Ebook: The Exalted Mahayana Sutra on the Wisdom Gone Beyond Called the Vajra Cutter based on the Tibetan Lhasa Zhol Printing

Vajra Cutter Sutra (The Exalted Mahayana Sutra on the Wisdom Gone Beyond called "The Vajra Cutter") contains teachings by the Buddha on the Perfection of Wisdom. Reciting this sutra purifies mountains of negative karma, clears away obstacles to the success of virtuous activities, and plants seeds to realize emptiness directly. Lama Zopa Rinpoche advises to recite the Dedication Prayer by Mipham Rinpoche following recitation or reading of the Vajra Cutter Sutra.

The Vajra Cutter Sutra (also known as Diamond Cutter Sutra or Diamond Sutra) is one of most well-known sutras of Mahayana Buddhism. The Vajra Cutter Sutra is a discourse on the Buddhist concept of emptiness, the “wisdom gone beyond.”

Dedication Prayer by Mipham Rinpoche
Dedication Prayer after Reading the Diamond Cutter Sutra
Translation and footnotes by Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche
Dedication Verses
In this world, with its devas, to the founder who, with the roaring sound of a
snow lion, proclaimed the talk of dependently connected arising,i
I
respectfully prostrate.
The son of the king, abiding majestically in the temple in the midst of an
assembly of virtue beggars (bhikshu, ge.long) and those intending virtue
(ge.dun),ii handed over this Dharma to the holy holder of Dharma, Kungawo
(attendant Ananda) with great emphasis (great care) proclaiming the definite
meaning with the defining words, “Even if all the Dharma is forgotten, don’t
forget this one.”
It is said by Buddha that writing or reading one word of the Prajnaparamita
has greater benefit than making offerings to all the buddhas for 1000 ten
million eons.iii
Why is it like that? The only remedy extremely powerful in (directly) cutting
the root of all the mistakes of the world (samsara), ignorance, is this holy
Dharma, the Dharma supreme of all the teachings, the ultimate heart of
Prajnaparamita (Wisdom Gone Beyond.)iv
Having written, read and made offerings to the supreme Dharma of all the
(Buddha’s) teachings, the heart of Prajnaparamita (Wisdom Gone Beyond),
the ultimate one, the sutra called Diamond Cutter, may it cut the continuity
of the sickness and harms of black magic, evil si (possession by an evil
spirit)v, obstacles (astrological) and so forth, and increase the life and wealth;
may whatever wishes spontaneously be accomplished according to holy
Dharma.vi
Due to the merits and imprint of having listened to this Sutra and having
read it at this time, in all future lifetimes may I and all sentient beings who
have connection with me be able to hear, reflect and meditate on this
profound Sutra.vii
May I become exactly like the life-stories of Sharipu and Muadiglyana: the
minute one hears the words and meaning (of the Prajnaparamita Diamond
Cutter Sutra) able to have the words and meaning within one’s
understanding and achieve the result. viii
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By the virtue of having read this profound Sutra, may I directly perceive the
truth and liberate in that second all transmigratory beings, equaling the sky,
from the great ocean of samsaric suffering.ix
Not grasping at just mere emptinessx by seeing that the meaning of
emptiness is dependent arising—while the mind is in that emptiness, free
from creativity (mental fabrication projecting true existence), enjoy the view
of emptiness-only.xi
Ascertain that the various appearances,xii the dual dharma,xiii are mere
appearance.xiv May I realize emptiness while there is appearance, with the
thought, “even though there is appearance it is not true (truly existent.)”
By the eminent heart wisdom,xv without abiding in the extremes of samsara
and peace, quickly proceeding on the five paths, may I become the guide
(leader) of all the transmigratory beings.xvi
By this particular virtue, and all (other) virtues, may the gurus’ holy lives be
stable and all the deeds and actions of the victorious ones be accomplished
by myself, alone.
May this holy Dharma, for which the founder (Guru Shakyamuni Buddha),
while training in the path, gave up the holy body and all enjoyments and
possessions, and accomplished the work only for sentient beings, last a long
time.
The victorious one gave up lying for numberless eons even at the cost of the
life and spoke truthfully; by that blessing may all the prayers be
accomplished.xvii
***********
These prayer words, related to Diamond Cutter Sutra, were composed by Mipham Dawa. I am
not familiar with this author but the words are extremely profound.
After this one can recite the Diamond Cutter Sutra mantra.
