The Diamond Sutra, passage 461

The Lord Buddha said unto Subhuti: “If you think thus within yourself ‘The Lord Buddha did not, by means of his perfect bodily distinctions, obtain supreme spiritual wisdom,’ Subhuti, have no such deceptive thought! Or if you think thus within yourself, ‘In obtaining supreme spiritual wisdom, the Lord Buddha declared the abrogation of every Law,’ Subhuti, have no such delusive thought! And why? Because, those disciples who obtain supreme spiritual wisdom, neither affirm the abrogation of any Law, nor the destruction of any distinctive quality of phenomena.”[1]

The Diamond Sutra, passage 405

[3] “Bhagavat said, as many beings as there would be in all those worlds, I know the manifold trains of thought of them all. And why? Because, what was preached as the trains of thought, the trains of thought indeed, O Subhuti, that was preached by Tathagata as no train of thoughts, and therefore it is called the train of thoughts. And why? Because, O Subhuti, a past thought is not perceived, a future thought is not perceived,, and the present thought is not perceived.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 197

[5] “And is thy faith so much to give, Is it so hard a thing to see, That the Spirit of God, whate’er it be, The Law that abides and changes not, ages long, The Eternal and Nature-Born—these things be strong?”—_The Bacche_. Euripides (translated by Gilbert Murray).

The Diamond Sutra, passage 158

And why? Because, in the minds[4] of enlightened disciples there have ceased to exist such arbitrary concepts of phenomena as an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality.”[5]

The Diamond Sutra, passage 491

In these words are exemplified another profound aspect of Buddhist doctrine. Apart from interesting questions concerning the existence of an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality, another problem seems to arise regarding our ability to entirely perceive or “comprehend” those admitted abstract ideas. If we interpret aright the Buddhist doctrine, there are variously compounded within those abstract ideas, so many elusive spiritual elements, that the human mind is incapable of resolving them by any process of reasoning. In short—an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality, represents to the Buddhist mind, much more than it attempts to express in terms of philosophy.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 43

A similar process of reasoning appears to permeate the whole of _The Diamond Sutra_, and whether appertaining to a living being,[23] a virtue,[24] a condition of mind,[25] a Buddhist kingdom,[26] or a personal Buddha,[27] there is implied in each concept a spiritual essence, only imperfectly described, if not entirely overlooked, in the ordinary use of each particular name. Shakespeare enquired, “What’s in a name?” and in a thought inspired by the rose and its delicious fragrance, suggested with Buddha, that there is little, or nothing, in a name which explains the real nature of an object. Even a “particle of dust” seems, to the Buddhist mind, to embody in its composition a subtle spiritual element, entirely “inscrutable,” and quite “incomprehensible.”

The Diamond Sutra, passage 176

[4] The able commentator _Ti-Ching_ observes that many people, like Ananda—a favourite disciple of Buddha—are in error when they suppose their minds to be located within their material bodies. This interesting aspect of Buddhist psychology is made tolerably clear in the familiar narrative known generally as _The Enlightenment of Ananda_.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 243

[8] A Chinese annotator suggests it is almost self-evident that “absolute quiescence” is the condition of mind in which knowledge is acquired by intuition.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 450

The Lord Buddha, continuing, said unto Subhuti: “If by means of his thirty-two bodily distinctions it were possible to perceive the Lord Buddha, then the Lord Buddha would merely resemble one of the great wheel-turning kings.”[3]

The Diamond Sutra, passage 277

[2] Gold, silver, pearls, coral, cornelian, glass, and crystal.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 169

[1] Discoursing upon illusory ideas concerning the world of sentient life, the Lord Buddha stated that these were already eliminated from the minds of his enlightened disciples. The reference in the text is to disciples in process of instruction, and these the Lord Buddha commanded to relegate to oblivion the deceptive idea of the reality of sentient life, to dissolve within their minds its nauseous dregs, to put away its horrid stain, and cause it to vanish like snow in a glowing furnace.—_Chinese Annotation_.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 412

The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? Can the Lord Buddha be perceived by means of his perfect material body?”[1] Subhuti replied, saying: “Honoured of the Worlds! it is improbable that the Lord Buddha can be perceived by means of his perfect material body. And why? Because, what the Lord Buddha referred to as a ‘perfect material body,’ is not in reality a ‘perfect material body,’ it is merely termed a ‘perfect material body.’”

The Diamond Sutra, passage 509

Hardy, Spence, 4, 16, 21, 27, 30, 35, 36, 38, 46, 51, 53, 61, 78

The Diamond Sutra, passage 121

[43] In colloquial Chinese there is a noteworthy saying, that “Buddha is simply a condition of mind.” This “condition of mind” is beautifully expressed by a “classic” couplet, which, rendered into English, means “as pure as the image of the moon in a river,” and “as lovely as the bloom of a flower in a mirror” (Shui-Li-Chï-Yüeh, Ching-Li-Chï-Wha).

