Chapter 1

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park, together with a great assembly of one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikṣus.

At that time, at mealtime, the World-Honored One put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the great city of Śrāvastī to beg for food. In that city, he went from house to house in order, and when finished, returned to his own place. After eating, he put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, arranged his seat, and sat down.

Chapter 2

Then the elder Subhūti, in the great assembly, rose from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, joined his palms respectfully, and said to the Buddha:

“Rare, World-Honored One! The Tathāgata is well mindful of the bodhisattvas, well protects the bodhisattvas. World-Honored One, if good men and good women set their minds on unsurpassed, complete awakening, how should they abide? How should they subdue their minds?”

Chapter 3

The Buddha said, “Excellent, excellent, Subhūti. As you have spoken, the Tathāgata is well mindful of the bodhisattvas, well protects the bodhisattvas. Therefore, listen well — I will tell you.

If good men and good women set their minds on unsurpassed, complete awakening, they should thus abide; they should thus subdue their minds.

They should generate the mind without abiding anywhere — not abiding in forms, not abiding in sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or dharmas. They should generate the mind that does not abide in anything.”

Chapter 4

“Subhūti, bodhisattvas giving gifts should not abide in form. Why? If they abide in form when giving, they are like a person in darkness, unable to see.

Bodhisattvas should not abide in sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or dharmas when giving. They should give without abiding in appearances. Why? Because if bodhisattvas give without abiding in appearances, their merit is inconceivable and immeasurable.”

Chapter 5

“Subhūti, what do you think? Can the Tathāgata be seen by means of bodily form?”

“No, World-Honored One. The Tathāgata cannot be seen by means of bodily form. Why? Because the Tathāgata says that bodily form is not bodily form; therefore it is called bodily form.”

“Subhūti, wherever this sūtra is found, all worlds of devas, humans, and asuras should make offerings to it as they would to a Buddha shrine.”

Chapter 6

The Buddha said, “Subhūti, what do you think? Has the Tathāgata attained the unsurpassed, complete awakening? Has the Tathāgata spoken any dharma?”

Subhūti said, “World-Honored One, as I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, there is no fixed dharma called unsurpassed, complete awakening, and there is no fixed dharma that the Tathāgata has spoken. Why? The dharmas spoken by the Tathāgata cannot be seized or spoken; they are neither dharmas nor non-dharmas. Why? Because all sages are distinguished by means of the unconditioned dharma.”

Chapter 7

“Subhūti, what do you think? Can a bodhisattva create the perception of a self, a being, a life, or a soul?”

“No, World-Honored One.”

“Subhūti, if a bodhisattva creates the perception of dharma, he grasps at self, being, life, or soul. If he creates the perception of non-dharma, he also grasps at self, being, life, or soul. Therefore, you should not create the perception of dharma, nor the perception of non-dharma.

The Tathāgata always teaches that the dharma is like a raft — even the dharma should be abandoned, how much more the non-dharma.”

Chapter 8

“Subhūti, if someone filled the universe with the seven precious treasures and gave them, the merit would be great. Yet if another person upheld even a four-line verse of this sūtra and explained it to others, that person’s merit would be far greater.

Why? Because all buddhas and the dharma of unsurpassed awakening come forth from this sūtra. 

What is called ‘Buddha-dharma’ is not a fixed Buddha-dharma.”

Chapter 9

“Subhūti, what do you think? Does a stream-enterer think ‘I have attained the fruit of stream-enterer’?”

“No, World-Honored One. ‘Stream-enterer’ is merely a name. There is no entering into a stream of self, being, life, or soul.”

“Subhūti, what do you think? Does a once-returner think ‘I have attained the fruit of once-returner’?”

“No, World-Honored One. ‘Once-returner’ is merely a name. There is no returning of a self, being, life, or soul.”

“Subhūti, what do you think? Does a non-returner think ‘I have attained the fruit of non-returner’?”

“No, World-Honored One. ‘Non-returner’ is merely a name. There is no non-returning of a self, being, life, or soul.”

“Subhūti, what do you think? Does an arhat think ‘I have attained the fruit of arhat’?”

“No, World-Honored One. ‘Arhat’ is merely a name. There is no attainment, no realization, and no self to attain or realize.”

Chapter 10

The Buddha said, “Subhūti, when I was with Dīpaṅkara Buddha, I attained no dharma called unsurpassed, complete awakening.