NAMO BHAGAWATI/ PRAGYA PARAMITAYE/ OM NA TA TATITHA/ ILISHI ILISHI MILISHI MILISHI
BINAYAN BINAYAN / NAMO BHAGAWATI PRATAYANG PRATI/ IRIDHI/ IRIDHI/ MIRIDHI/ MIRIDHI/
SHIRIDHI/ SHIRIDHI/ USHIRI/ USHIRI/ BUIYE/ BUIYE SWAHA
“The benefit of reciting the heart of the Diamond Cutter Sutra equals having recited the Diamond
Cutter Sutra 9x3000 times.”
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Then recite the mantra of dependent arising and Vajrasattva mantra. Also, after reciting the
Diamond Cutter Sutra it is good to do the mantras for increasing merits.
May the merit of having translated this work bring the most benefit to and be used by all sentient
beings, causing them to quickly realize emptiness and then with direct perception, bodhicitta,
achieve full enlightenment as quickly as possible. May it cause all sentient beings in this world
to be able to read the Diamond Cutter Sutra, realize emptiness and actualize bodhicitta, realizing
other sentient beings’ suffering and how they are so precious. May nobody experience war,
famine, disease or danger from fire, water, wind and earthquakes.
Whoever reads this dedication, may all their negative karma get purified and may they never get
reborn in the lower realms. May they immediately realize emptiness, actualize bodhicitta,
complete the two stages of tantra in this very life and achieve enlightenment as quickly as
possible. May each person who reads this dedication become the source of peace and happiness
for all sentient beings, like Chenrezig, like Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, like Maitreya Buddha,
Vajrapani and Manjushri.
May the wishes of whoever recites the Diamond Cutter Sutra succeed immediately, may they
have a long life and receive all the benefits, whatever they wish.
Kachoe Dechen Ling
January 24, 2005
Scribe/transcriber Thubten Labdron
Lightly edited by Thubten Labdron
Notes
i
Tib: ten.ching del.wai jung.wa. Ten – depending; del – connecting; jung – arising.
Things arise and come into existence by depending on the base, the mind.
ii The virtue they are begging (Tib. ge.long) is liberation or nirvana, and because they are seeking
that, they are living in the vow. The other one is intending virtue (Tib. ge.dun; ge - virtue, dun -
intending.) For that reason they have the wish to live in virtue.
iii 10x100,000 = 1 sa.ya. 10 sa.ya = 1 che.wa (10,000,000.) The result of making one offering to
a picture or statue of Buddha includes all the happiness of samsara we have had since
beginningless time and all the samsaric pleasures we will experience in the future. Not only that,
the benefit continues as one achieves liberation from samsara, all the realizations, and doesn’t
finish until one achieves great liberation, enlightenment. That includes the complete Mahayana
path from guru devotion, renunciation of this and future lives, then bodhicitta, right view, the
five paths and ten bhumis, and the tantric path. It includes the limitless qualities of Buddha’s
holy body, holy speech and holy mind. Everything is the result of having made a tiny offering of
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one grain, a stick of incense or a tiny flower to Buddha or an image of Buddha, a stupa or
scripture.
The text mentions liberation, which means great liberation, but my view is that even after you
achieve enlightenment still you experience the benefits of making that tiny offering, because then
you liberate numberless sentient beings by revealing Dharma. Through suitable means you
liberate one sentient being from the lower realms, from the suffering of samsara, from lower
nirvana and from the subtle defilements; then you bring that sentient being to enlightenment.
Like that you bring numberless sentient beings from happiness to happiness to full
enlightenment. So even after you achieve great liberation, there are all these unimaginable
benefits of guiding each of the numberless sentient beings from happiness to happiness to full
enlightenment; still you are experiencing the resultant merit of offering a tiny flower or grain to a
statue, stupa or scripture. The benefit is the same when we make offering before we drink or eat.
So the benefit of making offerings to Buddha, even a picture or statue of Buddha, is limitless, it
includes everything, all the happiness and every single realization on the path to enlightenment,
every single samsaric pleasure that one has experienced from beginningless rebirth up to now
and will experience in the future; for that long, still the merit doesn’t finish. Here it says, for
however long you make offerings to Buddha, even 1000 times ten million eons, even to all the
buddhas, writing or reading one word of the Prajnaparamita has greater benefit.
iv Neither bodhicitta nor any other realization of sutra and tantra can directly cut ignorance.
v
Tib: si, a being who, with an evil mind harmed others in a previous life. I think maybe si is
somebody who criticized or broke the relationship with the vajra master; who created very heavy
negative karma and died with hatred, then was reborn as a powerful spirit that harms holy beings
or those sentient beings who preserve and spread the Dharma.
