A Portion From the Anguttara Nikaya Sutra

Anguttara Nikaya Sutra

One time the Buddha was walking on tour with a large group of monks, when he came to a town of the Kamlamas’ called Keśaputra.

The Kalamas’ of Kesaputra thought: “It is very good indeed to see Awakened Ones such as these.” And so they went up to where the Buddha was. Having seated themselves to one side, the Kalamas of Keśaputra said this to the Buddha:

“There are, sir, many different teachers that come to Keśaputra. They illuminate their own doctrines, but the doctrines of others they put down, revile, disparage and cripple. For us, sir, uncertainty arises, and doubts arise concerning them: Who indeed of these venerable teachers speaks truly, who speaks falsely?”

“It is indeed fitting, Kalamas, to be uncertain, it is fitting to doubt. For in situations of uncertainty, doubts surely arise. You should decide, Kalamas, not by what you have heard, not by following convention, not by assuming it is so, not by relying on the texts, not by reasoning, not because of logic, not by thinking about explanations, not by acquiescing to the views that you prefer, not because it appears likely, and certainly not out of respect for a teacher.

“When you would know, Kalamas, for yourselves, that ‘These things are unhealthy, these things when entered upon and undertaken, incline toward harm and suffering’ – then, Kalamas, you should reject them.

“What do you think, Kalamas? When greed, hatred or delusion arises within a person, does it arise for their welfare of their harm?”

“For their harm, sir.”

“And when a person has become greedy, hateful or deluded, their mind consumed by this greed, hatred or delusion, Kalamas, do they kill living creatures, take what has not been given and go to another’s spouse and speak what is false, and induce others to undertake what is, for a long time, to their harm and suffering?”

“This is true, sir.”

“And what do you think, Kalamas? Are these things healthy or unhealthy?”

“Unhealthy, sir.”

“And when entered upon and undertaken, do they incline toward harm and suffering or do they not?”

“We agree that they do, sir.”

“But when you would know, Kalamas, for yourselves, that ‘These things are healthy, these things, when entered upon and undertaken, incline toward welfare and happiness’ – then, Kalamas, having come to them you should stay with them.

“What do you think Kalamas? When non-greed, non-hatred or non-delusion arise within a person, does it arise for their welfare or their harm?”

“For their welfare, sir.”

“And when a person has not become greedy, hateful or deluded, their mind is not consumed by this greed, hatred or delusion, Kalamas, do they refrain from killing living creatures, refrain from taking what has not been given and do not go to another’s spouse and do not speak what is false, and induce others to undertake what is, for a long time, to their welfare and happiness?”

“It is true, sir.”

“And what do you think, Kalamas? Are these things healthy or unhealthy?”

“They are healthy, sir.”

“And when entered upon and undertaken, do they incline toward welfare and happiness or do they not?”

“We agree that they do, sir.”

“That person, Kalamas, who is a follower of the noble path, is thus free of wanting, free of harming, and without confusion. Clearly conscious and mindful, she or he abides having suffused the first direction, then the second, then the third and the fourth – and so above, below and across, everywhere and in every way – with a mind dedicated to loving kindness, compassion, good will and equanimity that is abundant, expansive, immeasurable, kindly and free of harming.

“And so, Kalamas, the follower of the noble path whose mind is thus kindly and free of harming – their mind is not defiled, but is purified.”

****

Friends, I know nothing which is as stubborn as an untamed heart. The untamed heart is indeed obstinate.

Friends, I know nothing which is as manageable as a tamed heart. The tamed heart is indeed docile.

Friends, I know nothing which tends toward loss as does an untamed heart. Indeed, the untamed heart leans toward loss.

Friends, I know nothing which tends toward growth as does the tamed heart. Indeed, the tamed heart leans toward growth.

Friends, I know nothing which brings suffering as does an untamed heart, uncontrolled, unattended and unrestrained heart. Such a heart brings suffering.

Friends, I know nothing which brings joy as does a tamed, controlled, attended and restrained heart. Such a heart brings supreme joy.

A Portion From the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra

Vimalakirti Sutra

Thereupon, a certain goddess who lived in that house, having heard this teaching of the Dharma of the great heroic bodhisattvas, and being delighted, pleased, and overjoyed, manifested herself in a material body and showered the great spiritual heroes, the bodhisattvas, and the great disciples with heavenly flowers. When the flowers fell on the bodies of the bodhisattvas, they fell off and onto the floor, but when they fell on the bodies of the great disciples, they stuck to them and did not fall off. The great disciples shook the flowers and even tried to use their magical powers to remove them, but still the flowers would not shake off.

Then the goddess said to Venerable Sariputra, “Reverend Sariputra, why do you shake these flowers?”

Sariputra replied, “Goddess, these flowers are not proper for religious persons and so we are trying to shake them off.”

The goddess replied, “Do not say that, Reverend Sariputra! Why? These flowers are proper indeed! Why? Such flowers have neither compounded thoughts nor discriminating thoughts. But the elder Sariputra has both compounded and discriminating thoughts.

“Reverend Sariputra, impropriety for one who has renounced the world for the discipline of the rightly taught Dharma consists of compounded thought and discrimination, yet the elders are full of such thoughts. One who is without such thoughts is always proper.

“Reverend Sariputra, see how these flowers do not stick to the bodies of the great heroes, the bodhisattvas! This is because they have eliminated both compounded thoughts and discrimination.

“For example, evil spirits have power over fearful men but cannot disturb the fearless. Likewise, those intimidated by fear of the world are in the power of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures, which do not disturb those who are free from fear of the passions inherent in the compounded world. Thus, these flowers stick to the bodies of those who have not eliminated their instincts for the passions and do not stick to the bodies of those who have eliminated their instincts. Therefore, the flowers do not stick to the bodies of these bodhisattvas, who have abandoned all instincts.”

