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The Diamond Sutra ( Sutra of the Perfection Of Wisdom genre, which teaches the practice of the avoidance of abiding in extremes of mental attachment. A copy of the Diamond Sutra, found sealed in a cave in China in the early 20th Century , is the oldest known dated, printed Book , with a printed date of 868 . HISTORY Article will soon be expanded --> CONTENTS The Diamond Sutra, like many Sutra s, begins with the famous phrase "thus have I heard" (एवं मया श्रुतम्, ''evam maya shrutam''). In this sutra the Buddha has finished his daily walk with the monks to gather offerings of food and sits down to rest. One of the more senior monks, Subhuti , comes forth and asks the Buddha a question. What proceeds from there is a lengthy, and often repetitive, dialogue regarding the nature of perception. The Buddha often uses paradoxical phrases like "what is called the highest teaching is not the highest teaching".Diamond Sutra, Sec. 8, Subsec. 5 金剛經，依法出生分第八，五：結歸離相 The Buddha is trying to help Subhuti unlearn his preconceived, and limited, notions of what reality is, the nature of Enlightenment, and compassion. A particularly noteworthy part is when the Buddha teaches Subhuti that what makes a Bodhisattva so great is that the Bodhisattva does not take pride in his/her work to save others, nor is their compassion calculated or contrived. They practice sincere compassion that comes from deep within, without any sense of ego or gain. In another section, Subhuti expresses concern that the Diamond Sutra will be forgotten 500 years after it is taught (alternatively, during the last 500 years of this era). The Buddha assures Subhuti that well after he is gone, there will still be some who can grasp the meaning of the Diamond Sutra and put it into practice. This section seems to reflect a concern found in other Buddhist texts that the teachings of the Buddha would eventually fade and become corrupted. A popular Buddhist concept, known as Mappo in Japanese, also reflects this same anxiety. IN PRACTICE Since it can be read in approximately forty minutes, the Diamond Sutra is often memorized and chanted in ." It is often said in the Diamond Sutra that if a person can even commit four lines of the Sutra into practice, they will be greatly blessed. BRITISH LIBRARY Copy]] There is a )''. This is about 587 years before the Gutenberg Bible . REFERENCES Notes Bibliography
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