THE DIAMOND SUTRA

Thus have I heard.

The reason for the gathering.

Once, the awakened one was staying near a great city, in a garden grove within the royal domain, a park that a prince had given and that a generous minister, famous for his kindness and his gifts, had made ready. Gathered with him were twelve hundred and fifty who had left home to follow the path, and all of them had come far in wisdom.

As the hour of the morning meal drew near, the awakened one put on his robe and took up his bowl and walked into the great city to beg for food. From door to door he went, receiving whatever the good people freely gave. When this was done he returned to the grove, ate the simple meal he had been given, put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, and sat down in the place kept ready for him.

The elder’s question.

Then, from within the gathering, the elder rose from his seat. He arranged his robe so that his right shoulder was bare, knelt on his right knee, pressed his palms together, and raised them toward the awakened one with reverence. He said, “You are of deep wisdom, awakened one. With wonderful care you keep those who follow you in faith, and you instruct them in the teaching. Tell me: if a good man or woman longs for the highest, most complete awakening, on what should such a person let the mind rest, and how should the mind master every restless desire?”

The awakened one answered, “Well asked. It is as you say. I keep those who follow me in faith, and I instruct them in the teaching. Listen closely, and I will tell you. If a good man or woman longs for the highest, most complete awakening, this is how the mind is to be settled, and how every restless desire is brought under control.”

The elder was glad, and listened.

The true way.

The awakened one said, “By this the mind is mastered. Every kind of living thing, those born from eggs, those born from the womb, those born from moisture, those born by sudden change; those with form and those without; those with awareness, those without, and those neither with awareness nor without it, every one of these I would lead across into the final peace that leaves nothing behind. And when countless, measureless, endless beings have been carried across, in truth not a single being has been carried across. Why? Because in the mind of one bound for awakening there is no notion of a self, a person, a living being, or a soul.”

Giving that rests on nothing.

“And there is more. One bound for awakening should give freely, resting on nothing. He should give without resting on what the eye sees, and without resting on sound, scent, taste, touch, or any object of the mind. This is how such a one should give, without clinging to any appearance. Why? Because when a person gives without clinging to appearances, the merit is beyond all measure.

Tell me: can the vast reach of space to the east be measured?”

“No, awakened one. It cannot be measured.”

“And the space to the south, the west, the north, above and below, can any of it be measured?”

“No, awakened one. None of it can be measured.”

“Just so, when one bound for awakening gives without clinging to appearances, the merit cannot be measured. This is where such a mind should rest.”

Seeing what is truly there.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: can I be seen by this bodily form?”

“No, awakened one. You cannot be seen by bodily form. Why? Because what you call a bodily form is, in truth, not a bodily form.”

The awakened one said, “Every form, every appearance, is fleeting and false. When you see that appearances are not real appearances, then you see the one who comes thus.”

Rare and true faith.

The elder asked, “Awakened one, in the ages to come, when these words are taught, will there be any who hear them and give rise to true faith?”

The awakened one answered, “Do not doubt it. Even five hundred years after I have passed into final peace, there will be those who keep the precepts and do good, and hearing these words they will trust them, and give rise to a pure and undivided faith. Know that such faith does not take root near one awakened one alone, but has grown near countless awakened ones across countless ages. Hearing these words, even for a single moment, many will give rise to a pure and holy faith.

I know them all, and I see them all. For such people a measureless merit is kept. Why? Because their minds no longer hold to a self, a person, a living being, or a soul; nor do they hold to the notion of a teaching, nor to the notion of no-teaching. Why? Because if they grasped at appearances, they would still be clinging to a self, a person, a living being, or a soul. And if they grasped at the notion of a teaching, they would be clinging still. And if they grasped at the notion of no-teaching, they would be clinging still. So do not grasp at the teaching, and do not grasp at no-teaching.

This is why I have always told you: know that the teaching I give is like a raft. If even the teaching must be let go once it has carried you across, how much more must you let go of what is not the teaching.”

Nothing attained, nothing taught.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: have I truly reached the highest, most complete awakening? And do I have some fixed teaching that can be set down in words?”

The elder answered, “As I understand what you have said, there is no fixed thing that can be called the highest, most complete awakening, and no fixed teaching you can put into words. Why? Because what you point to cannot be held and cannot be spoken. It is neither the teaching nor apart from the teaching. For every wise and awakened one lives by what is uncreated, and this is what sets them apart.”