vi Only bodhisattvas living in the 8th, 9th and 10th bhumi don’t have delusions, so I added
“according to holy Dharma” to protect from the danger of someone dedicating for the success of
harmful negative thoughts, like wishing someone to die, etc.
vii At the beginning this text tells how much Buddha cherished and emphasized the preciousness
of this sutra and how Buddha handed this teaching precisely to Ananda. Then it talks about how
it collects incredible merit; how offering to Buddha is incredible, like limitless sky, bringing
benefits beyond our imagination and yet how having written or read even one word of
Prajnaparamita has much greater benefits. It then explains how the Prajnaparamita benefits by
being the only one powerful enough to cut the root of suffering, from where delusions and karma
come, and other benefits. Then it tells why it is the only remedy powerful enough to cut the root
of all the suffering, delusions, karma and ignorance. Then it talks about other benefits like
stopping heavy problems such as black magic, astrological obstacle years and the evil si spirit,
and increasing life and wealth.
So it talked about pacifying, then about increasing life, wealth and enjoyments, and for all wishes
to spontaneously succeed.
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Then the next one is making prayers to be able to hear it in all future lifetimes. Here, I added, so
that you are not doing the prayer and dedicating the merits only for yourself, “… I and all
sentient beings who have connection with me, in all future lifetimes be able to hear…” Then I
added “reflect and meditate on” this sutra.
viii One is able to understand the vast Prajnaparamita; just as many things can be packed inside a
small container or suitcase, the minute one hears Prajnaparamita Diamond Cutter Sutra, one is
able to have the complete words and meanings within one’s understanding.
ix I added this dedication.
x
This has a very profound meaning. “Grasping at mere emptiness” refers to ordinary emptiness,
like space. When you meditate, if it didn’t touch the hallucinated object, the object to be refuted,
that would be ordinary emptiness. Then the whole life you would be meditating on ordinary
emptiness, meditating on the sky, like looking from an airplane window at space.
xi In Tibetan “emptiness only” is tong-nyi. Tong is “emptiness” nyi is “only.” Why not just tong?
Why is nyi added? Putting the word nyi makes a huge difference, it gives incredible protection
by cutting the misconception of ordinary emptiness; it gives the meaning of ultimate truth.
xii “The various appearances” means everything, all the billions of things here, in the department
stores or supermarkets. They are all dual appearance or dual dharma.
xiii One meaning of dual dharma is true existence; another meaning is appearing as subject and
object. When arya beings are in equipoise meditation on emptiness there is no duality, there is no
subject/object in the view of that mind. The dual view is not cut at that time but absorbed. Only
when you become enlightened, when the subtle negative imprint left by the concept of true
existence, which projects the truly existent view, is ceased, is the dualistic view cut. During the
path of the arya being it is not cut but temporarily absorbed, like having put water into water.
I think what it is saying is that one has to meditate on “merely labeled,” like the example of a
mirage. You look at the things that happen in everyday life as like an illusion or a dream, with
your meditative awareness that there is no such thing in reality, everything is empty. Whatever
appears to us here, right now—I appear to you, you appear to me, whatever appears to our six
senses—the way they appear is not as phenomena merely labeled by mind, but as existing from
their own side. When you are practicing mindfulness you see how all this is merely labeled by
mind or like a dream, an illusion or a mirage.
When you apply those examples to everyday life, the understanding that comes in your heart is
that all this is not true. There is no such subject I, there is no such action, object—there is no
such thing. So it’s a totally different world. The reality, what exists, is completely another world.
When you don’t meditate or practice mindfulness, the mind believes as true all the hallucinations
that appear truly existent. But the reality is completely opposite: everything existing from its own
side and believed as such, is completely non-existent. That is the truth, the other one is false. The
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way things appear to us—subject, action, object—and is believed by our own mind to be real, is
all hallucination.
What exists is that non-existence. The reality, that nothing exists from its own side, is unknown.
The non-existent, truly-existent I, action and object are the reality. For those who have realized
emptiness or see things as illusory, perhaps it is different, but otherwise the reality is unknown.
What is believed according to our concepts doesn’t exist; what one doesn’t believe or what is not
known is what exists.
xiv All phenomena are merely imputed by mind on mere appearance. You have to get that idea.
