The Diamond Sutra
वज्रच्छेदिका प्रज्ञापारमिता
(vájracchedikā prajñāpāramitā)
Cuts Diamond, Transcendence in True Wisdom
Translated from
Sanskrit by
Chi-Lian Chiu (邱紀良)
2023
“A buddha is seen from
the intrinsic nature.
The
embodiments of emptiness are the
actual mentors.”
Translator’s Preface
To have an English version of the Diamond Sutra had been a
years-expectation of Venerable Master Mew-Fung, who was the first Buddhist monk
going to the New World to open the Buddhism door to the Americas in 1962. He was the founder and the first President
of the CHINA BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION, the former abbot of Fa-Wang Temple (Dharma King, 法王寺), Song-Lin Temple (Pine Grove, 松林寺) and Ci-Hang Monastery (Merciful Ferry, 慈航精舍). It was in 2015, with his encouragement, I, as one of his
disciples, accepted this assignment, to translate the Diamond Sutra from
Chinese into English in order to distribute this Sutra to English-speaking
visitors. The challenge began in the winter of that year. Unfortunately, Venerable
Master passed into nirvana in
2019; I felt very sad and sorry that l could not have my work finished sooner. Why
couldn’t I? Because soon after I started, I found I got to translate the Diamond Sutra directly
from Sanskrit (IAST), not form Chinese versions, if I wanted to dig and to appreciate the most of the correct meaning of this Sutra. The
challenge became a hundred times more difficult to me immediately after that decision.
Many thanks to Shan Huiguang (善慧光), who, as a member of
the North Tower Translation Group, Center for International Buddhist Studies, Renmin
University of China, Shenyang, gave annotations of every Sanskrit word of the Diamond Sutra in 2013. The
source of his Sanskrit IAST version used was mainly from Edward Conze (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā, 1957.) His work helped me a lot in
decoding the Sanskrit sentences in IAST and let me have a chance to keep my
promise to my Master.
This Sutra is a record of conversations between Buddha and one of his disciple, Venerable Subhuti. Just by reading the
words of this Sutra, most of the readers may easily get very much confused
because in many cases during their conversations when something was brought out and
we would like to take that thing as real, but on the contrary, it was claimed not
real immediately after. To avoid such confusions, we must understand that the
denying opinion was from the viewpoint of bodhisattvas, the emptiness of things, and it was what
Buddha wanted to remind Subhuti. Therefore, the translator would like to call
on the readers to have the following basic knowledge beforehand:
Firstly, all things in our living world
form under certain conditions. If the lack of any one condition occurs, that thing would not appear. Once that thing appears, its appearance is deceptive. It will
definitely not remain forever. It will disappear when any of the conditions
cancels. This ‘appearance-disappearance’ is a result of the nature of the
emptiness or void that exists in everything. Therefore, we must admit that
nothing can ever have a true existence. This is the most important concept we should always keep.
If someone claims that he has taken the bodhisattva-journey and determines
to be a bodhisattva, but, on the other hand, he also says that he does something
good or has attained some high spiritual state, or that he is facing a real object, he will fail the qualification to be a bodhisattva and shall
be driven off the bodhisattva-vehicle for sure.
Secondly, Venerable Subhuti, practicing in the Disciple-Way, not in the Bodhisattva-Way, asked Buddha about
how a person having taken the bodhisattva-journey could stay on the journey,
how to reach or achieve his goal and how to check along the way if he had
succeeded in his intent, to be a bodhisattva. In other words, he was asking,
‘What are the methods one has to follow?’
All these questions base on the
premise that if there is anything that one can hold to. Holding a method of
practice is all right, but once the practitioner achieves the goal or the character
of that practice, he must leave both the method and his achievement behind and
go on to the next higher stage of practice. That is, in accordance to the principle
of the Bodhisattva-Way one should not hold anything for long along his journey
to become a bodhisattva. When he actually reaches the final state, being a
bodhisattva, he should have nothing concerning himself in his mind. Nothing,
such as the idea of the existence of a living self, the form of a thing he
sees, the sound he hears, or the odor he smells, etc., will be able to affect
him. During the discussion, Buddha used some examples to guide him to see what
and how someone who took the bodhisattva-journey should do. Although there
are many methods of practice that one on
the Bodhisattva-journey must know, must learn and must practice thoroughly
until he reached the final spiritual state, in this sutra Buddha gave only two lessons:
(a) to liberate living entities without differentiation and (b) to realize that
ultimately nothing exists. How will one realize that he has fully accomplished
these lessons? The check is simple; as mentioned above, after he gets up to the
level of bodhisattva, he must leave spiritual state alone so utterly that definitely no perception of a state of bodhisattva would appear. If
he feels that he has got a state, he is certainly not a true bodhisattva. Consequently,
the answer to the third question is ‘no intent needs to be checked at all when
he reaches the state of a bodhisattva.’
Finally, there are some sentences in this Sutra given in such style, ‘The
body achieved which has been
taught by the Tathagata is no achieved
body,’ for example. The first phrase, the body achieved, seems in conflict with
the second phrase, no achieved body. However, there is no conflict if we think one-step
further. The first phrase is stated from the point of
view of common people, like us, and the second one is from
the point of view of a real bodhisattva, so the whole sentence represents the truth,
which is indeed the answer to Subhuti’s question. Since Subhuti was Buddha’s
best disciple who understood the void or emptiness of things, there was no need
to give further explanations after these sentences. However, we common people,
not used to think in this way, must always remind ourselves the nature of the emptiness in
order to get some insight meanings while reading this sutra.
This sutra was divided into thirty-two parts
by Prince Zhao-ming (501~531AD
Oh!
Whatever is true, it should never change.
Whatever changes, it cannot be true.
What in this world does not change?
Why don’t you let your obstinacy go?
The Chi-Lian
Chiu (邱紀良)
Hsinchu City, Taiwan, 2023
Contents
The Diamond Sutra
Notes
The Diamond Sutra
(1) Thus I have heard:Bhagavan[1] was once staying
at Sravasti’s[2]Jeta Grove[3] together with twelve hundred and fifty great bhikshus[4]
and many great bodhisattvas. In the hour of breakfast, Bhagavan put on his monastic
robe, held his bowl and entered the great city of Sravasti to collect food
alms. Having done that, Bhagavan
returned to the grove, distributed the food and ate. Finished his meal, he put away his robe and bowl, washed
his feet, and sat down on his seat in lotus pose[5].
He held his body upright, and focused his attention before him. The bhikshus
approached to Bhagavan, saluted
his feet with their heads, circumambulated[6],
and then sat down on one side.
(2) At that time, Venerable Subhuti[7]
was in the mass as well. He rose from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder,
knelt upon his right knee, folded his
hands towards Bhagavan and said to Bhagavan respectfully,
‘It is wonderful,
Bhagavan, exceedingly wonderful, Sugata, that the Tathagata has favored[8] many bodhisattvas with the greatest causeless mercy. It is
wonderful, Bhagavan, the Tathagata has gratified[9] many bodhisattvas with the greatest gratification.
Now, Bhagavan, having taken the bodhisattva-journey,[10] how should a son or
a daughter of a noble family stay on[11], reach[12] and check[13] their intent[14]?’Bhagavan said, ‘Very well, Subhuti. Just
as what you said, the Tathagata has favored many bodhisattvas with the greatest
causeless mercy and the Tathagata has satisfied many bodhisattvas with the
highest gratification. Now, listen, let me tell you how a person, after taking the
bodhisattva-journey, should stay on, reach
and check his intent.’
Venerable Subhuti replied, ‘Yes,
Bhagavan, please’, and then listened.
(3) Bhagavan said,
‘Subhuti, a person, having taken the bodhisattva-journey, must have his intent made up like this: “All beings[15] in this
world and in
any other known or to be known worlds; whether they are comprehended as
egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, or born spontaneously; as born with form or
without form; as born with perception, without perception, or with neither
perception nor no perception, shall be liberated by me to the nirvana of no
remnant.”[16]
‘However, in
spite of having all such innumerable beings thus liberated, not one being has
been liberated.[17]
Why? Subhuti, if a bodhisattva would have the notion[18] of a being,
he must not be called a bodhisattva. Why? Subhuti, if the notion of a self, a
being, a living entity or a person should exist in him, he must not be called a
bodhisattva.[19] (4) In fact, Subhuti, the act of giving charity[20] is not to be performed by a bodhisattva who is tied up with an
“object”.[21]
The act is never to be done by one who is tied up. The act is not to be done by one tied up with form.[22]
The act is not to be done by one tied up with sound, or odor,
taste, texture or quality.[23]
Subhuti, a great bodhisattva must carry out his generosity in such a manner,
that is: “not restrained by the perception of an outward appearance.[24]”
Why? If a bodhisattva carries
out generosity without being restrained, the amount of his virtuous reward will not be easily measured.[25]‘Subhuti, what would you think; is it
easy to take a measure of the space in the East?’
‘No, Bhagavan.’
‘Subhuti, is it easy to take a measure
of the space in the South, in the West, in the North, in the four quarters in between, in the Nadir or
in the Zenith, that is, in all the ten directions all round?’
‘No, Bhagavan.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Right. In the same
manner, Subhuti, if a bodhisattva carries out his generosity without being restrained, his quantity of the virtues
will not be easily measured.[26]
Thus, Subhuti, he who has taken the bodhisattva-journey must carry out his generosity
in this manner, exactly not restrained
by the perception of an outward appearance.[27]
(5) ‘Subhuti, what would you think; may a tathagata be
regarded[28] by his wealth of lucky marks?’[29]Subhuti replied, ‘Of course not,
Bhagavan. A tathagata may not be considered
by his wealth of lucky marks.
Why? Bhagavan, the wealth of lucky
marks said by the Tathagata is truly no wealth of lucky marks.’[30]
Bhagavan said such to Venerable Subhuti,
‘Whenever there is a wealth of lucky
marks, Subhuti, there is a false;[31]
whenever there is no wealth of lucky
marks, no false. Hence, the Tathagata must be seen with “mark as no mark”.’[32]
(6) Subhuti said such to Bhagavan, ‘Bhagavan, in the
future, in the last time, in the last five-hundred years, during the time of
the collapse of these good principles, with such words of this sutra or its
extracts[33] being
taught here, will there be any beings[34]
who will produce the notion of the real existence of things[35]?’Bhagavan replied, ‘Subhuti, no
need for you to say like that. Yes, in the future, in the last time, in the
last five-hundred years, during the time of the collapse of these good doctrines,
surely there will be some great bodhisattvas with flawless virtuous qualities,
good conduct, and wisdom, with such words of all sutras taught here, will arise
the notion of the real existence of things. Indeed, Subhuti, they will not be such
great bodhisattvas who have worshiped only a single buddha and have planted
their roots of merit only under a single buddha. Instead, they will be such great bodhisattvas who will have
worshiped many hundreds of thousands of buddhas and will have planted their
roots of merit under many hundred-thousands of buddhas. With such words of the sutra taught here, they certainly will
recover the unique clear mind.[36] Subhuti, the
Tathagata will know them with the buddha-wisdom
and will see them with the buddha-vision. Subhuti, they will be enlightened by
the Tathagata. They all will bring forth and receive an immeasurable and
incalculable quantity of the reward of pious activities. Why? No notion of a
self, a being, a living entity or a person will arise in these bodhisattvas.
Moreover, no notion of a character[37]
will arise in these bodhisattvas,
nor the notion of no character. Subhuti, even a notion or no notion[38]
will not arise. Why? If the notion of a character
should arise in these bodhisattvas, surely a seizing on a self, a being, a living
entity, or a person would occur. If the notion of no character would arise, a
seizing on a self, a being, a living entity or a person would also occur. Why? A
bodhisattva should uphold neither a character nor no character. Therefore, the
Tathagata said with hidden meaning, “The formal discourse[39] is a raft.
The characters should be forsaken by the wise, not to mention those not
characters”’
(7) Then Bhagavan asked Venerable, ‘Subhuti, what would you think, is there a characteristic of the spiritual
state, the Highest Perfect Enlightenment, [40] which has been attained[41] by the Tathagata? Or is there a state preached
by the Tathagata?’Venerable Subhuti replied, ‘Bhagavan,
if I understand the meaning[42] of
Bhagavan’s teaching, there is not any
state called the highest perfect enlightenment that has
been attained by the Tathagata and there is no state
that the Tathagata has preached, either. Regarding this, that spiritual state,
which the Tathagata has achieved and preached, is not to be held nor to be expressed.[43] There
is neither a state
nor no state[44].
Why? All honorable sages[45] become magnificent
with the unconditioned.[46]’
(8) Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would you think; if a son or a
daughter of a noble family offered the tathagatas all the seven kinds of
treasures as alms, which could cover one billion worlds[47], would
they be worthy of a great quantity of the reward of pious activities because of
this root cause?’[48]Venerable Subhuti said, ‘Yes, that
son or daughter of a noble family would be worthy of a great quantity of the
reward of pious activities indeed, Bhagavan. After all, Bhagavan, the Tathagata has taught that any quantity of the
reward of pious activities said by the Tathagata is no quantity;[49] in that manner,[50] the
Tathagata speaks “quantity of the reward of pious activities”.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Now, if a son or
a daughter of a noble family offered the tathagatas all the seven kinds of
treasures as alms, which might cover one billion worlds; and, in the other
case, if someone else, taking out[51] only one
four-line gatha from this formal
account of doctrine[52], would like
to instruct[53] it and
make it clear[54] for
others, he would be worthy of an even greater, immeasurable and incalculable quantity
of reward[55]
because of this root cause. Why? Subhuti, because the buddhas have appeared[56] from the
highest perfect enlightenment of the tathagatas. Why is that? The Tathagata has taught that the spiritual states of a buddha[57], Subhuti,
are indeed no spiritual states of a buddha[58]. In that manner, “spiritual states of a buddha”
is said.
(9) ‘Subhuti, what do you think; would this occur in a Stream-enterer,[59] “I have attained[60] the fruit[61]
of a stream-enterer”?’Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, a
stream-enterer would not think, “I have attained the fruit of a stream-enterer.” Why? He acquires[62] no spiritual
state, therefore he is called a stream-enterer.
He is not tied up with form, sound, odor, taste, texture or quality; so he is called a stream-enterer.
