Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra
Vajra Sutra (Diamond Sutra)

■ Detailed Exposition by Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-yen Lu
■ Translated into English by True Buddha School Vajra Sutra Translation Team
Seven—Nothing Gained, Nothing Spoken
“Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata attain anuttara samyaksambodhi? Does the Tathagata speak on the dharma?”
Subhuti replied, “In my understanding of the meaning of the Buddha's teaching, there is no fixed dharma called anuttara samyaksambodhi, and there is also no fixed dharma spoken by the Tathagata. Why?
Because all teachings of the Tathagata cannot be held and cannot be spoken. They are not dharma, and they are not non-dharma.
Therefore, all sages are distinguished through the unconditioned dharma.”³⁶
It is true that the Vajra Sutra destroys everything. Do you gain anything? The other day I asked Tenzin Gyatso, “What would you gain a hundred years from now?” “Nothing gained,” [Tenzin replies]. Then I would ask, “Then why do you study? Why do you want to study?” Let me tell you, please be seated. This is how you should answer: “Because I want to study to enrich my knowledge so I can understand what Grandmaster is talking about; to comprehend nothing gained and nothing spoken.” [applause] This is the correct answer. You want to gain the understanding of why there is nothing to gain and why there is nothing to speak. You want to comprehend this. That's why today, I'm still expounding the title Nothing Gained, Nothing Spoken. Sakyamuni Buddha seemed to have given dharma teachings, but also did not seem to have given dharma teachings. That is the reality.
Why is this? Subhuti said, “Therefore, all sages are distinguished by the unconditioned dharma.” What is the unconditioned dharma? Unconditioned means doing anything for no reason at all. I don't do it because of anything. No whys. [Unlike] say, I did good and helped a lot of people today, so tomorrow I'll check whether my good deeds are reported in the newspaper or on television. I would feel good when I see myself doing good deeds. If I had done great charity yet it wasn't published in the media, then I will not do it again. Those [deeds] are conditional, they are not the unconditioned dharma.
What is the unconditioned dharma? It is what Jesus said, “Do not let the left hand knows the good deeds done by the right hand.” He is a very wise guru. Jesus stated the Intrinsic Emptiness of the Threefold Wheels. You'd do it not for anything, [no reason, no purpose, no motive, no nothing]; that'd be the the unconditioned dharma. If you do things for even some small something, then that would be dharma with conditions. Therefore, the sages are different. All sages are distinguished by the unconditioned dharma.
How pure is your unconditioned dharma? Is there anything that is held? Of course, the unconditioned dharma means there is nothing to be held. Is it done for any reason? No, it's not done for any reason. You'd just naturally do good; never do evil, always do good. Once you've done it, it's the same as if you have not done so. Even after you have spoken, it's as if you have not spoken. The Vajra Sutra is very deep and profound. Don't underestimate it. Do you think it's easy to explain it? No, it's not easy to explain!
There are different levels of the unconditioned dharma. What is your purity level? In Tantric Buddhism, there is the so-called purity levels. What is it? When you are completely pure, that would be the true unconditioned dharma.
To compare, if your purity is on level two, you will ascend to the second ground of bodhisattvahood. If your purity is on level four, then you're a bodhisattva of the fourth ground. If your purity is on level eight, that is a bodhisattva of the eighth ground. If your purity is on level ten, then you are a bodhisattva of the tenth ground. If your purity is on level twelve and a half, based on the teaching in Tantrayana, then you are a bodhisattva of the twelfth and a half ground. Once you reach the purity of the thirteenth level, that's the ground of the Five Dhyani Buddhas. If the purity is on level sixteen, that's Adharma Buddha, the Primordial Buddha.
Inside our body, we have five cakras. These five cakras represent ten grounds. One cakra represents two grounds. When you open the secret cakras, you reach the second ground. If you open the navel cakra, you reach the fourth ground. If you open the heart cakra, you reach the sixth ground. If you open the throat cakra, you reach the eighth ground. If you open the brow cakra, you are a bodhisattva of the tenth ground. If you open the crown cakra, then you reach the twelfth ground. If you open the topknot, you reach the twelfth and a half ground. This is how you reach all the way to buddhahood. Those are differentiating. This is what I meant by distinguished by the unconditioned dharma.
What is the proportion of your purity, i.e. purity level? You don't want to be a mundane being who has done charity, but want to see it in the newspaper, hold a press conference, expect photojournalists and reporters to come. “See, I have done good deeds, everybody knows that I am a good person.” If that's so, you are not qualified to become a bodhisattva or a buddha; you can only go to the heavens. What is a bodhisattva? A bodhisattva is there always for others, never for oneself; essentially thinking for others but not thinking for oneself. Only when such qualities are fulfilled could one be called a bodhisattva. If you're always think of yourself, you have a “self”; as such, you're not a bodhisattva. The most you can reach are the human and heavenly realms. A bodhisattva is always thinking for others, never thinking of “I,” never for oneself. Only then one is called a bodhisattva. However, there are also differences [among the bodhisattvas].
What is the meaning of all sages are distinguished by the unconditioned dharma? What is not dharma and not non-dharma? All teachings of the Tathagata cannot be held and cannot be spoken. There is no fixed dharma spoken by the Tathagata.
All dharma is not fixed dharma. Do you know? Tantric Buddhist Dharma was transmitted by lineage gurus. Can you invent it yourself? You can, it is possible for the tantric lineage gurus to invent a new dharma. There is nothing wrong; it is allowed. There are many new dharmas, and they are ever-changing. That's why it is called there is no fixed dharma. Do ponder on this, there is no fixed dharma spoken by the Tathagata. Sakyamuni Buddha often said, “Unspeakable”; because there is no fixed dharma, that's why it cannot be spoken.
Om mani padme hum.

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