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The Diamond Sutra December 17 (Fri) 19:00 - 21:00 December 18 & 19 (Sat & Sun) 14:00- 16:00 Rm. 201, International Convention Hall, Taipei World Trade Center, Xin-yi (Hsin-yi) Road, sec 5, Taipei. For map of area and transportation details, check the convention center's web page. For additional information, please contact Siddhartha's Intent, Taiwan. Attendance is free and no reservation is required. Please note that seats cannot be reserved in advance, so please come early to ensure a place. This is the second part of the teaching on the Diamond Sutra. Those who did not attend last year are welcome to attend. Diamond Sutra - Brief Introduction: The Sanskrit name of the sutra is Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita. Vajracchedika means the diamond that cuts through illusion, and Prajnaparamita means perfection of wisdom. In English, it is simply known as the "Diamond Sutra" or "Diamond Cutter Sutra." In Buddhism, the root of suffering is identified as ignorance. This is illustrated by the example of a man who mistakes a piece of rope for a snake. Seeing what he believes to be a snake, he takes action to defend himself. However, being based on a mistaken view, his response is inappropriate. Only when he realizes the true situation does he relax and his suffering end. As the name implies, the text teaches how to cut through ignorance and give rise to wisdom, and it is introduced in the form of a dialogue between the Buddha and his disciple Subhuti. Although attitudes and customs have greatly changed since the time of the Buddha, the cause of suffering has not. Therefore, this scripture is as relevant to modern society as it was 2,500 years ago. The concluding gatha of the scripture expresses the essence of the text: "All composed things are like a dream, a phantom, a dewdrop, a flash of lightening. That is how we should observe them."