Mahayana Diamond Sutra Commentary (Đại Thừa Kinh Kim Cang Luận)
Translated by Venerable Thich Vien Giac
Hayward Buddhist Center, Hayward, California 1996
Editor's Note:
This Mahayana Diamond Sutra Commentary first appeared in Vietnam in 1963. The book was printed without the name of the translator or publisher. It wasn't until 1965 that the "Mahayana Diamond Sutra Commentary" was officially translated by Venerable Thich Vien Giac at Hai Duc Buddhist Institute in Nha Trang and published that same year. The preface was written by Venerable Nun Thich Nu Dieu Khong. In 1983, the book was reprinted by Duc Vien Temple in San Jose, and in 1996, it was reprinted by the Hayward Buddhist Center in Hayward, California. The two translations have similar content and structure, although the wording differs slightly. For example, the term "good boy" and "good girl" in the 1963 translation is used for "good boy" and "good girl" in the 1965 translation. Below is the 1963 translation:
Thus we hear: Once upon a time, the Buddha was in Vulture Peak Mountain, sitting on a pure platform surrounded by Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and the eight classes of Devas and Dragons, listening to the Buddha's teachings. At that time, countless newly aspiring monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen thought: The Buddha is teaching the Mahayana Dharma, but we cannot understand it. If only the Buddha would skillfully teach us the shallow and easy points, we could thereby attain enlightenment and realize the Buddha's wisdom. We wished to ask questions but dared not approach. At that time, Bodhisattva Manjushri, knowing the thoughts of the four assemblies, skillfully rose from his seat; He approached the Buddha and said: "O Venerable One, open your great compassion and establish skillful means to teach those beings who are just beginning to understand their true nature and attain Buddhahood. Furthermore, for future generations, those who are newly entering the Buddhist path may seek the right understanding, not be deceived by false teachings, and attain enlightenment without much effort." The Buddha said: "Excellent! Excellent! Manjushri, you possess great skillful means. Ask the Tathagata to teach the three faculties and the straight path of practice for future generations who are newly entering the path. I will explain it clearly according to your question." The assembly fell silent to listen to the Buddha's teachings.
The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Manjushri: "There is a Dharani called the Diamond Mind, which enables beings to attain enlightenment upon seeing or hearing it once. Good man! What is the Diamond Mind? This mind is present in everyone; no one is without it. Therefore, the equal mind of all beings knows and understands it themselves. Why?" All good and evil deeds originate from the mind. If the mind cultivates good deeds, the body experiences peace and happiness. If the mind creates evil deeds, the body suffers. The mind is the master of the body; the body is the function of the mind. Why? Because the Buddha was also created by the mind, the Way is learned by the mind, virtue is accumulated by the mind, merit is cultivated by the mind, blessings are produced by the mind, and misfortunes are created by the mind. The mind creates heaven, the mind creates hell. The mind creates Buddhas, the mind creates sentient beings; if the mind is righteous, one becomes a Buddha; if the mind is evil, one becomes a demon. A compassionate mind is a being of the gods, an evil mind is a being of the Rakshasa; therefore, the mind is the seed for all good and evil deeds. If a person awakens to their own mind, firmly controls it, refrains from creating evil deeds, constantly performs good deeds, and practices the vows and aspirations according to the Buddha's teachings.
Why? Because all Buddhas and the Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi of all Buddhas arise from the mind itself, infinitely, without illusion or confusion, hence it is called the realization of the Buddha-mind. Therefore, the Buddha and all sentient beings have the same nature; it is due to whether one practices or not, whether one believes or not, that some become Buddhas and others become sentient beings.
Bodhisattva Manjushri asked the Buddha: What is called the Diamond Sutra?
The World Honored One said: The Diamond Sutra is an analogy for one's own nature, while the Sutra is an analogy for one's own mind. If a person clearly understands their own mind, sees their own nature, then within their body lies the Sutra; on the six senses, a bright, dazzling light shines forth, illuminating heaven and earth, possessing merits as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River, giving rise to the four fruits, the four characteristics, the ten saints, the three sages, the thirty-two characteristics of the Tathagata, and eighty good deeds. All merits come from within oneself, from the mind, not from external sources.
Why? If someone attains enlightenment and constantly listens to their own Buddha-nature, constantly expounds the Dharma, constantly saves sentient beings, constantly manifests supernatural powers, constantly performs Buddha-deeds, and understands this principle, only then can they be said to uphold the Diamond Sutra, only then can they be said to possess an indestructible Diamond Body.
Bodhisattva Manjushri asked the Buddha: In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha often praises upholding and expounding four verses, etc., saying that such merit surpasses the merit of filling the four directions—east, west, south, north, above, and below the void—and surpasses the merit of giving away one's life, like the grains of sand in the Ganges River, on the first, middle, and last days. I don't know what those four verses are.
The Buddha said: All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature; it has never been born, never ceases to exist, but due to delusion and enlightenment, there are ups and downs.
Why? Sentient beings are often deluded and not enlightened, so they fall into suffering for many lifetimes. Buddhas are always enlightened and not deluded, so they attain Buddhahood. If virtuous men and women study Buddhism, the process of entering the path is divided into four parts, called the four verses: there is no body, there is no mind, there is no nature, and there is no phenomena.
Why is it called "non-body"? Because this body is born from parents, full of their vital energy and blood; the nine orifices constantly release impure substances; the four elements are illusory and will eventually disintegrate. However, virtuous men and women with wisdom know that this body is illusory, so before death they imagine it as already dead, using this illusory body to study and practice Buddhism. This is called "Form and Emptiness," the first verse.
