Diamond Sutra – 2 Stages of Surrender – 金刚经 – 两个阶段的放下

There are 2 levels of surrender: First level pertains to the transcendence of the “self”, second level require one to transcend the notion of there is a  fixed “teaching”, to be followed towards the ultimate reality.

The second level of transcendence, requires a solid work in the first level before it can mean anything.  Otherwise, one would run into the erroneous conclusion that one need not follow any teaching towards reality.

Therefore the Buddha said in this Sutra “法尚应舍，何况非法（even teachings should be surrendered, let alone non-teachings)“.  First, surrender our attachments to the “self” and its various patterns (as will be explained in the rest of this sutra), then, surrender the attachment to the notion of a “fixed permanent teachings”, like what being presented in this Sutra.  Such is the teaching of this section.

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须菩提！如来悉知悉见，是诸众生得如是无量福德。
何以故？是诸众生无复我相、人相、众生相、寿者相。无法相，亦无非法相。
何以故？是诸众生若心取相，即为著我人众生寿者。
若取法相，即著我人众生寿者。何以故？
若取非法相，即著我人众生寿者，
是故不应取法，不应取非法。
“Subhuti, the Tathagata knows and sees all; these living beings will thus acquire immeasurable merits.
Why? (Because) they will have wiped out false notions of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, of Dharma and Not-Dharma.
Why? (Because) if their minds grasp form (laksana), they will (still) cling to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life.
If their minds grasp the Dharma, they will (still) cling to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Why?
(Because) if their minds grasp the Not-Dharma, they will (still) cling to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life.
Therefore, one should not grasp and hold on to the notion of Dharma as well as that of Not-Dharma.

以是义故，如来常说：汝等比丘，知我说法，如筏喻者，法尚应舍，何况非法。
“This is why, the Tathagata always said: Ye Bhiksus, should know that the Dharma I expound is likened to a raft. Even the Dharma should be cast aside; how much more so the Not-Dharma?放下可分为两个阶段：第一阶段放下对“我”的执著，第二阶段放下对”法“的执著。

第二个阶段的放下，需要扎实的第一阶段工夫才能进行。否则，便可能引致有问题的见解：错误的认为修道不需要遵循任何的”法“。

所以佛在此说“法尚应舍，何况非法”。首先，我们要放下我们对“自我”和它各种的执著（本经余下章节将详说），然后再放下”法“作为一个固定不变的教导的执著。这就是本节的意思。

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须菩提！如来悉知悉见，是诸众生得如是无量福德。
何以故？是诸众生无复我相、人相、众生相、寿者相。无法相，亦无非法相。
何以故？是诸众生若心取相，即为著我人众生寿者。
若取法相，即著我人众生寿者。何以故？
若取非法相，即著我人众生寿者，
是故不应取法，不应取非法。
以是义故，如来常说：汝等比丘，知我说法，如筏喻者，法尚应舍，何况非法。