Diamond Sutra Commentary and Essential Rituals (銷釋金剛經科儀會要註解)

Receive and uphold the Dharma exactly as taught. Who would dare to slight it? Subhuti, what do you think? I will now break it down for you, point by point.

This section was judged by Prince Zhaoming. He divided this passage of scripture as "Chapter Thirteen: Receiving and Upholding in Accordance with the Dharma." Since Subhuti had heard all the profound meanings presented earlier, yet did not know what the scripture was called, how it should be received, upheld, and spread, he therefore asked about the scripture's name. The Buddha answered: This scripture is named the Diamond Prajna Paramita; you should respectfully uphold it. He also feared that one might generate attachment to Prajna itself, so he said it is not Prajna, thereby revealing that the nature of all dharmas is inherently empty and cannot be grasped or clung to. Furthermore, since Prajna has nothing that is spoken, only then is it receiving and upholding in accordance with the Dharma. As for who would dare to deceive him—the commentator's meaning is: Since the Dharma has nothing spoken, and Prajna is not a name, one who receives and upholds it in this way—who would dare to deceive him? As for what Subhuti was thinking—in this section of scripture, the Buddha asked Subhuti a total of three questions beginning with "What do you think?": First, does the Tathagata speak any Dharma? Second, are all the tiny particles of dust in the world many? Third, can the Tathagata be seen through the thirty-two marks? The following text draws out the reasons. "I will break it down for you one by one"—this shows that the Buddha, through three questions beginning with "What do you think?," told Subhuti: All tiny particles of dust, the Tathagata says, are not tiny particles of dust; therefore they are called tiny particles of dust. The Tathagata says the world is not the world; therefore it is called the world. Hence it says "breaking it down one by one."

Where the white clouds scatter, moonlight shines on the river of Zen. Manjushri is never far away—no need to wander the mountain slopes.

The first two lines, according to the section summary: the sutra says that Subhuti should not perceive the Tathagata's Dharma-body through the thirty-two marks—hence "white clouds scatter away." "The moon shines on the meditation river": since one does not cling to marks to see the Dharma-body, this is precisely true emptiness and ultimate reality, with no mark to be observed—like the moon shining on the meditation river, where light and water are one.

The next two lines, according to the section summary: the sutra says that even giving one's body and life in generosity as numerous as the sands of the Ganges cannot compare to upholding even four lines of this sutra—the merit is far greater. Now it says "Manjushri is not far": Manjushri represents wisdom, illustrating that these four lines of the sutra are none other than the true wisdom inherently present in each person, able to lead to the unstained fruition of Enlightenment. Thus Patriarch Dushun, seeing off a disciple on a pilgrimage to Mount Wutai, wrote this verse: "The wanderer drifts endlessly to and fro, / At Mount Wutai he bows to a mound of earth. / Manjushri is right here— / Why seek Amitabha elsewhere?" Hence it says "Manjushri is not far; stop wandering the mountain's earthen slopes."

The first two lines express the meaning of the scripture. As for "in accordance with the Dharma," the commentators explain it this way: if a practitioner does not cling to the name of Prajna, does not attach to the idea that there are dharmas to be spoken of, only then is one truly upholding the teaching in accordance with the Dharma, cultivating in accordance with the truth—and such merit surpasses even the height and vastness of Mount Sumeru. Because upholding the scripture is unconditioned merit, capable of bringing about supreme fruition, it is said that such merit surpasses even Mount Sumeru. The latter two lines use the image of white clouds completely dispersing to represent what the scripture says: not attaching to any dharmas that can be spoken, not attaching to any worlds or atoms, not attaching to the thirty-two marks—thus like white clouds completely dispersing. "The bright moon then begins to shine" means that once one no longer clings to any dharma whatsoever, the ultimate reality of true Suchness alone becomes manifest, like a bright moon in the empty sky, its luminous nature shining brilliantly in the heavens—thus it is said, "the bright moon then begins to shine."

Chapter 13: Receiving and Upholding the Teachings in Accordance with the Dharma

At that time, Subhuti said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, the Tathagata has said nothing at all."

