布施，中日分復以恒河沙等身布施，後日分亦以恒河沙等身布施，如是無量百千萬億劫以身布施；若復有人，聞此經典，信心不逆，其福勝彼，何況書寫、受持、讀誦、為人解說。
「須菩提！以要言之，是經有不可思議、不可稱量、無邊功德。如來為發大乘者說，為發最上乘者說。若有人能受持讀誦，廣為人說，如來悉知是人，悉見是人，皆成就不可量、不可稱、無有邊、不可思議功德，如是人等，則為荷擔如來阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。何以故？須菩提！若樂小法者，著我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，則於此經，不能聽受讀誦、為人解說。
「須菩提！在在處處，若有此經，一切世間、天、人、阿修羅，所應供養；當知此處，則為是塔，皆應恭敬，作禮圍繞，以諸華香而散其處。
「復次，須菩提！善男子、善女人，受持讀誦此經，若為人輕賤，是人先世罪業，應墮惡道，以今世人輕賤故，先世罪業則為消滅，當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
「須菩提！我念過去無量阿僧祇劫，於燃燈佛前，得值八百四千萬億那由他諸佛，悉皆供養承事，無空過者；若復有人，於後末世，能受持讀誦此經，所得功德，於我所供養諸佛功德，百分不及一，千萬億分、乃至算數譬喻所不能及。
「須菩提！若善男子、善女人，於後末世，有受持讀誦此經，所得功德，我若具說者，或有人聞，心則狂亂，狐疑不信。須菩提！當知是經義不可思議，果報亦不可思議。」
爾時，須菩提白佛言：「世尊！善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，云何應住？云何降伏其心？」
佛告須菩提：「善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，當生如是心，我應滅度一切眾生。滅度一切眾生已，而無有一眾生實滅度者。何以故？若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，則非菩薩。所以者何？須菩提！實無有法發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者。
「須菩提！於意云何？如來於燃燈佛所，有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不？」
「不也，世尊！如我解佛所說義，佛於燃燈佛所，無有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」
佛言：「如是，如是。須菩提！實無有法如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！若有法如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，燃燈佛則不與我授記：『汝於來世，當得作佛，號釋迦牟尼。』以實無有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，是故燃燈佛與我授記，作是言：『汝於來世，當得作佛，號釋迦牟尼。』何以故？如來者，即諸法如義。
「若有人言：如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！實無有法，佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！如來所得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，於是中無實無虛。是故如來說：一切法皆是佛法。須菩提！所言一切法者，即非一切法，是故名一切法。
「須菩提！譬如人身長大。」
須菩提言：「世尊！如來說：人身長大，則為非大身，是名大身。」
「須菩提！菩薩亦如是。若作是言：『我當滅度無量眾生』，則不名菩薩。何以故？須菩提！無有法名為菩薩。是故佛說：一切法無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者。須菩提！若菩薩作是言：『我當莊嚴佛土』，是不名菩薩。何以故？如來說：莊嚴佛土者，即非莊嚴，是名莊嚴。須菩提！若菩薩通達無我、法者，如來說名真是菩薩。
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有肉眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有肉眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有天眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有天眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有慧眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有慧眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有法眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有法眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有佛眼不？」
「如是，世尊！如來有佛眼。」
「須菩提！於意云何？恒河中所有沙，佛說是沙不？」
「如是，世尊！如來說是沙。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如一恒河中所有沙，有如是沙等恒河，是諸恒河所有沙數，佛世界如是，寧為多不？」
「甚多，世尊！」
佛告須菩提：「爾所國土中，所有眾生，若干種心，如來悉知。何以故？如來說：諸心皆為非心，是名為心。所以者何？須菩提！過去心不可得，現在心不可得，未來心不可得。
「須菩提！於意云何？若有人滿三千大千世界七寶以用布施，是人以是因緣，得福多不？」
「如是，世尊！此人以是因緣，得福甚多。」
「須菩提！若福德有實，如來不說得福德多；以福德無故，如來說得福德多。
「須菩提！於意云何？佛可以具足色身見不？」
「不也，世尊！如來不應以色身見。何以故？如來說：具足色身，即非具足色身，是名具足色身。」
「須菩提！於意云何？如來可以具足諸相見不？」
「不也，世尊！如來不應以具足諸相見。何以故？如來說：諸相具足，即非具足，是名諸相具足。」
「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！頗有眾生，於未來世，聞說是法，生信心不？」
佛言：「須菩提！彼非眾生，非不眾生。何以故？須菩提！眾生眾生者，如來說非眾生，是名眾生。」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，為無所得耶？」
「如是，如是。須菩提！我於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提乃至無有少法可得，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
「復次，須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者，修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法者，如來說非善法，是名善法。
「須菩提！若三千大千世界中所有諸須彌山王，如是等七寶聚，有人持用布施；若人以此《般若波羅蜜經》，乃至四句偈等，受持讀誦、為他人說，於前福德百分不及一，百千萬億分，乃至算數譬喻所不能及。
「須菩提！於意云何？汝等勿謂如來作是念：『我當度眾生。』須菩提！莫作是念。何以故？實無有眾生如來度者，若有眾生如來度者，如來則有我人眾生壽者。須菩提！如來說：『有我者，則非有我，而凡夫之人以為有我。』須菩提！凡夫者，如來說則非凡夫。
「須菩提！於意云何？可以三十二相觀如來不？」
