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Interpretation of the Diamond Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra · Chapters 25-32

Category: Buddhist Scriptures
Tag: Diamond Sutra

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第二十五品 化無所化分

「須菩提！於意云何？汝等勿謂如來作是念：『我當度眾生。』須菩提！莫作是念。何以故？實無有眾生如來度者。若有眾生如來度者，如來則有我、人、眾生、壽者。須菩提！如來說：『有我者，則非有我，而凡夫之人以為有我。』須菩提！凡夫者，如來說則非凡夫，是名凡夫。」

Interpretation: This chapter once again delves into the wisdom of emptiness that "though beings are liberated, in reality, no beings are liberated." The Buddha warns Subhuti and his disciples not to think that the Tathāgata has the thought, "I will liberate sentient beings." Why? Because in ultimate reality, there is no substantial "sentient being" that can be "liberated." If the Tathāgata still held the thought "I liberate beings," then the Tathāgata would be attached to the "four marks" (self, person, being, life-span) and would not be a true Tathāgata. The Buddha further explains that although ordinary people cling to the idea of "having a self," this "self" is illusory; its nature is "not having a self." Similarly, the so-called "ordinary person" is a convenient name used by the Tathāgata; in reality, they are "not an ordinary person." This teaches us that all concepts and names, including "sentient being" and "ordinary person," are temporary constructs of causes and conditions and have no real substance. True liberation is helping beings to demolish their attachment to a real self and realize the ultimate reality of non-self.

第二十六品 法身非相分

「須菩提！於意云何？可以三十二相觀如來不？」須菩提言：「如是！如是！以三十二相觀如來。」佛言：「須菩提！若以三十二相觀如來者，轉輪聖王則是如來。」須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如我解佛所說義，不應以三十二相觀如來。」爾時，世尊而說偈言：「若以色見我，以音聲求我，是人行邪道，不能見如來。」

Interpretation: This chapter aims to demolish the attachment to the Buddha's physical form, emphasizing the truth that the Dharma-body is without marks. The Buddha first asks Subhuti if one can perceive the Tathāgata by his thirty-two marks. Subhuti, initially following worldly convention, answers "Yes." However, the Buddha immediately corrects him, pointing out that if one could see the Tathāgata merely by the thirty-two marks, then a wheel-turning sage king, who also possesses the thirty-two marks, would also be a Tathāgata. This awakens Subhuti, who immediately understands and changes his answer to: "One should not perceive the Tathāgata by the thirty-two marks." The Buddha then summarizes with a famous gatha: "He who sees me by form, who seeks me in sound, has engaged in a wrong path, and cannot see the Tathāgata." This gatha profoundly points out that if we cling to the Buddha's external form (like statues or physical manifestations) or his voice to seek him, we are on the wrong path, because the true Tathāgata is the formless and markless Dharma-body, which transcends all senses and concepts and cannot be realized through worldly perception.

第二十七品 無斷無滅分

「須菩提！汝若作是念：『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』須菩提！莫作是念，『如來不以具足相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』須菩提！汝若作是念，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，說諸法斷滅。莫作是念！何以故？發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於法不說斷滅相。」

Interpretation: This chapter aims to demolish two potential biases in practice: one is the nihilistic view that denies all meritorious marks, and the other is understanding marklessness as annihilation. The Buddha first warns Subhuti not to think that "the Tathāgata attained supreme, perfect enlightenment because he did not have the complete marks." This seems to correct a possible misunderstanding from the previous emphasis on "no-mark," meaning it's not that one attains enlightenment because of the absence of marks, but that the nature of marks is empty, and one should not be attached to them. The Buddha then warns even more sternly not to think that "one who develops the Bodhi mind preaches the annihilation of all dharmas." Why? Because a true developer of the Bodhi mind realizes that all dharmas arise from dependent origination and are empty in nature; they do not advocate for the annihilation of all things into nothingness. The Prajñā view of emptiness does not negate cause and effect or dependent origination; rather, it transcends the illusory marks of dependent origination to see their empty nature, while also not clinging to emptiness. This emphasizes the Middle Path of Buddhism, which neither clings to existence nor falls into nothingness, but transcends the duality of both.

