The Profound Meaning of the Diamond Sutra in Yogācāra (79)

Explanation: Subhūti said, "World-Honored One, why is it that after realizing the prajñā of true reality within the mind, the mind becomes free from the four marks and separates from the four marks? Because the mark of self is not a real mark; superficially it seems to exist, but in reality, it is not real. A person who realizes true reality observes the functioning of the true mind, the tathāgatagarbha, observing how the tathāgatagarbha gives rise to the self composed of the five aggregates. Gradually, he observes that his own five aggregates are all instantaneously manifested illusions produced by the tathāgatagarbha.

All activities of the five aggregates are the functional roles of the tathāgatagarbha; the five aggregates themselves have not truly done anything. The dharmas of the five aggregates are illusory and unreal; in essence, they are all the tathāgatagarbha. For example, a magician conjures a body composed of the five aggregates. This body of five aggregates will have certain functional uses, but this body has no reality; its functional uses are also not truly existent—they are all the work of the magician. Another example is a puppet performing on stage. No matter how this puppet acts on the stage, it is not done by itself.

Therefore, all activities of the puppet are illusory, without actual substance; in essence, they are all the work of the backstage manipulator. The activities of my five aggregates are likewise. Therefore, the mark of self composed of the five aggregates is a non-mark—it is not a real mark. Similarly, the mark of person, analogous to the self and constituting the collective human identity, is also like this—there is no real mark of a person composed of the five aggregates. No matter how humans live and act in the world, engaging in various endeavors, there are no real activities performed by the five aggregates; their essence is all the nature of the tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, the mark of person is a non-mark.

Further, similarly, the mark of sentient being, analogous to the mark of person, is also false and unreal. Superficially it seems to exist, but in essence, it is non-existent; its essence is all the tathāgatagarbha nature of sentient beings. The activities of sentient beings' five aggregates are like robots performing work. The robot itself is not autonomous; it lacks independence and still requires human assembly and manipulation. Thus, the robot cannot truly perform any work; it is all done by the designer, manufacturer, and operator. The robot merely presents a false appearance, merely a facade to deceive the eye.

Therefore, a boss would absolutely not pay a salary to a robot, nor reward or punish a robot. Because the boss clearly knows that the robot is not a person; it lacks human wisdom and capability. It is merely a tool utilized by people; the work is not done by it. The five aggregates of sentient beings are exactly like this; all endeavors are not done by the five aggregates. The five aggregates are merely a tool. Therefore, the mark of sentient being is a non-mark—unreal and insubstantial.