The Diamond Sutra
The Diamond Sutra
Buddhist Texts
Begin with the opening material of the Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp, then follow the contents to the teachers and exchanges you wish to read. The page divisions help navigation and do not replace the original fascicle headings.
*鳩摩羅什譯·後秦弘始年間（公元402-413年）*
Section 1: The Cause of the Dharma Assembly (the reason this gathering to teach the Dharma took place)
如是我聞。
Thus have I heard.
一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。
Once the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anathapindada, in Shravasti, together with a great assembly of 1,250 senior monks.
爾時，世尊食時，著衣持缽，入舍衛大城乞食。
At that time, when it was mealtime, the World-Honored One put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the great city of Shravasti to beg for food.
於其城中，次第乞已，還至本處。
After begging in order from house to house in the city, he returned to his original dwelling.
飯食訖，收衣缽，洗足已，敷座而坐。
When he had eaten, he put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, spread out his seat, and sat down.
Section 2: Subhuti Makes His Request (the Elder Subhuti requests the Buddha's instruction)
時，長老須菩提，在大眾中，即從座起，偏袒右肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬。而白佛言：
Then the Elder Subhuti, in the midst of the great assembly, rose from his seat, draped his robe over one shoulder to bare his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, respectfully pressed his palms together, and said to the Buddha:
「希有世尊！如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。
"How rare, World-Honored One! The Tathagata is good at protecting and keeping in mind all the Bodhisattvas, and good at entrusting all the Bodhisattvas with their great task.
世尊！善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，應云何住？云何降伏其心？」
World-Honored One! When good men and good women have given rise to the mind of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (meaning the mind of "unsurpassed, perfect awakening", that is, the resolve to become a Buddha), where should this mind abide? And how should it be subdued?"
佛言：「善哉，善哉。須菩提！
The Buddha said: "Well asked, well asked. Subhuti!
如汝所說：如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。
It is just as you say: the Tathagata is good at protecting and keeping in mind all the Bodhisattvas, and good at entrusting all the Bodhisattvas with their great task.
汝今諦聽，當為汝說：善男子、善女人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，應如是住，如是降伏其心。」
Now listen carefully, and I will tell you: when good men and good women have given rise to the mind of unsurpassed, perfect awakening, they should abide just as I now describe, and subdue their minds just as I now describe."
「唯然，世尊！願樂欲聞。」
Subhuti said: "Yes, World-Honored One! I would be glad to hear it."
Section 3: The Great Vehicle, the True Teaching (the greatest vehicle, the truest teaching)
佛告須菩提：「諸菩薩摩訶薩，應如是降伏其心：
The Buddha said to Subhuti: "All great Bodhisattvas should subdue their minds in this way:
所有一切眾生之類，若卵生、若胎生、若溼生、若化生；
All living beings, whether born from eggs, born from wombs, born from moisture, or born by transformation;
若有色、若無色；若有想、若無想、若非有想非無想，
whether with form or without form, with thought or without thought, or neither with thought nor without thought,
我皆令入無餘涅槃而滅度之。如是滅度無量無數無邊眾生，實無眾生得滅度者。
I vow to bring them all into nirvana without remainder and liberate them. Though I have thus liberated immeasurable, countless, boundless beings, in truth not a single being has been liberated.
何以故？須菩提！若菩薩有我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相，即非菩薩。」
Why? Subhuti! If a Bodhisattva still holds in mind the notion of a self, the notion of a person, the notion of a being, or the notion of a lifespan (that is, clings to the idea that there is a self, others, beings, and a life that lasts), then he is not a Bodhisattva."
Section 4: Wondrous Practice Without Abiding (the wondrous practice has fundamentally no attachment)
「復次，須菩提！
"Furthermore, Subhuti!
菩薩於法，應無所住，行於佈施。所謂不住色佈施，不住聲、香、味、觸、法佈施。
A Bodhisattva should not be attached to or dwell on anything, and should practice giving in just this way. That is, he should give without attachment to form, and give without attachment to sound, smell, taste, touch, or phenomena.
須菩提！菩薩應如是佈施，不住於相。
Subhuti! A Bodhisattva should give in this way, not attached to any notion.
