The Diamond
Sutra:
Origins,
Signification,
st
The
Diamond
Sutra
in the 21Digitalization
and place in Religious Practice in Taiwan
Century
Montoneri
Bernard
2015/4/10
Dr. Montoneri
1
The Diamond Sutra: Origins, Signification, Digitalization
and place in Religious Practice in Taiwan
Outline
Introduction
I. Presentation of the sutra
II. Socio-historical evolution
III. Signification
IV. Corrections et digitalization
V. Place in religious practice in Taiwan
Conclusion
References
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Introduction

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The Diamond Sutra belongs to the Mahāyāna sūtras,
the Prajñāpāramitā genre ("Perfection of Wisdom").
The Mahāyāna is the "Great Vehicle", one of the two
main existing branches of Buddhism.
This sūtra was probably written in India during the
2nd century AD. The most ancient Chinese translation,
by Kumarajiva, dates from around 407.
The Diamond Sutra is particularly important in China
and in Taiwan, for socio-historical, religious and
philosophical reasons.
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Introduction
This dialogue in 32 sections between Buddha
and his disciple Subhuti is one of the most
studied sacred texts.
 The digitalization of the Diamond Sutra has
helped scholars around the world to study it.
 There is a wood block printed copy in the
British Library which dates from 868, almost 6
centuries before the Gutenberg Bible was first
printed. This text is now online.

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I. Presentation of the sutra
Title
 In Sanskrit: Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra .
 In Chinese: 金 剛 般 若 波 羅 蜜 多 經 jīngāng bōrě
bōluómìduō jīng ou 金剛經 Jīngāngjīng.
 In English: Diamond-Cutter Sutra of the Perfection of
Wisdom.
Origins
 Sutra written by Indian monks 2nd century AD.
 Zhi Qian 支謙 is the first translator but his version is
now lost (3rd century).
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The sutra has been translated into
Chinese by 6 monks :
Kumarajiva (~407)
Bodhiruci (Beginning 6th century)
Paramartha (~562)
Dharmagupta (~605-617)
Xuanzang (~660-663)
Yijing (~703)
Painting of Xuanzang
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I. Presentation of the sutra
Meaning of the sutra’s name
 Vajra means “diamond”. It is an important symbol,
notably in Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna.
 It is about power and stability. Buddhists consider
vajra as a symbol of what cannot be destroyed.
 This symbol is connected to the notion of emptiness.
 Finally, vajra is linked to the idea that Buddha is
trying to help Subhūti unlearn his preconceived,
limited notions of the nature of reality and
enlightenment.
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I. Presentation of the sutra


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Vajracchedikā means more “indestructible cutter”
than “diamond”. The cutter is here a mental attitude,
a weapon cutting through the dualistic vision of the
world.
Prajñāpāramitā means “Perfection of Wisdom”.
Prajñā is one of the six virtues (pāramitā) that a
Bodhisattva should cultivate: wisdom.
The main goal for the Buddha to be is to transcend
the dualistic vision of the world, to cut through
illusions.
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I. Presentation of the sutra
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Sūtra refers mostly to canonical scriptures, many of
which are regarded as records of the oral teachings of
Gautama Buddha. In Chinese, these are known as 經
(pinyin: jīng).
Oral transmission of the teachings during the 4 first
centuries after Buddha’s death (around 480 BC).
Sūtras are most often lengthy, with many repetitions
which serve the mnemonic purpose of the audience.
Some 600 Mahayana Sutras have survived in Sanskrit,
or in Chinese and/or Tibetan translation.
The style of sūtras is simple, clear, didactical and
often repetitive.
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Chung Tai Chan Monastery 中台禪寺
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II. Evolution socio-historique
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The Diamond Sutra has been famous since its
introduction in China: translated and commented
upon numerous times.
Under the dynasty of the Tang 唐 (618-907), there
were more than 800 commentaries and interpretations
of the Vajracchedika.
Under the dynasty of the Song 宋 (960-1279), the
sutra was part of the required programme for entrance
examens in schools and to become monk.
One can also measure the influence of the 金剛經
Jinganging in China by looking at the manuscripts
discovered in Dunhuang (Gansu).
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II. Evolution socio-historique
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
Wood block printing probably began in China in the
7th century. An official document from December 29,
835 contains a mention of the existence of printing.
it was Buddhism that played the strongest role in
influencing writing and, in particular, printing.
During the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD), Buddhism
enjoyed an explosion in the production of printed
texts.
A version of the Diamond Sutra from 868 was
discovered by Sir Aurel Stein in 1907 at Dunhuang
and sent to London.
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II. Evolution socio-historique