Bhagavan, if such occurred in a stream-enterer, “I have attained the fruit of a stream-enterer”, then his attachment to a
self, a being, a living entity, or a person would have occurred.’[63]
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would
you think; would this occur in a Once-returner,[64]
“I have attained the fruit of a once-returner”?’
Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, a
once-returner would not think, “I have attained a once-returner fruit.” Why?
A once-returner acquires no spiritual state, thus he is called a once-returner.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would
you think; would this occur in a Non-returner,[65]
“I have attained the fruit of a non-returner”?’
Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, a non-returner
would not think, “I have attained
a non-returner fruit.” Why? A non-returner acquires no spiritual state, thus he is called a non-returner.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would
you think; would this occur in an Arhat,[66]
“I have attained the spiritual state of an arhat”?’
Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, it
would not. An arhat would not think, “I have attained
the state of an arhat.” Why? Because there is no spiritual state named arhat; with that, arhat is called. Bhagavan, if
this should occur in an arhat, “I have achieved the state of an arhat,” an attachment
to a self, a being, a living entity or a person would have occurred.[67] Why is it
said so? Bhagavan, the Tathagata has declared me the foremost one among those who are fond of grove.[68] I myself am an arhat free from desire,
yet I do not have in me that I am an arhat free from desire. Bhagavan, if I had
the thought, “I am an arhat”, Bhagavan would not have declared me the foremost one among those who are fond of grove. Subhuti, the son of a good family, never enjoys; in that manner, “fond of grove” is said.’[69] .
(10) Bhagavan asked, ‘Subhuti, what would you think; is
there anything whatsoever which was adopted[70]
by the Tathagata from Dipamkara Buddha r?’Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, there
is nothing adopted by the
Tathagata from Dipamkara Buddha.’[71]
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, if a
bodhisattva said, “I will develop
a buddha-field,”[72] he was not
saying the truth. Why? “The development of a buddha-field is no development,”[73] this has
been said by the Tathagata; with that, “develop
a buddha-field” is said.
‘Therefore, Subhuti, the
liberated mind of a bodhisattva must be produced in this way, that is, any tied
up mind must not be produced; the mind tied up with form must not be produced,
and the mind tied up with sound, odor, taste, texture or quality must not be
produced.
‘Subhuti, if a man had a huge
body, and the appearance of that body[74]
was as huge as Sumeru,[75] the king
of mountains, what would you think; would that body be huge?’
Subhuti replied, ‘Huge,
Bhagavan, that body would be very huge, indeed. Regarding this, the appearance
of a body is no appearance, which has been taught by the Tathagata; in that
manner, “appearance of a body” is said. Bhagavan, it is neither an appearance
nor no appearance;[76] in that
manner, “appearance of a body” is said.’
(11) Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would you think; if there were as
many Ganges rivers as there are the grains of sand in the large river Ganges,[77] would the
grains of sand in all these rivers be many?’Subhuti said, ‘Many indeed,
Bhagavan. Even those Ganges rivers would be innumerable, much more so the
grains of sand in all of them.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, to make
it clear for you, I shall say this: If a man or a woman offered the tathagatas seven kinds of treasures as alms, which could cover as
many worlds as there are the grains of sand in all those Ganges rivers, would
that man or woman bring forth a great quantity of reward of pious activities because
of this root cause?’[78]
Subhuti replied, ‘Yes, that man
or woman would bring forth a great quantity of reward of pious activities[79],
Bhagavan.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Now again, if a
man or a woman offer the tathagatas seven kinds of treasures as alms, which
could cover all those worlds; and if, in the other case, a son or a daughter of
a good family, taking out even only one four-line gatha from this formal account of doctrine, will instruct
it and disclose it well clearly for others; the latter will indeed be worthy of
an even greater, immeasurable, incalculable quantity of reward
than the former because of this root cause. (12) In fact, Subhuti, wherever in this
world, even only one four-line gatha from this formal account of doctrine is taken out, uttered or made clear
there, that place will be a true shrine[80]
for the gods, human beings and asuras[81] of this world
indeed. Not to mention those persons who will bear in mind[82]
the entire doctrine and will
recite it, study it thoroughly and disclose it well clearly for others.
Subhuti, they all will find out that
they have been attended by the most marvelous, that is, either a deified teacher or a local wise venerable sage will spend
time there.’
(13) Then Subhuti asked Bhagavan, ‘Bhagavan, what is the name of this formal account of doctrine? How shall I
bear it in mind?’Bhagavan said this to Subhuti, ‘Transcendence
in True Wisdom[83] is the
name of this formal
account of doctrine. Bear it in mind as such. Why?[84]
Subhuti, Transcendence in True Wisdom, as the Tathagata called it, is exactly no
transcendence
[85] as taught by the Tathagata;[86]
in that manner, “Transcendence in True Wisdom” is named.
‘Subhuti, what would you think; did the Tathagata mention a
characteristic[87]?’
Subhuti replied to Bhagavan, ‘No,
Bhagavan, the Tathagata did not mention any characteristic.’[88]
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would
you think; would the particles of dust in one billion worlds be plenty?’
Subhuti said, ‘Plenty indeed,
Bhagavan. Regarding this, what the Tathagata said as the dust particles, the Tathagata has taught that they are
not particles indeed; in that manner, “particles of dust” is said. The
Tathagata has also taught that even the world said by the Tathagata is not a world indeed;[89]
in that manner, “world” is said.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would
you think; may the Tathagata be seen by
these thirty-two marks of a great saint?’
Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, the
Tathagata must not be viewed by these
thirty-two marks. Why? It has been taught by Bhagavan that the thirty-two marks
said by the Tathagata are not marks. They are
called “thirty-two marks of a great saint”.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, if a
man or a woman would renounce their life[90]
every day for the act of generosity as many times as there are the grains of
sand in Ganges for as many eons as there are the grains of sand in Ganges; and,
in the other case, if someone else, taking out even only one four-line gatha
from this formal account of doctrine,
would instruct it and disclose it well clearly for others, undoubtedly; the
latter would be worthy of a greater, immeasurable and incalculable quantity of
reward of the virtues because of this root cause.’[91]
(14) At that moment, moved by the impact of Bhagavan’s teaching, Subhuti shed tears. Wiped away his tears, he addressed
Bhagavan: ‘Exceptional, Bhagavan. Exceedingly wonderful, Sugata. The Tathagata
has taught such doctrine for the interests of
those beings who have taken the foremost way and for the interests of those
beings who have taken the best way. Through it, my knowledge has broadened. I
have never before heard such formal account of
doctrine. Bhagavan, there will be bodhisattvas, who will produce the
notion of real things, after having heard about this sutra being spoken here,
will find that the most wonderful[92] has
been provided to them. Why? Bhagavan, the notion of real things is exactly the
notion of no real things.[93] Thus,
the Tathtgata says “notion of real things”. ‘Bhagavan, it is not difficult for me to believe and accept this account of doctrine.
In the future, in the last time, in the last five-hundred years, during the
time of the collapse of the good principles, there will be beings who will
accept this doctrine
and will bear it in mind, speak about it, study it thoroughly and disclose it
well clearly for others; they are closely accompanied by the most wonderful.[94]
Certainly, Bhagavan, no notion of the existence of a
self, a being, a living entity, or a person will then appear in them again, nor
any notion or no-notion[95]
will be introduced either. Why? The notion of the existence of a self is truly a
wrong notion[96]. The notions
of a being, a living entity and a person are also wrong notions, too. Why? All buddhas
have definitely ceased from all notions.’[97]
Bhagavan said to Venerable Subhuti,
‘It is so. It is so. Those beings, who will not tremble, not be frightened and
not get into terror[98] with the
sutra given here, will attain the enlightenment. Why? This what is the Tathagata refers to, the supreme
transcendence[99] is no transcendence.
What the Tathagata speaks of as the supreme transcendence, also innumerable buddhas
do speak; in this manner, “the supreme transcendence” is said. Moreover,
Subhuti, the Tathagata’s Transcendence in Forbearance[100]
is indeed no transcendence.[101] Why?
Subhuti, in the past, when the king of Kalinga[102]
mutilated me, I had had no notion
of the existence of a self, a being, a living entity or a person, nor I had any
notion or no-notion.[103] That is
to say, if at that time I had had the notion of the existence of a self, my
evil intent would have arisen. If I had had the notion of the existence of a
being, a living entity or a person, my evil intent would also have arisen.
Moreover, Subhuti, I recall that for my previous five-hundred lives I had been
a forbearance practitioner, a sage, even then, I had had no notion of a self, nor a being, a living
entity or a person.[104] Hence, Subhuti, the mind toward the highest perfect enlightenment can be produced only at the
moment when a bodhisattva abandons
all notions.[105]
The mind restrained by form will not appear. The mind restrained by sound,
odor, taste, texture or quality will not appear. The mind restrained by a doctrine
will not appear. The mind restrained by not a doctrine will not appear either.
That is, any restrained mind must not appear. Why? In that way, what restrained will simply become liberated. From that, the Tathagata says that the charity is to be performed by a
bodhisattva without being restrained; not by one restrained by form, sound,
odor, taste, texture or quality. Again, for the interest of all beings,
Subhuti, such renunciative[106] charity
ought to be done by a bodhisattva. Why? Subhuti, the idea of the existence of a being is indeed a wrong idea.[107] All those beings said by the
Tathagata are indeed non-beings.[108] Why?
Subhuti, the Tathagata speaks the fact. The Tathagata speaks the truth, speaks
what as it is and nothing otherwise. The Tathagata does not speak the untruth. Indeed, Subhuti, that spiritual state known, taught and meditated upon by the Tathagata is neither true nor
false.[109]
‘Subhuti, a bodhisattva gives
alms while his mind falls upon an object[110], he will
see nothing, like a man falling in darkness. When the sun rises, a man with
eyes can see clearly every object. A bodhisattva, who detaches every object while giving alms, should be looked upon as such. And
indeed, Subhuti, those sons and daughters of good families, who are willing to
accept this formal account of doctrine,
bear it in mind, recite it, study it thoroughly, and disclose it well clearly
for others, have been known by the Tathagata via his buddha-knowledge and have been seen by the Tathagata
via his buddha-eye. They will
indeed bring forth and receive an immeasurable and unthinkable quantity of the
reward of their virtues.[111]
(15) ‘Subhuti, if a man or a woman renounced their body as an act of generosity as many times as there are the grains of sand in Ganges
in the morning, at noon and again in the evening for numberless years; and if, in the other case, a person, on hearing this account of
doctrine, would not contradict or despise it, the latter would actually be worthy of a
much greater quantity of reward because of this root cause. What can then be
said of someone who would copy it, accept it, bear it in mind, recite it, study
it thoroughly and make it clear in full detail for others?[113]‘Subhuti, this formal account of doctrine is really unimaginable
and incomparable. The Tathagata has addressed it for the interests of those who
embarked on the foremost and the
best journey. Those beings, who are willing to accept this doctrine, bear it in mind, recite it,
study it thoroughly, and disclose it well clearly for others, have been known
by the Tathagata with his buddha-knowledge and have been seen by the Tathagata via
his buddha-eye. An unlimited quantity of reward will follow them quite closely. An unthinkable, incomparable, inconceivable and immeasurable quantity
of reward will come directly afterward. All those
beings will be able to carry and sustain[114] this perfect
wisdom[115] with equal share. Why is that so?
Subhuti, it is definitely impossible for those beings, who are short of confidence, or holding the view[116] of a
self, a being, a living entity or a person, to learn anything from this account of
doctrine. It is
impossible for those who have not yet taken the bodhisattva-vow to listen to
this account
of doctrine, or to accept it, to bear it in mind, to recite it or to
study it thoroughly. That possibility[117] does not
exist. Subhuti, wherever this sutra is revealed[118],
that place will be worshiped. That place will
be honored and circumambulated by the gods, the human
beings and the asuras of the world. And that place will be like a shrine.
(16) ‘Subhuti, some of those sons and daughters of good
families do accept these very sutras, bear them in mind, recite them, study
them thoroughly, conceive them in heart and make them well clear for others,
yet they are humiliated and greatly humiliated. Why? Because of some impure
deeds committed in their previous births, they are liable to go towards the evil paths exactly according to the
law[119].
Through the humiliations, they will remove the impure deeds from their previous
births[120] and will
reach the enlightenment of a buddha still. Why? Subhuti, I recall that there were eighty-four trillion[121] buddhas in
those innumerous kalpas in the far past
before Dipamkara Buddha and I pleased every one of
them and never estranged[122] from
them. But, in the end of the last epoch[123]
in the future, during the time of the decay of the good doctrine, if people
would accept these sutras and would bear them in mind, recite them, study them
thoroughly and make them well clear for others, then my quantity of the reward
of pious activities collected by serving all those buddhas would definitely not
approach even a hundredth part of theirs, a thousandth part, a
hundred-thousandth part, a ten-millionth part, a hundred-millionth part, or a
hundred-billionth part of theirs. It will not bear number, nor counting, nor
fraction, nor analogy, nor comparison, nor simile. Subhuti, if I fully describe
the details of how much the quantity of the reward of pious activities those
sons and daughters of good families might get, people would become muddled or mad.
That is to say, Subhuti, just as this formal
account of doctrine taught by the Tathagata is truly unthinkable[124] and
incomparable, certainly its quantity of the reward of pious activities ought to
be expected as unthinkable, too.’
(17) Then, Subhuti addressed Bhagavan: ‘Bhagavan, having
taken the bodhisattva-vehicle, how should a person stay on, reach and check his intent?'’ Bhagavan replied, ‘Subhuti, an intent like this must
be raised in a person embarking on the bodhisattva-journey, “I must lead all
beings to the realm of the nirvana of no remnant.”
Yet, after all beings having
thus been led to the nirvana, no being at all has been led to the nirvana.[125] Why?
Subhuti, if a bodhisattva had the idea of a being, he must not be called a bodhisattva. Likewise, if a bodhisattva had
the idea of a person or the idea of a living entity, he must not be called a bodhisattva. And why? Subhuti, he does not have the characteristic
called having set out on the
Bodhisattva-journey.[126]
‘Subhuti, what would you think; is
there some spiritual state, such as the highest perfect enlightenment, which has
been fully attained by the Tathagata in the presence of
Dipamkara Buddha?’
Venerable Subhuti
replied, ‘No, Bhagavan. If I understand the meaning of what Bhagavan is saying, there is no state, such as the highest perfect
enlightenment, fully attained by the Tathagata in the presence of Dipamkara Buddha.’
