PROPER FAITH
IS RARE, SIX
Subhuti addressed the Buddha, "World Honored One, in the future will there
be living beings who truly believe upon hearing such phrases?" The Buddha
told Subhuti, "Do not say that! In the last five hundred years after the
Thus Come One's Cessation, there will be those who, holding the moral
precepts and cultivating blessings, will believe such phrases and accept
them as true. You should know that such people have not planted good roots
with just one Buddha, two Buddhas, three Buddhas, four, or five Buddhas,
but they have planted good roots at the places of immeasurable tens of
millions of Buddhas. The Thus Come One knows and sees all people who hear
these phrases, Subhuti, and have even a single thought of pure faith.
Such living beings will thus obtain immeasurable blessings and virtues.
Why? Because those living beings no longer cling to the appearances of
self, others, living beings, or a life, nor to the appearances of dharmas
or non-dharmas. Why? If those living beings' minds cling to appearances,
that would be attachment to a self, others, living beings and a life.
If they cling to appearances of dharmas, that would be attachment to a
self, others, living beings and a life. Why? If they cling to the appearances
of non-dharmas, that would be attachment to a self, others, living beings
and a life. Therefore, you should not cling to dharmas; you should not
cling to non-dharmas. Because of this principle the Thus Come One always
says, 'Bhikshus, you should all know that the Dharma I speak is like a
raft. You must let go of dharmas. Even more so let go of non-dharmas.'"