The commentary says: This section of the scripture is titled "Receiving and Upholding According to the Dharma." Since Subhuti had heard that this scripture is truly a rare and precious teaching, but did not yet know what this scripture should be called, he asked the Buddha: What should this scripture be named? How should we receive, uphold, and share it? The Buddha then answered: This scripture is named the Diamond Prajna Paramita. By this name, you should respectfully uphold it. In answering this way, the Buddha meant that all the various principles discussed in the previous questions and answers—nothing more than dwelling peacefully, subduing the mind, being able to cut through and able to empty—are all the meaning of the Diamond Prajna Paramita. The entire essence of this scripture is fully captured in its title. This is speaking from the perspective of conventional truth, and so it has this name. "By this name, you should respectfully uphold it"—the Buddha was earnestly urging them to revere, practice, and maintain it. As for why—the Buddha himself asked the question to probe the reason. The Buddha again called to Subhuti: When the Buddha speaks of Prajna Paramita, it is not Prajna Paramita. The meaning is: What I have spoken is a teaching tailored to the capacities of beings. The Tathagata, fearing that people might fall into the view of annihilation, had no choice but to provisionally assign it a name. One might say: fearing people might give rise to nihilistic views, he temporarily established an empty name. If we speak from the perspective of ultimate truth, the wondrous luminous original nature is as still and vast as empty space. Since the essence itself does not even exist, what name could there be? Therefore it is said: it is not Prajna Paramita.

The Buddha then again called to Subhuti: What do you think? Has the Tathagata spoken any Dharma? The Buddha feared that Subhuti, upon hearing the Buddha speak the name of this scripture, might suspect that there is a Dharma being taught, so he asked: Has the Tathagata spoken any Dharma? Subhuti immediately understood the Buddha's meaning and answered: The Tathagata has spoken nothing. The meaning is: Though the Buddha has spoken, it is in accordance with conventional truth that there is this teaching. From the perspective of ultimate truth, nothing whatsoever has been spoken—this is what is called truly speaking. Therefore it is said: nothing has been spoken. That is why the scripture later says: If someone claims the Tathagata has spoken any Dharma, that is slandering the Buddha.

Master Fu the Great one's verse says:

In the name there is no meaning, Upon the meaning there is again no name. The diamond symbolizes true wisdom, Able to shatter evil's stubborn hardness. If one crosses to the other shore of Paramita, One enters the principle and emerges from deluded feelings. The wise awaken themselves within, The foolish seek outward sounds.

Subhuti, what do you think? Explaining it to others brings even greater merit.

The Buddha then asked Subhuti: "What do you think? Are the tiny particles of dust in this vast universe of three thousand great thousand worlds many in number?"

Subhuti understood the Buddha's meaning and replied, "Very many, World-Honored One."

The Buddha again addressed Subhuti: "All these tiny particles of dust…" The main point of this passage comes from the earlier teaching about the merit gained from giving away seven treasures filling three thousand worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. It means that although the merit from such material generosity is great, it does not go beyond attachment to self and defilements such as greed. It is conditioned merit and has not transcended the tainted. Therefore, the Buddha used the dust particles of the great thousand worlds as an analogy. Dust and worlds are insentient things, belonging to the neutral category, and do not give rise to defilements such as greed. This serves to show by contrast that the earlier treasure-giving is a cause of defilement, capable of producing defiled results. How much more so is upholding and teaching this sutra — which is free from the causes of defilement and leads to the fruit of enlightenment? Is it not far superior?

It is also said: "Not dust particles, not worlds" — because they are not defiled causes of greed and the like. "They are called dust particles, they are called worlds" — because they are neutral dust particles and worlds. Being neutral is like being insentient — meaning they do not give rise to emotional thoughts of good or evil.

The Buddha again asked Subhuti: "What do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen by means of the thirty-two marks?" The meaning is: Can the Tathagata's Dharma-body be seen by means of my physical body's thirty-two marks? Subhuti immediately understood the Buddha's meaning and replied, "No, World-Honored One. The Tathagata cannot be seen by means of the thirty-two marks." The meaning is: What treasure-giving produces is the thirty-two marks, which belong to the reward-body Buddha. What upholding the sutra produces is the markless Dharma-body Buddha. Therefore it is said that the Tathagata cannot be seen by marks.