須菩提言：「如是！如是！以三十二相觀如來。」
佛言：「須菩提！若以三十二相觀如來者，轉輪聖王則是如來。」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如我解佛所說義，不應以三十二相觀如來。」
爾時，世尊而說偈言：
「若以色見我 以音聲求我 是人行邪道 不能見如來
「須菩提！汝若作是念：『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』須菩提！莫作是念：『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』
「須菩提！汝若作是念，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，說諸法斷滅。莫作是念！何以故？發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，於法不說斷滅相。
「須菩提！若菩薩以滿恒河沙等世界七寶布施；若復有人知一切法無我，得成於忍，此菩薩勝前菩薩所得功德。須菩提！以諸菩薩不受福德故。」
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！云何菩薩不受福德？」
「須菩提！菩薩所作福德，不應貪著，是故說不受福德。
「須菩提！若有人言：如來若來若去、若坐若臥，是人不解我所說義。何以故？如來者，無所從來，亦無所去，故名如來。
「須菩提！若善男子、善女人，以三千大千世界碎為微塵，於意云何？是微塵眾寧為多不？」
「甚多，世尊！何以故？若是微塵眾實有者，佛則不說是微塵眾，所以者何？佛說：微塵眾，則非微塵眾，是名微塵眾。世尊！如來所說三千大千世界，則非世界，是名世界。何以故？若世界實有，則是一合相。如來說：一合相，則非一合相，是名一合相。」
「須菩提！一合相者，則是不可說，但凡夫之人貪著其事。
「須菩提！若人言：佛說我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。須菩提！於意云何？是人解我所說義不？」
「世尊！是人不解如來所說義。何以故？世尊說：我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，即非我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，是名我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。」
「須菩提！發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於一切法，應如是知，如是見，如是信解，不生法相。須菩提！所言法相者，如來說即非法相，是名法相。
「須菩提！若有人以滿無量阿僧祇世界七寶持用布施，若有善男子、善女人，發菩薩心者，持於此經，乃至四句偈等，受持讀誦，為人演說，其福勝彼。云何為人演說，不取於相，如如不動。何以故？
「一切有為法 如夢幻泡影 如露亦如電 應作如是觀」
佛說是經已，長老須菩提及諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷、一切世間、天、人、阿修羅，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜，信受奉行。
See here the original
See here for explanation
法會因由分第一
如是我聞：一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。爾時，世尊食時，著衣持缽，入舍衛大城乞食。於其城中次第乞已，還至本處。飯食訖，收衣缽。洗足已，敷座而坐。
弟子阿難說：這本金剛般若波羅蜜經是我親自聽到如來佛說的。在說此經的時候，佛是在舍衛城的祇樹給孤獨園，與有德性的高僧及各弟子，約有一千二百五十人等共同生活。那時候已經是快到吃飯的時刻。大夥兒穿上了架裟，拿著盛飯的缽，由祇樹給孤獨園走進舍衛大城去乞食。在城中依次乞食完了，便回到原處吃飯。佛吃過了飯，就將衣缽收拾乾淨，也洗淨了腳，親自在地上鋪好座位坐下來。
善現啟請分第二
時長老須菩提在大眾中，即從座起，偏袒右肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬。而白佛言：「希有！世尊。如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。世尊！善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，云何應住？云何降伏其心？」佛言：「善哉！善哉！須菩提！如汝所說，如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。汝今諦聽，當為汝說。善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，應如是住，如是降伏其心。」「唯然！世尊！願樂欲聞。」
這個時候，眾弟子中德高年長的須菩提，在大眾中從自己的座位上站了起來。他露出右肩，右膝跪地，兩手合掌，很敬重地對如來佛行了一個禮，讚嘆地說：「希有的世尊，您對於未成佛的菩薩弟子，善盡保護憐念他們的善心；又善於咐囑指導一切學佛的大眾。世尊！還有那些善男信女，若是發了無上正等正覺的菩提心時，要怎樣才能使這個菩提心常住不退呢？如果他們起了妄念的時候，又要怎樣去降伏他的妄心呢？」佛回答說：「問得好！問得好啊！照你所說的，知道我善盡保護憐念未成佛的菩薩弟子，也善於咐囑指導一切學佛的大眾，你既然明白這個道理，就要仔細用心地聽，我來為你們解說。」須菩提聽了很快地回答說：「是的，世尊！我很高興聽師父說明這個道理。」
大乘正宗分第三
佛告須菩提：「諸菩薩摩訶薩，應如是降伏其心：所有一切眾生之類─若卵生、若胎生、若濕生、若化生；若有色、若無色；若有想、若無想；若非有想非無想，我皆令入無餘涅槃而滅度之。如是滅度無量無數無邊眾生，實無眾生得滅度者。何以故？須菩提！若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，即非菩薩。」
佛告訴須菩提說：「諸菩薩、摩訶薩等應按照我下面所說的方法，降伏其妄念心，方可常住菩提心。降伏妄心的方法，就是要不著一切眾生相。我把一切眾生歸分為九類：如卵生、胎生、濕生、化生，如有色、無色，如有想、無想、非有想非無想等眾生。我要為所有眾生滅他們的業障，度他們超脫輪迴六道，以至於不生不死入於清淨無為之鄉。話又說回來，我雖然這樣滅度，但是一切眾生實在沒有得我的滅度。這是為什麼呢？因為眾生與菩薩，同具此菩提心，現在滅他們的妄心而度歸清淨，不過還其所本有，也就是他們自性自度，並非是我所度的。須菩提！若他們有得我滅度的念頭，即是還執著我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，還是執著自性的眾生，尚未滅度無餘，自然不是菩薩。」
妙行無住分第四
復次：「須菩提！菩薩於法，應無所住，行於布施。所謂不住色布施，不住聲、香、味、觸、法布施。須菩提！菩薩應如是布施，不住於相。何以故？若菩薩不住相布施，其福德不可思量。須菩提！於意云何？東方虛空可思量不？」「不也，世尊！」「須菩提！南、西、北方、四維、上、下虛空，可思量不？」「不也。世尊！」「須菩提！菩薩無住相布施，福德亦復如是，不可思量。須菩提！菩薩但應如所教住！」
佛再對須菩提說：「菩薩於無上正等正覺之法，應該不著相布施。所謂不著相布施，就是要六根清淨，離開色、聲、香、味、觸、法等塵相而布施，也就是施者忘施，受者忘受，並且要忘記所施之物。（如此施空、受空、物空即所謂的『三輪體空』。）須菩提，菩薩應該不住相布施，為什麼呢？因為著相布施，是局於有相；而眾生之相，實在只等於一微塵，即使能因此而獲福也是有限的。若不著相布施，就無相可住，像這樣不住相布施的福德就不可限量了。須菩提！譬如說東方那無邊際的虛空，你可以以心思度量嗎？」須菩提回答說：「不可以。世尊！」佛又說：「須菩提！再與南、西、北四方及上下的虛空那樣毫無邊際，你是否可以用你的心思去度量嗎？」須菩提回答說：「不可以的。世尊！」佛又說：「須菩提！菩薩若能不著相布施，所得的福德也就像虛空這樣的不可限量。須菩提！菩薩應該照我善護念、善咐囑之教，如是降伏妄心，而又不著相布施，常堅守著菩提心。」
