금강경 영문판입니다.

불교공부하시고 포교하시는데 도움 되시길 바랍니다.

대한불교조계종 국제팀 자료입니다.

1

This is what I heard one time when the Buddha was staying in the monastery in
Anathapindika's park in the Jeta Grove near Sravasti with a community of 1,250 bhiksus,
fully ordained monks.

That day, when it was time to make the round for alms, the Buddha put on his sanghati
robe and, holding his bowl, went into the city of Sravasti to seek alms food, going from
house to house. When the alms round was completed, he returned to the monastery to eat
the midday meal. Then he put away his sanghati robe and his bowl, washed his feet,
arranged his cushion, and sat down.

 

2

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti stood up, bared his right shoulder, put his knee on the
ground, and, folding his palms respectfully, said to the Buddha,
"World-Honored One, it is rare to find someone like you. You always support and show
  special confidence in the bodhisattvas.

"World-Honored One, if sons and daughters of good families want to give rise to the
 highest, most fulfilled, awakened mind, what should they rely on and what should they do
 to master their thinking?"

The Buddha replied, "Well said, Subhuti! What you have said is absolutely correct.
The Tathagata always supports and shows special confidence in the bodhisattvas.
Please listen

with all of your attention and the Tathagata will respond to your question. If daughters and
sons of good families want to give rise to the highest, most fulfilled, awakened mind, they
should rely on the following way."

The Venerable Subhuti said, "Lord, we are so happy to hear your teachings."

 

3

The Buddha said to Subhuti, "This is how the bodhisattva mahasattvas rnaster their
thinking. 'However many species of living beings there are--whether born from eggs, from
the womb, from moisture, or spontaneously; whether they have form or do not have form;
whether they have perceptions or do not have perceptions; or whether it cannot be said of
them that they have perceptions or that they do not have perceptions, we must lead all
these beings to the ultimate nirvana so that they can be liberated. And when this
innumerable, immeasurable, infinite number of beings has become liberated, we do not, in
truth, think that a single being has been liberated,'

"Why is this so? If, Subhuti, a bodhisattva holds on to the idea that a self, a person, a
living being, or a life span exists, that person is not an authentic bodhisattva." 

 

4

"Moreover, Subhuti, when a bodhisattva practices generosity, he does not rely on any
object--that is to say he does not rely on any form, sound, smell, taste, tactile object, or
dharma--to practice generosity. That, Subhuti, is the spirit in which a bodhisattva should
practice generosity, not relying on signs. Why? If a bodhisattva practices generosity
without relying on signs, the happiness that results cannot be conceived of or measured.
Subhuti, do you think that the space in the Eastern Quarter can be measured?" 

"No, World-Honored One."

"Subhuti, can space in the Western, Southern, and Northern Quarters, above and below
be measured?" 

"No, World-Honored One."

"Subhuti, if a bodhisattva does not rely on any concept when practicing generosity, then
the happiness that results from that virtuous act is as great as space. It cannot be
measured. Subhuti, the bodhisattvas should let their minds dwell in the teachings I have just given." 

 

5

"What do you think, Subhuti? Is it possible to grasp the Tathagata by means of bodily
signs?"

"No, World-Honored One. When the Tathagata speaks of bodily signs, there are no signs
being talked about." 

The Buddha said to Subhuti: "In a place where there is something that can be
distinguished by signs, in that place there is deception. If you can see the signless nature
of signs, then you can see the Tathagata."  

6

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha, "In times to come, will there be people who,
when they hear these teachings, have real faith and confidence in them?" 

The Buddha replied, "Do not speak that way, Subhuti. Five hundred years after the
Tathagata has passed away, there will still be people who enjoy the happiness that comes
from

observing the precepts. When such people hear these words, they will have faith and
confidence that here is the truth. We should know that such people have sown seeds not
only during the lifetime of one Buddha, or even two, three, four, or five Buddhas, but have, in truth, planted wholesome seeds during the lifetimes of tens of thousands of Buddhas.
Anyone who, for only a second, gives rise to a pure and clear confidence upon hearing
these words of the Tathagata, the Tathagata sees and knows that person, and he or she
will attain immeasurable happiness because of this understanding. Why?

"Because that kind of person is not caught up in the idea of a self, a person, a living being, or a life span. They are not caught up in the idea of a dharma or the idea of a non-
dharma. They are not caught up in the notion that this is a sign and that is not a sign.
Why? If you are caught up in the idea of a dharma, you are also caught up in the ideas of a self, a person, a living being, and a life span. If you are caught up in the idea that there
is no dharma, you are still caught up in the ideas of a self, a person, a living being, and a
life span. That is why we should not get caught up in dharmas or in the idea that dharmas
do not exist. This is the hidden meaning when the Tathagata says,'Bhiksus, you should
know that all of the teachings I give to you are a raft.?All teachings must be abandoned,
not to mention non-teachings." 

 

7

"What do you think, Subhuti, has the Tathagata arrived at the highest, most fulfilled,
awakened mind? Does the Tathagata give any teaching?"

