Why Does Subhūti Not Have the Thought "I Am an Arhat Free from Desires"?

The Diamond Sutra Original Text: World-Honored One, the Buddha says I have attained the samadhi of non-contention, being foremost among humans. I am the foremost Arhat free from desires. I do not entertain the thought, 'I am an Arhat free from desires.' World-Honored One, if I were to entertain the thought, 'I have attained the fruition of Arhatship,' then the World-Honored One would not say that Subhuti is one who delights in the practice of solitude. Because Subhuti truly practices nothing, he is called Subhuti, the one who delights in the practice of solitude.

Literal Translation: Subhuti, to substantiate that an Arhat has no thought of 'I am an Arhat,' addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, the Buddha says I have realized the samadhi of non-contention, being foremost among humans, the foremost Arhat free from desires. Yet I do not give rise to such a thought, believing 'I am an Arhat free from desires.' World-Honored One, if I were to entertain such a thought, believing 'I have attained the fruition of Arhatship,' then you, World-Honored One, would not say that Subhuti is one who delights in the practice of serene solitude. Because Subhuti’s mind is empty and without action, it is said that Subhuti is one who delights in the practice of solitude.

Subhuti is also known as Kongsheng (Born of Emptiness), for he constantly perceives the emptiness and stillness of the world. Having attained the samadhi of non-contention, he never disputes with worldly people. If they say east, it is east; if they say south, it is south; if they say west, it is west; if they say north, it is north—because whatever worldly people say is empty, there is no need to argue over superiority, inferiority, length, or shortness. Subhuti harbors no desires or thoughts toward the world; his mind is empty, signless, wishless, and without action. He is the foremost Arhat free from desires among humans, yet Subhuti has never had the thought 'I am an Arhat free from desires,' much less proclaimed it everywhere. He does not cling to the notion of self, nor to the notion of being an Arhat; otherwise, he would be an ordinary person clinging to appearances, and the World-Honored One would not say Subhuti is one who delights in the practice of solitude. Because Subhuti’s mind is constantly empty and still, free from desires and seeking, the World-Honored One praises him as one who delights in the practice of solitude.

In contrast, ordinary people are the opposite of Subhuti. Regardless of whether they have achieved anything, they like to boast and promote themselves everywhere, enjoy arguing and comparing themselves with others, seek attention, crave admiration and worship, and strive to stand out—in short, they relish promoting themselves to make the world aware of them, satisfying their sense of 'I.' These are the characteristics of ordinary people. Without the notion of self, ordinary people feel utterly incapable; they live constantly amidst the four marks of self, which constitute their lifelong spiritual sustenance, indispensable to them. Once that 'I' is suppressed, it is like a fish out of water. In summary, whether a person possesses the Way or not is revealed through their actions; their bodily, verbal, and mental conduct most clearly demonstrate their level of spiritual insight and wisdom.