Sariputra asked: “Goddess, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?”

The goddess replied: “Although I have sought my ‘female state’ for these twelve years, I have not yet found it. Reverend Sariputra, if a magician were to incarnate a woman by magic, would you ask her, ‘What prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?’”

Sariputra answered: “No! Such a woman would not really exist, so what would there be to transform?”

The goddess said: “Just so, reverend Sariputra, all things do not really exist. Now, would you think, ‘What prevents one whose nature is that of magical incarnation form transforming herself out of her female state’?”

Thereupon the goddess employed her magical powers to cause the elder Sariputra to appear in her form and to cause herself to appear in his form. Then the goddess, transformed into Sariputra, said to Sariputra, transformed into a goddess,

“Reverend Sariputra, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?”

And Sariputra, transformed into a goddess replied loudly: “I no longer appear in the form of a male! My body has changed into the body of a woman! I do not know what to transform!”

The goddess continued, “If the elder Sariputra could again change out of the female form, then all women could also change out of their female forms. All women appear in the form of women in just the same way as the elder appears in the form of a woman. While they are not women in reality, they appear in the form of women. With this in mind, the Buddha said, ‘In all things, there is neither male nor female.’”

Then, the goddess released her magical power and each returned to their ordinary form. She then said to him,

“Reverend Sariputra, what have you done with your female form?”

Sariputra responded: “I have neither made it nor did I change it.”

The goddess said: “Just so, all things are neither made nor changed, and that they are not made and not changed, that is the teaching of the Buddha.”

Sutra On the Full Awareness of Breathing

Sutra On the Full Awareness of Breathing

When the full moon day arrived, the Buddha, seated under the open sky, looked over the assembly and said:

“O followers of the way, the method of being fully aware of breathing, if developed and practiced continuously, will have great rewards and bring great advantages. It will lead to success in the practice of the Seven Factors of Awakening, if developed and practiced continuously, will give rise to Understanding and Liberation of the Mind.

“What is the way to develop and practice continuously the method of Full Awareness of Breathing so that the practice will be rewarding and offer great benefit?

“It is like this, the practitioner goes into the forest or to the foot of a tree, or to any deserted place, and sits in a stable position, holding one’s body quite straight. Breathing in, one knows that one is breathing in; and breathing out, one knows that one is breathing out.

“Breathing in a long breath, one knows, ‘I am breathing in a long breath.’ Breathing out a long breath, one knows, ‘I am breathing out a long breath.’

“Breathing in a short breath, one knows, ‘I am breathing in a short breath.’ Breathing out a short breath, one knows, ‘I am breathing out a short breath.’

“‘I am breathing in and am aware of my whole body. I am breathing out and am aware of my whole body.’ This is how one practices.

“‘I am breathing in and making my whole body calm and at peace. I am breathing out and making my whole body calm and at peace.’ This is how one practices.

“‘I am breathing in and feeling joyful. I am breathing out and feeling joyful.’ This is how one practices.

“‘I am breathing in and am aware of the activities of the mind in me. I am breathing out and am aware of the activities of the mind in me.’ One practices like this.

“‘I am breathing in and making the activities of the mind in me calm and at peace. I am breathing out and making the activities of the mind in me calm and at peace.’ One practices like this.

“‘I am breathing in and am aware of my mind. I am breathing out and am aware of my mind.’ One practices like this.

“‘I am breathing in and making my mind happy and at peace. I am breathing out and making my mind happy and at peace.’ One practices like this.

“‘I am breathing in and concentrating my mind. I am breathing out and concentrating my mind.’ One practices like this.

“‘I am breathing in and liberating my mind. I am breathing out and liberating my mind.’ One practices like this.

“‘I am breathing in and observing the impermanent nature of all thoughts (dharmas). I am breathing out and observing the impermanent nature of all dharmas (thoughts).’ One practices like this.

“‘I am breathing in and observing the fading away of all thoughts (dharmas). I am breathing out and observing the fading away of all dharmas (thoughts).’ One practices like this.

“‘I am breathing in and contemplating liberation. I am breathing out and contemplating liberation.’ One practices like this.

“‘I am breathing in and contemplating letting go. I am breathing out and contemplating letting go.’ One practices like this.

The Full Awareness of Breathing, if developed and practiced continuously according to these instructions, will be rewarding and of great benefit.”

Karaniya Metta Sutra

THE DISCOURSE ON LOVING-KINDNESS

Karaniya Metta Sutra

This is what should be done by one who is skilled in goodness and who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: in gladness and in safety may all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be,
Whether they are weak or strong,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to be born, omitting none,
May all beings be at ease.
Let none deceive another or despise any being in any state.
Let none, through anger of ill-will wish harm upon another.
Like a mother protects her child, her only child with her life,
So with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings.
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
Spreading upwards to the skies and downwards to the depths,
Outwards and unbounded, free from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness, one should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not reborn into this world.

Arya Tara Ashta Ghora Tarani Sutra

THE SUTRA OF ARYA TARA

WHO SAVES FROM THE EIGHT FEARS

(Arya Tara Ashta Ghora Tarani Sutra)

Homage to the Three Jewels!

Homage to Venerable Tara!

Homage to the Lord Shakyamuni!

Thus have I heard at one time. The Lord was residing in the realm of the gods on Mount Meru. Among the assembly there, the Goddess Tara spoke, as follows:

1. “Having reached this gem-like paradise,

Understand actions and their results:

Keep to good and leave evil aside!

For whoever practices wrong actions

Will, in the life that is to come, fall down.

2. Beasts are dumb and stupid; one eats another;

Up weary paths, down cliffs, they climb and fall,

In panic, terror-stricken, trembling with fear,

Full of caution – one cannot conceive their sufferings.