Bhagavan said, ‘It is so. It is
so, Subhuti, there is no state,
such as the highest perfect enlightenment fully attained by the Tathagata in
the presence of Dipamkara Buddha. Subhuti, if there is a state of the
enlightenment fully attained by the Tathagata, Dipamkara Tathagata would not
have foretold me: “In the future age you will be a tathagata named Shakyamuni.”[127]
Since in that case there is no state of the
highest perfect enlightenment fully attained by the Tathagata, Dipamkara
Tathagata did foretell me: “In the future age you will be a tathagata named
Shakyamuni.” Why? “Tathagata” is the synonym of true Suchness of all things.[128] “Tathagata” is the synonym of inherent
nature without origin.[129] “Tathagata” is the synonym of the
destruction of all qualities.[130] “Tathagata” is the synonym of absolutely not effected.[131] Why? Subhuti, “without origin” is its supreme
meaning.[132]
‘Moreover, Subhuti, if someone
would say: “The highest perfect enlightenment has been achieved by the Tathagata,”[133] he would
have inspected and adjudged me falsely with some untruth that he held. Why?
Subhuti, there is indeed no such a spiritual state, the highest perfect
enlightenment, fully attained by
the Tathagata. Subhuti, that spiritual state, which the Tathagata has fully attained and
preached, is not valid nor in
vain[134].
Therefore, the Tathagata says, “All states[135] are Buddha’s states.” Regarding this, Subhuti,
the Tathagata has taught that all states are no states[136];
in that manner, “all states are
Buddha’s states” is said.
‘Subhuti,
just equally like this case, a man possesses a body, a huge body.’
Venerable Subhuti said, ‘Bhagavan,
that “a body, a huge body” said by the
Tathagata has been taught in fact not a body by the Tathagata;[137] in that
manner, “a body, a huge body”
is said.’
Bhagavan said, ‘It is so,
Subhuti. Again, should a bodhisattva say: “I shall liberate beings,” he
must not be called a bodhisattva.[138]
Why is that so?
Subhuti, does there exist a spiritual state called “bodhisattva”?’
Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan,
there exists no spiritual state called
bodhisattva.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, “beings” are no beings, as taught by the Tathagata; in that manner, “beings” is said. On that account, the
Tathagata says, “All phenomena[139] are without self, without life, without maintenance[140] and without personal entity.”
‘Subhuti, if a bodhisattva said
such, “I will develop a buddha-field,”
he speaks in vain. Why? The Tathagata has taught that the development of a buddha-field is no development; in that manner, “develop a buddha-field” is said.
Subhuti, if a bodhisattva believes that “all phenomena are without self” and thus sets himself free, the
Tathagata will declare him a “great bodhisattva”.
(18) Bhagavan
said, ‘Subhuti, what would you think; does the Tathâgata
have a fleshy eye?’Subhuti said, ‘Yes, Bhagavan, he
does.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would
you think; does the Tathâgata have a divine-eye[141]?’
Subhuti said, ‘Yes, Bhagavan, he
does.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would
you think; does the Tathâgata have a wisdom-eye[142]?’
Subhuti said, ‘Yes, Bhagavan, he
does.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would
you think; does the Tathâgata have a dharma-eye[143]?’
Subhuti said, ‘Yes, Bhagavan, he
does.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would
you think; does the Tathâgata have a buddha-eye[144]?’
Subhuti said, ‘Yes, Bhagavan, he
does.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what
would you think; has the Tathagata said this phrase, “as many grains of sand as
there are in the great river Ganges”?’
Subhuti said, ‘Yes, Bhagavan, the
Tathagata has said that.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Well, Subhuti,
if there were as many Ganges rivers as there are grains of sand in the great
river Ganges, and if there were as many worlds as there are grains of sand in
all those Ganges rivers, would those worlds be plenty?’
Subhuti said, ‘So it is, Bhagavan,
plenty worlds indeed.’
Then, Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti,
of every being in these worlds, I know his intent-flow[145] of all
kinds of emotion. Why? The Tathagata has said that the intent-flow is no flow; in
that manner, intent-flow is said. What is the reason? Subhuti, the past intent can
not be found, the future intent can
not be reached, and the present intent can not be acquired.[146]
(19) ‘Subhuti, what would you think; should a son or a
daughter of a noble family offer the tathagatas seven kinds of treasures as
alms, which could cover one billion worlds, would they be worthy of a great quantity
of the reward of virtues because of this root cause?’‘Yes, Bhagavan, they would be
worthy of a great quantity of the reward of virtues.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Yes, that son or
daughter of a noble family would be worthy of a great quantity of the reward of
virtues because of this root cause. Why? Subhuti, the quantity of
reward, the Tathagata has taught, is no quantity indeed; in that manner, “quantity of reward” is said.
Moreover, Subhuti, even if there was a quantity of the reward of virtues,
the Tathagata would not call it a “quantity of the reward of virtues”.
(20) ‘Subhuti, what would you think; is a tathagata to be perceived by means of the
achieved physical body?’Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, a tathagata
is not to be perceived by the body achieved.
Why? The body achieved that has been taught by the Tathagata is no achieved body; in that manner, “achieved body” is said.’
‘Subhuti, what would you think; is
a tathagata to be perceived by
the wealth of lucky marks?’
Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, a tathagata
is not to be considered by the wealth
of lucky marks. Why? That the wealth
of lucky marks said by the Tathagata has been taught as no wealth of
lucky marks by the Tathagata; in that manner, “wealth of lucky marks” is said.’
(21) Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, what would you think; does
this occur in the Tathagata, “A rule of practice[147] has been instructed by me”?’Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, the Tathagata does not have that thought, “I have instructed a rule of practice.”’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, whosoever should say such, “The Tathagata gave instructions
for a rule
of practice,” he would have spoken falsely and would have misunderstood
me by grasping something that does not exist. Why is it said so? Instruction for
a rule of
practice, Subhuti, there is no practice for which an instruction for a rule of practice
can really be found.[148]’
Then Subhuti spoke to Bhagavan: ‘Bhagavan,
in the future, in the last time, in the last five-hundred years, during the
time of the collapse of the good principles, will there be any beings who, on
hearing such laws,
will truly believe them?’
Bhagavan said, ‘Subhuti, they are
neither beings nor non-beings.[149] Why? “Beings,
beings,” Subhuti, the Tathagata has taught that all beings are non-beings; in
that manner, they are called “beings”.
(22) ‘Subhuti, so now what would you think; is there a spiritual
state, the highest perfect enlightenment, which the
Tathagata has fully reached?’Subhuti replied, ‘No, Bhagavan, there
is no such a state, the highest perfect enlightenment, which the Tathagata has fully
reached.’
(23) Bhagavan said, ‘It is so, Subhuti. It is so. Even the least state has not been found or conceived in there, thus, it is called “the
highest perfect enlightenment”. Indeed again, Subhuti, that spiritual state is
equal[150]
and there is nothing unequal[151] everywhere; therefore, it is called “the highest perfect
enlightenment”. With the absence of a self, a being, a soul or a person, the
entire highest perfect enlightenment can be achieved fully with all suitable[152] rules of practice. Regarding this,
Subhuti, the Tathagata has taught that the suitable rules are truly no rules;[153] in that
manner, “suitable rules” is said.
(24) ‘And, Subhuti, if a man or a woman gave the tathagatas
seven kinds of treasures as alms, which could pile up to the same bulk as that
of all Sumeru mountains in one billion worlds; and if, in the other case, a son
or a daughter of a noble family took out only one gatha from this formal account of doctrine, Transcendence in True Wisdom, and would
teach it to others; the quantity of the reward of pious activities worthy the
former would truly never be near one-hundredth part, nor one-millionth part of
that of the latter. No proper comparison is available.
(25) ‘Subhuti, what would you think; does this occur in
the Tathagata, “Beings have been liberated by me”? Do not take it like this any longer, Subhuti. Why? Subhuti, there
is no being that the Tathagata has liberated. Had the Tathagata liberated one
single being,[154] there
would have been a hold on a self, on a being, on a living entity or on a
person on the part of the Tathagata. A “hold on a self”, Subhuti, the Tathagata
has said it is no hold. Yet all those ignorant people would like to hold on. “Ignorant
people”, Subhuti, the Tathagata teaches that there are no people; in that
manner, “ignorant people” is said.
(26) ‘What would you think, Subhuti; is a tathagata to be
regarded by the wealth of lucky marks?’Subhuti replied, ‘Certainly not,
Bhagavan. As much as my understanding of the meaning of Bhagavan’s teaching, a
tathagata is not to be viewed by the wealth of lucky marks.’
Bhagavan said, ‘Indeed, Subhuti,
indeed. Just as what you said, a tathagata must not be regarded by the wealth of lucky marks. Why? Subhuti, if a tathagata
could be viewed by the wealth of lucky marks,
any cakravartin[155] might have been a tathagata. Therefore, a tathagata must not be regarded by the wealth of lucky marks.’
Subhuti said to Bhagavan, ‘I
understand exactly the meaning of what Bhagavan has taught; a tathagata must
not be regarded by the wealth of lucky marks.’
Then, Bhagavan gave these two
gathas:
‘People, who saw[156] me by form,
Followed
me by sound,[157]
Or devoted
wrongly to meditations,[158]
Will not see me with his mind.
‘A buddha is seen from the intrinsic nature.[159]
The embodiments of emptiness[160]
are the actual mentors.[161]
But the inherent nature can not be seen,[162]
To discern it is not possible.’[163]
(27) ‘Subhuti, what would you think; has the Tathagata achieved
the highest perfect enlightenment because of the wealth of lucky marks?
Subhuti, not so should you think. Why? Subhuti, surely the
Tathagata achieved the highest perfect enlightenment not by the wealth of lucky marks. Further,
Subhuti, nobody should ever tell you this, “Those who have taken the bodhisattva-journey have considered[164] the termination or the further annihilation of every other practice.” Subhuti, certainly not so should you see it. Why? Those who have taken the bodhisattva-journey
would never prescribe the termination or the annihilation of any other practice.[165]
(28) ‘And again, Subhuti, if a son or a
daughter of a noble family offered the tathagatas seven kinds of treasures as
alms, which could fill up as many the worlds as there are the grains of
sand in Ganges; and if, in the other case, a bodhisattva
achieved the Forbearance [166]
by the practices of no-self and
no-origin; the latter would be worthy of an immeasurable and incalculable quantity
of the reward of pious activities because of this root cause. However, Subhuti,
the quantity of the reward of pious activities is by no means to be admitted[167] by a
bodhisattva.’Subhuti said, ‘Bhagavan, why is the quantity of the reward of pious activities not
to be admitted by a bodhisattva?’
Bhagavan said, ‘To be admitted, Subhuti, but it ought not to be taken away or saved;[168] with that, it is called “admitted”.
(29) ‘Subhuti, if someone does say, “The Tathagata goes, or comes, sits or lies down,”[169] he does
not understand the meaning of what I have said. Why? Subuti, a “tathagata”[170] is
described as having never come from
anywhere or gone anywhere
anytime;[171]
in that manner, he is called “the Tathagata, the Arhat, and the fully Enlightened
One”.
(30) ‘Subhuti, if a son or a daughter of a noble
family were to grind as many worlds as there are the particles of dust in one
billion worlds with all their strength into a collection of extremely small
particles, the atoms; what would you think; would that collection be enormous?’Subhuti replied, ‘Yes, enormous indeed. Bhagavan, that collection of the atoms would
be enormous. However, even if there was an enormous collection of atoms, the
Tathagata would not call it a “collection of atoms”.[172]
Why? That collection of atoms said by the Tathagata has been taught just as no collection
by the Tathagata; in that manner, “collection of atoms” is said. And,
Bhagavan, that “one billion worlds” said by the Tathagata has been taught just no
worlds by the Tathagata;[173] in that
manner, “one billion worlds” is said. Why? If there was a world[174], there
must have been a grasping on a roundish
mass, or a globe[175]. The grasping on a globe, as said by the Tathagata, has been taught just no grasping by the
Tathagata; in that manner, “grasping on a globe” is said.’
Bhagavan said, ‘The
grasping on a globe, Subhuti, is truly an improper conduct and will not be
talked about. It is neither a thing[176]
nor not a thing. Yet all ignorant persons have obsessed with it.[177] Why?
(31) ‘Subhuti, what would you think; if someone
would say that the view of a self, the view of a being, the view of a living
entity and the view of a person have been taught by Bhagavan, would he be
speaking right?’Subhuti said, ‘No, Bhagavan, he would not be speaking right. Why? That “view of a
self” said by the Tathagata has been taught as a wrong view[178]
by the Tathagata; in that manner, "view of a self” is said.’
Bhagavan said, ‘And exactly in the same way[179],
Subhuti, all prescribed practices
must be known, be learnt and be released committedly by one who
has taken the bodhisattva-journey.
All practices must be known, be understood thoroughly and be dropped so completely that definitely no perception of a practice appears. Why? Subhuti,
the Tathagata has said that the perception of a practice is just no perception;
in that manner, “perception of a
practice” is said.
(32) ‘Subhuti, if a bodhisattva
did fill up immeasurable and innumerable worlds with
seven kinds of treasures and offered all those treasures to tathagatas as an
act of generosity; and if, in the other case, a son or a daughter of a noble
family took out even only one gatha from this formal account of doctrine, Transcendence in True Wisdom, and would
bear it in mind, recite it, study it thoroughly and illuminate it well clearly for
others, the latter would bring forth a much greater, immeasurable and innumerable
quantity of the reward of pious activities.[180]‘And how could one illuminate completely?
In whichever manner, it is not possible
to illuminate; with this,
“illuminate completely” is said.
‘A meteor, a fault of vision, a lamp, A phantom, a dewdrop, a bubble, A dream, a lightning flash or a cloud,Bhagavan spoke these words.
Enraptured, Venerable Subhuti, the bhikshus and bhikshunis, the lay brothers
and sisters, bodhisattvas, the gods, human beings and asuras in all realms rejoiced
in the words spoken by Bhagavan.
(The End of The Diamond Sutra)
[1] Bhagavan: bhagavān†—fortunate, blessed,
illustrious, divine, venerable, and holy. It is an epithet of the Buddha.
