I.
The Main Theme of the Diamond Sutra
The
Diamond Sutra is a famous and popular Buddhist scripture. As soon
as we mention the Diamond Sutra to people, they know we are
talking about Buddhism, and conversely, it is often impossible to
discuss Buddhism without mentioning the Diamond Sutra. Presently,
many Buddhists read and recite the Diamond Sutra in the hope that
misfortune will not befall them and their lives will be both long
and blessed. The Diamond Sutra is also recited to transfer merits
to the deceased. During the T'ang Dynasty, if a Buddhist layman
wanted to get the necessary permission to become a monk, he had to
pass an examination arranged by the government. One of the main
subjects of this examination was the Diamond Sutra. The Fifth
Patriarch of Ch'an, Hung Jen, also recited the Diamond Sutra when
he wanted to pass on the Dharma to the Sixth Patriarch.
The
Diamond Sutra is not only highly esteemed in academic circles. It
is also popular among the general public. Everybody, from a
revered monk to an average person, finds the Diamond Sutra
indispensable in the study of Buddhism. The popularity of the
Diamond Sutra can be traced to its profound philosophy, eloquent
style, and applicability to the cultivation of the religious life.
The
Diamond Sutra contains a total of more than 5,000 Chinese
characters. Prince Chao Ming of the Liang Dynasty divided the text
into thirty-two sections. Since our time is so short, we cannot
discuss this sutra in great detail, but we can give a brief
explanation of its main theme. In the following, I will try to
state the main theme of the Diamond Sutra using the following
phrases:
a)
Give without clinging to any notion; b) Deliver all beings without
the notion of a self; c) Live without attachment; d) Cultivate
without any expectation.
A.
Give without Clinging to Any Notion
To
give without clinging to any notion refers to the threefold
emptiness of giving. It means that when giving one should not have
any idea of an "I" as the giver, nor of an individual
who receives the gift, nor of things being given. Naturally, there
should be no expectation of being repaid for what one has given.
The merit of this kind of giving, characterized by the threefold
emptiness men-tioned above, is the utmost.
Once
the Chinese Broadcasting Company broad-casted a drama which went
like this. A couple once found a small stray dog in the snow. They
decided to take it back home to raise it. As the dog was found in
the snow, they named it Snowie. Soon, a bond developed between the
dog and the couple. Every day, around the time when the husband
would get off work from the factory, the dog would greet him at
the bus station and accompany him back home. It was so punctual
that others started calling it "The Time-keeper."
One
night, a thief broke into the house. The dog was very clever; it
nabbed the thief and would not let go of its grip until the couple
had a chance to question the thief. As it turned out, the thief
explained that his mother was sick, and as he had no money, he
resorted to stealing to buy medicine for this mother. Since the
reason for his stealing was to take care of his sick mother, the
couple decided to let the thief go. They also gave the thief some
other things to take home with him.
After
some time, the couple totally forgot about this incident. However,
things in this world are impermanent and ever changing. One day,
an explosion occurred at the factory where the husband was
working, and he was killed on the job. Because of his sudden
death, the household lost its main breadwinner, and life became
very difficult. The wife had no choice but to borrow money from
her relatives and friends to pay the bills. After a while, her
relatives and friends started to avoid her. This made the
situation turn from bad to worse.
One
day, a man from the countryside called on the couple. He brought
with him a goat, some vegetables, fuel, rice, oil, and salt as
gifts for them. This man was no other than the thief whom they had
helped before. He had been deeply moved by the kindness of this
husband and wife and was worried that he could never repay them
for the help they had extended to him. When he came to know of the
misfortune that had befallen them, he knew it was the perfect time
for him to repay their kindness. From that time on and for many
years afterwards, he continually helped the wife with food and
other necessities, and so saved her from the brink of despair.
The
wife thought, "When my husband was alive, we had many friends
and relatives, but after he died, all of them went away one by
one. On the contrary, this thief, whom we let go and to whom we
gave out of kindness without any thought of recompense, has now
come back to help me." Deeply touched, she recalled the
proverb which says, "A flower planted with care does not
bloom, whereas a willow planted without much thought grows into a
shady tree." This way of acting, without any thought of
recompense, is indeed the cultivation of "giving without
clinging to any notion."
