Everything italicized is from the diamond sutra proper, the rest is huinengs commentary activating insight from emptiness, question and answer illuminate each other. Will there be any beings in the future period, in the last time, in the last epoch, in the last 500 years, at the time of the collapse of the good doctrine who, when these words of the sutra are being taught, will understand. The diamond sutra is intended as an antidote to suffering, which is achieved through wisdom. This sutra is entirely in accord with both the mahayana and theravada traditions. The diamond sutra vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra. The diamond sutra ebook by elder subhuti 1230000101824. After putting on robes, begging for food and eating, subhuti addressed the buddha respectfully. Therefore the sutra follows with a section on subhuti initiating questioning 1 at that time the elder subhuti was in the crowd. The diamond sutra 2 is the extent of space to the west, south, north, zenith, and nadir easily measured. Na sa subhute bodhisattvo vaktavyo yasyaatmasamjna pravarteta, sattva samjna va jivasamjna va pudgalasamjna va pravarteta. Subhuti, what do you think, can the vastness of space.
The diamond sutra may look like a book, but its really the body of the buddha. The vajracchedika prajna paramita sutra the diamond sutra this is what i heard one time when the buddha was staying in the monastery in anathapindikas park in the jeta grove near shravasti with a community of 1,250 bhikshus, fully ordained monks. The diamond sutra to read more on the diamond sutra, you can click here. There have been numerous commentaries on the diamond sutra and many attempts to make sense of the repetition within it, one theory being that it comprises two versions of the sutra, back to back. If, subhuti, the idea of a living being occurs to a bodhisattva, he should not be called a.
This finishes the first part of the diamond sutra as it is usually divided. Such a person, o subhuti, has produced, and gathered safely into themselves, a mountain of merit beyond any calculation. The diamond sutra in sanskrit and english translated from the sanskrit by edward conze om namo bhagavatyai aryaprajnaparamitayai. Jun 25, 2015 this translation of the diamond that cuts through illusion, sometimes known simply as the diamond sutra, has been prepared by thich nhat hanh from the vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra in sanskrit, and the chinese taisho revised tripitaka, no. Subhuti was one of the ten great sravakas of sakyamuni buddha, and foremost in the understanding of emptiness. It tells us that realizing the emptiness of all things is the key step on this path and that its articulation comes, paradoxically, in the boddhisattva ideal of saving all sentient beings. A general explanation of the vajra prajna paramita sutra. The heart sutra also known as the heart of the perfection of wisdom is the core of the mahaprajna paramita sutra in six hundred scrolls. In indian sanskrit language, arya vajracchedika nama prajnaparamita mahayana sutra in tibetan, phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa rdo rje gcod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen poi mdo in english, the noble mahayana sutra on the wisdom gone beyond called the diamond cutter i bow to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Written over 25 centuries ago, the diamond sutra, like many sutras, begins with the famous phrase thus have i heard.
The diamond sutra the sutra of transparent wisdom 1. The diamond that cuts through illusion presents a dialogue between the buddha and his disciple, subhuti, which illuminates how our minds construct limited categories of thought. The lotus sutra translated by burton watson including rev. A new voice in the buddhist tradition by dharmachari subhuti sangharakshitas insight into the meaning of the diamond sutra enabled him to see from the outset the underlying unity of buddhism. After they were settled, the venerable subhuti rose and asked the buddha how we all can become buddhas.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Buddha is about to expound the sutra of the great vehicle mahayana called the lotus. The diamond sutra vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra translated by edward conze. Has the tathagata attained unsurpassed complete enlightenment. The diamond sutra chinkangching, or, prajnaparamita. Subhuti requests the teaching after a time a most venerable monk named subhuti, who was sitting in the congregation, rose from his seat. At that time, the venerable subhuti stood up, bared his right shoulder, put his knee on the ground, and, folding his palms respectfully, said to the buddha, worldhonored one, it is rare to find someone like you. All living beings, whether born from the womb or hatched from an egg, whether. Sundarananda, purna maitrayaniputra, subhuti, ananda,7 and rahula. Forthwith he arose, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt upon his right knee, and, respectfully raising his hands with palms joined, addressed buddha thus.
