Chapter Twenty-Two: The Division on the Non-Spoken and the Spoken

Original Text: Subhuti, do not say that the Tathagata has this thought: 'I shall expound the Dharma.' Do not have such a thought. Why? If someone says the Tathagata has expounded the Dharma, it is slandering the Buddha, because he does not understand what I have said. Subhuti, the expounder of Dharma has no Dharma to expound; this is called expounding the Dharma.

Explanation: Subhuti, do not say that the Tathagata has this notion: 'The Tathagata will expound the Dharma to benefit sentient beings.' The Tathagata has no notion or thought of expounding the Dharma to sentient beings. Subhuti, you must not think this way; do not harbor such a thought. Why are you told not to hold this view or think the Tathagata intends to expound the Dharma? Because if someone says the Tathagata has Dharma to expound or that the Tathagata has already expounded the Dharma, it is slandering the Buddha. Such a person has not truly understood the Dharma teachings I have spoken. Subhuti, the expounder of Dharma has no Dharma to expound; it is provisionally named 'expounding the Dharma.'

Since the Tathagata is of great compassion, why did the World-Honored One not permit Subhuti to think that the Tathagata has the notion of expounding the Dharma to liberate sentient beings? Why does the Tathagata have no notion of expounding the Dharma to liberate sentient beings? The Tathagata is divided into three bodies. Therefore, we must explain the three bodies of the Tathagata separately. By correctly understanding the virtues and functions of each of the three bodies, we will know why the Tathagata has no notion of expounding the Dharma to liberate sentient beings. The three bodies of the Tathagata are: the Dharma-body Tathagata, the Reward-body Tathagata, and the Response-body and Transformation-body Tathagata. Among them, the Dharma-body Tathagata is the true suchness mind-essence and the stainless consciousness as the principle-body. It is formless, without the five-aggregate body form, without the thirty-two marks, yet it contains all dharmas. The Reward-body Tathagata and the Response-Transformation-body Tathagata, however, both possess the five-aggregate body form and the thirty-two marks. These body forms all arise from transformations of the Dharma-body Tathagata.

Thus, for the Tathagata to expound the Dharma, He must utilize the five-aggregate body to do so. Without the five-aggregate body, He cannot expound the Dharma. With the five-aggregate body and the seven consciousnesses, there can be the thought to expound Dharma; without the five-aggregate body and the seven consciousnesses, there is no thought to expound Dharma. Since the Dharma-body Tathagata has no five-aggregate body, it cannot expound the Dharma, lacking the means to do so. If someone says the Dharma-body Tathagata also expounded the Dharma and even spoke the Tripitaka and twelve divisions of scriptures, it is slandering the Buddha. Because the true suchness mind-essence has no mouth, no tongue, and does not correspond to the dharmadhatu (object of mind), how could it expound the Dharma? Since true suchness cannot expound the Dharma, yet one claims the Tathagata expounded the Dharma, it is a misinterpretation of the nature of true suchness, slandering the World-Honored One. Such a person has not correctly understood the nature of true suchness as spoken by the World-Honored One and does not comprehend the meaning of the Buddha's teachings.

Among the three bodies of the Tathagata, the Dharma-body Tathagata does not expound the Dharma, lacking the five-aggregate means. Only the Reward-body Tathagata continuously expounds the Dharma daily, liberating bodhisattvas on the grounds (bhumis). The Response-Transformation-body Tathagata constantly expounds the Dharma throughout the ten directions, liberating foolish ordinary beings and great bodhisattvas. Although the Reward-body Buddha and Response-Transformation-body Buddha can constantly expound the Dharma, they also have no Dharma to expound. Though they expound the Tripitaka and twelve divisions of scriptures, and Dharma teachings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, the Dharma they expound is not truly existent. It is a provisionally existent Dharma born due to various conditions, vanishing when conditions cease, arising when conditions arise—illusory arising and cessation, provisionally named 'Dharma.'

