The Diamond Sutra Commentary: Part Eleven, The Supreme Blessing of Non-Action

Original Text: Subhuti, as numerous as the sands in the Ganges River—if there were as many Ganges Rivers as those sands, what do you think? Would the sands in all those Ganges Rivers be very many? Subhuti replied: Very many, World-Honored One. Just the number of those Ganges Rivers is already countless, how much more so their sands.

Explanation: Subhuti, as numerous as the sands in the Ganges River—considering rivers as numerous as those sands, what do you think? Are the sands in all those Ganges Rivers very many? Subhuti said: Extremely many, World-Honored One. The number of those Ganges Rivers alone is already immense, how much more so the sands within them.

Original Text: Subhuti, I now tell you truthfully: If a virtuous man or woman were to fill as many three-thousand-great-thousand worlds as the number of sands in all those Ganges Rivers with the seven jewels and use them for alms-giving, would the blessings thus obtained be very great? Subhuti replied: Very great, World-Honored One. The Buddha told Subhuti: If a virtuous man or woman, having received and upheld even a four-line verse from this sutra, expounds it to others, the blessings thus attained surpass the former blessings.

Explanation: Subhuti, I now tell you truthfully: If a virtuous man or woman were to fill as many three-thousand-great-thousand worlds as the number of sands in all those Ganges Rivers with the seven jewels and use them for alms-giving, would the blessings thus obtained be very great? Subhuti said: Extremely great, World-Honored One. The Buddha told Subhuti: If a virtuous man or woman, having received and upheld even a four-line verse from this Diamond Sutra, expounds it to others, the blessings thus attained far surpass the blessings from giving the seven jewels.

The first part of this section is easy to understand, but the latter part—that the blessings from receiving, upholding, and expounding the Diamond Sutra surpass those from giving the seven jewels—is difficult to comprehend. Let us examine why this is so. The blessings from giving the seven jewels are conditioned blessings. Such blessings can be exhausted, consumed entirely, and are mostly enjoyed within worldly phenomena. Without the mind for the Way or wisdom, great blessings can easily lead to committing grave evil deeds, resulting in the retribution of severe karmic consequences.

Just like the demon king Papiyas, who accumulated immense blessings during his human life. After death, he was reborn in the highest heaven of the desire realm—the Paranimmita-vasavatti Heaven—as its lord, ruling over beings in the desire realm. He always desires to control more beings and is unwilling to see their numbers diminish. If a practitioner attains the first dhyana, he obstructs them; even when the Buddha was teaching the Dharma, he created hindrances, aiming to prevent beings from transcending the desire realm and escaping his control. In the Dharma-ending age, to destroy the Dharma, he often assumes various forms to infiltrate Buddhism, proclaiming false Dharma as true and true Dharma as false. Beings cannot distinguish and, practicing accordingly, fail to attain liberation, remaining under the demon king's control. When Papiyas’ demonic blessings are exhausted, he will fall into hell to suffer the retribution of evil deeds. Thus, having blessings without wisdom or the Way is not a good thing.

Then, reciting the Diamond Sutra and realizing the diamond mind—such blessings are immeasurable, boundless, and vast, enabling one to attain infinite majesty and benefit. First, it severs the view of self and the three fetters, ensuring one never falls into the three evil realms to suffer, and one gains the merit and benefit of liberation. Second, wisdom grows increasingly profound and sharp; with wisdom comes more and greater blessings. Third, possessing precepts associated with meditative concentration and the Way, one no longer creates evil karma of body, speech, or mind. Suffering diminishes, virtuous practices increase, and joyful experiences grow ever greater, bringing endless joy in the heavens and among humans.

Fourth, lifespan becomes increasingly long. If one becomes a bodhisattva in the heavens, practicing the bodhisattva path, the lifespan may range from thousands to tens of thousands of years. In other Buddha-lands, lifespans are also extremely long. Upon attaining the eighth ground of bodhisattvahood, one severs segmented birth and death; lifespan is no longer segmented or finite but can be endlessly prolonged. Fifth, one can freely alter the structure of the four elements, manifesting any material at will—livelihood resources for beings, the seven jewels, hundreds of treasures, mountains, rivers, lands, even great thousand worlds. Sixth, one attains profound meditative concentration, manifests immeasurable spiritual powers and samadhi, divides into countless bodies, and liberates innumerable beings. Seventh, one can transform into supremely wondrous material wealth, broadly benefiting the masses, even manifesting three thousand great thousand worlds to practice the bodhisattva path and bring benefit and joy to beings. Eighth, one ultimately achieves Buddhahood, perfects bodhi, becomes the honored one of the three realms, with inexhaustible blessings and wisdom.

After receiving, upholding, and realizing the Diamond Sutra, wisdom expands boundlessly, enabling one to expound the Dharma to others so they too may realize it. Dharma-giving itself generates immense blessings; when beings benefit, the blessings multiply further. Throughout the three immeasurable eons of achieving Buddhahood, by liberating beings from the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and forming affinities with countless beings, one will have numerous disciples following and learning in the future. This enables the establishment of one's own Buddha-land. The formation of a Buddha-land requires disciples of various levels; without disciples, a land cannot be established, much less Buddhahood achieved. Only by guiding disciples in practice, as they attain realization, can one's own cultivation advance to higher stages and attain superior fruitions. Therefore, receiving, upholding, reciting the Diamond Sutra, and realizing the diamond mind—these blessings are immeasurably vast.

The diamond mind is also a mind of non-action, without the mental activities of the three realms, accomplishing nothing. Precisely because it accomplishes nothing, it can accomplish everything and perfect all dharmas. The blessings contained within the mind of non-action are immense, eternal, indestructible, impervious to harm or theft by anyone. How supremely wondrous these unconditioned blessings are—beyond description, far surpassing the conditioned blessings of giving the seven jewels, incomparable and ineffable.