Constantly observing one's own mind, which neither arises nor ceases, is supremely sacred and supremely spiritual. Encountering phenomena as if they exist, and passing them as if they don't. Now knowing the true mind, which is always awakened and not deluded, not being led astray by false thoughts, relying only on true nature as master, this is called "Realizing the Emptiness of Mind," the second verse.
Furthermore, observing one's own nature, which is always still and unmoving, if it is perceived, it immediately becomes clear, infinitely transformative, inconceivably powerful, and brilliantly clear. One's own self-awakening and understanding is sacred, silent and unconditioned, yet not outside of conditioned existence. This is called "Realizing the Emptiness of Nature," the third verse.
... Again, observing the Buddha's teachings, the Dharma is always skillfully guided to lead sentient beings through the door of the Dharma, like water washing away dust, like medicine for the sick. Now, having attained the realization of emptiness of mind and emptiness of phenomena, like a severe illness where medicine is no longer needed, this is called realizing the emptiness of phenomena—the fourth verse.
The meaning of these four verses is the path to enlightenment, transcending the ordinary and entering sainthood. The Buddhas of the three ages also reached the ultimate fruit through this path.
Why? Because if one understands the meaning of the first verse and practices accordingly, one attains the fruit of Stream-Entry (Sotapanna); if one understands the meaning of the second verse and practices accordingly, one attains the fruit of Once-Returner (Sotapanna); if one understands the meaning of the third verse and practices accordingly, one attains the fruit of Non-Returner (Anagami); if one understands the meaning of the fourth verse and practices accordingly, one attains the fruit of Arhatship (Arahant).
These four verses open the door to the path of the Buddhas. If one upholds, recites, and teaches them, enabling listeners to attain the Buddha's wisdom and enlightenment without doubt, then this merit is greater than hundreds of thousands of millions of merits gained from giving away one's life and seven treasures.
The Buddha told Bodhisattva Manjushri: Buddhas before and after are of the same essence; success and enlightenment depend on each individual's own realization of their own nature. Because Buddha-nature is inherent in everyone, if one does not practice according to the Buddha's teachings, one cannot attain Buddhahood.
Why? Because one has not yet accumulated merit in the Buddha's teachings. If one wishes to attain Buddhahood, one must follow these ten principles:
1. Use fasting and precepts as the foundation for attaining Buddhahood.
2. Seek guidance from an enlightened master.
3. Understand and clearly discern one's true nature.
4. Perform virtuous deeds to enrich the foundation of the path.
5. Cultivate virtuous connections so that the roots of virtue grow stronger each day.
6. Understand the cause and effect of your actions and avoid impulsive actions.
7. Exorcise evil spirits and distance yourself from heretics.
8. Understand the truth and do not cling to conditioned phenomena.
9. Strive diligently according to the Buddha's virtues.
10. Understand each Dharma clearly and thoroughly.
If you possess these ten merits, you will quickly attain the supreme, perfect, and complete enlightenment. Manjushri! After my passing, in the degenerate age, there will be many beings with low capacities and limited wisdom, their minds deluded, their intellect obscured. Although they observe vegetarianism and precepts, they lack wisdom. Their minds are ignorant, arrogant, and proud, they venerate false views, and they refuse to humble themselves to seek teachers and learn the true Dharma. They cling to falsehoods, mistaking falsehood for truth, clinging to scriptures and texts, clinging to the idea of reciting many scriptures, or believing that learning just two sayings of the Buddha is sufficient. To say one has attained enlightenment without having achieved it, to say one has attained it without having attained it, to have little virtuous cultivation yet desire great results—truly, the ignorant and deluded do not understand the Buddha's teachings, deluded and self-deceiving themselves. Though they have good karma, they cannot avoid misfortune. Why? Because the seed is not firm, it is difficult to bear the fruit of Bodhi. Once one loses their human form, it is difficult to regain it for countless eons.
Bodhisattva Manjushri asked the Buddha: What are the four types of rebirth? What karmic actions cause each type of rebirth to be different?
The Buddha said: All sentient beings, from beginningless time until now, have created many deluded actions, their thoughts are always unwholesome, burying their true nature, clinging to worldly attachments forever. Because of greed, hatred, and delusion, they create immeasurable and boundless sins such as killing, stealing, adultery, etc., and when they are reborn, they are all different.
Let me briefly explain the four types of karmic retribution:
1. Egg-Born: Those whose past lives were filled with schemes, deceit, and trickery, are reborn as egg-born creatures like birds and fish, etc. Those with high ambitions are reborn as birds, flying high upon seeing people. Those with deep schemes are reborn as fish, diving down upon encountering people.
2. Womb-Born: Those whose past lives were filled with lust and desire are reborn as womb-born creatures like humans, goats, pigs, and mammals that give birth to offspring such as buffaloes, cows, horses, cats, and dogs. Those born as humans due to lust and desire can stand upright; those with stubborn hearts and unrestrained desires can be reborn as animals that walk on all four legs.
3. Lower Rebirth: In a previous life, this person indulged in gluttony, excessive drinking and feasting, engaged in frivolous activities, and had a disturbed and deranged mind, thus being reborn as a lower-level being such as crabs, shrimp, turtles, eels, etc.
4. Transformation Rebirth: In a previous life, this person was fickle, had erratic thoughts, spoke right to someone's face but wrong behind their back, and committed many evil deeds, thus being reborn as a transformation being such as cicadas, butterflies, mosquitoes, flies, etc.
