How to Return to the Original Nature

This single image alone can encompass the entire Diamond Sutra. The four marks vanish, the three realms vanish, birth and death vanish, the Buddha's form vanishes, the Buddha Dharma vanishes, Nirvana vanishes, liberation vanishes, this shore vanishes, the other shore vanishes—everything vanishes. Only the inherently pure mind remains, solitary and silent, not within heaven or earth. Therefore, attaining Buddhahood is to gain nothing; only by gaining nothing can one attain Buddhahood. Cultivation is subtraction, a lightening of the load. When everything is subtracted, one attains Buddhahood—even the Buddha is subtracted. Cultivation itself ceases to exist. Those who study the Buddha and the Dharma are creating trouble where none exists; they are deluded and inverted. There is no Buddha to attain, no Dharma to study, and those who expound the Dharma have no Dharma to expound. Henceforth, if anyone forces the master to teach, just give them a beating! What is there to speak of?

Classifying the Diamond Sutra solely as a Prajñā (Wisdom) Sutra truly underestimates its value. The Diamond Sutra is a genuine Sutra for attaining Buddhahood, a Consciousness-Only Sutra—emptiness realized in one step, Buddhahood attained in one step. Although all dharmas are empty, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment are empty, the six pāramitās of the Bodhisattva are empty, the ten pāramitās of the Bodhisattva are empty—nevertheless, the Bodhisattva does not dwell in inaction nor exhaust conditioned existence. They do what should be done, fulfilling all six and ten pāramitās; otherwise, emptiness cannot be realized, and the burden cannot be lightened. What does "lightening the burden" mean? It means unloading everything carried on the shoulders, borne on the back, held in the hands, and held in the mind—all those full and heavy things—discarding and abandoning them, putting down all burdens, emptying all dharmas whether with marks or without marks, renouncing them, letting them go—discard, discard, discard. When everything is utterly discarded, one returns to the original state: possessing nothing, yet capable of having everything.

How then can emptiness be realized? Can consciousness ponder over these principles and, upon understanding, realize emptiness? Can consciousness make the prison of boundaries, the hells, and the three realms vanish or become empty? Does consciousness possess such capability? Absolutely not. Therefore, do not use consciousness to blindly ponder, speculate, or struggle—discarding consciousness is no loss.

When consciousness is discarded, directly use the mental faculty (manas). Upon employing the mental faculty, samādhi arises. Within samādhi, all dharmas are empty—even emptiness itself is empty; not even a ghostly shadow remains. So powerful is the mental faculty. Those who refuse to accept this, clinging to consciousness as supreme, may go debate with King Yama (the Lord of the Underworld). King Yama will show you the true reality. The Buddha does not engage in arguments with you; only King Yama will receive you. If one cannot wait for King Yama's judgment, karmic consequences will manifest first—retribution in this very life will appear. This is the most telling proof. Ultimately, karmic consequences and retribution in this life mean that the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature) is in charge; the Tathāgatagarbha decides. Even the Buddha does not have the final say; the Buddha does not manage affairs—He does not possess greater authority than the Tathāgatagarbha.