| rab ’byor ’di ji snyam du sems | shar phyogs kyi nam mkha’i tshad gzung bar sla’am |
rab ’byor gyis gsol ba | bcom ldan ’das | de ni ma lags so |
| bcom ldan ’das kyis bka’ stsal ba | de bzhin du lho dang | nub dang | byang dang | steng dang | ’og gi phyogs dang | phyogs mtshams dang | phyogs bcu’i nam mkha’i tshad gzung bar sla’am |
rab ’byor gyis gsol ba | bcom ldan ’das de ni ma lags so |
| bcom ldan ’das kyis bka’ stsal ba | rab ’byor | de bzhin du byang chub sems dpa’ gang mi gnas par sbyin pa sbyin pa de’i bsod nams kyi phung po yang tshad gzung bar sla ba ma yin no |
| rab ’byor ’di ji snyam du sems | mtshan phun sum tshogs pas de bzhin gshegs par blta’am |
rab ’byor gyis gsol ba | bcom ldan ’das de ni ma lags te | mtshan phun sum tshogs pas de bzhin gshegs par mi blta’o |
| de ci’i slad du zhe na | de bzhin gshegs pas mtshan phun sum tshogs par gang gsungs pa de nyid mtshan phun sum tshogs pa ma mchis pa’i slad du’o |
| de skad ces gsol ba dang | bcom ldan ’das kyis tshe dang ldan pa rab ’byor la ’di skad ces bka’ stsal to |
| rab ’byor ci tsam du mtshan phun sum tshogs pa de tsam du rdzun no |
| ci tsam du mtshan phun sum tshogs pa med pa de tsam du mi rdzun te |
de ltar de bzhin gshegs pa la mtshan dang | mtshan med par blta’o |
What do you think, Subhūti, is it easy to take the measure of space in the east?”
Subhūti said, “Indeed not, Lord.”
“Similarly, is it easy to take the measure of space in the south, west, north, nadir, zenith, all the intermediate directions and any direction besides them, in the ten directions?”
Subhūti said, “Indeed not, Lord.”
The Lord said, “Quite so, Subhūti. Quite so, Subhūti. It is not easy to take the measure of the quantity of merit of the bodhisattva who gives a gift without fixation.
However, this is the way a bodhisattva should give a gift, Subhūti, as an instance of the meritorious activity which consists in giving.
“What do you think, Subhūti, can a Realized One be seen by virtue of the possession of distinctive features?”
Subhūti said, “A Realized One cannot be seen by virtue of the possession of distinctive features.
Why is that? The very thing which the Realized One has preached as the possession of distinctive features lacks any possession of distinctive features.”
At these words the Lord said this to the Venerable Subhūti,
“Subhūti, as long as there is any distinctive feature there is falsehood,
and as long as there is no distinctive feature there is no falsehood.
Accordingly it is by virtue of the featurelessness of his distinctive features that a Realized One can be seen.”