Explanation of the Diamond Sutra: The Separation from Form and Appearance, Section Twenty

The true Tathāgata is devoid of color and form. If one wishes to see the mind and realize one's true nature to behold the true Tathāgata, one cannot see the Tathāgata through His physical form. Physical form is not the Tathāgata. Only by departing from form and detachment from appearances can one see the true Tathāgata.

Original text: “Subhūti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be seen by means of His perfectly complete physical body?” “No, World-Honored One. The Tathāgata should not be seen by means of His perfectly complete physical body. Why? Because the Tathāgata has said that the perfectly complete physical body is not the perfectly complete physical body; it is merely called the perfectly complete physical body.” “Subhūti, what do you think? Can the Tathāgata be seen by means of His perfectly complete marks?” “No, World-Honored One. The Tathāgata should not be seen by means of His perfectly complete marks. Why? Because the Tathāgata has said that the perfectly complete marks are not perfectly complete; they are merely called perfectly complete marks.”

Explanation: The World-Honored One said to Subhūti: Subhūti, what do you think? If sentient beings wish to see the true Buddha, should they see the Buddha with form, who possesses the perfectly complete physical body? Is it by means of physical form that one sees the Buddha? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One. To see the true Tathāgata, one should not see the Tathāgata by means of the perfectly complete physical form; one should see the true Tathāgata. Why is this said? Because, as you have taught, the perfectly complete physical form is not truly a perfectly complete physical form; it is only provisionally named the perfectly complete physical form.

The World-Honored One continued: Subhūti, what do you think? If sentient beings wish to see the Tathāgata, should they see the Tathāgata who possesses all marks? Can seeing the Tathāgata who possesses all marks enable one to see the true Tathāgata? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One. Sentient beings, in seeing the Tathāgata, should not see the Tathāgata by means of possessing all marks. Why is this said? Because, as you have taught, possessing all marks is not truly possessing all marks; it is only provisionally named possessing all marks. Since possessing all marks is merely a provisional name and has no substance, one cannot see the true Tathāgata.

Because sentient beings are accustomed to clinging to appearances, they always discriminate the Tathāgata through various conditioned dharmas and appearances, not knowing that the true Tathāgata is formless. Out of compassion for sentient beings, the World-Honored One engaged in dialogue with Subhūti to reveal that the true Buddha is formless and that one should not cling to a Tathāgata who possesses all marks, as this would lead to seeing only marks and not the true Tathāgata. The true Tathāgata, departing from all forms of matter and all appearances, is formless and markless—this is the true Tathāgata.

The Tathāgata is divided into the Tathāgata with a physical form and the Tathāgata without a physical form. The Tathāgata without a physical form is the Dharmakāya Buddha, the true Tathāgata, because He is the origin of all dharmas, eternally unchanging, neither arising nor ceasing, truly real, and everlasting. He can manifest countless and limitless Tathāgatas with physical forms. Since all Tathāgatas with physical forms are conjured by the formless Dharmakāya Tathāgata, what is conjured can also be dissolved; thus, they are not the truly real Tathāgata.

Therefore, the World-Honored One asked Subhūti: To see the true Tathāgata, must one necessarily see the Tathāgata who possesses all physical forms? Can one see the Tathāgata by means of physical form? Subhūti, understanding the Buddha’s intent, immediately replied that this is not so. Why is it not so? Because the form that possesses a physical body is not a true form, nor does a truly existing form possessing a physical body actually exist. These forms are all illusory; they are merely provisional names given to such illusory forms.

All forms of the physical body, the forms of the body that possess existence, are conjured by the formless Dharmakāya Tathāgata, who is devoid of any physical form. Superficially, they appear to exist, and they also engage in various activities of the five aggregates. Yet, these seemingly existing forms and the activities of the five aggregates are not real; they are all illusory false appearances, empty forms. Existence is false existence, and the activities of the five aggregates are also illusory false appearances, mere illusions. Their essence is the Dharmakāya Tathāgata. It is only based on the superficial appearance of the five aggregates that provisional names are given to these illusory phenomena, for the convenience of sentient beings to distinguish and address them, to facilitate their reverence and offerings, and to aid them in giving and cultivating merit.

The World-Honored One then continued to ask Subhūti: If sentient beings wish to see the true Tathāgata, should they see the Tathāgata by means of possessing all dharmic marks? Subhūti, understanding the World-Honored One’s intent, immediately replied that this is not so. One should not see the Tathāgata as one who possesses all marks, nor should one consider the Tathāgata who possesses all marks to be the true Tathāgata. One should not cling to any illusory physical forms. The Tathāgata who possesses all marks must be the Tathāgata endowed with the thirty-two marks and eighty excellent characteristics—that is the Tathāgata with form.

These are all the fruits of the World-Honored One’s cultivation over three countless eons. Yet, all marks are transformations of the formless Dharmakāya Tathāgata, manifested based on various conditions. What arises must also cease; therefore, the Tathāgata with thirty-two marks is not the true Tathāgata, and the thirty-two marks are not true marks. These thirty-two marks and eighty excellent characteristics appear to exist on the surface, but they are merely names. They are all manifestations of the Dharmakāya Tathāgata; their essence is the Dharmakāya Tathāgata. They are only provisional names given for the convenience of sentient beings to recognize, revere, and make offerings.

Then, within the Tathāgata who possesses the perfectly complete physical form, the thirty-two marks, and the eighty excellent characteristics, can one see the true Tathāgata who does not possess the perfectly complete physical form, the thirty-two marks, or the eighty excellent characteristics? This is certain; otherwise, the Tathāgata’s physical form would not appear, the thirty-two marks would not appear, and still less would they be complete. One might ask: Within the five aggregates that possess the perfectly complete physical form, where is the true Tathāgata? To seek the true Tathāgata, listen to this verse: Within the five aggregates the dragon conceals itself; Though hidden, the dragon ever roars; To find the true dragon within the five aggregates, Listen at the six openings for the dragon’s roar. The dragon constantly emerges from the six openings; Sentient beings, clinging to marks, do not recognize the dragon. To recognize the dragon, remove all physical forms; Once physical forms are removed, the true dragon appears.