Chapter Twenty-Six: Division on Transforming Without Anything to Transform

Original Text: Subhuti, what do you think? Do not say that the Tathagata has this thought: ‘I shall liberate sentient beings.’ Subhuti, do not entertain such a thought. Why? Truly, there are no sentient beings for the Tathagata to liberate. If there were sentient beings for the Tathagata to liberate, the Tathagata would then hold the notions of self, person, sentient being, and lifespan.

Explanation: The World-Honored One said to Subhuti: Subhuti, regarding the Tathagata liberating sentient beings, what do you think? Do you suppose the Tathagata constantly thinks, ‘I must liberate sentient beings’? You should not hold such a view, thinking the Tathagata has thoughts of liberating sentient beings. Subhuti, do not think this way; do not say the Tathagata is constantly thinking of liberating sentient beings. Why should you not think this? Because in ultimate truth, there truly are no sentient beings for the Tathagata to liberate. If the Tathagata truly believed there were sentient beings to liberate, the Tathagata would then harbor within his mind the notions of self, person, sentient being, and lifespan. With these notions, the Tathagata would not truly be the Tathagata.

The Dharmakaya Tathagata is without form, without thought, and without anything to contemplate. It never thinks of sentient beings, nor does it liberate sentient beings. It does not know what is called a sentient being, nor does it give rise to thoughts in the mind. Therefore, the Dharmakaya Buddha does not think of sentient beings, nor does it liberate sentient beings. Why? Because the Dharmakaya Buddha lacks faculties: it has no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind. Without eyes, it does not see the forms of sentient beings; without ears, it does not hear the sounds of sentient beings; without a body, it does not face sentient beings; without a mouth, it cannot preach the Dharma to sentient beings; without mind, it does not contemplate sentient beings. Therefore, regarding the matter of liberating sentient beings, the Dharmakaya Buddha is incapable.

However, when the Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya Buddhas liberate sentient beings, they truly require the assistance of the Dharmakaya Buddha. The Dharmakaya Buddha must manifest the Buddha lands, manifest the locations and environments, manifest the forms of sentient beings, manifest the Buddha Dharma, and prepare all the faculties and provisions necessary for liberating sentient beings. All dharmas must be provided by the Dharmakaya Buddha; only then can the Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya, and Transformation Buddhas liberate sentient beings. If even one thing is lacking, they cannot liberate sentient beings. From this, it is evident that the work of liberating sentient beings is a dharma born of causes and conditions, requiring the cooperation of both the true Buddha and the provisional Buddhas to accomplish; it is not a simple matter.

Since the Nirmanakaya Buddha liberates sentient beings, and the Dharmakaya Buddha must first manifest the forms of sentient beings for them to be liberated, are these sentient beings real? Of course not. The World-Honored One said: “Truly, there are no sentient beings for the Tathagata to liberate.” This statement has profound meaning. “Truly, there are no sentient beings” means there are indeed no sentient beings, because the sentient beings the Buddha liberates are manifested by the Dharmakaya Buddha. The Dharmakaya must first manifest them, and only then can the Nirmanakaya Buddha liberate them.

So, does the Dharmakaya Buddha manifest sentient beings before the Nirmanakaya or within the mind of the Nirmanakaya? It is certainly manifested within the mind of the Nirmanakaya Buddha. Sentient beings are sentient beings within the Buddha’s mind, and the Buddha is the Buddha within the minds of sentient beings. There are no dharmas outside the mind. Because there are no dharmas outside the mind, what is before one is within the mind, and what is within the mind is before one; all are illusory, false appearances arising dependent on conditions, which disperse and cease when the conditions cease. Moreover, the original five-aggregate body of sentient beings themselves is also manifested by their own Tathagatagarbha, dependent on various karmic conditions; it is also not real and will disperse when the conditions cease.

Therefore, in the Tathagata’s mind, there are no sentient beings to liberate. Although the Tathagata has liberated immeasurable, countless illusory sentient beings, there truly are no real sentient beings to liberate. The sentient beings in the mind are all mere images; thus, the Tathagata has not liberated a single sentient being. If the Tathagata had the thought, “I must liberate sentient beings,” then the Tathagata would regard sentient beings as real, taking the illusory five aggregates of sentient beings as real. Then the Tathagata could not be called the true Tathagata, nor a true Bodhisattva; it would merely be the view of an ordinary being.

The true Tathagata has no notion of self in the mind; it does not act as a sovereign over any dharmas, nor does it have the form of the five-aggregate body, nor the mind-consciousness that perceives the six dusts. Thus, there is no human form, no sentient being form, and likewise no notion of lifespan, because the Tathagata is without beginning or end, never ceasing, never terminating; its lifespan is infinitely long. Therefore, the Tathagata is without the four notions. In the minds of the Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya Buddhas, there are also no four notions. Their minds are utterly devoid of any dharma appearances, perfectly empty and pure, having relinquished all dharmas, thereby achieving complete and perfect Buddhahood.

