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The Diamond Sutra: The Buddha Also Said...
Written more than 25 centuries ago, the Diamond Sutra is the first text to record the Buddha’s own teachings, and it remains one of the most popular. One day, after the Buddha finishes his daily walk to collect alms, a senior monk steps forth to ask how he can best help humanity. Buddha responds, and thus begins a dialogue regarding the nature of perception. Renowned spiritual teacher Osho offers his unique interpretation of the Buddha's words, writing in an easy, humorous, and conversational style that makes even the most complex ideas understandable.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1979
40 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
About the author
Osho
4,305 books6,805 followersRajneesh (born Chandra Mohan Jain, 11 December 1931 – 19 January 1990) and latter rebranded as Osho was leader of the Rajneesh movement. During his lifetime he was viewed as a controversial new religious movement leader and mystic.
In the 1960s he traveled throughout India as a public speaker and was a vocal critic of socialism, Mahatma Gandhi, and Hindu religious orthodoxy.
Rajneesh emphasized the importance of meditation, mindfulness, love, celebration, courage, creativity and humor—qualities that he viewed as being suppressed by adherence to static belief systems, religious tradition and socialization.
In advocating a more open attitude to human sexuality he caused controversy in India during the late 1960s and became known as "the sex guru".
In 1970, Rajneesh spent time in Mumbai initiating followers known as "neo-sannyasins". During this period he expanded his spiritual teachings and commented extensively in discourses on the writings of religious traditions, mystics, and philosophers from around the world. In 1974 Rajneesh relocated to Pune, where an ashram was established and a variety of therapies, incorporating methods first developed by the Human Potential Movement, were offered to a growing Western following. By the late 1970s, the tension between the ruling Janata Party government of Morarji Desai and the movement led to a curbing of the ashram's development and a back taxes claim estimated at $5 million.
In 1981, the Rajneesh movement's efforts refocused on activities in the United States and Rajneesh relocated to a facility known as Rajneeshpuram in Wasco County, Oregon. Almost immediately the movement ran into conflict with county residents and the state government, and a succession of legal battles concerning the ashram's construction and continued development curtailed its success.
In 1985, in the wake of a series of serious crimes by his followers, including a mass food poisoning attack with Salmonella bacteria and an aborted assassination plot to murder U.S. Attorney Charles H. Turner, Rajneesh alleged that his personal secretary Ma Anand Sheela and her close supporters had been responsible. He was later deported from the United States in accordance with an Alford plea bargain.[
After his deportation, 21 countries denied him entry. He ultimately returned to India and a revived Pune ashram, where he died in 1990. Rajneesh's ashram, now known as OSHO International Meditation Resort and all associated intellectual property, is managed by the Zurich registered Osho International Foundation (formerly Rajneesh International Foundation). Rajneesh's teachings have had a notable impact on Western New Age thought, and their popularity has increased markedly since his death.
In the 1960s he traveled throughout India as a public speaker and was a vocal critic of socialism, Mahatma Gandhi, and Hindu religious orthodoxy.
Rajneesh emphasized the importance of meditation, mindfulness, love, celebration, courage, creativity and humor—qualities that he viewed as being suppressed by adherence to static belief systems, religious tradition and socialization.
In advocating a more open attitude to human sexuality he caused controversy in India during the late 1960s and became known as "the sex guru".
In 1970, Rajneesh spent time in Mumbai initiating followers known as "neo-sannyasins". During this period he expanded his spiritual teachings and commented extensively in discourses on the writings of religious traditions, mystics, and philosophers from around the world. In 1974 Rajneesh relocated to Pune, where an ashram was established and a variety of therapies, incorporating methods first developed by the Human Potential Movement, were offered to a growing Western following. By the late 1970s, the tension between the ruling Janata Party government of Morarji Desai and the movement led to a curbing of the ashram's development and a back taxes claim estimated at $5 million.