如理實見分第五
「須菩提！於意云何？可以身相見如來不？」「不也，世尊！不可以身相得見如來。何以故？如來所說身相，即非身相。」佛告須菩提：「凡所有相，皆是虛妄。若見諸相非相，即見如來。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為普通修行的人，能看見如來的形體嗎？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不能見到如來的形體。原因是師父如來您所說的形體，並非形體，是法相，所以不能看見。」佛又告訴須菩提說：「不但我的形相是這樣的，凡世間所有的相，都是虛無不實的。若是識破了諸相都是虛空的道理，就可以見如來的法相了。」
正信希有分第六
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！頗有眾生，得聞如是言說章句，生實信不？」佛告須菩提：「莫作是說！如來滅後，後五百歲，有持戒修福者，於此章句，能生信心，以此為實。當知是人，不於一佛、二佛、三四五佛而種善根，已於無量千萬佛所種諸善根。聞是章句，乃至一念生淨信者；須菩提！如來悉知悉見，是諸眾生得如是無量福德。何以故？是諸眾生，無復我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相、無法相，亦無非法相。何以故？是諸眾生若心取相，即為著我、人、眾生、壽者。若取法相，即著我、人、眾生、壽者。何以故？若取非法相，即著我、人、眾生、壽者。是故不應取法，不應取非法。以是義故，如來常說：汝等比丘！知我說法，如筏喻者；法尚應捨，何況非法？」
須菩提向如來佛稟告說：「世尊！您所說的不住相布施，以及所謂見諸相非相即見如來，這種無相真空的妙理，一般眾生聽了能瞭解相信嗎？」如來佛聽了就告訴須菩提說：「你不能這樣說。我說的法，雖是深妙，難道都沒有相信的人嗎？不但現在有人相信，將來也是會有的。就是到我死後，後五百歲，有持守戒律廣修福田的人，看到此經中的一章一句，自能信以為真。也就可以知道這種人善根深厚，不僅是一二三四五佛所種的善根，乃是從無量佛所種得來的善根。這種人看到此經的一章一句，而能心淨不亂，心信不疑。須菩提！我確可以洞悉此種淨信眾生是通佛性的，是可以得到如十方虛空漫無天際的無量福德。為什麼呢？因為這些眾生善根純熟，已悟得真空無相的道理，已離開我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相；並且無法相，也無非法相。這又為什麼呢？如果這些眾生，若心有所取相，即著了我人眾生壽者四相；若執著此經章句，也是著了我人眾生壽者四相。若心執偏空，就是固執人死身心皆斷滅，歸於空無的一個錯誤的斷見，也與著四相無異。所以於法相實不應執有也不應執無，才得以悟入性空，自然離法。就因為這個道理，所以我常告訴你們這些比丘，對於我所說的一切法，只是要你們假借此法而離相見性；假借此法使你們度脫生死的苦海。如果你們見了自己的本性，證了涅槃之樂時，就可以捨去此法。就好比編竹筏，渡人過河，到了彼岸就不須要再用筏了。似此佛的正法尚且要捨去，何況不是佛法的世間文詞，又為什麼堅持不捨呢？」
無得無說分第七
「須菩提！於意云何？如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提耶？如來有所說法耶？」須菩提言：「如我解佛所說義，無有定法，名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；亦無有定法如來可說。何以故？如來所說法，皆不可取、不可說；非法、非非法。所以者何？一切賢聖，皆以無為法，而有差別。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為我已得無上正等正覺的菩提嗎？你認為我有說一定之法嗎？」須菩提回答說：「就我所知道了解佛您所說的意思，沒有一定的法。而無上正等正覺的菩提，也沒有一定的法可說。同時，也沒有定法讓如來可說的。為什麼呢？因為您所說的法，是無上菩提之法，可以心悟，而不可以色相取；只可意會，不可以言說；是非法，又是非非法。就是因為這個緣故，不但我師父如來以外，就是一切賢聖，皆用這個無為法自修。只是隨各人所修的程度不同，而所得證悟就有差別。」
依法出生分第八
「須菩提！於意云何？若人滿三千大千世界七寶，以用布施。是人所得福德，寧為多不？須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！何以故？是福德，即非福性。是故如來說福德多。」「若復有人，於此經中，受持乃至四句偈等，為他人說，其福勝彼。何以故？須菩提！一切諸佛，及諸佛阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，皆從此經出。須菩提！所謂佛法者，即非佛法。」
佛說：「須菩提！如果有人以充滿了大千世界的金銀七寶來行布施，你認為這個人所得的福德難道不多嗎？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！當然是很多。為什麼呢？因為這種福德，是有相的布施，畢竟還是無福德性。然以人世報施的福德而言，所以您說這個人所得的福德多。」如來佛又說：「如果有人，受持此般若經，甚而只要為人演說此經其中的四句偈、四句等，那麼他所得到的福德，比前面說的用大千世界的七寶施福所得福德更多。為什麼呢？須菩提！因為一切諸佛，及成佛的無上正等正覺菩提法，皆從此經緣生的。所以才說般若是諸佛之母。須菩提！但要注意般若並非佛法。意思就是本來就沒有佛法可言，不過藉之以開悟眾生，替它取名為佛法而已。所以所謂的佛法，就不是佛法。
一相無相分第九
「須菩提！於意云何？須陀洹能作是念，我得須陀洹果不？」須菩提言：「不也。世尊！何以故？須陀洹名為入流，而無所入；不入色、聲、香、味、觸、法。是名須陀洹。」「須菩提！於意云何？斯陀含能作是念，我得斯陀含果不？」須菩提言：「不也。世尊！何以故？斯陀含名一往來，而實無往來，是名斯陀含。」「須菩提，於意云何？阿那含能作是念，我得阿那含果不？」須菩提言：「不也。世尊！何以故？阿那含名為不來，而實無不來，是故名阿那含。」「須菩提！於意云何？阿羅漢能作是念，我得阿羅漢道不？」須菩提言：「不也。世尊！何以故？實無有法名阿羅漢。世尊！若阿羅漢作是念，我得阿羅漢道，即為著我、人、眾生、壽者。世尊！佛說我得無諍三昧，人中最為第一，是第一離欲阿羅漢。世尊！我不作是念：『我是離欲阿羅漢。』世尊！我若作是念，我得阿羅漢道，世尊則不說須菩提是樂阿蘭那行者，以須菩提實無所行，而名須菩提，是樂阿蘭那行。」
佛說：「須菩提，你認為當人在修行須陀洹時，是否要預先思念自己得聲聞初果嗎？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不會。初得聖果的人，不會起這樣的思念。為什麼呢？因為須陀洹的意思雖稱為入流卻無所入，因其不入色、聲、香、味、觸、法，所以才稱為須陀洹。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為當人在修行斯陀含，會不會預先思念自己得聲聞第二果呢？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不會。修行第二聖果的人，不會起這樣的思念。為什麼呢？因為斯陀含的心境，已達於至靜之處，雖然當時的修行還是一生一滅，所以稱之為一往來，實際上已無第二個生滅，心不著生滅之相，所以實無往來。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為當人在修行阿那含時，會不會預先思念自己已得聲聞第三果呢？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不會。修行第三聖果的人，不會起這樣的思念。為什麼呢？因為阿那含，心空無我，已斷塵識思惑，六塵四相，一一證空，而無不來之相。所以阿那含意思雖稱為不來，其實是永不來欲界受生的意思。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為當人在修行阿羅漢時，會不會預先思念自己已得聲聞第四果呢？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！不會。修行第四聖果的人，不會起這樣的思念。為什麼呢？因為阿羅漢已心空相俱滅。既無得道之念，也沒有得果之念，不再感受未來的生死，並不是另外有個實在的自性法，可以稱之為阿羅漢。如果阿羅漢自念得道，即著四相，就不能叫做阿羅漢了。世尊！您曾經這樣說過我：說我遠離一切著相、取相的分別，遠離一切是非，契合真理，已到奧妙之處。在諸弟子中，讚許我為解空第一。是第一個脫盡人我，斷絕此念，離欲的阿羅漢。世尊！我雖蒙師父您如此的稱讚，我確實沒有得了阿羅漢的念頭。世尊！我若有得了阿羅漢的念頭，便是生了妄念，又如何得到六欲皆空的阿羅漢。如果是這樣，您就不會說我是好寂靜的阿蘭那行者，因為我心原無所得，亦無所行，只因本分上一塵不染，以此得名須菩提而已。所以師父您才稱讚我是好寂靜之行者。」
