Diamond Sutra

The Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra) is a Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtra from the "Perfection of Wisdom" genre.

If a disciple is able to discard all arbitrary conceptions of phenomena, he will immediately become a Buddha.

Quotes

• Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are not enlightened by fixed teachings but by an intuitive process that is spontaneous and natural.
  • The Lord Buddha, p. 12

• The Tathagata cannot be fully known by manifestation in form. And why? Because the phenomena of form is inadequate to incarnate Buddhahood. It can only serve as a mere expression, a hint of that which is inconceivable.
  • The Lord Buddha, p. 13

• The Lord Buddha then warned Subhuti, saying: "Subhuti, do not think that the Tathagata ever considers within his own mind: 'I ought to enunciate a system of teaching for the elucidation of the Dharma.' You should never cherish such an unworthy thought. And why? Because if any disciple should harbor such a thought, he would not only be misunderstanding the teaching of the Tathagata, but he would be slandering him as well. Moreover, what has just been referred to as 'a system of teaching' has no meaning, as Truth cannot be cut up into pieces and arranged into a system."
  • p. 14

• While the Tathagata, in his teaching, constantly makes use of conceptions and ideas about them, disciples should keep in mind the unreality of all such conceptions and ideas. They should recall that the Tathagata, in making use of them in explaining the Dharma always uses them in resemblance of a raft that is of use only to cross a river. As the raft is of no further use after the river is crossed, it should be discarded. So these arbitrary conceptions of things and about things should be wholly given up as one attains enlightenment.
  • p. 15

• If a disciple is able to discard all arbitrary conceptions of phenomena, he will immediately become a Buddha.
  • Subhuti, p. 16