(with what excites the highest wonder). And in that place, O
Subhuti, there dwells the teacher (Sasa, often the name of
Buddha), or one after another holding the place of the wise
preceptor. (This may refer to a succession of teachers banding
down the tradition one to another.)”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max
Müller.
“Subhuti, know that this man has acquired knowledge of the most
excellent and desirable of all Laws; and if the place where this
Sutra is recited be worthy of all honour as the place of Buddha
himself, so also is this disciple honourable and worthy of the
highest respect.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
[5] “The praises of the _Bana_ (Law) are a favourite subject with
the native authors.... The discourses of Buddha are as a divine
charm to cure the poison of evil desire; a divine medicine to heal
the disease of anger; a lamp in the midst of the darkness of
ignorance; a fire, like that which burns at the end of a Kalpa, to
destroy the evils of repeated existence; a meridian sun to dry up
the mud of covetousness; a great rain to quench the flame of
sensuality; a thicket to block up the road that leads to the
_Narakas_ (place of the wicked); a ship in which to sail to the
opposite shore of the ocean of existence; a collyrium for taking
away the eye-film of heresy; a moon to bring out the night-blowing
lotus of merit; a succession of trees bearing immortal fruit,
placed here and there, by which the traveller may be enabled to
cross the desert of existence; ... a straight highway by which to
pass to the incomparable wisdom; a door of entrance to the eternal
city of Nirvana; ... a treasury of the best things it is possible to
obtain; and a power by which may be appeased the sorrow of every
sentient being.”—_Eastern Monachism_. Spence Hardy.
[Chapter 13]
Upon that occasion, Subhuti enquired of the Lord Buddha, saying:
“Honoured of the Worlds! by what name shall this Scripture be known,
that we may regard it with reverence?” The Lord Buddha replied,
saying: “Subhuti, this Scripture shall be known as _The Diamond
Sutra_,[1] ‘The Transcendent Wisdom,’ by means of which we reach ‘The
Other Shore.’ By this name you shall reverently regard it! And why?
Subhuti, what the Lord Buddha declared as ‘transcendent wisdom’ by
means of which we reach ‘the other shore,’ is not essentially
‘transcendent wisdom’—in its essence it transcends all wisdom.”
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying:[2] “What think you? Did the
Lord Buddha formulate a precise system of Law or doctrine?” Subhuti
replied, saying: “Honoured of the Worlds! The Lord Buddha did not
formulate a precise system of Law or doctrine.”
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? within the
myriad worlds which comprise this universe, are the atoms of dust
numerous?”[3] Subhuti replied, saying: “Very numerous, Honoured of the
Worlds!”
The Lord Buddha continuing his discourse, said: “Subhuti, the Lord
Buddha declares that all these ‘atoms of dust’ are not essentially
‘atoms of dust,’ they are merely termed ‘atoms of dust.’ The Lord
Buddha also declares that those ‘myriad worlds’ are not really ‘myriad
worlds,’ they are merely designated ‘myriad worlds.’”
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? Can the
Lord Buddha be perceived by means of his thirty-two bodily
distinctions?”[4] Subhuti replied, saying: “No! Honoured of the
Worlds! the Lord Buddha cannot be perceived by means of his thirty-two
bodily distinctions. And why? Because, what the Lord Buddha referred
to as his ‘thirty-two bodily distinctions,’ are not in reality ‘bodily
distinctions,’ they are merely defined as ‘bodily distinctions.’”
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “If a good disciple,
whether man or woman, day by day sacrificed lives innumerable as the
sands of the Ganges;[5] and if another disciple adhered with implicit
faith to a stanza of this Scripture, and diligently explained it to
others, the intrinsic merit of such a disciple would be relatively
greater than the other.”[6]
[1] A Chinese annotator observes, that as the “diamond” excels all
other precious gems in brilliance and indestructibility, so also
the “wisdom” of this Sutra transcends and shall outlive all
other knowledge known to philosophy.
[2] “Then what do you think, O Subhuti, is there anything that was
preached by the Tathagata? Subhuti said: Not indeed, O Bhagavat,
there is nothing that was preached by the Tathagata.”—_The
Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
It appears to be one of the distinctive features of primitive
Buddhism, that its founder made provision for the utmost
development of the human intellect, within the spheres of religion
and philosophy. According to the text of _The Diamond Sutra_, the
Lord Buddha evidently disclaims any suggestion on his part to
formulate a “precise system of Law or doctrine” corresponding to
the idea of a _creed_.
