འཕགས་པ་བད་མད་འགྱར་བ་ལང་བསྟན་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 1.11

1.11

sounds, the nose and odors, the tongue and tastes, the body and tangible objects, or the mind and mental phenomena—that is one who longs for the Dharma. One who does not depend upon any phenomenon whatsoever is one who longs for the Dharma. Furthermore, honorable Subhūti, one who does not long for the aggregates, elements, and sense sources is one who longs for the Dharma. One who does not long for the realms of desire, form, and formlessness is one who longs for the Dharma. One who does not desire to focus on the characteristics of what is observed is one who longs for the Dharma.”

Then Venerable Subhūti said to the lady, “Elder sister, I beg your pardon, as I must take my leave of your gate.”

“Honorable Subhūti,” replied the lady, “to give an analogy, one does not beg pardon of the earth element. Likewise, honorable Subhūti, one does not beg pardon of someone whose mind is like earth. Honorable Subhūti, one does not beg pardon of water. Likewise, one does not beg pardon of someone whose mind is like water. Honorable Subhūti, one does not beg pardon of fire, wind, or space. Likewise, one does not beg pardon of someone whose mind is like fire, wind, or space. Honorable Subhūti, one does not beg pardon of a ship, platform, bridge, or highway. Likewise, honorable Subhūti, one does not beg pardon of someone whose mind is like a ship, platform, bridge, or highway. Honorable Subhūti, although one begs pardon of immature beings, one does not beg pardon of noble ones. Honorable Subhūti, although one begs pardon of those for whom ill will, wrath, and latent tendencies arise, one does not beg pardon of those for whom these do not arise. Honorable Subhūti, to give an analogy, one might seek to extinguish a blazing fire, but one would not seek to extinguish a fire that is not blazing. Likewise, honorable Subhūti, although one begs pardon of those whose afflictions are blazing, one does not beg pardon of those without afflictions.”