Subhuti, it is as you have said, the tathagata protects and is concerned about all bodhisattvas, and instructs all bodhisattvas. Subhuti, what is known as the teaching of the buddha is not the teaching of the buddha. The full sanskrit title of this text is the vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra. But its a body with nothing inside and nothing outside. Transforming the way we perceive the world by mu soenq gick here for the reluctant messenger host site the diamond sutra the walled city of dunhuang shachou was an outpost on the northwestern frontier, whose. The date of its composition can be inferred to some extend from the chinese translations. These sutras are associated with the second turning of the dharma wheel. The diamond sutra prajnaparamita translated from the sanskrit by edward conze. Jul 29, 2018 it is commonly said that the diamond sutra is about impermanence. He was there together with a gathering of 1250 monks. The diamond sutra is a mahayana sutra from the prajnaparamita, or perfection of wisdom genre, and emphasizes the practice of nonabiding and nonattachment.
The diamond sutra chapter 3 the orthodox doctrine of the. At one time the buddha was staying in the park anatapindika. I find that the translation by itself is sometimes difficult to read in context, and the. Furthermore, subhuti, any plot of land on which this sutra is the buddha replied, this sutra should be called the diamond. Most english translations of the diamond sutra are based on a single text, usually one of the traditional chinese versions. At that time the venerable subhuti came to that assembly, and sat down.
As i understand the meaning of what the buddha has said, there is no fixed teaching called. However, in order to realize wisdom and the nature of emptiness, we have to resort to some means of speaking about both of them. Furthermore, according to the buddhas own words in the sutra. This is the buddhist teaching on the perfection of wisdom and cuts through all obstacles on the path of practice. Chapter 17 at that time, the venerable subhuti then asked the buddha, worldhonored one, may i ask you a question again. The heart sutra is elegant in its structure and is recited daily by buddhists across the world. At one time, the buddha was in the city of sravasti at the jeta grove monastery with a gathering of monks numbering 1,250.
The first translation of the diamond sutra into chinese is thought to have been made in 401 ce by the venerated and prolific translator kumarajiva. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the diamond sutra. The diamond sutra, or the perfection of wisdom that cuts like a diamond sutra. This translation of the diamond that cuts through illusion, sometimes known simply as the diamond sutra, has been prepared by thich nhat hanh from the. Subhuti, all the buddhas and their supreme enlightenment issue from this sutra. Homage to the perfection of wisdom, the lovely, the holy. Shokai kanai, was my idea of making the actual sutra more readable and understandable. While often interesting and even beautiful, these translations fail to address the subtle and notsosubtle variants of interpretation found in other readings, some of. The diamond sutra in sanskrit and english translated from the.
It is recorded in huinengs autobiography that when he was an adolescent selling firewood in a marketplace, he heard someone reciting the diamond sutra and immediately became enlightened. Like so, subhuti, the merit that results from one who gives without attachment is not. At one time the buddha dwelt in the jeta grove in the garden of the benefactor of orphans and the forlorn, together with a gathering of great followers, twelve hundred fifty in all. Therefore listen, subhuti, and pay attention closely and carefully. Chapter 09 buddha then asked, what do you think, subhuti, does one who has entered the stream which flows to enlightenment, say i have entered the stream. Once upon a time, the buddha sojourned in the jetavana park near sravasti with an assembly of twelve hundred and fifty bhiksus. The diamond perfection of wisdom sutra the vajracchedikaprajnaparamita sutra thus have i heard. Translated into a variety of languages over a broad geographic range, the diamond sutra is one of the most influential mahayana sutras in east asia, and it is particularly prominent within the chan or zen tradition, along with the. This sutra appears in thich nhat hanh, chanting from the heart. Just as you say, the tathagata is evermindful of all the bodhisattvas, protecting and instructing them well. This combination of the burton translation of the lotus sutra, and the commentaries of rev. Chapter 02 after a time a most venerable monk named subhuti, who was sitting in the congregation, rose from his seat. Na sa subhute bodhisattvo vaktavyo yasyaatmasamjna pravarteta, sattvasamjna va jivasamjna va pudgalasamjna va pravarteta.
Each of the eight items discussed can be a subject of meditation, and each of these subjects can be further divided. Subhuti, you should know that such a person achieves the highest, foremost, and. The text itself says that it can be considered to be the diamond that cuts through illusion and that understanding it will lead to the highest perfect wisdom. In the diamond sutra, the buddha responds to a disciples question about how to become a buddha. Furthermore, subhuti, any plot of land on which this sutra is proclaimed, even if only one gatha of four lines, will be a land where gods, men, and asuras will come to make offerings just as they make offerings to a stupa of the buddha.
