The Diamond Sutra, composed in India in the fourth century C.E., is one of most treasured works of Buddhist literature and the oldest extant printed book in the world. It is known as the Diamond Sutra because its teaching is said to be like a diamond that cuts away all dualistic thought, releasing one from attachment to objects and bringing one to the further shore of enlightenment. The Sutra of Hui-neng, also known as the Platform Sutra, contains the autobiography of this pivotal figure in Zen history and some of the most profound passages in Zen literature. Hui-neng (638-713), the Sixth Patriarch of Zen in China, is often regarded as the true father of the Zen tradition. A poor illiterate woodcutter, he was said to have attained enlightenment upon hearing The Diamond Sutra. Taken together, these two scriptures present the central teachings of a major Buddhist tradition and are essential reading for all students of Buddhism.

The Diamond Sutra and The Sutra of Hui-neng, Translated by A.F. Price and Wong Mou-lam, Shambhala Publications, 166 pages, $22.95

Wong Mou-lam (1886�1934) was from Guangdong, China. He completed the first published English translation of The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch in 1930. Mou-lam also translated The Diamond Sutra and the Sutra of Hui Neng, two of the most treasured works of Buddhist literature, the first of which is considered the oldest existing printed book in the world.