The Profound Consciousness-only Meaning of the Diamond Sutra (150)

Original text: 何以故。一切有为法。如梦幻泡影。如露亦如电。应作如是观。佛说是经已。长老须菩提。及诸比丘。比丘尼。优婆塞。优婆夷。一切世间天人阿修罗。闻佛所说。皆大欢喜。信受奉行。

Explanation: Why, when expounding the Diamond Sutra for others, should one not grasp at marks, remaining suchness is immovable (tathatā-acalita)? Because all conditioned dharmas produced through active fabrication are like a dream; like an illusion; like a bubble; like a shadow; like dew; like a flash of lightning in the sky. Every bodhisattva, when facing all conditioned dharmas in the world, should contemplate them in this way, should regard all conditioned dharmas in this manner. After the World-Honored One finished expounding this Diamond Sutra, the principal recipient of the teaching, the Elder Subhūti, together with all the fourfold assembly of disciples—bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās—as well as all the devas and asuras of the entire world, having heard the Dharma spoken by the Buddha, rejoiced greatly, believed, accepted, and put it into practice.

As the Dharma assembly was drawing to a close, the World-Honored One revealed the famous four-line verse to explain the illusory and unreal nature of all conditioned dharmas. Since they are all illusory and unreal, bodhisattvas then have no need to be attached, to grasp, or to be moved and swayed by them. It is like being in a dream: no matter how we grasp at all the people, affairs, objects, and principles within the dream, no matter how we are moved and swayed by them, creating karmic actions, in the end there is ultimately nothing at all—not even the slightest fraction can be grasped. No one has ever obtained anything from a dream, so what benefit is there in toiling the mind in vain!

All conditioned dharmas are conjured forth by the tathāgatagarbha in dependence on conditions. It is like a magician: all the people, affairs, and objects formed by his mental intention suddenly appear in empty space, yet when the magician withdraws his mental intention, all those people, affairs, and objects will ultimately return to emptiness. Why labor to seize them, vainly enslaving the mind—what benefit is there! All conditioned dharmas are bubbles born from the great ocean of the tathāgatagarbha, arising and bursting within the great ocean of the tathāgatagarbha. All the people, affairs, objects, and principles in the threefold world are like bubbles in the seawater, arising and ceasing, ceasing and arising again; their endless arising and ceasing all returns to the great ocean. Why futilely grasp at the bubbles without seeing the great ocean?

All conditioned dharmas are like the moon's reflection falling into thousands upon thousands of rivers and seas—seemingly present yet seemingly absent; they appear to be there, yet cannot be scooped up. Only ordinary beings, just like foolish monkeys, reach out their hands to scoop at them, finding nothing but emptiness; bodhisattvas and the wise, with the eye of wisdom, contemplate these reflections—what is there to be caught? All conditioned dharmas are like morning dew: when the morning sun rises, they vanish in an instant, swiftly arising and swiftly ceasing—what is there to cling to? All conditioned dharmas are also like lightning and thunder in the rain, streaking across the sky in an instant, vanishing without a trace in a moment. No matter how shaken your soul remains, no matter how terrified you are, it has already disappeared, leaving no shadow or trace.

The World-Honored One taught that after enlightenment, bodhisattvas should constantly contemplate in this way; then their own minds will be pure, without grasping or attachment, untainted by a single speck of dust, not clinging to a single dharma. In this way they will accord with the true mind of suchness (tathatā), follow along with suchness, and be able to attain supreme bodhi. With this mind of non-grasping and non-attachment, they expound the Diamond Sutra for sentient beings, delivering all sentient beings to emerge together from the illusory dust, extinguish together the illusory shadows, enter together the great ocean of wisdom of all buddhas, and together perfect the omniscience/wisdom of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā) of all buddhas.

To receive, uphold, and recite the Diamond Sutra in this way, and to expound the dharma of the tathāgatagarbha—among sentient beings of the world, who could compare with such merit and wisdom, who could surpass it! To benefit oneself and benefit others in this way—is it not wonderful! Is it not joyous! Finally, after the World-Honored One finished expounding this sutra, the fourfold assembly of disciples and the great assembly of humans and devas—none did not believe, none did not accept, none did not uphold, none did not practice—this is called believing, accepting, upholding, and practicing the Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra expounded by the Tathāgata.