The Vajra (Diamond) Sutra

April 8 lecture©
as outlined by a Buddhist monk
(Listen ‘live’ or recorded audio explanations at
www.wondrousdharma.org)

S 28 No greed and nothing acquired

Observation: Leaving appearances in ‘empty’
world and ‘not empty’ world.
Q&A If everything is empty, what about the hells?
Q&A Why is greed mentioned here in section 28
and not elsewhere in the Vajra Sutra?

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 Verse for opening a sutra
• Homage to the Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra and the
Vajra assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (3x)

• The unsurpassed, deep, profound, subtle, wonderful

Dharma,
• In a hundred thousand million eons, is difficult to
encounter,
• Now that I’ve come to receive and hold it, within my
sight and hearing,
• I vow to fathom the Thus Come One’s true and
actual meaning.

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S1 The Buddha illustrates Reality Introducing Reality
S2 Bodhi resolve and quiet the mind Intent
S3 Empty Ignorance is discrimination Cause of confusion
S4 Prajna is not grasping at appearances 1) Thoughts of
-13 Attachment
S5 Stillness or unmoving nature 2) False thinking
- 24
S25 Not Because everything true and false
to s empty inherently don’t exist but are
28 appearances from false discrimination,
S29 one cease the mad mind
-s appea-
31 rance -
Empty
S Conclusion -not grasping at Awakening is to
and
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yet not appearances and be unmoving by contemplate and
empty contemplating Reality that ‘all recognize the true mind
conditioned dharmas are like a dream, (Reality) and see the
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an illusion, a bubble or a shadow.’ wise and unmoving
nature
 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
Sutra: Subhuti, a Bodhisattva might fill up world systems
equal in number to the grains of sand in the Ganges River
with the seven precious gems and give them as a gift. But
if another person were to realize that all dharmas are
devoid of self and attain patience, that Bodhisattva’s merit
and virtues would surpass the merit and virtues of the
previous Bodhisattva.
Observation:
• From section 25 onwards the Buddha elaborates more on the
issues of the common people of the ‘not empty’ world.

• Section 25 states “common people think that they have a

self.”

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• Section 28 teaches that “All dharmas is devoid of self”
 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
• Why is everything devoid of self? It is without identity; it was all
one true appearance; being appearances from or projections of
the mind.

• One true appearance is without appearance (our inherent true

mind) yet within nothing everything manifest. (this world of
existence)

• All dharmas are devoid of self” would then mean everything is

originally empty; everything is fundamentally non existent but
appearances of the mind.

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
From the Lankavatara Sutra:
• “When it is clearly understood that there is nothing in the
world but what is seen of the mind itself, discrimination no
more rises, and the wise are established in their true home
which is the realm of quietude.

• The ignorant discriminate and work trying to adjust

themselves to external conditions, and are constantly
perturbed in mind; unrealities are imagined and
discriminated, while realities are not seen and ignored. It is
not so with the wise.”

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired

Observation to the Lankavatara Sutra:

• When you see that everything is made from the mind, it
is to recognize that everything is empty and false made
by the false discriminating mind.

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
• Because we see through everything as devoid of self, we see
through its true character that everything is inherently non
existent and empty.

• Therefore it is not surprising that the sutra says:

• “all dharmas are devoid of self and attain patience”- devoid
of self is the true character of Reality.

• Because everything or Reality is seen as empty and not real

but projections of the mind, one attains patience.

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired

• Extract of s 28: ‘But if another person were to realize

that all dharmas are devoid of self and attain
patience’

1. He sees every living being as empty and not real; being

appearances of the false mind as a result of interplay of
causes and conditions.

2. He sees every phenomena including thoughts as not real

or empty; being appearances of the false mind.

3. Therefore he attains patience with not producing of

dharmas or phenomena; nothing was produced nor 9
destroyed because originally there was nothing at all.
 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
Sutra: Why Subhuti? Because Bodhisattvas do not acquire
blessings and virtues.
Comments:
• “Bodhisattvas do not acquire blessings and virtues” would
mean blessings and virtues originally don’t exist because
every living being is replete with blessings and virtuous
conduct of a Buddha except that it is presently covered by
confusion.

• They are expedients to negate the false and reveal the truth.
As such they are a product of projection of the mind. This
accords with Reality.

• Therefore nothing was acquired. This is prajna paramita to

see Reality in its true form. What is Reality? 10
.
 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired

• What is Reality?

• “The Appearance of Reality is without Appearances.”

(s 14) Basically there was nothing at all.

• From absolute nothingness comes this world of

existence which fundamentally doesn’t exist.

• When seen in this way, no blessings or virtues are

acquired in this world of existence which fundamentally
don’t exist.
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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
Sutra: Subhuti addressed the Buddha, “World Honored One,
how is it that Bodhisattvas do not acquire blessings and
virtues?”
“Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should neither be greedy for, nor be
attached to the blessings and virtues which they foster.
Therefore I say they do not acquire blessings and virtues.”
Comments:
• Because we now see the Reality of Appearance of blessings
and virtues, we see it as fundamentally empty and thus we do
not greed for nor attached to them.