Diamond prajnaparamita sutra fo guang shan international. The buddha said to subhuti, this is how the bodhisattva. An exalted sutra of the greater way on the perfection of wisdom, entitled the diamond cutter. A copy of the chinese version of diamond sutra, found among the dunhuang manuscripts in the early 20th. Yes, lord, replied the venerable subhuti, signifying his assent to the lord. Which path must bodhisattvas, motivated men and women who seek for enlightenment. In the lineage of the panchen lamas of tibet there were considered to be four indian and three tibetan incarnations of amitabha buddha before khedrup gelek pelzang, who is recognised as the first panchen lama.
Subhuti was known to best understand the true meaning of emptiness. The diamond sutra and the study of wisdom and emptiness the subject of this booklet is the diamond sutra and the study of wisdom prajna and emptiness sunyata. Then he rose from his seat, put his upper robe over one shoulder, placed his right. Will there be any beings in the future period, in the last time, in the last epoch. The first clue about the theme, so to speak, of this sutra, is to understand it is one of the prajnaparamita perfection of wisdom sutras. The vajracchedika prajna paramita sutra buddhist information. This translation of the diamond that cuts through illusion, sometimes known simply as the diamond sutra, has been prepared by thich nhat hanh from the vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra in sanskrit, and the chinese taisho revised tripitaka, no. In sanskrit, his name literally means good existence. One day before noon, the bhagavan put on his patched robe and picked up his bowl and entered the. He uncovered his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, and as he joined his palms together he respectfully bowed and then addressed the buddha. This sutra appears in thich nhat hanh, chanting from the.
If sons or daughters of a good family want to develop the highest, most fulfilled and awakened mind, if they wish to attain the highest perfect wisdom, what should they do to help quiet their drifting minds. At one time, the buddha was in the city of sravasti at the jeta grove monastery with a gath. Its major themes are anatman notself, the emptiness of all phenomena though the term sunyata itself does not appear in the text, the liberation of all beings without attachment and the importance of spreading and teaching the diamond sutra itself. The opening gatha was composed by thich nhat hanh to precede the translation. I will tell how one who has set out on the bodhisattva path should take his stand, how he should proceed, how he should control the mind. Bodhisattva means one who is ready to become a buddha, who has come. Again, subhuti, wherever this sutra or even four lines of it are preached, this place will be respected by all beings including devas, asuras, etc. Subhuti, my disciples should let their minds absorb and dwell in the teachings i have just given. Jun 25, 2019 the diamond sutra played an important role in the life of huineng 6387, the sixth patriarch of chan. The diamond sutra three major aspects of the diamond sutra the sutra is a record of a dialogue between the buddha and one of the ten great disciples, subhuti, in front of 1,250 buddhas followers.
The unity of buddhism page 2 extracted from sangharakshita. In this sutra the buddha has finished his daily walk with the monks to gather offerings of food, and sits down to rest. Once the bhagavan was dwelling near shravasti at anathapindada garden in jeta forest together with the full assembly of 1250 bhikshus and a great many fearless bodhisattvas. The diamond sutra kindle edition by elder subhuti, trepitaka kumarajiva. The diamond sutra once sealed away in a cave known as the cave of a thousand buddhas on the fringes of the gobi desert along with many other integral buddhist materials now known as the dunhuang manuscripts. The diamond sutra talks on vajrachchedika prajnaparamita sutra. Table of contents a complete buddhist sutra collection. Subhuti makes a request now in the midst of the assembly was the venerable subhuti. Diamond prajnaparamita sutra 1 the causes of this dharma meeting thus have i heard. In indian sanskrit language, arya vajracchedika nama.
The vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra contains the discourse of the buddha to a senior monk, subhuti. Because, subhuti, these bodhisattvas who are great beings never slip into any conception of something as a self, nor do they slip. Jan, 2018 the diamond sutra is considered to be one of the most important and venerated of buddhist scriptures. Diamond sutra vajracchedika prajna paramita 2 whoever perceives that all qualities are not, in fact, determined qualities perceives the tathagata. The diamond sutra short version the diamond sutra the assembly. The diamond sutra and the study of wisdom and emptiness. Read the diamond sutra and the heart sutra by elder subhuti available from rakuten kobo. No attainment, no teaching subhuti, what do you think. The diamond sutra in sanskrit and english translated from.
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