This is an English presentation of the Vajra Sutra Exposition given by the lineage root guru of True Buddha School, H.H. Living Buddha Lian Sheng, from July 24, 2021, to April 30, 2022, at the Seattle Leizang Temple (Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple) and Rainbow Temple in the state of Washington, U.S.A.
This is not a mere transcript of the English simultaneous interpretation of the discourse, nor a translation of the Chinese transcript. It is based on the oral teachings given mostly in Mandarin Chinese. The live discourses—now available on YouTube and on the internet—are of course the greatest and most direct source of the teaching; they are rich and profound, funny and enlightening. Embellished with stories, anecdotes, dialogs, facial expressions, jokes, and puns, these entertaining yet profound teachings point directly to the essence of buddhadharma. They are indeed the skillful means of a living buddha in his deliverance of sentient beings.
Although we hope that one day these videos will all be subtitled in English, which can likely be done with the help of AI and advanced technology, some of us still prefer to learn these teachings in a written form and even in a book format—where people can note key points they wish to revisit later. Thus we humbly took on this endeavor. It is only through the tremendous blessings of the Guru, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha that it has now been accomplished.
In our translation style, we aim to accurately express the intended meaning of the originals according to His Holiness’ explanations, instead of translating the words or phrases literally. First and foremost, we strive for accuracy and completeness, and then for clarity, consistency, and fluency. We prefer commonly used English Buddhist terms when appropriate, although we also define our own terms to better deliver the meaning as explained by our guru, which is often novel and unique.
We also maintain the style of our precious guru—explaining profundities in a simple, easy to understand, and clear manner. We first choose to use words in plain English before their foreign equivalents, such as Sanskrit, Tibetan, or Chinese. Should we use any transliteration, be it Sanskrit or Tibetan, we always prefer the simpler form. For instance, we write Sakyamuni instead of Shakyamuni, or usnisa instead of ushnisha. For Chinese notation, we follow the Hanyu Pinyin romanization, except for mantras and published official names such as Sheng-Yen Lu, Fo-Ching, Fo-Chi, Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple, Taiwan Lei Tsang Temple, and a few others.
Following the recent convention of Buddhist literature in the West, we write Buddhist terms in lowercase, except for the Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as part of the Three Jewels, and the vehicles of Hinayana, Mahayana, Vajrayana, Sutrayana, Tantrayana, and a few others. All proper nouns, such as Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Lu, the Tathagata or the Buddha when referring to Sakyamuni Buddha, are capitalized. In contrast, most references to a tathagata, buddha, or bodhisattva, as well as dharma and buddhadharma, are all in lowercase.
We combine many Buddhist terms into one word, as this word has become a term in and of itself. For instance, “pureland” is a term that refers to a realm where everything is pure, and it’s not intended to connote a physical land that is pure versus impure. Buddhaverse, though, is a term we borrow from Prof. Robert Thurman, who coined it to denote the buddha-field, buddha-land, buddha-realm, buddha-world—which we think is very appropriate to describe the sort of universe (realm) where the buddhas dwell in, far beyond any physical connotation. Similarly, buddhanature is a term to indicate the unspeakable state of intrinsic suchness, pristine innate awareness, something amid nothingness, and it’s not merely the nature of the buddha, as in “buddha nature” versus human nature or other nature.
A Buddhist sutra such as the Vajra Sutra comprises a dialog between the Buddha and the primary supplicant in the form of questions and answers. Therefore, many quotation marks are used in the sutra text itself. We retain the quotation marks of the dialogs when we quote the sutra text in the exposition, but we don’t add extra quotation marks surrounding the quotes. In addition, for clarity, we italicize all sutra quotes. We also italicize key words taken from the sutra text in its first occurrence or as an emphasis. We italicize some unusual key terms, especially when first introduced in the article, and foreign words, except those already in the common dictionaries.
