The Profound Meaning of the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sutra from the Consciousness-Only Perspective (Second Edition)
Chapter Twenty-One: Parting from Form and Appearance
The true Tathagata is without form or appearance. To realize the mind’s nature and perceive the true Tathagata, one must not perceive the Tathagata through form or appearance, for form and appearance are not the Tathagata. Only by parting from form and appearance can the true Tathagata be seen.
Original Text:
“Subhūti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be seen by means of a perfect material body?”
“No, World-Honored One. The Tathagata should not be seen by means of a perfect material body. Why? Because the Tathagata has said that a perfect material body is not a perfect material body; it is merely called a perfect material body.”
“Subhūti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen by means of the perfection of all marks?”
“No, World-Honored One. The Tathagata should not be seen by means of the perfection of all marks. Why? Because the Tathagata has said that the perfection of all marks is not perfection; it is merely called the perfection of all marks.”
Explanation:
The World-Honored One said to Subhūti, “Subhūti, what do you think? If sentient beings wish to behold the true Buddha, should they seek a Buddha with a fully formed, material body? Should they perceive the Buddha through bodily form?”
Subhūti replied, “No, World-Honored One. To behold the true Tathagata, one should not perceive Him through a perfect material body. One must perceive the true Tathagata. Why? As you have taught, a perfect material body is not truly a perfect material body; it is merely a provisional name.”
The World-Honored One continued, “Subhūti, what do you think? If sentient beings wish to perceive the Tathagata, should they seek a Tathagata endowed with all marks? Can one perceive the true Tathagata by seeing a Tathagata with all marks perfected?”
Subhūti replied, “No, World-Honored One. Sentient beings should not perceive the Tathagata through the perfection of all marks. Why? As you have taught, the perfection of all marks is not truly perfection; it is merely a provisional name. Since the perfection of all marks is only a provisional name without true substance, one cannot perceive the true Tathagata.”
Sentient beings, accustomed to clinging to appearances, constantly distinguish the Tathagata through conditioned phenomena, unaware that the true Tathagata is formless. Out of compassion, the World-Honored One engaged in this dialogue with Subhūti to reveal that the true Buddha is without form and that one should not cling to a Tathagata with all marks, for this leads to perceiving only appearances, not the true Tathagata. The true Tathagata transcends all material forms and appearances—formless and markless, He is the true Tathagata.
The Tathagata manifests in two aspects: with a material body and without a material body. The Tathagata without a material body is the Dharmakāya Buddha, the true Tathagata, for He is the origin of all dharmas—eternally unchanging, indestructible, truly real, and ever-abiding. From Him emanate infinite Tathagatas with material bodies. Yet since all Tathagatas with material bodies are illusory manifestations of the formless Dharmakāya Tathagata, they arise and cease like illusions and are not the true, genuine Tathagata.
Thus, when the World-Honored One asked Subhūti whether one must perceive a Tathagata with all material marks to see the true Tathagata, Subhūti immediately understood His intent and replied that this was not so. Why? Because the perfection of material marks is not a true reality, nor does a truly perfect material body exist. These appearances are illusory, merely given provisional names.
All material forms, including the perfectly manifested bodily appearances, are projections of the Dharmakāya Tathagata, who is utterly without form. Outwardly, they seem to exist and exhibit the activities of the five aggregates. Yet these seemingly real appearances and activities are illusory, empty phenomena. Their existence is provisional, and the activities of the five aggregates are merely illusory manifestations—unreal in essence. Their true nature is the Dharmakāya Tathagata. The provisional names are given to these illusory phenomena for the sake of sentient beings’ recognition, reverence, offerings, generosity, and cultivation of merit.
The World-Honored One further asked Subhūti whether sentient beings should perceive the true Tathagata through the perfection of all dharmic marks. Subhūti, understanding the Buddha’s meaning, replied that one should not perceive the Tathagata through the perfection of all marks, nor regard a Tathagata with perfected marks as the true Tathagata, nor cling to any illusory forms. A Tathagata with perfected marks must possess the thirty-two marks and eighty noble characteristics—this is the Tathagata with form.
These are the karmic rewards the World-Honored One attained through immeasurable eons of practice. Yet all such marks are manifestations projected by the formless Dharmakāya Tathagata according to conditions. Since they arise, they must cease; thus, a Tathagata with thirty-two marks is not the true Tathagata, nor are the thirty-two marks truly real. Outwardly, the thirty-two marks and eighty noble characteristics appear to exist, but they are merely names—manifestations of the Dharmakāya Tathagata. Their essence is the Dharmakāya itself, provisionally named for sentient beings’ ease of recognition, reverence, and offerings.
Then, can the true Tathagata—who is without material form, without thirty-two marks, and without eighty noble characteristics—be perceived within the Tathagata endowed with a perfect material body, thirty-two marks, and eighty noble characteristics? This must be so; otherwise, the material form of the Tathagata would not manifest, nor would the thirty-two marks appear or be perfected. One might ask: Within the five aggregates of the perfect material body, where is the true Tathagata? To seek the true Tathagata, heed this verse:
*Within the five aggregates, the dragon hides unseen,
Though hidden, the dragon’s roar is ever heard.
To find the true dragon within these five,
Listen at the six gates for the dragon’s call.
The dragon emerges through the six gates,
Yet beings, clinging to form, know it not.
To recognize the dragon, discard all form—
Cast off appearances, and the true dragon appears.*