First there is mere appearance and then mind merely imputes on that and that is how things come
into existence. If something is appearing as truly existent then it is not mere appearance. After
being merely labeled it should appear back as a mere appearance, but when it appears back to us
there is something additional, existing from its own side. When it appears back as merely labeled
by mind, then it is mere appearance. That is the correct view, what it should be.
Here it says “ascertain mere appearance.” Another way you can say it is “ascertain as merely
labeled by mind.” It has the same meaning.
For example, Pabongkha Rinpoche also mentioned in the teachings when you look at a drum and
try to be aware that this drum is merely imputed by one’s own mind, not just saying the words
but meditating, you see the base, the shape and the function—beating to make a noise—and by
reason of that that the mind merely imputed “drum.”
At that time if you are watching the mind as it merely imputes “drum” there is a very subtle
moment of mere appearance, a very short second, then immediately after that it appears as
existing from its own side.
For example, after you conceive a child, you think about a name. If your mind is aware, at the
very first moment when your mind merely imputed a name, during the very second you are
labeling, there will be a mere appearance, when there is not a strong clinging to that “Peter” or
“Tashi.” But it’s a very, very subtle moment; if you are not aware, of course, it looks like
immediately truly existent Tashi or Peter.
I don’t know whether you can say there is an extremely subtle true existence, but right after your
mind merely imputed, because of habituation, the negative imprint left on the mental continuum
by the past ignorance, the concept holding true existence, immediately projects “truly existent”
on that. That is the evolution. There might be a second where it doesn’t have heavy true
existence; right after the parents said “What about ‘Peter’? Let’s decide on ‘Peter.’ This is
Peter,” while they are aware of labeling, merely imputing; but when you are not aware, you don’t
notice that extremely short second. You have to analyze.
There may be some cases when you put this name for a few seconds, then the next minute you
change that name—during that time how does it appear? It’s good to check how it appears to
you. Does it appear as something very heavy truly existent or not? Pabongkha Rinpoche did
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express that there is a very, very short time of mere appearance and then the usual one, true
existence.
When you look through the window at the road, there is, for example, a horse’s body running
and on that particular appearance, you label “horse running.” Or a cat jumps—on the sudden
mere appearance of that particular bodily shape the mind labels “cat jumping.”
A particular design is called “bicycle.” It appeared and in a finger-snap your mind made up the
label “bicycle.” Then you see a particular vehicle and because of that your mind immediately
imputes “truck.”
If you don’t meditate, what happens then is that they appear as truly existent truck, truly existent
bicycle, truly existent cat and dog and horse and all these different things—even though just now
your mind merely imputed. The reality is what your mind merely imputed appears back as a
mere appearance.
I think “mere” appearance should cut “truly” existent, appearing as heavily existing from its own
side. In “merely labeled,” “merely” cuts existing from its own side, so “mere” appearance is the
same—it cuts that extra thing, not just mere appearance but truly existent appearance.
So if you practice awareness from the beginning, when your mind imputes, and continue that
awareness, then you see that because the base is there, your mind merely imputed and believed in
that.
What is horse? It is not something on that horse body; “horse” is just a name made up by your
thought, and you believe in that. And “bicycle,” seeing that base your mind thought of the label
and believed in it. It is not something on the bicycle, on that material. If you analyze it, this is
how it is. When you don’t check, don’t analyze, it looks like it is really there, on the base; when
you analyze you cannot find it there. At that time it exists and receives the label according to the
base and function. If a person’s body is very fat and square, we say “such-and-such person is fat
and square.” If the person’s body is very thin, “this person is very thin.” So the label is received
according to the function or quality of that base.
The conclusion is we have to meditate according to the reality that whatever it is, it is merely
imputed by one’s own mind. Whatever appears to you as truly existent is in reality mere
appearance.
The other meaning of “mere appearance” could be like having walked through sand, looking
back you see an appearance of water but you just came from there and you know there is no
water at all. You have a mere appearance of water but you don’t believe there is water. Similarly,
everything appears to us as not merely labeled by mind, as existing from its own side. One
meaning could be like that.
When you meditate in sitting meditation or break time, looking at everything as like a dream, an
illusion or, if you are practicing subtle dependent arising, merely labeled, you have an
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appearance of true existence but you don’t believe it. Because your mind is aware that it is
merely labeled, you don’t cling or grasp to that truly existent appearance as true. Just like when
you recognize a dream as a dream, you don’t cling to all those images that are appearing to you
because while it is happening you know it is a dream.
