Review of the Diamond Sutra
No being is ever liberated.
Give without attachment.
Characteristics are not really characteristics.
Do not attach to intrinsic qualities or the lack thereof.
There is no formulated teaching.
The Religion given by Buddha is not Buddha Religion.
There is no such condition called "Enlightenment."
Develop a pure mind, not depending on things.
Learn to teach the unformulated truth.
The True doctrine will be venerated.
Call it, "The Diamond of the Perfection of Transcendental Wisdom"
Give without attachment.
Characteristics are not really characteristics.
"Living beings" are not really such; they are just called that.
Fundamental Reality is merely a name.
The Truth is neither real nor unreal.
Giving with attachment makes one blind.
Charity and patience are merely words.
Those who find consolation in limited doctrines are unable to accept and openly explain this Discourse.
Sins from past lives are purged in this life and do not hinder attainment of enlightenment.
While the Buddha signifies all formulas, the Buddha has no formula.
Those who are wholly devoid of any conception of separate selfhood are truthfully called Those.
The Tathagata possesses the:
• human eye
• divine eye
• gnostic eye
• eye of transcendent wisdom
• Buddha-eye of omniscience
These are countless modes of mind. Tathagata knows all of them, but none are mind. They are merely called "mind."
It is impossible to retain past mind, impossible to hold on to present mind, and impossible to grasp future mind.
These, too, are not mind, but merely called "mind."
Absolutes are foundationless!
Phenomenal characteristics are not really such; they are merely termed "phenomenal characteristics."
As to any Truth-declaring system, Truth is undeclarable; so "an enunciation of Truth" is
just the name given to it.
"Living beings" are not really such; they are just called that.
The Buddha acquired nothing in the attainment of enlightenment.
There is no goodness; such is merely a name.
This Discourse has incomparable merit.
"Common people" are not really common people; such is merely a name.
The Tathagata may not be perceived by the thirty-two marks (birthright).
Enlightenment does not replace standards.
The rewards for merit are never received.
The Tathagata is unbound in space and time.
"Cosmos" is merely a figure of speech.
As regards aspects, the Tathagata declares that in reality they are not such. They are only called "aspects".
Think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.