THE DIAMONDNESS OF THE DIAMOND SÜTRA
THE DIAMONDNESS OF THE DIAMOND SÜTRA

Summary/Abstract: Based on the study of two Indian commentaries extant in Tibetan on the Vajracchedikä Prajnäpäramitä Sutra, the paper investigates the significance of the title of this exceedingly popular Mahayana scripture. Tracing back the symbolism of the vajra to its origin in Vedic myth, it proceeds to show the survival of its imagery in the Buddhist idea of the vajropama-samädhi. This is followed by an analysis of Kamalaslla’s explanation of the meaning of the term “Diamond-Cutter”, which relates it to a threefold path-structure inherent in the text itself. Then the central topic of the sutra, the support of abhisamaya is analysed and found to be allied in meaning to vajropama-samädhi and äsraya-parävrtti, the “conversion of support”. The next part of the paper seeks to extend this symbolism to the rest of the äsraya constituting the text, utilising Vasubandhu’s explanation of the meaning of “non-corruption” (mi nyams-pa). Finally, the essential meaning of “vajra-cutting” is found to be encapsulated in the seemingly paradoxical threefold logical pattern repeatedly employed by the sutra: X is (spoken of as) no-X; therefore it is (called or spoken of as) X.

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