The Diamond Sutra Author:Gautama Buddha In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha has finished his daily walk with the monks to gather offerings of food, and he sits down to rest. Elder Subhuti comes forth and asks the Buddha a question. There follows a dialogue regarding the nature of perception. The Buddha often uses paradoxical phrases such as, "Subhuti, that which is called the Buddha Dhar... more »ma is not the Buddha Dharma; therefore it is called the Buddha Dharma". The Buddha is generally thought to be trying to help Subhuti unlearn his preconceived, limited notions of the nature of reality and enlightenment. Emphasizing that all forms, thoughts and conceptions are ultimately illusory, he teaches that true enlightenment cannot be grasped through them; they must be set aside. In his commentary on the Diamond Sutra, Hsing Yun describes the four main points from the sutra as giving without attachment to self, liberating beings without notions of self and other, living without attachment, and cultivating without attainment.« less