莊嚴淨土分第十
佛告須菩提：「於意云何？如來昔在然燈佛所，於法有所得不？」「不也，世尊！如來在然燈佛所，於法實無所得。」「須菩提！於意云何？菩薩莊嚴佛土不？」「不也。世尊！何以故？莊嚴佛土者，即非莊嚴，是名莊嚴。」「是故，須菩提！諸菩薩摩訶薩，應如是生清淨心，不應住色生心，不應住聲、香、味、觸、法生心，應無所住，而生其心。須菩提！譬如有人，身如須彌山王，於意云何？是身為大不？」須菩提言：「甚大。世尊！何以故？佛說非身，是名大身。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為以前我在與然燈佛會晤時，從他那兒有沒有得法呢？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！您在與然燈佛會晤時，是自修自悟，於法實無所得。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為菩薩發心從事莊嚴佛土，是不是真的有佛土可莊嚴呢？」須菩提回答說：「不是。世尊！為什麼呢？因為你所說的莊嚴，不是形相莊嚴，不過假藉莊嚴之名而已。」佛又說：「就因為如此，須菩提！所以諸菩薩、摩訶薩應該像這樣一心不亂，生清淨心，不可執著在色聲香味觸法之上生意念。否則便受六塵所蒙蔽、所束縛，妄念旋起，怎麼能清淨呢？原來清淨心，本無所住的。須菩提！譬如有人，其身如須彌山王，你認為他的身形是否很大？」須菩提回答說：「非常大。世尊！但是此人身形雖大，不能稱為大身。為什麼呢？因為他的身形再大，也是有生有滅，終受輪迴；而師父您前面說的非相法身，乃是清淨本心，是真法身，此心包廓太虛，周藏法界，無相無住，豈是須彌山所能比量的嗎？這只不過假藉一個名，稱之為大身而已。」
無為福勝分第十一
「須菩提！如恆河中所所沙數，如是沙等恆河，於意云何？是諸恆河沙，寧為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！但諸恆河，尚多無數，何況其沙？」「須菩提！我今實言告汝，若有善男子、善女人，以七寶滿爾所恆河沙數三千大千世界，以用布施，得福多不？」須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！」佛告須菩提：「若善男子、善女人，於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，而此福德，勝前福德。」
佛說：「須菩提！如用恒河中所有的沙數來作比喻，以一粒沙比喻一條恒河，那麼所有恒河內的所有沙，難道你認為不多嗎？」須菩提回答說：「非常多。世尊！以一沙各代表一恒河，河尚且就有無數多，何況是所有河中的所有沙呢！」佛又說：「須菩提，我實在告訴你，若有善男子或善女人，以一粒沙當作一個世界，用充滿如恒河沙數那麼多的三千大千世界的七寶來布施，那他所得的福德多不多？」須菩提回答說：「當然很多。世尊！」佛又告訴須菩提說：「若有善男子或善女子，為他人說及此經，甚至只是受持四句偈、四句等，而這個法施所得的福德又勝過前面用七寶布施所得的福德來得多了。」
尊重正教分第十二
復次：「須菩提！隨說是經，乃至四句偈等，當知此處，一切世間天、人、阿修羅，皆應供養，如佛塔廟。何況有人，盡能受持、讀誦。須菩提！當知是人，成就最上第一希有之法；若是經典所在之處，即為有佛，若尊重弟子。」
佛再進一步的說：「須菩提！若有人隨便在什麼地方，演講此經，甚而至少只說四句偈、四句等，使那些聽到說經的人，消除妄念。應該知道遇到說此經的處所是十分難得的，一切世間的天、人、鬼神等對於此處，皆應恭敬供養，作禮散花，如供養佛的塔廟一般。何況是那種人能完全受持讀誦般若經典，當然是格外值得尊敬了。須菩提！你可知這種人就是成就世上第一希有的無上菩提法。因般若能趨於無上菩提，世間沒有一法可與般若相比的，正因為如此，所以若是般若經典所在之處，即如有佛在，可以說得與佛弟子三寶同居，亦要宛如對佛弟子一樣的尊重。」
如法受持分第十三
爾時，須菩提白佛言：「世尊！當何名此經？我等云何奉持？」佛告須菩提：「是經名為金剛般若波羅蜜，以是名字，汝當奉持。所以者何？須菩提！佛說般若波羅蜜，即非般若波羅蜜，是名般若波羅蜜。須菩提！於意云何？如來有所說法不？」須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如來無所說。」「須菩提！於意云何？三千大千世界所有微塵，是為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！」「須菩提！諸微塵，如來說非微塵，是名微塵。如來說世界非世界，是名世界。須菩提，於意云何？可以三十二相見如來不？」「不也。世尊！不可以三十二相得見如來。何以故？如來說三十二相，即是非相，是名三十二相。」「須菩提！若有善男子、善女人，以恆河沙等身命布施，若復有人，於此經中，乃至受持四句偈等，為他人說，其福甚多！」
那個時候，須菩提對佛稟白說：「世尊！此經應該取一個什麼名字？我們應該怎樣受持奉行此經呢？」佛就告訴須菩提說：「此經就取名為金剛般若波羅蜜，你們應當依法奉持。為什麼取這個名字呢？須菩提！我所說的般若波羅蜜，是妙覺本性，空如太虛。本體既然是虛無，那裡還會有什麼名字。不過恐怕人生斷見，不得已勉強取個『金剛般若波羅蜜』的名稱，為便於眾弟子奉持而已。須菩提！你認為我對此有所說法嗎？」須菩提回答說：「世尊！般若是在於自性自悟，既無可名之名，我師父就無所說。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為三千大千世界裡所有的微塵多不多？」須菩提回答說：「甚多。世尊！」佛又說：「須菩提！微塵雖多，但皆無自性，悉假因緣而有。凡是因緣的，必然是空的，所以因其原無實性，所以說是非微塵，只不過假藉個名，稱為微塵而已。同樣的道理，我說世界雖大，然一切劫盡則壞，也是虛空不實的，只不過假藉個名，稱為世界而已。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為可以以三十二相見如來嗎？」須菩提回答說：「不可以，世尊！不可以三十二相見如來。為什麼呢？因為您所說的三十二相，是屬於因緣假合，亦即隨著眾生的妄心所現的假相，根本沒有它的實在自相可得，也是假藉個名稱為三十二相而已。」佛又再提醒說：「須菩提！若有善男子或善女人，以相等恒河沙的生命來布施眾生，以犧牲生命來布施以求福德。再說假如有另一種人，演說此經，甚而至少只說四句偈、四句等，他持經布施所得的福，還是比前面說的捨身布施的福更多了。」
離相寂滅分第十四
