Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramit (金剛經解義) · Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra Preface (No. 459-A 金剛般若波羅蜜經序) · Thus have I heard - Illuminating Buddhist Wisdom with AI

夫金剛經者，無相為宗，無住為體，玅有為用。自從達磨西來，為傳此經之意，令人悟理見性，秪為世人不見自性，是以立見性之法。世人若了見真如本體，即不假立法。此經讀誦者無數，稱讚者無邊。造疏及註解者，凡八百餘家，所說道理，各隨所見，見雖不同，法即無二。宿植上根者，一聞便了。若無宿慧，讀誦雖多，不悟佛意，是故解釋聖義，斷除學者疑心。若於此經得旨無疑，不假解說。從上如來所說善法，為除凡夫不善之心。經是聖人之語，教人聞之，超凡悟聖，永息迷心。此一卷經，眾生性中本有不自見者，但讀誦文字；若悟本心，始知此經不在文字。若能明了自性，方信一切諸佛從此經出。今恐世人身外覓佛，向外求經，不發內心，不持內經，故造此訣，令諸學者持內心經，了然自見清淨佛心，過於數量不可思議。後之學者讀經有疑，見此解義，疑心釋然，更不用訣。所冀學者同見鑛中金性，以智慧火鎔鍊，鑛去金存。我釋迦本師說金剛經在舍衛國，因須菩提起問，佛大悲為說，須菩提聞法得悟，請佛與法安名，令後人依而受持。故經云：佛告須菩提：是經名為金剛般若波羅蜜，以是名字，汝當奉持。如來所說金剛般若波羅蜜，與法為名。其意謂何？以金剛世界之寶，其性猛利，能壞諸物，金雖至堅，羚羊角能壞。金剛喻佛性，羚羊角喻煩惱。金雖堅剛，羚羊角能碎；佛性雖堅，煩惱能亂。煩惱雖堅，般若智能破羚羊角雖堅，賓鐵能壞。悟此理者，了然見性。涅槃經云：見佛性者，不名眾生，不見佛性，是名眾生。如來所說金剛喻者，秪為世人性無堅固，口雖誦經，光明不生，外誦內行，光明齊等，內無堅固，定慧即亡，口誦心行，定慧均等，是名究竟。金在山中，山不知是寶，寶亦不知是山。何以故？為無性故。人則有性，取其寶用，得遇金師，鏨鑿山破，取鑛烹鍊，遂成精金，隨意使用，得免貧苦。四大身中，佛性亦爾。身喻世界，人我喻山，煩惱喻鑛，佛性喻金，智慧喻工匠，精進猛勇喻鏨鑿。身世界中有人我山，人我山中有煩惱鑛，煩惱鑛中有佛性寶，佛性寶中有智慧工匠，用智慧工匠鑿破人我山，見煩惱鑛，以覺悟火烹鍊，見自金剛佛性了然明淨。是故以金剛為喻，因為之名也。空解不行，有名無體；解義修行，名體具備。不修即凡夫，修即同聖智，故名金剛也。何名般若？般若是梵語，唐言智慧；智者不起愚心，慧者有其方便。慧是智體，智是慧用。體若有慧，用智不愚；體若無慧，用愚無智。秪為愚癡未悟，故修智慧以除之也。何名波羅蜜？唐言到彼岸到彼岸者，離生滅義。秪緣世人性無堅固，於一切法上有生滅相，流浪諸趣，未到真如之地，並是此岸。要具大智慧，於一切法圓滿，離生滅相，即是到彼岸也。亦云心迷則此岸，心悟則彼岸，心邪則此岸，心正則彼岸。口說心行，即自法身有波羅蜜；口說心不行，即無波羅蜜也。何名為經？經者，徑也。是成佛之道路。凡人欲臻斯路，當內修般若行，以至究竟。如或但能誦說，心不依行，自心則無經，實見實行，自心則有經，故此經如來號為金剛般若波羅蜜經。

The Diamond Sutra takes formlessness as its principle, non-abiding as its essence, and wondrous existence as its function. Ever since Bodhidharma came from the West, he transmitted the meaning of this sutra to help people awaken to the principle and see their true nature. It is only because worldly people do not see their own nature that methods for seeing nature were established. If people truly understood and saw the fundamental substance of Suchness, there would be no need to provisionally establish these methods.

Those who recite this sutra are countless, and those who praise it are boundless. Those who have composed commentaries and annotations number over eight hundred schools. The principles they explain each follow their own understanding. Although their views differ, the Dharma itself is not two. Those with superior roots planted in past lives understand it upon hearing it once. Those without such past wisdom may recite it extensively but still fail to comprehend the Buddha's intent. Therefore, the sacred meaning is explained to cut off the doubts of learners. If one grasps the essential meaning of this sutra without doubt, no explanation is needed.

The wholesome Dharmas spoken by the Tathagatas from of old were to remove the unwholesome minds of ordinary people. The sutra is the speech of sages, teaching people who hear it to transcend the ordinary and awaken to the sacred, forever ceasing their deluded minds. This single scroll of scripture is inherently present within the nature of all beings, but those who do not see it themselves merely recite the written words. If one awakens to the original mind, one then knows this sutra is not found in the words. If one can clearly understand one's own nature, one will then believe that all Buddhas arise from this sutra.

