Shengyi's comments

Sheng-yi says, “The name is a false name. Beneath this false name is the real body. The paramita of wisdom proclaimed by the Buddha is verbal wisdom. But from verbal wisdom arises insight wisdom, by means of which we see that all things are empty, including wisdom. Thus, the paramita of wisdom is not the paramita of wisdom. But when we see that wisdom is empty, we see the real form of all dharmas. This is real wisdom. Thus, the Buddha calls it the paramita of wisdom.”

Sheng-yi says, “Every world is the result of karma. Without karma there is no world. The world is the result of the myriad delusions of beings in the past, and our delusions are like specks of dust. Due to the dust of our delusions, we undertake myriad actions and create the karma of our present world.

The dust of beneficial delusions creates the world of devas. The dust of harmful delusions creates the world of sinners. A mixture of the two creates the world of humans. But from the point of view of prajna wisdom, the dust of our delusions arrives from nowhere and departs for nowhere. Its nature is empty. Thus, it is not the dust of delusions.”

Sheng-yi says, “Shravakas only cut off the obstruction of the passions but not the obstruction of what they know. Although they eliminate the attachment to a self, the attachment to dharmas remains. Upon hearing the teaching of the Diamond Sutra, Subhuti not only realized the emptiness of attachment to a self, he also realized the emptiness of attachment to dharmas and was able to see the true appearance of all dharmas.”

Sheng-yi says, “Perhaps someone might wonder how an ascetic meditating in the forest can suddenly see through the concepts of self, being, life, and soul. The Bhagavan replies that before the time of King Kali he had spent five hundred lifetimes as the mendicant Kshanti and had realized the forbearance of birthlessness. Thus, for him such concepts did not exist.”

Sheng-yi says, “A thought that isn’t attached is like the sun and moon moving through space without becoming attached to space and lighting the mountains and rivers and earth without becoming attached to them. If the mind can be like this and not become attached to the six sensations or attached to emptiness, this is the mind that isn’t attached to anything. Ordinary people are attached to existence, while followers of the Two Vehicles (shravakas and pratyeka-buddhas) are attached to nonexistence. If ordinary people aren’t attached to sansara and followers of the Two Vehicles aren’t attached to nirvana, this is to dwell in unexcelled, perfect enlightenment.”

Sheng-yi says, “The merit of a bodhisattva who practices charity free of these four perceptions is like space. It extends throughout the heavens. It extends throughout the hells. It extends throughout the realm of hungry ghosts. It extends throughout mankind. It can save those who are drowning, and it can save those who are burning. Thus do bodhisattvas benefit all beings through their merit by practicing charity free of all perceptions.”

Sheng-yi says, “The heart of this teaching is empty and still and contains no perception to realize. Thus, it is not true. But in its empty, still heart, it contains an infinite body of pure merit. Hence, it is not false. If we said it existed, and yet we could not realize it, this would make it not true. And if we said it did not exist, and yet we could never exhaust it, this would make it not false. Thus, the dharma realized by the Tathagata cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said not to exist.”

Sheng-yi says, “After Shakyamuni met Dipankara Buddha, he was able to bear the truth that all things are birthless and that there is no self, being, life, or soul. Before he met Dipankara, before he was able to bear the truth that all things are birthless, that there is no self, being, life, or soul, he worshipped buddhas with a mind concerned with attainment, with a self who worshipped, with a buddha who was worshipped, and he was only able to reap merit that was sansaric, merit that kept him tied to life and death. Thus, though he met countless buddhas, none of them prophesied his enlightenment.”

Sheng-yi says, “The merit of prajna can create buddhas and patriarchs. And those who carry on the wisdom of the buddhas are protected by the buddhas. During its final five hundred years in this world, the teaching of the buddhas will be weak, while the teaching of the wicked will be strong. Arguments about who is right and wrong will multiply. People won’t realize that the true Dharma of the tathagatas is never destroyed, and they won’t believe that anyone can see their minds or their true natures in this sutra. And if they don’t believe it, they will think about destroying it and will descend into the hells. Hence, the Tathagata does not try to describe this sutra’s merit completely.”

Sheng-yi says, “When controlling our thoughts is discussed in the first half of the sutra, it means controlling thoughts that involve attachment to a self. When this is discussed in the second half, it means controlling thoughts that involve attachment to a teaching. If a bodhisattva falls in love with a teaching, this is a bodhisattva’s worst folly.”