爾時，須菩提聞說是經，深解義趣，涕淚悲泣，而白佛言：「希有！世尊。佛說如是甚深經典，我從昔來所得慧眼，未曾得聞如是之經。世尊！若復有人得聞是經，信心清淨，即生實相。當知是人成就第一希有功德。世尊！是實相者，則是非相，是故如來說名實相。世尊！我今得聞如是經典，信解受持不足為難，若當來世後五百歲，其有眾生，得聞是經，信解受持，是人則為第一希有。何以故？此人無我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，所以者何？我相，即是非相；人相、眾生相、壽者相，即是非相。何以故？離一切諸相，則名諸佛。」佛告須菩提：「如是，如是！若復有人，得聞是經，不驚、不怖、不畏，當知是人，甚為希有。何以故？須菩提！如來說第一波羅蜜即非第一波羅蜜，是名第一波羅蜜。須菩提！忍辱波羅蜜，如來說非忍辱波羅蜜，是名忍辱波羅蜜。何以故？須菩提！如我昔為歌利王割截身體，我於爾時，無我相、無人相、無眾生相，無壽者相。何以故？我於往昔節節支解時，若有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，應生瞋恨。須菩提！又念過去於五百世，作忍辱仙人，於爾所世，無我相、無人相、無眾生相、無壽者相。是故，須菩提！菩薩應離一切相，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，不應住色生心，不應住聲、香、味、觸、法生心，應生無所住心。若心有住，即為非住。是故佛說菩薩心，不應住色布施。須菩提！菩薩為利益一切眾生故，應如是布施。如來說一切諸相，即是非相；又說一切眾生，即非眾生。須菩提！如來是真語者、實語者、如語者、不誑語者、不異語者。須菩提！如來所得此法，此法無實無虛。須菩提！若菩薩心住於法，而行布施，如人入闇，則無所見。若菩薩心不住法，而行布施，如人有目日光明照，見種種色。須菩提！當來之世，若有善男子、善女人，能於此經受持、讀誦，則為如來，以佛智慧，悉知是人，悉見是人，皆得成就無量無邊功德。」
那時，須菩提聽如來佛說到這裡，心中已經深悟佛理旨趣，頗為感動的流下淚來。不禁向如來佛讚嘆了一聲：「希有的世尊！您所說這個深奧的經典，即使在從前，我雖具有慧眼，也能一聞千悟，卻是未曾聽得如此深奧的經。我既聞此經，自性清淨中，已悟有本來全真的實相。如果有人，得聞此經，而信心純正清淨，毫無塵念。而生般若真實之實相，就可知道這種人，是非常難得，是成就第一希有功德的人。但是，世尊！究竟這般若實相，就是諸法空相，不是一般所說實物，但為引導眾生離開執著而找回本心，不得不假藉一個名，稱之為實相而已。世尊，此經我聽到這裡，已能了解其中的妙理，信奉修持，應該不是難事。倘若後世過五百年之後，是濁世末法的時候，離開師父您的時期已遠的苦海茫茫眾生，聽到此經而能信解受持的人，則此人真的是明了自性的第一人，實在難得。為什麼呢？因為這個人頓悟真空，必無我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，就因為他已經了悟我相即是非相，人相、眾生相、壽者相也是非相，所以能夠離一切相，其心滅寂，就可以稱之為佛。」佛告訴須菩提說：「對的！你這樣說是對的。當知後世如果有人，聽到般若之妙法而不驚駭、不恐怖、不畏懼，這種人實在是很少有的。為什麼呢？須菩提！這就是我所謂的第一波羅蜜，此人的智慧已到彼岸了。不過修持的人卻不可以對彼岸有所執著，不過為了要引導眾生修持，特別給予一個名稱，稱之為第一波羅蜜而已。須菩提！再說到忍辱波羅蜜，凡辱境之來，恬然處之，不生忿怒即是忍辱波羅蜜，但真空本來無相，外不見其辱，內不見其忍，渾然兩忘，切勿執著於忍辱，所以我說非忍辱波羅蜜，只是為便於眾生修持，特別給予一個名稱，稱之為忍辱波羅蜜。為什麼呢？須菩提！就好比我的前生，被歌利王支解身體的時候，確實無我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，否則當時我在被支解時，如果著有四相，必定心生忿恨，必成苦果。須菩提，我又想起過去的前五百世，做忍辱仙人修忍辱之行時，就已離我人眾生壽者四相，由歷劫頓悟真空，可知吾人所修行的，決不是一朝一夕所成的。所以說，須菩提！菩薩之修行，首當空其心，離一切相，方能發無上正等正覺的菩提心。此心中不執著於色，不執著於聲、香、味、觸、法，應生無所住心，此心才能圓通無礙。若於六塵中，一有執著，便不能解脫其住心，即非菩薩的住處。所以我說，菩薩心本來是虛而明，若住於六塵就不能覺悟，我所謂的不應住色布施，原因就在於此。須菩提！菩薩不住色布施，發心廣大，不是為己，是為有利於一切眾生，應該要如此無相布施。而我所說的一切諸相，原是指點諸菩薩解脫的，其實真寶的本體皆是空的，原是非相。而一切眾生，也是引導諸菩薩滅度而已，其實若見本性，妄心自離而入佛境，那麼一切眾生也就不是眾生了。須菩提！我所說的般若波羅蜜，皆是無上的菩提，是真而不妄、實而不虛、如常不變，不是欺人的，也沒有兩種說法。須菩提！我所說的般若之法，是真如無相，無實性；是自性自足、無虛的。須菩提！如果菩薩是一心執著於法而行布施，則是未離四相，有如人進入暗室，一無所見。如果菩薩心不執著於法而行布施，則如同人張開眼時，日光四照，見種種色；其心洞澈真空，可了一切之境。須菩提！當我滅後，到了後世，若有善男子或善女人，能於此經，受持讀誦，即到菩提之覺位，成自性之如來，我當知此人，也必以無上智慧照鑒之。而此人成就見性的功德，是無量無邊的。」
持經功德分第十五
「須菩提！若有善男子、善女人，初日分以恆河沙等身布施；中日分復以恆河沙等身布施；後日分亦以恆河沙等身布施，如是無量百千萬億劫，以身布施。若復有人，聞此經典，信心不逆，其福勝彼。何況書寫、受持、讀誦、為人解說。須菩提！以要言之，是經有不可思議，不可稱量，無邊功德，如來為發大乘者說，為發最上乘者說，若有人能受持、讀誦、廣為人說，如來悉知是人、悉見是人，皆得成就不可量、不可稱、無有邊、不可思議功德，如是人等，即為荷擔如來阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。何以故？須菩提！若樂小法者，著我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，則於此經不能聽受、讀誦、為人解說。須菩提！在在處處，若有此經，一切世間，天、人、阿修羅所應供養，當知此處，則為是塔，皆應恭敬，作禮圍遶，以諸華香而散其處。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有善男子或善女人，於一日之間，早晨以相當於恒河沙數的身命布施，中午又以相當於恒河沙數的身命布施，晚上也以相當於恒河沙數的身命布施。如此經百千萬億劫之久，一日三次皆如此布施，自當得布施之福。如果有人，聽說此經，而能篤信不違逆，那麼他所得的福德則勝過前面說的以身命布施的人。何況是手書口誦，為人解說此經的意義，不但明自性，還要使人人見性，善根純熟，其所得的福德之無量，更不用說了。須菩提！簡而言之，因為此經所得的福德不以心思口議，不可以多少稱量，實是無邊際的功德。而此經在於讓我們妙用本性，是大乘菩薩的最上乘，所以我為啟發大乘人，說明此真空之妙；為啟發最上乘的人，說明此般若之法。如有大慧根的人，持此大乘經典，廣為人闡發妙旨，印契佛旨，所成就之功德，我全部知道，也全都看得到。這種人既能成就此功德，就足以能擔任如來無上菩提正法。這就是為什麼喜好小乘法的人，局於妄心，不免執著於我、人、眾生、壽者等私見，對此大乘最上乘法，不能理解，不能聽受讀誦，更不能為人解說此經。須菩提！無論是什麼人，在什麼地方，講解此經，那麼無論天、人、鬼神都會齊來護衛法身，皆來供養。當知此經所在之處，即等於是佛塔的地方。皆應尊敬法身，作禮圍繞，並帶香花來此處供奉。」
能淨業障分第十六
復次：「須菩提！善男子、善女人，受持、讀誦此經，若為人輕賤，是人先世罪業，應墮惡道。以今世人輕賤故，先世罪業，則為消滅，當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！我念過去無量阿僧祇劫，於然燈佛前，得值八百四千萬億那由他諸佛，悉皆供養承事，無空過者。若復有人，於後末世，能受持、讀誦此經，所得功德，於我所供養諸佛功德，百分不及一，千萬億分，乃至算數譬喻所不能及。須菩提！若善男子、善女人，於後末世，有受持、讀誦此經，所得功德，我若具說者，或有人聞，心則狂亂，狐疑不信。須菩提！當知是經義不可思議，果報亦不可思議。」