In 1981, the Rajneesh movement's efforts refocused on activities in the United States and Rajneesh relocated to a facility known as Rajneeshpuram in Wasco County, Oregon. Almost immediately the movement ran into conflict with county residents and the state government, and a succession of legal battles concerning the ashram's construction and continued development curtailed its success.
In 1985, in the wake of a series of serious crimes by his followers, including a mass food poisoning attack with Salmonella bacteria and an aborted assassination plot to murder U.S. Attorney Charles H. Turner, Rajneesh alleged that his personal secretary Ma Anand Sheela and her close supporters had been responsible. He was later deported from the United States in accordance with an Alford plea bargain.[
After his deportation, 21 countries denied him entry. He ultimately returned to India and a revived Pune ashram, where he died in 1990. Rajneesh's ashram, now known as OSHO International Meditation Resort and all associated intellectual property, is managed by the Zurich registered Osho International Foundation (formerly Rajneesh International Foundation). Rajneesh's teachings have had a notable impact on Western New Age thought, and their popularity has increased markedly since his death.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 13, 2020
Where do i start?
I have embarked on a spiritual journey these days. I started the journey with "Awakening the Buddha within" by Lama surya Das. It was a wonderful introduction to buddhism and the noble eight fold path.
My fragile little ego, after finishing that book went straight to Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. I told myself that i am ready to understand what Buddha said to Subhuti one afternoon which accounts as one of the most revered of buddhist texts in history.
I could not understand one word of it.
My ego was hurt, i'm smart why couldn't i understand it? I then came across this book, Osho's adaptation of the diamond sutra.
This book contains 11 chapters that describe a conversation between Buddha and subhuti that may or may not have happened. Maybe no words were used, maybe all of it was a dream. Nobody can comment on the form of this conversation because tathagatas have no form. Buddha did not have a form, Knowledge has no form.
At the end of each chapter, we have a small Q&A session of Osho with his followers. I felt, that it stemmed the flow of the book every once in a while but some questions were quite insightful.
I cannot express the impact this book has had on me in words. Some things cannot be expressed but only felt. This book has to be felt, every word, every chapter is politely sitting there, waiting to be read and felt.
This book is the most profound piece of literature i have read in my life.
I had thought, once i finish this book i would maybe show off a little on social media. See, I read one of the most influential books in buddhist literature. I'M SMART.
Now that this book has been read, there is very little ego left in me to brag. There is very little "I" in me now.
This book is a must for anyone on a self-exploratory spiritual journey.
I have embarked on a spiritual journey these days. I started the journey with "Awakening the Buddha within" by Lama surya Das. It was a wonderful introduction to buddhism and the noble eight fold path.
My fragile little ego, after finishing that book went straight to Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. I told myself that i am ready to understand what Buddha said to Subhuti one afternoon which accounts as one of the most revered of buddhist texts in history.
I could not understand one word of it.
My ego was hurt, i'm smart why couldn't i understand it? I then came across this book, Osho's adaptation of the diamond sutra.
This book contains 11 chapters that describe a conversation between Buddha and subhuti that may or may not have happened. Maybe no words were used, maybe all of it was a dream. Nobody can comment on the form of this conversation because tathagatas have no form. Buddha did not have a form, Knowledge has no form.
At the end of each chapter, we have a small Q&A session of Osho with his followers. I felt, that it stemmed the flow of the book every once in a while but some questions were quite insightful.
I cannot express the impact this book has had on me in words. Some things cannot be expressed but only felt. This book has to be felt, every word, every chapter is politely sitting there, waiting to be read and felt.
This book is the most profound piece of literature i have read in my life.
I had thought, once i finish this book i would maybe show off a little on social media. See, I read one of the most influential books in buddhist literature. I'M SMART.
Now that this book has been read, there is very little ego left in me to brag. There is very little "I" in me now.
This book is a must for anyone on a self-exploratory spiritual journey.
June 23, 2015
Not for all... Hard to analyse.. but Osho explains all !