3. Pretas hunger and thirst, and their bodies won’t do.

Should food or drink appear, another guards it,

Or if they should eat some, it turns to fire or swords.

Their suffering of hunger and thirst can’t be conceived.

4. Sentient beings who are born in hells

Are led against their will by vicious Yamas,

Burned and cooked and cut up with sharp weapons;

Their suffering, hot or cold, cannot be borne.

5. Therefore, doing wrong deeds in this life

Manifests to oneself, magnified –

For many eons, fierce sorrow torments one

With no escape, nor chance to bear it.

6. Understand karmic effect by clear recollection.

Unbearable suffering and lamentation torment one;

Foul speech, fierce body and voice also frighten;

These and other sufferings can’t be conceived.

7. Those who, knowing thoroughly the faults,

Abandon causes of the three realms of woe

And in any gross subtle sin

Never engage with body, speech or mind,

8. But though happy themselves aid all migrators,

Greed, hate, delusion gone, root of compassion

Firm, and striving with three doors pure do virtue,

Strive in this essence of the most profound.

9. The fruit of a flower that frost has carried off,

Though cultivated, will produce no sprout;

So too people who doubt and break their vows,

Though they may practice most profound mantras,

10.  Might think a blessing comes, but it cannot –

 Their pains become but meaningless fatigue,

 Their mantras like the talk of common folk,

 Their concentrations but like childish thoughts,

11.  If people practice those mantras without fault,

 Quickly they will accomplish what they wish.

       For example, the seed of the banyan tree

                  Is tiny,

       But if well moistened with water and manure,

12.  In seven years it grows a league across;

 If even external matter has such growth,

 What of practicing consciousness with

            Consciousness?

 Inner clear light’s growth is measureless.

13.  If, relying on traders who know the way,

 With a suitable boat one puts to sea,

 Then when one has found jewels as one wished,

 In due course one reaches one’s own home.

14.  With Bodhicitta, relying on Love, Compassion,

 Joy and Equanimity, practice virtue,

 And set out on the Path of true perfection:

 You will reach the stage of certain knowledge.

15.  If an arrow, shot by a man, has flown,

 Indeed it’s been shot, though one may think not.

 A person who’s realized all Reality’s meaning

 Goes beyond, although one may think not.

16.   Aspect and nature of actions and parts

Perfected,

  Without doubt he’ll gain the fruit of

            Buddhahood.

 If one understands that pure Reality,

 There is no self, nor life, nor cutting of life,

17.  No karma, and no karmic ripening.

 That person abandons extremes and is liberated.

 If to realize that benefit, you recite

 Devotedly this essence I’m explaining,

18.  Sins of three countless eons will be consumed,

 All sufferings of the three realms of woe and

            Samsàra

 Will be washed away, and obscurations cleared.

 This beneficial essence is as follows.

OM! Bodhisattva-mahasattva,

Goddess! Please will you protect me!

OM NAMA ARYA-AVALOKITESVARAYA

            BODHISATTVAYA MAHSATTVAYA MAHA –

            KARUNIKAYA! TAD-YATHA: OM TARE TUTTARE TURE

            SARVA-DUSTAN PRADUSTAN MAMA KRTE

            JAMBHAYA STAMBHAYA MOHAYA BANDHAYA HUM

            HUM HUM P’HE P’HE P’HE SVAHA!

                        NAMA ARYAVALOKABHAYA NARA BODHISATTVA

            MAHASATTVANI, ADHISTHANA ADHISTHITE,

MAMA SARVA-KARMA-AVARANA-SVABHAVA-

SUDDHE VISHUDDHE SODHAYA VISODHAYA HUM

P’HE SVAHA!” *

19. Thereupon, by the Buddha’s power,

Full praise was given to the Goddess:

20. “With very great Compassion

You work the weal of beings,

            Complete in Marks and Signs,

                        Bedecked with jewel adornments,

            Your neck most beautiful,

                        And smiling, laughing face!

21. Your eye-sense-sphere is like flax-lotuses,

Your ear-sense-sphere like open lily flowers,

Your nose-sense-sphere like fragments of lotuses,

Your mouth-sense-sphere like full-grown hollyhocks.

22. Your Body, a lovely maiden’s, has various

Forms;

            Your Speech of kalavinka proclaims the Dharma;

            Your Mind of Compassion is all beings’ loving

                        Protector.

23. Left, a lotus – unstained with samsara’s faults;

Right, giving Refuge, to benefit sentient beings;

You sit on sun and moon seats – Method and

            Wisdom.

Venerable Tara, I go to You for Refuge.

24. Protect me from samsara’s great abyss,

Never to circle in the six migrations!

Hold me with Your cord of Great Compassion,

Never to run to the three ill-destiny realms!

25. Set me on a Path where I cannot stray,

Never to be born with perverse views!

Let me meet a Guru with Bodhicitta,

Never meeting with evil companions!

26. Protector from the eight dangers –

Lions, elephants and fire,

            Serpents, robbers, water, plagues

                        And vampires – homage to You!

            In this life and in others,

                        From the eight fears please protect me!

27. Until I win the transcendent Result,

Let me keep inseparable company with

The ten Paramitas of Generosity, Discipline,

Patience, Effort, Meditation, Wisdom, Means,

Vow and Power and likewise Wisdom-knowledge!

Any son or daughter of good family should write this teaching,

read it, recite it, preserve it, practice right attention upon it, and

extensively teach it to others.”

            Thus spoke the Buddha, and the whole assembly, enraptured,

exalted His words.

*Translation of the mantra-

(OM Homage to Arya Avalokitesvara, the

Bodhisattva Mahasattva, greatly compassionate!

As follows: OM TARE TUTTARE TURE Crush, check,

Confound, restrain all the sins and wicked things

I have done HUM HUM HUM P’HE P’HE P’HE

SVAHA!

