Diamond Sutra Part I

CHAPTER

  1. The Reasons for the Dharma Assembly
  2. Subhuti's Request
  3. The Orthodox Doctrine of the Great Vehicle
  4. Wonderful Conduct without Dwelling
  5. The "Thus" Principle of Genuine Seeing
  6. Proper Belief is Rare
  7. Nothing Attained, Nothing Spoken
  8. Relying on Dharma They Come Forth
  9. The One Mark is no Mark
  10. The Adornment of Pure Lands
  11. The Supremacy of Unconditioned Blessings
  12. Revering the Orthodox Teaching
  13. Receiving and Holding "Thus" Dharma
  14. Still Extinction Apart from Marks
  15. The Merit and Virtue of Holding the Sutra
  16. Karmic Obstructions can be Purified


Chapter 1

The Reasons for the Dharma Assembly

Thus I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove of the Garden of the Benefactor of Orphans and the Solitary together with a gathering of great Bhiksus, twelve hundred fifty in all.

At that time, at mealtime, the World Honored One put on his robe, took up his bowl, and entered the great city of Sravasti to beg for food. After he had finished his sequential begging within the city, he returned, ate the food, put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, arranged his seat, and sat down.


Chapter 2

Subhuti's Request

At that time the elder Subhuti arose from his seat in the assembly, uncovered his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, put his palms together with respect and said to the Buddha,

"How rare, World Honored One, is the Tathagata who remembers and protects all Bodhisattvas and caused them to be well-endowed.

"World Honored One, if a good man, or good woman, resolves his heart on Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, how should he dwell, how should he subdue his heart?"

The Buddha said, "Good indeed, good indeed, Subhuti. It is as you say. The Tathagata remembers and protects all Bodhisattvas and causes them to be well-endowed. Now listen attentively; I shall tell you, a good man, or good woman, who resolves his heart on Anuttarasamyaksambodhi should thus dwell, should thus subdue his heart."

"Yes, certainly, World Honored One. I want to hear. I am delighted to listen."


Chapter 3

The Orthodox Doctrine of the Great Vehicle

The Buddha told Subhuti, "All Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, should thus subdue their hearts with the vow, "I must cause all living beings -- those born from eggs, born from wombs, born from moisture, born by transformation; those with form, those without form, those with thought, those without thought, those not totally with thought, and those not totally without thought -- to enter Nirvana without residue and be taken across to extinction. Yet of the immeasurable, boundless numbers of living beings thus taken across to extinction, there is actually no living being taken across to extinction. And why? Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva has a mark of self, a mark of others, a mark of living beings, or a mark of a life, he is not a Bodhisattva."


Chapter 4

Wonderful Conduct without Dwelling

"Moreover, Subhuti, as to dharmas, a Bodhisattva should not dwell anywhere when he gives. He should not dwell in forms when he gives, nor should he dwell in sounds, smells, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas when he gives. Subhuti, a Bodhisattva should give thus: he should not dwell in marks when he gives, his blessing and virtues are immeasurable.

"Subhuti, what do you think, is space in the east measurable?"

"No, World Honored One."

"Subhuti, is space in the south, west, north, or in the intermediate directions, or above, or below, measurable?"

"No, World Honored One."

"Subhuti, the blessings and virtue of a Bodhisattva who does not dwell in marks when he gives are just as immeasurable. Subhuti, a Bodhisattva should only dwell in what is taught thus."


Chapter 5

The "Thus" Principle of Genuine Seeing

"Subhuti, what do you think, can the Tathagata be seen by his physical marks?"

"No, World Honored One, the Tathagata cannot be seen by his physical marks. And why? It is because the physical marks are spoken of by the Tathagata as no physical marks."

The Buddha said to Subhuti, "All with marks is empty and false. If you can see all marks as no marks then you see the Tathagata."


Chapter 6

Proper Belief is Rare

Subhuti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, in the future will there be living beings, who, when they hear such phrases spoken will truly believe?"

The Buddha told Subhuti, "Do not speak in such a way! After the Tathagata's extinction, in the last five hundred years, there will be those who hold the precepts and cultivate blessings who will believe such phrases and accept them as true.

