Diamond Sutta belonged to the Mahayana doctrine system. Another sutta named by the Buddha in Sanskrit was the Vajra-Prajna-Paramita Sutta. The Mahayana doctrine system emerged two hundred to six hundred years after the Buddha entered Nirvana. Many doctrines reached their climax in Mahayana, such as Lotus Sutta and Nirvana Sutta (Mahaparinirvana Sutta), which appeared six hundred years after the Buddha entered Nirvana. Other Pure Land School and Tantric School doctrines emerged one thousand years after the Buddha entered Nirvana. Thus, the Diamond Sutta predated any of them. Although the Diamond Sutta belonged to the Mahayana system, this Sutta was closely aligned with the Hinayana thought. Therefore, the scenes in this Sutta were described as simply as those in the Hinayana doctrines.
In this Sutta, there were no familiar names of Bodhisattvas or Buddhas that typically appeared in Mahayana doctrines, such as Manjusri Bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Amitabha Buddha, Bhaisajya-guru Buddha (Medicine Buddha), and Aksobhya Buddha (Imperturbable Buddha). Instead, the description only mentioned Bhikkhus, particularly Sthavira. Subhuti was central to this Sutta. At the end of the Sutta, it was depicted that the Buddha delivered the discourse, and all beings—humans, gods, asuras, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis, upasakas (male followers), and upazilas (female followers)—were pleased to receive the teaching.
Many other Mahayana doctrines typically featured a significant number of audiences. Apart from the usual attendees, numerous special guests such as kings, mandarins, Brahmins, and adherents of other religions participated in the lectures. Additionally, invisible beings such as celestial musician Gandharva, Yaksa, and Lokapalas were said to have attended. Furthermore, many Bodhisattvas from various Buddha realms were also present during these teachings. In the Lotus Sutta, Prabhutaratna Buddha from a past life was even described in some chapters. The multitude of attendees depicted in Mahayana doctrines was both imposing and diverse. This period marked the climax of Mahayana doctrines’ growth.
The Diamond Sutta emerged soon after the primitive period, hence the setting, which was very straightforward and simple. In Jetavana Garden, the Buddha imparted Dharma to the Sangha. Primarily, the Buddha delivered teachings to only Bhikkhus; no Buddhists were mentioned as participating in the sessions. Buddhists’ presence was only noted at the end of the Sutta. The scene could be imagined as the sun was setting, with the Buddha imparting Dharma to the Sangha, while Buddhists arrived to offer things to the Sangha and incidentally received the teachings.
The central character in the Sutta was Sthavira Subhuti, renowned for his talent and as a symbol of Prajna Ones, who possessed a deep understanding of the Buddha’s principle of non-existence – the theory of nothingness. Sthavira Subhuti’s prominence in this Sutta and other Prajna Suttas surpassed that of Sthavira Sariputta, Sthavira Moggallana, Sthavira Kasyapa, Sthavira Katyayana, and Sthavira Purna. While Sthavira Subhuti might not be well-known in Hinayana doctrines or many other teachings, He played a significant role in the Diamond Sutta and within the system of Prajna Sutta-Pitaka.
The second version of the Diamond Sutta was in Chinese. Venerable Kumarajiva, the most renowned Chinese translator of Buddhist Suttas, translated a Sanskrit version into Chinese. Vietnamese Buddhism and Buddhist schools in Vietnam have adopted this version. The Chinese rendition divided this Sutta into twenty-four chapters. However, while translating from the Chinese version into Vietnamese, some chapters were omitted to make this Sutta coherent and readable.
Those familiar with the Maha-Prajna Sutta, also known as the Great Wisdom Suttas, which comprised six hundred volumes, would recognize that these Suttas primarily expounded on the principle of non-existence. Nevertheless, the language used in these Suttas was extremely vague, often appearing in archaic Sanskrit. Modern translators struggle to convey the precise meanings of Prajna Suttas in contemporary languages. Consequently, many Venerables could not directly translate Prajna Suttas from Sanskrit into Chinese; they resorted to phonetic transcription for many phrases.
Thus, anyone wishing to delve into the system of Prajna Suttas must first become a proficient scholar of the Sanskrit language to grasp their essence fully. However, many Buddhists can only read a few pages of Prajna Suttas and then close the text due to their inability to comprehend the meanings. The language used is antiquated and intricate, while the concept of the principle of non-existence is exceedingly abstract, making it challenging for anyone to grasp.
For this reason, we have endeavored to present a simplified version of the Diamond Sutta, allowing all Buddhists to grasp its profound significance. We aim to elucidate the most precise understanding of the principle of non-existence, facilitating more effortless practice for all individuals.
May the merit gained from this endeavor bestow blessings upon all beings in the Dharmadhatu, Buddhists, and humanity, guiding them toward the achievement of Enlightenment.
Namo Master Shakyamuni Buddha