Born from this teaching.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: if someone filled a whole universe with the seven treasures and gave them all away, would that person gain great merit?”

The elder answered, “Great merit indeed, awakened one. And yet, because this merit is not merit of a fixed and lasting kind, you can call it great.”

The awakened one said, “But if someone held to even four lines of this teaching and made them clear to others, the merit would be greater still. Why? Because from this teaching every awakened one, and the awakening they reached, has come forth. And yet what is called the teaching of the awakened is not, in truth, the teaching of the awakened. That is only its name.”

None of them claims a prize.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: does one who has stepped into the current think to himself, ‘I have gained the fruit of stepping into the current’?”

“No, awakened one. Why? Because stepping into the current is only a name. He has stepped into nothing. He does not enter form, sound, scent, taste, touch, or any object of the mind. That is why he is called one who has stepped into the current.”

“Does one who returns just once more think, ‘I have gained the fruit of returning once more’?”

“No, awakened one. Why? Because returning once more is only a name. In truth there is no coming and going. That is why he is so called.”

“Does one who does not return think, ‘I have gained the fruit of not returning’?”

“No, awakened one. Why? Because not returning is only a name. In truth there is no such thing as not returning. That is why he is so called.”

“Does one who has arrived think, ‘I have gained the state of one who has arrived’?”

“No, awakened one. Why? Because in truth there is nothing that is one who has arrived. If such a one thought, ‘I have arrived,’ he would still be clinging to a self, a person, a living being, or a soul. Awakened one, you have said that I am first among your followers in stillness of mind, a man free of desire who has arrived. Yet I do not think, ‘I am one who has arrived, free of desire.’ If I thought, ‘I have gained the state of one who has arrived,’ you would not say of me that I delight in the quiet of stillness. Because I cling to nothing, it is said that I delight in the quiet of stillness.”

No land to build, no place to rest.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: long ago, when I was a follower of the awakened one of an earlier age, was any fixed teaching handed to me by which I became awakened?”

“No, awakened one. When you were his follower, no fixed teaching was handed to you by which you became awakened.”

“Tell me: does one bound for awakening set out to build glorious realms?”

“No, awakened one. Why? Because realms so built are not, in truth, glorious realms. Building glorious realms is only a way of speaking.”

“So then, one bound for awakening should give rise to a pure and clear mind, a mind that does not rest on what the eye sees, nor on sound, scent, taste, touch, or any object of the mind. He should give rise to a mind that rests on nothing at all.

Tell me: if a man had a body as great as the great mountain, king of mountains, would you call that body great?”

“Very great, awakened one. And yet you have said this is no real body, only what is called a great body.”

The blessing beyond measure.

The awakened one asked, “If there were as many rivers as there are grains of sand in the great river, would the grains of sand in all those rivers be many?”

“Very many, awakened one. The rivers alone would be beyond counting, how much more the grains of sand.”

“I tell you truly: if a good man or woman filled that many whole universes with the seven treasures and gave them all away, would the merit be great?”

“Very great, awakened one.”

“Yet if a good man or woman held to even four lines of this teaching and made them clear to others, the merit would be greater still.”

Honoring the teaching.

The awakened one said, “Wherever this teaching is spoken, even only four lines of it, know that this place is holy, and all the world of gods, humans, and spirits should honor it as they would a shrine. How much more, then, the one who takes up the whole of this teaching, keeps it, and studies it. Know that such a person gains the highest and most wonderful awakening. Wherever this teaching is kept, there the awakened one is present, and there are those worthy of honor.”

The name of this teaching.

Then the elder asked, “Awakened one, by what name shall we know this teaching, and honor it?”

The awakened one answered, “This teaching shall be known as the wisdom that cuts through everything, the wisdom gone all the way beyond, by which we reach the farther shore. By this name honor it. Why? Because what I call the wisdom gone all the way beyond is, in truth, not that wisdom, and that is why it is so named.

Tell me: do I have any fixed teaching to give?”

“No, awakened one. You have no fixed teaching to give.”

“Tell me: are the specks of dust in a whole universe many?”

“Very many, awakened one.”

“These specks of dust are not, in truth, specks of dust. That is only their name. And these worlds are not, in truth, worlds. That is only their name.

Tell me: can I be seen by the thirty-two marks?”

“No, awakened one. You cannot be seen by the thirty-two marks. Why? Because what you call the thirty-two marks are not, in truth, marks. That is only their name.”