"You should know that such people will have planted good roots with not just one Buddha, two Buddhas, three, four or five Buddhas, but will have planted good roots with measureless millions of Buddhas. All who hear such phrases and produce even one thought of pure faith are completely known and completely seen by the Tathagata. Such living beings thus obtain measureless blessings and virtue. And why? Those living beings have no further mark of self, of others, of living beings, or of a life; no mark of dharmas and no mark of no dharmas. If living beings' hearts grasp at marks, then that is attachment to self, to others, to living beings, and to a life. For that reason you should not grasp at dharmas, nor should you grasp at no dharmas. Regarding that principle, the Tathagata often says, 'All you Bhiksus should know that the dharma which I speak is like a raft. Even dharmas should be relinquished, how much the more so no dharmas."


Chapter 7

Nothing Attained, Nothing Spoken

"Subhuti, What do you think? Has the Tathagata attained Anuttarasamyaksambodhi? Has the Tathagata spoken any dharma?"

Subhuti said, "As I understand what the Buddha has said, there is no concrete dharma called Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, and there is no concrete dharma which the Tathagata has spoken. And why? The dharmas spoken by the Tathagata cannot be grasped and cannot be spoken. They are neither dharmas nor no dharmas. And why? Unconditioned dharmas distinguish worthy sages."


Chapter 8

Relying on Dharma They Come Forth

"Subhuti, what do you think, if someone filled three thousand great thousand world systems with the seven precious gems and gave them as a gift, would he obtain many blessing and virtue?"

Subhuti said, "Very many, World Honored One. And why? Such blessings and virtue are not of the nature of blessings and virtue. Therefore the Tathagata speaks of many blessings and virtue."

"If, on the other hand, a person were to receive and hold from this Sutra even so few as four lines of verse and speak them for others, his blessings would surpass the previous ones. And why? Subhuti, all Buddhas and all Buddhas dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi come forth from this Sutra. Subhuti, the Buddhadharmas spoken are no Buddhadharmas."


Chapter 9

The One Mark is no Mark

"Subhuti, what do you think, can a Srotaapanna have the thought, 'I have obtained the fruit of Srotaapanna.'?"

Subhuti said, "No, World Honored One. And why? A Srotaapanna means one who has entered the flow, and yet he has not entered anything. He has not entered forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangible, objects, or dharmas. For that reason he is called a Srotaapanna."

"Subhuti, what do you think? Can a Sakrdagamin have the thought, 'I have obtained the fruit of Sakrdagamin.'?"

Subhuti said, "No, World Honored One. And why? A Sakradagamin means one who returns once more, but he actually does not have a returning. For that reason, he is called a Sakradagamin."

"Subhuti, what do you think? Can an Anagamin have the thought, 'I have obtained the fruit of Anagamin'?"

Subhuti said, "No, World Honored One. And why? Anagamin means one who does not return, but he actually does not have no returning. For that reason, he is called Anagamin."

"Subhuti, what do you think? Can an Arhat have the thought, ' I have obtained Arhatship.'?"

Subhuti said, "No World Honored One. And why? Actually there is no dharma called an Arhat. World Honored One, if an Arhat had the thought, I have attained Arhatship that would be attachment to self, to others, to living beings, and to a life. World Honored One, the Buddha says that in my attainment of the No Strife Samadhi I am the foremost among men, that I am the foremost Arhat free from desire. World Honored One, I do not have the thought, 'I am an Arhat free from desire.' If I had the thought 'I have attained Arhatship', then the World Honored One could not say, 'Subhuti is the foremost of those who delight in practicing Arana.' Since Subhuti actually has no practice, he is called 'Subhuti, who delights in practicing Arana.'"


Chapter 10

The Adornment of Pure Lands

The Buddha said to Subhuti, "What do you think? Was there any dharma which the Tathagata obtained while with Burning Lamp Buddha ?"

"No, World Honored One, there was actually no dharma which the Tathagata obtained while with Burning Lamp Buddha."

"Subhuti, what do you think, does a Bodhisattva adorn Buddhalands?"

"No, World Honored One. And why? The adornment of Buddhalands is no adornment, therefore it is called adornment."

"Therefore, Subhuti, the Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, should thus produce a pure heart. He should produce that heart without dwelling in forms. He should produce that heart without dwelling in sounds, smells, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas. He should produce that heart without dwelling anywhere.