The Diamond Sutra, passage 32

Chinese annotators of _The Diamond Sutra_ seldom criticise adversely its classic terminology, or suggest many inapplicable alternative renderings. They appear to have surveyed the realm of “spiritual wisdom” enunciated by Sakyamuni Buddha, and thereafter to have become greatly impressed by the thought that, in its _Essence_, it might possibly be inexhaustible. This may in part explain their motive for incorporating in the commentary a familiar passage from _Lao-Tsz_, “Infinite truth is inexpressible”[18]—which in a measure illustrates the appreciable difficulty of stating, in exact terms of philosophy, the equivalent of the Buddhic “Law.”

The Diamond Sutra, passage 153

[7] “Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”—The Apostle Paul.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 446

“What do you think then, O Subhuti, does a Tathagata think in this wise: beings have been delivered by me? You should not think so. And why? Because, there is no being that has been delivered by the Tathagata. And if there were a being, O Subhuti, that had been delivered by the Tathagata, then Tathagata would believe in a self, a being, a living being, and a person. And what is called a belief in self, O Subhuti, that is preached as a no-belief by the Tathagata. And this is learned by children and ignorant persons, and they who were preached as children and ignorant persons, O Subhuti, were preached as no-persons by the Tathagata, and therefore they are called children and ignorant persons.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 98

[14] According to the text of _The Diamond Sutra_, the intellect of Sakyamuni Buddha sank so profoundly into the past, that he was enabled to speak confidently of his experiences in previous incarnations. (Compare pp. 56, 57.)

The Diamond Sutra, passage 435

[4] The six Paramita—charity, morality, endurance, energy, contemplation, wisdom, comprehended under the term “Laws pertaining to goodness,” merely constitute an open door by means of which disciples are ushered into the presence of truth.—_Chinese Annotation_.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 332

[9] The first of six _Paramita_—charity, morality, endurance, energy, contemplation, wisdom—or means of attaining to Nirvana.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 406

“Gautama himself was very early regarded as omniscient, and absolutely sinless. His perfect wisdom is declared by the ancient epithet of Samma-Sambuddha, ‘the completely enlightened one,’ found at the commencement of every Pali text; and at the present day in Ceylon, the usual way in which Gautama is styled is _Sarwajnan-Wahanse_, ‘the venerable omniscient one.’ From his perfect wisdom, according to Buddhist belief, his sinlessness would follow as a matter of course.”—_Buddhism_. T. W. Rhys Davids.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 318

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.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 502

[4] “_Fa-Hien_ stayed at the dragon Vihara till after the summer retreat, and then, travelling to the south-east for seven Yojanas, he arrived at the city of Kanyakubja, lying along the Ganges.... At a distance from the city of six or seven _Le_, on the west, on the northern bank of the Ganges, is a place where Buddha preached the Law to his disciples. It has been handed down that his subjects of discourse were such as ‘The bitterness and vanity (of life), as impermanent and uncertain,’ and that ‘The body is as a “bubble” or foam on the water.’”—_Travels of Fa-Hien_. Legge.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 210

[2] The Chinese text “_i-wu-wei-fah_,” is explained by a learned expositor as _tsz-ran-choih-sing_—the intuitive faculty.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 401

The Lord Buddha, continuing, addressed Subhuti, saying: “Within these innumerable worlds, every form of sentient life, with their various mental dispositions, are entirely known to the Lord Buddha.[3] And why? Because, what the Lord Buddha referred to as their ‘various mental dispositions,’ are not in reality their ‘various mental dispositions,’ these are merely termed their ‘various mental dispositions.’ And why? Because, Subhuti, dispositions of mind, or modes of thought, whether relating to the past, the present, or the future, are alike unreal and illusory.”

The Diamond Sutra, passage 298

[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.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 344

[16] Literally, “Every form of phenomena is really _not_ phenomena; every form of sentient life is in reality _not_ sentient life.”

The Diamond Sutra, passage 167

When the gift, the giver, and the receiver are all pure, the reward is proportionately great.”—_Eastern Monachism_. Spence Hardy.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 120

[42] An instructive exposition of this subject by J. Muir, Esq., entitled _The Progress of the Vedic Religion towards Abstract Conceptions of the Deity_, may be consulted in the _Jour. R.A.S.,_ 1864–65.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 48

“The various phenomena which appear as subjects and objects are divided into two kinds:—the perceptible and knowable, the imperceptible and unknowable.... Now, what are the imperceptible and unknowable phenomena?”

