Lecture on the Diamond Sutra: Why Embracing and Upholding This Sutra Yields Karmic Retribution Beyond Comprehension

Chapter Sixteen: Purification of Karmic Obstacles, Original Text: Subhuti, I recall that in the past, during asamkhyeya kalpas prior to encountering Dipankara Buddha, I encountered and attended upon eighty-four thousand billion nayutas of Buddhas, making offerings and serving them all without missing a single one. If, in the latter degenerate age, there is someone who can receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, the merit thus obtained surpasses the merit I gained from making offerings to all those Buddhas; it is not even one hundredth, nor one thousand billionth part—indeed, beyond any calculation, analogy, or description.

Commentary: Subhuti, I recollect that in past lives, during countless asamkhyeya kalpas before encountering Dipankara Buddha, I met innumerable Buddhas and World-Honored Ones. To all these Buddhas, I personally made offerings of the four necessities: food, clothing, bedding, and medicine. Moreover, I served each Buddha, obeying all their instructions. I never missed the advent of any Buddha, encountering every single one.

If, in the latter degenerate age when the Dharma is about to perish, there are those who can receive, uphold, read, and recite this Diamond Sutra, the merit they will obtain far exceeds the merit I gained from making offerings to countless Buddhas over immeasurable lifetimes. The merit from my offerings to countless Buddhas does not even reach one hundredth, nor even one thousand billionth part, of the merit gained by such a person through receiving, upholding, reading, and reciting the Diamond Sutra. It cannot be described or analogized by any number; it is beyond all comparison, immeasurably vast, leading directly to Buddhahood.

This is because the Diamond Sutra points solely to the pure unconditioned Dharma (asamskrta-dharma). Perfecting this unconditioned Dharma leads to the perfect realization of Buddhahood, enabling swift attainment of Buddhahood. Therefore, the merit of receiving and upholding the Diamond Sutra is incomparably vast; no merit from conditioned phenomena (samskrta-dharma) can compare with it. The World-Honored One here recounts events prior to encountering Dipankara Buddha, which occurred before he attained the eighth Bodhisattva ground (bhumi). At that time, the World-Honored One’s mind had not yet reached true purity of the unconditioned; he was still engaged in conditioned, defiled actions, making offerings to Buddhas with worldly attachments, thus performing defiled offerings. Therefore, none of those Buddhas bestowed upon the Bodhisattva Shakyamuni the prediction of Buddhahood. Only when the Bodhisattva Shakyamuni’s mind and conduct attained pure unconditionedness, reaching the eighth ground of immovability (acala-bhumi), and encountered Dipankara Buddha, did Dipankara Buddha bestow upon him the prediction of Buddhahood. By then, the World-Honored One had already encountered countless Buddhas.

"Eighty-four thousand billion" is an Indian expression; in Chinese, it should be understood as "forty-eight hundred million billion," signifying an immeasurable, incalculable number. We should understand that during the practice of the Buddha Way, one will inevitably encounter and make offerings to countless Buddhas. Beyond the four material offerings, one must personally serve the Buddhas. Most importantly and crucially, one must make Dharma offerings, for Dharma offerings are supreme. Dharma offerings mean personally following the Buddhas to study various Dharma teachings and universally instructing sentient beings to practice the Dharma together, propagating the Buddha’s teachings on his behalf. If one can practice according to the Buddha’s teachings, gradually aligning with the unconditioned principle within the Dharma, and attain a mind of pure unconditionedness, this is the true offering to the Buddhas and will inevitably result in receiving the prediction of Buddhahood from the Buddhas.

Original Text: Subhuti, if virtuous men or virtuous women, in the latter degenerate age, receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, the merit they will obtain—if I were to describe it in full—some people, upon hearing it, might become mentally disturbed, filled with doubt and disbelief. Subhuti, you should know that the meaning of this sutra is inconceivable, and its karmic rewards are also inconceivable.

Commentary: Subhuti, if virtuous men or virtuous women, in the degenerate age when the Dharma is about to perish, can receive, uphold, read, and recite this Diamond Sutra, the merit they will obtain is immense beyond measure. If I were to explain specifically what kind of merit this person obtains, how much there is, and what it entails, then some people hearing this might become mentally agitated, filled with doubt and disbelief. Subhuti, from this we should understand how inconceivably profound and subtle the meaning contained within this Diamond Sutra is; thus, the karmic rewards of upholding this sutra are also inconceivable.

This shows that the merit of upholding the Diamond Sutra is too supreme for ordinary people to imagine or believe. By practicing according to the principles within the Diamond Sutra and realizing the true mind of prajna (wisdom), one’s blessings and wisdom will gradually increase, with wisdom becoming ever more profound and incomparable. When blessings and wisdom are both perfectly fulfilled, one will become the Unsurpassed One and the Unsurpassed Honored One within the three realms. This karmic reward is truly inconceivable and beyond comprehension; it cannot be fully expressed or praised even over countless kalpas.