The Diamond Is Prajna

The mind is prajna, also called vajra. Vajra is a Sanskrit word, translated as jingang (金剛) in Chinese, which describes a material that is sharp and powerful, often translated as “diamond.” The mind itself is very powerful and has limitless potential. When we rediscover the mind, it becomes like a diamond, sharp and powerful, and absolutely true without illusions. Such a mind grants right understanding and allows us to see the truth.

People have as many distracting thoughts as there are specks of dust in the universe. The Buddha understands the character and habits of living beings, and like a sharp, diamond blade cuts away at the distracting, delusional thoughts that bind our minds. This allows us to go directly to our inherent mind and no longer be dazzled and confused by worldly phenomena.

In the Diamond Sutra the Buddha teaches the wondrous Dharma that can grind away at our ignorance and delusion within and without. The diamond is used as a symbol for prajna, infinitely durable and sharp. The Buddha teaches us that we have always possessed this treasure within ourselves, and that we can use it to cut away our affliction and ignorance and attain the wisdom of the Dharmakaya within our intrinsic nature.

The diamond represents the prajna of our intrinsic nature and the Chan mind. In Buddhism, it is said that “all Buddhas are always liberating the sentient beings within our minds,” referring to the thoughts and afflictions we all carry. However, the wondrous thing that prajna can do is to allow sentient beings to always partake of the intrinsic nature of all Buddhas. Prajna is everyone’s inherent, limitless potential.

All Forms Are Illusory

At that time, Subhuti asked the Buddha, “World-honored One, what should this sutra be called, and how should we receive it and uphold it?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti, “This sutra is called the Diamond Prajnaparamita, and by this name you should receive it and uphold it. And why is this? Subhuti, the Buddha has said that prajnaparamita is not prajnaparamita and that that is what is called prajnaparamita. Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata speak the Dharma?”

Subhuti said to the Buddha, “World-honored One, the Tathagata has not said anything.”

“Subhuti, what do you think? Is all the fine dust throughout the three thousand-fold world system a lot of dust or not?”

Subhuti said, “It is a lot, World-honored One.”

“Subhuti, the Tathagata says that all of that fine dust is not fine dust, and that that is what is called fine dust. The Tathagata says that the world is not the world, and that is what is called the world.”

(Diamond Sutra, Chapter 13)

As mentioned in the above passage from the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha uses the expression “three thousand-fold world system,” which is a concept in Buddhist cosmology that refers to the entirety of the universe. The Buddha uses the example of the three thousand-fold world system being composed of so many particles of dust to show that neither the dust, nor the amalgamation of dust, are anything but illusory phenomena. They lack any intrinsic nature, and are merely a combination of causes and conditions. The Buddha speaks of prajnaparamita, so that living beings can realize the error of their ways and free themselves from suffering and obtain happiness. This is why the Buddha uses labels like “dust” and “world system” in the first place, so that he can employ skillful means to teach the Dharma to living beings at the right moment. All the worldly names and terms are used to skillfully lead people and communicate. With this in mind we should not abide in such names, for as soon as we become attached to them we can fall into the trap of delusion.

All things exist as a temporary combination of causes and conditions. All of our names and labels are temporary, as are all the sensations and experiences of the body and mind. People who practice meditation use expressions like “understand the mind and see intrinsic nature,” “give rise to a mind that does not abide in anything,” and “go directly to the inherent mind,” but these are all describing the same thing: the inherent mind. The Surangama Sutra describes the inherent mind as “always abiding in the true mind, the naturally pure and bright essence.” The inherent mind has many other names as well: it is called the mind that always abides in truth, the bright mind, and the mind free from defilements. It is called naturally pure and essentially bright. It goes by the name prajna and tathagatagarbha,¹ and is described as a pure, bright light, but we can only see this pure, bright light when we are free of defilements. To “understand the mind and see intrinsic nature” means to understand one’s inherent prajna, the tahtagatagarbha. This is precisely the meaning of the Buddhist verse by Sixth Patriarch Huineng:

Essentially, bodhi is not a tree.
The bright mirror is also not standing;
Inherently, there is no thing,
Where can it attract dust?

One day Bailing encountered Pang Yun on the road. Bailing asked, “Have you ever told anyone about the one verse you learned at Mazu Daoyi’s place?”

Pang Yun said, “Sure, I have told it to someone.”

Bailing did not understand. The one verse in question could not be told with language, nor could it be conceived of through thinking. No explanation of it would be right. So he asked Pang Yun again, “Who did you tell it to?”

Pang Yun pointed to himself and said, “I only told it to myself!”

Bailing said admiringly, “Even the Buddha’s great disciple Subhuti, the foremost in understanding emptiness, would be no match for you.”

In pointing at himself, Pang Yun was saying that the “one verse” was his own Buddha nature, of which everyone is endowed. Experiencing it is an internal affair, as in how one can know if some water is warm or cool only by drinking it. A direct experience cannot be communicated to others.

Pang Yun then asked Bailing, “Who have you told your one verse to?”

Bailing then put on his hat and left.

While it is true that the true reality of Buddha nature cannot be communicated in words, if one does not make use of the skillful means of spoken and written language, living beings will never learn the errors of their ways. That is why the Buddha joined the symbol of the diamond with the wondrous teachings on prajna. This symbol and the teachings share the same essence. They remove the afflictions that obscure the mind’s vision, and point to our intrinsic nature, allowing us to attain paramita and “cross over.” This is why the complete, Sanskrit title of the sutra is the Vajra Prajnaparamita Sutra.

Source: Hsing Yun. Four Insights for Finding Fulfillment: A Practical Guide to the Buddha’s Diamond Sutra. Los Angeles: Buddhas Light Publishing, 2012.

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Footnote:

1. Sanskrit term meaning “womb of the Buddha,” indicating where Buddhahood is born. Synonymous with Buddha nature. Ed.