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Thus wood block printed copy is now in the British
Museum.
Although not the earliest example of block printing, it
is the earliest example which bears an actual date.
“Reverently made for universal free distribution by
Wang Jie on behalf of his two parents on the 15th of
the 4th moon of the 9th year of Xiantong.” [11 May
868]
Printed during the Tang Dynasty (懿宗 Yizong, 859873).
The sutra was respectfully printed by Wang Jie 王玠
for his parents.
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British Museum-Diamond Sutra, 868 AD
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Nanjing, centre of publication of Buddhist sutras, Jinling (金陵刻經處).
The centre owns more than 100 000 engraved texts.
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III. Signification
Accumulation of merits
 The Diamond Sutra insists on the theme of accumulation
of merits: in the Buddhist tradition, to copy sutras is an
act of devotion, publicly or privately.
 Mahāyāna did not have monks exclusively formed to
memorize sutras. Most of the believers of the Great
Vehicle laymen and women .
 They all had a family and could not spend all their time
memorizing and preserving sutras.
 Therefore, there is great emphasis in this group of sutra
on the accumulation of merits for people who would copy,
memorize and comment upon the sutra.
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III. Signification
Accumulation of merits
The Buddha said to Subhuti: “If a good man or
good woman is able to comprehend and follow a
four-line verse of this sutra and teach it to others,
their merit will be far greater.”
 The transmission of Buddha’s Teaching is the
greatest donation (dana, virtue of generosity).
 The accumulation of merits is right, as long as
the believer understands the Doctrine.
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III. Signification
Accumulation of merits
Here is the story of Zhao Wenchang 趙文昌: when he
died, he appeared in front of Yama, the the lord of death.
Zhao declared that among his good deeds, he had a
perfect knowledge of the Diamond Sutra.
 Yama sent him to the Infernal Library to find a copy
of the sutra. Zhao found the sutra in the Library and was
able to recite the entire text without making any mistake.
(Drège-1991, pp.210-211 )

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III. Signification
Emptiness

The central method preached is asthanayoga (nonattachment): to fix our attention on nothing.

Meditation on emptiness is the remedy to wrong beliefs:
concentration on the double inexistence of beings and things.

The Buddhist term emptiness (śūnyatā) refers specifically to
emptiness of inherent existence.

A human being is a part of the whole, called by us
"Universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences
himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separate
from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his
consciousness. The striving to free oneself from this delusion
is the one issue of true religion. Not to nourish it but to try to
overcome it is the way to reach the attainable measure of
piece of mind. (February 12, 1950 Albert Einstein)
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Subhūti
Subhūti was one of the Ten
Great disciples of Buddha,
and foremost in the
understanding of emptiness.
In Sanskrit, his name literally
means "Good Existence" (su:
"good", bhūti: "existence").
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III. Signification
The six perfections
 The six pāramitā sont Dana (generosity), Śīla (virtue, honesty),
Kṣānti (patience), Vīrya (energy), Dhyāna (meditation) and
Prajñā (wisdom).
 The bodhisattva possesses the qualities of compassion and
benevolence towards all the beings he/she tries to save. The
virtues should be cultivated in order to get rid of the 6
obstacles: greed, immorality, hostility, laziness, distraction and
wrong views.
 The first 3 virtues produce wealth, excellent physical condition
and good company respectively.
 The 3 other virtues tame the klesa (attachment, ignorance),
mature beings and eliminate the dualistic vision of the world.
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III. Signification
OM
Dāna pāramitā
布施波羅蜜
bùshī pōluómì
generosity
MA
Śīla pāramitā
持戒波羅蜜
chíjié pōluómì
virtue, honesty
NI
Kṣānti pāramitā
忍辱波羅蜜
rěnrù pōluómì
patience, tolerance
PAD
Vīrya pāramitā
精進波羅蜜
jīngjìn pōluómì
energy, effort, courage
ME
Dhyāna pāramitā
禪定波羅蜜
chándìng pōluómì
concentration, meditation
HUM
Prajñā pāramitā
智慧波羅蜜
zhìhuì pōluómì
wisdom
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Dhyāna
Virtue of
meditation
A Monastary near
Taidong
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IV. Corrections and digitalization
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The Taisho contains 8 Chinese translations of the
Diamond Sutra, by 6 monks.
During the digitalization process, it is vital to correct
the numerous errors found in the printed version.
For example, T.236b is attributed to Bodhiruci. It is
in fact Paramartha’s translation.
T.1510b is wrongly attributed to Dharmagupta. It was
translated by Bodhiruci. It is a commentary by
Asanga quoting the entire sutra.
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IV. Corrections and digitalization