So mere appearance could have the meaning that you have a truly existent appearance but you
don’t hold on to it or grasp it as true. Another meaning is, after you have done analysis of the “I”,
you see it is merely labeled by mind. “I” exists in mere name. There is no “I” to be found on the
aggregates but there is “I” existing, merely imputed by mind. In other words there is a non-truly
existent or merely labeled I. Because there are the aggregates so there is “I”, existing in mere
name. It is not that it absolutely doesn’t exist— it exists as something extremely, unbelievably
subtle.
Similarly, when you analyze the general aggregates you cannot find them on this collection of
five, but there are aggregates—because you cannot find them doesn’t mean there are no
aggregates. What are they? They are merely imputed by your mind. Because there is the
collection of five, your mind merely imputed “aggregates.”
It is not like the real aggregates of before; it is something extremely subtle, existing by name.
While you are meditating, seeing the aggregates as merely imputed by mind, you see what exists
is extremely subtle, it doesn’t have even the slightest atom of existence from its own side, in the
aggregates.
That time is one example of mere appearance: seeing the aggregates as something extremely,
unbelievably subtle. You can’t say they don’t exist. They exist, but compared to the previous
view of inherently existent aggregates it’s like they don’t exist.
Furthermore, as you analyze form, sound, smell, taste and touch, again you cannot find them
there, on the base—they are merely imputed by mind, extremely subtle.
Go through all the parts of the body, such as the limbs, down to the atom. Analyze even the
atom’s collection of parts, the sub-particles, as in the Prasangika view. The mind merely imputed
atom, but cannot find it. The atom doesn’t exist on the collection of parts but that doesn’t mean
atom doesn’t exist; it exists, merely imputed by mind. “Atom” is empty of existing from its own
side and, while it is empty, it exists in mere name. The logic is the same with the particles: you
cannot find them on the collection of parts. Then the split seconds: within one second there are
many split seconds of consciousness, which are merely imputed by mind, and therefore do not
exist from their own side. They are empty.
Like that, through analysis, you cannot find anything on the base. Every single thing is existing
in mere name. This analysis maybe gives you some idea of what mere appearance is. Everything
becomes so subtle; everything is kind of empty, not existing from its own side. What exists is
only what is merely labeled by mind—the whole thing.
These are the different ways you can think of mere appearance.
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xv This Diamond Cutter Sutra is similar to the Heart Sutra in that it is the heart all the teachings
on perfection of wisdom. So it is the best, the eminent one. He is saying by actualizing the
eminent wisdom which is the heart of all Buddha’s teachings, the Prajnaparamita, even more, the
heart of the Prajnaparamita, you don’t abide in the extremes of samsara or nirvana, and along
with this also you realize bodhicitta. I think what it is saying is that this wisdom directly
perceiving emptiness, which is the meaning of the Diamond Cutter Sutra, ceases not only the
gross defilements (that would be nirvana) but even the subtle defilements, which means freedom
not only from samsara but from lower nirvana.
xvi The Tibetan word dro means “go.” Kun is “all.” Sentient beings are called dro.la. Why are
they called dro.la? Because all the sentient beings migrate continuously in the six realms under
the control of delusion and karma, they don’t have any freedom. In the teachings another
meaning of dro.la is that, because of delusion, from the time of birth, the nature of sentient
beings is to continuously run towards death, not stopping to rest for one minute or second—they
are “continuously going” or “goers”.
xvii It means your prayer. There are many auspicious prayers related to Buddha’s Twelve Deeds,
the buddhas of the three times, and the five types of buddhas. There is a prayer called Ta.shi
Tse.pa, Piles of Auspiciousness, which is recited most days as it is very important for the success
of the Maitreya Project. So “due to this and this”—something that Buddha taught—“may this be
auspicious, may my prayers and wishes be fulfilled.” Dedicating like this, because it is true, has a
lot of power to bring success.


Benefits of reciting the Vajra Cutter Sutra
The Vajra Cutter Sutra is unbelievable. It is one of the most profitable practices, because
the root of all sufferings, yours and others, is the ignorance holding “I” as truly existent -
even though it is empty of that; and the ignorance holding the aggregates as truly existent,
even though they are empty of that. The only antidote to cut that, to get rid of that and
through which to achieve liberation, the total cessation of the suffering causes - delusions
and karma - is the wisdom realizing emptiness. This is the subject of the Vajra Cutter
Sutra, emptiness. So, each time you read it, it leaves such a positive imprint. Without
taking much time, without much difficulty, it is easy to actualize wisdom.