“If a good man or woman gave up life itself as many times as there are grains of sand in the great river, and another held to even four lines of this teaching and made them clear to others, the merit of the second would be greater still.”

Peace beyond all appearances.

By now the elder had understood the deep meaning of these words, and he was moved to tears. He said to the awakened one, “It is wonderful, awakened one. Never have I heard a teaching so deep as this, since first I gained the eyes to see. Awakened one, if anyone hears this teaching with a pure and clear faith and sees the truth of it, know that such a person gains the rarest merit. And this truth, this seeing, is, in truth, not a thing seen. That is only its name.

Awakened one, it is not hard for me to hear this teaching now, to believe and understand and hold it. But in the ages to come, those who hear it, believe it, understand it, and keep it, they will be the rarest of all. Why? Because such people hold no notion of a self, a person, a living being, or a soul. And why? Because the notion of a self is no notion, and the notion of a person, a living being, or a soul is no notion. It is by letting go of every notion that one is called awakened.”

The awakened one said, “So it is. And if someone hears this teaching and is not startled, not frightened, not dismayed, know that such a person is rare. Why? Because what I call the highest perfection is, in truth, not the highest perfection. That is only its name.

And the perfection of patience, what I call the perfection of patience is, in truth, not that perfection. That is only its name. Why? Because long ago, when a cruel king cut the flesh from my limbs and body, I held no notion of a self, a person, a living being, or a soul. Had I held such notions while my body was torn apart, anger and hatred would have risen in me. I remember five hundred lives ago, when I lived as one who taught patience, and even then I held no notion of a self, a person, a living being, or a soul.

So one bound for awakening should let go of every appearance and give rise to the highest, most complete awakening. He should give rise to a mind that does not rest on what the eye sees, nor on sound, scent, taste, touch, or any object of the mind. He should give rise to a mind that rests on nothing. If the mind rests on anything, that resting is not a true resting. This is why I say that one bound for awakening should give without letting the mind rest on appearances. One bound for awakening should give for the good of all living things. And what I call living things are, in truth, not living things, and what I call the whole realm of living beings is not, in truth, that realm.

The elder, my words are true, they are real, they are just as things are. I do not deceive, and I do not speak in riddles. The truth I have reached is neither real nor unreal. One who gives with a mind resting on appearances is like a man who walks into the dark and sees nothing. One who gives with a mind resting on nothing is like a man with open eyes who sees everything clearly in the full light of the sun. In the ages to come, if a good man or woman takes up this teaching, keeps it, and studies it, I see and know that person with the eye of awakening, and for such a one there is merit beyond all measure.”

The worth of holding this teaching.

The awakened one said, “If a good man or woman gave up life itself as many times as there are grains of sand in the great river, in the morning, at noon, and at evening, and went on so through countless ages, and if another heard this teaching and believed it without turning away, the merit of the second would be greater. How much greater still is the merit of one who writes it out, keeps it, studies it, and makes it clear to others.

The elder, the worth of this teaching cannot be told. It is beyond measure, beyond compare, without end. I give it to those setting out on the great way, to those setting out on the highest way. If anyone keeps it, studies it, and teaches it widely, I know and see that person, and for such a one there is merit beyond measure, beyond compare, without limit, beyond thought. Such people take up the very awakening I have reached. Why? Because one who is content with a small and narrow teaching, still clinging to a self, a person, a living being, or a soul, cannot hear this teaching, cannot keep it, cannot study it, cannot make it clear to others. Wherever this teaching is kept, there all the world of gods, humans, and spirits should come to honor it. Know that place is a shrine, to be reverenced and circled and strewn with flowers and sweet incense.”

How hardship wears the past away.

The awakened one said, “Furthermore, if a good man or woman keeps and studies this teaching and is still despised by others, it is because of grave wrongs done in a former life, wrongs that would have led to a lower birth. But because in this life the person is despised, those former wrongs are worn away, and the person will reach the highest, most complete awakening.

The elder, I remember, countless ages ago, before the awakened one of an earlier age, there were many awakened ones I served and honored, letting none pass by. Yet in the ages to come, if anyone can keep and study this teaching, the merit of that person will so far surpass the merit of all my service to those awakened ones that mine could not be measured against it, not a hundredth part, not by any number or likeness.

The elder, if I told the full merit gained by a good man or woman who keeps and studies this teaching in the ages to come, some who heard it would lose their reason, or doubt, or disbelieve. Know that just as the meaning of this teaching is beyond thought, so is its fruit beyond thought.”

