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The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Diamond Sutra

The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Diamond Sutra
By Thich Nhat Hanh

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Product Description

The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusions presents a dialogue between the Buddha and his disciple Subhuti which illuminates how our minds construct limited categories of thought. It offers us alternative ways to look at the world in its wholeness so we can encounter a deeper reality; develop reverence for the environment and more harmonious communities, families, and relationships; and act in the world skillfully and effectively.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #149013 in Books
  • Published on: 1992-04-01
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 120 pages

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Vietnamese

Customer Reviews

One of Thich Nhat Hanh's best! Reveals the Central Teaching5
One of Thich Nhat Hanh's best!
This modern day Vietnamese Zen master opens the Diamond Sutra with his own diamond sharp insight. Besides Zen Keys, I think this is his most "Zen" like book. His commentary stays focused on the message of this Classic Prajna Paramita Sutra.

This is the Sutra that the legendary Sixth Ancestor of Zen, Hui-neng, recommended to everyone that wanted to awaken to the highest truths of Buddhism. Thich Nhat Hanh shows us that he is a true Dragon of Zen with his gentle, yet direct treatment of this classic text. If you want to get to the blood and guts of the Diamond Sutra, this is a great guide.

Unlocking the mysterious Diamond Sutra5
The Diamond Sutra is a companion sutra, or sermon of the Buddha, to the more famous Heart Sutra. The Heart Sutra is said to be a summation of the Diamond Sutra. Suffice to say that the Diamond Sutra is pretty difficult to understand, let alone appreciate. Thich Nhat Hanh takes on this difficult sutra with patience and thorough explanations. The repetitous language of the sutra will put off most new Buddhists, but in this book, Thich Nhat Hanh breaks down explanations section by section, so you have time to digest what's being taught.

I think Thich Nhat Hanh makes a great effort in teaching such a challenging text, and having worked my way through this book a couple times, I have found the Diamond Sutra to be one of my most favorite sutras in Buddhism. Hopefully you will too.

A Thay's worthiest work5
This work doesn't try to "hide any reference to our self nature", it tries to reveal that self is a delusion. As Master Hanshan says: "the bodhisattva should contemplate the nonexistence of a self," (from his commentary on the Diamond Sutra [Jin-gang Jing Jywe-yi]) so any attempt to ascribe to Hanshan the very non-Buddhist notion of any "self nature" would be (at best) a misrepresentation. Certainly this work does represent Thich Nhat Hanh's own interpretation of the tradition, but his "philosophy" is representative of mainstream Buddhism (to the extent anything ever is).