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Title: The Diamond Sutra: Transforming the Way We Perceive the World by Mu Soeng ISBN: 0-86171-160-2 Publisher: Wisdom Publications Pub. Date: 15 February, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 (5 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Transformation and the Diamond Sutra
Comment: Most religous teachings have as a goal the transformation of self -- a move from selfishness, ignorance, and -- in many traditions -- sin towards understanding of reality, compassion for others, and a weakening of the bonds of ego. These goals are at the heart of Buddhism and of the Diamond Sutra. The Diamond Sutra is a seminal text of Mahayana Buddhism probably written about 350 A.D. The work is written in difficult, deliberately paradoxical terms. It encourages the reader to change his or her outlook by understanding the evanescent, changing, illusory character of what we take in our ordinary moments to be fixed reality. The Diamond Sutra tries to get the reader to let go of fixed concepts, of ideology, of selfishness, and to work towards a transformation to true wisdom and understanding and compassion for others. The Diamond Sutra also asks us to rethink our concept of a religious text. In the West, most people tend to see Scripture as specific teachings reflective in some sense of a Divine command. The Diamond Sutra and Buddhist teachings generally follow the Buddha's famous simile of the raft. The teachings are means to lead the reader to understanding -- or to the other side-- rather than ends or doctrines to be followed in their own right. When a person has attained enlightenment -- a rare occurence -- the teachings of the Sutras have fulfilled their goal and have no inherent value for their own sake.
In his study, "The Diamond Sutra: Transforming the Way We See the World" Mu Soeng emphasizes the transformative intent of the Diamond Sutra. Mu Soeng is a former Zen monk and currently is the co-director of the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, Barre, Massachusetts. His book is a valuable guide to this difficult text designed, Soeng tells us (at xi), for "serious readers of Buddhist teachings."
The book is in three parts. Part I consists of a historical and thematic discussion of the Diamond Sutra to prepare the reader for a study of the text. Soeng sets the Sutra in the context of early Buddhism with its belief in the transformative power of shamanism. He explains well, in a short space, many important concepts of Mahayana Buddhism and how it differed from what its followers perceived as the monastic, scholastic Buddhism codified in the Abidahamma texts of Southern Buddhism. Soeng also discusses the concepts emptiness, skillful means, and compassion, as exemplified by the Mahayana ideal figure of the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva takes a vow to help all beings become free from suffering before he or she passes into Nirvana.
Mu Soeng gives an analysis informed by many sources, both ancient and modern. He discusses in particular scientific developments in quantum theory and the literary philosophy of deconstruction as analogies to the teachings of the Diamond Sutra. I am skeptical of the value of these analogies and think they should be used with caution. I think these teachings, while having some relevance to the Sutra, are basically of the sort that the Buddha counseled his followers to avoid and to transform their minds instead by working towards a different, non-ideological approach to reality and to the end of the concept of self.
The second part of the book consists of a paragraph-by-paragraph presentation of the text of the Diamond Sutra together with a commentary. The commentary is basically Mu Soeng's own, informed by classical and modern texts. The third part of the book is the simple text of the Diamond Sutra, unadorned by commentary. Apparently, Mu Soeng suggests his readers approach the Sutra in a manner that follows his presentation (discussion of backround, text and commentary, simple text).
I found Mu Soeng's book helpful in approaching this text. The interested reader may wish to compare the approach of this book to the approach of Red Pine in his recent translation and commentary on the Diamond Sutra. Both Pine and Soeng emphasize the transformative power of the text. Pine has less detail on the backround of Buddhism and of the Mahayana School but he offers a wealth of classical Buddhist commentaries on the Diamond Sutra and integrates them well into his own thinking. His commentary draws much more on traditional Buddhist sources than does Soeng's.
Interestingly as well, Pine's pedagogical approach is almost the reverse of Mu Soeng's. After brief introductory material, Red Pine presents the unadorned text of the Diamond Sutra and then follows it with his detailed section-by-section commentary. Both Soeng's and Pine's approaches are insightful.
Mu Soeng's work will help the reader see the goal of transformation underlying the difficult and great teaching of the Diamond Sutra and to work towards its realization.
Rating: 5
Summary: Mahayana Revealed
Comment: The Diamond Sutra is the core of the Buddhist Mahayana tradition and displays the paradoxical and mystical nature of Buddhism. Mu Soeng has written an extraordinary book for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. It is transformative for readers from almost any spiritual tradation, and the most articulate and absorbing commentary on the Buddhist Mahayana tradition as well as the Diamond Sutra. Thich Nhat Hanh's commentary on the same sutra pales by comparison. The book's first section is the most elaborate and remarkable exposition and history of Mahayana available in a popular text. Mu Soeng places both Buddhism and the Mahayana tradition in the historical and cultural context of the times, showing the remarkable creativity of the Buddha's views. His exposition of shunyata or emptiness is as close to human comprehension as we are likely to get.
Rating: 5
Summary: Bowing
Comment: Bowing to the two previous reviewers, I will add these few words.
If you want to know more about Prajnaparamita thought and practice than this book undertakes to explain, then you are in for some serious reading of very thick and mysterious books (commentaries on sutras), supplemented by no small amount of meditation practice. I hope that you will 'go for it'. Until then, Part Two of this book will serve you well.
The Part One is the real find, however, delivering a marvelous digest of the most recent scholarship of the history and analysis of the origins of Mahayana. Your simplistic distinctions go out the window, with no regrets. Most every Mahayanist will learn some new things here.
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Title: The Sutra of Hui-Neng: Grand Master of Zen by Thomas Cleary ISBN: 1570623481 Publisher: Shambhala Pub. Date: 14 September, 1998 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: The Diamond Sutra: The Perfection of Wisdom by Red Pine, Sanskrit ISBN: 1582432562 Publisher: Counterpoint Press Pub. Date: 17 December, 2002 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
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Title: Mother of the Buddhas: Meditation on the Prajnaparamita Sutra by Lex Hixon ISBN: 0835606899 Publisher: Theosophical Publishing House Pub. Date: May, 1993 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Moon in a Dewdrop : Writings of Zen Master Dogen by Eihei Dogen, Kazuaki Tanahashi ISBN: 086547186X Publisher: North Point Press Pub. Date: 31 October, 1995 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Heart Sutra: Ancient Buddhist Wisdom in the Light of Quantum Reality by Mu Soeng ISBN: 0942795040 Publisher: Primary Point Pr Pub. Date: November, 1996 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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