We understand that most readers in today’s busy world prefer a concise and reader-friendly form of a teaching. At the same time, we can’t afford to miss any points—not just the key points, but all points—spoken by the guru. We don’t summarize, but we convert the verbal expressions into fluent written English. This arduous endeavor is beyond our initial undertaking, and it’s not a simple task. We begin by transcribing the live discourse to ensure its completeness. Then we convert it into written English in the same flow as the talk. Afterward, we restructure the whole article by combining similar topics, reducing redundancies, and omitting unrelated jokes, other people’s talks, and chitchats, except when they relate directly to the teaching. In this way, we transform the oral discourse into written teaching in the most clear and concise manner.
This endeavor would not have been possible without the selfless and dedicated effort of extraordinary translators, transcribers, editors, proof-readers, designers, reviewers, and many more people who volunteered their time and effort in making this sharing of dharma possible. Words of thanks would never sufficiently express our gratitude to our publisher, the Tbboyeh Foundation, to TBNews and True Buddha Foundation for their support, all of our benefactors and contributors in alphabetical order:
Adi Djunaedi, Adrian Landman, Andriani, Angela Ang, Anita Tjahyasari, Bavnisha Tulsiani, Beatrice Ong, Berliana Hidayat, Bing Huang, Christine L. Chan, Cecilia Tan, Celaeno Brewer, Charlotte Frejya-Richwoods, Chen YiYi, Chris Li, Clarence Chong, Clive McKenzie, Danielle M. Domae, Daisy Zhao, Demi, Doan Vo, Dushan Tulsiani, Elizabeth Quintale, Elvina Mintarno, Evelyn Mintarno, Fernando K. Chen, Gareth Jones, Gloria Cheng, Gordon Wong, Handojo Winarko, Hanifa, Hasan Hartato Ng, Heena Tulsiani, Henri Riadi, Henry Wolf, Herlina Lim, Jamin Li, Janny Chow, Jay Patel, Jennie Jovita, Jennifer Chou, Jennifer Yu, Jeremy Wolf, Jessie Tsai, Johnson Jocom, Jolanda Cheung, Judy and Daniel Liao, Hazel Y. Landman, Kam Tak Wong, Katrina Robinson, Kelly C., Koay Saw Lean, Kunarto Mintarno, Kwai To, Lelly Lau, Leny Hartati, Lili Mintarno, Liza Santoso, Lucas King, Manisha Tulsiani, Maureen Quintale, Meidan Tan, Melanie Mai Brewer, Melvin Koh, Minh Phan, Molaniva, Nam Hong Kang, Olivia J. Landman, Patricia Sanjoto, Paxton Phan, Pilaniwati, Ratna Kwee, Raymond Kawazoe, Raymond To, Rev. Lian An, Rev. Lian Tong, Ri Shang Tang, Ronny Soemarlim, Sally Tan, Samantha Coe, Shun Yui Chan, Sonia Otero, Sook Han Loh, Sophie Lo, Stephen L. Chan, Steve Hsieh, Sui Chun Wong, Sujen Lin, Sumaya Sary, Tiago Amigo, Tini Mintarno, Trish Li, Victor Hazen, Vina Hadiwinata, Wenny Irawati, Xiaohui Shen, Yanfini, Yeeman To, Yuvesh Tulsiani, Zander M. Chan, Zoe M. Chan, and other anonymous contributors.
If we have missed any names, please accept our sincere apologies.
Last but not least, we would like to offer our deepest and utmost gratitude to our precious lineage root guru, Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu, for allowing us such a precious opportunity to learn and share his precious teachings with more sentient beings.
May readers and spiritual seekers reap tremendous benefits and attain liberation!
Om Guru Lian Sheng Siddhi Hum
Om Muni Muni Mahamuni Sakyamuni Svaha
The Vajra Sutra is truly magnificent!
It is the sutra about the highest perfect enlightenment!
Yet only a few people can reveal its essential meaning.
For this reason,
I will begin a detailed exposition of the Vajra Sutra.
July 24, 2021
The Vajra Sutra is truly magnificent! Very few people can reveal its essential meaning. For this reason I will begin its detailed exposition. Do you know that many people, when explaining the Vajra Sutra, first explain the title Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra, then plainly state, “Translated during the Later Qin Dynasty by Kumarajiva, Master of Tripitaka”?