            Homage, You in whom Arya Avalokita, the

Fearless men, Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas have

Inspired magical inspiring power, purify,

Completely purify all my karmic obscurations,

Pure, completely pure by nature HUM P’HE SVAHA!

The Vajrachchedika Prajña Paramita Sutra (pt2)

The Diamond Sutra – Part 2

(The Vajrachchedika Prajña Paramita Sutra)

(underlined words are spoken by the service leader)

(17)Then Subhuti asked the Buddha, “World-honoured One, when good men and good women commit themselves to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, on what should they base themselves? And how should they subdue their minds?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti, “When good men and good women commit themselves to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, they should give rise to a mind like this: ‘I should save all sentient beings, and as I save them, I should know that there really are no sentient beings to be saved.’ And why is this? If a bodhisattva has lakshana of self, lakshana of human beings, lakshana of sentient beings, or lakshana of soul, then he is not a bodhisattva. And why is this? Subhuti, in truth there is no such Dharma as committing to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Subhuti, what do you say? When the Tathagata was in the realm of Dip Ankara Buddha, was there an attainable Dharma anuttara-samyak-sambodhi or not?”

“There was not, World-honoured One. As far as I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has said, when the Buddha was in the realm of Dip Ankara Buddha, there was no attainable dharma anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.”

The Buddha said, “Just so, just so. Subhuti, in truth there is no dharma anuttara-samyak-sambodhi for the Tathagata to attain. Subhuti, if the Tathagata had attained a dharma anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, then Dip Ankara Buddha would have never told me, ‘In the future you will attain Buddha-hood and be called Shakyamuni.’ Since there is no attainable dharma anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, Dip Ankara Buddha told me that I would become a Buddha, saying, ‘In the future you will attain Buddha-hood and be called Shakyamuni.’ And why is this? The Tathagata is the essence of all Dharmas. Someone might say, ‘The Tathagata has attained anuttara-samyak-sambodhi,’ but Subhuti, there really is no dharma anuttara-samyak-sambodhi for the Buddha to attain. Subhuti, the anuttara-samyak-sambodhi that the Tathagata has attained lies between these two and it is neither true nor false. For these reasons the Tathagata says that all dharmas are the Buddha-dharma. Subhuti, that which is said to be ‘all dharmas’ is not ‘all dharmas’ and that is why it is called ‘all dharmas’. Subhuti, it is the same as a person growing up.

Subhuti said, World-honoured One, the Tathagata has said that when a person grows up, he has not grown up. And that this is what is meant by growing up.”

“Subhuti, a bodhisattva is just like that, and if he should say, ‘I should save all sentient beings,’ then he is not a bodhisattva. And why is this? Subhuti, there is no Dharma called ‘bodhisattva’ and for this reason the Buddha has said that all dharmas have no self, no human being, no sentient being, and no soul. Subhuti, if a bodhisattva should say, ‘I make the Buddha-realm magnificent,’ then he is not a bodhisattva. And why is this? The Tathagata has said that that which makes the Buddha-realm magnificent is not magnificent, and that that is what is called magnificence. Subhuti, only after a bodhisattva has fully understood the Dharma of selflessness will the Tathagata say that he is a true bodhisattva.

(18)”Subhuti, what do you say?   Does the Tathagata have eyes of flesh or not?”

“Yes, World-honoured One, the Tathagata has eyes of flesh.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Does the Tathagata have heavenly eyes or not?”

“Yes, World-honoured One, the Tathagata has heavenly eyes.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Does the Tathagata have wisdom eyes or not?”

“Yes, World-honoured One, the Tathagata has wisdom eyes.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Does the Tathagata have Dharma eyes or not?”

“Yes, World-honoured One, the Tathagata has Dharma eyes.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Does the Tathagata have Buddha eyes or not?”

“Yes, World-honoured One, the Tathagata has Buddha eyes.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Has the Tathagata said that the sand in the Ganges River is sand or not?”

“Yes, World-honoured One, the Tathagata has said that it is sand.”

 “Subhuti, what do you say? If there were as many Ganges Rivers as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and if all of that sand of all of those river were added up, and if the number of Buddha-realms equalled the number of all of those grains of sand, would that be a lot?”

“It would be very much, World-honoured One.”

The Buddha said to Subhuti, “The Tathagata intimately knows each and every sentient being in all of those worlds. And how can this be? The Tathagata has said that all minds are not minds and that that is what is called mind. And why is this so? Subhuti, the mind of the past cannot be gotten hold of, the mind of the present cannot be gotten hold of, and the mind of the future cannot be gotten hold of.

(19)”Subhuti, what do you say? If a person gives away enough precious jewels to fill an entire great chiliocosm, will this cause him to attain immense goodness?”

“Just so, World-honoured One. This will cause him to attain immense goodness,”

“Subhuti, if there really were such a thing as ‘goodness’, the Tathagata would never speak about attaining immense goodness. It is only because there is no such thing as ‘goodness’ that the Tathagata says that immense goddness can be attained.

(20)”Subhuti, what do you say? Can the Buddha be seen in his complete form body or not?”

“No, world-honoured One, the Buddha ought not to be seen in his form body. And why is this? The Tathagata has said that his complete form body is not ‘the complete form body’.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Can the Tathagata do seen by means of all complete lakshana or not?”

“No, World-honoured One, the Tathagata ought not to be seen by means of all complete lakshana. And why is this? The Tathagata has said that the completeness of all lakshana is not completeness and that this is what is called completeness of all lakshana.”

