The "Diamond Sutra" written by famous writers of the past dynasties
All appearances are false.
If you see all forms and non-identities, you will see Tathagata .
[Translation]
The Buddha told Subhuti: All appearances are false. If you see that everything that has a physical appearance is non-existent, you have seen the Tathagata.
Appearances arise from the heart. "All appearances" are known; "all appearances are false" are returned; "If you see all appearances but not the appearance, you will see the Tathagata", which is the origin.
This verse is about returning knowledge to its origin. Therefore, if knowledge arises from the mind, one should realize that knowledge returns to its origin.
The Tathagata comes from nowhere and goes nowhere, so it is called Tathagata.
If the Tathagata comes and goes, sits or lies, then it has the appearance of existence, the appearance of a human being, and the appearance of a body, then it is not the Tathagata, but a sentient being.
Therefore, "If someone says that the Tathagata comes and goes, sits and lies down," this is the view of sentient beings; and "The Tathagata comes from nowhere and goes nowhere." This is the view of the Tathagata.
They all see the same thing, but they see it differently. This is the difference in the state of awareness.
Therefore, the Tathagata sees all living beings as Tathagata, and all living beings see Tathagata as all living beings.
The past is unavailable
The present mind is unavailable
The future is unavailable
【Translation】
Because of this, Subhuti . The past can’t be grasped, the present can’t be grasped, and the future can’t be grasped.
It is impossible to achieve what you want. If you don't stay in the delusional mind, you will see the true mind.
Wrong minds are the various minds mentioned above. All kinds of hearts, the Tathagata knows, are all born from the true mind. They are all non-minds, so they cannot be lived in. If they live, they will obscure the true mind.
The Dharma is equal, and there is no superiority.
[Translation] Subhuti, this Dharma is equal, and there is no distinction between superiority and inferiority, so it is called Anuttara Samyak Sanbodhi.
It is illegal here, but it can be done, so all laws are allowed, all laws are equal, and there is no superiority between laws.
Because all dharma are made for me, all dharma can be used by me, so they are all the dharma of Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi. This is Buddhism.
Because the real is the foundation of the virtual, the virtual is the real shadow, and the virtual is based on the real, so whoever gets the real will get the virtual. And to achieve the truth is to obtain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
You should not be greedy for the merits you have achieved.
[Translation]
Subhuti asked the Buddha: World Honored One, why does the Bodhisattva not receive merits?
Buddha: Subhuti, you should not be greedy for the merits of a Bodhisattva. That is why it is said that a Bodhisattva does not receive merits.
The Buddha said that one should not be greedy and directly targeted Subhuti's greedy heart to awaken it.
Because if a Bodhisattva has a desire for profit, that is, he has the appearance of self, that is, the appearance of human beings, the appearance of living beings, the appearance of life, and the appearance of all things, then this Bodhisattva is not a Bodhisattva.
Therefore, if a Bodhisattva does not receive merit, that is, he has no signs of merit; if a Bodhisattva is not greedy for merit, that is, he has no desire for gain. The absence of form is the merit of a Bodhisattva, and the absence of desire is the merit of a Bodhisattva.
Therefore, it is merit for a Bodhisattva not to receive merit, and it is merit for a Bodhisattva not to be greedy for merit. All conditioned dharmas are like dreamy bubbles Like dew and like lightning, this should be viewed 【Translation】 All conditioned dharmas are like dreamy bubbles, like dew and lightning, this is how you should view everything with appearance. All conditioned dharmas are the appearances of the mind and the names of the mouth. They are just illusions of the Tathagata, not the reality of the Tathagata. Therefore, if you see all conditioned dharmas as if they were in a dream, you can see the Tathagata, you can see the Tathagata. Those who see all conditioned dharmas as if they were in a dream are able to practice all views and all dharmas, and achieve the Tathagata. There should be no abiding in the mind. 【Translation】 Buddha: Therefore, Subhuti, all Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas should have a pure mind like this. They should not dwell in form and give rise to mind, and should not dwell in sound. Smell, taste, touch, and dharmas give rise to the mind. They should have no abiding place to give rise to the mind. Ordinary people have a mind, and Buddhas also have a mind. If they don’t have a mind, they are not human beings. If you are not even a human being, how can you become a Buddha? The only difference between Buddha and ordinary people lies in their different minds. Ordinary people's minds are born with a mind of dwelling; Buddha's mind, on the contrary, is born with a mind of no dwelling. Human beings and Buddhas have the same mind, but their minds are different, so one is an ordinary person and the other is a Buddha. Therefore, the key to the difference between Buddha and sentient beings lies in this point. Therefore, it can be summarized as the five characters of the three realms: heart, birth, dwelling, and non-dwelling. Everything else comes after this. The Tathagata says that all hearts are not true hearts, and they are called hearts. What the Buddha said is the difference between the true mind and the delusional mind, the Tathagata mind and the mind of all living beings. The true mind is just one mind. It is non-differentiated, non-established, non-birth and non-destructive, and non-mutating. It changes but actually does not change, so it changes to