Section 4
Original Sanskrit
अपि तु खलु पुनः सुभूते न बोधिसत्त्वेन वस्तुप्रतिष्ठितेन दानं दातव्यं न क्वचित्प्रतिष्ठितेन दानं दातव्यं न रूपप्रतिष्ठितेन दानं दातव्यं न शब्दगंधरसस्प्रष्टव्यधर्मेषु प्रतिष्ठितेन दानं दातव्यं । एवं हि सुभूते बोधिसत्त्वेन महासत्त्वेन दानं दातव्यं यथा न निमित्तसंज्ञायामपि प्रतितिष्ठेत् । तत्कस्य हेतोः । यः सुभूते बोधिसत्त्वो ऽप्रतिष्ठितो दानं ददाति तस्य सुभूते पुण्यस्कंधस्य न सुकरं प्रमाणमुद्ग्रहीतुं । तत्किं मन्यसे सुभूते सुकरं पूर्वस्यां दिश्याकाशस्य प्रमाणमुद्ग्रहीतुं । सुभूतिराह । नो हीदं भगवन् । भगवानाह । एवं दक्षिणपश्चिमोत्तरास्वध ऊर्ध्वं दिग्विदिक्षु समंताद्दशसु दिक्षु सुकरमाकाशस्य प्रमाणमुद्ग्रहीतुं । सुभूतिराह । नो हीदं भगवन् । भगवानाह । एवमेव सुभूते यो बोधिसत्त्वोऽप्रतिष्ठितो दानं ददाति तस्य सुभूते पुण्यस्कंधस्य न सुकरं प्रमाणमुद्ग्रहीतुं । एवं हि सुभूते बोधिसत्त्वयानसंप्रस्थितेन दानं दातव्यं यथा न निमित्तसंज्ञायामपि प्रतितिष्ठेत् ॥४॥
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.
"Again, Subhūti, a bodhisattva should not give resting on a basis, nor give resting anywhere at all. He should not give resting on a form, nor on a sound, smell, taste, touch, or any object of mind. In this way the great bodhisattva should give, so that his mind does not rest even on the perception of a sign. Why? The one who gives without resting has a heap of merit that cannot easily be measured. What do you think, Subhūti? Is it easy to measure the space to the east?" "No, Blessed One." "Is it easy to measure the space to the south, the west, and the north, below and above, in the intermediate directions, in all ten directions?" "No, Blessed One." "So too, Subhūti, the bodhisattva who gives without resting has a heap of merit that cannot easily be measured. Therefore a bodhisattva who has set out on the bodhisattva vehicle should give so that his mind does not rest even on the perception of a sign." [4]
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.
"Again, Subhūti, a bodhisattva should not give while holding on to a basis, nor give while holding on anywhere at all. When he gives, he should not hold on to a form, a sound, a smell, a taste, a touch, or any object of the mind. This is how the great bodhisattva should give: his mind should not hold on even to the idea of a sign. Why? A person who gives without holding on builds a heap of merit that is hard to measure. Subhūti, what do you think? Is it easy to measure the space to the east?" "No, Blessed One." "Is it easy to measure the space to the south, west, or north, below and above, in the in-between directions, in all ten directions?" "No, Blessed One." "In the same way, Subhūti, a bodhisattva who gives without holding on builds a heap of merit that is hard to measure. So a person who sets out on the bodhisattva path should give without the mind holding even to the idea of a sign." [4]
About this section
Section 4 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 4 of 32 in the work, which is kept in the Buddhist tradition.
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