Hearing the Diamond Sutra Without Surprise: A Sign of a Rare Person

Have you ever heard the saying, "A soft rope binds tightest," and found it counterintuitive? We usually think that to bind something firmly, we need a hard material. Yet our ancestors taught that only a soft rope can truly hold. This is one of those paradoxes that only those with wisdom and life experience can understand. Similarly, when we hear the profound teachings of the Diamond Sutra, if we feel no surprise or fear, perhaps we are already rare individuals.

The Diamond Sutra is praised as the words of a saint. In the twelfth chapter, Subhuti asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One, even for us who have heard this sutra, believed in it, understood it, and upheld it, it is not yet considered difficult. But five hundred years from now, if any sentient being hears this sutra, believes, understands, and upholds it, they will be the most rare." Why? Because such a person must be free from the marks of self, person, sentient being, and lifespan. It sounds strange: does hearing this sutra mean one has already transcended these four marks? Have we transcended any of them today? Venerable Thich Chan Quang joked, "If I transcend one mark, I climb onto the altar and sit first. If I transcend all four, I climb to the roof so you can bow to me."

What does the Diamond Sutra teach? It teaches the Middle Way, emphasizing action greatly. However, the sutra is easily misunderstood. Many hear the word "emptiness" and assume it encourages passive living, requiring no effort. The teacher emphasized, "That is not correct. The Diamond Sutra speaks of the Middle Way and strongly emphasizes practice, which means action." This explains why Subhuti was concerned: if future generations do not understand, appreciate, or transmit it, the sutra might be lost. Fortunately, thanks to praises of merit, many people eager for merit have preserved the sutra until today.

The four marks refer to the attachment to self, person, sentient beings, and lifespan. These range from the concept of "I" to our peers, all beings, and our own existence. The goal of Buddhist study is to leave behind these four marks. But to transcend them, having a goal is not enough; another crucial condition is required.

Venerable Thich Chan Quang clarified two conditions. First, we must have a clear goal to transcend the four marks. Second, we must have deep meditative concentration, meaning we must enter samadhi fully through meditation. Non-Buddhist practitioners may have supernatural powers and deep concentration, but lacking the goal of transcending the four marks, they cannot become Buddhas. Conversely, we hear the Diamond Sutra and understand the direction, but we lack deep meditative concentration. Therefore, we must diligently practice meditation to achieve this depth. These two conditions are like wings, helping the practitioner fly beyond the four marks.

The difficulty lies in practicing a method with utmost diligence and wholeheartedness, while regarding it as if nothing were happening.

The story of the "soft rope binding tightest" illustrates how to hear what contradicts common sense without surprise. Our elders taught: to bind someone, do not use force or rigidity, but rather gentleness and care. In families, parents have authority, but if they only shout or hit, children grow distant. Instead, if they listen and explain gently, children obey out of love. The teacher joked, "Dear Buddhists, please cherish me; do not be harsh or violent with me. As our ancestors said, a soft rope binds tightest."

This applies to daily life too. To succeed, do not push everyone aside; instead, lift others up first, and success will naturally follow. These are the paradoxes that only the wise and experienced understand. To hear them without surprise is to be a rare person.

Among the six perfections—generosity, moral discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom—the perfection of wisdom is the peak. The Buddha taught, "The Tathagata says the highest perfection is not the highest perfection. That is called the highest perfection." Why? Because practicing a dharma while seeing it as empty is the Middle Way. The teacher explained, "The perfections are practices for bodhisattvas, yet they are not perfections. What does this mean? It means that although one practices these perfections diligently, one regards them as non-existent. This is the difficult part."

To act with your whole heart, without attachment, expectation, or clinging—that is the spirit of the Diamond Sutra. Like watching football, if you remain calm whether you win or lose, you have learned a bit of the Middle Way. But if you go wild when winning and cry when losing, you are still attached.

In conclusion, hearing and practicing the Diamond Sutra is not just reciting words. Remember: to transcend the four marks, you need a clear goal and deep meditative concentration. Learn to live gently and altruistically, doing everything with your whole heart while seeing it as empty. Only then will the four marks slowly loosen, and you will become rare in this world.