[3] “Matter is infinitely divisible.”—_The World as Idea and
Will_. Schopenhauer.
“After me repeat
Your numeration....
By Pundarikas unto Padumas,
Which last is how you count the utmost grains
Of Hastagiri ground to finest dust.”—_The Light of Asia_. Sir
Edwin Arnold.
“If the Buddha was not a materialist, in the sense of believing in
the eternal existence of material atoms, neither could he in any
sense be called a ‘spiritualist,’ or believer in the external
existence of abstract spirit. With him creation did not proceed
from an omnipotent spirit or mind evolving phenomena out of itself
by the exercise of will, nor from an eternal self-existing,
self-evolving germ of any kind. As to the existence in the
universe of any spiritual substance which was not matter and was
imperceptible to the senses, it could not be proved.”—_Buddhism_.
Sir Monier Williams.
“Subhuti, all these countless particles of dust Tathagata declares
are no real particles; it is but an empty name by which they are
known. Tathagata declares that all these systems of worlds
composing the great chiliocosm are no real worlds; they are but
empty names.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
[4] “Characteristic physiological marks by which every Buddha may
be recognised.”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel.
“Can Tathagata be known by the thirty-two signs (of a hero)?”—_The
Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
“The King saluted, and Queen Maya made
To lay her babe before such holy feet;
But when he saw the prince the old man cried
‘Ah, Queen not so!’ and thereupon he touched
Eight times the dust, laid his waste visage there,
Saying, ‘O Babe! I worship! Thou art He!
I see the rosy light, the foot-sole marks,
The soft curled tendrils of the Swastika,
The sacred primal signs thirty-and-two,
The eighty lesser tokens. Thou art Buddh,
And thou wilt preach the Law and save all flesh
Who learn the Law.’”—_The Light of Asia_.
Sir Edwin Arnold.
“Bright were the divine lineaments of his face, and as the Master
(of the Law) gazed in awe and holy reverence, he knew not how to
compare the spectacle; the body of Buddha and his Kashaya robe
were of a yellowish red colour, and from his knees upward the
distinguishing marks of his person were exceedingly glorious.”—_The
Life of Hiuen-Tsang_. Beal.
[5] The Chinese expression _Shen-Ming_—life, invariably refers to
life in an ordinary material sense, and which may be offered in
sacrifice. But in Buddhist philosophy there is a spiritual
_Atman_, which can be disposed of only by knowledge.
[6] “Were any one to fill the bowl of Buddha with the choicest
food, or to present oil, sugar, honey, medicaments in the greatest
abundance, or to build thousands of _Wiharas_ (monasteries or
temples) splendid as those of Anuradhapura (an ancient city in
Ceylon, the Anurogrammum of Ptolemy), or to present an offering to
Buddha like that of Anepidu (a rich merchant of Sewet), the
hearing or reading of one stanza of the _Bana_ (Law) would be more
meritorious than all.”—_Eastern Monachism_. Spence Hardy.
[Chapter 14]
Upon that occasion, the venerable Subhuti, hearing the text of this
scripture proclaimed, and profoundly realising its meaning, was moved
to tears. Addressing the Lord Buddha, he said: “Thou art of
transcendent wisdom, Honoured of the Worlds! The Lord Buddha in
expounding this supreme canon of Scripture, surpassed in perspicuity
every exposition previously heard by me, since my eyes[1] were
privileged to perceive this most excellent wisdom. Honoured of the
Worlds! In years to come, if disciples hearing this scripture
proclaimed, and having within their minds a pure and holy faith,
engender true concepts of the ephemeral nature of phenomena—we ought
to realise that the cumulative merit of such disciples will be
intrinsic and wonderful. Honoured of the Worlds! The true concept of
phenomena is, that these are not essentially phenomena, and hence the
Lord Buddha declared that they are merely termed phenomena.”
“Honoured of the Worlds! having heard this unprecedented Scripture,
faith, clear understanding, and firm resolve to observe its precepts,
follow as a natural sequence. If, in future ages, disciples destined
to hear this Scripture, likewise believe, understand, and observe its
precepts, their merit will incite the highest wonder and praise.[2]
And why? Because, the minds of those disciples[3] will have outgrown
such arbitrary ideas of phenomena as an entity, a being, a living
being, or a personality. And why? Because, the entity is in reality
non-entity; and a being, a living being, or a personality, are ideas
equally nebulous and hypothetical.[4] Wherefore, discarding every
arbitrary idea of phenomena, the wise and wholly enlightened were
severally designated Buddha.”[5]
The Lord Buddha, assenting, said unto Subhuti: “If, in future ages,
disciples destined to hear this Scripture, neither become perturbed by
its extreme modes of thought,[6] nor alarmed by its lofty
sentiments,[7] nor apprehensive about realising its high
ideals[8]—these disciples also, by their intrinsic merit, will incite
superlative wonder and praise.”