Giving
for the purpose of getting fame, gaining wealth, avoiding the pain
of being reborn into a suffering state of existence, or wishing
for good health and blessings is giving with clinging to form. The
merit of such giving is limited. If one practices giving without
any regard as to whether there is any gain to be had, to what the
cost is, or as to whether there is any recompense, this giving
that is done completely out of the need of others is called
"giving without clinging to any notion." The merit from
such giving is limitless.
The
Diamond Sutra says, "Cultivate giving without abiding in
form, without abiding in smell, taste, touch, or mental
objects." In our daily lives, if we talk, work, eat, and
dress with compassion, we can do a lot of good and help people
every-where. However, we must not dwell on the notion that we are
helping others and keep thinking about how much good we have done.
Only
by giving without clinging to any notion can one attain limitless
merit and be in accordance with the spirit of the Diamond Sutra.
B.
Deliver All Beings without the Notion of a Self
If
one clings to any notion when giving, the merit gained will not be
great. If we have the notion of a self when delivering others
[from the sea of suffering], we will not be able to develop our
compassion. Only when we develop great selfless compassion can we
deliver all living beings. The Diamond Sutra says, "I should
master the mind in such a way that I will lead all types of living
beings—whether born of egg, womb, moisture, or transformation,
with or without form, with or without consciousness, or neither
with nor without any consciousness—to Nirvana-without-remainder
so that they are completely freed." There are countless types
of living beings. "To deliver living beings" does not
mean to deliver only a few of them; it means to develop a heart
and mind large and wide enough to deliver all beings without
exception.
The
intention to deliver all living beings does not mean only the
giving of food to those who have nothing to eat or the giving of
clothes to those who have nothing to wear. The provision of food
and emotional support can only give momentary relief. To truly
deliver living beings means to enable every being to enter
Nirvana-without-remainder and thereby transcend the cycle of birth
and death. If we are to deliver so many living beings and guide
them to the shore of Nirvana, then we need to have a mind which
does not cling to the notion that any living being has been
delivered. We must have a mind that is free from the dualistic
notion of self versus others. Only then, can we truly deliver all
beings.
The
Diamond Sutra says, "Even if an immeas-urable, innumerable,
and unlimited number of living beings have been delivered, in
reality, no living being has been delivered." When a
Bodhi-sattva delivers sentient beings, he or she must be without
any notion of a self, any notion of others, any notion of living
beings, and any notion of lifespan. Only then is it truly
delivering all beings. To deliver all sentient beings, one must
develop a mind that is broad, that is free of dualities and wrong
ideas, and that is without any notion of a self. According to the
Diamond Sutra, only through the delivering of living beings
without the notion of a self can one be attuned with prajna and
comprehend the nature of sunyata.
In
the Ch'an school, there is a kung-an (a col-lection of public
cases in Ch'an records) about a person asking Ch'an Master Wei
K'uan, "Where is the Way?"
"Right
before your eyes."
"Why
do I not see it?"
"You
do not see it because you have [the notion of] a self."
"Because
I have [the notion of] a self, I do not see it. Has the Master
seen it?"
"[The
notion of] ‘you,' in addition to [the notion of] a self, further
keeps you from seeing."
"If
there is neither [the notion of] ‘you' nor [the notion of] a
self, can it be seen?"
"If
there is neither ‘you' nor ‘a self,' then who wants to see
it?"
When
we speak of "selflessness," we do not mean there is no
such a person as myself. "Self-lessness" is a realm of
the mind and prajna. It is a realm of being free from the bondage
of the tangible, dualistic notion of relationship, of being able
to transcend the relative concepts of self and others, and of
being equal to space and the universe. There is fundamentally no
different-iation of the mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings: all
living beings are beings in one's mind, all the Buddhas are
Buddhas in one's mind, and all things are things in one's mind.
Outside of the mind, where can there be any living beings? If we
think like this, then although numerous beings are freed, we do
not think that a single being is freed. With such transcendental
thinking, we are truly practitioners of prajna and sunyata.
C.
Live without Attachment
To
live without attachment is to live without clinging to the
external environment of the five desires (wealth, beauty, fame,
food, and sleep) and the six dusts (sight, sound, smell, taste,
touch, and idea). In every aspect of daily life—clothing, food,
shelter, and transportation—we must live without greed and
attachment. The life of the Buddhist layman Vimalakirti was one of
"living in a family, but being unattached to the three realms
of existence; living with a wife, but always prac-ticing pure
living." The life he lived was indeed a life without
attachment.