The Venerable Subhuti replied, "As far as I have understood the Lord Buddha's teachings,
there is no independently existing object of mind called the highest, most fulfilled,
awakened mind, nor is there any independently existing teaching that the Tathagata gives.
Why? The teachings that the Tathagata has realized and spoken of cannot be conceived
of as separate, independent existences and therefore cannot be described. The
Tathagata's teaching is not self-existent nor is it non-self-existent. Why? Because the noble teachers are only distinguished from others in terms of the unconditioned." 

 

8

"What do you think, Subhuti? If someone were to fill the 3,000 chiliocosms with the seven
precious treasures as an act of generosity, would that person bring much happiness by
this virtuous act?"

The Venerable Subhuti replied, "Yes, World-Honored One. It is because the very natures
of virtue and happiness are not virtue and happiness that the Tathagata is able to speak
about virtue and happiness."

The Buddha said, "On the other hand, if there is someone who accepts these teachings
and puts them into practice, even if only a gatha of four lines, and explains them to
someone else, the happiness brought about by this virtuous act far exceeds the happiness
brought about by giving the seven precious treasures. Why? Because, Subhuti, all
Buddhas and the dharma of the highest, most fulfilled, awakened mind of all Buddhas arise from these teachings. Subhuti, what is called Buddhadharma is everything that is not
Buddhadharma." 

 

9

"What do you think, Subhuti? Does a Stream-Enterer think, 'I have attained the fruit of
stream-entry.'?"

Subhuti replied, "No, World-Honored One. Why? Stream-Enterer means to enter the
stream, but in fact there is no stream to enter. One does not enter a stream that is form,
nor a stream that is sound, smell, taste, touch, or object of mind. That is what we mean
when we say entering a stream."

"What do you think, Subhuti? Does a Once-Returner think, 'I have attained the fruit of
Once-Returning.'?" 

Subhuti replied, "No, World-Honored One. Why? Once-Returner means to go and return
once more, but in truth there is no going just as there is no returning. That is what we
mean when we say Once-Returner."

"What do you think, Subhuti? Does a Non-Returner think like this,'l have attained the fruit
of No-Return.'?"

Subhuti replied,"No, World-Honored One. Why? No-Return means not to return to this
world, but in fact there cannot be any Non-Returning. That is what we mean when we say
Non-Returner."

"What do you think, Subhuti? Does an Arhat think like this, 'I have attained the fruit of
Arhatship?"

Subhuti replied, "No, World-Honored One. Why? There is no separately existing thing that
can be called Arhat. If an Arhat gives rise to the thought that he has attained the fruit of
Arhatship, then he is still caught up in the idea of a self, a person, a living being, and a life
span. World-Honored One, you have often said that I have attained the concentration of
peaceful abiding and that in the community, I am the Arhat who has most transformed
need and desire. World-Honored One, if I were to think that I had attained the fruit of
Arhatship, you certainly would not have said that I love to dwell in the concentration of
peaceful abiding."

 

10

The Buddha asked Subhuti, "In ancient times when the Tathagata practiced under Buddha
Dipankara, did he attain anything?"

Subhuti answered, "No, World-Honored One. In ancient times when the Tathagata was
practicing under Buddha Dipankara, he did not attain anything."

"What do you think, Subhuti? Does a bodhisattva create a serene and beautiful Buddha
field?"

"No, World-Honored One. Why? To create a serene and beautiful Buddha field is not in
fact creating a serene and beautiful Buddha field. That is why it is called creating a serene and beautiful Buddha field."

The Buddha said, "So, Subhuti, all the bodhisattva mahasattvas should give rise to a pure
and clear intention in this spirit. When they give rise to this intention, they should not rely
on forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects, or objects of mind. They should give rise
to an intention with their minds not dwelling anywhere.'

"Subhuti, if there were someone with a body as big as Mount Sumeru, would you say that
his was a large body?" 

Subhuti answered, "Yes, World-Honored One, very large. Why? What the Tathagata says
is not a large body, that is known as a large body." 

 

11

"Subhuti, if there were as many Ganges Rivers as the number of grains of sand in the
Ganges, would you say that the number of grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers is
very many'"

Subhuti answered, "Very many indeed, World-Honored One. If the number of Ganges
Rivers were huge, how much more so the number of grains of sand in all those Ganges
Rivers."

"Subhuti, now I want to ask you this: if a daughter or son of good family were to fill the
3,000 chiliocosms with as many precious jewels as the number of grains of sand in all the
Ganges Rivers as an act of generosity, would that person bring much happiness by her
virtuous act?"

Subhuti replied, "Very much, World-Honored One." 

The Buddha said to Subhuti, "If a daughter or son of a good family knows how to accept,
practice, and explain this sutra to others, even if it is a gatha of four lines, the happiness
that results from this virtuous act would be far greater."

 

12

"Furthermore, Subhuti, any plot of land on which this sutra is proclaimed, even if only one
gatha of four lines, will be a land where gods, men, and asuras will come to make offerings just as they make offerings to a stupa of the Buddha. If the plot of land is regarded as that
sacred, how much more so the person who practices and recites this sutra. Subhuti, you
should know that that person attains something rare and profound. Wherever this sutra is
kept is a sacred site enshrining the presence of the Buddha or one of the Buddha's great
disciples."