Why is this? The Buddha asked Himself: For what reason can the Tathagata not be seen by the thirty-two marks? The Buddha answered Himself: What the Tathagata speaks of as the thirty-two marks is the Tathagata's reward-body. That which is not marks is the Tathagata's Dharma-body. "They are called the thirty-two marks" — because the reward-body is itself the Dharma-body, and the Dharma-body is entirely the reward-body, so there is no harm in speaking of the thirty-two marks.

This means that the merit of treasure-giving, even if it can bring about Buddhahood, only produces the marks of the reward-body, and does not equal the merit of receiving, upholding, and explaining this sutra, which can bring about the markless Dharma-body.

The Buddha again addressed Subhuti: "If a good man or good woman gives away as many lives as the sands of the Ganges…" This refers to the earlier teaching that giving seven treasures is external wealth, while now giving one's body and life is internal wealth. Even if one gives away body and life in generosity but does not see Buddha-nature, it is of no benefit to the truth. "If someone, within this sutra, receives and upholds even four lines of verse and explains them to others, their merit is far greater" — this shows that upholding the sutra is far superior to the merit of material giving, for it can lead to seeing one's true nature and becoming a Buddha, realizing the unconditioned fruit, and giving rise to all enlightenment Dharmas.

Great Master Fu sang:

Giving lives like grains of sand, The karma of humans and gods only deepens. Blocking the mark of enlightenment, Obstructing the mind of nirvana. A monkey grasps at the moon in water, A blind man picks up a needle in flowers. Floating and sinking in the river of desire, Rising and drowning again in the sea of suffering.

He also sang:

The sutra speaks of four lines, Which should not be apart from one's own body. The foolish see them as a dream, The wise see only the real. Dharma-nature has no before or after, No middle, not old or new. Aggregates are empty, without true marks — By what could one see a person?

The Great Awakened One originally established not a single word, pointing directly to the mind. Subhuti, for no reason, specifically asked to give it a name, needlessly creating complications. Even if you analyze subtle dust motes as worlds, there is no form to seek; even if you give your body and life as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there is no Dharma to speak of. So tell me—what exactly does one uphold and practice? Ha!

This passage clarifies that the Buddha's appearance in the world was simply a matter of transmitting the mind to others—fundamentally, not a single word was ever established. Long ago, when the Buddha was about to enter Nirvana, Manjushri asked him to turn the wheel of Dharma once more. The Buddha said: "In my forty-nine years, I have not spoken a single word." Though the Buddha did speak, this precisely reveals that there is nothing spoken. He once said: "From the Deer Park at the beginning to the Hiranyavati River at the end, in between, I never spoke a single word." Hence it is said that not a single word was established—this is pointing directly at the human mind.

The phrase "Subhuti spoke without cause" is the commentator's way of revealing his insight, seizing hold of the words being spoken. The meaning is: you say the Tathagata has nothing to teach, and yet now, without any reason, you again ask to give it a title. This is forcing unnecessary complications, like putting a handle on a bowl. One might say: emptiness has no face—why bother painting eyebrows on it so artfully?

Even if you analyze subtle dust particles to form a world—this is citing the sutra passage by way of explanation. The Buddha told Subhuti: "The various subtle dust particles, the Tathagata says, are not subtle dust particles; therefore they are called subtle dust particles." By analogy with the following line: "The Tathagata says the world is not the world; therefore it is called the world." Hence it is said "like a world."

No characteristics can be sought—because the characteristic of a world is simply the characteristic formed by the accumulation of many dust particles. Now if you divide one subtle dust particle into seven parts to make an infinitesimal dust particle, and again divide one infinitesimal dust particle into seven parts to make a near-void dust particle—the near-void dust particle is truly of the nature of empty space and can no longer be divided, because it is identical to empty space. Since it is identical to empty space and utterly unobtainable, how could it possibly form a world? Since it cannot form a world, it is said that no dust-characteristic can be sought.

Giving one's body and life as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—the commentator's meaning is: though the sutra speaks of giving bodies and lives as numerous as Ganges sands, this is not equal to teaching four lines of Dharma. Even if you were to give bodies and lives as numerous as Ganges sands and seek the teaching of Dharma, it still could not be obtained. These words express the highest truth that transcends the stage of names and characteristics; true wisdom goes beyond the realm of thought and discussion. The path of language is cut off; the domain of mental activity ceases. Hence it is said that there is no Dharma that can be taught.