Subhūti, what do you think? Does a bodhisattva create the perception, ‘I will adorn a Buddha-land’?”

“No, World-Honored One. Why? Because ‘adorning a Buddha-land’ is not adorning a Buddha-land; therefore it is called adorning a Buddha-land.”

Chapter 11

“Furthermore, Subhūti, when a bodhisattva gives a gift, he should not be attached to the notion of a self, a being, a life, or a soul.

Why? Subhūti, the Tathāgata says a bodhisattva should not be attached when giving gifts. This is for the benefit of all beings, yet without attachment to appearances.

What do you think, Subhūti — is the space in the eastern direction measurable?”

“No, World-Honored One.”

“And in the southern, western, and northern directions, the four intermediate directions, the zenith, and the nadir — is it measurable?”

“No, World-Honored One.”

“Subhūti, likewise, the merit of a bodhisattva who gives without attachment is inconceivable and immeasurable. This is how a bodhisattva should give.”

Chapter 12

“Subhūti, what do you think? Can the Tathāgata be recognized by the possession of physical marks?”

“No, World-Honored One. The Tathāgata cannot be recognized by the possession of physical marks. Why? Because what the Tathāgata calls the possession of physical marks is not the possession of physical marks.”

The Buddha said, “In any place where this sūtra is spoken, that place should be honored as a Buddha-shrine by devas, humans, and asuras. How much more so a person who can uphold and recite it — such a person accomplishes the rarest and most virtuous dharma.”

Chapter 13

Then Subhūti asked, “World-Honored One, by what name should this sūtra be known, and how should we uphold it?”

The Buddha said, “This sūtra should be known as the Diamond Cutter Perfection of Wisdom (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā). By this name you should uphold it.

Why? Subhūti, what the Tathāgata calls the Perfection of Wisdom is not the Perfection of Wisdom — therefore it is called the Perfection of Wisdom.”

Chapter 14

“Subhūti, if good men or good women uphold this sūtra and are looked down upon, it is because of their past karmic faults. By undergoing this in the present, those faults are extinguished and they will attain unsurpassed, complete awakening.

I remember that long ago, before Dīpaṅkara Buddha, I encountered and honored countless hundreds of thousands of millions of nayutas of buddhas. If someone can uphold this sūtra in the time of the final dharma, their merit will surpass mine from that time.

If I were to explain that merit in detail, beings would be astonished and doubtful. That merit is immeasurable.”

Chapter 15

“Subhūti, if someone in the morning gave up as many lives as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and did the same at noon and in the evening, for countless aeons, and if another person upheld even a four-line verse of this sūtra and explained it to others, the latter’s merit would surpass the former’s.

When explaining it, do not grasp at dharma and do not grasp at non-dharma. Why? What the Tathāgata calls dharma is not dharma — therefore it is called dharma.”

Chapter 16

“Subhūti, a bodhisattva should not create the perception of a self, a being, a life, or a soul. He should practice giving without abiding in forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or dharmas. 

Giving without abiding in appearances yields inconceivable and immeasurable merit.”

Chapter 17

The Buddha said, “Subhūti, if someone says that the Tathāgata comes, goes, sits, or lies down, that person does not understand my meaning. Why? ‘Tathāgata’ means one who does not come from anywhere and does not go anywhere — therefore he is called the Tathāgata.

Subhūti, if a bodhisattva gives without abiding in appearances, his merit is immeasurable. What do you think — is the space in the eastern direction measurable?”

“No, World-Honored One.”

“And in the southern, western, northern, the four intermediate directions, the zenith, and the nadir — is it measurable?”

“No, World-Honored One.”

“Likewise, the merit of a bodhisattva who gives without abiding in appearances is immeasurable.”

Chapter 18

“Subhūti, what do you think? Can the Tathāgata be seen by means of the thirty-two marks?”

“No, World-Honored One. The Tathāgata cannot be seen by means of the thirty-two marks. Why? Because what the Tathāgata calls the thirty-two marks are not the thirty-two marks — therefore they are called the thirty-two marks.”

“Wherever this sūtra is found, that place is worthy of veneration by devas, humans, and asuras.”