show that it does not change. This is the Tathagata mind. Therefore, only by seeing variation and non-variation can we see the true mind of the Tathagata; if we only see variation but not non-variation, and take variation as the reality of distinction, it is a variety of minds, and all types of minds are illusion minds, so they are false minds. . Therefore, although all kinds of hearts are also called hearts, they only have the name of heart and no reality of heart. Therefore, they are called minds, but they are in name but not real, so they are not minds. All the dharmas mentioned are not all dharmas, so they are called all dharmas [Translation] Subhuti, all the dharmas spoken by the Tathagata are actually not dharmas, so they are called all dharmas. All dharmas are the original possessions of the Tathagata, and they are born from the Tathagata. Therefore, all dharmas are not dharmas. They are the origin of dharmas. Therefore, they are the inherent ability of the Tathagata and the nature of the original enlightenment of the Tathagata. Therefore, all dharmas are illegal. Therefore, although it is called all laws, it cannot be called a law. Otherwise, you will be attached to the Dharma and not see the Tathagata, or you will be attached to one Dharma and lose all Dharmas. The Buddha told Subhuti that one should not adhere to the laws of law and names, otherwise one would not know the original meaning of the Dharma and would not be able to attain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi. Recommended reading "Buddha's Non-established Appearance: The Truth of the Diamond Sutra" Cheng Dong, authored by Gaogao International, produced by Shantou University Press, published by 一 This is an enlightenment book. The Diamond Sutra is synonymous with "enlightenment" in Chinese culture.It is the sutra that Hui Neng "heard and understood". It is followed by Chinese Zen Buddhism and embodies the Mahayana Prajna wisdom of the Buddha. Therefore, it occupies a special position in Chinese culture. Throughout the ages, it has had many readers and countless beneficiaries. Wise men of all ages have read and studied it, hoping to reach the peak of enlightenment. The Diamond Sutra has been a must-read for the ages on the path to enlightenment, and this book is like a modern textbook that must be read for studying this enlightenment course today. With this book in hand, enlightenment can be expected. 二 Chinese culture is a kind of wisdom culture, and it has a high level. Among the three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, if the representative classic of Confucianism is the "Book of Changes" and the representative classic of Taoism is the "Tao Te Ching", then the representative classic of Buddhism is the "Vajra Prajnaparamita Sutra". Therefore, these three classics not only represent the three cultures of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism respectively, but also represent the height of Chinese culture. Although the "Diamond Sutra" was not produced in China, since Huineng realized the Tao through this sutra and founded Chinese Zen Buddhism, the realm of the "Diamond Sutra" has become one of the core connotations of Chinese culture and has been regarded as a classic to verify enlightenment. Therefore, it can be said that if you do not understand the Diamond Sutra, you cannot truly understand Chinese culture. "Enlightenment" is a unique connotation of Chinese culture, a manifestation of a high level of culture, and the special value of Chinese culture. This content does not exist in Western culture. The rise of China is the rise of the Chinese nation. The rise of the Chinese nation is also the rise of Chinese culture. For Chinese culture to rise, its essence must be inherited and carried forward. How can this be achieved? You must first know it, understand it, and master it. This is also the purpose of publishing this book. 三 As one of the representatives of the height of Chinese culture, the "Diamond Sutra" has a common characteristic with the "Book of Changes" and the "Tao Te Ching": profound connotations and difficult to understand, which makes people feel like reading a "heavenly book". There have been many annotators in the past, just hoping that people can understand it, but not many actually understand it. The "Diamond Sutra" is the knowledge and view of the Buddha. To read and understand this sutra is to enter the Buddha's knowledge and view and reach the realm of Buddha. This means a substantial change in one's perceptions. If knowledge and views remain unchanged, it is difficult to enter this sutra. But the most difficult thing to change in a person's life is his or her existing knowledge. Another important reason why the "Diamond Sutra" is difficult to understand is that the commentators and explainers of the past generations have all fallen into an outdated and fixed way of explanation today. does not meet the needs of today's people and outsiders, thus limiting the influence of the Diamond Sutra. Times have changed. If today’s principles are not explained, it will be difficult for the Diamond Sutra to gain new vitality. The so-called principle of today means that people today can actually interpret the principles of this sutra based on their current knowledge and views. Such an understanding must be in line with the actual meaning of this sutra, must be accessible to previous explanations, and must have the latest theoretical features of the present time, so that it can be more easily accepted by today's readers. This book can be called the first modern interpretation of the Diamond Sutra. Through the author's way of understanding and following his artistic conception, it seems that there is a way to enter the Buddha's knowledge. By following this, existing knowledge and views will undergo a radical transformation, leading to a previously unknown shore - where the Buddha's state of enlightenment is clearly revealed. Hu Kaixiang / President of Shantou University Press
