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Originally Posted by The Diamond Sutra
[Addressing the Buddha]
Bhagavan, how does one who has entered into the path of Bodhisattva manage? How do they practice? How do they behold their mind?”
When this had been asked, the Bhagavan said to the venerable Subhuti, “Subhuti, excellent, excellent!
Subhuti, thus it is, thus it is so. The Tathagata has benefited the great Bodhisattvas with the highest benefit. The Tathagata has entrusted the Bodhisattvas with the highest faith. Subhuti, therefore, listen properly and
hold it in your mind, I will explain to you how one who has correctly entered into the path of Bodhisattva manages, how they practice, how they behold their mind.”
Having replied, “Bhagavan, so be it,” the venerable Subhuti listened in accordance with the Bhagavan, and the Bhagavan said this: “Subhuti, here, one who has correctly entered into the path of Bodhisattva should generate the awakening mind think like this: ‘As many as sentient beings that are — born from egg, born from the womb, born from heat and moisture, born miraculously; with form, without form, with perception, without perception, without no perception— the realm of sentient beings, as many as are
projected as sentient beings, all those I shall cause to pass completely beyond suffering into the realm of Nirvana without the aggregates.
Although limitless sentient beings have thus been caused to pass
completely beyond suffering, no sentient being whatsoever has been caused to pass completely beyond suffering.’
Why is that so? Subhuti, because if a Bodhisattva engages in conceptualizing a sentient being, one is not to be called a ‘Bodhisattva.’ Why is that? Subhuti, if anyone engages in conceptualizing a sentient being, or engages in conceptualizing a soul, or engages in conceptualizing a person, they are not to be called a ‘Bodhisattva.’
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