(Buddha is one who has totally awakened and attained the nirvana and
Buddhahood.) Here it is a title used for Gautama Buddha, or Shakyamuni
Tathagata, the founder of Buddhism. There are two other epithets used for him
in this sutra: Tathagata—tathāgata, the one who has gone to the Suchness, and
Sugata—sugata, well gone, gone to the other shore. († The spelling of the
sanskrit words are by the International Alphabet
of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) scheme. They are given in italic
type in this book.)
[2] Sravasti:
Śrāvastī, the capital city of the kingdom of
Kośala in ancient India.
[3] Jeta Grove: the
name of a Buddhist monastery. The formal name is jetavane-'nāthapiṇḍadasyārāme in Sanskrit, or Jeta
Grove-Anathapindika Vihara in English. The common short name used is Jetavana
Vihara, Jeta Grove, or just Jetavana. (vihara: vihāra—a living quarter for
monks with an open shared space or courtyard.)
[4] Bhikshu: bhikṣu—Buddhist monk, mendicant.
[5] Lotus pose: a
cross-legged sitting meditation pose, in which each foot is placed on the
opposite thigh.
[6] Circumambulated:
walked around him clockwise three
times.
[7] Subhuti: Subhūti. He was one of the top ten disciples of Bhagavan. He was considered the foremost one among those who understood the
‘emptiness’ and lived in remote area in peace.
[8] Favored: anuparigṛhītāḥ—(the bodhisattvas) have been surrounded.
[9]
gratified: parīnditāḥ—satisfied with
delight, presented, given.
[10] After
taking the bodhisattva-journey: bodhisattvayāna
saṃprasthitena. It has the same meaning as ‘having decided to make every
endeavor to achieve
the highest perfect enlightenment’, ‘having
intended to seek for the consummation of incomparable enlightenment’, or ‘like
to be a great bodhisattva or even a buddha’.
[11] Stay on:
sthātavyaṃ—to be stood, abided by, and continue, be adhered to.
[12] Reach:
pratipattavyaṃ—to be set foot upon, entered, advanced, gone to, arrived at, fit
in, met with, accomplished, performed, achieve.
[13] Check: pragrahītavyam—to
be controlled, restrained, get hold of.
[14] Intent: cittaṃ—thought,
wish, consciousness, aim, heart, mind.
[15] Being: sattvāḥ—existence,
entity, reality, a living or sentient being, creature, animal, true essence,
nature, disposition of mind, character, material or elementary substance,
matter, a thing, a ghost, demon, person
with consciousness, sentience, or life itself.
[16] Nirvana of no remnant: anupadhiśeṣa nirvāṇadhātau.
(a) anupadhiśeṣa—without remnant, no remains (not carrying any conception
of ‘me’ or ‘mine’). (b) nirvāṇadhātau—realm of nirvana. (c) nirvāṇa—blowing out, cessation,
absolute extinction or annihilation of individual existence or of all desires
and passions, perfect calm or repose or happiness, highest bliss. (d) dhātau—world,
realm. (e) Liberating all beings to
nirvana is the answer to ‘how stay on’
and ‘how achieve’.
[17] Not any being
has been liberated: (a) No being has been liberated by him. (b) It implies that
all beings and the liberation work are empty in nature. Consequently, the
conception of a self, the reward from the merits obtained by liberating beings,
the description of a
buddha-field, etc., are all false and empty.
[18] Notion: saṃjñā—idea, thought produced from discrimination, concept, agreement,
perception, mutual understanding.
[19] (a) Self: ātma—ego entity, an abiding personal self, soul, or mind. (b)
Living entity: jīva—anything living, soul, existence. (c) Person: pudgala—an
individual entity that has a name and life and is capable to experience the
karma, rebirth, or nirvana. (d) Self, being, living entity and person have
overlapping meanings with each other. (e) A bodhisattva strives to get rid of
the idea of a real self, which is a resultant of the distinguishing function
arising in his mind. No matter how slight the idea he has, there is a bias, then he may not stay
on the bodhisattva-journey, not
to say to be called a bodhisattva.
[20] The act of
giving charity: dānam—giving away as charity,
almsgiving, teaching, generosity, oblation, donation, gift of alms. Commonly the giving is grouped into three kinds:
the
alms, the teachings
and the courage.
[21] Tied up with an “object”: vastu-pratiṣṭhitena. (a) pratiṣṭhitena—rested in, situated in, abided in, based on, limited to, tied up with, secured to, remained in, obsessed by. (b) vastu—any really existing or abiding substance or
essence, matter, thing, article, fact, circumstance, object, etc. (c) The notion of the existence of
an object is not a right idea because all objects are empty in nature.
If one accepts them as real, his mind loses equanimity, hence he can not be a bodhisattva.
[22] Form: rupa—any outward appearance or
phenomenon or color, form, shape, or figures.
[23] (a) These five
items together with ‘form’ are the contents of the Six External Sense-bases, or Six Dusts, or Six Sense-objects. (b)
Quality: dharma—nature, peculiar
condition or essential quality, property, mark, mind-object. (c) If a bodhisattva’s mind is
contained by the notion of the
existence of an object when he gives alms, his giving would no longer be a pure
act of charity but merely an exchange.
[24] Not to be restrained by the perception of an outward appearance: na nimitta-saṃjñāyām
api pratitiṣṭhet. nimitta—object, cause, mark, outward appearance, sign, etc. saṃjñā—thought, perception, idea. The perception of an outward appearance is not a right perception because
all outward appearances are empty in nature.
[25] (a) Deeds and
reward are one thing; once you have done something, you will get the resultant (reward) of it without any doubt. (b) The Buddha
reveals a way applied by the bodhisattvas to produce an unimaginable quantity
of virtues and its reward. (Virtues: puṇya—virtuous activities, the results
of devout activities.) It seems to imply that the
reward
of devout activities is real, but it is only a way to talk us into the way to
be bodhisattvas.
[26] The Buddha
emphasizes how great the quantity of reward of pious activities a bodhisattva may obtain if he detaches
himself from the idea of the existence of an object when he leads
beings to the opposite shore. The bodhisattvas know fully that their efforts,
such as developing beings or leading them to
the unbounded liberation, are empty by nature, then, why do
they keep on doing so? Two obvious possible reasons: (a) we have not yet
accepted that we are eventually not real, and they want to liberate us
from the false ideas and
turn
into the right path to the ultimate Truth, the Buddhist Path, and (b) the bodhisattvas do not destroy the conditioned rules or rest in the unconditioned.
[27] How should one
stay on the bodhisattva-journey? He should try to liberate all beings to the
nirvana of no remnant. How should one achieve in reaching the opposite shore?
He should exactly not be contained by the awareness of an outward appearance of
his objects when he
gives charity (because there are ultimately no objects). How should one check
his mind? There is no need to check because there exists no Self. Hence, we may
say that Bhagavan has answered all three questions asked by Subhuti already.
[28] Regarded: dṛaṣṭavya—examined,
viewed, investigated, attained, considered, beheld, looked at, or seen.
[29] (a) Wealth of lucky marks: lakṣaṇasaṃpadā. lakṣaṇa—lucky mark, favorable sign, symbol, token, attribute,
characteristic, quality. saṃpadā—success, accomplishment, completion,
fulfilment, opulence, perfection, richness, plenty, possessed
of, endowed, furnished with. (b)
All great beings possess thirty-two lucky body marks; the body of a
buddha shows all those lucky marks, of course. However, we must aware that
those marks belong to outward appearances, not real but only empty.
[30] (a) Even the lucky marks of a buddha’s body are not marks because they are the results from
comparisons and personal feelings, which are meaningless, therefore, people may not view a person, i.e., to see if he is a genuine Tathagata, based on his lucky marks. (b) Marks and substances are not reliable, yet we do
not deny them. (c) We should not rely on marks or even be obsessed by
them.
[31] There is a wrong
picture in your mind.
[32] We must not view a person as a Tathagata by his lucky marks, which, although all auspicious, are the result of our own
imaginations. Whosoever takes his own
feelings as real is unable to see the Tathagata because the imaginations are truly delusive. Marks are also delusive, so the
Tathagata said they were no marks. To be able to see
the true characters of people or things without falseness, we must discard the notion
of a mark.
[33] (a) Words of
this sutra or its extracts: sūtrānta-padeṣu.
sūtrānta—words of the sutra. pada—a portion of a verse,
quarter or line of a stanza. (Four lines of a verse form a stanza in Indian hymn, gāthā. Each line contains just eight
syllables. A gatha is a collection of stanzas. So the shortest gatha contains
only one stanza, or four lines.) (b) The doctrine given here is: things, like beings
and outward appearances, are all empty
or no actual existence.
[34] Beings: It means
bodhisattvas here.
[35] Real existence
of things: bhūta—the system of
natural laws, which constitute the natural order of things; facts that actually
happen and exist, such as the living entities (divine, human, spirit, animal,
and even vegetable), the world, created, material elements, ego; an existing,
present, true, real and actual occurrence; the principle thing, etc. All these come from our
conditioned viewpoints.
[36] Unique clear mind: ekacitta—the mind which recognizes that there is no ‘real existence
of things’.
[37] Character: dharma—religion, religious principles, religiosity, occupation, activities,
occupational duties, that which is established or firm, phenomenon, steadfast
decree, statute, ordinance, law,
usage, customary observance or prescribed conduct, duty, right,
justice, virtue, morality, religious merit, good works, characteristic function, character, principle,
prescribed course of conduct,
rule, the personality of religion, the code of religion, essential quality, the
procedures of religious principles, the doctrine of buddhism, the ethical
precepts of buddhism, etc. The translator takes it as the state of the mind or
the character attained according with religious practice, or simply ‘state’.
[38] No notion: adharma—irreligious principle,
non-dharma. It implies discord,
immorality or error.
[39] Formal discourse: dharmaparyāyam. Formal account of doctrine is just like a raft, which is only a tool
to use. A wise man will not carry it after he reaches the opposite shore. The character attained through
it should also be discarded.
[40] (a) The Highest Perfect Enlightenment: anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhir. anuttarā—highest, ultmost; samyak—wholly, correctly,
truly, properly; saṃbodhir—completely enlightened
intellect, knowledge. (b) Bhagavan has
achieved the Highest Perfect Enlightenment but he does not hang on that in his
mind. .
[41] Attained: abhisaṃbuddhaḥ—deeply
versed in, fully known, reached, obtained, achieved.
[42] Meaning: arthaḥ—interest, value, purpose,
reason.
[43] (a) Not to be
seized: agrāhyaḥ—not to be obtained, conceived or admitted. (b) Nor to be
expressed: anabhilapyaḥ—not to be talked about. (c) Bhagavan had that state of
a buddha, of course, but he never hung on it. If he did, he would not be a
buddha.
[44] There is a character
of the mind, but a bodhisattva would not seize on it, therefore it is not a character
to him.
[45] Honored sages: āryapudgalāḥ.
[46] Unconditioned: asaṃskṛta—crude, not prepared or
constructed, not formed by causes, unproduced, without extinction and without
duration-change.
[47] Billion worlds: trisāhasramahāsāhasraṃ lokadhātuṃ. trisāhasra-mahāsāhasraṃ—billion, 109. However, here the
absolute value is not the point in this sutra, a huge number is. lokadhātuṃ—world, universe (which consists of many worlds).
[48] Is the son, or
the daughter, the worlds, the treasures or the reward real?
[49] One must forsake
the notion of an amount of reward; if not, he will not be able to liberate
himself.
[50] In that manner: tasmā—thus,
for this reason, upon that, hence, on that account, from that, with that,
therefore.
[51] Taking out: udgṛhya—having lifted up, resorting to.
[52] Formal account
of doctrine: dharmaparyāyam—method of
proceeding of a practice, discourse.
[53] Instruct: deśayet—would direct, show, and point out.
[54] (a) Disclose it
well clearly: saṃprakāśayed—would
become clear, visible, bright, public and open. (b) To disclose it
clear for others is the most important thing to those who have taken the bodhisattva-journey.
[55] Bhagavan said
this because people were still in the conditiioned realm.
[56] Appeared: nirjātā—has issued,
produced.
[57] Characters of a buddha: buddhadharmā.
[58] Buddha does not
have the thought that he should possess some special practices. Will the stream-enterer,
the once-returner, the non-returner, the arhat, and the bodhisattva be stuck on
the thought that they possess something?
[59] Stream-enterer: srotāpannasya—one who enters the stream and crosses it
successfully. It refers to a disciple who has eradicated the three-Fetters, namely,
the idea of a self, the rites of paradox, and the doubts on Buddhism. It also
refers to the first (lowest) state of the four Disciple states.
[60] Obtained: prāptam—attained, arrived,
or achieved.
[61] Fruit: phala—consequence, result, yield, gain,
product, profit, reward.
[62] (a) Acquires: āpannaḥ—having got in, obtained, entangled with, entered, surrendered, fallen into, or afflicted, gained. (b) Neither the thought ‘I have gained the peculiar state of a Stream-enterer’ nor that ‘I have won
out the false thoughts’ will arise in a stream-enterer. Should one have such
thoughts, he would have fallen again into the stream of six dusts and
entangled.
[63] That is, if he has these wrong thoughts, he can not be called a stream-enterer.
[64] Once-returner: sakridāgāmi—(a) a disciple
who needs to return to this desire-world only once more before he leaves for
the realm of pure form or matter; (b) the second Disciple state.
[65] Non-returner: anāgāmi—(a) the third state of the
Disciple Way where a disciple is free of the following five fetters: the belief
in a self, the attachment to rites and rituals, skeptical doubt, sensuous
craving and ill will. He will not return to this world after this life; (b) a
disciple in that state.
[66] Arhat: arhat—the topmost state of practice in
the Disciple Way where a disciple will attain the nirvāṇa after this
life. An arhat, whose mind has freed from all spiritual effluents, will surely
not be reborn in Three-Worlds (the desire-world, the material-world and the
immaterial-world).
[67] If an arhat
thought him an arhat, he would have restrained by some egoistic thoughts, then,
he could not be an arhat.
[68] Enjoy in the grove: araṇā-vihāriṇām.
(a) araṇā—forest, grove, distant. (b) vihāriṇām—enjoying himself with, wandering about
for pleasure, roaming, strolling, enjoying
oneself with, amusing oneself by,
fond of. (c) Living in a distant
forest and practicing of peace reflect a kind of having no desire and no notion
of a self.