何以故？若菩薩不住相佈施。其福德不可思量。」
Why? If a Bodhisattva gives without attachment to notions, his merit is so great that it cannot be measured."
「須菩提！於意云何？東方虛空，可思量不？」
"Subhuti! What do you think? Can the space in the east be measured?"
「不也，世尊！」
"No, World-Honored One!"
「須菩提！南、西、北方，四維上下虛空，可思量不？」
"Subhuti! Can the space in the south, west, and north, in the four corners, and above and below be measured?"
「不也，世尊！」
"No, World-Honored One!"
「須菩提！菩薩無住相佈施，福德亦復如是不可思量。須菩提！菩薩但應如所教住。」
"Subhuti! The merit of a Bodhisattva who gives without attachment to notions is likewise immeasurable like space. Subhuti! A Bodhisattva should simply abide in his mind just as I have taught."
Section 5: Seeing the Real in Accord with Principle (by the principle of suchness, one sees what is true)
「須菩提。於意云何？可以身相見如來不？」
"Subhuti! What do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen by means of bodily form and outward appearance?"
「不也，世尊，不可以身相得見如來。何以故？如來所說身相，即非身相。」
"No, World-Honored One, the Tathagata cannot be seen by means of bodily form and appearance. Why? Because the bodily form that the Tathagata speaks of is not a true and unchanging bodily form."
佛告須菩提：「凡所有相，皆是虛妄。若見諸相非相，即見如來。」
The Buddha said to Subhuti: "Whatever has form and appearance is all illusory and unreal. If you can see that all appearances are not real appearances, then at that very moment you see the Tathagata."
Section 6: Right Faith Is Rare (giving rise to right faith is most rare)
須菩提白佛言：「世尊！頗有眾生，得聞如是言說章句，生實信不？」
Subhuti said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! Will there be beings who, on hearing such words and phrases, give rise to real faith?"
佛告須菩提：「莫作是說。如來滅後，後五百歲，有持戒修福者，於此章句能生信心，
The Buddha said to Subhuti: "Do not speak like that. After the Tathagata's passing, in the last five hundred years, there will still be people who keep the precepts and cultivate merit, and who can give rise to faith in these phrases,
以此為實，當知是人不於一佛、二佛、三四五佛而種善根，已於無量千萬佛所種諸善根，
and take them as true. You should know that such people have not planted good roots with just one Buddha, two Buddhas, or three, four, or five Buddhas, but have already planted all kinds of good roots with immeasurable thousands of myriads of Buddhas,
聞是章句，乃至一念生淨信者，須菩提！如來悉知悉見，是諸眾生得如是無量福德。
and on hearing these phrases, even if only for a single thought they give rise to pure faith, Subhuti! the Tathagata fully knows and fully sees that these beings will obtain such immeasurable merit.
何以故？是諸眾生無復我相、人相、眾生相、壽者相。」
Why? Because these beings no longer have the notion of a self, the notion of a person, the notion of a being, or the notion of a lifespan."
「無法相，亦無非法相。
"They are not attached to the notion of 'Dharma', and not attached to the notion of 'non-Dharma'.
何以故？是諸眾生若心取相，則為著我、人、眾生、壽者。」
Why? If these beings' minds grasp at any notion, that amounts to being attached to a self, a person, a being, and a lifespan."
「若取法相，即著我、人、眾生、壽者。何以故？
"If one grasps at the notion of 'Dharma', that is being attached to a self, a person, a being, and a lifespan. Why?
若取非法相，即著我、人、眾生、壽者。
If one grasps at the notion of 'non-Dharma', that is likewise being attached to a self, a person, a being, and a lifespan.
是故不應取法，不應取非法。以是義故，如來常說：
Therefore one should not grasp at 'Dharma', and should not grasp at 'non-Dharma' either. Because of this principle, the Tathagata always says:
汝等比丘，知我說法，如筏喻者，法尚應舍，何況非法。」
You monks should know that the Dharma I teach is like a raft for crossing a river: once you have crossed, the raft should be put down. Even the Dharma should be let go, how much more what is not the Dharma."