the diamond sutra

Now that I've decided I'm capable of reading books again, I've decided to start with one on the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita.  The sutra itself is only 29 pages, but it's followed by over 400 pages of commentary.  I still have no interest in reading fiction, but I realize there's some grey area, here.  Some of it is historical, but the line between history and fiction can be a blurred, particularly when it comes to religious texts.

I've thought a lot about the problem of fundamentalism versus progress, particularly in regards to religion.  There's something appealing about deifying an esoteric history, at the center of which being Gautama himself.  To have faith in the value of Buddhism, should one assume it's founder to be the pinnacle for which all followers strive?  At best, subsequent woke beings would only attain what he'd attained, right?

In Buddhism, the risks of fundamentalism are not as concerning as in some other religions, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.  It only makes sense that despite some great teachings, this was thousands of years ago.  Even the most brilliant wisdom existing in the context of time and place, like scientists of ancient times, brilliant, but crude, ignorant, flawed.  There's no disparagement intended here, I think it's just a matter of being realistic about it.

I've often questioned how accurate any of it could really be, from oral traditions to translation and re-translation, how distorted it must become.  I've thought of this as a problem, the solution to which being an effort to cut through it all, to the best of our abilities, in the effort to ascertain what was originally intended - but this is fundamentalism, the premise that the teaching in it's original state should be held in highest regard.

Alternately, we can treat such fundamentals as invaluable, but more of a starting point upon which many have built, and upon which we can further build.  While there is no scientific method to look to for resolution, humanity has made great strides.  Modern teachings involve distortion, but also progress.  Some of these modern interpretations are likely superior to what the Buddha originally taught.

This is what humanity does in so many different realms, building upon each others' ideas.  Makes more sense to me to have some faith in that, than some vague concept of perfection lost to time.  Much as the self is but a process, so is everything else.