Commentary on the Key Verses of Diamond Sūtra Part II (continue from the last issue)

By Paramartha

Introduction
Diamond Sūtra (Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra) is the concentrate or cream of the Large Sūtras of Perfection of Wisdom (Mahāprajñāpāramitā). The Sūtra unveils that the signs, marks or characteristics of the multiplicity of the empirical world are mere cosmic illusion. To perceive the Buddha (Absolute Truth of Ultimate Reality), one ought to penetrate this cosmic illusion and discerns  intuitively that all contigent phenomena are, in the ultimate analysis, are signless, markless or characteristicless or succinctly put, they are empty of inherent existences. Whoever perceives the true nature of all phenomena thus  apprehends the profound teaching of the Śākyamuni Buddha and all other esoteric religions. Such an self-awakened redeems himself or herself and emerges ethically as true man or woman of excellence. Intuitive comprehension of Diamond Sūtra perfects one’s character.

1. 其有眾生得聞是經, 信解受持, 是人則為第一希有.何以故? 此人無我相, 人相, 眾生相,壽者相.

Some sentient beings, having heard this Sūtra, develop faith, understand, accept and cultivate it. Such sentient beings are rare  indeed. Why is that so ? Such individual does not perceive sign of  self, sign of beings, sign of sentient beings and sign of tri-temporal existence or life-span.   

Commentary :
There are some sentient beings, who develops pure faith in the Sūtra, understand the true doctrine, accept wholeheartedly and sincerely practise the  teaching of the Sūtra. Such learners are rare indeed. Why is that so? Such wise individuals abandon the sign of self, sign of being, sign (of groups) of sentient beings and sign of concept of time divisible into three periods of time, namely, the past, present and future or life-span . The right supramundane view of all phenomena, which are empty of any self-nature or intrinsic nature,  transcends both space and time. Space and time are illusive like all other phenomena of the multiplicity of the empirical world in the ultimate analysis.

2.我相即是非相, 人相, 眾生相, 壽者相即是非相. 離一切相, 則名諸佛

Sign of self is signless. Sign of being, sign of sentient beings and sign of tri-temporal existence are not signs. Relinquishing all signs, they are designated as the Buddhas.

Commentary :
Self is itself signless in the ultimate sense. Sign is empty of any self-nature or intrinsic nature. Likewise, being, sentient beings and tri-temporal existence or life-span are signless or empty of any self or intrinsic nature. Whoever perceives signlessness or emptiness are known as the enlightened ones or Wisdom Beings called Bodhisattavas.

3. 若複有人, 得聞是經, 不驚不怖不畏, 當知是人甚為希有.

If there is anyone who, having heard the Sūtra is not frightened, terrified or becomes fearful, such an individual is rare indeed.

Commentary :
If anyone, having heard this Sūtra, is not striken with fright, terror or fear, he or she is a rare individual hard to be found. Ordinary worldlings perceive all phenomena in terms of signs, marks or characteristics. They regard conventional truth to be real. To inform them that all phenomena are in the ultimate sense, are signless, markless or characteristicless, tend to frighten or terrify them or instill fear in them. It is indeed hard to eliminate the ignorance and perversion of the ordinary worldlings who perceive all phenomena substantially or with ontological commitment. Ontological commitment is the perception that every linguistic designation corresponds with a substantial existent. This view contradicts the Law of Dependent Co-arising or Insubstantiality (pratītyasamutpāda or śūnyatā).

4. 如來說第一波羅蜜, 即非第一波羅蜜, 是名第一波羅蜜.

The Tathāgata  promulgates that it is the highest transcendence;
it is Not the highest transcendence; it is still  the highest  
transcendence . (transcendence means liberation)

Commentary:
The above proposition is reiterated emphatically  throughout  the  entire Diamond Sūtra. A general proposition can be formulated to communicate the message of this three-fold truth of ultimate Reality of all illusive phenomena. It may be formulated  to convey the highest ultimate truth known as One Mind in Three Contemplations thus:

                   Affirmation              Negation         Reaffirmation           
                  Phenomenon à Not Phenomena àStill Phenomenon
                          (1)                           (2)                       (3)
                      Illusion                 Emptiness          Middlle View
                        假观                           空观                    中观
                                                Deconstruction      Reconstruction
 

The first contemplation is the perception of illusion and unreality of all phenomena. The second contemplation is to perceive signlessness or emptiness of any self-nature or intrinsic nature to reveal the ultimate truth. The phenomenon is deconstructed to annihilate illusion, false view and egoistic or selfish self. In the third contemplation, the phenomena is reconstructed to preserve its pragmatic value for human communication and social intercourse even though it is apparently true. The third contemplation is the middle view which represents the Buddhist Perfection of Wisdom. It is called the Perfection of Wisdom as the complete vision of the ultimate truth of reality is discerned. There is simultaneous, spontaneous and integrated vision of three-fold truth of Illusion, Emptiness and Middle View.  Such right view of all phenomena consummates perfect self-awakening experienced by all Buddhas. Diamond Sūtra instructs all worldlings to be disillusioned from the illusion of multiplicity of the empirical world and to become enlightened like the Buddhas.

5. 菩薩應離一切相, 發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心; 不應住色生心, 不應住聲, 香, 味, 觸, 法生心, 應生無所住心.

A Bodhisattva ought to relinquish all signs and generate the mind of unsurpassed supreme enlightenment. Not to dwell upon form to produce the (pure) consciousness; not to dwell upon sounds, smells, tastes, touches and thoughts to produce consciousness. One ought to produce consciousness without dwelling (grasping) upon anything.

Commentary :
If a Bodhisattva eliminates all forms of substantial view or ontological commitment to self and others (,that is, perception of emptiness of self as well as emptiness of others and emptiness of emptiness ), he or she will actualize the highest level of self-enlightenment  parallel with the attainment of all Buddhas in the past, present and future. The enlightened Bodhisattva will not grasp or cling upon anything in the world both internally and externally. Without any grasping or clinging, his or her mind is fully purified or cankerless as his illusive egoistic self has been annihilated.

6. 菩薩心, 不應住色布施.菩薩為利益一切眾生, 應如是布施.

The mind of a Bodhisattva ought not to dwell on form in performing generous givings. To benefit all sentient beings, a Bodhisattva ought to perform all generous givings in this manner.

Commentary:
A true Bodhisattva will perform all his or her altruistic compassionate activities towards all sentient beings in terms of three-fold Emptiness, namely, Emptiness of giver, Emptiness of gift and Emptiness of receiver. In other words, in the process of performing a generous giving, a Bodhisattva ought not to objectify or reify the giver, the gift and the receiver as three separate  individuals or self-contained entities. Put in anther way, all forms of generous givings are undertaken in terms of three-fold purity. The giver. gifts and receivers are all empty of inherent existences. Any sense of ego is reifically self-imposed  as all deversifying differentiations which are all falsely mentally constructed. The multiplicity is cosmic illusion. Diamond Sūtra repeated expositions of signlessness or emptiness of inherent