[69] An arhat dose
not seize the idea that he has achieved the state of an arhat; how about a
buddha?
[70] Seized: udgṛhītaḥ—set up, erected, attained, elevated, received, raised, collected,
gained, accepted, saved, adopted,
to lay hand on, obtained, caught,
chosen, taken away from, gathered, taken up, conceded, granted, allowed, etc.
[71] (a) Before
Bhagavan met Dīpamkara Buddha, he was practicing in a way which helped him
fully understood that no characteristic marks, peculiar statuses, or states of
the mind were actually real, but in his mind he did not hold any state he had
got. At the time when they met, he did not show off anything, so Dipamkara
Buddha foretold him that he would be a buddha sometime in the future. However,
to Bhagavan, the prophetic words were like the wind; hence Subhuti replied
“no”. (b) Buddhas and bodhisattvas will not be tied up with any state, however,
when they reach some state, they can see buddha-fields by nature.
[72] Buddha-field: kṣetra—a sacred spot or district, field, domain, region, country.
[73] No development: To develop a buddha-field may be a right
notion for us in the conditioned world, but a bodhisattva, who wishes to be in the unconditioned state where no notion
arises, must not have this kind of idea.
[74] Appearance of that
body: ātma-bhāvaḥ. ātma—personal, self, own, body, mind. bhāvaḥ—appearance, material existence,
the origin, being, mentality.
[75] Sumeru: the king
of the mountains in a world. If a person sees a man having a body as large as
Sumeru and declares that he has a large body, he is contained in form.
[76] It is neither an appearance nor no appearance: It is
neither a true appearancenor no appearance of the body. The body is there, but
it will be gone someday.
[77] Ganges: gaṅgā—the
holy river of India.
[78] If a bodhisattva
thought that offering all treasures to the tathagatas could collect a great quantity of reward of pious activities, his mind would have been tied up
with form.
[79] As to the amount of the reward begotten by offering all
the treasures as alms, ‘great’ is the correct answer for us ignorant people,
who rely on forms. If one does not realize that the merit or reward are unreal, but reminds himself: ‘I must have a great reward
by doing so and so’, he shall never be able to reach the final goal, to be a
Buddha. That is to say, that ‘a great quantity of the reward of pious activities’ must
be an incorrect answer to the bodhisattvas.
[80] True shrine: caitya-bhūto. The only significance of
building a shrine is to remind people that there is a truth taught by our
teacher, the Buddha. So, in a way of speaking, that place, where people teach
this formal account of doctrine, is a true shrine.
[81] Asura: a class
of divine beings.
[82] Bear in mind: dhārayāmi—sustain, preserve, carry,
maintain, bear, keep, hold a relation
to.
[83] Transcendence in True Wisdom: prajñāpāramitā. (a) prajñā—true wisdom. pāramitā—perfection,
transcendent, complete attainment, traversed, crossed, leading to the opposite shore. Putting together, it is “Transcendence
in True Wisdom” or “True wisdom leading to the opposite shore”. However, the
word ‘vajrachchedika’ appears before prajñāpāramitā on the title
page of almost every version of this sutra, (chchedika
means cutter and vajra means diamond.) Therefore, this sutra is commonly known as the “Diamond Sutra” instead. (b) We, the common people, would consider the transcendence and the wisdom in the name are its characteristics. How will the buddhas and bodhisattvas think?
[84] Why: tatkasya hetoḥ—why is it named as this,
by what reason, with what respect, etc.
[85] No Perfection:
(a) In bodhisattvas’ minds, there is no notion of Transcendence in True Wisdom. (b) The name is empty by its
nature. Do not be obsessed by the name.
[86] A senior
bodhisattva has developed his mind so pure and lucid that he is not obsessed by
the characteristics in the name of a doctrine. The name serves only as a figure
of speech.
[87] Characteristic: dharmo. There are two characteristics spoken here, transcendence and wisdom.
[88] If your answer is ‘yes’, you are a practitioner in
the conditioned domain because you seize on 'quality'. If your answer is ‘no’, you are approaching the unconditioned. The transcendence and
the wisdom are not considered as characteristics
by buddhas and bodhisattvas. How about other things?
[89] We do not deny
the existences of both the minute dust and the huge world. We ought to be aware
of the fact that they possess the same nature, the emptiness. We should avoid
being obsessed by form or by other five sense-objects.
[90] Renounced their life: ātma-bhāvān parityajet—giving away one’s
life or parts of his body as alms to others.
[91] To understand
this discourse is much more important than to perform the charitable acts of
self-denial.
[92] The most wonderful: the most wonderful truth, nothing
really exists.
[93] Whatever it is,
[94] The most wonderful: the most wonderful concept, no self.
[95] Any notion or no-notion: any thought of a notion or thought of no
notion.
[96] Wrong notion: asaṃjñā—not a good notion.
[97] Notions: all
ideas of a self, a being, etc.
[98] It is because they
have no preconceived idea of a self, a being or a living entity or a person.
[99] (a) Supreme transcendence: paramapāramitā—the
highest perfection. (b) No supreme transcendence: They have put down
the thought of having attained the supreme transcendence, so they will be
attended on by the most marvelous.
[100] (a) Transcendence in Forbearance: kṣāntipāramitā.
kṣānti—forbearance, endurance,
tolerance, acceptance, patience. pāramitā—perfection.
(b) By recognizing that ultimately no real thing has been produced or will be produce (anutpattikeṣu-dharmeṣu), one gives up
all wrong thoughts he has insisted. This is the kind of the forbearance said here.
[101] (a) Buddha held neither the
thought of the transcendence in True
Wisdom nor the thought of the transcendence in Forbearance. (b) Why is the transcendence in
Forbearance not a transcendence
in Forbearance? It is because Buddha does not have the idea of a self. Without
a self, where can one find the transcendence or the forbearance? (c) Actually,
none of the Six transcendences
is held in the mind of Buddha. (The
other four are almsgiving, morality, effort and meditation.) )
[102] King: raja, a title for a monarch or princely
ruler. Kalinga: a kingdom in ancient
India.
[103] Whosoever has
given up all those notions related to self
can be said having attained the transcendence in Forbearance.
[104] At that time,
Buddha had had no notion of a
self, a being, a living entity, a person, or evil intent, therefore his spiritual
state on the highest perfect enlightenment matured.
[105] All notions: all
thoughts or conceptions containing the self. Buddha had achieved the Transcendence
in Forbearance long ago but he never held the thought that ‘I have achieved the
state.’ This is because he had no
notion of a self.
[106] Renunciative: parityāgaḥ—cutting
off the idea of a self and the reliance on form, sound, odor, taste, texture or
quality, being not concerned about any object.
[107] There are no
real beings.
[108] It is wrong for
one to identify others as ‘beings’, especially if himself is intent to be a
buddha. That sort of identification occurs in the conditioned realm only and
shows obvious discrimination. If he stops perceiving, ‘being’ is a meaningless term then. To Buddha, who
has left all ideas behind and has stopped discriminating, the beings are truly
as no beings. When Buddha said ‘being’, he did not mean that he cherished the
idea of a being, he was just saying in accordance with the habit of common
people. In other words, ‘being’ was just a figure of speech to him. When a
bodhisattva practices generosity, his mind does rely on nothing because he
knows that ‘being’ is not real but empty in nature.
[109] Neither true nor false: The true principle
should accord with your own state, which changes in time.
[110] Falling upon an object: vastupatito—having the concept that substances do exist and
are real. (vastu—actual substance, thing, facts, object, item. patito—alight, fallen down, fell down,
fallen upon.)
[111] The quantity of
reward, the result of giving alms, seems to be real for the practitioners in
the conditioned domain, but we have to consider it as illusion and lay it aside
if we wish to be a bodhisattva.
[113] (a) They have
more chances to experience and learn from
the embodiments of the emptiness. (b)
The Tathagata emphasized the importance of disclosing the doctrine of this sutra well clearly
for others here again.
[114] Will be able to carry
and sustain: dhārayiṣyanti—will
be able to hold, bear, preserve, fix on, or resolve on.
[115] The perfect Wisdom: bodhiṃ—the enlightened intellect, the
perfect wisdom. (Here, it may mean the content of this formal account of
doctrine.)
[116] View: dṛ́ṣṭi—(with
Buddhists) a wrong view or theory or doctrine.
[117] Possibility: sthānaṃ—occasion, occurrence, situation,
opportunity.
[118] Disclosed: prakāśayiṣyate—revealed.
[119] Law: law of
causality.
[120] The misfortunes in this life provide them
opportunities to practice the patience, e.g., dropping off the idea of a self
completely. When their minds are completely liberated from the
self-entity, their evil deeds disappear.
[121] Trillion: koṭi-niyuta-śatasahasrā,
1018.
[122] Estranged: virāgitāḥ—averted, displeased, not
delighted, disliked.
[123] The last epoch: the last five hundred years of the
period. During that period, the good doctrines collapse.
[124] Unthinkable: acintyo—can not
to be thought about, not to be meditated upon, not to be conceived.
[125] This is the most practical way to present the doctrine
of this sutra given by the Tathagata.
[126] He does not have the characteristic
called having set out on the
Bodhisattva-journey: (a) nāsti subhūte sa kaścid dharmo yo
bodhisattva-yāna-saṃprasthito nāma, where nāst—may not possess, subhūte—Subhūti, sa—he, kaścid—any, dharmo—characteristic, yo—which, bodhisattva-yāna-saṃprasthito—having set out on the Bodhisattva-journey, nāma—called.
(b) The characteristic of ‘the bodhisattva-journey’ is forsaking
everything, including the concepts of an object, a being and in this case here
a bodhisattva.
[127] Dīpamkara
Tathagata would not have foretold if there was a trace of the
thought in the Tathagata’s mind about having attained the
spiritual state of the highest perfect
enlightenment.'
[128] (a) True
Suchness: bhūta-tathatāyā. bhūta—actually
happened, true, real (actual existence of things). tathatāyā—Thusness, Suchness. No sustainable real thing has ever been produced
or will it ever be. (b) To become a Tathagata, a
bodhisattva must understand the Suchness
thoroughly before achieving the highest
perfect enlightenment.
[129] Inherent nature without origin: anutpāda-dharmatāyā. (a) anutpāda—non-production, existence
without birth or origin or beginning, not coming into existence, not taking
effect. (b) dharmatāyā—essence,
inherent nature; being law or right.
[130] Destruction of all qualities: dharmo-cchedasya. (a) dharmo—quality. (b) cchedasya—cut, cessation, destruction.
[131] Absolutely not effected: atyanta
anutpannasya. atyanta—very much,
very, extremely, veritable, complete, the greatest. anutpannasya—unaccomplished, without origin, unborn.
[132] Because of
‘without origin or without
production’, the thought about the spiritual state, the highest perfect enlightenment, must not exist in the
Tathagata.
[133] It implies that
they thought that the Tathagata always attached to the spiritual state, the highest perfect enlightenment that he had achieved.
[134] If someone thinks
that grabbing on a spiritual state, which has been attained, is a valid way to
become a buddha, he is wrong. If he thinks that attaining a spiritual state is
in vain, he is also wrong. He must attain it and then let it go.
[135] All states: all spiritual states that Bhagavan has experienced through religious practice. To us in the
conditioned realm, all those states do exist.
[136] This is what
happens in the unconditioned: no spiritual state should be kept in mind.
[137] No
body: (a) No body exists forever. (b) To a bodhisattva,
whether the body is a huge body or not, it is really a kind of temporary
phenomenon. If a man insists that there is a huge body,
he is fooled by form.
[138] If a bodhisattva said so, he would have held a
notion that there were states, beings and bodhisattvas. All of these, if
existed, are empty in nature, just like the huge body. Therefore, if he does
hold on that thought, he
is not a bodhisattva.
[139] Phenomena: dharma.
[140] Without maintenance: niṣpoṣā. (a) poṣā—breeding,
rearing, nurturing, nourishing, thriving, maintaining, supporting, abundance,
growth, increase, prosperity, preservation and wealth. (b) Nothing maintains.
[141] One with a
divine-eye is capable to see all things formed in the conditioned realm without
obstruction.
[142] One with a wisdom-eye is capable to see the four
Holy Truths: suffering, its origin, cessation and the way.
[143] One with a dharma-eye can perceive
the essence of emptiness, the Suchness.
[144] One with a buddha-eye knows
everything in the past, at present and in the future and comprehends the
essence of the ultimate truth completely.
[145] (a) Intent-flow: citta-dhārāṃ. citta—mind,
thought, intention,
consciousness. dhārāṃ—flood,
gush, jet, flow, torrent, shower, torrent,
etc. (b) Man always has involute intents, but he can not actually hold any of
them because of their empty nature.
[146] (a) Those ‘not be
found’, ‘not be reached’, and
‘not be acquired’, used here all
came from the same word, nopalabhyate. (b) No intent can be caught. This is the
answer to the question, ‘how should their intent be checked?’
[147] Rule of practice: dharmo. The rule of a practice which
leads bodhisattvas to the state of a buddha.
[148] (a) Can really be found: nāmopalabhyate—can really be experienced, seized, acquired, met with, perceived or caught. (b) A
bodhisattva in the unconditioned domain do not keep any spiritual state.
[149] Beings have the buddha-nature all the time and
they will become buddhas someday when all ideas about things come to cease. In Bhagavan’s mind, there is no such
class called ‘being’. If he awared that there was such, he would have fallen in
the duality of ‘a buddha vs. a being’, and hence could not be a buddha any
longer.
[150] Equal: samaḥ—impartial, equipoised,
cessation of all material activities, equilibrium of mind.
[151] Unequal: viṣamaḥ—disorder, distress, confusion, chaos,
disturbed, unrest, mistaken.
[152] Suitable:
kuśalair—right, auspicious, good, approved.
[153] No rules: Should
not be tied up with any ‘suitable rules’.
[154] It means ‘if the
Tathagata’s mind was tied up
with that there were beings liberated by him’.
[155] Cakravartin: cakravartin—an ideal universal ruler.
[156] Saw: adrākṣur—observe,
visit.
[157] Sound: ghoṣa—any cry or sound, indistinct noise, tumult, cries of victory, rumor, sound of words spoken at a
distance.
[158] Meditations: prahāṇa—abstractions, speculations.