The 8 Chinese texts included in the Taisho
The 8 texts in the Taisho
Translator
Date of translation
T.235
Kumarajiva
407
T.236a, pp.752 c-757 a.
Bodhiruci
509
T.236b, pp.757 a-761 c.
Paramartha
Beginning 6th century
T.237
Paramartha
562
T.1510b
Bodhiruci
600
T.238
Dharmagupta
605-617
T.220
Xuanzang
660-663
T.239
Yijing
703
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IV. Corrections and digitalization
The Diamond Sutra-Online versions
 Sanskrit version online USA
 Chinese version online Taiwan
 Thesaurus Literaturae Buddhicae (site) Norway
 Database of Chinese Buddhist Texts (site) Japan
 Internet Sacred Text Archive (site) USA
 Chinese with English Translation (site) Japan
 Different versions online USA Foundation for the
Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition
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IV. Corrections and digitalization
Digitalization project and online version
 Collect all the available Sanskrit, Chinese and
Western versions and post them online.
 Correct them, notably the punctuation problem.
 Translated the original text in English and French.
 Writing the bio of the 6 translators.
 Offer a commentary of the sutra (video; Power Point).
 Making a Sanskrit-Chinese-English glossary.
 Reading and analysis of the Chinese versions.
 Links to other sites and bibliography.
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Lewis Lancaster – 10th anniversary of CBETA
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Conference guests from February 15-17, 2008
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V. Place in religious practice in Taiwan
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The Diamond Sutra is especially famous Taiwan, in
all the schools of Buddhism and in all temples.
Here is a presentation of section 1 and an analysis of
the relation between Buddha’s teaching and Qigong.
Qigong 氣功 comes from Taoist exercises to aimed at
increasing the energy of life. Qigong was also
influenced by Buddhism and is part of Chinese
medicine.
氣 qi: vital energy et 功 gong (exercise, discipline).
Two examples: abdominal breathing, and meditation.
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V. Place in religious practice in Taiwan
Section 1
Thus I have heard. Once, the Buddha was staying in the
Anathapindada’s Park at Jeta Grove in Shravasti, with a
community of 1,250 bhiksus. When it was mealtime, the
World Honored One put on his robe, took his alms-bowl,
and went into the great city of Shravasti, going from
house to house to beg for food. This done, he returned
to his abiding place, finished the meal, put away his
robe and bowl, washed his feet, arranged his seat, and
sat down.
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V. Place in religious practice in Taiwan
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Subhuti is amazed by the way Buddha offers his
teaching. His daily activities resemble those of any
monk to the point that few realize the extraordinary
quality of the master and his teaching.
Subhuti perceives immediately that Buddha protects
and leads to deliverance all beings with compassion
and wisdom.
In fact, Buddha lives a very simple life, wakes up,
dresses up and goes to the city to beg for some rice
for lunch.
After lunch, Buddha goes to the park and enters a
state of deep meditation.
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V. Place in religious practice in Taiwan
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The sutra’s insistence on the simple life style of Buddha is
fundamental . He fixes his attention on his breathing and enters
a state of meditation.
This attitude is common to Buddhism and Qigong: it is called
Satipatthana (establishment of attention). This deep vigilance
is essential to attain enlightenment and is associated to wisdom
(prajñā).
Buddha fixes his attention on daily and ordinary acts. As a
result, they become extraordinary. He has a clear
consciousness of things and of events.
Qigong practitioners learn to concentrate their thoughts, to
relax and to fix their attention on nothing in particular. For
example, new born children know how to do abdominal
breathing, while most of the adults concentrate on their lungs
to breath.
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V. Place dans la pratique religieuse à Taiwan

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Qigong practitioners are often attracted to Buddhism.
In a Qigong state, it happens that practitioners spontaneously
recite Buddhist sutras.
It is also possible to see images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas,
for example 觀音 Guanyin, 彌勒佛 Milefo, 燃燈佛 Ran deng
Fo, 藥師佛 Yaoshi Fo.
Some adepts look for causes of their illness in past lives. All
beings are caught in the samsara (cycle of reincarnations), our
present life is conditioned to the sum of good and bad deeds
from our past lives.
In Chinese tradition, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in
the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month
in general is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which
ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors,
come out from the lower realm.
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V. Place dans la pratique religieuse à Taiwan

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


Taiwanese people are interested in astrology, past lives, spirits,
Feng Shui, La ligne directrice du Feng Shui est l'optimisation
des “flux de qi”.
There are numerous TV programs, such as 命運好好玩 (site).
The most famous Taiwanese Qigong and 功夫 Kungfu Master
李鳳山 Lee Feng-san (site).
In 1987, Lee Feng-san and the NSC in Taiwan, experiments to
scientifically demonstrate the existence of the “Qi”.
The practitioners of his centre 梅門 Mei-Men are Buddhists
and Lee insists on the importance of being a vegetarian.
Physical et spirituals exercises are insufficient. To cure, one
has to change his attitude, his state of mind, his character, and
the way he sees the world.
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Lee Feng-san 李鳳山
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Science Museum-Taichung
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Conclusion
The Diamond
Sutra in the 21st
Century
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Gatha of section 26
若以色見我 Those who see me in form,
以音聲求我 Or seek me through sound,
是人行邪道 Are on a mistaken path;
不能見如來 They do not see the Tathagata.
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Conclusion
一切有為法
All conditioned phenomena
如夢幻泡影
Are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, or shadows;
如露亦如電
Like drops of dew, or flashes of lightning;
應作如是觀
Thusly should they be contemplated.
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References
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Kumarajiva, Jin gang ban ruo bo luo mi jing, 金剛般若波羅
蜜經, T.235, Vol. 8, pp.748, c-752, c
Bugault, Guy (1989). "Les paradoxes de la Vajracchedika: une
connexion qui opère une coupure", Cahiers d’études chinoises,
8, pages 45-63.
Conze, Edward (1974; first edition 1958). "Vajracchedika
Prajnaparamita, edited and translated with introduction and
Glossary", Serie Orientale Roma, Roma, Vol. XIII, Istituto
Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente, 117 pages.
Drège J.P. (1994). "Des effets de l’imprimerie en Chine sous
la dynastie des Song", Journal Asiatique, CCLXXXII, 2,
pp.409-442.
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References
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Gomez, Luis and Silk, Jonathan (1989). Studies in the
Literature of the Great Vehicle. The University of Michigan,
Center for South and Southeast Asian Studies, pages 89-139.
Harrison Paul & Watanabe Shogo (2006). "Vajracchedika
Prajnaparamita", in Buddhist manuscripts in the Schøyen
collection / Ed.: Jens Braarvig; Paul Harrison; Jens-Uwe
Hartmann; Kazunobu Matsuda; Lore Sander. - Vol. 3. - Oslo:
Hermes, pages 89-132.
Montoneri, Bernard (1997). "Influence du thème de
l'accumulation des mérites sur l'impression des sutras: exemple
du Couperet de diamant", Université Nationale Centrale,
Renwen xuebao, Volume 16, pages 161-182.
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References
Websites
 http://neigong.net/tag/qigong/
 http://www.body-breathvoice.com/11703.html?*session*id*key*=*session*id*val*
 http://www1.pu.edu.tw/~bmon/Health.htm
 http://www1.pu.edu.tw/~bmon/Buddhism.php
 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8691172765637795347&q=diamond+sutra&total=52&start=0&num=1
0&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
 http://centrebouddhisteparis.org/Sangharakshita/Commencement_etran
ge/commencement_etrange.html
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingzhi
 http://ctzen.org/sunnyvale/enUS/index.php?option=com_content&task
=view&id=141&Itemid=57
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandh%C4%81ran_Buddhist_Texts
 http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/emptiness.html
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