Lectures on the Diamond Sutra

Segment 11 / Unconditioned Supreme fortune The Buddha askes Subhūti: “Subhūti, do you think the number of grains of sand in the Ganges River is vast? If there were rivers as many as the grains of sand in the Ganges，would the total of grains of sand in all those rivers be vast? ” Subhūti responded, “Indeed, … Read more

Segment 10 / The Adornment of the Pure Land The Buddha asked Subhūti, “What do you think? When the Tathāgata was in the presence of the Lamp- Light Buddha in the past, did he attain anything in the Dharma or not?” Subhūti responded, “No, World-Honoured One. The Tathāgata, in the presence of the Lamp-Light Buddha, … Read more

Segment 9 / The Form and the Emptiness of the Form The Buddha asked Subhūti, “What do you think, Subhūti? Can a stream-enterer (Sotapanna) think, ‘I have attained the fruit of stream-entry’?” Subhūti responded, “No, World-Honoured One! Why is that? Because a stream-enterer is described as one who has entered the stream, but in reality, … Read more

Segment 8 / The Birth According to Dharma The Buddha asked Subhūti, “What do you think? If a person were to fill the three thousand great thousand worlds with the seven treasures and offer them for almsgiving, would that good fortune be great?” Subhūti replied, “Extremely great, World-Honored One! Why? It is because the good … Read more

Segment 7 / Non-Attainment and Non-Speakable The Buddha asked Subhūti, “What do you think? Does the Tathāgata attain the unsurpassed, complete equal and complete awareness (anuttara-samyak-sambodhi)? Does the Tathāgata have Dharma  that he teaches?” Subhūti responded, “According to my understanding of the Buddha’s teaching there is no fixed Dharma called ‘anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, ’nor is there any fixed Dharma that the Tathāgata teaches. Why is this so? Because the teaching of the Tathāgata cannot be clung to, and cannot be expressed, … Read more

Segment 6 / The Rare and Precious Faith Subhūti asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, are there beings who, upon hearing these words and phrases, will develop true faith?” The Buddha replied to Subhūti, “Do not speak in such a way. After the Tathāgata’s passing, in the last five hundred years that follow, there will be … Read more

Segment  5 / the Right Understanding of Reality The Buddha asked Subhūti, “What do you think? Can Tathāgata be seen through physical form?” Subhūti replied, “No, World-Honored One. The Tathāgata cannot be seen through physical form. Why is this? When the Tathagata speaks of physical form, it is not the true form. The Buddha then explained to … Read more

Segment 4 / the Wondrous Practice of Non-Attachment The Buddha continued speaking to Venerable Subhūti “Moreover, Subhūti, a Bodhisattva should not attach to anything when practicing the Dharma. In the act of almsgiving, the Bodhisattva should not be attached to form, nor to sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects.” Subhūti, a Bodhisattva should practice almsgiving in this way, without attachment … Read more

Segment 3 / The True Doctrine of the Mahāyāna The Buddha said to Subhūti: “Bodhisattvas should subdue their minds in this way. All types of beings—whether born from eggs, from the womb, from moisture, or by transformation; whether possessing form or devoid of form; whether thoughtful or thoughtless, or neither thoughtful nor thoughtless—are all led by me … Read more

Segment 2 / The Request for Clarity At that time, Venerable Subhūti rose from his seat in the assembly, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and placed his palms together in reverence. He respectfully addressed the Buddha: “How rare, World-Honored One! The Tathāgata skillfully protects the right mindfulness of all Bodhisattvas，as well … Read more