Subhuti

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Subhuti (Chinese: 須菩提 Xūpútí, from Sanskrit: su "good", bhūti "existence") was one of the Buddha Shakyamuni's Ten Major Disciples, a contemporary of such famous arhats as Sariputra, Mahakasyapa, Maudgalyayana, and Vimalakirti. He is perhaps best known as the disciple with whom the Buddha speaks when imparting the Diamond Sutra (Skt: Vajracchedika), an important teaching within the Prajnaparamita texts. This, along with the Heart Sutra (Skt: Hridaya)), is one of the most well-known sutras, among both practitioners and non-practitioners of Buddhism.

Subhuti appears in several koans, such as this one, from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings (compiled by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki, ISBN 0-8048-3186-6).

Subhuti was Buddha's disciple. He was able to understand the potency of emptiness, that nothing exists except in its relationship of subjectivity and objectivity. One day, in a mood of sublime emptiness, Subhuti was resting underneath a tree when flowers began to fall about him.

"We are praising you for your discourse on emptiness," the gods whispered to Subhuti.

"But I have not spoken of emptiness," replied Subhuti.

"You have not spoken of emptiness, we have not heard emptiness," responded the gods. "This is the true emptiness." The blossoms showered upon Subhuti as rain.