Section 3
Original Sanskrit
भगवानस्यैतदवोचत् । इह सुभूते बोधिसत्त्वयानसंप्रस्थितेनैवं चित्तमुत्पादयितव्यं यावंतः सुभूते सत्त्वाः सत्त्वधातौ सत्त्वसंग्रहेण संगृहीता अंडजा वा जरायुजा वा संस्वेदजा वौपपादुका वा रूपिणो वारूपिणो वा संज्ञिनो वासंज्ञिनो वा नैव संज्ञिनो नासंज्ञिनो वा यावान्कश्चित्सत्त्वधातुप्रज्ञप्यमानः प्रज्ञप्यते ते च मया सर्वेऽनुपधिशेषे निर्वाणधातौ परिनिर्वापयितव्याः । एवमपरिमाणानपि सत्त्वान्परिनिर्वाप्य न कश्चित्सत्त्वः परिनिर्वापितो भवति । तत्कस्य हेतोः । सचेत्सुभूते बोधिसत्त्वस्य सत्त्वसंज्ञा प्रवर्तेत न स बोधिसत्त्व इति वक्तव्यः । तत्कस्य हेतोः । न स सुभूते बोधिसत्त्वो वक्तव्यो यस्य सत्त्वसंज्ञा प्रवर्तेत जीवसंज्ञा वा पुद्गलसंज्ञा वा प्रवर्तेत ॥३॥
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Sanskrit of F. Max Müller’s 1881 Anecdota Oxoniensia edition, all 32 sections, with the printed section numbers kept.
The Blessed One said to him: "Here, Subhūti, one who has set out on the bodhisattva vehicle should bring forth the mind in this way: 'However many living beings there are, of whatever kind, in the realm of beings, whether born from eggs, from the womb, from moisture, or by spontaneous birth; whether they have form or are formless; whether they have perception, lack perception, or have neither perception nor non-perception; however many beings can be named as beings, all of them I must lead into the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder and bring to final extinction.' Yet though countless beings are led to extinction in this way, not one being has in truth been extinguished. Why? Subhūti, if a bodhisattva still held the perception of a being, he should not be called a bodhisattva. Why? Subhūti, no one should be called a bodhisattva who still holds the perception of a being, a living soul, or a person." [3]
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Sanskrit, covering all 32 sections with the printed section numbers.
The Buddha said to him: "Subhūti, a person who has set out on the bodhisattva path should develop the mind like this: 'However many living beings there are, of every kind, in the realm of beings, whether they are born from eggs, from the womb, from moisture, or appear suddenly, whether they have bodies or have no bodies, whether they have thoughts, have no thoughts, or are neither thinking nor not thinking, and however many are designated in the realm of beings, I must lead all of these beings to the final peace of nirvāṇa, where nothing is left behind.' When I have led countless beings to that peace, not one being has in fact been led there. Why? Subhūti, if a bodhisattva still thought of a being, he should not be called a bodhisattva. Why? Subhūti, no one should be called a bodhisattva if they still think of a being, a soul, or a person." [3]
About this section
Section 3 is part of Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra) by Unknown. This page sets the Sanskrit original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 3 of 32 in the work, which is kept in the Buddhist tradition.
Open the work page for the full contents, every edition, and the download links, or go back to Explore to browse other complete works in the Buddhist tradition. The reader keeps your place when you are signed in and lets you compare the original with each translation, one edition at a time.