The Diamond Sutra: 3 of 12

‘Subhuti, what do you think? If someone filled the Universe with the seven treasures and gave them all as alms, would his merit be great?’

Subhuti replied: ‘Very great, World Honored One. Why? Because this merit is not the nature of merit, the Tathagata says it is great.’

‘Subhuti, if on the other hand, someone received and kept even a four line stanza of this sutra and expounded it to others, his merit would surpass that (of the giver of treasures). Why? (Because), Subhuti, all Buddhas and their Supreme-Enlightenment-Dharma originate from this sutra. Subhuti, the so-called Buddhas and Dharmas are not real Buddhas and Dharmas.

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can one who has entered the stream (srota-apanna) have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the fruit of entering the stream?’

Subhuti replied: ‘No, World Honored One. Why? Because srota-apanna means ‘entering the stream’, but actually there is no entry into either form, sound, smell, taste, touch or dharma. Therefore, he is called srota-spanna.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can a Sakrdagamin have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the fruit of a Sakrdagamin?’

Subhuti replied: ‘No, World Honored One. Why? Because Sakrdagamin means “once more to come”, but actually there is neither coming nor going. Therefore, he is called a Sakrdagamin.”

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can an Anagamin have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the fruit of an Anagamin?’

Subhuti replied: ‘No, World Honored One. Why? Because Anagamin means “no-coming” but actually there is no such a thing as no-coming. Therefore, he is called an Anagamin.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can a Arhat have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the enlightenment of an Arhat?’

Subhuti replied: ‘No, World Honored One. Why?’ Because there is no Dharma which is called Arhatship. World Honored One, if an Arhat thinks “I have obtained the enlightenment of an Arhat”, he will still grasp and hold on to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. World Honored One, the Buddha has declared that I have obtained the Passionless Samadhi and that I surpass all men. I am, therefore, the highest passionless Arhat. World Honored One, I do not think “I am a passionless Arhat” for, World Honored One, if I had thought “I have attained Arhatship”, the World Honored One would not have said: “Subhuti takes delight in the calm and quiet, free from temptation and distress.” The fact that Subhuti does not act (mentally) is called the calm and quiet in which Subhuti takes delight.’

The Buddha said to Subhuti: ‘What do you think? Did the Tathagata obtain anything from the Dharma, when in the past He was with Dipamkara Buddha?’

‘No, World Honored One. When the Tathagata was with Dipamkara, He did not obtain anything from the Dharma.’

‘Subhuti, what do you think? Do Bodhisattvas adorn Buddha lands (by their moral actions)?”

‘No, World Honored One. Why Because this is not real adornment; it is (merely) called the adornment of Buddha lands.’