佛再進一步說明：「須菩提！若有善男子或善女人，受持讀誦此經，不但不得天人恭敬，卻被人輕賤。為什麼呢？是因為他在前世所種的罪業。既有罪業，則來世應該墮入地獄、惡鬼、畜生三惡道中，受盡苦難。而今以持經功德，減輕他的罪業；其所以被人輕賤，就可以相抵消。不過他漸漸修持，因除果現，罪滅福生，依然可得無上正等正覺。須菩提！我想到前世，歷經了無數無量的劫數。在未遇然燈佛前，曾供養無數量佛，且尊重每一位佛都一樣，無一不全心全意的供養。如果後人持誦此經，見自本性，永離輪迴，他持經所得的功德，比我以前供佛的功德，還勝過無數倍。須菩提！若善男子或善女人於後末世，受持讀誦此經，必得無量之功德。此功德我只是約略而言，我如果要詳細說明，則其多有如恒河沙數說不盡，恐怕慧根淺的人，大則誑亂，小則狐疑，反以為我所說的為怪談滑稽之談。須菩提！當知功德，由於經義，應於果報。經義甚深，不可推測；果報甚重，不可思議。」
究竟無我分第十七
爾時，須菩提白佛言：「世尊，善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，云何應住？云何降伏其心？」佛告須菩提：「善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，當生如是心：我應滅度一切眾生；滅度一切眾生已，而無有一眾生實滅度者，何以故？須菩提若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，則非菩薩。所以者何？須菩提！實無有法，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者。須菩提！於意云何？如來於然燈佛所，有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不？」「不也。世尊！如我解佛所說義，佛於然燈佛所，無有法得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」佛言：「如是！如是！須菩提！實無有法，如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！若有法如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，然燈佛即不與我授記：『汝於來世當得作佛，號釋迦牟尼。』以實無有法，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，是故然燈佛與我授記，作是言：『汝於來世，當得作佛，號釋迦牟尼。』何以故？如來者，即諸法如義。若有人言：如來得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，須菩提！實無有法，佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！如來所得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，於是中無實無虛。是故如來說一切法，皆是佛法。須菩提！所言一切法者，即非一切法，是故名一切法。須菩提！譬如人身長大。」須菩提言：「世尊！如來說人身長大，則為非大身，是名大身。」「須菩提！菩薩亦如是。若作是言：『我當滅度無量眾生。』則不名菩薩。何以故？須菩提！實無有法，名為菩薩。是故佛說：『一切法，無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者。』須菩提！若菩薩作是言：『我當莊嚴佛土。』是不名菩薩。何以故？如來說莊嚴佛土者，即非莊嚴，是名莊嚴。須菩提！若菩薩通達無我法者，如來說名真是菩薩。」
那時，須菩提當機稟白佛說：「善男子或善女人已發菩提心的人，如何能常保持這菩提心？又如何能降伏妄念心呢？」佛告訴須菩提說：「菩提心本來人人都具足，只因眾生為塵染所蒙蔽，如一切煩惱、妄想、取捨、貪瞋、嫉妒、人我四相等，佛等應一一為之滅度，所謂無欲，就能住心，亦能降伏妄心。我所謂滅度者，不過指點出真性情，使之自悟，我外不見所愛之眾生，內不見能度之我。而眾生既見性真，則般若觀照，已常住不滅，說到究竟，實無一眾生是我所滅度的。為什麼呢？因為學道的菩薩，若存有滅度眾生之心，則尚存有人我四相，則又要從何發菩提心，又如何能稱為菩薩呢？這又是為什麼呢？須菩提！原因就是性本空寂，發此心的人，不過是自修自悟而成，而在真性中，實在沒有發菩提心之法。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為我在遇見然燈佛時，有沒有從他那兒學得菩提心法？」須菩提回答說：「沒有。世尊！沒有法可得菩提心，因為菩提心完全是自性自悟，雖在然燈佛所，也是無法可得菩提心法。」佛說：「是的。須菩提！誠如你所說的，實在無法可得無上正等正覺的菩提心。須菩提！如果說有方法可得菩提心，那麼然燈佛就不會為我授記，當下就應該傳授我成佛之法。他所以才懸記來世說我方能成佛，並預定來世成佛之名號，稱之為釋迦牟尼。為什麼呢？因為如來的意思，就是本性寂然，不染不著，如其本來，而以釋迦牟尼稱之，最能合其意。如果有人說：如來已得無上正等正覺的菩提心，那就錯了。須菩提！就因為實在沒有方法可得此菩提心。須菩提！我所謂的菩提心，是平等真如，實相妙法，不可以有形相見，乃是無實無虛，不可以言語形容，所以我說一切法中，只要能自悟真如，都可稱之為佛法。但是，須菩提！於法不可拘泥於有無，所稱的一切法，實際上並非是一切法，只是假藉一個名，稱之為一切法而已。須菩提！譬如有個人的身體高而且大，真的是大身嗎？」須菩提回答說：「您所說的大身，是有生有滅的，仍是有限量的，如何能稱之為大身？不過假藉一個名，稱之為大身而已。」佛又說：「須菩提！菩薩也是如此，真如清淨才稱之為菩薩。而度生本是菩薩份內的事，如果他執著一念，認為他是菩薩，應該滅度一切眾生，便有我相的觀念，就不能稱之為菩薩。為什麼呢？因為從發心到度生，沒有不是緣成幻成的，實在無法可以得到而使之成為菩薩的，所以我說，一切法中沒有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，則一切法自然都是佛法。須菩提！如果菩薩說：我應當莊嚴整飾佛的剎土，也是著於相，不可稱之為菩薩。為什麼呢？因為所謂莊嚴佛土，是沒有能莊嚴的人及能莊嚴的法，亦即沒有實性的莊嚴佛土可言，只是假借一個名，稱之為莊嚴而已。須菩提！若菩薩能大徹大悟，通達無我無法的人，即可以稱之為菩薩。」
一體同觀分第十八
「須菩提！於意云何？如來有肉眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有肉眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來有天眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有天眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來有慧眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有慧眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來有法眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有法眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來有佛眼不？」「如是，世尊！如來有佛眼。」「須菩提！於意云何？如恆河中所有沙，佛說是沙不？」「如是，世尊！如來說是沙。」「須菩提！於意云何？如一恆河中所有沙，有如是沙等恆河，是諸恆河所有沙數，佛世界如是，寧為多不？」「甚多。世尊！」佛告須菩提：「爾所國土中，所有眾生若干種心，如來悉知。何以故？如來說諸心，皆為非心，是名為心。所以者何？須菩提！過去心不可得，現在心不可得，未來心不可得。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有肉眼嗎？」須若提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有肉眼。」佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有天眼嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有天眼。」佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有慧眼嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有慧眼。」佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有法眼嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有法眼。」佛說：「須菩提！你認為我具有佛眼嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您具有佛眼。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為在恒河中所有的沙，我是不是說它是沙呢？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！您說它是沙。」佛說：「那麼，須菩提f如一恒河中所有的沙，如果以其中一粒沙比作一恒河，再以所有恒河中的所有沙，以一粒沙比作一佛世界，你認為這樣的佛世界難道不多嗎？」須菩提回答說：「非常多。世尊！」佛告訴須菩提說：「不必遠說到那麼多的佛世界，就拿你所處的世界來說，所有眾生的心思，隨情而遷，逐境而生，種種心思顛倒妄想，我卻能以清淨的五眼完全看得見，完全知道。為什麼呢？因為所有這些心思，皆是眾生的妄心，並非本性常住的真心，只是假藉一個名，稱之為心罷了。這又為什麼呢？須菩提！常住的真心是寂然不動的，過去的心思不可滯留，現在心思不可執著，未來的心思又不可預期，反觀內照，則三心總不可得。知其不可得，則清淨的般若才會顯出，所謂人心淨而道心生，此方為菩提的真心。」
法界通化分第十九
「須菩提！於意云何？若有人滿三千大千世界七寶，以用布施，是人以是因緣，得福多不？」「如是，世尊！此人以是因緣，得福甚多。」「須菩提！若福德有實，如來不說得福德多，以福德無故，如來說得福德多。」
佛說：「須菩提！如果有人用充滿三千大千世界的七寶來行布施，你認為此人因所播的因緣而得來的福德多不多？」須菩提回答說：「是的，世尊！此人以這種布施因緣所得的福德非常多。」佛又說：「須菩提！若以有實相的因緣布施，因其心執著於福報，其福報亦因其所施的因緣有限而有時盡的，所以我說他因此所得的福德不多，如果以無住實相布施，以無求福之心布施，正是無為清淨之功德，我說此種福德才是真正的無限。」
離色離相分第二十
「須菩提！於意云何？佛可以具足色身見不？」「不也，世尊！如來不應以具足色身見。何以故？如來說具足色身，即非具足色身，是名具足色身。」「須菩提！於意云何？如來可以具足諸相見不？」「不也，世尊！如來不應以具足諸相見。何以故？如來說諸相具足，即非諸相具足，是名諸相具足。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為所謂的佛陀，可不可以用圓滿的色身來觀察嗎？」須菩提回答說：「不可以。世尊！如來不可以用圓滿的色身來觀察。為什麼呢？因為您所說的具足色身，雖有三十二相，變化神通，但仍是緣起而非實相，只是假借一個名，稱之為具足色身。」佛又說：「須菩提！你認為我可不可以用圓滿具足諸相來觀察？」須菩提回答說：「不可以。世尊！您不可以用圓滿具足諸相來觀察。為什麼呢？因為您所說的圓滿諸相，亦是緣起而無自性的，只是假借一個名，稱之為具足諸相而已。」
非說所說分第二十一
「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！頗有眾生，於未來世，聞說是法，生信心不？」佛言：「須菩提！彼非眾生，非不眾生。何以故？須菩提！眾生，眾生者，如來說非眾生，是名眾生。」
佛說：「須菩提！你不要以為我會作這樣想：『我當為眾生說種種法』，因為我只是機緣相感，隨人悟性，為之指點，未嘗有說法之念頭。你切勿有以為我應當說法的念頭。為什麼呢？如果有人說：『如來有所說法。』他這麼說，即是毀謗佛，是他拘泥於文字，不能了解我所說的道理，才會這麼說。須菩提！所謂說法的意思，不是假於口說就能盡的，佛的真空妙理，原來無法，只不過為眾生解除外邪妄心而說的，使之了悟真性，自證佛理，此乃假藉一個名，稱之為說法而已，實際上我並沒有說法。」那時，須菩提向如來佛稟白說：「世尊！恐怕未來世的諸眾生，聽到這個無法之法，無說之說，不能完全了解，不知能否生信心。」佛回答說：「須菩提！眾生本來各具有佛性，所以說他們非眾生，但他們尚未解脫妄心，所以也不是非眾生。為什麼呢？須菩提！因為眾生之所以為眾生，只是尚未了悟，如果能了悟，即可立地成佛，而非為眾生，現在不過先假借一個眾生之名稱之而已。」
無法可得分第二十二
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，為無所得耶？」佛言：「如是！如是！須菩提！我於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，乃至無有少法可得，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」
須菩提向如來佛稟問說：「世尊！您得正等正覺菩提心，真是得無所得嗎？」佛回答說：「正是！你說正合我的意思。須菩提！我於菩提正法，絲毫都無所得。因為凡是可以用得失來衡量的，都是身外之物，而不是自性的。自性菩提，人人具足，如何能得，也無法可得，只是假借一個名，稱之為無上正等正覺而已。」
淨心行善分第二十三
復次：「須菩提！是法平等，無有高下，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。以無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者，修一切善法，則得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。須菩提！所言善法者，如來說即非善法，是名善法。」
佛再進一步地說明：「須菩提！我所說的無上正等正覺之法，是人人具足，世世相同，故曰平等，佛與眾生所具有的菩提心，亦沒有高下，所以才稱之為無上正等正覺菩提。因為在真性中，原本無我、無人、無眾生、無壽者等四相，如有此四相，則是受浮塵妄念所蒙蔽。所以能修明心見性的一切善法，就可以得無上菩提。須菩提！我所謂的善法，乃本性中自然的覺性，原本就無善惡，只因為了開悟眾生，假藉一個名，稱之為善法而已。」
福智無比分第二十四
「須菩提！若三千大千世界中，所有諸須彌山王，如是等七寶聚，有人持用布施。若人以此般若波羅蜜經，乃至四句偈等，受持、讀誦，為他人說，於前福德，百分不及一，百千萬億分，乃至算數譬喻所不能及。」
佛說：「須菩提！如果有人以相當於三千大千世界所有的須彌山堆積起來的七寶來行布施；如果另外有人受持這個般若波羅蜜經，甚至只是少至其中的四句偈、四句等來為人演說，則前者以七寶布施所得的福德比不上後者所得福德的百千萬億分之一，甚至是不能用算數的譬喻所能算的。」
化無所化分第二十五
「須菩提！於意云何？汝等勿謂如來作是念：『我當度眾生。』須菩提！莫作是念！何以故？實無有眾生如來度者。若有眾生如來度者，如來即有我、人、眾生、壽者。須菩提！如來說有我者，則非有我，而凡夫之人，以為有我。須菩提！凡夫者，如來說則非凡夫，是名凡夫。」
佛說：「須菩提！你知道嗎？你們不要以為，我在度化眾生時，會有『我應當度化眾生』的念頭。須菩提！你切勿有這種想法。為什麼呢？因為眾生之心，本來空寂，其般若智慧，原本各自具足。如果他們聞經悟道，他們自可化度自己，實在沒有眾生被我度化的。若有眾生說是由我所度化的，那麼我即有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，自己尚未度化，如何度化別人？須菩提！我雖口稱有我，實際上卻無我見，而在凡夫看來，則執著有我，以為只有我能度化他們。須菩提！事實上，迷則為凡夫，悟則成佛，佛與凡夫，本性是相同的，只要能了悟，就不是凡夫，不過在他們未悟時，稱之為凡夫而已。」
法身非相分第二十六
「須菩提！於意云何？可以三十二相觀如來不？」須菩提言：「如是！如是！以三十二相觀如來。」佛言：「須菩提！若以三十二相觀如來者，轉輪聖王即是如來。」須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如我解佛所說義，不應以三十二相觀如來。」爾時，世尊而說偈言：「若以色見我，以音聲求我，是人行邪道，不能見如來。」