November 8, 2013
I cant believe this book has less than a 4.5 avg! People who read must been their first spiritual book. They missed it! It is one of the most beautiful books out there. THiss is an AWESOME BOOK!
August 28, 2024
oh dear oh dear oh dear. He has some pretty decent insights into the Diamond Sutra, but not much you can't find elsewhere. Meanwhile he comes across as the worst representation for egolessness. One page he speaks about the delusions including anger and so forth, and the problems of clinging too tightly to an idea of your self, the next page he's admonishing a member of his commune (highly dodgy sounding place from most accounts) for dare questioning his authority. the anger literally drips off the page. I'm almost certain this guy has a personality disorder of some sort. Controversies and scandals abound at his numerous centres. It's people like this and those US zen centre sex-scandal blokes that really make me wonder about this whole Buddhism thing. Shady gurus indeed.
March 20, 2017
I didn't really enjoy this book, The Diamond Sutra, as much as The Heart Sutra: Becoming a Buddha through Meditation. Because of Osho's free-style talking, sometimes he (or maybe I) lost track of the sutra itself. So I even had to separately find and read the full English-translated text of the sutra. However, even when Osho's teachings become free-style talking or inconsistent with the main theme, they are all gold nuggets, pieces of his wisdom which come from his own experience.
April 23, 2020
Great book..
May 6, 2022
A diamond thunderbolt which instantly penetrated my being
January 30, 2018
I have mixed thoughts. If you can move beyond the egocentric interjections of the author Acharya Rajneesh, then there is a lot of value in this text. The problem is that this is a text which stresses the value of losing ones ego.
At times the author goes off on, what seems to me to be, deleterious tangents. He says how Buddhism is not ideological. Buddhism in it’s most basic form can certainly fit this model. Buddha was not interested in Ideology because ideologies come from ones mind. Rajneesh says as much yet he has a short memory. He can’t help himself, making claims that one can not go crazy in Buddhism, but as a Sufi or a Christian it happens all the time. He speaks of vegetarianism as the necessary way to be cultured. Otherwise you are a primitive savage. This is based on a very animal-centric ideology that plants don’t have consciousness or some other metric of value in the way that meat does. There are many needless ideologies peppered throughout this text. This author is terrible but it is clear when he is expressing the doctrine and imposing his own ego.
On a positive note. I believe this text does a great job pointing out the emptiness doctrine. This was quite enjoyable for me since I am more familiar with the Theravada tradition, thus I have not been exposed to the rich meaning of emptiness in the Mahayana tradition.
I think it is important to get some exegesis on the Diamond sutra. I have not read any other interpretations of the Diamond Sutra though I would love to find one that does not so clearly impose childish ideas, since I am confident those ideas did not exist at the roots of the religion.
At times the author goes off on, what seems to me to be, deleterious tangents. He says how Buddhism is not ideological. Buddhism in it’s most basic form can certainly fit this model. Buddha was not interested in Ideology because ideologies come from ones mind. Rajneesh says as much yet he has a short memory. He can’t help himself, making claims that one can not go crazy in Buddhism, but as a Sufi or a Christian it happens all the time. He speaks of vegetarianism as the necessary way to be cultured. Otherwise you are a primitive savage. This is based on a very animal-centric ideology that plants don’t have consciousness or some other metric of value in the way that meat does. There are many needless ideologies peppered throughout this text. This author is terrible but it is clear when he is expressing the doctrine and imposing his own ego.
On a positive note. I believe this text does a great job pointing out the emptiness doctrine. This was quite enjoyable for me since I am more familiar with the Theravada tradition, thus I have not been exposed to the rich meaning of emptiness in the Mahayana tradition.
I think it is important to get some exegesis on the Diamond sutra. I have not read any other interpretations of the Diamond Sutra though I would love to find one that does not so clearly impose childish ideas, since I am confident those ideas did not exist at the roots of the religion.