Chapter 19

“Subhūti, if a person filled countless world-systems with the seven treasures and gave them away, and if another person upheld even a four-line verse of this sūtra and explained it to others, the latter’s merit would be far greater. Why? Because all buddhas and the dharma of unsurpassed awakening arise from this sūtra. What is called ‘Buddha-dharma’ is not a fixed Buddha-dharma.”

Chapter 20

“Subhūti, does a stream-enterer think, ‘I have attained the fruit of stream-enterer’?”

“No, World-Honored One. ‘Stream-enterer’ is merely a name — there is no entering of a self, being, life, or soul.”

The same is said for once-returners, non-returners, and arhats: they do not think, “I have attained a fruit.”

Chapter 21

“Subhūti, do not think the Tathāgata has the idea, ‘I will teach the dharma.’ If someone says the Tathāgata teaches the dharma, that person does not understand my meaning. In the dharma taught by the Tathāgata, there is no dharma that can be grasped or stated — thus it is called ‘teaching the dharma.’

Subhūti, generosity should be practiced without abiding in appearances.”

Chapter 22

“Subhūti, can the Tathāgata be seen by the possession of marks?”

“No, World-Honored One.”

“The Tathāgata says that the possession of marks is not the possession of marks — therefore it is called the possession of marks. 

Wherever this sūtra is, offerings should be made; those who uphold it are supported by all buddhas and obtain immeasurable merit.”

Chapter 23

“Subhūti, if a person reduced as many worlds as there are in the universe into particles of dust — are those particles many?”

“Very many, World-Honored One.”

“If those particles were real, the Tathāgata would not speak of them as particles. The Tathāgata says they are not particles — therefore they are called particles. Likewise, what the Tathāgata calls ‘worlds’ are not worlds — therefore they are called worlds.”

“Subhūti, can the Tathāgata be perceived by the thirty-two marks?”

“No, World-Honored One. They are not the thirty-two marks — therefore they are called the thirty-two marks.”

Chapter 24

“As with particles and worlds — the names are provisional; ultimately they are not fixed entities. The thirty-two marks are not the thirty-two marks — therefore they are called the thirty-two marks.”

Chapter 25

“If someone filled innumerable world-systems with the seven treasures and gave them away, and if another upheld even a four-line verse of this sūtra and explained it to others, the latter’s merit would be far greater.

How should it be explained? Without grasping at forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or dharmas. Seeing that all forms are illusions is seeing the Tathāgata.”

Chapter 26

“If someone says the Tathāgata comes or goes, sits or lies down, that person does not understand. ‘Tathāgata’ has no coming or going.

To explain this sūtra, do not grasp at form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma — because all forms are illusions.”

Chapter 27

“A bodhisattva does not create perceptions of self, being, life, or soul. The merit of explaining even a four-line verse of this sūtra for others surpasses that of giving treasures filling immeasurable worlds.”

Chapter 28

“If a bodhisattva holds perceptions of self, being, life, or soul, he is not a true bodhisattva. He should practice giving without abiding in the six fields; such merit is inconceivable.”

Chapter 29

“It is wrong to say the Tathāgata teaches a view of self, being, life, or soul. What the Tathāgata calls ‘dharma’ is not dharma — therefore it is called dharma.

Bodhisattvas who give without abiding in form have inconceivable, immeasurable merit.”

Chapter 30

“If a bodhisattva says, ‘I will liberate beings,’ he is not a true bodhisattva. There is no fixed dharma called ‘bodhisattva.’ 

‘Adorning buddha-lands’ is not adorning buddha-lands — therefore it is called adorning buddha-lands.”

Chapter 31

“A bodhisattva abandons perceptions and gives without the mind abiding anywhere — otherwise it is like moving in darkness. Without abiding, it is like seeing forms in bright light.

Good men and women who uphold this sūtra will be known and seen by the Tathāgata and will gain immeasurable merit.”

Chapter 32

“If countless worlds were reduced to particles, those particles are not real particles — therefore they are called particles. Worlds are not worlds — therefore they are called worlds.

Giving the seven treasures filling immeasurable worlds is less than upholding even a four-line verse of this sūtra and explaining it without grasping at the six fields.

All conditioned phenomena

Are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow,

Like dew or lightning;

Thus should you view them.”

After the Buddha spoke this sūtra, the elder Subhūti, the monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, and all beings — devas, humans, asuras — rejoiced greatly, accepted it, and practiced accordingly.