Commentary on the Diamond Sutra: The Reasons Why Upholding and Practicing This Sutra Brings Immeasurable and Boundless Merits

Chapter Fifteen: The Merit of Upholding This Sutra

Original Text: If, again, there is a person who hears this sutra and believes it with unwavering faith, their merit surpasses that [of the previous example]. How much more so for one who copies, upholds, recites, and explains it to others.

Explanation: Subhūti, if there is a person who hears this Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra (Diamond Sutra) and gives rise to pure faith and understanding, deeply believing in the vajra prajñā heart free from the four marks, their mind does not contradict the sutra's meaning. For example, when the Buddha speaks of the non-existence of the four marks and the refutation of the four marks, this person would not claim that the four marks truly exist and are real, nor would they cling obstinately to the four marks. Instead, they would willingly empty the self and empty their own mind. The merit of such a person is more excellent and surpasses that of someone who donates physical bodies as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River every day for countless hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas. Moreover, if this person not only possesses pure faith but is also able to recite the Diamond Sutra, realize the vajra heart, cultivate themselves by relying on the mind of vajra reality, and furthermore extensively explain the Diamond Sutra to others, teaching sentient beings to realize the vajra reality mind and protect the widespread circulation of the Diamond Sutra, then the merit of this person will far exceed that of those who donate their physical bodies (internal wealth).

Original Text: Subhūti, to state it concisely, this sutra possesses inconceivable, immeasurable, and boundless merit. The Tathāgata spoke it for those who aspire to the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna) and for those who aspire to the Supreme Vehicle.

Explanation: Subhūti, in summary, this Diamond Sutra possesses inconceivable, immeasurable, and boundless merits. The Tathāgata, the World-Honored One, spoke it for those who have aroused the bodhicitta (mind of enlightenment) of the Great Vehicle and for those who have aroused the bodhicitta of the Supreme Buddha Vehicle.

This is because only those who have aroused the bodhicitta of the Great Vehicle, who possess the capacity of the Great Vehicle, whose minds are vast and expansive, who are compassionate towards sentient beings, and whose wisdom is deep and extensive, are willing to recite the Diamond Sutra, understand its principles, realize reality, and thereafter have the ability to uphold the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature) Dharma, propagate the Tathāgatagarbha Dharma, and in the future enter the First Ground (Bhūmi), shoulder the Tathāgata's work, and liberate immeasurable sentient beings.

Original Text: If there is someone who can uphold, recite, and extensively explain it to others, the Tathāgata perfectly knows this person and perfectly sees this person. All will attain the accomplishment of immeasurable, incalculable, boundless, and inconceivable merit.

Explanation: If there is a person who can uphold and recite the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra and extensively expound the true meaning of Tathāgatagarbha to sentient beings, all of this person's wholesome roots and merit, all their wisdom and virtue, and all the deeds they perform for sentient beings are perfectly known and perfectly seen by the Tathāgata, without any error or concealment. Therefore, none of the deeds this person performs to benefit sentient beings will be in vain; not the slightest will be buried. In the future, they will accomplish immeasurable, incalculable, boundless, and inconceivable merit.

Why are the merit of this person upholding and reciting the Diamond Sutra and all the merit they create for sentient beings perfectly known and perfectly seen by the Tathāgata? This "Tathāgata" refers to both the physical-body Tathāgata and the dharma-body Tathāgata. The physical-body Tathāgata, possessing immeasurable supernatural powers and virtues, observes with the Buddha-eye; thus, He perfectly knows and perfectly sees all the merit of this person upholding and reciting the Diamond Sutra and perfectly knows and perfectly sees all the merit and virtue this person accumulates by liberating immeasurable sentient beings, leaving nothing out. Because the Buddha possesses immeasurable wisdom and the wisdom of all modes (sarvajñā-jñāna), there is not a single phenomenon in the mundane or supramundane realms that He does not know or see; His perfect illumination pervades the great chiliocosm, omitting nothing.

As for the dharma-body Tathāgata, because it constantly accompanies this person, everything this person does necessarily receives the illumination and protection of the dharma-body Tathāgata. The dharma-body Tathāgata is this person's Tathāgatagarbha. Because the Tathāgatagarbha knows this person's mental activities, it also cooperates with this person to accomplish all deeds and records and stores the karmic seeds of sentient beings. Therefore, everything this person does is perfectly known and perfectly seen by the Tathāgatagarbha, and all karmic seeds are fully stored. In the future, this will bring about the realization of all this person's meritorious fruits, ensuring that none of their efforts are in vain, ultimately enabling them to attain perfect Buddhahood.