第二十八品 不受不貪分

「須菩提！若菩薩以滿恆河沙等世界七寶，持用布施；若復有人知一切法無我，得成於忍，此菩薩勝前菩薩所得功德。何以故？須菩提！以諸菩薩不受福德故。」須菩提白佛言：「世尊！云何菩薩不受福德？」「須菩提！菩薩所作福德，不應貪著，是故說不受福德。」

Interpretation: This chapter again compares the merit of material giving with that of Prajñā wisdom. The Buddha points out that if a bodhisattva gives away the seven treasures that fill worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, their merit is certainly vast. But if another bodhisattva knows that "all dharmas are without self" and thereby "attains patience" (i.e., realizes the patience of non-arising dharmas, abiding in emptiness without regression), the merit gained by this bodhisattva far surpasses the former. The Buddha explains the reason is: "Because bodhisattvas do not receive merit." Subhuti asks, "How is it that bodhisattvas do not receive merit?" The Buddha replies, "A bodhisattva should not be greedy for or attached to the merit they create; therefore, it is said they do not receive merit." The "not receiving" here does not mean not performing the act of giving or that no merit is produced. It means that when a bodhisattva performs all good deeds and accumulates merit, their mind does not become greedy or attached to the mark of merit; they do not think there is a "self" accumulating merit or a "merit" to be obtained. This kind of giving, based on the "three wheels of emptiness," yields merit that is immeasurable and boundless, transcending all worldly, conditioned merit.

第二十九品 威儀寂靜分

「須菩提！若有人言：如來若來若去、若坐若臥，是人不解我所說義。何以故？如來者，無所從來，亦無所去，故名如來。」

Interpretation: This chapter very concisely clarifies the true meaning of "Tathāgata," which transcends worldly attachments to form, movement, and stillness. The Buddha warns Subhuti that if someone says the Tathāgata comes or goes, sits or lies down, like a worldly being, this person has not understood the meaning of his teaching. Why? Because "the Tathāgata comes from nowhere and goes nowhere." This does not mean the Buddha does not manifest these actions, but emphasizes that the Dharma-body of the Buddha is omnipresent, unproduced, unceasing, undefiled, unmoving, and transcends all relative concepts and spatio-temporal limitations. All physical forms and actions are merely manifestations for the sake of sentient beings, not the true substance of the Tathāgata. Therefore, the true "Tathāgata" refers to his fundamental nature, which is eternally abiding and unmoving, corresponding to the ultimate reality of all dharmas.

第三十品 一合理相分

「須菩提！若善男子、善女人，以三千大千世界碎為微塵，於意云何？是微塵眾寧為多不？」「甚多，世尊！何以故？若是微塵眾實有者，佛則不說是微塵眾，所以者何？佛說：微塵眾，即非微塵眾，是名微塵眾。世尊！如來所說三千大千世界，則非世界，是名世界。何以故？若世界實有者，則是一合相。如來說：『一合相，則非一合相，是名一合相。』須菩提！一合相者，則是不可說，但凡夫之人貪著其事。」

Interpretation: This chapter uses the analogy of dust motes and worlds to once again demolish the attachment to real entities and composite forms. The Buddha posits a scenario where someone grinds a three-thousand-great-thousand world system (representing everything in the world) into fine dust and asks if this collection of dust is numerous. Subhuti naturally says "Very numerous." But the Buddha immediately points out: "If this collection of dust were a real entity, the Buddha would not call it a collection of dust." This is because dust motes are also composed of smaller parts and have no real substance. So the Buddha says, "The collection of dust is not a collection of dust; it is called a collection of dust." Similarly, "the three-thousand-great-thousand world system is not a world; it is called a world." Why is this so? Because if the world were a real entity, it would be a "single composite mark"—an aggregation viewed as a real entity. However, the Buddha clarifies: "A single composite mark is not a single composite mark; it is called a single composite mark." This points out that all things composed of parts are, in essence, without a self-nature and are merely convenient names. The essence of this "single composite mark" is "inexpressible," beyond language and concepts. Yet, ordinary people often cling to these composite phenomena, believing them to be real. This reveals the empty nature of all dependently arisen phenomena, demolishing the worldly attachment to the real existence of phenomena.