The Buddhist sutras were spoken by Sakyamuni Buddha, but who wrote them down? For the most part, the authors of the Buddhist sutras in the Sutric tradition are unknown. Kumarajiva translated the Vajra Sutra into Chinese, but who was the original author? There is no known author. Such is the case for almost all sutras—there are no authors, only translators.
But this is not the case for Tantrayana texts. Have you noticed? All Tantrayana texts name their authors and translators. For instance, Virupa was the author of Lamdre (The Path and Its Fruit), and the translator was someone else. One can always find the authors of Tantric Buddhist texts. Tsongkapa authored the Ngakrim Chenmo (The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Tantric Path) and the Lamrim Chenmo (The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment). The Five Major Treatises have authors as well. For instance, Maitreya Bodhisattva authored a few treatises. Asanga and Vasubandu authored the yogacara texts. Nagarjuna and Aryadeva authored the madyamaka texts. Thus, the treatises have authors.
The authors of the sutras in Sutric Buddhism (Hinayana and Mahayana) are anonymous. Only the names of their translators—and not the authors—are given. However, Tantrayana texts include the names of authors and translators. This is a matter worth further exploration.
The sutras, of course, were all spoken by Sakyamuni Buddha. But in ancient India when Sakyamuni Buddha gave dharma teachings, it would be unthinkable for his disciples to take notes while he was speaking since that would be disrespectful. Nowadays it is perfectly acceptable, but not so in that era. Thus there were the so-called first, second, third, and fourth compilations of what people heard and believed the Buddha had said.
Ananda had an exceptional memory and could narrate what he had heard. Upon confirmation by other disciples that those were the words of the Buddha, they recorded them. Nowadays who has such a powerful memory? I have given dharma teachings for a very long time and forgotten many of them. Where did I give my first dharma teaching? At Toubiankeng River in Taichung. That day I had given a fengshui consultation. We had some free time afterward and since I love to swim, we went to the Toubiankeng River. We all swam. Afterward I put my clothes on, climbed on top of a water tower, and gave my first teaching. I spoke on the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra (Lotus Sutra).
Is there anyone here who was present at that time? Masters Lian Shi and Lian Zhu were there; they are long-time disciples. Among all of you sitting here today, can anyone remember all the dharma talks Grandmaster [referring to himself] has given from the very beginning to now? Anyone? Does anyone remember every word of my dharma teachings since taking refuge? If you can remember them all, please tell me. In the past, you could have been Ananda, or you must be a reincarnation of Ananda. [joking] It is very difficult to find such a person.
Om mani padme hum.
The Vajra Sutra
reveals the wisdom that annihilates everything
and allows the attainment of buddhahood.
July 25, 2021
Today is the beginning of the Vajra Sutra exposition, and we will first talk about the word vajra. What is a vajra? This is a vajra [pointing to a vajra embroidery on Grandmaster’s dragon vest]. This vajra scepter is also a vajra [picking up a vajra scepter].
In ancient India, a vajra was a weapon used in battles between warring countries to destroy enemies. A vajra, as a weapon, is very strong and indestructible. Its function is to destroy anything and everything. Vajra has many meanings. It represents indestructibility. It’s very strong and doesn’t deteriorate, and it can destroy and annihilate anything and everything.
A wrathful vajra deity (heruka) holds a vajra scepter with the wrathful mudra. Our True Buddha School’s Mahabala is a heruka, and he can destroy everything. Mahabala is called the Heruka with Great Power, as is the dharma protector Dorje Shugden. So Dorje Shugden is also called Mahabala. Explore them on your own if you would like to know more.
Many people don’t know the true meaning of the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra. What is the real meaning of this sutra? It is the annihilation of everything, as revealed by its title—Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita. The shortened title of the sutra is the Vajra Sutra.1Grandmaster advised the translator to use “Vajra Sutra” for its English translation instead of continuing to use the popular translation “Diamond Sutra.” Vajra has often been translated as diamond or symbolized as thunderbolt in English: thus the name Diamond Sutra. As Tantric Buddhism has gained popularity in the West, a term like vajra becomes more commonly known. Especially since the term vajra is closely related to the sutra, we use “The Vajra Sutra” as the English name for this sutra.