"Subhuti, suppose a person had a body like Sumeru, King of Mountains. What do you think, would that body be big?"

Subhuti said, "Very big, World Honored One. And why? It is said by the Buddha to be no body. Therefore it is called a big body."


Chapter 11

The Supremacy of Unconditioned Blessings

"Subhuti, if there were as many Ganges Rivers as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, what do you think, would the grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers be many?"

Subhuti said, "Very many, World Honored One. The Ganges Rivers alone would be incalculable, how much the more so the grains of sand in them."

"Subhuti, I will now tell you the truth. If a good man, or good woman, used the seven precious gems to fill three thousand great thousand world systems equal in number to the grains of sand in all those Ganges Rivers, and gave them as a gift, would he obtain many blessings?"

Subhuti said, "Very many, World Honored One."

The Buddha told Subhuti, "If a good man, or good woman were to receive and hold from this Sutra even so few as four lines of verse and speak them for others, his blessings and virtue would surpass the former's blessings and virtue."


Chapter 12

Revering the Orthodox Teaching

"Moreover, Subhuti, you should know that all the Gods, men, and Asuras of the wmrld should make offerings to any place at which even so few as four lines of verse from this Sutra are spoken and so forth, just as they would to a Buddha's shrine or temple; how much the more so to any place where people can completely receive, hold, read and recite the Sutra. Subhuti, you should know that such people accomplish the foremost and most rare of dharmas. In any place the Sutra text is found, there is the Buddha or a reverent disciple."


Chapter 13

Receiving and Holding "Thus" Dharma

Then Subhuti said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, what should the Sutra be named? How should we respect and hold it?"

The Buddha told Subhuti, "The name of the Sutra is Vajra Prajna Paramita. You should respect and hold it by that name. And why? Subhuti, Prajna Paramita is spoken of by the Buddha as no Prajna Paramita, therefore it is called Prajna Paramita.

"Subhuti, what do you think? Is there any dharma spoken by the Tathagata?"

Subhuti said to the Buddha. "World Honored One, nothing has been spoken by the Tathagata."

"Subhuti, what do you think? Are all the motes of dust in three thousand great thousand world systems many?"

Subhuti said, "Very many, World Honored One."

"Subhuti, all motes of dust are spoken of by the Tathagata as no motes of dust, therefore they are called motes of dust. The world systems are spoken of by the Tathagata as no world systems, therefore they are called world systems.

"Subhuti, what do you think, can the Tathagata be seen by means of the thirty-two marks?"

"No, World Honored One, one cannot see the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks. And why? The thirty-two marks are spoken of by the Tathagata as no thirty-two marks, therefore they are called thirty two marks."

"Subhuti, a good man, or good woman, might give up his life as many times as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River; but if a person were to receive and hold even so few as four lines of verse of the Sutra and explain them for others, his blessing would be greater."


Chapter 14

Still Extinction Apart from Marks

"Then Subhuti, upon hearing the Sutra spoken, and deeply understanding its purport, wept and said to the Buddha, "How rare, World Honored One, is this Sutra so profoundly spoken by the Buddha. From the time I obtained the wisdom eye until the present I have never before heard such a Sutra. World Honored One, if someone hears the Sutra with a pure heart of faith then he produces real mark. That person should be known to have accomplished the foremost and most rare merit and virtue."

"World Honored One, the real mark is no mark, therefore the Tathagata calls it the real mark.

"World Honored One, now as I hear this Sutra I believe, understand, receive, and hold it without difficulty. If in the future, in the last five hundred years, there are living beings who when they hear this Sutra believe, understand, receive, and hold it, such people will be foremost and most rare. And why? Such people will have no mark of self, no mark of others, no mark of living beings, and no mark of a life. And why? The mark of self is no mark. The mark of others, the mark of living beings, and the mark of a life are no marks. And why? Those who have relinquished all marks are called Buddhas."

The Buddha told Subhuti, "So it is, so it is. If someone hears this Sutra and is not frightened, or alarmed, or terrified, you should know that person is most rare. And why? Subhuti, the foremost Paramita is spoken of by the Tathagata as no foremost Paramita, therefore it is called the foremost Paramita.