“Subhuti, what the Lord Buddha referred to as the first _Paramita_[9]
(charity), is not in reality the first _Paramita_, it is merely termed
the first _Paramita_”
“Subhuti, regarding the third _Paramita_ (endurance), it is not in
reality a _Paramita_, it is merely termed a _Paramita_. And why?
Because, in a previous life, when the Prince of Kalinga[10]
(‘Kaliradja’) severed the flesh from my limbs and body, at that time I
was oblivious to such arbitrary ideas of phenomena as an entity, a
being, a living being, or a personality. And why? Because, upon that
occasion, when my limbs and body were rent asunder, had I not been
oblivious to such arbitrary ideas as an entity, a being, a living
being, or a personality, there would have originated within my mind,
feelings of anger and resentment.”
“Subhuti, five hundred incarnations ago,[11] I recollect that as a
recluse practising the ordinances of the Kshanti-Paramita,[12] even
then I had no such arbitrary ideas as an entity, a being, a living
being, or a personality. Therefore, Subhuti, an enlightened disciple
ought to discard as being unreal and illusive, every conceivable form
of phenomena.[13] In aspiring to supreme spiritual wisdom, the mind
ought to be insensible to every sensuous influence, and independent of
everything pertaining to sound, odour, taste, touch, or Law. There
ought to be cultivated a condition of complete independence of mind;
because, if the mind is depending upon any external aid, it is
obviously deluded—there is in reality nothing external to depend
upon.[14] Therefore, the Lord Buddha declared that in the exercise of
charity, the mind of an enlightened disciple ought not to depend upon
any form of phenomena. Subhuti, an enlightened disciple desirous to
confer benefits upon the whole realm of being, ought thus to be
animated in the exercise of charity.”[15]
The Lord Buddha, in declaring the “unreality of phenomena,” also
affirmed “that the whole realm of sentient life is ephemeral and
illusory.”[16]
“Subhuti, the sayings of the Lord Buddha are true, credible, and
immutable. His utterances are neither extravagant nor chimerical.
Subhuti, the plane[17] of thought to which the Lord Buddha attained,
cannot be explained in terms synonymous with reality or non-reality.”
“Subhuti, in the exercise of charity, if the mind of an enlightened
disciple is not independent of every Law, he is like unto a person
having entered impenetrable darkness, and to whom every object is
invisible. But an enlightened disciple, discharging the exercise of
charity with a mind independent of every Law, is like unto a person
having the power of vision, in the meridian glory of the sunlight, and
to whom every object is visible.”
“Subhuti, in future ages, if a good disciple, whether man or woman,
rigorously studies and observes the text of this Scripture; the Lord
Buddha, by means of his Buddhic wisdom,[18] entirely knows and
perceives that for such a disciple there is reserved a cumulative
merit, immeasurable and illimitable.”
[1] “As one raises what has been overthrown, or reveals what has
been hidden, or tells the way to him who has gone astray, or holds
out an oil lamp in the dark that those who have eyes may see the
objects, even so by the venerable Gotama in manifold ways the
_Dhamma_ (Law) has been illustrated.”—_Dhammapada_. Max Müller.
[2] “The chief of the priests of that establishment (the Jayendra
convent) was a man of high moral character. He observed with the
greatest strictness the religious rules and ordinances. He was
possessed of the highest intelligence, and acquainted with all the
points of a true disciple. His talents were eminent; his spiritual
powers exalted; and his disposition affectionate.”—_The Life of
Hiuen-Tsang_. Beal.
[3] “They had within themselves the possession of a power by which
all objective truth could be presented to their intellectual
vision. They, therefore, partook of what in other systems would be
regarded as divinity.”—_Eastern Monachism_. Spence Hardy.
[4] “They have been divided into existing and non-existing, real
and unreal, by those who had wrong notions; other laws also, of
permanency, of being produced, of birth from something already
produced, are wrongly assumed.”—_Saddharma-Pundarika_. H. Kern.