第三十一品 知見不生分

「須菩提！若人言：佛說我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。須菩提！於意云何？是人解我所說義不？」「不也，世尊！是人不解如來所說義。何以故？世尊說：我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，即非我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見，是名我見、人見、眾生見、壽者見。」「須菩提！發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心者，於一切法，應如是知，如是見，如是信解，不生法相。須菩提！所言法相者，如來說即非法相，是名法相。」

Interpretation: This chapter further clarifies the understanding of the "four views"—the view of a self, a person, a being, and a life-span—emphasizing that true knowledge and views should "not give rise to a mark of dharma." The Buddha asks Subhuti if someone who says the Buddha taught these four views has understood his true meaning. Subhuti replies "No," explaining that what the Buddha calls the "four views" are, in their essence, "not the four views; they are called the four views." This means the Buddha only uses the term "four views" as a convenience to accord with worldly language; their true reality is empty, with no substance to be grasped. One who truly develops the Bodhi mind should "know all dharmas thus, see all dharmas thus, and believe and understand all dharmas thus, without giving rise to a mark of dharma." That is, one should recognize, see, believe, and comprehend all dharmas with Prajñā wisdom, without becoming attached to the names and marks of the Dharma. Because what the Buddha calls the "mark of dharma" is, in its essence, "not a mark of dharma; it is called a mark of dharma," which is also the empty nature that transcends names and marks. This is the ultimate expression of the Prajñāpāramitā mind of "non-abiding," where one should not even be attached to the Buddha's Dharma itself.

第三十二品 應化非真分

「須菩提！若有人以滿無量阿僧祇世界七寶持用布施，若有善男子、善女人發菩提心者，持於此經，乃至四句偈等，受持讀誦，為人演說，其福勝彼。云何為人演說，不取於相，如如不動。何以故？」「一切有為法，如夢幻泡影，如露亦如電，應作如是觀。」佛說是經已，長老須菩提及諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，一切世間、天、人、阿修羅，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜，信受奉行。

Interpretation: This is the final chapter of the Diamond Sutra, which once again summarizes and emphasizes the supreme merit of upholding and propagating the Prajñā scripture, and provides the final, definitive statement on the truth of dependent origination and emptiness with the famous "four-line gatha." The Buddha once again compares the immense merit of giving the seven treasures that fill countless asamkhya worlds with the merit of upholding, reciting, and explaining this sutra, even just a "four-line gatha," to others, clearly stating that the latter far surpasses the former. So, how should one explain it to others to achieve such merit? The key is to "not grasp at marks, and be as thusness, unmoving." This is the core of Prajñā wisdom—when preaching, not to be attached to the marks of a speaker and what is spoken, with a mind that is unmoving like thusness, realizing the empty nature of Dharma. Why should one view things this way? The Buddha delivers the eternally renowned gatha: "All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, like dew or a flash of lightning; thus should you view them." This verse teaches us to see all worldly phenomena that arise from causes and conditions and are subject to arising and ceasing as illusory and unreal, as transient and fleeting as a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, a drop of dew, or a flash of lightning. By contemplating all worldly phenomena in this way, one can demolish attachments and move toward liberation. After the Buddha finished speaking this sutra, the elder Subhuti and all the bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas, upasikas, and all the devas, humans, and asuras in the assembly were filled with great joy, and they faithfully accepted and put into practice what the Buddha had taught. This marks the complete and perfect conclusion of the Diamond Sutra's discourse, ensuring its profound wisdom will be transmitted through the world to benefit countless beings.