The Diamond Sutra

[Kokuu]

I have been reciting the Diamond Sutra weekly for a while now and parts of it have started to sink in.

Tonight I discovered a link to the British Library copy of a Chinese scroll of the sutra which, dated to AD868, is the earliest record of a dated printed 'book'. The following link allows us to see the sutra as it was written then and, although most of us will doubtless not be able to understand the writing, I found it a beautiful thing to be able to look at, not least because it was considered so worthy of preserving for future generations, a fact that I am extremely grateful for.

http://www.bl.uk/collections/treasures/sutra/sutra_broadband.htm?middle

Gassho
Andy

[Juki]

The Diamond Sutra was probably the first sutra that I ever "read" in full. I say "read" because it did not really sink in at the time and because even now I am just beginning to fathom it's depths. I was drawn to it because of the way Kerouac talked about it so reverently in "Dharma Bums." I'll check out your link now. Thanks, Andy.

gassho,
william

[Daisho]

After I dowloaded the "shockwave" plugin I got an error message on the page that it wasn't working for some reason and to contact author of program. I was on the page that shows the scroll with no writing on it and pressed "start". Did you have any problems, William? (I've got a macbook).

[Jundo]

Oh, lovely. I can make out the first lines, on the top page that comes up ...

Thus have I heard. One morning, when the Buddha was staying near Shravasti in the jeta grove of Anathapindika"s estate, He and His company of twelve hundred and fifty monks went into the city to beg for their breakfast; and after they returned and finished their meal, they put away their robes and bowls and washed their feet. Then the Buddha took His seat and the others sat down before him. ...

That is what is shown in the accompanying art work. The Buddha looks pretty dudded out, with a lot of bling bling, for someone just back from his begging rounds.



But, of course, the Diamond Sutra is just words and images about seeing through words and images!

For anyone who would like a good translation and introduction to the Diamond Sutra, the recent translation by Red Pine was pretty good ...

http://books.google.co.jp/books/about/The_Diamond_Sutra.html?id=ywcJjPIPdrMC&redir_esc=y

Gassho, J

[Kokuu]

That is what is shown in the accompanying art work. The Buddha looks pretty dudded out, with a lot of bling bling, for someone just back from his begging rounds.

I wonder if he might be represented in his sambhogakaya aspect? It is a Mahayana sutra after all (although without all the usual array of Bodhisattvas, gandharvas and such like that often appear in the audience).

Red Pine is the translation I use but have nothing else to compare it against. I have yet to read the accompanying commentary but am looking forward to it. Repeated recitation definitely seems a good method to work with it at the moment.

Gassho
Andy

[Kokuu]

The Diamond Sutra was probably the first sutra that I ever "read" in full

Way to start with the easy stuff, William!

Whenever I read it I am reminded of that passage in The Dharma Bums when Kerouac sits outside in the early morning with the sutra.

Gassho
Andy

[Nindo]

I bought a copy of this at the British Library! I was quite excited to find it, too.