You also create a lot of merit, so it helps to actualize bodhichitta quickly, together with
all the other realizations. That’s the business. That’s the deal with the Vajra Cutter Sutra.
You create so much merit for whatever you wish. You help others and you achieve all
your wishes easily. If you recite Vajra Cutter Sutra, many times, of course there is no
worry for death at all. Good bye fear of death. Good bye fear of lower realms. Almost,
you can say, “A Vajra Cutter Sutra a day, good bye lower realms,” like they say in the
U.S. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” “Good bye doctor!” Also, you can say,
“goodbye” to self-grasping that has cheated you, totally controlled you from
beginningless rebirth, and made you suffer numberless times from beginningless rebirths
- in the oceans of hell sufferings, the oceans of hungry ghost sufferings, the oceans of
animal sufferings, the oceans of human being sufferings, the oceans of sura sufferings,
the oceans of asura sufferings, the oceans of intermediate state beings sufferings, etc.
Also, you know what an incredible source of collecting extensive merit reading it is. If,
while you are reading it, while listening to or hearing the Vajra Cutter Sutra, or just
hearing about it, if you continue with faith, just that, how much merit you collect is just
mind blowing, amazing, incredible, wow! It makes you laugh.
By having heard the Vajra Cutter Sutra, if you don’t give up faith, merely with that, the
merit that you collect is inconceivable, unbelievable, and unimaginable. It is far greater
than, for example, giving your body in charity for one day to sentient beings in the
morning – for how many times? – For the number of times equaling the sand grains of
the River Ganga. This Ganga is not the river Ganga in India, it refers to the Pacific
Ocean; and the sand grains are not what we usually think of. They are very tiny atoms,
one of the seven types of subtle atoms. Then, again at noon you make charity of your
body to sentient beings that many times. Then in the evening, again, you make charity of
your body to sentient beings that many times, for the number of subtle atoms of sand
grains in the Pacific Ocean. So, like that, every day for eons. It is simply unbelievable
the merits of even for one day practicing that much charity to sentient beings, let alone
three times a day, then on top of that for so many years, eons. That merit itself is
unbelievable. Even giving just one body to sentient beings is unimaginable, unbelievable
- just to be able to do that, and then the benefits are equally unimaginable, unbelievable.
Now here, even if you practiced charity like that each day for that many eons, it becomes
a small amount of merit compared to hearing the Vajra Cutter Sutra and not giving up
faith. That means if you keep it, read it, memorize it, study its meaning, then you collect
far, far greater merits than the previous one. Reading Vajra Cutter Sutra is an incredible
source of unbelievably powerful purification of all previous negative karmas collected
since beginningless rebirths - all those unbelievable heavy ones. This is in addition to the
unbelievable, incredible merit you collect by reading it, or just by keeping it.
The most important thing is that each time we read it; it plants a seed, an imprint to
realize emptiness. The more you read it, the more imprints it leaves on the mind. So it
becomes easy to realize emptiness. It becomes quicker and quicker to realize emptiness in
this life. If not in this life, then quickly in future lives. Then by developing this wisdom,
you achieve the wisdom of great insight unified with shamatha. You can meditate on
emptiness unified with shamatha and are able to derive rapturous ecstasy of the body and
mind. Then through this, you are able to achieve the direct perception of emptiness that
ceases the defilements and the disturbing thoughts; first, by ceasing the intellectual all
obscuring thought, and then the simultaneously born one. That is how you achieve
liberation, by ceasing that completely, including the imprint, the seed. Then, with
bodhichitta the direct perception of wisdom ceases even the subtle defilements and you
achieve omniscient mind. Then, you are able to do perfect work for sentient beings. You
are able to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment. This is the goal of our life: to bring
sentient beings to enlightenment. When that happens, when we are able to do that, our
goal is achieved.
Advice for doing many recitations:
You can do some of your recitations in the form of retreat and other times, like when you
are doing a job, then every day you can recite it one time, two times, three times,
whatever. Then, again do some recitations in the form of retreat, for two days, three days,
or seven days, a month, a few months, whatever. When you do it in the form of a retreat,
do a half-hour or one hour lam-rim meditation and then spend the rest of the session
reading the Vajra Cutter Sutra; say, for two hours. That is just one idea; the amount of
time is up to you. It’s not fixed. If you can combine it with lam-rim meditation, that is
extremely good.
Colophon:
Benefits extracted from letters dictated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, April
2006. Scribed and edited by Kendall Magnussen.


https://fpmt.org/education/teachings/sutras/vajra-cutter-sutra/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Sutra