[5] “But, O Bhagavat, there will not arise in them any idea of a
self, of a being, of a living being, of a person, nor does there
exist for them any idea of no-idea. And why? Because, the idea of
a self is no-idea, the idea of a being is no-idea, the idea of a
living being is no-idea, the idea of a person is no-idea. And why?
Because, the blessed Buddhas are freed from all ideas.”—_The
Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
[6] ... “For birth and death
End hence for me and those who learn my Law.”—_The
Light of Asia_. Sir Edwin Arnold.
[7] “As the Buddhist strove to reach a state of quietism or holy
meditation in this world, namely the state of the perfect disciple
or Arhat; so he looked forward to an eternal calm in the world to
come, Nirvana. Buddha taught that this end could only be attained
by the practice of virtue.”—_The Indian Empire_. Sir William Hunter.
[8] “The heart of it is love, the end of it
Is peace and consummation sweet.”—_The
Light of Asia_. Sir Edwin Arnold.
[9] The first of six _Paramita_—charity, morality, endurance,
energy, contemplation, wisdom—or means of attaining to Nirvana.
“What the Tathagata preaches as the _Prajna-Paramita_, that was
preached also by innumerable Blessed Buddhas. Therefore it is
called the _Prajna-Paramita_,”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
[10] “An ancient kingdom S.E. of Kos’ala, a nursery of heretical
sects, the present Calingapatah, a town in the northern Circars
(Lat. 18° 15 N., Long. 85° 11 E.).”—_Handbook of Chinese
Buddhism_. Eitel.
It is recorded that the Lord Buddha, in a previous incarnation,
was living in a mountainous region, strictly observing the
monastic vows. The Prince of Kalinga, a cruel and dissolute ruler,
having organised a hunting expedition, visited the secluded
region, accompanied by numerous ladies of his harem. Fatigued by
the excitement of the chase, the prince fell into a deep siesta.
Meantime, the ladies resolved upon a short excursion along a
mountain path. Unexpectedly meeting the Lord Buddha, they were
greatly astonished at his dignified bearing and edifying
conversation. When the prince awoke from his siesta, he was
irritated to find that his ladies had disappeared. Instituting an
immediate search, he became filled with implacable rage upon
discovering them in the society of a hermit. The incident, as
narrated in the Chinese text, proved to be a distressing sequel to
the modest ladies’ innocent adventure. (Compare _Chinese
Annotations_, etc.)
[11] “Various forms of pre-existence to the number of 500 or 550
are recorded, in the course of which he (Buddha) marked his way up
through as many different stages of transmigration from the lowest
spheres of life to the highest, practising all kinds of
asceticism, and exhibiting in every form the utmost unselfishness
and charity.”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel.
“I and thou, O Arjuna! have passed through many transmigrations. I
know all these.... Even though I am unborn, of changeless essence,
and the lord also of all which exist, yet, in presiding over
nature (Prakrita), which is mine, I am born by my own mystic power
(Maya). For whenever there is a relaxation of duty, ... and an
increase of impiety, I then reproduce myself for the protection of
the good.... I am produced in every age.”—_Bhagavad-Gita_. J.
Cockburn Thomson.
[12] “Explained by patient endurance of insult. The virtue of
patience, implying constant equanimity under persecution, and
excluding hatred and revenge.”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_.
Eitel.
“Because, O Subhuti, I remember the past five hundred births, when
I was the _Rishi-Kshantivadin_ (preacher of endurance).”—_The
Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
[13] “Let (the Bodhisattva) be concentrated in mind, attentive,
ever firm as the peak of Mount Sumeru, and in such a state (of
mind) look upon all laws (and things) as having the nature of
space (as being void), permanently equal to space, without
essence, immovable, without substantiality. These, indeed, are the
Laws, all and for ever.”—_Saddharma-Pundarika_. H. Kern.
[14] “Because what is believed is not believed (not to be depended
on).”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
[15] “Hence Buddha declares that the mind of a Bodhisatwa ought
not to rely on any formal act of charity. Subhuti, the Bodhisatwa
ought to distribute his almsgiving for the purpose of benefiting
the whole mass of sentient creatures, and yet Tathagata declares
that as all dependencies are after all no real subjects of
dependence, so also he says that all sentient creatures are not in
reality what they are called.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
[16] Literally, “Every form of phenomena is really _not_ phenomena;
every form of sentient life is in reality _not_ sentient life.”
