The Diamond Sutra Reborn:
An American Blues InterpretationBy William Altig
Length1h 19m
About this audiobook
The Buddha's teaching on cutting through illusion—the Diamond that cuts all things—interpreted through the soul of American Blues.
For fifteen centuries, the Diamond Sutra has been teaching practitioners how to see through the illusions of self, time, and permanence. Now, translator William Altig brings these razor-sharp teachings to life through the language of Blues that knows suffering and knows freedom.
All conditioned things are like a dream, a phantom, a drop of dew, a flash of lightning. That's what the Blues has always known.
Part of The Sutra Reborn Series—Ancient Buddhist wisdom in American Blues voice.
Also in this series: The Heart Sutra Reborn, The Dhammapada Reborn, The Lotus Sutra, The Immeasurable Meanings Sutra
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★★ 5.0 (2)
GenrePhilosophy, Spirituality and Religion
Length1 hr 19 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 14, 2025
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Diamond Sutra Reborn: An American Blues Interpretation
2A Complete Original Translation in Blues Vernacular
3Introduction: The Blues of Emptiness
4Part One: The Opening: Chapters 1-2
5Chapter 1: The Scene: Enlightenment in the Everyday
Show all chaptersShow less
6Chapter 2: Subhūti's Question: How to Hold the Mind in a World of Trouble
7Part Two: The Foundations: Chapters 3-10
8Chapter 3: The Bodhisattva Vow: Doing Everything, Claiming Nothing
9Chapter 4: No Marks: The Teaching on Generosity and Emptiness
10Chapter 5: Can't See the Buddha: Looking for God in All the Wrong Places
11Chapter 6: Faith in Hard Times: Believing When It's Hard to Believe
12Chapter 7: Nothing Obtained: Got Nothing, Gave Nothing, Received Everything
13Chapter 8: Merit Beyond Measure: The Gift That Keeps On Giving
14Chapter 9: The Four Stages: Reached the Top by Giving Up Climbing
15Chapter 10: Adorning Buddha-lands: Home Is Where You Ain't Holding On
16Part Three: The Deep Teaching: Chapters 11-17
17Chapter 11: Ganges Sands: Beyond All Counting
18Chapter 12: Sutra as Stupa: This Place Is Holy Ground
19Chapter 13: The Title: What This Teaching Is Called
20Chapter 14: Subhūti Weeps: When the Truth Breaks You Open
21Chapter 15: King Kali: Suffering Becomes the Path
22Chapter 16: Merit and Karma: The Purifying Fire
23Chapter 17: Ultimate Selflessness: The Question That Won't Let You Go
24Part Four: The Paradoxes: Chapters 18-31
25Chapter 18: Five Eyes, Three Minds: Seeing Everything by Holding Nothing
26Chapter 19: Merit is Non-existent: The Emptiness That Makes It Immeasurable
27Chapter 20: The Complete Physical Body: Even Perfection Ain't the Buddha
28Chapter 21: No Dharma to Speak: The Teaching That Can't Be Taught
29Chapter 22: Nothing Obtained: The Attainment of No-Attainment
30Chapter 23: Dharma is Equal: No High, No Low
31Chapter 24: No Merit in Merit: The Paradox of Incomparable Merit
32Chapter 25: No Beings to Liberate: The Bodhisattva Who Saves No One
33Chapter 26: The Famous Verse: Looking for Me? I Ain't in the Mirror
34Chapter 27: No Interruption, no Annihilation: The Middle Way Between Extremes
35Chapter 28: Not Accepting Merit: The Bodhisattva Who Claims Nothing
36Chapter 29: No Coming, no Going: Always Here, Never Here
37Chapter 30: Dust Motes and Worlds: Even Unity Is Empty
38Chapter 31: Knowledge Without Grasping: Views That Bind
39Part Five
40Chapter 32: The Great Verse: Everything is a Dream
41Closing: The Assembly Rejoices
42Closing Benediction
43Notes on Performance
Series
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