To
live without attachment does not mean that we should abstain from
living, but that we should lead our lives with an attitude that is
captured in the saying, "If you are as unaffected as a wooden
statue looking at flowers and birds, then does it matter that tens
of thousands of things illusively surround you." If we can
live without attachment, then we can look at the world like
"a wooden statue looking at flowers and birds" and be
unaf-fected like a wooden statue would; we will not be perturbed
by the outside world, and we will be freed from greed. This is to
say that if we can live without any clinging, then worldly fame
and fortune, disputes between self and others, and concerns for
gain or loss can no longer affect us. We can then "pass
through a grove of flowers without a single leaf clinging to
us." At that time we can indeed "meditate peacefully
without being in a secluded place," for "we will have a
sense of coolness when the fires in our hearts are
extinguished."
Indeed,
it is wise to look at the world without making comparisons,
without being discrimin-ating and calculating, for this enables us
to enter the world of nonattachment. When the mind has reached the
state of nonattachment, the heart can be as wide as the open space
of the universe. If we can attain this state, then we will no
longer be affected by the trifles of daily life. The life without
attachment as mentioned in the Diamond Sutra is really a life of
utmost perfection. We should not, however, think that the type of
living alluded to in the Diamond Sutra is so mystical and
unfathomable that it is beyond our reach. On the contrary, the
teachings in the Diamond Sutra can help us lead an everyday life
that transcends all material desires. It is up to us to experience
the wisdom of nonattachment in our daily lives and to find out for
ourselves how we can purify our minds and improve our lives.
D.
Cultivate without Any Expectation
When
there is nothing to acquire, then there is true attainment; thus,
it is only when we cultivate without expectation that we can
attain enlighten-ment. It is said in the Heart Sutra, "There
is no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; there is no form,
sound, odor, taste, touch, and no mental object. There is no realm
of eye consciousness and no realm of mental thoughts; there is no
ignorance and there is no extinction of ignorance. There is no old
age and death, and there is no extinction of old age and death.
There is no suffering, no accumulation of suffering, no extinction
of suf-fering, and no path (leading to the extinction of
suffering). There is no knowledge and no acquisition of knowledge,
because there is nothing to acquire." This is the real wisdom
of the Bodhi-sattva.
Our
nature is originally pure; it will shine without any enhancement
or modification. Our nature is fundamentally pure and bright,
funda-mentally the same as that of the Buddha. Our true nature is
not something to be cultivated, some-thing to be realized, or
something to be acquired. It is only when we practice without [the
notion of] practicing, when we realize without [the notion of]
realizing, that we are truly enlightened.
"Nothingness"
does not mean without anything. Actually, the value of the
[seemingly] useless is the greatest. Let me tell you an
interesting story.
Once,
a person's eyes, nose, and mouth had a meeting. First the eyes
said, "We, the eyes, are of utmost importance to the body.
Everything must be seen by us to know whether it is beautiful or
not, big or small, tall or short. Without eyes, walking around
will be very difficult. So we, the eyes, are very important. But
we have been improperly placed under the eyebrows, which are of no
use. It is just not fair!"
Next,
the nose said, "I, the nose, am the most important. Only I
can distinguish a good smell from a foul odor. The act of
breathing is also dependent on me. If I do not let the breath pass
through, everybody will die. So I am the most important. As
important as I am, I have been unfairly placed beneath the useless
eyebrows. I am most unhappy."
Then
the mouth said, "I am the most important part of the human
body. I can speak; if not for me, there would not be any
communication among people. I take in the food; if not for me,
everybody would die of hunger. Such an important part as myself
has been placed in the lowest part of the face. The useless
eyebrows, however, have been put on the highest part of the face.
This I cannot accept!"
After
the others had spoken, the eyebrows spoke slowly, "Please do
not fight anymore. We, the eyebrows, are surely the most useless
things; we admit defeat. We are willing to be placed below
you." Having said this, the eyebrows settled down below the
eyes. Unfortunately, the person no longer looked like a human
being. Next, they eyebrows settled down below the nose. It was
still horrible; it still did not look like a human being. Then the
eyebrows settled down below the mouth. This looked even more
ghastly! The eyes, nose, and mouth huddled to discuss the
situation again. They concluded that it was best if the eyebrows
returned to their original place on the face; it was the most
appropriate spot for them. When the eyebrows returned to their
original spot, the appearance was once again that of a human
being. Thus, we can see that what appears to be the most useless
thing can be indeed the most useful.
