20 - The Unreality of Phenomenal Distinctions

Subhūti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be perceived by his perfectly formed body?

No, World-Honored One, the Tathāgata cannot be perceived by his perfectly formed body, because the Tathāgata teaches that a perfectly formed body is not really such; it is merely called a perfectly formed body.

Subhūti, what do you think? Can the Tathāgata be perceived by means of any phenomenal characteristic?

No, World-Honored One, the Tathāgata may not be perceived by any phenomenal characteristic, because the Tathāgata teaches that phenomenal characteristics are not really such; they are merely called phenomenal characteristics.