(21)”Subhuti, never say that the Tathagata has this thought: ‘I have some Dharma to speak about.’ Do not have that thought. And why is this? If someone says that the Tathagata has a Dharma to speak about, then that person is defaming the Buddha, and he does not understand what I have been saying. Subhuti, one who speaks the Dharma had no Dharma to speak about and that is what is called ‘speaking the Dharma’.”

Then the wise Subhuti said to the Buddha, “World-honoured One, will there ever be sentient beings in the future who upon hearing this Dharma will give rise to believing minds?”

The Buddha said, “Subhuti, those sentient beings are not sentient beings, and they are not ‘not’ sentient beings. And why is this? Subhuti, the Tathagata has said that all sentient beings are not sentient beings and this is what is called sentient beings.”

(22)Subhuti said to the Buddha “World-honoured One, is it not so that when the Buddha attained anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, nothing was really attained?”

“Just so, just so. Subhuti, there is not even the slightest dharma that can be attained in anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, and this is what is called anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

(23)”Furthermore, Subhuti, this Dharma is equal and without high or low; it is called anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi is attained by cultivating all good dharmas while being without self, without person, without sentient being, and without soul. Subhuti, when I say ‘good dharmas’, the Tathagata is saying that not good dharmas is what is called good dharmas.

(24)”Subhuti, if a person were to perform an act of generosity by giving away a quantity of precious jewels equal to all of the Sumeru Mountains within a great chiliocosm; and if another person were to uphold as few as four verses of this Prajñaparamita Sutra, and reads them, and chants them, and explains them to others, the goodness of this second person would be 100 times, nay, a billion-billion times, nay, an incalculable number of times that cannot even be suggested by metaphors, greater than the goodness of the first person.

(25)”Subhuti, what do you say? Don’t ever say that the Tathagata has this thought: ‘I am saving sentient beings.’ Subhuti, don’t have this thought. And why is this? In truth there are no sentient beings for the Tathagata to save. If there were sentient beings for the Tathagata to save, then the tathagata would have (lakshana of) self, person, sentient being, and soul. Subhuti, when the Tathagata speaks of a self, it is the same as no self, and yet all ordinary people take it as a self. Subhuti, the Tathagata says that ordinary people are not ordinary people, and that is what is called ordinary people.

(26)”Subhuti, what do you say? Can the Tathagata be seen by his thirty-two marks or not?”

Subhuti said, “Just so, just so. The tathagata can be seen by his thirty-two marks.”

The Buddha said, “Subhuti, if the tathagata could be seen by his thirty-two marks, than a wheel-turning sage-king would be the same as the tathagata.”

Subhuti said to the Buddha, “World-honoured One, as far as I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has said, one ought not to be able to see the tathagata by his thirty-tow marks.”

Then the Buddha spoke a verse:

            “If anyone should think that I can be seen among forms,

            Or that I can be sought among sounds,

            Then that person is on the wrong path,

            And he will not see the Tathagata.”

(27)”Subhuti, consider this thought:  ‘the Tathagata attains anuttara-samyak-sambodhi because his lakshana are incomplete.’ Subhuti, do not have this thought: ‘the Tathagata attains anuttara-samyak-sambodhi because his lakshana are incomplete.’ Subhuti, consider this thought: ‘the one who commits to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi says that all dharmas are ended and extinguished.’ Do not have this thought. And why is this? The one who commits to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi does not say that lakshana are ended and extinguished among dharmas.

(28)”Subhuti, if one bodhisattva gives away enough precious jewels to fill as many worlds as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and if a second person knows that all dharmas are without self and thus attains patience, then the goodness attained by this (second) bodhisattva is superior to the first bodhisattva. Subhuti, this is because all bodhisattvas do not receive goodness.”

Subhuti said to the Buddha, “World-honoured One, why do you say that bodhisattvas do not receive goodness?”

“Subhuti, bodhisattvas should not be greedy or attached to the goodness that they do; this is why I say that they do no receive goodness.

(29)”Subhuti, if someone says, ‘It seems as it the Tathagata comes, and goes, and sits, and lays down.’ then this person has not understood my meaning. And why is this? The one who is the Tathagata has not come from somewhere, and he is not going somewhere, and that is why he is called the ‘Tathagata’ (Thus-come One).

(30)”Subhuti, if a good man or a good woman were to pulverize a great chiliocosm into fine dust, what do you say, would that grouping of dust be a lot or not?”

“It would be a lot, World-honoured One. And why is this? If that grouping of dust really existed, the Buddha would not have called it a grouping of fine dust. And why is this? The Buddha has said that a grouping of fine dust is not a grouping of fine dust and so it is called a grouping of fine dust. World-honoured One, the great chiliocosm that the Tathagata has spoken about is not a great chiliocosm and that is what is called a great chiliocosm. And why is this? If that great chiliocosm really existed, then it would be a compound lakshana. The Tathagata has said that a compound lakshana is not a compound lakshana, and so it is called a compound lakshana.”

“Subhuti, that which is a compound lakshana cannot really be spoken about, and yet ordinary people are attached to it and greedy about it.

(31)”Subhuti, if a person were to say: ‘ the Tathagata teaches a view of self, a view of people, a view of sentient beings, and a view of souls,’ Subhuti, what do you say, has this person understood the meaning of what I am saying?”

“No, World-honoured One. This person has not understood the meaning of what the Tathagata is saying. And why is this? The World-honoured One has said that a view of self, a view of people, a view of sentient beings, and a view of souls is not a view of self, a view of people, a view of sentient beings, and a view of souls.”

“Subhuti, one who commits to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi should not give rise to lakshana of dharmas; and he should know all dharmas in this way, and he should view them like this, and believe them like this and understand them like this. Subhuti, the Tathagata says that that which is called a lakshana of a dharma is not a lakshana of a dharma, and so it is called a lakshana of a dharma.