The
main theme of the Diamond Sutra is "no self, no notion, no
cultivation, and no realization." This "no" is
"emptiness," but emptiness does not have the usual
meaning of without anything. Emptiness is the basis of existence;
emptiness is the nondual "nothingness" which embraces
both existence and nonexistence. Such a "nothingness" is
real "emptiness." This is the ultimate wisdom.
II.
The Understanding of Emptiness in the Diamond Sutra
Emptiness,
or sunyata, as discussed in the Diamond Sutra is not the emptiness
of which people ordinarily speak. Most people think of emptiness
and existence as two distinct and dualistic concepts. To them, the
existence of things cannot be characterized as emptiness; to them,
emptiness cannot possibly mean existence. This kind of emptiness
that is dualistic with existence is not the emptiness that is
discoursed in the Diamond Sutra. The term "emptiness" as
used in the Diamond Sutra includes both existence and
nonexistence. In fact, emptiness integrates exist-ence and
nonexistence. People ordinarily think that there is absolutely no
emptiness within existence, and there is no existence at all in
emptiness. But the existence and nonexistence spoken of in the
Diamond Sutra refers to the fact that existence is emptiness and
that emptiness is existence. Emptiness and existence are one and
the same, for existence and nonexistence are but two aspects of
emptiness.
Let
me use the analogy of a fist. When a hand is closed into a fist,
there is clearly the existence of a fist. But when we open our
fingers, where is the fist? The fist, which was so clearly
visible, is no longer there. But can you say that it is
nonexist-ent? When the five fingers close up, there is again a
fist. The Diamond Sutra says that existence and nonexistence are
the same thing. Existence is indeed nonexistence, and nonexistence
is nothing but existence.
In
the discussion of emptiness, the Diamond Sutra says that there is
nothing in this world that has the character of never changing,
the character of substantial being, and the character of
independent existence. In fact, the so-called
"emptiness" in the Diamond Sutra has the meaning of
cause and condition.
Emptiness
is very difficult to comprehend. It is a truth which is difficult
to understand. What is emptiness?
Emptiness
is the essence of the universe, the origin of human life, and the
source of the phenomenal world. Let us take Amitabha Buddha as a
practical example of emptiness. Amitabha is emptiness because
Amitabha is indeed Truth and Truth is Amitabha. So Amitabha is
called emptiness. The name Amitabha contains infinite
significance. For example, Chinese Buddhists usually go around
saying "O-MI-TO-FO," the name of Amitabha. When you see
a Mr. Wang coming toward you, you immediately say, "Mr. Wang,
O-MI-TO-FO." This simply means, "Hi, Mr. Wang, good to
see you here." When you meet a Mr. Lee on the road in the
morning, you say, "Mr. Lee, O-MI-TO-FO." It means,
"Good morning, Mr. Lee." Again, as a guest in some-one's
house, at the time of taking leave, you say, "I am leaving
now, O-MI-TO-FO." It means, "Good-bye, everybody."
If you see somebody fall down, you say, "Oh my goodness,
O-MI-TO-FO." This shows your compassion and sympathy. In my
own case, when people give me something, I always say
"O-MI-TO-FO" to express my thanks.
The
significance of the word Amitabha is very broad. This word stands
for many other words. Like Amitabha, the word
"emptiness" includes everything. Just like a purse, it
can contain many things only when it is empty. Likewise, a train
can carry many passengers only when its compart-ments are empty.
If the nasal cavity were not empty, then one could not breathe; if
the mouth were not empty, then one could not eat any food. If the
pores of the skin were not empty, then people would die. Only when
people have empty space can they live and move about. Because
Amitabha is emptiness, Amitabha can encompass all without
limit—this is real emptiness indeed. So it is said, "Real
emptiness is not contrary to existence, and existence is not
contrary to real emptiness."
There
are people who are afraid of talking about emptiness—emptiness
of space, earth, worldly affairs, and even one's sons and
daughters. This sounds terrible! They are dismayed at the thought
that if everything they own is empty, they will have nothing. It
is not like this at all. Take the example of those of us who have
renounced the household life. Although we have renounced the
household life, we can call everywhere home. We need not worry
about not having any children; as long as we have universal
parental love, we can call all the people in the world our
children. We need not be fearful of not having any wealth; as long
as we have real wisdom and the willingness to do good deeds, then
everything in this universe becomes ours. If we are in harmony
with emptiness, then we are in harmony with Truth. We need not be
afraid, thinking that emptiness is without anything; on the
contrary, because of emptiness, things exist. It is only when we
live a life of emptiness that we can have everything. So the
Diamond Sutra says that if we live a life without attachment, then
we can truly have a peaceful life abiding in emptiness.
