31 - Conventional Truth Should Be Cut Off

Subhūti, if anyone should say that Buddha declares any conception of ego-ity, do you consider he would understand my teaching aright?

No, World-Honored One, such a man would not have any sound understanding of the Tathāgata's teaching, because the World-Honored One declares that notions of selfhood, personality, entity, and separate individuality, as really existing, are erroneous -- these terms are merely figures of speech.

[Thereupon Buddha said:] Subhūti, those who aspire to the consummation of incomparable enlightenment should recognize and understand all varieties of things in the same way and cut off the arising of [views that are mere] aspects. Subhūti, as regards aspects, the Tathāgata declares that in reality they are not such. They are [merely] called "aspects."