Moreover, the five aggregates of the expounder of Dharma are also illusory, arising and ceasing—existing when conditions gather, ceasing when conditions disperse. They are not true dharmas. Therefore, the act of expounding Dharma using the five-aggregate body is illusory and unreal, provisionally named 'expounding Dharma'—merely assigning a provisional name to this phenomenon. Since there is no Dharma to expound, the Tathagata also has no thought of expounding Dharma, nor sentient beings to liberate; thus, the Tathagata has no thought of liberating sentient beings. Furthermore, the Tathagata constantly abides in the Land of Eternal Quiescent Light. His mind is constantly quiescent and extinguished, without thought or conception. He does not think of the dharmas of the three realms, nor is there any dharma to think of or conceive. The activities of expounding Dharma and liberating sentient beings—He neither thinks of them nor conceives them. As for other miscellaneous thoughts, they certainly do not arise. Yet, He unimpededly cooperates with the Reward-body Buddha and Response-Transformation-body Buddha in expounding the Dharma and liberating sentient beings, benefiting and gladdening sentient beings. Although cooperating, His inner mind remains without thought or conception, quiescent and non-active.

Original Text: At that time, the Venerable Subhuti, possessed of wisdom and life, said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, will there be sentient beings in the future who, hearing this Dharma, will give rise to faith?"

Explanation: At this time, the Venerable Subhuti, a bhikshu elder of great virtue and wisdom, said to the World-Honored One: "World-Honored One, in the future Dharma-ending age, will there be many sentient beings who, upon hearing such profound Buddha-Dharma, will be able to give rise to faith?"

Subhuti asked this question with concern because such Buddha-Dharma is so profoundly difficult to understand, demolishing all dharmic characteristics, making it hard for sentient beings to accept. Sentient beings, since beginningless kalpas, have been habituated to clinging to characteristics, constantly dwelling in existence, finding it difficult to extricate themselves from the mire of characteristics and empty their own minds. Sentient beings with insufficient roots of goodness and merit, attached to worldly characteristics and names, upon hearing such profound Mahayana teachings on true reality, will not give rise to faith. Some may become alarmed, uneasy, doubtful, and unbelieving. Only those who have cultivated and accumulated profound roots of goodness and merit over many lives will be able to joyfully accept and believe.

Original Text: The Buddha said: "Subhuti, they are not sentient beings, nor are they non-sentient beings. Why? Subhuti, 'sentient beings, sentient beings,' the Tathagata says, are not sentient beings; they are merely called sentient beings."

Explanation: The World-Honored One said: "Subhuti, those sentient beings, on the surface, appear to be sentient beings, but in reality, they are not sentient beings; yet they cannot be said not to be sentient beings. Why is this so? Subhuti, what are called 'sentient beings, sentient beings,' the Tathagata says they are not real; they are not truly existing sentient beings. They are provisionally named 'sentient beings'—merely names."

Here, the World-Honored One once again demolishes the notion of sentient beings. The notion of sentient beings is an illusory characteristic, not a true dharma characteristic, not truly existent. Relying on the true reality mind, the Tathagatagarbha, and relying on karmic conditions, the illusory five-aggregate body manifests. The illusory phenomenon of the five aggregates and eighteen realms combined together is assigned a provisional name, called 'sentient beings.' It has no substantial self-nature; it is merely an illusory phenomenon that deceives the eyes. Therefore, those five-aggregate bodies are not sentient beings, yet they cannot be said not to be sentient beings. We assign this illusory phenomenon the name 'sentient beings'—the name is already established. All characteristics are merely names, and each has its own name without confusion. The illusory characteristic of the five aggregates is represented by the name 'sentient beings'; saying 'sentient beings' refers to this phenomenon of the five-aggregate body. Therefore, the Buddha said: "They are not sentient beings, nor are they non-sentient beings; they are called sentient beings." All phenomenal worldly dharmas are merely names. Hence, this division is called "The Division on the Non-Spoken and the Spoken." The Tathagata did not expound the Dharma; the Dharma spoken is also not truly spoken—it is all illusory, without real meaning.