There
was a period in my life that I had a taste of what a life of
emptiness is. In 1949, I came to Taiwan from Mainland China. This
was a tumultuous period, and I became one of the many that fled
Mainland China. When I first arrived in Taiwan, I was totally
penniless. I wore my wooden clogs for two years until the soles
were completely worn. The short outer jacket that I had, I wore it
for two or three years straight. Everybody coped with these trying
times in a different way. Some of the monks conducted funeral
ceremonies, while others organized Dharma functions. When they
returned from these services, they brought back many things and
their lives were no longer difficult. Although it was difficult
for me to obtain even a piece of paper or a pen for writing an
article, I was not envious of them. I did not feel that my life
was impoverished or hard.
Actually,
I felt fulfilled and enriched at that time. I felt a deep kinship
with heaven and earth—the land welcomed me in my travels with
open arms, the flowers and trees shared their beauty with me, and
I found friendship with many people. Even though life was hard, I
did not feel pitiful, poor, or lonely. Suppose that I had felt
sorry for myself under those difficult times, then how would I
have been able to persevere in the life of a Buddhist monk?
Then
what enabled me to feel fulfilled and happy? Looking back, I must
attribute this to the teaching of the Buddha and the wisdom of
emptiness. I have always believed that the cause and condition of
becoming a monk and the merit of monastic life are most precious.
Through the cultivation of the Buddhist teachings, I have been
able to experience the unity of the whole universe and be in
harmony with the great vows of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Similarly, within the wisdom of emptiness, we have the whole
universe, and each of us is never truly alone or poor. The real
prosperity of our lives is gained through spiritual fulfillment,
and spiritual fulfill-ment must, in turn, depend on the teaching
of the Buddha and the wisdom of emptiness.
III.
Understanding Emptiness from the Viewpoint of Existence
We
have discussed the establishment of existence from emptiness. Now
we will try to understand emptiness from the viewpoint of
existence. How can existence be emptiness? To give an example, we
see that the table in front of us is covered with a tablecloth.
Will you say that there is a piece of cloth? I believe nobody will
deny its existence, for it is actually there in front of our eyes.
But if we examine the tablecloth through prajna (or wisdom), we
will realize that the tablecloth is empty and exists only because
of causes and conditions. The form that we recognize as a
tablecloth is an illusion perceived by our eyes; it is an
erroneous cognition. Pursuing further, we can see that this object
is fundament-ally cotton, not cloth.
Let
us not be mistaken, however, into believing the analysis that this
cotton, which is the underlying material of the cloth, is what we
mean by emptiness. This is wrong; this is not emptiness. This
piece of cloth is created out of processed cotton. Processed
cotton is spun out of raw cotton. Raw cotton is harvested from
plants which have grown out of cottonseeds. These seeds in turn
require the nurturing of sunlight, air, water, and fertilizer
before they can sprout, mature, and change into raw cotton. So we
find that cotton is the culmination of the many forces of the
universe. Therefore, we say that the tablecloth is emptiness and
is produced by causes and conditions.
Everything
is essentially empty and is closely related to millions of other
things in this universe. Thus, it is not just when something
ceases to exist that we speak of its emptiness. Even when an
object is perfectly intact, it is fundamentally empty, for
emptiness is not a separate, indepen-dent state.
Let
us use the analogy of gold to illustrate emptiness and existence.
Emptiness can be compared to gold, while existence can be
com-pared to the rings, earrings, and necklaces which are
fashioned from gold. All these different articles of gold
represent existence, and their original nature of gold represents
emptiness.
Let
us take another example, the analogy of water and waves. Emptiness
is like water, and existence is like waves. Water is originally
peaceful and calm, but when the wind blows, waves are formed. We
human beings are the same in this regard. Our original nature is
calm, but once it becomes agitated due to ignorance, we become
stirred with clingings and desires. Amid the crashing and
billowing of the waves, it is not easy to see the original
calmness of the water. Similarly, when a person lives a life of
delusion, his originally calm and tranquil nature cannot be found.