[159] Intrinsic nature: (a) dharmato—the
true nature of phenomenal existence, the inherent nature, the true nature of
reality, the basis for the existence of things, the absolute nature, the
equality of all things, or the nirvāṇa. (b) For the people in mahayana, the
emptiness is considered as the true nature of everything.
[160] Embodiments of emptiness: dharmakāyā—embodiments or
incarnations of the emptiness of
phenomenal existence.
[161] Mentors: nāyakāḥ—guides,
captains, leaders.
[162] (a) Seen: vijñeyā—to be cognized, perceived, knowable. (b) It is beyond our perception, so that it cannot
be apprehended with our knowledge, which is full of untruths.
[163] The true nature
is the emptiness, which is beyond our
perception and definitely can not be discerned or interpreted.
[164] Considered:
prajñapta—ordered, arranged, conceived, prescribed.
[165] Those beings who
take the bodhisattva-journey shall let go every single practice they have gone through. Therefore, there is nothing
about the practice which can be prescribed.
[166] Patience: kṣāntiṃ—the transcendence in the practice of patience.
[167] To be admitted: parigrahītavyaḥ—to be fully allowed, received, controlled, taken hold of, supposed, got into possession.
[168] (a) Ought not to
be taken away or saved: nodgrahītavyaḥ. (b) The bodhisattva may be entitled to take into
possession the whole amount of reward he earns, but he will
choose not to.
[169] If one sees the Tathagata doing this or that, he
sees only the form or the motion of a physical body, a kind of transitory
phenomenon. If he thinks that those motions may represent the characters of the
Tathagata, he is terribly wrong. He should look for the Absolute Truth instead.
[170] Tathagata: tathāgata.
tathā—like that. āgata—come. gata—gone. The word ‘tathāgata’
has two straightforward meanings: ‘one who has come like that’ (tathā-āgata)
and ‘one who has gone like that’ (tathā-gata). What is ‘that’? It is the
‘Thusness’, the ‘Suchness’, the ‘inherent nature’, or the ‘Absolute Truth’. The
Absolute Truth never changes. It neither comes from anywhere nor goes to anywhere anytime. It has the same
meaning as ‘no origin’. This is the implicit significance of the word, tathāgata, and it is thus used to
signify the spiritual state or a title of a buddha.
[171] Here the inherent nature is what being talked
about, not the physical body.
[172] Since the collection of atoms is produced under
many conditions, certainly it will change or annihilate someday, that is to say, its existence is only
temporary. That is why the Tathagata would not say it is a collection of atoms.
[173] The worlds and the systems of stars or globes form
under certain conditions; therefore, the worlds are not real things.
[174] That is if one thinks that the coagulated material
worlds are real.
[175] (a) Globe: piṇḍa—roundish
mass, a ball (including stars). No globe exists forever, thus, they are considered
not real, but temporary or empty. (b) Obsession with a globe: pinda-graho—seizing on the idea of the
existence of globes.
[176] (a) It:
the globe. (b) Thing: dharmo.
[177] The ignorant people accept the idea that the
globes exist forever.
[178] (a) A wrong view: not a correct view that a
bodhisattva should take, (b) No view occurs in the unconditioned practice. (c)
Although the other three views, the view of a being, the view
of a living entity, and the view of a person, are
not mentioned here, they should be treated just the same.
[179] In the same way:
in the same way as what has taught above.
[180] Buddha knows that the quantity of reward is like
phantoms, yet he speaks ‘quantity of the reward of pious activities’ many times. He does so only because we are still chasing after the
auspicious retributions.
[181] (a) Conditioned: saṃskṛta—put together,
constructed, thing formed or established under certain conditions. (b) Conditioned things include prescribed courses of practice, collections of the results of merits, retributions, phenomena,
principles, peculiarities, rules, people and every idea we can make in this world through our six cognitions (parijñāna,
consciousness).
[182] The sentences beginning from ‘And how’ have another version which is translated as ‘And how should
it be illuminated completely? In such a manner as follows,
A meteor, a fault of vision, a lamp,
A phantom, a dewdrop, a bubble,
A dream, a lightning flash, or a cloud,
Like so should it be revealed.
Revealed in this way, it is said, “illuminated
completely”.‘
*************
For Chinese version, please go to
https://diamondsutrainenglish.blogspot.com/2022/11/blog-post.html
************************************************************************************************************
The Diamond Sutra
वज्रच्छेदिका प्रज्ञापारमिता
(vájracchedikā prajñāpāramitā)
Cuts Diamond, Transcendence in True Wisdom
Translated from
Sanskrit by
Chi-Lian Chiu (邱紀良)
2023
“A buddha is seen from
the intrinsic nature.
The
embodiments of emptiness are the
actual mentors.”
Translator’s Preface
To have an English version of the Diamond Sutra had been a
years-expectation of Venerable Master Mew-Fung, who was the first Buddhist monk
going to the New World to open the Buddhism door to the Americas in 1962. He was the founder and the first President
of the CHINA BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION, the former abbot of Fa-Wang Temple (Dharma King, 法王寺), Song-Lin Temple (Pine Grove, 松林寺) and Ci-Hang Monastery (Merciful Ferry, 慈航精舍). It was in 2015, with his encouragement, I, as one of his
disciples, accepted this assignment, to translate the Diamond Sutra from
Chinese into English in order to distribute this Sutra to English-speaking
visitors. The challenge began in the winter of that year. Unfortunately, Venerable
Master passed into nirvana in
2019; I felt very sad and sorry that l could not have my work finished sooner. Why
couldn’t I? Because soon after I started, I found I got to translate the Diamond Sutra directly
from Sanskrit (IAST), not form Chinese versions, if I wanted to dig and to appreciate the most of the correct meaning of this Sutra. The
challenge became a hundred times more difficult to me immediately after that decision.
Many thanks to Shan Huiguang (善慧光), who, as a member of
the North Tower Translation Group, Center for International Buddhist Studies, Renmin
University of China, Shenyang, gave annotations of every Sanskrit word of the Diamond Sutra in 2013. The
source of his Sanskrit IAST version used was mainly from Edward Conze (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā, 1957.) His work helped me a lot in
decoding the Sanskrit sentences in IAST and let me have a chance to keep my
promise to my Master.
This Sutra is a record of conversations between Buddha and one of his disciple, Venerable Subhuti. Just by reading the words of this Sutra, most of the readers may easily get very much confused because in many cases during their conversations when something was brought out and we would like to take that thing as real, but on the contrary, it was claimed not real immediately after. To avoid such confusions, we must understand that the denying opinion was from the viewpoint of bodhisattvas, the emptiness of things, and it was what Buddha wanted to remind Subhuti. Therefore, the translator would like to call on the readers to have the following basic knowledge beforehand:
Firstly, all things in our living world
form under certain conditions. If the lack of any one condition occurs, that thing would not appear. Once that thing appears, its appearance is deceptive. It will
definitely not remain forever. It will disappear when any of the conditions
cancels. This ‘appearance-disappearance’ is a result of the nature of the
emptiness or void that exists in everything. Therefore, we must admit that
nothing can ever have a true existence. This is the most important concept we should always keep.
If someone claims that he has taken the bodhisattva-journey and determines
to be a bodhisattva, but, on the other hand, he also says that he does something
good or has attained some high spiritual state, or that he is facing a real object, he will fail the qualification to be a bodhisattva and shall
be driven off the bodhisattva-vehicle for sure.
Secondly, Venerable Subhuti, practicing in the Disciple-Way, not in the Bodhisattva-Way, asked Buddha about
how a person having taken the bodhisattva-journey could stay on the journey,
how to reach or achieve his goal and how to check along the way if he had
succeeded in his intent, to be a bodhisattva. In other words, he was asking,
‘What are the methods one has to follow?’
All these questions base on the
premise that if there is anything that one can hold to. Holding a method of
practice is all right, but once the practitioner achieves the goal or the character
of that practice, he must leave both the method and his achievement behind and
go on to the next higher stage of practice. That is, in accordance to the principle
of the Bodhisattva-Way one should not hold anything for long along his journey
to become a bodhisattva. When he actually reaches the final state, being a
bodhisattva, he should have nothing concerning himself in his mind. Nothing,
such as the idea of the existence of a living self, the form of a thing he
sees, the sound he hears, or the odor he smells, etc., will be able to affect
him. During the discussion, Buddha used some examples to guide him to see what
and how someone who took the bodhisattva-journey should do. Although there
are many methods of practice that one on
the Bodhisattva-journey must know, must learn and must practice thoroughly
until he reached the final spiritual state, in this sutra Buddha gave only two lessons:
(a) to liberate living entities without differentiation and (b) to realize that
ultimately nothing exists. How will one realize that he has fully accomplished
these lessons? The check is simple; as mentioned above, after he gets up to the
level of bodhisattva, he must leave spiritual state alone so utterly that definitely no perception of a state of bodhisattva would appear. If
he feels that he has got a state, he is certainly not a true bodhisattva. Consequently,
the answer to the third question is ‘no intent needs to be checked at all when
he reaches the state of a bodhisattva.’
Finally, there are some sentences in this Sutra given in such style, ‘The
body achieved which has been
taught by the Tathagata is no achieved
body,’ for example. The first phrase, the body achieved, seems in conflict with
the second phrase, no achieved body. However, there is no conflict if we think one-step
further. The first phrase is stated from the point of
view of common people, like us, and the second one is from
the point of view of a real bodhisattva, so the whole sentence represents the truth,
which is indeed the answer to Subhuti’s question. Since Subhuti was Buddha’s
best disciple who understood the void or emptiness of things, there was no need
to give further explanations after these sentences. However, we common people,
not used to think in this way, must always remind ourselves the nature of the emptiness in
order to get some insight meanings while reading this sutra.
This sutra was divided into thirty-two parts
by Prince Zhao-ming (501~531AD
Oh!
Whatever is true, it should never change.
Whatever changes, it cannot be true.
What in this world does not change?
Why don’t you let your obstinacy go?
Chi-Lian
Chiu (邱紀良)
Hsinchu City, Taiwan, 2023
Contents
Notes
The Diamond Sutra
Followed me by sound,[157]
Or devoted wrongly to meditations,[158]
Will not see me with his mind.
The embodiments of emptiness[160] are the actual mentors.[161]
But the inherent nature can not be seen,[162]
To discern it is not possible.’[163]
[1] Bhagavan: bhagavān†—fortunate, blessed,
illustrious, divine, venerable, and holy. It is an epithet of the Buddha.
(Buddha is one who has totally awakened and attained the nirvana and
Buddhahood.) Here it is a title used for Gautama Buddha, or Shakyamuni
Tathagata, the founder of Buddhism. There are two other epithets used for him
in this sutra: Tathagata—tathāgata, the one who has gone to the Suchness, and
Sugata—sugata, well gone, gone to the other shore. († The spelling of the
sanskrit words are by the International Alphabet
of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) scheme. They are given in italic
type in this book.)
[2] Sravasti:
Śrāvastī, the capital city of the kingdom of
Kośala in ancient India.
[3] Jeta Grove: the
name of a Buddhist monastery. The formal name is jetavane-'nāthapiṇḍadasyārāme in Sanskrit, or Jeta
Grove-Anathapindika Vihara in English. The common short name used is Jetavana
Vihara, Jeta Grove, or just Jetavana. (vihara: vihāra—a living quarter for
monks with an open shared space or courtyard.)
[4] Bhikshu: bhikṣu—Buddhist monk, mendicant.
[5] Lotus pose: a
cross-legged sitting meditation pose, in which each foot is placed on the
opposite thigh.
[6] Circumambulated:
walked around him clockwise three
times.
[7] Subhuti: Subhūti. He was one of the top ten disciples of Bhagavan. He was considered the foremost one among those who understood the
‘emptiness’ and lived in remote area in peace.
[8] Favored: anuparigṛhītāḥ—(the bodhisattvas) have been surrounded.
[9]
gratified: parīnditāḥ—satisfied with
delight, presented, given.
[10] After
taking the bodhisattva-journey: bodhisattvayāna
saṃprasthitena. It has the same meaning as ‘having decided to make every
endeavor to achieve
the highest perfect enlightenment’, ‘having
intended to seek for the consummation of incomparable enlightenment’, or ‘like
to be a great bodhisattva or even a buddha’.
[11] Stay on:
sthātavyaṃ—to be stood, abided by, and continue, be adhered to.
[12] Reach:
pratipattavyaṃ—to be set foot upon, entered, advanced, gone to, arrived at, fit
in, met with, accomplished, performed, achieve.
[13] Check: pragrahītavyam—to
be controlled, restrained, get hold of.
[14] Intent: cittaṃ—thought,
wish, consciousness, aim, heart, mind.
[15] Being: sattvāḥ—existence,
entity, reality, a living or sentient being, creature, animal, true essence,
nature, disposition of mind, character, material or elementary substance,
matter, a thing, a ghost, demon, person
with consciousness, sentience, or life itself.
[16] Nirvana of no remnant: anupadhiśeṣa nirvāṇadhātau. (a) anupadhiśeṣa—without remnant, no remains (not carrying any conception of ‘me’ or ‘mine’). (b) nirvāṇadhātau—realm of nirvana. (c) nirvāṇa—blowing out, cessation, absolute extinction or annihilation of individual existence or of all desires and passions, perfect calm or repose or happiness, highest bliss. (d) dhātau—world, realm. (e) Liberating all beings to nirvana is the answer to ‘how stay on’ and ‘how achieve’.
[17] Not any being
has been liberated: (a) No being has been liberated by him. (b) It implies that
all beings and the liberation work are empty in nature. Consequently, the
conception of a self, the reward from the merits obtained by liberating beings,
the description of a
buddha-field, etc., are all false and empty.
[18] Notion: saṃjñā—idea, thought produced from discrimination, concept, agreement,
perception, mutual understanding.
[19] (a) Self: ātma—ego entity, an abiding personal self, soul, or mind. (b)
Living entity: jīva—anything living, soul, existence. (c) Person: pudgala—an
individual entity that has a name and life and is capable to experience the
karma, rebirth, or nirvana. (d) Self, being, living entity and person have
overlapping meanings with each other. (e) A bodhisattva strives to get rid of
the idea of a real self, which is a resultant of the distinguishing function
arising in his mind. No matter how slight the idea he has, there is a bias, then he may not stay
on the bodhisattva-journey, not
to say to be called a bodhisattva.
[20] The act of giving charity: dānam—giving away as charity, almsgiving, teaching, generosity, oblation, donation, gift of alms. Commonly the giving is grouped into three kinds: the alms, the teachings and the courage.