In the end, no self.

Then the elder asked, “Awakened one, if a good man or woman longs for the highest, most complete awakening, on what should the mind rest, and how should every restless desire be mastered?”

The awakened one answered, “One who longs for the highest, most complete awakening should settle the mind like this: ‘I must lead all living things across into final peace, and when all have been led across, in truth not one living thing has been led across.’ Why? Because if one bound for awakening still holds the notion of a self, a person, a living being, or a soul, then he is not truly one bound for awakening. Why? Because there is in truth no fixed thing that is one who longs for the highest, most complete awakening.

Tell me: when I was a follower of the awakened one of an earlier age, was there any teaching by which I reached the highest, most complete awakening?”

“No, awakened one. As I understand your words, there was no such teaching.”

The awakened one said, “So it is. In truth there is no teaching by which I reached the highest, most complete awakening. Had there been such a teaching, the awakened one of an earlier age would not have foretold of me, ‘In an age to come you shall become an awakened one.’ Because there is in truth no such teaching, he foretold it. Why? Because the one who comes thus means the very suchness of all things. If anyone says I have reached the highest, most complete awakening, know that in truth there is no such teaching by which it is reached. The awakening I have reached is neither real nor unreal. And so I say that all things are the awakened one’s teaching. Yet what I call all things are not, in truth, all things. That is only their name.

The elder, it is like a man with a great body.”

The elder said, “What you call a great body is, in truth, not a great body. That is only its name.”

“So it is. If one bound for awakening said, ‘I must lead countless beings across,’ then he is not truly one bound for awakening. Why? Because there is in truth nothing that is one bound for awakening. This is why I say that all things hold no self, no person, no living being, no soul. And if one bound for awakening said, ‘I must build glorious realms,’ he is not truly one bound for awakening. Why? Because what I call building glorious realms is not, in truth, building. That is only its name. One bound for awakening who has understood that all things are without a self, such a one I call truly bound for awakening.”

One who sees all minds.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: do I have the eye of the flesh?”

“Yes, awakened one, you have the eye of the flesh.”

“Do I have the eye of the heavens?”

“Yes, awakened one, you have the eye of the heavens.”

“Do I have the eye of wisdom?”

“Yes, awakened one, you have the eye of wisdom.”

“Do I have the eye of truth?”

“Yes, awakened one, you have the eye of truth.”

“Do I have the eye of awakening?”

“Yes, awakened one, you have the eye of awakening.”

“Tell me: the grains of sand in the great river, have I called them grains of sand?”

“Yes, awakened one, you have called them grains of sand.”

“If there were as many rivers as the grains of sand in the great river, and as many worlds as the grains of sand in all those rivers, would those worlds be many?”

“Very many, awakened one.”

“In all those worlds, every kind of mind, every turn of thought, is known to me. Why? Because what I call the turnings of the mind are not, in truth, turnings of the mind. That is only their name. Why? Because the mind of the past cannot be grasped, the mind of the present cannot be grasped, and the mind of the future cannot be grasped.”

Merit that is no merit.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: if someone filled a whole universe with the seven treasures and gave them all away, would that person gain great merit?”

“Yes, awakened one, that person would gain great merit.”

“If merit were a real and lasting thing, I would not have called it great. Because merit is not a fixed thing, I call it great.”

Beyond form and features.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: can I be seen by the perfection of my bodily form?”

“No, awakened one. You cannot be seen by the perfection of bodily form. Why? Because what you call the perfection of bodily form is not, in truth, that perfection. That is only its name.”

“Can I be seen by the perfection of my marks and features?”

“No, awakened one. Why? Because what you call the perfection of features is not, in truth, that perfection. That is only its name.”

Nothing is taught.

The awakened one said, “Do not say that I think, ‘I have a teaching to give.’ Do not think so. Why? Because if anyone says I have a teaching to give, he speaks falsely of me and has not understood my words. The elder, to give a teaching is, in truth, to have no teaching to give. That is only its name.”

Then the elder asked, “Awakened one, in the ages to come will there be beings who hear this teaching and give rise to faith?”

The awakened one answered, “They are neither beings nor not beings. Why? Because what I call beings are not, in truth, beings. That is only their name.”

Nothing is gained.

The elder asked, “Awakened one, when you reached the highest, most complete awakening, did you gain nothing at all?”