Now, fearing that people in the world would seek the Buddha outside their bodies and seek the sutra externally, without generating the inner mind or upholding the inner sutra, this key was composed. It enables all learners to uphold the inner sutra and clearly see their own pure Buddha-mind, which is beyond measure and inconceivable. Later learners who have doubts when reading the sutra, upon seeing this explanation of its meaning, will have their doubts resolved and will no longer need this key. It is hoped that learners will together see the golden nature within the ore, and with the fire of wisdom, smelt and refine it until the ore is gone and the gold remains.

Our original teacher Shakyamuni spoke the Diamond Sutra in the kingdom of Shravasti. Because Subhuti raised a question, the Buddha, with great compassion, explained it. Subhuti, hearing the Dharma, attained awakening and requested the Buddha to give a name to the Buddha and the Dharma, so that later people could rely upon it and receive and uphold it. Therefore, the sutra says: The Buddha told Subhuti, "This sutra is called the Vajra Prajñā Pāramitā. By this name you should revere and uphold it."

The Vajra Prajñā Pāramitā spoken by the Tathagata uses the Dharma as its name. What does this mean? The treasure of the Vajra world has a fierce and sharp nature that can destroy other substances. Although gold is extremely hard, antelope horn can break it. The vajra symbolizes the Buddha-nature; the antelope horn symbolizes afflictions. Although gold is hard, antelope horn can shatter it; although the Buddha-nature is firm, afflictions can disturb it. Although afflictions are strong, the wisdom of Prajñā can destroy them. Although antelope horn is hard, wrought iron can break it. One who awakens to this principle clearly sees their nature. The Nirvana Sutra says: "One who sees the Buddha-nature is not called a sentient being. One who does not see the Buddha-nature is called a sentient being."

The Tathagata used the metaphor of the vajra solely because the nature of worldly people is not firm. Although their mouths recite the sutra, light does not arise. If external recitation and internal practice are equal, then light is equal. If internally there is no firmness, then samadhi and wisdom perish. If the mouth recites and the mind practices, with samadhi and wisdom equal, this is called the ultimate.

Gold is in the mountain, but the mountain does not know it is a treasure, and the treasure does not know it is a mountain. Why? Because they lack sentience. Humans, however, possess sentience. They seek the treasure for use. Meeting a goldsmith, they chisel and break the mountain open, take the ore, smelt and refine it, and thus produce pure gold, to be used freely, freeing them from poverty and suffering.

The Buddha-nature within the body of the four great elements is also like this. The body is like the world. The sense of self is like the mountain. Afflictions are like the ore. The Buddha-nature is like the gold. Wisdom is like the craftsman. Vigorous and courageous diligence is like the chisel. Within the body-world there is the mountain of self. Within the mountain of self there is the ore of afflictions. Within the ore of afflictions there is the treasure of Buddha-nature. Within the treasure of Buddha-nature there is the craftsman of wisdom. Using the craftsman of wisdom, one chisels through the mountain of self, sees the ore of afflictions, and with the fire of awakening, smelts and refines it, until one's own vajra Buddha-nature is seen clearly, bright and pure. Therefore, the vajra is used as a metaphor, and because of this, it is given this name.

Understanding emptiness but not practicing it means having a name without a substance. Understanding the meaning and practicing it means name and substance are both complete. Not cultivating is to be an ordinary person. Cultivating is to be the same as sagely wisdom. Therefore, it is called Vajra.

What is Prajñā? Prajñā is Sanskrit; in Tang language it means wisdom. The wise one does not give rise to a foolish mind. The discerning one possesses skillful means. Discernment is the substance of wisdom; wisdom is the function of discernment. If the substance possesses discernment, the use of wisdom is not foolish. If the substance lacks discernment, the use is foolish and lacks wisdom. It is precisely because of foolish ignorance that has not yet awakened that one cultivates wisdom to remove it.

What is Pāramitā? In Tang language it means "reaching the other shore." Reaching the other shore means being free from the meaning of birth and death. It is solely because the nature of worldly people is not firm that, regarding all dharmas, they perceive characteristics of birth and death, drifting through the various destinies, not yet having reached the ground of Suchness. All this is this shore. One must possess great wisdom, perfect regarding all dharmas, free from characteristics of birth and death—this is reaching the other shore. It is also said: When the mind is deluded, it is this shore; when the mind is awakened, it is the other shore. When the mind is deviant, it is this shore; when the mind is upright, it is the other shore. If the mouth speaks and the mind practices, then one's own Dharma-body has Pāramitā. If the mouth speaks but the mind does not practice, then there is no Pāramitā.

What is meant by Sutra? Sutra means a path. It is the road to Buddhahood. Ordinary people who wish to reach this road should inwardly cultivate the practice of Prajñā until the ultimate. If one can only recite and speak of it, but the mind does not practice accordingly, then one's own mind has no sutra. With genuine seeing and genuine practice, one's own mind has the sutra. Therefore, this sutra the Tathagata named the Diamond Prajñā Pāramitā Sutra.