Everything is destroyed! For this reason, when Bodhidharma gave his dharma teaching, he went up to his seat, slapped the table once, and then got off his seat. That’s all there was to his dharma teaching. As for my discourse on the Vajra Sutra today, what is there to discourse when everything has been annihilated? When the dharma itself has been destroyed, what dharma is there to discourse?
No one has ever talked about the Vajra Sutra in this way. Speakers usually speak at great length, leaving the audience entirely baffled. What is being discussed? Instead, I am saying that the essential meaning of the Vajra Sutra is in the destruction of everything! Even the buddhadharma itself is destroyed. Contemplate it!
Let me ask you now. Suppose you became a buddha—say, Adharma Buddha, Vairocana Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Aksobhya Buddha, Ratnasambhava Buddha, or Amoghasiddhi Buddha. Would you still practice buddhadharma every day? Would you need to?
In the realm of no-practice, buddhadharma can be discarded because you have become a buddha, correct? So when you reach the realm of no-practice, practicing is the same as not practicing, and not practicing is practicing. This is called attainment. When you have attained buddhahood, will you still perform homa (fire offering)? If you are still performing homa after becoming a buddha, then to whom are you offering? Is there a deity who is not, in fact, you? Do you offer to ordinary human beings? What do you offer? Instead of making offerings, you should be receiving offerings. Do you understand?
What is prajnaparamita? We know that prajna means wisdom, but prajna does not refer to ordinary wisdom. Prajna is the wisdom of the buddhas, not conventional wisdom or knowledge of the world. Prajna does not belong to worldly knowledge; it is beyond-worldly knowledge used to transcend the world. Prajna is the wisdom needed to abandon the mundane. When this wisdom is perfected, it becomes the realm of emptiness, where everything has been annihilated.
Paramita refers to Paramitayana, which is equivalent to Mahayana—the vast and boundless Greater Vehicle. Prajna is the wisdom that destroys everything, paramita is the vast and boundless vehicle, and vajra means indestructible.
The meaning of the title Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra is “the indestructible supreme wisdom of the Tathagata that annihilates everything by means of the vast and boundless Greater Vehicle.” This sutra reveals the wisdom that annihilates everything and allows the attainment of buddhahood. Its essence is in the obliteration of everything.
Today we are merely discussing names. Vajra means both indestructibility and annihilation. Prajna means wisdom. And paramita has several meanings, including vast and boundless, arriving at the other shore, and attainment of buddhahood. The sutra’s name is quite long.
Its translator was Kumarajiva, Master of Tripitaka, who lived during the Later Qin Dynasty. He came from India. Was he an Indian? Could he have been a Chinese man who immigrated to India, became an Indian, and returned home? [laughs] There actually was such a dharma teacher, Sri Singha, the guru of Guru Padmasambhava. He was a Han Chinese who traveled to India to learn buddhadharma. Later as an Indian, Sri Singha transmitted buddhadharma to Guru Padmasambhava, who was also Indian.
That’s all for today. Om mani padme hum.
The Vajra Sutra is likened to the wheel of time.
As time passes, everything will disappear.
This is the dharma of severance,
to cut off everything from your mind,
good or bad, big and small.
It is the wisdom to annihilate everything
and arrive at the highest attainment.
July 31, 2021
Let us now discuss the title: Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra. The vajra—an indestructible weapon—also represents Vajrayana. Do you believe that this vajra scepter is indestructible? If you throw it against the wall or smash it onto the ground, it won’t break and will keep its shape. We use this weapon to symbolize indestructibility, and that is what this Vajra Sutra is all about. It is indestructible and it can destroy everything.
The full name of the sutra is the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra. It contains an indestructible wisdom that annihilates everything to arrive at the highest attainment. This is the quintessence of the Vajra Sutra—it entails the highest attainment.