(32)”Subhuti, if a person performs an act of generosity by giving away as many precious jewels as would fill illimitable eons of worlds, and if a good man or a good woman commits to the bodhisattva mind, and upholds as few as four verses of this sutra, and if he upholds it, reads it, chants it, and teaches it to people, his goodness will be greater than that of the first person. And how should it be taught to people? By not grasping lakshana; by remaining immobile in this consciousness. And why is this?

            All conditioned dharmas

            Are like dreams, like illusions,

            Like bubbles, like shadows,

            Like dew, like lightening,

            And all of them should be contemplated in this way.”

When the Buddha finished speaking this sutra, the elder Subhuti, along with all of the other monks, nuns, upasaka, upasika, asuras, all worldly and heavenly beings, heard what the Buddha had said, and all of them were greatly pleased and they all believed it, received it, and practiced it.

The Vajrachchedika Prajña Paramita Sutra (pt1)

The Diamond Sutra – Part 1

(The Vajrachchedika Prajña Paramita Sutra)

(underlined words are spoken by the service leader)

(1) Thus have I heard at one time, the Buddha was in the state of Sravasti at the Jeta Grove with a gathering of monks numbering 1,250. At mealtime, the World-honoured One put on his robe, picked up his bowl, and went into the city of Sravasti to beg for food. After he had gone from house to house, he returned to the grove. When he had finished eating, he put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, straightened his mat, and sat down.

(2) At that time the elder monk Subhuti was among the gathering of monks. He arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, kneeled on his right knee, and with his palms pressed together before him, respectfully spoke to the Buddha saying, “Rare One, World-honoured One, the Tathagata protects and is concerned about all bodhisattvas, and he instructs all bodhisattvas. World-honoured One, when good men and good women commit themselves to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, on what should they base themselves, and how should they subdue their minds?” The Buddha said, “Wonderful! Wonderful! Subhuti, you said that the Tathagata protects and is concerned about all bodhisattvas, and that he instructs all bodhisattvas. Now listen carefully while I tell you, when good men and good women commit themselves to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, what should they base themselves, and how they should subdue their minds.”

“Excellent, World-honoured One, I eagerly await your answer.”  

(3) The Buddha said to Subhuti, “All great bodhisattvas should subdue their minds in the following manner: they should realize as they vow to save all sentient beings that in truth there are no sentient beings to be saved. And they should realize as they vow to save all of the infinite, innumerable, illimitable sentient beings that in reality there are no sentient beings to be saved. When they vow to lead them all to nirvana without remainder – be they born of eggs, wombs, moisture, or transformation, or whether they have form, of no form, or whether they are able to perceive, or do not perceive, or cannot perceive, or will not perceive – they should realize that in truth there are no sentient beings to be led to nirvana. And why is this? Subhuti, if a bodhisattva has lakshana of self, lakshana of human beings, lakshana of sentient beings, or lakshana of a soul, then he is not a bodhisattva.

(4) “Moreover, Subhuti, within this phenomenal world, a bodhisattva ought to practice generosity without basing it on anything. This means that he should not base his generosity on form, and he should not base his generosity on sound, smell, taste, touch, or thought. Subhuti, the generosity of a bodhisattva should be like this and it should not be based on lakshana whatsoever. And why is this? If the generosity is not based on any lakshana whatsoever, then his goodness will be immeasurable. Subhuti, what so you say, can vast space to the east of us be measured?”

“No, it cannot World-honoured One.”

“Subhuti, can the vastness of space in any direction be measured? Can the vastness of space to the south, west, north, up or down be measured?”

“No, it cannot, World-honoured One.”

“Subhuti, when the generosity of a bodhisattva is not based on lakshana, his goodness is just as immeasurable as that. Subhuti, a bodhisattva should base himself on this teaching and this teaching alone.

(5) Subhuti, what do you say, can you see the Tathagata in his bodily lakshana?”

“No, World-honoured One, no one can see the Tathagata in his bodily lakshana. And why is this? The bodily lakshana that the Tathagata is talking about is not bodily lakshana.”

The Buddha said to Subhuti, “All lakshana are delusive. If you can see that all lakshana are not lakshana, then you will see the Tathagata.”

(6) Subhuti said to the Buddha, “World-honoured One, can sentient beings, upon hearing these words, really be expected to believe them?”

The Buddha told Subhuti, “Don’t talk like that! Even after I have gone for five hundred years there will still be people who are moral and who cultivate goodness. If they can believe this teaching and accept it as truth, you can be sure that they will plant good roots not just with one Buddha, or two Buddhas, or three or four or five Buddhas, but that they will plant good roots with infinite tens of millions of Buddhas. And if someone has so much as a single pure moment of belief concerning this teaching, Subhuti, they will be intimately known and seen by the Tathagata. And what is the reason that these sentient beings will attain so much infinite goodness? These sentient beings will not return to the lakshana of self, the lakshana of human beings, the lakshana of sentient beings, the lakshana of souls, the lakshana of laws, or the lakshana of non-laws. And why is this? If a sentient being clings to lakshana in his mind, then he will cling to self, human beings, sentient beings, or souls. If he clings to the lakshana of a law, then he will also cling to self, human beings, sentient beings, or souls. And why is this? If he clings to even so little as the lakshana of a non-law, then he will also cling to self, human beings, sentient beings, or souls. Thus he must not cling to laws or non-laws, and this is why I have often said to you monks that even my teachings should be understood to be like a raft; if even the Dharma must be let go of, then how much ore must everything else be let go of?

(7)”Subhuti, what do you say? Has the Tathagata really attained anuttara-samyak-sambodhi? Has the Tathagata really spoken a Dharma?”

Subhuti said, “As far as I understand what the Buddha has said, there is no definite Dharma that can be called anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, and there is no definite Dharma that could be spoken about by the Tathagata. And why is this? The Dharma of which the Tathagata speaks cannot be held onto, it cannot be spoken, it is not a law, and it is not a non-law. And that is why all bodhisattvas understand the unconditioned Dharmas differently.”