The Diamond Sutra, passage 232

“Enter the path! There spring the healing streams Quenching all thirst! there bloom th’ immortal flowers Carpeting all the way with joy! there throng Swiftest and sweetest hours.”—_The Light of Asia_. Sir Edwin Arnold.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 131

[2] “The term (Buddha) means ‘every intelligent being who has thrown off the bondage of sense perception and self, knows the utter unreality of all phenomena, and is ready to enter Nirvana.’”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 244

[9] “More is the treasure of the Law than gems; Sweeter than comb its sweetness; its delights Delightful past compare.”—_The Light of Asia_. Sir Edwin Arnold.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 59

_I am not to be perceived by means of any visible form, Nor sought after by means of any audible sound; Whosoever walks in the way of iniquity, Cannot perceive the blessedness of the Lord Buddha._[38]

The Diamond Sutra, passage 28

Max Müller, with his ample knowledge, stated that Dharma, “in the ordinary Buddhist phraseology, may be correctly rendered by Law; and thus the whole teaching of Buddha is named _Saddharma_—‘The Good Law.’ What _The Diamond Sutra_ wishes to teach is that all objects, differing one from the other by their Dharmas, are illusive, or as we should say, phenomenal and subjective, that they are, in fact, of our own making, the products of our own mind.” With those noteworthy observations, there is embodied in the preface to _The Vagrakkhedika_, the following interesting suggestion, that the Greek εῖδος—whatever is seen, form, shape, figure—appears to be the equivalent of the Sanscrit Dharma.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 302

“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.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 213

Subhuti replied, saying:[2] “A very considerable merit, Honoured of the Worlds! And why? Because, what is referred to does not partake of the nature of ordinary merit, and in this sense the Lord Buddha made mention of a ‘considerable’ merit.”

The Diamond Sutra, passage 497

[1] Gold, silver, pearls, coral, cornelian, glass, and crystal.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 30

Rhys Davids in his useful volume _Buddhism_, indicated that “Dharma (Pali Dhamma) is not law, but that which underlies and includes the law—a word often most difficult to translate, but best rendered here by Truth and Righteousness.”[16]

The Diamond Sutra, passage 146

[1] “A famous dialectician noted for the subtilty of his intellect. He was a native of Shravasti, a contemporary of Sakyamuni, and figures as the principal interlocutor in the _Prajna-Paramita_.”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 343

[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.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 180

The other is Attavada, ‘the doctrine of soul or self,’ which is the name given to it as a part of the chain of causes which lead to the origin of evil. It is there classed—with sensuality, heresy (as to eternity and annihilation), and belief in the efficacy of rites and ceremonies—as one of the four Upadanas, which are the immediate cause of birth, decay, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.”—_Buddhism_. T. W. Rhys Davids.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 29

Spence Hardy, a distinguished writer on Buddhism, made a suggestion of perhaps equal importance, with reference to the correct interpretation of Dharma. In his well-known volume _Eastern Monachism_, there occurs the following relevant passage: “The second of the three great treasures is called Dhammo, or in Singhalese Dharmma. This word has various meanings, but is here to be understood in the sense of _truth_.”

The Diamond Sutra, passage 101

Dr Eitel, in his _Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_, explained Dharma by “Fah”—“Law”; and observed that it is “a general term for religious objects, especially for the Buddhistic Canon.”

The Diamond Sutra, passage 260

[3] “Bhagavat said: If Subhuti, a Bodhisattva, should say, ‘I shall create numbers of worlds,’ he would say what is untrue. And why? Because, O Subhuti, when Tathagata preached numbers of worlds, numbers of worlds indeed! they were preached by him as no numbers. Therefore they are called numbers of worlds.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 179

[5] “This belief in self is regarded so distinctly as a heresy that two well-known words in Buddhist terminology have been coined on purpose to stigmatise it. The first of these is Sakkayaditthi, ‘the heresy of individuality,’ the name given to this belief as one of the three primary delusions (the others being doubt, and belief in the efficacy of rites or ceremonies) which must be abandoned at the very first stage of the Buddhist path of holiness.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 201

As to the efficient cause of the potency, there would be a difference of opinion; some would ascribe it to intuition alone, while others would attribute it to an alliance with higher spirits or with God; but of its existence there would be no doubt.”—_Eastern Monachism_. Spence Hardy.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 442

The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? You disciples, do not affirm that the Lord Buddha reflects thus within himself, ‘I bring salvation to every living being.’ Subhuti, entertain no such delusive thought! And why?

The Diamond Sutra, passage 430

[1] The Abbé Dubois in his valuable book, _Hindu Manners, Customs, and Ceremonies_, carefully observes that amongst the attributes which the Jains ascribe to the Supreme Being, the first is that He is “one” and “indivisible”; and this observation of the learned Abbé becomes quite illuminating, when we remember the intimate relationship which has existed between the Jains and the Law of Buddha.

The Diamond Sutra, passage 4

Having surveyed briefly those fertile fields of thought, we passed, by a natural transition, into the delectable Buddhist realm. Some passages from the _Chinese Sutras_, comprising texts and annotations, were consecutively examined, and variously considered. Eventually it was suggested that _The Diamond Sutra_, perhaps one of the most metaphysical of the works ascribed to Buddha, be conveniently rendered into the English language.