"Subhuti, the Paramita of patience is spoken of by the Tathagata as no paramita of patience. Therefore is it called the Paramita of patience. And why? Subhuti, it is as in the past when the King of Kalinga dismembered my body. At that time I had no mark of self, no mark of others, no mark of living beings, and no mark of a life.

"And why? When I was cut limb from limb, if I had had a mark of self, a mark of others, a mark of living beings, or a mark of life, I would have been outraged.

"Subhuti, further I recall that in the past, for five hundred lives, I was the Patient Immortal. During all those lives I had no mark of self, no mark of others, no mark of living beings, and no mark of a life. For that reason, Subhuti, a Bodhisattva should, relinquishing all marks, produce the heart of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. He should produce that heart without dwelling in forms. He should produce that heart without dwelling in sounds, smells, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas. He should produce that heart which does not dwell anywhere. Any dwelling of the heart is no dwelling. Therefore the Buddha says, 'The heart of a Bodhisattva should not dwell in forms when he gives.'

"Subhuti, a Bodhisattva, to benefit all beings, should give thus. All marks are spoken of by the Tathagata as no marks, and all living beings are spoken of as no living beings. Subhuti, the Tathagata is one who speaks the truth, who speaks the actual, who speaks what is so, who does not speak what is false, who does not speak what is not so.

"Subhuti, the dharma obtained by the Tathagata is neither true nor false.

"Subhuti, a Bodhisattva whose heart dwells in dharmas when he gives is like a man who enters darkness, who cannot see a thing. A Bodhisattva whose heart does not dwell in dharmas when he gives is like a man with eyes in the bright sunlight who can see all kinds of forms.

"Subhuti, in the future, if a good man, or good woman, can receive, hold, read, and recite this Sutra, then the Tathagata by means of all Buddha-wisdom, will completely know and see that person. That person accomplishes measureless and boundless merit and virtue."


Chapter 15

The Merit and Virtue of Holding the Sutra

"Subhuti, a good man, or good woman, might in the morning give up as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and again at noon might give up as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and again in the evening might give up as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, giving up bodies in that way throughout measureless millions of kalpas. But if someone else were to hear this Sutra and believe it with no reservations, his blessing would surpass the former one's. How much the more so if people can write out, receive, hold, read, recite, and explain it for others. Subhuti, the merit and virtue of this Sutra are inexpressible, inconceivable, boundless, and beyond all praise. It is spoken by the Tathagata for those who have set out on the Great Vehicle, those who have set out on the Supreme Vehicle. If people can receive, hold, read, recite, and speak it for others, they are completely known by the Tathagata; they are completely seen by the Tathagata. Such people accomplish immeasurable, inexpressible, boundless, inconceivable merit and virtue and thus sustain the Tathagata's Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.

"And why? Subhuti, one who delights in lesser dharmas is attached to a view of self, a view of others, a view of living beings, and a view of a life. He cannot hear, receive, hold, read, or recite the Sutra or explain it for others.

"Subhuti, the gods, the men, and the Asuras of the world make offerings at any place where this Sutra is found. You should k know such a place is a stupa where everyone should respectfully bow, circumambulate, and scatter incense and flowers."


Chapter 16

Karmic Obstructions can be Purified

"Moreover, Subhuti, if a good man, or good woman, receives, holds, reads, and recites this Sutra and if people ridicule him, that man has karmic offenses from previous lives which destine him for the evil paths. But because in his present life he is ridiculed by others, his previous karmic offenses are destroyed and he will attain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.

"Subhuti, I recall that in the past for limitless Asamkhyeya Kalpas prior to Burning Lamp Buddha, I encountered eighty-four thousands of millions of billions of Nayutas of Buddhas, and made offerings to them all, and served them all without exception, but if there is a person in the final period who can receive, hold, read, and recite this Sutra, the merit and virtue he obtains is a hundred times more, a thousand times more, a million, billion times more, to the point of being so great it exceeds all calculation and comparison, than the merit and virtue I gained from making offerings to all those Buddhas.

"Subhuti, if I were to express thoroughly the merit and virtue of a good man, or good woman, who in the final period receives, holds, reads, and recites the Sutra, those who heard might go insane, and disbelieve. Subhuti, you should know that this Sutra's meaning is inconceivable, and that its resulting retribution also is inconceivable."


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