(8)”Subhuti, what do you say? If a person, in an act of generosity, were to give away enough precious jewels to fill and entire great chiliocosm, would the goodness he achieved be great or not?”

Subhuti said, “It would be very great, World-honoured One! And why is this? This goodness is devoid of a ‘goodness nature’ and therefore the Tathagata would say that it is great.”

“If someone else were to receive and uphold as few as four verses of this sutra, and if he were to teach them to others, his goodness would be even greater than that. And why is this? Subhuti, all Buddhas and all anuttara-samyak-sambodhi are born of this sutra. Subhuti, that which is called the ‘Buddhadharma’ is not the Buddhadharma.

(9)”Subhuti, what do you say? Would it be right for a srotapana to think like this: ‘I have attained the fruits of a srotapana’?”

Subhuti said, “No, World-honoured One. And why is this? Srotapana means ‘stream-enterer,’ and yet there is nothing to be entered. Indeed, to not enter into form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or thought is what is called srotapana.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Would it be right for a sakradagami to think like this: ‘I have attained the fruit of a sakradagami’?”

Subhuti said, “No, World-honoured One. And why is this? Sakradagami means ‘once-returned’, and yet there is no such thing as ‘returning’. This is what is called sakradagami.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Would it be right for an anagami to think like this: ‘I have attained the fruit of an anagami’?”

Subhuti said, “No, World-honoured One. And why is this? Anagami means ‘never-returning’, and yet in truth there is no such thing as ‘never returning’. This is why it is called ‘anagami’”.

“Subhuti, what do you say? Would it be right for an Arhat to think like this: ‘I have attained the path of an Arhat’?”

Subhuti said, “No, World-honoured One. And why is this? There is no Dharma called ‘Arhat’. World-honoured One, if an Arhat were to think ‘I have attained the path of an Arhat’, then he would be clinging to self, human being, sentient being, and soul. World-honoured One, the Buddha has said that I have attained non-disputational samadhi, and that among all people, I am the best in this; and that among all Arhats, I am also the best at going beyond desire. And yet, I do not have the thought that I am an Arhat that has gone beyond desire. World-honoured One, if I were to have the thought that I had attained the path of an Arhat, the World-honoured One would not have said that Subhuti takes delight in the practice of aranya. Since Subhuti is wholly without any practice, Subhuti has been said to take delight in the practice of aranya.”

(10)The Buddha said to Subhuti, “What do you say? When the Tathagata was in the realm of Dip Ankara Buddha, did he gain anything by hid practice of the Dharma?”

“No, World-honoured One, when the Tathagata was in the realm of Dip Ankara Buddha, he did not gain anything from his practice of the Dharma.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Does a bodhisattva make a Buddha-realm magnificent?”

“No, World-honoured One. And why is this? That which makes a Buddha-realm magnificent is not ‘magnificent’, and this is what is called ‘magnificent’.”

“For this reason Subhuti, all great bodhisattvas should give rise to purity of mind in this way: they should give rise to a mind that is not based on form, and they should give rise to a mind that is not based on form, and they should give rise to a mind that is not based on sound, smell, taste, or thought. They should give rise to a mind that is not based on anything. Subhuti, what do you say? If a man’s body were as large as Mount Sumeru, would that body be large?”

Subhuti said “Very large, World-honoured One. And why is this? The Buddha has said that no body is what is called the large body.”

(11)”Subhuti, if each grain of sand in the Ganges River were to become a Ganges River, and if the sand in all of those rivers were added up, what would you say? Would that be a lot of sand?”

Subhuti said, “It would be very much, World-honoured One. The number of Ganges Rivers alone would be enormous; the amount of sand would be even greater than that.”

“Subhuti, I am going to speak the truth to you now: if a good man or good woman were to give away as many great chiliocosms of precious jewels as all of those grains of sand, would his goodness be great?”

Subhuti said, “It would be very great World-honoured One.”

The Buddha said to Subhuti, “If a good man or a good woman receives and upholds as few as four verses of this sutra, and if he teaches it to others, then his goodness will be greater than that.”

(12)”Furthermore, Subhuti, anyone who speaks about this sutra, even as little as only four verses of it, should be honoured by people in this world, by those in heaven, and by asuras as if he were a Buddhist shrine. And anyone who practices the teachings of this sutra with all of his strength, or who reads it or chants it, should be honoured that much more. Subhuti, you should know that such a person already has become accomplished in the highest and rarest of Dharmas. Wherever this sutra can be found, there is the Buddha; and it should be honoured as if it were one of his disciples.”

(13)At that point, Subhuti asked the Buddha, “World-honoured One, what should this sutra be called, and how should we receive it and uphold it?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti, “This sutra is called the Vajrachchedika Prajñaparamita, and by this name you should receive it and uphold it. And why is this? Subhuti, the Buddha has said that Prajñaparamita is not ‘Prajñaparamita’ and that that is what is called Prajñaparamita. Subhuti, what do you say? Does the Tathagata really have some Dharma to speak about?”

Subhuti said to the Buddha, “World-honoured One, the Tathagata has nothing to speak about.”

“Subhuti, what do you say? Is the fine dust of an entire great chiliocosm a lot of dust or not?”

Subhuti said, “It is a lot, World-honoured One.”

“Subhuti, the Tathagata says that all of that fine dust is not fine dust, and that that is what is called ‘fine dust’. The Tathagata says that the world is not the ‘world’, and that that is what is called the ‘world’. Subhuti, what do you say? Can the Tathagata be seen by his thirty-two marks?”