If you have prajna, you need not wait for the waves to calm down
to understand that water itself is calm; you can understand that
the water itself is calm even while the waves are rising and
falling. If you have prajna, you need not wait for the complete
elimination of defilements produced by ignorance to discover that
your original nature is calm and pure; you can even discover
emptiness in the midst of existence.
Some
people explain emptiness as spirit and existence as matter. Some
say emptiness is truth and existence is phenomenon. Some say empti-ness
is one, while existence is manifold. Truth and phenomena are one,
and the one and many are not different. Therefore, emptiness is
not contrary to existence. Some say emptiness is the true nature
of things, while existence is their external appearances. The true
nature of things and their external appearances are not different,
so emptiness and existence are one. Some say that emptiness is
equality, while existence is differ-ence. But there is difference
within equality, and there is the nature of equality within
difference. Equality and difference are one, so emptiness and
existence are one.
What
is the relationship between emptiness and existence? I will give
you another example. Emptiness is like a father, while existence
is like a mother. The father is stern, and the mother is kind and
tender. The father is strict with his children, while the mother
brings them up with kindness. In both cases, the purpose is to
educate them prop-erly. Whether one is strict or tender in
teaching one's children, the goal is to have the children grow up
as responsible adults. Emptiness and existence are like this. They
complement each other. The strictness of father is like the sun;
it is indeed emptiness. The kindness of the mother is like dew; it
is indeed existence. The Ch'an Lin Pao Hsun (a precious collection
of aphorisms of the Ch'an tradition) says, "In spring and
summer, all things obtain warmth and sprout into life. In autumn
and winter, all things are covered by frost and snow, and they
mature." This means that it takes both the moisture of dew
and the warmth of the sun for all things to grow and mature.
Similarly, it takes emptiness and existence working hand in hand
before the whole universe can come into being.
The
underlying principle of emptiness and existence cannot be
explained adequately in such a short time. Moreover, we cannot
fully compre-hend the truth through such simple analogies. The
truth of emptiness that is discussed in the Diamond Sutra has to
be experienced in our everyday cultivation and practice. Only then
can we truly understand the true meaning of emptiness.
How
can we truly understand emptiness? It is only when we have
realized prajna paramita (the perfection of wisdom) that we can
perceive the five aggregates (the five components of existence:
form, feeling, perception, mental formation, and consciousness)
are empty. Without prajna, we cannot understand emptiness. As
prajna is necessary for realizing the principle of emptiness, we
must have an understanding of prajna. I will next discuss prajna
not from a theoretical stand-point, but from how we can experience
prajna in daily life.
IV.
Prajna in Daily Life
Apart
from life, there is no prajna, nor is there any emptiness. The
greatest shortfall of Buddhism today is the taking of Buddhism out
of the context of life. There are some Buddhists who, after many
years in the religion, are still filled with greed, hatred, and
ignorance. Although they may be able to speak about the teaching
of Buddhist sutras with ease, they still cannot let go of such
dualistic notions as self and others or gain and loss. Wisdom is
not obtained within the confines of a secluded retreat or from the
reciting of the Prajnaparamita-hrdaya Sutra (the Heart Sutra).
Wisdom emerges in the midst of ordinary activities of our daily
lives, while eating, walking, sitting, sleeping, or dealing with
others.
In
the Ch'an school, many have become enlightened while meditating
upon a Ch'an riddle given by the teacher. There was a monk named
Lung T'an who went to visit the Ch'an Master T'ien Huang, well
know for his enlightenment. He lived with his master for more than
ten years. Since he thought he had not gotten any Buddhist
teachings, he went to take leave of his master.
Master
T'ien Huang asked, "Where do you want to go?"
Lung
T'an answered, "I want to go in search of the Buddhist
teachings."
"There
are Buddhist teachings here. Where else do you want to search for
the Buddhist teach-ings?"
"I
have been here for more than ten years, and you have never
explained anything to me about the Buddhist teachings. How can the
Buddhist teachings be here?'
"Do
not lie!" the Master retorted. "How can you say that
there are no Buddhist teachings here? When you came to offer me
tea, I always accepted it and drank it. You brought me food, and I
ate it. When you joined your palms and bowed down to pay me
respect, I nodded my head in response. All these things tell you
about the Buddhist teachings. How can you say that the Buddhist
teachings are not here? All these are Buddhist teachings. They
stand for the prajna in our daily life!"
"Oh!
This is prajna!" Lung T'an answered. "Let me think this
over."
