如是我聞 一時佛在舍衛國 祇樹給孤獨園 與大比丘衆 千二百五十人俱 爾時世尊 食時 著衣持鉢 入舍衛大城乞食 於其城中 次第乞已 還至本處 飯食訖 收衣鉢 洗足已 敷座而坐
Rú shì wǒ wén. Yī shí Fó zài Shě wèi guó, Qí shù Jǐ gū dú yuán, yǔ dà bǐqiū zhòng qiān èr bǎi wǔ shí rén jù. Ěr shí Shì zūn, shí shí, zhuó yī chí bō, rù Shě wèi dà chéng qǐ shí. Yú qí chéng zhōng, cì dì qǐ yǐ, huán zhì běn chù. Fàn shí qì, shōu yī bō, xǐ zú yǐ, fū zuò ér zuò.
Key Message
The greatest teaching does not reside in extraordinary moments but dwells within the ordinary routine of eating a meal and washing one's feet.
▸The opening of the Diamond Sutra presents the setting of the dharma assembly in a section known as 'The Origin of the Dharma Assembly.
The opening of the Diamond Sutra presents the setting of the dharma assembly in a section known as 'The Origin of the Dharma Assembly.' The phrase 'Thus have I heard' (如是我聞) is the standard opening formula of Buddhist scriptures, serving as Ananda's testimony that he personally heard the Buddha's words during the compilation of the canon. The World-Honored One (the Buddha) was residing at Jetavana Grove in the city of Sravasti, together with 1,250 great monks. When mealtime arrived, the Buddha donned his robe, took up his alms bowl, and entered the great city of Sravasti to beg for food. After going from house to house in order, he returned to his place, ate his meal, then put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, arranged his seat, and sat down. This strikingly ordinary and mundane description carries a profound teaching within itself. Even the greatest teacher of enlightenment continues his practice within the plain routines of eating and washing his feet, demonstrating in his own person that the extraordinary and the everyday are not two different things.