“No, World-honoured One. And why is this? The Tathagata has said that the thirty-two marks are not the ‘thirty-two marks’ and that that is what is called the thirty-two marks.”

“Subhuti, if a good man of a good woman were to practice generosity with as many lives as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, their goodness would still not be as great as that of someone who upheld as few as four verses of this sutra and who spoke of them to others.”

(14)Then after hearing this sutra and comprehending its deep meaning, Subhuti wept out loud and said to the Buddha, “Rare One, World-honoured One, of all of the wise things that I ever heard, I have never heard anything as profound as the sutra that the Buddha has just spoken. World-honoured One, if anyone should hear this sutra and believe it with a pure mind, then he will give rise to the true lakshana, and he will attain supreme goodness of the rarest kind. World-honoured One, the true lakshana is not a ‘lakshana’, and that is why the Tathagata has called it a true lakshana. World-honoured One, today I have heard this sutra, believed it, understood it, received it, and upheld it, and this was not difficult. If five hundred years from now, someone should hear this sutra, believe it, understand it, receive it and uphold it, then that person will be a rare person indeed. And why is this? That person will be without lakshana of self, lakshana of people, lakshana of sentient beings, or lakshana of soul. And why is this? That which is separate from all lakshana is called ‘all Buddhas’”.

The Buddha said to Subhuti, “Just so, just so. Moreover, if a person hears this sutra and does not become alarmed, or frightened, or scared, then this person is indeed a rare person. And why is this? Subhuti, the Tathagata has said that the supreme paramita is not the ‘supreme paramita’ and that this is what is called the supreme paramita. Subhuti, the Tathagata has said that patience under insult is not the ‘paramita of patience under insult’. And why is this? Subhuti, long ago when the flesh of the Tathagata was cut away by Kalingaraja, I had no lakshana of a self, no lakshana of a person, no lakshana of sentient beings, and no lakshana of a soul. And why is this? If at that distant time, as my flesh was being cut away piece by piece, if I had a lakshana of self, lakshana of people, lakshana of sentient beings, or lakshana of a soul, I would have become angry. Subhuti, think about this some more; five hundred generations ago when I was patient under insult, I was without lakshana of self, lakshana of people, lakshana of sentient beings, or lakshana of a soul. For this reason, Subhuti, a bodhisattva should disentangle himself from all lakshana and commit himself to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi; and he should not give rise to a mind based on form, and he should not give rise to a mind based on sound, smell, taste, touch, or thought. He should give rise to a mind that is not based on anything. Even if the mind is based on something, it is not really based on anything, and for this reason the Buddha says that the generosity of a bodhisattva should not be based on form. Subhuti, a bodhisattva should be generous in this way for the purpose of aiding all sentient beings. The Tathagata says that all lakshana are not ‘lakshana’ and therefore he also says that all sentient beings are not ‘sentient beings’. Subhuti, the Dharma that the Tathagata has attained is not true and it is not false. Subhuti, when a bodhisattva bases his mind on some dharma and then acts generously, he is like a person who has entered into darkness, and he sees nothing at all. But when a bodhisattva does not base his mind on any dharma and then acts generously, he is like someone who has eyes in the full light of the sun and he sees all forms very clearly. Subhuti, if in the future generations there are good men and good women who can practice this sutra, and read it, and chant it, then the Tathagata in his Buddha-wisdom intimately will know and intimately will see those people, and they will attain complete limitless and boundless goodness.

(15)Subhuti, even if a good man or a good woman were generous in the morning with as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and even if this generosity were repeated at night with as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and even if all of this generosity were continued for an infinite and immense number of eons, still his of her goodness would not be as great as that of another person who heard this sutra, who believed it, and who did not go against it. And if this is so, imagine how much greater is the goodness of one who copies this sutra, practices it, reads it, chants it, and explains it to others. Subhuti, the most important thing that can be said about this sutra is that its goodness is inconceivable, immeasurable, and borderless. The Tathagata speaks this sutra to those who have committed themselves to the supreme vehicle. Those who uphold this sutra, and read it, and chant it, and explain it to others, will be intimately known and intimately seen by the Tathagata. And all such people will attain to a goodness that is immeasurable, unlimited, borderless, and inconceivable. And all such people will share in the anuttara-samyak-sambodhi of the Tathagata. And why is this? Subhuti, those who delight in the lower dharmas cling to a view of self, a view of people, a view of sentient beings, and a view of a soul and thus they are not able to listen to this sutra, to receive it, to read it, to chant it, or to explain it to others. Subhuti, in whatever place this sutra can be found, it should be honoured by all who are in this world, and all in heaven, and all asuras, and they should treat this place as if it were a shrine, and should surround it and bow to it and pay their deepest respects to it. And they should scatter incense and flowers all around this place.

(16)Furthermore, Subhuti, if a good man or a good woman is slighted or ridiculed by others for upholding, reading, or chanting this sutra, it is due to bad karma incurred in a former life. That bad karma should be the cause of the person falling into a lower realm, but in this life he is just being slighted and ridiculed. Eventually his bad karma from previous lives will be eradicated and he will attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Subhuti, I remember countless eons ago, before Dip Ankara Buddha, when I met, honoured, and made offerings to all of the countless Buddhas in the universe without excluding a single one of them. If someone in the Dharma-declining age can practice, read, and chant this sutra, the goodness he will attain will be 100 times, nay, a billion-billion times, nay, an incalculable number of times that cannot even be suggested by metaphors, greater than the goodness I attained for honouring all Buddhas. Subhuti, if I were to say completely how great is the goodness attained by a good man or a good woman who practices, reads, and chants this sutra in the Dharma-declining age, there would be those whose minds would become crazy upon hear this, and they would form deep doubts and not believe it. Subhuti, it is enough to know that this sutra is inconceivably great, and that the rewards it offers are also inconceivably great”.