The awakened one answered, “So it is. In reaching the highest, most complete awakening, I gained not the least thing, and that is why it is called the highest, most complete awakening.”

A level ground, and the practice of good.

The awakened one said, “This truth is level and even. It is neither higher nor lower. That is why it is called the highest, most complete awakening. To practice all that is good, holding no notion of a self, a person, a living being, or a soul, is to reach the highest, most complete awakening. Yet what I call good is not, in truth, good. That is only its name.”

Blessings beyond compare.

The awakened one said, “If someone heaped up the seven treasures as high as all the great mountains, king of mountains, in a whole universe, and gave them all away, and if another held to even four lines of this teaching, kept them, and made them clear to others, the merit of the first could not be measured against the merit of the second, not a hundredth part, not by any number or likeness.”

No one to save.

The awakened one said, “Tell me: do not say that I think, ‘I bring living things across to final peace.’ Do not think so. Why? Because in truth there is no living thing that I bring across. If there were, I would still be clinging to a self, a person, a living being, or a soul. The elder, what I call a self is, in truth, not a self, though ordinary people take it to be one. And what I call ordinary people are not, in truth, ordinary people. That is only their name.”

The awakened one is not a body.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: can I be seen by the thirty-two marks?”

The elder answered, “Yes, you can be seen by the thirty-two marks.”

The awakened one said, “If I could be seen by the thirty-two marks, then a great world-ruling king would be the same as an awakened one.”

The elder said, “Awakened one, as I understand your words, you cannot be seen by the thirty-two marks.”

Then the awakened one spoke these lines:

“Whoever looks for me in form, whoever seeks me in sound, walks a mistaken road and cannot see the awakened one.”

Nothing is cut off.

The awakened one said, “If you think, ‘The awakened one did not reach the highest, most complete awakening by the perfection of his marks,’ do not think so. And if you think, ‘One who longs for the highest, most complete awakening teaches that all things are cut off and destroyed,’ do not think so. One who longs for the highest, most complete awakening does not say that anything is cut off or destroyed.”

Making merit without grasping.

The awakened one said, “If one bound for awakening filled whole worlds, many as the grains of sand in the great river, with the seven treasures, and gave them all away, and if another, knowing that all things are without a self, came to rest in patience, the merit of the second would be greater. Why? Because those bound for awakening do not grasp at merit.”

The elder asked, “Awakened one, why do you say they do not grasp at merit?”

The awakened one answered, “Because those bound for awakening do not cling to the merit they make, out of greed for reward. That is why I say they do not grasp at merit.”

He neither comes nor goes.

The awakened one said, “If anyone says that I come or go, sit or lie down, he has not understood my words. Why? Because the one who comes thus does not come from anywhere and does not go anywhere. That is why he is called the one who comes thus.”

Dust and worlds.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: if a good man or woman ground a whole universe into specks of dust, would those specks be many?”

“Very many, awakened one. Why? Because if those specks were real, you would not have called them specks of dust. What you call specks of dust are not, in truth, specks of dust. That is only their name. And what you call a universe is not, in truth, a universe. That is only its name. Why? Because if a universe were real, it would be one single, solid, lasting thing. But what you call one single, solid, lasting thing is not, in truth, that. That is only its name.”

The awakened one said, “This one single, lasting thing cannot be spoken of. Only ordinary, worldly people grasp at it.”

No notions held.

The awakened one asked, “Tell me: if anyone says I have taught a notion of a self, a person, a living being, or a soul, has he understood my words?”

“No, awakened one. Why? Because what you call a notion of a self, a person, a living being, or a soul is not, in truth, such a notion. That is only its name.”

The awakened one said, “One who longs for the highest, most complete awakening should know all things, see all things, and trust all things in just this way, holding to no notion of a thing. What I call the notion of a thing is not, in truth, the notion of a thing. That is only its name.”

How to see this fleeting world.

The awakened one said, “If someone filled measureless worlds with the seven treasures and gave them all away, and if a good man or woman, longing for awakening, held to even four lines of this teaching, kept them, studied them, and made them clear to others, the merit of the second would be greater.

And how should it be made clear to others? Without clinging to appearances, resting in stillness, unmoved. Why?

So you should see this fleeting world: a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream, a flash of lightning in a summer cloud, a flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.”

When the awakened one had finished, the elder, and the monks and nuns, and the men and women who followed at home, and all the world of gods, humans, and spirits, heard his words with great joy. They took them to heart, and honored them, and went their way.