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired

• We greed and attached to things which we like because we fail

to see Reality…
• Holding on to the fallacy that “the self exists” (s 25) how much
the more so ‘others, living beings and a life’.
• Reality is that inherently there was nothing at all.

• And so we don’t even greed for blessings and virtues we foster.

• Then how should we conduct ourselves when we foster
blessings and virtues?

• That it is Reality to do so. That the way it is. That’s all.

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired

• What do you mean by it is Reality to foster blessings and

virtues?

• Foster blessings and virtues is just fostering blessings

and virtues without any present nor lingering thoughts of
anything special or different.

• It means we are neither happy in having done blessings

and virtues nor are we sad that we have not done
enough.

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
The following illustrates how the Buddha conducted in accord with
Reality in section 2 of the Vajra Sutra:
• At meal time, the World Honored One put on his robe, took
up his bowl and entered the great city of Shravasti to
collect alms.

• After he finished his sequential alms-round, he returned to

his dwelling.

• When his meal was completed, he put his robe and bowl
away.

• After he washed his feet, he arranged his seat and sat

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down.
 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired

• Did the Buddha entertained any wandering thoughts

whilst doing all the above?

• No because the Buddha is one who has no random

thoughts.

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
Observation: Section 25 says: “common people think they
have a self” and section 28 says “all dharmas are
devoid of self” What do we see from both sections?
Comments:
• From s 3 until s 28, the Vajra Sutra explains the teaching
in the ‘empty’ world of Sages and worthies and so it
mentions right on the onset putting down the four
appearances.

• On the other hand, from s 25 until s 28, the Vajra Sutra

addresses the ‘not empty’ world of common people.

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
• The 26 sections in the empty world has already addressed in
details pertaining to putting down and leaving of appearances.

• And so in the ‘not empty’ world the Buddha addresses a

shorter version of letting go yet suited to the problem of the
‘not empty’ world of common people.

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 S 28 No greed and nothing acquired
• To let go of attachment the very first thing to know is that the
self doesn’t exist. This is not a problem in the ‘empty world’ of
Sages and Worthies.

• When we acknowledge that this body is our false self, only

then can we proceed to understand the true body…
• And then put down the attachments of everything else.

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Teaching Common People in ‘not empty’ world to let go
Teachings Reasons Methodology
S 25 Self doesn’t exist This body is not Contemplation
our true body
S 28 Everything else is just Our self nature is Patience and
appearances already perfect recognizing
and complete Reality
S 26 Let go of the Addressing Comprehend
preliminary teaching attachment to and recognize
on planting of Dharma Reality
blessings and wisdom
S 27 Refuting annihilation When sweeping Comprehend
away all and recognize
appearance there Reality
is still the eternal 20
self nature.
 Q&A pertaining to s 28
Question: If all dharmas are devoid of self, what about the hells?
Answer:
Great Master Yung Chia,
• “When one is certified to the characteristic of Reality,
• There are no people or dharmas
• The karma of the avichi is cancelled in a kshana,
• If I were deceiving living beings with untrue words,
• I’d invite upon myself the Ripping Out of Tongues for eons as
many as dust and sands.”

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 Q&A on section 28
Great Master Yung Chia,
• “In a dream, very clearly, there are six destinies;
• After enlightenment, completely empty, there is no
universe.”

Explained by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua:

• While people are confused in a dream, the six paths of
gods, humans, asuras, hells, hungry ghosts and animals
are distinctly evident.

• After one becomes Enlightened and is roused from the

confused dream, emptiness is pulverized, home is
broken and people vanish. Then how could there the 22
Three Thousand Great Thousand World system exist?
 Q&A on section 28
Question: Why is greed mentioned here in section 28 and
not elsewhere in the Vajra Sutra?

• It is because greed is the problem in this not empty

world.

• Section 28 is in the section which pertains to the ‘not

empty world of common people’ which is from sections
25 to 28.
• Why does the ‘not empty’ world starts with section 25?
• Section 25 states that “common people think that they
have a self.”
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 Q&A on section 28
• From sections 3 to 24, the Buddha was explaining the
principle in ‘empty’ world of Sages; and subtle
attachment is an issue whilst greed was not the main
issue in the ‘empty world’ of Sages.

• Those “entering the flow of the Sages” have no problem

with greed; section 3 to 24 addresses the principle to let
go of the thought of attachment and false thinking.

• The principles in section 3 to 24 guides the Two Vehicles

into the Bodhisattva path by emptying emptiness as
these sections teaches the principle of
anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
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 Dedication of merit
• May every living beings,
• Our minds as one and radiant with light
• Share the fruits of peace, with heart of goodness
luminous and bright.
• If people hear and see, how hands and hearts can find in
giving unity
• May their minds awake, to great compassion, wisdom
and to joy.
• May kindness find reward; may all who sorrow leave their
grief and pain;
• May this boundless light break the darkness of their
endless night.
• Because our hearts are one, this world of pain turns into
paradise;
• May all become compassionate and wise (2x) 25