[21] Tied up with an “object”: vastu-pratiṣṭhitena. (a) pratiṣṭhitena—rested in, situated in, abided in, based on, limited to, tied up with, secured to, remained in, obsessed by. (b) vastu—any really existing or abiding substance or
essence, matter, thing, article, fact, circumstance, object, etc. (c) The notion of the existence of
an object is not a right idea because all objects are empty in nature.
If one accepts them as real, his mind loses equanimity, hence he can not be a bodhisattva.
[22] Form: rupa—any outward appearance or
phenomenon or color, form, shape, or figures.
[23] (a) These five
items together with ‘form’ are the contents of the Six External Sense-bases, or Six Dusts, or Six Sense-objects. (b)
Quality: dharma—nature, peculiar
condition or essential quality, property, mark, mind-object. (c) If a bodhisattva’s mind is
contained by the notion of the
existence of an object when he gives alms, his giving would no longer be a pure
act of charity but merely an exchange.
[24] Not to be restrained by the perception of an outward appearance: na nimitta-saṃjñāyām api pratitiṣṭhet. nimitta—object, cause, mark, outward appearance, sign, etc. saṃjñā—thought, perception, idea. The perception of an outward appearance is not a right perception because all outward appearances are empty in nature.
[25] (a) Deeds and
reward are one thing; once you have done something, you will get the resultant (reward) of it without any doubt. (b) The Buddha
reveals a way applied by the bodhisattvas to produce an unimaginable quantity
of virtues and its reward. (Virtues: puṇya—virtuous activities, the results
of devout activities.) It seems to imply that the
reward
of devout activities is real, but it is only a way to talk us into the way to
be bodhisattvas.
[26] The Buddha
emphasizes how great the quantity of reward of pious activities a bodhisattva may obtain if he detaches
himself from the idea of the existence of an object when he leads
beings to the opposite shore. The bodhisattvas know fully that their efforts,
such as developing beings or leading them to
the unbounded liberation, are empty by nature, then, why do
they keep on doing so? Two obvious possible reasons: (a) we have not yet
accepted that we are eventually not real, and they want to liberate us
from the false ideas and
turn
into the right path to the ultimate Truth, the Buddhist Path, and (b) the bodhisattvas do not destroy the conditioned rules or rest in the unconditioned.
[27] How should one stay on the bodhisattva-journey? He should try to liberate all beings to the nirvana of no remnant. How should one achieve in reaching the opposite shore? He should exactly not be contained by the awareness of an outward appearance of his objects when he gives charity (because there are ultimately no objects). How should one check his mind? There is no need to check because there exists no Self. Hence, we may say that Bhagavan has answered all three questions asked by Subhuti already.
[28] Regarded: dṛaṣṭavya—examined,
viewed, investigated, attained, considered, beheld, looked at, or seen.
[29] (a) Wealth of lucky marks: lakṣaṇasaṃpadā. lakṣaṇa—lucky mark, favorable sign, symbol, token, attribute,
characteristic, quality. saṃpadā—success, accomplishment, completion,
fulfilment, opulence, perfection, richness, plenty, possessed
of, endowed, furnished with. (b)
All great beings possess thirty-two lucky body marks; the body of a
buddha shows all those lucky marks, of course. However, we must aware that
those marks belong to outward appearances, not real but only empty.
[30] (a) Even the lucky marks of a buddha’s body are not marks because they are the results from
comparisons and personal feelings, which are meaningless, therefore, people may not view a person, i.e., to see if he is a genuine Tathagata, based on his lucky marks. (b) Marks and substances are not reliable, yet we do
not deny them. (c) We should not rely on marks or even be obsessed by
them.
[31] There is a wrong
picture in your mind.
[32] We must not view a person as a Tathagata by his lucky marks, which, although all auspicious, are the result of our own
imaginations. Whosoever takes his own
feelings as real is unable to see the Tathagata because the imaginations are truly delusive. Marks are also delusive, so the
Tathagata said they were no marks. To be able to see
the true characters of people or things without falseness, we must discard the notion
of a mark.
[33] (a) Words of
this sutra or its extracts: sūtrānta-padeṣu.
sūtrānta—words of the sutra. pada—a portion of a verse,
quarter or line of a stanza. (Four lines of a verse form a stanza in Indian hymn, gāthā. Each line contains just eight
syllables. A gatha is a collection of stanzas. So the shortest gatha contains
only one stanza, or four lines.) (b) The doctrine given here is: things, like beings
and outward appearances, are all empty
or no actual existence.
[34] Beings: It means
bodhisattvas here.
[35] Real existence
of things: bhūta—the system of
natural laws, which constitute the natural order of things; facts that actually
happen and exist, such as the living entities (divine, human, spirit, animal,
and even vegetable), the world, created, material elements, ego; an existing,
present, true, real and actual occurrence; the principle thing, etc. All these come from our
conditioned viewpoints.
[36] Unique clear mind: ekacitta—the mind which recognizes that there is no ‘real existence
of things’.
[37] Character: dharma—religion, religious principles, religiosity, occupation, activities,
occupational duties, that which is established or firm, phenomenon, steadfast
decree, statute, ordinance, law,
usage, customary observance or prescribed conduct, duty, right,
justice, virtue, morality, religious merit, good works, characteristic function, character, principle,
prescribed course of conduct,
rule, the personality of religion, the code of religion, essential quality, the
procedures of religious principles, the doctrine of buddhism, the ethical
precepts of buddhism, etc. The translator takes it as the state of the mind or
the character attained according with religious practice, or simply ‘state’.
[38] No notion: adharma—irreligious principle,
non-dharma. It implies discord,
immorality or error.
[39] Formal discourse: dharmaparyāyam. Formal account of doctrine is just like a raft, which is only a tool
to use. A wise man will not carry it after he reaches the opposite shore. The character attained through
it should also be discarded.
[40] (a) The Highest Perfect Enlightenment: anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhir. anuttarā—highest, ultmost; samyak—wholly, correctly,
truly, properly; saṃbodhir—completely enlightened
intellect, knowledge. (b) Bhagavan has
achieved the Highest Perfect Enlightenment but he does not hang on that in his
mind. .
[41] Attained: abhisaṃbuddhaḥ—deeply
versed in, fully known, reached, obtained, achieved.
[42] Meaning: arthaḥ—interest, value, purpose,
reason.
[43] (a) Not to be
seized: agrāhyaḥ—not to be obtained, conceived or admitted. (b) Nor to be
expressed: anabhilapyaḥ—not to be talked about. (c) Bhagavan had that state of
a buddha, of course, but he never hung on it. If he did, he would not be a
buddha.
[44] There is a character
of the mind, but a bodhisattva would not seize on it, therefore it is not a character
to him.
[45] Honored sages: āryapudgalāḥ.
[46] Unconditioned: asaṃskṛta—crude, not prepared or
constructed, not formed by causes, unproduced, without extinction and without
duration-change.
[47] Billion worlds: trisāhasramahāsāhasraṃ lokadhātuṃ. trisāhasra-mahāsāhasraṃ—billion, 109. However, here the
absolute value is not the point in this sutra, a huge number is. lokadhātuṃ—world, universe (which consists of many worlds).
[48] Is the son, or
the daughter, the worlds, the treasures or the reward real?
[49] One must forsake
the notion of an amount of reward; if not, he will not be able to liberate
himself.
[50] In that manner: tasmā—thus,
for this reason, upon that, hence, on that account, from that, with that,
therefore.
[51] Taking out: udgṛhya—having lifted up, resorting to.
[52] Formal account
of doctrine: dharmaparyāyam—method of
proceeding of a practice, discourse.
[53] Instruct: deśayet—would direct, show, and point out.
[54] (a) Disclose it well clearly: saṃprakāśayed—would become clear, visible, bright, public and open. (b) To disclose it clear for others is the most important thing to those who have taken the bodhisattva-journey.
[55] Bhagavan said
this because people were still in the conditiioned realm.
[56] Appeared: nirjātā—has issued,
produced.
[57] Characters of a buddha: buddhadharmā.
[58] Buddha does not
have the thought that he should possess some special practices. Will the stream-enterer,
the once-returner, the non-returner, the arhat, and the bodhisattva be stuck on
the thought that they possess something?
[59] Stream-enterer: srotāpannasya—one who enters the stream and crosses it
successfully. It refers to a disciple who has eradicated the three-Fetters, namely,
the idea of a self, the rites of paradox, and the doubts on Buddhism. It also
refers to the first (lowest) state of the four Disciple states.
[60] Obtained: prāptam—attained, arrived,
or achieved.
[61] Fruit: phala—consequence, result, yield, gain,
product, profit, reward.
[62] (a) Acquires: āpannaḥ—having got in, obtained, entangled with, entered, surrendered, fallen into, or afflicted, gained. (b) Neither the thought ‘I have gained the peculiar state of a Stream-enterer’ nor that ‘I have won
out the false thoughts’ will arise in a stream-enterer. Should one have such
thoughts, he would have fallen again into the stream of six dusts and
entangled.
[63] That is, if he has these wrong thoughts, he can not be called a stream-enterer.
[64] Once-returner: sakridāgāmi—(a) a disciple
who needs to return to this desire-world only once more before he leaves for
the realm of pure form or matter; (b) the second Disciple state.
[65] Non-returner: anāgāmi—(a) the third state of the
Disciple Way where a disciple is free of the following five fetters: the belief
in a self, the attachment to rites and rituals, skeptical doubt, sensuous
craving and ill will. He will not return to this world after this life; (b) a
disciple in that state.
[66] Arhat: arhat—the topmost state of practice in
the Disciple Way where a disciple will attain the nirvāṇa after this
life. An arhat, whose mind has freed from all spiritual effluents, will surely
not be reborn in Three-Worlds (the desire-world, the material-world and the
immaterial-world).
[67] If an arhat
thought him an arhat, he would have restrained by some egoistic thoughts, then,
he could not be an arhat.
[68] Enjoy in the grove: araṇā-vihāriṇām.
(a) araṇā—forest, grove, distant. (b) vihāriṇām—enjoying himself with, wandering about
for pleasure, roaming, strolling, enjoying
oneself with, amusing oneself by,
fond of. (c) Living in a distant
forest and practicing of peace reflect a kind of having no desire and no notion
of a self.
[69] An arhat dose
not seize the idea that he has achieved the state of an arhat; how about a
buddha?
[70] Seized: udgṛhītaḥ—set up, erected, attained, elevated, received, raised, collected, gained, accepted, saved, adopted, to lay hand on, obtained, caught, chosen, taken away from, gathered, taken up, conceded, granted, allowed, etc.
[71] (a) Before
Bhagavan met Dīpamkara Buddha, he was practicing in a way which helped him
fully understood that no characteristic marks, peculiar statuses, or states of
the mind were actually real, but in his mind he did not hold any state he had
got. At the time when they met, he did not show off anything, so Dipamkara
Buddha foretold him that he would be a buddha sometime in the future. However,
to Bhagavan, the prophetic words were like the wind; hence Subhuti replied
“no”. (b) Buddhas and bodhisattvas will not be tied up with any state, however,
when they reach some state, they can see buddha-fields by nature.
[72] Buddha-field: kṣetra—a sacred spot or district, field, domain, region, country.
[73] No development: To develop a buddha-field may be a right
notion for us in the conditioned world, but a bodhisattva, who wishes to be in the unconditioned state where no notion
arises, must not have this kind of idea.
[74] Appearance of that
body: ātma-bhāvaḥ. ātma—personal, self, own, body, mind. bhāvaḥ—appearance, material existence,
the origin, being, mentality.
[75] Sumeru: the king
of the mountains in a world. If a person sees a man having a body as large as
Sumeru and declares that he has a large body, he is contained in form.
[76] It is neither an appearance nor no appearance: It is
neither a true appearancenor no appearance of the body. The body is there, but
it will be gone someday.
[77] Ganges: gaṅgā—the
holy river of India.
[78] If a bodhisattva
thought that offering all treasures to the tathagatas could collect a great quantity of reward of pious activities, his mind would have been tied up
with form.
[79] As to the amount of the reward begotten by offering all
the treasures as alms, ‘great’ is the correct answer for us ignorant people,
who rely on forms. If one does not realize that the merit or reward are unreal, but reminds himself: ‘I must have a great reward
by doing so and so’, he shall never be able to reach the final goal, to be a
Buddha. That is to say, that ‘a great quantity of the reward of pious activities’ must
be an incorrect answer to the bodhisattvas.
[80] True shrine: caitya-bhūto. The only significance of
building a shrine is to remind people that there is a truth taught by our
teacher, the Buddha. So, in a way of speaking, that place, where people teach
this formal account of doctrine, is a true shrine.
[81] Asura: a class
of divine beings.
[82] Bear in mind: dhārayāmi—sustain, preserve, carry,
maintain, bear, keep, hold a relation
to.
[83] Transcendence in True Wisdom: prajñāpāramitā. (a) prajñā—true wisdom. pāramitā—perfection,
transcendent, complete attainment, traversed, crossed, leading to the opposite shore. Putting together, it is “Transcendence
in True Wisdom” or “True wisdom leading to the opposite shore”. However, the
word ‘vajrachchedika’ appears before prajñāpāramitā on the title
page of almost every version of this sutra, (chchedika
means cutter and vajra means diamond.) Therefore, this sutra is commonly known as the “Diamond Sutra” instead. (b) We, the common people, would consider the transcendence and the wisdom in the name are its characteristics. How will the buddhas and bodhisattvas think?
[84] Why: tatkasya hetoḥ—why is it named as this,
by what reason, with what respect, etc.
[85] No Perfection:
(a) In bodhisattvas’ minds, there is no notion of Transcendence in True Wisdom. (b) The name is empty by its
nature. Do not be obsessed by the name.
[86] A senior
bodhisattva has developed his mind so pure and lucid that he is not obsessed by
the characteristics in the name of a doctrine. The name serves only as a figure
of speech.
[87] Characteristic: dharmo. There are two characteristics spoken here, transcendence and wisdom.
[88] If your answer is ‘yes’, you are a practitioner in the conditioned domain because you seize on 'quality'. If your answer is ‘no’, you are approaching the unconditioned. The transcendence and the wisdom are not considered as characteristics by buddhas and bodhisattvas. How about other things?