[17] The Buddhist term, _Fah_ (Law).
[18] “The omniscience of Buddha is not the knowledge of all
things, but the power of knowing whatever he wishes to know. In
opposition to other teachers, who deduce their doctrines from
certain previously assumed principles, and who may err either in
the data, or in the deductions from them. Buddha affirms of
himself that the complete field of truth is before him, that the
eye of wisdom to perceive it was obtained by him when he became a
Buddha; and whatever he desires to know he perceives perfectly,
and at one glance, without any reasoning process.”—(Rev. D. J.
Gogerly, in the _Ceylon Friend_. Quoted by R. Spence Hardy, in
_Eastern Monachism_).
[Chapter 15]
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “If a good disciple,
whether man or woman, in the morning, at noonday, and at eventide,
sacrificed lives innumerable as the sands of the Ganges, and thus
without intermission throughout infinite ages; and if another
disciple, hearing this Scripture proclaimed, steadfastly believed it,
his felicity would be appreciably greater than the other. But how much
greater must be the felicity of a disciple who transcribes the sacred
text, observes its precepts, studies its Laws, and repeats the
Scripture that others may be edified thereby?”
“Subhuti, the relative importance of this Scripture may thus be
summarily stated: its truth is infinite; its worth incomparable; and
its merit interminable.”
“The Lord Buddha delivered this Scripture specifically for those who
are entered upon the path which leads to Nirvana, and for those who
are attaining to the ultimate plane of Buddhic thought.[1] If a
disciple rigorously observes, studies, and widely disseminates the
knowledge of this Scripture, the Lord Buddha entirely knows and
perceives that for such an one there will be a cumulative merit,
immeasurable, incomparable, illimitable, and inconceivable. All such
disciples will be endowed with transcendent Buddhic wisdom and
enlightenment.[2] And why? Because, Subhuti, if a disciple takes
pleasure in a narrow or exclusive form of the Law,[3] he cannot
receive with gratification[4] the instruction of this Scripture, or
delight in its study, or fervently explain it to others. Subhuti, in
whatever place there is a repository for this Scripture, the whole
realm of spiritual beings ought to adore it; and reverencing it as a
sacred shrine,[5] ceremoniously surround it, scattering profusely
sweet-scented flowers, and pure odours of fragrant incense.”[6]
[1] Literally, for the _ta-cheng-che_—those of the great vehicle,
_i.e._, the Mahayana faith. “They taught (the Mahayana school)
that there were two methods of salvation, or, so to speak, two
ways or two vehicles—the great and the little (Maha-Yana and
Hina-Yana)—and indeed two Bodhis or forms of true knowledge which
these vehicles had to convey (there was also a middle way). The
former was for ordinary persons, the latter for beings of larger
talents and higher spiritual powers.”—_Buddhism_. Sir Monier
Williams.
“Therefore let one always be thoughtful, and avoid (gross)
pleasures; having abandoned them, let him cross the stream, after
baling out the ship, and go to the other shore
(Nirvana).”—_Dhammapada_. Max Müller.
[2] “All these beings will equally remember the _Bodhi_ (the
highest Buddhic knowledge), will receive it and understand
it.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
“All men being one with _ho-tan_ (Gautama?) Tathagata, arrive at
the state of the unsurpassed, just, and enlightened
(heart).”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
The Chinese phrase “_ho-tan-Ju-Lai_,” may mean to bear upon the
person evidences of the Lord Buddha. Compare the statement of the
apostle Paul, “I bear in my body evidences of the Lord Jesus
Christ.”
[3] Those disciples associated with the _Siao-Fah_ (little Law,
the Hinayana school of Buddhist thought), are rather ungraciously
referred to by a Chinese commentator as “rootless stems”; by which
we are reminded of the Hindoo aphorism, “from the absence of a
root within the root, all things are rootless.”
[4] When the Lord Buddha delivered the Sutra known as the _Lotus
of the Good Law_, it is recorded that five thousand followers
forsook him, owing to what they regarded as a grave difficulty in
complying with its intensely abstruse doctrines.
[5] “In these two places also Topes (where relics of Buddha are
deposited and safeguarded) have been built, both adorned with
layers of all the previous substances (gold, silver, pearls,
coral, cornelian, glass, and crystal). The kings, ministers, and
peoples of the kingdoms vie with one another in making offerings
at them. The trains of those who come to scatter flowers and light
lamps at them never cease.”—_The Travels of Fa-Hien_. Legge.