Paramita represents Mahayana. It also represents unparalleled attainment. This is a sutra of the indestructible vajra-like wisdom that annihilates everything to allow the attainment of the highest enlightenment.
I relate this sutra to Kalacakra. Who emanated Kalacakra Heruka? Sakyamuni Buddha. He transmitted the Kalacakra Dharma to King Sucandra, the King of Shambala, at Sri Dhanyakataka Stupa in South India.
What does Kalacakra mean? The wheel of time. As the wheel of time turns, everything is destroyed, without exception. Would the lifespan of houses, like those of the True Buddha Tantric Quarters, be longer than Grandmaster’s? Houses typically have longer lifespans, right? Some even have a lifespan of a hundred, two hundred, or even several hundred years. They continue to exist even if they have become ancient. But will they disappear eventually? Yes, as time passes, the wheel of time turns, and everything will vanish.
The real meaning of Kalacakra is that the gigantic wheel of time will obliterate everything. Do cars break down? Do houses deteriorate? Can human beings vanish? Yes. How? Through time. You are born as a baby and grow to be a child, you go through youth, middle age, and old age, and then you die, and you are gone. What causes it? The wheel of time. Over time, everything will disappear.
We have learned from physics that the Earth has undergone seven transformations in the past seven hundred million years. Mountains became fields, fields became mountains, the oceans became mountains, and the mountains became seas. As time goes by, nothing stays. Everything will be annihilated. Kalacakra—the wheel of time—annihilates everything.
Remember? Bodhidharma went to Tibet and was called Dampa Sangye. He transmitted a dharma called Body Severance (Chöd) to Machig Labdron. This is a dharma to cut off or cut through. What is cutting? It’s the act of destroying. You offer your body to all buddhas of the three times in the ten directions, all bodhisattvas and mahasattvas, as well as all samsaric sentient beings in the six rebirth realms. This is the true spirit of forsaking and offering. Only when a spiritual cultivator has such a spirit will they have attainments.
Now do you understand the key meaning of the sutra? I am discussing only the title, and that alone is taking quite some time. After listening to my overview of the Vajra Sutra, you now know to sever everything, including good and bad thoughts. Purge all matters—big and small, good or bad—from your mind. Don’t keep anything in your mind. Wipe everything out!
Why are you upset for three days just because someone says something? Do words or some small matters provoke you? Because of it, do you not want to come here anymore? If I were to say, “I’m not pleased, so I won’t go. I don’t want to give dharma teachings anymore,” would that do? No! You are a spiritual cultivator, so don’t keep all this garbage inside you. It’s not worth it! Take out the garbage! Money, wealth, career, romantic love, familial love, everything including your body should all be discarded completely.
Let’s take romantic love. Don’t you know that it is only momentary? It’s fleeting. At this moment you have love. But once you die, what love will you have? Once you die, what precious items will you have? Once you die, what houses and cars will you have? Once you die, you don’t even have your physical body anymore.
Remember everything is a blessing in disguise. Everything is the best arrangement. However, the best arrangement implies that something still matters. This notion, too, should be discarded. This is what the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra is all about.
To reach attainment you must discard your own body, let alone career, love, fate, fengshui, astrology—which the Buddha says are all rubbish. He shuns them. The one who knew fengshui was Sariputra, one of the Buddha’s principal disciples, the one with the greatest wisdom. These means are merely used to help sentient beings and entice them onto the path. They are useless otherwise.
I further elaborated on the title Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra today. It’s related to the Severance Practice—the practice of forsaking our body. It’s also related to Kalacakra—the dharma of the wheel of time. As time passes, everything ceases to exist. When a person dies, everything is gone. To them everything in the world disappears. What money? What love? They are all gone! In the same way, everything in the world will eventually vanish.
My exposition will be different from others. Perhaps you are familiar with the Vajra Sutra and chant it daily, but do you understand its key essence? The Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra is the wheel of time. It’s the dharma of severance. It’s to cut off everything.
Om mani padme hum.