佛說：「須菩提！你認為我如來可以用三十二相來觀察嗎？」須菩提回答說：「是的！您是可以三十二相來觀察。」佛因為須菩提尚未明白其中的深義，於是說：「須菩提！轉輪聖王，因以福業厚重，亦具有三十二相色身，若我也可以用此三十二相來觀察，那麼轉輪聖王豈不就可以成為如來了嗎？」須菩提聞言立即稟白佛說：「世尊！我已了解您所說的道理，您是不可以用三十二相來觀察。」這個時候，如來看時機已成熟，可以告誡他們離相的偈言如下：「你們如果只見我的形色外表，或是只是執著我的聲教，欲以此二者求見我的真性，那麼這種人，只是執於色身四相見佛。便是捨去正途，不知即心即是佛。而向外馳求的人是人行外道，決不能見如來真正的面目。」
無斷無滅分第二十七
「須菩提！汝若作是念：『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」須菩提！莫作是念：『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』須菩提！汝若作是念，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，說諸法斷滅。莫作是念！何以故？發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於法不說斷滅相。』
佛一再地說無相，只是教人離相，不是教人滅相。所以說：「須菩提！你如果是這樣想：如來是因為不具圓滿的三十二相的緣故，才證得無上菩提，那你就錯了。須菩提！你千萬不可有這種想法，以為我是因為不具圓滿的三十二相才得證無上菩提。須菩提！你如果也這樣想，發無上菩提心，想證得無上菩提，而執於一切皆空，而誤以為不因修福，而可直證菩提。錯是錯在說諸法斷滅，你不可以有這種觀念。為什麼呢？因為發無上菩提心的，還是要從基本的修一切善法做起，只是可以不依佛法修行，乃在於勸勉修行的人勿執著於法，只是離法而行，不是滅法而不行的。」
不受不貪分第二十八
「須菩提！若菩薩以滿恆河沙等世界七寶，持用布施。若復有人，知一切法無我，得成於忍。此菩薩勝前菩薩所得功德。何以故？須菩提！以諸菩薩不受福德故。」須菩提白佛言：「世尊！云何菩薩，不受福德？」「須菩提！菩薩所作福德，不應貪著，是故說：不受福德。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有菩薩雖以無量世界所有七寶行布施，因其心著於相，所以所得的福德雖多卻有限。如果另有菩薩，心不著於相，知一切法無我，得成無我之忍，以至忍而忘忍，無我始得以完成。如此則後面所說的菩薩，但所得的福德要勝過前面的菩薩多得多了。為什麼呢？須菩提！因為這些菩薩有離相之因，在布施時，就有不受福德的果，因其不受福德的緣故，則所得的福德就無限量了。」須菩提於是問說：「世尊！因果受施是理所當然，為何要說菩薩不受福德呢？」佛告訴他說：「須菩提！菩薩度生布施，本來是行所當行，不應貪求福德才行布施，福德之有或沒有，悉聽自然，所以才說菩薩不受福德。」
威儀寂靜分第二十九
「須菩提！若有人言：『如來若來、若去；若坐、若臥。』是人不解我所說義。何以故？如來者，無所從來，亦無所去，故名如來。」
佛說：「須菩提！如果有人說我如來有行、住、坐、臥四種威儀，也就以為我也著於相，是不了解我所說的道理。為什麼呢？因為如來的本性，是真性自如，充滿法界，隨感而發，來固非來，去亦非去。就因為無去無來，所以稱之為如來。」
一合理相分第三十
「須菩提！若善男子、善女人，以三千大千世界碎為微塵；於意云何？是微塵眾，寧為多不？」須菩提言：「甚多。世尊！何以故？若是微塵眾實有者，佛則不說是微塵眾。所以者何？佛說微塵眾，即非微塵眾，是名微塵眾。世尊！如來所說三千大千世界，則非世界，是名世界。何以故？若世界實有者，即是一合相；如來說一合相，則非一合相，是名一合相。」「須菩提！一合相者，則是不可說，但凡夫之人，貪著其事。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有善男子或善女人，將三千大千世界，搗碎成為微塵，你以為這些微塵難道不多嗎？」須菩提回答說：「非常多。世尊！為什麼呢？因為微塵雖多，但它的緣起是無性，絕不會執著它實有的自體。如果這些微塵是有實體的，那您就不會稱它們為微塵眾了。這是什麼緣故呢？因為您所說的微塵眾，也是緣起非真實的，只是假藉一個名，稱之為微塵眾而已。世尊！您所稱的三千大千世界，同樣也是緣起的假象，也是非真實性，也只是假藉一個名，稱之為世界而已。為什麼呢？如果有一真實性的世界，即是一合相，渾然成一體。不能被碎為微塵的。所以您說一合相亦非實有，只是假藉一個名，稱之為一合相而已。」佛說：「須菩提！一合相之理，空而不空，妙不可言喻。但凡夫蔽塞不明本性，依戀眼前幻境。六根著各相而不能了悟。」
知見不生分第三十一
「須菩提！若人言：『佛說我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。』須菩提！於意云何？是人解我所說義不？」「不也，世尊！是人不解如來所說義。何以故？世尊說我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，即非我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，是名我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。」「須菩提！發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於一切法，應如是知、如是見、如是信解，不生法相。須菩提！所言法相者，如來說即非法相，是名法相。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有人說：『佛說過我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見』這種話。須菩提！你認為這個人是否了解我所說的意思？」須菩提回答說：「沒有，世尊！」這個人並不了解您所說的意思。為什麼呢？因為您所說的這四見，只是為了凡夫便於了解佛的深意而說，事實上應該要超乎此四見之外，並非耍拘泥於其中而存此四見，所以只是為了便於說明，而假借一個名，稱之為我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見而已。」佛又說：「須菩提！凡是發無上正等正覺菩提心的，應如此認知，應如此為見，了悟無相妙理，自然行無相妙行，則知無所蔽，見無所障，如此信解。即為妙悟，而不生法相，至此才得真空無相之妙。須菩提！法相本是虛空的，即非法相；虛空中有幻相，所以才稱之為法相。」
應化非真分第三十二
「須菩提！若有人以滿無量阿僧祇世界七寶，持用布施。若有善男子、善女人，發菩提心者，持於此經，乃至四句偈等，受持、讀誦，為人演說，其福勝彼。云何為人演說？不取於相，如如不動。何以故？一切有為法，如夢、幻、泡、影；如露，亦如電，應作如是觀。」
佛說：「須菩提！若有人以充滿了無窮世界的七寶來行布施。此外，如果另有善男子或善女人，發了無上菩提心，受持讀誦此經，甚至少至以其中的四句偈、四句等，為人演說，使人悟性，那麼此人因此所得的福德勝過前面以七寶布施的人甚多。而受持此經要如何為人演說呢？必須要不著相，不動心。為什麼呢？因為世間，凡是有所為而成的法，都是生滅無常，如夢、如幻、如泡、如影、如露亦如電，凡屬有所為，終究是虛幻的，應該都視為有如此六種一般。」
佛說是經已，長老須菩提，及諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，一切世間天、人、阿修羅，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜，信受奉行。
佛反覆闡明般若之法，至此已說解完畢。長老須菩提，與同時在法會聽經的諸僧人、女尼、善男、信女、及一切世間的天人鬼神等，聽完佛所說的般若大法，無不歡喜感化，信受其言，奉行其教。
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