32 - The Delusion of Appearances

Subhūti, someone might fill innumerable worlds with the seven treasures and give all away in fights of alms, but if any good man or any good woman awakens the thought of enlightenment and takes even only four lines from this discourse, reciting, using, receiving, retaining, and spreading them abroad and explaining them for the benefit of others, it will be far more meritorious.

Now in what manner may he explain them to others? By detachment from appearances -- abiding in real truth. So I tell you:

Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lighting in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.

When Buddha finished this discourse the venerable Subhūti, together with the bhikshus, bhikshunis, lay brothers and sisters, and the whole reams of gods, men, and titans, were filled with joy by his teaching, and taking it sincerely to heart they went their ways.