The Diamond Sutra! Why is it also called the Vajra Sutra? Is it because the full name of the sutra is the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra, and it was shortened to the Vajra Sutra? Yes and no.

The title Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra means the profound teaching of the Buddha on the indestructible wisdom that annihilates everything and enables supreme perfect attainment. This sutra is the king of all sutras.

“The Vajra Sutra destroys everything!”

This daunting statement—first proclaimed by the spiritual leader and lineage root guru of the True Buddha School, H.H. Living Buddha Lian Sheng— is earth-shattering! So why did he declare that the essence of the Vajra Sutra is to annihilate everything?

No “self”
No others
No living beings
No time and spatial dimensions

Living Buddha Lian Sheng challenges us to think beyond our ordinary mindset. What is good or bad? What is the true reality? The Vajra Sutra states that everything, whether good or bad, will be annihilated. Only the one who has reached a perfect understanding of the truth can explain its profundities.

Notable translators around the world have translated this sutra into English as the Diamond Sutra. We highly respect our predecessors as we strive to faithfully present the essential meanings clarified by His Holiness.

We pray that any flaws in the translation will be remedied through the power of blessings of our accomplished guru. May the guru bring complete understanding beyond words and language to reach earnest practitioners and precious readers.

After all, these teachings are a raft that must be abandoned upon reaching the other shore.