The full name of the Sutra in Sanskrit is Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra. The Diamond Sutra is the most popular Sutra of the Prajnaparaamita scripts, probably next to The Heart Sutra. Please note that the latter is just an extract from a chapter of the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra. The Diamond Sutra is one of the principal texts amongst Ch'an schools in China.

The Sutra illustrates in details the concept of emptiness that everything exists, without exception, in this phenomenal world has no real substance by itself. This characteristic is known as 'no-self'. The word 'diamond' is used to describe the durability and firmness.