THE DIAMOND SUTRA AND THE SUTRA OF HUI-NENG by Price, A. F - 1974

Shambhala, 1974. Paperback. Very Good. The Diamond Sutra, composed in India in the fourth century CE, is one of th e most treasured works of Buddhist literature and the oldest extant printed book in the world. It is known as the Diamond Sutra because its teaching i s said to be like a diamond that cuts away all dualistic thought, releasing one from attachment to objects and bringing one to the further shore of en lightenment. The Sutra of Hui-neng, also known as the Platform Sutra, conta ins the autobiography of this pivotal figure in Zen history and some of the most profound passages in Zen literature. Hui-neng (638?713), the Sixth Pa triarch of Zen in China, is often regarded as the true father of the Zen tr adition. A poor illiterate woodcutter, he was said to have attained enlight enment upon hearing a recitation of The Diamond Sutra. Taken together, thes e two scriptures present the central teachings of a major Buddhist traditio n and are essential reading for all students of Buddhism.