August 22, 2021
Osho explains the first text from srawasti by buddha, in 'the dimond sutra', like the perfection of wisdom that cut like a thunderbolt. In 11 chapters, the sutra from 'tathagat' meant well gone, as buddha were explained simply by Osho with the main message, that mind is like a dew drop, bubble or cloud and one has ignore it and to learn to look in to an inner sky which is eternal and constant. That everything which has come about, has to go away, by dharma of nature and that only your inner stillness remains as awareness, like "buddha" who is on to other shore yet can help people on this shore become aware. It's said dimond sutra is not for the beginners but for the "bodhisatvas", the rare people who are not rooted in this world and ready to go on to other shore, but just here to help other beings to become 'bodhidharma", who have the potential to become bodhisatvas. 3 or 3.5 stars.
January 26, 2022
I have read many books about meditation and mindfulness. Those books gave introduction to the practice and gave suggestions about how to include it everyday life and benefits of it. After reading it all I wanted to go one step ahead to understand the Buddha’s teaching on deeper level. Then I came across this suggestion. And I must say this was amazing read. It talks about Buddha’s sutras and teaching on deeper level the way I expected. Osho interprets it in very easy way and includes examples and humour to make understandable. I will definitely re-read this book.
July 21, 2021
Une très bonne interpretation de Sutra du Diamant qui dénote la profonde experience spirituelle de l'auteur qui succombe (quand même) à son Ego en se considérant la seule personne à comprendre depuis le Bouddha Shakyamuni, et le seul qui possède le véritable esprit religieux révélant la seule religion complète (au delà du bouddhisme et du christianisme..).
August 9, 2017
I enjoyed the layout of this book. It was not only the words of the old sutra but he implemented examples from modern life to explain our route to Buddhism. It is tantamount to spending a day at a Buddhist discussion center.
August 30, 2017
oh no, osho, escargot, my car go 160 swiftly, ya do run run yah ya do run run.
osho is one sly trickster....that guy
osho is one sly trickster....that guy
December 22, 2017
Amazing.
September 16, 2019
Suchness...
October 14, 2021
This book helped me better understand the words of Buddha.
June 14, 2023
Osho is good
December 15, 2023
The parts where he talks about Diamond Sutra are pure gold, but sadly like 60% of the talks are logistics info for his retreat or something.
March 26, 2024
2024 REVIEW: Re-read this book after a decade, and while neither Osho nor the book have changed meanwhile, the reader certainly has… After studying the Diamond Sutra with a great Buddhist monk, I revisited Osho’s commentary and found it to be one of the most important books I could have read in this lifetime. A very approachable, engaging and clear exposition of a very difficult sutra.
2014 REVIEW: You do have to be able to look beyond Osho's braggadocio to get the most out of his talks. 4 stars to his interpretation of the Diamond Sutra for some stunning insights on receiving the new into your life and on self-created misery, interspersed with some of the most hilarious and unexpected anecdotes I've heard in a long time.
2014 REVIEW: You do have to be able to look beyond Osho's braggadocio to get the most out of his talks. 4 stars to his interpretation of the Diamond Sutra for some stunning insights on receiving the new into your life and on self-created misery, interspersed with some of the most hilarious and unexpected anecdotes I've heard in a long time.
November 29, 2012
There's something in this philosophy (or maybe Osho himself) that stands out for me. In all the books and pamphlets and webpages I've read about buddhism his ego is the largest I have experienced. Some aspects of the Diamond Sutra itself confuse me, I admit that, but the tone of guidance here feels like a willful infliction (though a tiny one) of punishment. Is this buddhism or shintoism?
I've read two of his books, I won't read another.
I've read two of his books, I won't read another.
December 28, 2010
One of the best books, I've come across. Soon gonna read it again.
February 6, 2015
Week 14: A non-fiction book
October 8, 2016
Probably not an appropriate book for beginners.
On the other hand Osho goes to the core of this sutra with great clarity.
Brilliant.
On the other hand Osho goes to the core of this sutra with great clarity.
Brilliant.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews