Diamond Samadhi Sutra Comprehensive Commentary (金剛三昧經通宗記)

Preface to the Diamond Samadhi Sutra

Tiantai Mountain Huading Temple Successor Monk Yizhen's Commentary

The Diamond Samādhi Sutra is the perfect and sudden teaching of the One Vehicle, the true foundation of all Buddhas. It is profoundly peerless among the scriptures, encompassing all dharmas. It sets aside the provisional and reveals the real, gathering in the achievement that came after the Lotus Sutra. It uses cessation to speak of the permanent, unfolding first the array that preceded the Nirvana Sutra. In particular, it brings forth the profound meaning of the five periods and generously bestows the exquisite taste of ghee. The bodhisattva stages are transcended at once—this depends solely on the single awakening that comes before. All beings attain it together; how could they be divided into the two capacities of middling and lesser? Ordinary and noble stand equal in stage; the wise and foolish share one path. Truly this is the secret key for bodhisattvas to benefit beings, and the essential pivot for all beings to become Buddhas. Using the dharma-seal to seal the mind, nothing surpasses this. True cultivation and secret practice—are they not found right here?

It begins with the Vulture Peak, where the Buddha demonstrated silence, and the whole mechanism was revealed alone, without words. The bhikṣu spoke on the Buddha's behalf, chanting verses, earnestly urging and questioning. From this arose reliance on wisdom, and all awakened to Liberation. It opened the gate of the markless Dharma and awakened to prajñā, which far transcends the three realms and the king of the mind. Proving the patience of the non-arising of dharmas, it erased words and silently aligned with the one mind of non-abiding. Attaining the benefit of original awakening, it transformed the consciousnesses, and the ocean of nature is without waves. Great strength entered the realm of actuality; endowed with wisdom and discernment, the source of the mind flows pure. Attaining the empty essence of true nature, Śāriputra, having filled the earth, took it on alone. Entering the ocean of the Tathāgata's treasury, the pure practitioner abided by himself in the stage of equal enlightenment. Dhāraṇī is the doctrinal core of all the chapters, and wondrous contemplation perfectly accomplishes true awakening. At the end of the chapters, the sutra reveals the eye of Dharma for widespread transmission, entrusting it to the assembly; only this sutra is entrusted. It is truly believed: those who obtain it forever cut off longing for anything outside it; those who awaken to it find both root and branches return to one. Looking from beginning to end, it is analyzed in clear detail, like flowers strung into a garland, brilliant to behold; like pearls rolling on a tray, their radiance hard to gaze upon. It naturally receives the protection and mindfulness of all Buddhas and does not fall into the hands of other beings. Therefore it has long been kept locked in the secret treasury, not carelessly proclaimed. Those who know it are rare to hear of it and hard to believe in—how much more so is it, with wondrous language and dense meaning, concise words and complete principle? It has only eleven thousand five hundred words, yet it governs the ocean of meaning of the entire great storehouse of teachings. Moreover, it can embrace the tradition of the separate transmission that does not rely on written words. This is truly a good guide for the world in the age of the semblance Dharma.

Zhen, fortunate to encounter the sacred words, has studied them with deep resolve. Though I have not peered into the hidden secret, I have vowed to spread them abroad. I set the course of practice for this life and the next as a wondrous practice that benefits both myself and others. May those who see and hear it suddenly awaken to the emptiness of mind, and in this world and the next forever receive the milk of the Dharma.

Distinguishing Pronunciation and Meaning<note place="inline">All cases where the actual form is ambiguous or involves phonetic changes are first annotated for ease of

(The character 祇 (zhī) means “only” or “just.” It is used in phrases like 祇如 (zhī rú) and 祇有 (zhī yǒu). Nowadays it is often mistakenly written as 秖, which is incorrect. It is also pronounced qí, as in 神祇 (shén qí, “deities”). Terms such as 祇夜 (qí yè) and 祇陀 (qí tuó) are derived from this pronunciation.)

("音止" means "the pronunciation is 'zhi'." "側也" means "to lean to the side." "擊也" means "to strike." "扺對之扺當用此" means "the character 扺 in the phrase 扺對 should use this one." "葢以手擊節而對" means "it likely refers to striking a rhythm with the hand in response." "今作秖祇，皆誤" means "nowadays it is written as 秖 or 祇, both are incorrect.")

It is pronounced as "bié" when it means "different" or "separate"; and as "biè" when it means "to distinguish" or "to differentiate."

When it means to praise or extol, it is pronounced with the level tone; when it means a name or to be called, it is pronounced with the departing tone.

As for conduct and movement, it is pronounced "heng". Virtuous conduct and speech, it is pronounced "xing". Ranks and arrangements, it is pronounced "hang". To carry out affairs for the benefit of others, it is pronounced "hen".

(The word "池" (chí) has two pronunciations. When it refers to a pond or pool that has not yet been managed, it is pronounced with the level tone; when it refers to one that has already been managed, it is pronounced with the departing tone.)