Now then, "receiving and upholding"—the commentator is having people carefully examine this. If there were characteristics and something taught, one could speak of a single "receiving and upholding." But since it is said that no characteristics can be sought and no Dharma can be taught, how then should one receive and uphold it? One might say: even if your eyes were like shooting stars, you would still be left speechless, mouth gaping like a roof tile.

These two lines reveal that there is nothing to receive or uphold. The scholars of the schools use the metaphor of the diamond king's precious sword for the wisdom of prajna. Beyond this wisdom, not the slightest thing can be found; apart from the one mind, there is no dharma that can be transmitted or received. It is like a precious sword whose cold gleam shatters the courage of all demons. As it is said: "The great man wields the sword of wisdom—the blade of prajna and the flame of the diamond. Not only does it destroy the minds of outer-path followers; it has long since struck terror into the hearts of heavenly demons."

The first two lines praise the meaning contained in the sutra. They say that prajna has no name, and true emptiness has no form—this is why the commentators openly reveal it, hiding not the slightest bit. Thus it is said: within this, originally not a single word is spoken; in the realm of true emptiness, who would dare to assign a name? You could say it has a name that cannot be called, and no position on which it can be placed.

The latter two lines mean that if a practitioner directly realizes the true wisdom of prajna, it is like casually pointing out the diamond eye of true insight. This diamond eye is one's own inherently existing eye of wisdom. Once this eye opens, it can shatter the delusions of all sentient beings' eighty-four thousand afflictions and vexations. Therefore the Heart Sutra says: illuminating the Five Aggregates as empty, one transcends all suffering and distress. In this way, it shatters the eight myriad fortress cities of the demon king.

The first two lines lament how people live in this world with only a hundred years of time. From morning to night, they crave only fame and profit and are unwilling to awaken themselves. Time is limited, and the days of life are few. Once old age arrives, what will they use as provisions for the road ahead? Like a traveler, one must first prepare supplies so as not to suffer hunger. This illustrates that those who cultivate the path must avoid the suffering of the three lower realms. An ancient virtuous one said: Of three portions of time, two have already passed; yet the spirit-platform’s single point is not wiped or polished. Craving life, one scurries along day after day, and though called, one will not turn back—what can be done? People like this have also failed to prepare for the road ahead.

The latter two lines praise the reason for preparing for the road ahead. They are meant to cause practitioners, in their daily activities, not to waste time emptily or prolong the years in vain. One must diligently practice the six recollections, carefully guard the one mind, recite the profound texts of the three baskets, and investigate the profound meaning of the five vehicles. Therefore it says, “Rely only on the scriptures, three thousand scrolls.” “Do not let vain splendor pass away your whole life” means the commentator admonishes and encourages practitioners not to mistake the vain splendor of the three realms for something truly existent. How pitiful to let a whole life pass in vain, when regret afterward cannot be recovered. It may be said: Deluded, one may recite a thousand scriptures and still find it too little; awakened, even a single thought may be more than enough. Therefore the scripture says: All conditioned dharmas are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, like dew, and like lightning; thus should they be contemplated.

The first two lines clarify that the Dharmas of the three realms arise from the one Prajna. Now, when Prajna appears, all Dharmas are empty—this itself is Prajna. Thus it is said there is no obstruction; one could say mountains, rivers, and the great earth wholly reveal the Dharma King's body. "Stretching the body across the universe" means that since this Prajna has no hindrance, it stretches across the universe and fills the vast void—one could say it reaches vertically through the three times and extends horizontally across the ten directions. Thus it is said: do not doubt. The latter two lines say that when Prajna's great function appears, it causes the ten directions of empty space to entirely vanish. "The great Path is clear" means that when Prajna appears, mountains, rivers, the great earth, light and dark, form and emptiness—not even a hair's breadth can be grasped. The ancients said: fleeting life passes easily, do not let it pass in vain; the great Path is hard to understand, so you must explain it clearly. Thus it is said: the great Path is clear—return and come back.