Diamond-Cutter Wisdom
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From the Diamond-Cutter (Vagrakkhedika)
Below are extracts and quotations of Buddha as presented in one of the venerated texts of Mahayana Buddhism, The Diamond-Cutter (Vagrakkhedika). Numbers in square brackets refer to sutras (thought-threads, "stanzas", verses, or "paragraphs") in that work. And below is a link to the whole work. Various other ways of naming Buddha - Tathagata, Bhagavat - are largely removed in the following for the sake of simplicity. In other words, this selection is simplified.
One finds just no signs of
the holy and fully enlightened One for help
HIGHEST perfect knowledge is always the same. - Buddha [23]
A Buddha is not to be known by having signs. - Buddha [26]
IS a holy and fully enlightened Buddha to be known by the thirty-two signs of a hero?" Subhuti said: "No." - Buddha [13] (2)
Those who know The Teaching and understands it, look on the world - and all Bodhisatvas and Great Teachings in it - as
clouds (ephemeral)
AS A CLOUD - thus we should look upon the world (all that was made). - cf. Buddha [32] (4)
The one who sees the Buddha-Eyes should be the right one to explain them well without going too much into their origins -
since "no-origin is the highest goal".
THE BUDDHA has the bodily eye, the heavenly eye, the eye of knowledge, the eye of the Law, the eye of Buddha," [condensed] - Buddha [18] (5)
"Is a Buddha to be known by the shape of his visible body?" Subhuti said: "No," - Buddha [20]
There will be strong and good and wise beings [in the future] . . . They are known by the Buddha; they are seen by the Buddha through his Buddha-eye; they are understood by the Buddha. - Buddha []
THE noble-minded should . . . frame an independent mind, not believing [too much] in sound, smell, taste, and anything that can be touched. - Buddha [10] (6)
Listen and take it to heart, well and rightly. - Buddha [2]
Why the name of Tathagata? It expresses true suchness and no origin. [And] no-origin is the highest goal. - Buddha [17]
A BUDDHA says what is real, says what is true, says the things as they are; a Buddha does not speak untruth - Buddha [14]
Summary
- "It takes one to know one. (Proverb)". An Enlightened one may not show it to others than those in rapport too. There are other sides to being Enlightened, many ramifications; derive benefit from them as is convenient.
- Those who know The Great Teachings and understand them, look on the world with its Great Teachings quite as clouds.
- Someone who sees Buddha-Eyes should be the right one to explain them well without going too much into their origins - since the sutra tells "no-origin is the highest goal".
Teachings with no signs of being great and holy teachings could be so anyway. Public claims that teachings and personages are great and holy may be the good sign that they are not. Seek to peer behind façades for your own good.
Civic greetings
The Austrian composer of atonality, Arnold Schonberg (1874-1951), was strolling through
the streets of his home town with a visiting friend one day, nodding at the respectful
greetings from the local people, many of them young boys.
His friend was impressed and surprised. "You really are famous. Even the children
know you," he said.
"Quite true," said Schonberg with a smile. "You see, my son is a halfback on
the high-school football team."
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