Master
T'ien Huang said, "Don't think. Thinking arouses
differentiation; thinking is no longer prajna."
The
moment Lung T'an heard this sentence, he became enlightened.
Therefore
in our daily lives, the Buddhist teachings are everywhere, and
prajna is every-where. Now, I will talk about the prajna in the
Buddha's daily living. This is the prajna spoken of in the Diamond
Sutra. The Diamond Sutra opens with the following statement:
"Then
the Blessed One at mealtime, put on his robes, took the alms bowl,
and entered the city of Sravasti. Having begged for alms there in
due order, he returned to his place. Having taken his meal, he put
away his robe and alms bowl, washed his feet, and sat in a
cross-legged posture. . . ."
This
is the beginning of the Diamond Sutra, which I think all of you
have read. Such a famous and precious Buddhist sutra starts with a
descrip-tion of the Buddha washing his feet, putting on his robes,
and eating his meal. What do such simple daily activities have to
do with prajna and emptiness as explained in the Diamond Sutra? In
fact, if you understand the Diamond Sutra, just these few lines
can enable you to become enlight-ened. These few lines completely
capture the spirit of prajna in the Diamond Sutra.
For
example, putting on the robe and taking up the alms bowl signifies
the paramita of precepts. Entering the city of Sravasti to beg for
alms is an illustration of the paramita of generosity. To beg for
alms in due order exemplifies the paramita of patience. Taking his
meal, putting away his robe and alms bowl, and washing his feet
explains the paramita of diligence. Sitting in a cross-legged
position refers to the paramita of meditative concentration. In
this way, the Buddha integrated the Six Paramitas in his daily
life. Because he had lived a life of the Six Paramitas, he was
able to realize Nirvana and be in harmony with prajna. Therefore,
we should practice the Six Paramitas in our daily lives.
This
short passage shows that the light of the Buddha's wisdom shines
on us all. "Putting on the robe and taking the alms
bowl" is the light of prajna emanating from the Buddha's
hands. "Entering the city of Sravasti to beg for alms,"
the Buddha walked along the streets for all to see; this is the
light of wisdom emanating from his body. "To be in the
city" says that he is looking at the city, and this
represents the light of wisdom emanating from his eyes.
"Taking food" refers to the light of wisdom emanating
from his mouth. "Washing the feet" refers to the light
of wisdom emanating from his legs. "Siting cross-legged"
refers to the light of wisdom emanating from his whole body.
"At that time, the Blessed One" means that the Buddha
radiated the light of wisdom every moment of his life.
We
must apply the Buddhist teachings to our daily life. If we study
the Diamond Sutra and live in accordance with prajna, our lives
will improve. It is just like a man walking in the dark who
suddenly sees where he is going because there is light. Prajna
frees us from our afflictions and enables us to find peace and
relief from our disputes with others. In our daily lives, we are
often entangled in disagreements with others, the pursuit of fame
and fortune, and problems with our spouses and children. If we
apply prajna in our daily lives, then all these issues will no
longer bother us, and we will look at life in a totally different
light. There is a saying, "The moon out-side the window is
the same as usual; it is the plum blossoms that make the
difference." With prajna, our lives remain the same yet
different.
If
you have prajna, then you can clearly see that the five aggregates
are empty. Once you under-stand that these aggregates are empty,
then we are able to cross the ocean of suffering. We will no
longer be consumed by the differentiation of what is mine versus
what is yours. All the selfish struggles in society will
dissipate. If we can understand emptiness and attain wisdom, then
we can see that everything in this world is illusive. When we have
such an understanding, there is no room for disputes and discords
due to dualistic notions, such as self versus others. With prajna,
we can leave behind differentiations and dualities, and in so
doing, we also keep the many afflictions of this world at bay.
Yesterday,
I had talked about Ch'an, stating that it is not easy to learn.
Today I have talked about emptiness, and about how emptiness is
not easy to comprehend. Tomorrow, I will speak neither about Ch'an
nor emptiness, but about "existence." "To the west,
beyond a hundred thousand million Buddha Lands, there is a world
called ‘Ultimate Bliss.' In this world, there is a Buddha named
Amitabha, and there exist golden earth, exquisite pagodas adorned
with banners, pools of seven jewels, and water with eight
excellent qualities." Until we are able to have a correct and
thorough understanding of emptiness, let us consider the following
saying. "We would rather have a mountain-high false view of
existence than a tiny, seed-like false notion of emptiness."
