The Essence of the Diamond Sutra

Prajñā is the supreme wisdom beyond the mundane world, fundamentally distinct from worldly wisdom; hence, it is not translated simply as "wisdom." Worldly wisdom pertains to the intelligence for survival within the Triple Realm (Triloka). In the human realm of the desire realm (Kāmadhātu), it encompasses wisdom in politics, economics, humanities, technology, education, society, philosophy, and all other fields. In the heavens of the desire realm, it includes the wisdom enabling celestial beings to enjoy pleasures and exercise miraculous powers freely at all times. In the form realm (Rūpadhātu), celestial beings dwell in sublime meditative states, free from distinctions of gender and the need for food, yet possess the wisdom to relish the joy of meditation. Even in the formless realm (Arūpyadhātu), where celestial beings lack physical forms but possess profound meditative absorption, their wisdom allows their minds to enjoy the blessings of concentration within that state. All these belong to the realm and sphere of wisdom within the Triple Realm, never transcending the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (Saṃsāra).

In contrast, the wisdom beyond the mundane world — Prajñā — does not reside inside or outside the Triple Realm and is not encompassed by the phenomena of the Triple Realm. Therefore, Prajñā is not directly translated as "wisdom," lest worldly people misunderstand, claiming that they too possess wisdom, excelling in high levels of intelligence in politics, economics, culture, psychology, and all fields and professions. However, all such wisdom belongs to the impermanent phenomena of arising and ceasing within the mundane world; it is born from the Prajñā wisdom of the vajra heart (diamond-like mind). It is only by relying on this Prajñā wisdom that it exists and develops. The Prajñā wisdom of the vajra heart is immeasurable, boundless, and vast. The entire universe and empty space are contained within it. Countless Buddha-lands, immeasurable Flower Store Worlds (Ghanavyūha), and innumerable world oceans are all established within empty space, collectively manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature, womb of the Tathāgata) of the infinite, boundless sentient beings possessing the vajra heart. This is called the One True Dharma Realm. The Ten Dharma Realms (Four Holy Realms and Six Ordinary Realms) all arise from It.

No matter how far human spacecraft can fly, they cannot fly beyond the bounds of empty space, and empty space itself does not extend beyond the vajra Prajñā heart. One Buddha-land is called a trichiliocosm (three-thousandfold great thousand world system), comprising one billion Jambudvīpas (Southern Continent), Uttarakurus (Northern Continent), Aparagodānīyas (Western Continent), and Pūrvavidehas (Eastern Continent). Similarly, there are one billion of each: the Four Great Oceans, the Seven Golden Mountain Ranges, hells, Mount Sumeru, the Moon Palace, and the Sun Palace. The heavens of the Cāturmahārājikakāyikas (Four Heavenly Kings), Trāyastriṃśa (Thirty-Three), Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Parinirmitavaśavartin (Heavens of the Desire Realm), and the heavens of the First Dhyāna of the Form Realm each number one billion. All are manifested by the essential substance of the vajra Prajñā heart, the Tathāgatagarbha. Where can spacecraft fly to? Moreover, without the Tathāgatagarbha, sentient beings could not even exist, let alone manufacture things like spacecraft. Even commerce, politics, bearing children, reproducing offspring, and all endeavors would cease. The Prajñā wisdom can produce ten thousand dharmas, a trillion dharmas, immeasurable dharmas — wisdom arising from the conscious minds of worldly beings cannot imagine this. Only the Buddha can completely and thoroughly comprehend the wisdom, functions, seeds, and virtuous characteristics of the Tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, the Buddha is called Sarvajña (the Omniscient One, Possessor of All-Knowing Wisdom).

Pāramitā means "reaching the other shore." That shore is free from birth and death, devoid of suffering, pleasure, and all sensations. This shore of our five aggregates (Pañcaskandha: form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness) is the shore of birth and death, where life and death continue endlessly without cease. There are the Three Sufferings (Duḥkhatā: suffering of suffering, suffering of change, suffering of conditioned states), the Eight Sufferings (birth, aging, sickness, death; suffering from association with the unpleasant; suffering from separation from the pleasant; suffering from not getting what one desires; suffering of the five aggregates), and boundless afflictions, delusions, karmic actions, and sufferings. The five aggregates on this shore are born and perish, perish and are born again. Sentient beings, because they cannot see through this, never grow weary of it. They lack the mind seeking liberation (Renunciation Mind) and do not wish to escape the sea of suffering in birth and death.

In contrast, the essential substance of the vajra heart, the Tathāgatagarbha, on that other shore, has never experienced the suffering and calamities of birth and death. It has existed since beginningless kalpas ago, never ceasing for even an instant, and will never cease in the future. It has no lifespan; even saying it has "infinite life" implies a measure, but It is measureless upon measureless, having no life and no death. It does not experience suffering. When sentient beings fall into the Avīci hell, their physical bodies become as vast as the hell itself, with instruments of torture applied to every part, causing agony so intense that the only thought is to beg for death. Yet, their Tathāgatagarbha does not feel the slightest pain. It has no sensations corresponding to worldly phenomena; thus, It experiences no suffering. When sentient beings ascend to the heavens to enjoy pleasures, the Tathāgatagarbha never partakes in the enjoyment. It does not even glance at it (having no eyes). It does not cognize, does not discriminate, and has no physical body to experience enjoyment. When celestial beings hear heavenly music, It does not hear. When they smell heavenly fragrances, It does not smell. When they taste ambrosia, It does not taste. When they bathe in jeweled pools, It does not touch. When celestial beings recall the past or envision the future, It does not think.

Such a pure mind creates not a single worldly karmic action (yet it is not that It does not act; everything needed by the five aggregates is provided by It; everything is manifested by It. It selflessly offers everything, never seeking the slightest return). How could It possibly have birth and death? Whoever creates bodily, verbal, and mental actions experiences birth and death. It does not undergo the suffering of birth and death. The five-aggregate body, creating karmic actions life after life, will naturally have birth, death, sorrow, lamentation, and distress. Only by understanding the Tathāgatagarbha and realizing its pure, unconditioned nature can one transcend the suffering of birth and death, reach the other shore of Nirvāṇa, and attain the bliss of tranquil extinction and coolness.