[89] We do not deny
the existences of both the minute dust and the huge world. We ought to be aware
of the fact that they possess the same nature, the emptiness. We should avoid
being obsessed by form or by other five sense-objects.
[90] Renounced their life: ātma-bhāvān parityajet—giving away one’s
life or parts of his body as alms to others.
[91] To understand
this discourse is much more important than to perform the charitable acts of
self-denial.
[92] The most wonderful: the most wonderful truth, nothing
really exists.
[93] Whatever it is,
[94] The most wonderful: the most wonderful concept, no self.
[95] Any notion or no-notion: any thought of a notion or thought of no
notion.
[96] Wrong notion: asaṃjñā—not a good notion.
[97] Notions: all
ideas of a self, a being, etc.
[98] It is because they
have no preconceived idea of a self, a being or a living entity or a person.
[99] (a) Supreme transcendence: paramapāramitā—the
highest perfection. (b) No supreme transcendence: They have put down
the thought of having attained the supreme transcendence, so they will be
attended on by the most marvelous.
[100] (a) Transcendence in Forbearance: kṣāntipāramitā.
kṣānti—forbearance, endurance,
tolerance, acceptance, patience. pāramitā—perfection.
(b) By recognizing that ultimately no real thing has been produced or will be produce (anutpattikeṣu-dharmeṣu), one gives up
all wrong thoughts he has insisted. This is the kind of the forbearance said here.
[101] (a) Buddha held neither the
thought of the transcendence in True
Wisdom nor the thought of the transcendence in Forbearance. (b) Why is the transcendence in
Forbearance not a transcendence
in Forbearance? It is because Buddha does not have the idea of a self. Without
a self, where can one find the transcendence or the forbearance? (c) Actually,
none of the Six transcendences
is held in the mind of Buddha. (The
other four are almsgiving, morality, effort and meditation.) )
[102] King: raja, a title for a monarch or princely
ruler. Kalinga: a kingdom in ancient
India.
[103] Whosoever has
given up all those notions related to self
can be said having attained the transcendence in Forbearance.
[104] At that time,
Buddha had had no notion of a
self, a being, a living entity, a person, or evil intent, therefore his spiritual
state on the highest perfect enlightenment matured.
[105] All notions: all
thoughts or conceptions containing the self. Buddha had achieved the Transcendence
in Forbearance long ago but he never held the thought that ‘I have achieved the
state.’ This is because he had no
notion of a self.
[106] Renunciative: parityāgaḥ—cutting
off the idea of a self and the reliance on form, sound, odor, taste, texture or
quality, being not concerned about any object.
[107] There are no
real beings.
[108] It is wrong for one to identify others as ‘beings’, especially if himself is intent to be a buddha. That sort of identification occurs in the conditioned realm only and shows obvious discrimination. If he stops perceiving, ‘being’ is a meaningless term then. To Buddha, who has left all ideas behind and has stopped discriminating, the beings are truly as no beings. When Buddha said ‘being’, he did not mean that he cherished the idea of a being, he was just saying in accordance with the habit of common people. In other words, ‘being’ was just a figure of speech to him. When a bodhisattva practices generosity, his mind does rely on nothing because he knows that ‘being’ is not real but empty in nature.
[109] Neither true nor false: The true principle
should accord with your own state, which changes in time.
[110] Falling upon an object: vastupatito—having the concept that substances do exist and
are real. (vastu—actual substance, thing, facts, object, item. patito—alight, fallen down, fell down,
fallen upon.)
[111] The quantity of
reward, the result of giving alms, seems to be real for the practitioners in
the conditioned domain, but we have to consider it as illusion and lay it aside
if we wish to be a bodhisattva.
[113] (a) They have more chances to experience and learn from the embodiments of the emptiness. (b) The Tathagata emphasized the importance of disclosing the doctrine of this sutra well clearly for others here again.
[114] Will be able to carry
and sustain: dhārayiṣyanti—will
be able to hold, bear, preserve, fix on, or resolve on.
[115] The perfect Wisdom: bodhiṃ—the enlightened intellect, the
perfect wisdom. (Here, it may mean the content of this formal account of
doctrine.)
[116] View: dṛ́ṣṭi—(with
Buddhists) a wrong view or theory or doctrine.
[117] Possibility: sthānaṃ—occasion, occurrence, situation,
opportunity.
[118] Disclosed: prakāśayiṣyate—revealed.
[119] Law: law of
causality.
[120] The misfortunes in this life provide them
opportunities to practice the patience, e.g., dropping off the idea of a self
completely. When their minds are completely liberated from the
self-entity, their evil deeds disappear.
[121] Trillion: koṭi-niyuta-śatasahasrā,
1018.
[122] Estranged: virāgitāḥ—averted, displeased, not
delighted, disliked.
[123] The last epoch: the last five hundred years of the
period. During that period, the good doctrines collapse.
[124] Unthinkable: acintyo—can not
to be thought about, not to be meditated upon, not to be conceived.
[125] This is the most practical way to present the doctrine
of this sutra given by the Tathagata.
[126] He does not have the characteristic
called having set out on the
Bodhisattva-journey: (a) nāsti subhūte sa kaścid dharmo yo
bodhisattva-yāna-saṃprasthito nāma, where nāst—may not possess, subhūte—Subhūti, sa—he, kaścid—any, dharmo—characteristic, yo—which, bodhisattva-yāna-saṃprasthito—having set out on the Bodhisattva-journey, nāma—called.
(b) The characteristic of ‘the bodhisattva-journey’ is forsaking
everything, including the concepts of an object, a being and in this case here
a bodhisattva.
[127] Dīpamkara Tathagata would not have foretold if there was a trace of the thought in the Tathagata’s mind about having attained the spiritual state of the highest perfect enlightenment.'
[128] (a) True Suchness: bhūta-tathatāyā. bhūta—actually happened, true, real (actual existence of things). tathatāyā—Thusness, Suchness. No sustainable real thing has ever been produced or will it ever be. (b) To become a Tathagata, a bodhisattva must understand the Suchness thoroughly before achieving the highest perfect enlightenment.
[129] Inherent nature without origin: anutpāda-dharmatāyā. (a) anutpāda—non-production, existence
without birth or origin or beginning, not coming into existence, not taking
effect. (b) dharmatāyā—essence,
inherent nature; being law or right.
[130] Destruction of all qualities: dharmo-cchedasya. (a) dharmo—quality. (b) cchedasya—cut, cessation, destruction.
[131] Absolutely not effected: atyanta anutpannasya. atyanta—very much, very, extremely, veritable, complete, the greatest. anutpannasya—unaccomplished, without origin, unborn.
[132] Because of
‘without origin or without
production’, the thought about the spiritual state, the highest perfect enlightenment, must not exist in the
Tathagata.
[133] It implies that
they thought that the Tathagata always attached to the spiritual state, the highest perfect enlightenment that he had achieved.
[134] If someone thinks
that grabbing on a spiritual state, which has been attained, is a valid way to
become a buddha, he is wrong. If he thinks that attaining a spiritual state is
in vain, he is also wrong. He must attain it and then let it go.
[135] All states: all spiritual states that Bhagavan has experienced through religious practice. To us in the
conditioned realm, all those states do exist.
[136] This is what
happens in the unconditioned: no spiritual state should be kept in mind.
[137] No
body: (a) No body exists forever. (b) To a bodhisattva,
whether the body is a huge body or not, it is really a kind of temporary
phenomenon. If a man insists that there is a huge body,
he is fooled by form.
[138] If a bodhisattva said so, he would have held a
notion that there were states, beings and bodhisattvas. All of these, if
existed, are empty in nature, just like the huge body. Therefore, if he does
hold on that thought, he
is not a bodhisattva.
[139] Phenomena: dharma.
[140] Without maintenance: niṣpoṣā. (a) poṣā—breeding,
rearing, nurturing, nourishing, thriving, maintaining, supporting, abundance,
growth, increase, prosperity, preservation and wealth. (b) Nothing maintains.
[141] One with a
divine-eye is capable to see all things formed in the conditioned realm without
obstruction.
[142] One with a wisdom-eye is capable to see the four
Holy Truths: suffering, its origin, cessation and the way.
[143] One with a dharma-eye can perceive
the essence of emptiness, the Suchness.
[144] One with a buddha-eye knows
everything in the past, at present and in the future and comprehends the
essence of the ultimate truth completely.
[145] (a) Intent-flow: citta-dhārāṃ. citta—mind,
thought, intention,
consciousness. dhārāṃ—flood,
gush, jet, flow, torrent, shower, torrent,
etc. (b) Man always has involute intents, but he can not actually hold any of
them because of their empty nature.
[146] (a) Those ‘not be
found’, ‘not be reached’, and
‘not be acquired’, used here all
came from the same word, nopalabhyate. (b) No intent can be caught. This is the
answer to the question, ‘how should their intent be checked?’
[147] Rule of practice: dharmo. The rule of a practice which
leads bodhisattvas to the state of a buddha.
[148] (a) Can really be found: nāmopalabhyate—can really be experienced, seized, acquired, met with, perceived or caught. (b) A
bodhisattva in the unconditioned domain do not keep any spiritual state.
[149] Beings have the buddha-nature all the time and
they will become buddhas someday when all ideas about things come to cease. In Bhagavan’s mind, there is no such
class called ‘being’. If he awared that there was such, he would have fallen in
the duality of ‘a buddha vs. a being’, and hence could not be a buddha any
longer.
[150] Equal: samaḥ—impartial, equipoised,
cessation of all material activities, equilibrium of mind.
[151] Unequal: viṣamaḥ—disorder, distress, confusion, chaos,
disturbed, unrest, mistaken.
[152] Suitable:
kuśalair—right, auspicious, good, approved.
[153] No rules: Should
not be tied up with any ‘suitable rules’.
[154] It means ‘if the
Tathagata’s mind was tied up
with that there were beings liberated by him’.
[155] Cakravartin: cakravartin—an ideal universal ruler.
[156] Saw: adrākṣur—observe,
visit.
[157] Sound: ghoṣa—any cry or sound, indistinct noise, tumult, cries of victory, rumor, sound of words spoken at a
distance.
[158] Meditations: prahāṇa—abstractions, speculations.
[159] Intrinsic nature: (a) dharmato—the
true nature of phenomenal existence, the inherent nature, the true nature of
reality, the basis for the existence of things, the absolute nature, the
equality of all things, or the nirvāṇa. (b) For the people in mahayana, the
emptiness is considered as the true nature of everything.
[160] Embodiments of emptiness: dharmakāyā—embodiments or incarnations of the emptiness of phenomenal existence.
[161] Mentors: nāyakāḥ—guides,
captains, leaders.
[162] (a) Seen: vijñeyā—to be cognized, perceived, knowable. (b) It is beyond our perception, so that it cannot
be apprehended with our knowledge, which is full of untruths.
[163] The true nature
is the emptiness, which is beyond our
perception and definitely can not be discerned or interpreted.
[164] Considered:
prajñapta—ordered, arranged, conceived, prescribed.
[165] Those beings who
take the bodhisattva-journey shall let go every single practice they have gone through. Therefore, there is nothing
about the practice which can be prescribed.
[166] Patience: kṣāntiṃ—the transcendence in the practice of patience.
[167] To be admitted: parigrahītavyaḥ—to be fully allowed, received, controlled, taken hold of, supposed, got into possession.
[168] (a) Ought not to
be taken away or saved: nodgrahītavyaḥ. (b) The bodhisattva may be entitled to take into
possession the whole amount of reward he earns, but he will
choose not to.
[169] If one sees the Tathagata doing this or that, he
sees only the form or the motion of a physical body, a kind of transitory
phenomenon. If he thinks that those motions may represent the characters of the
Tathagata, he is terribly wrong. He should look for the Absolute Truth instead.
[170] Tathagata: tathāgata.
tathā—like that. āgata—come. gata—gone. The word ‘tathāgata’
has two straightforward meanings: ‘one who has come like that’ (tathā-āgata)
and ‘one who has gone like that’ (tathā-gata). What is ‘that’? It is the
‘Thusness’, the ‘Suchness’, the ‘inherent nature’, or the ‘Absolute Truth’. The
Absolute Truth never changes. It neither comes from anywhere nor goes to anywhere anytime. It has the same
meaning as ‘no origin’. This is the implicit significance of the word, tathāgata, and it is thus used to
signify the spiritual state or a title of a buddha.
[171] Here the inherent nature is what being talked
about, not the physical body.
[172] Since the collection of atoms is produced under
many conditions, certainly it will change or annihilate someday, that is to say, its existence is only
temporary. That is why the Tathagata would not say it is a collection of atoms.
[173] The worlds and the systems of stars or globes form
under certain conditions; therefore, the worlds are not real things.
[174] That is if one thinks that the coagulated material
worlds are real.
[175] (a) Globe: piṇḍa—roundish
mass, a ball (including stars). No globe exists forever, thus, they are considered
not real, but temporary or empty. (b) Obsession with a globe: pinda-graho—seizing on the idea of the
existence of globes.
[176] (a) It:
the globe. (b) Thing: dharmo.
[177] The ignorant people accept the idea that the
globes exist forever.
[178] (a) A wrong view: not a correct view that a
bodhisattva should take, (b) No view occurs in the unconditioned practice. (c)
Although the other three views, the view of a being, the view
of a living entity, and the view of a person, are
not mentioned here, they should be treated just the same.
[179] In the same way:
in the same way as what has taught above.
[180] Buddha knows that the quantity of reward is like
phantoms, yet he speaks ‘quantity of the reward of pious activities’ many times. He does so only because we are still chasing after the
auspicious retributions.
[181] (a) Conditioned: saṃskṛta—put together,
constructed, thing formed or established under certain conditions. (b) Conditioned things include prescribed courses of practice, collections of the results of merits, retributions, phenomena,
principles, peculiarities, rules, people and every idea we can make in this world through our six cognitions (parijñāna,
consciousness).
[182] The sentences beginning from ‘And how’ have another version which is translated as ‘And how should
it be illuminated completely? In such a manner as follows,
A meteor, a fault of vision, a lamp,
A phantom, a dewdrop, a bubble,
A dream, a lightning flash, or a cloud,
Like so should it be revealed.
Revealed in this way, it is said, “illuminated
completely”.‘
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For Chinese version, please go to
https://diamondsutrainenglish.blogspot.com/2022/11/blog-post.html
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