Original Text: Subhuti, when the Tathagata speaks of ‘me,’ it is not really a ‘me,’ yet ordinary people take it to be a ‘me.’ Subhuti, as for ordinary people, the Tathagata says they are not ordinary people.

Explanation: Subhuti, when the Tathagata speaks of “me,” it is not that there truly is a “me,” yet ordinary beings all think there is a “me,” believing the activities of this “me’s” five aggregates to be so real. Subhuti, so-called ordinary sentient beings, the Tathagata says, are not real ordinary sentient beings; they are merely provisionally named ordinary beings.

Whenever Buddhas preach the Dharma to sentient beings, they sometimes say “I” in narrating events. In truth, this is the expedient means of the Buddhas. If they did not use the word “I,” sentient beings would not understand what the World-Honored One was saying, nor could they correctly comprehend the content of his teaching. Therefore, when Buddhas say “I,” it is for the sake of convenient communication and teaching, enabling sentient beings to understand the content well. Although Buddhas say “I” with their mouths, their minds are completely without self; they never regard their five aggregates as “me,” nor do they cling to their immaculate consciousness or Buddha-nature. Thus, all Buddhas and Tathagatas are utterly without self.

Ordinary sentient beings all believe in their minds that there is a “me,” considering this “me” to be real. They generally believe that the physical body is real: the body’s five sense organs, bones, muscles, skin, internal organs, and all its components have real functions and uses—this is “me” or “mine.” Consequently, they give rise to attachment and clinging, not allowing others to violate them. Ordinary sentient beings believe that the functions of the six consciousnesses arising from the body—seeing forms, hearing sounds, smelling scents, tasting flavors, feeling tactile sensations, and knowing dharmas—are real, are “me” or “mine.” Thus, they give rise to attachment and clinging, refusing to neglect them.

Ordinary beings believe that the various sensations arising from the six consciousnesses in the body are real, are “me” or “mine.” Therefore, they firmly grasp and pursue various sensory stimulations. Once encountering adverse conditions, their minds become filled with suffering and hatred. Ordinary beings believe that the various cognitive functions arising in the body—the functions of knowing, thinking, analyzing, judging, and reasoning—are “me” or “mine.” Consequently, they also give rise to attachment and clinging, never willing to rest their thoughts, constantly wanting to perceive all dharmas.

Ordinary beings believe that the various tactile sensations arising in the body are real, are “me” or “mine.” Thus, they cling to various tactile objects, emphasizing living comfortably and freely, pursuing enjoyment, sparing no cost. Ordinary beings believe that the various actions and deeds arising in the body are real, are “me” or “mine.” Therefore, they constantly rush about and toil, building all kinds of endeavors, ceaselessly creating bodily, verbal, and mental actions, refusing to rest.

Since time without beginning, ordinary sentient beings have been thus mistaken, thus constantly clinging, laboring tirelessly through the six paths. Truly pitiable! The Tathagata, pitying the foolishness and suffering of sentient beings, appears in the world to proclaim to them that all dharmas of the five aggregates are not the self, nor do they belong to the self; the five aggregates arise dependent on conditions, subject to birth, death, and change—though functional, they are illusory and unreal. It is like sand and earth combined with water to make clay; the clay is molded into a five-aggregate body. When a spell acts upon the clay body, the clay figure then performs various actions. Foolish ordinary beings, unaware of this principle, cling to the false appearance of the clay figure, not knowing the clay figure is not a person. The wise, knowing this, do not grasp the false appearance of the clay figure but only recognize the clay and its use.

The World-Honored One further said that ordinary beings who cling to the five aggregates as the self are also not real ordinary beings; they are illusory five-aggregate appearances, empty in essence. They are merely provisionally named “ordinary beings” for the sake of verbal communication; their essence is also their Tathagatagarbha. Using gold to make vessels, every vessel is gold; using clay to mold people, every person is clay. The Tathagatagarbha manifests all dharmas; all dharmas are the Tathagatagarbha, called the One True Dharma Realm, with nothing else beside. If a person sees all dharmas as real, it is called diseased vision; if a person sees all as Suchness, it is called the Eye of Wisdom, the Dharma Eye, and the Buddha Eye—all are eyes of great wisdom.

Ordinary sentient beings regard the five aggregates as the self, as belonging to the self. Who is this “self”? This “self” refers to the seventh consciousness, the manas. The seventh consciousness regards everything as the self and belonging to the self, insatiably greedy. In reality, the seventh consciousness is mistaken; it does not know that none of these are itself, none are its own functions. The primary functions are those of the eighth consciousness, which also include the functions of the six consciousnesses; and the functions of the six consciousnesses are essentially the functions of the eighth consciousness. After realizing the mind and attaining enlightenment, the seventh consciousness, manas, will awaken, knowing that none of these are actually “me.” Upon reaching the Bodhisattva grounds, it will begin to let go of some dharmas, no longer clinging to or grasping the five-aggregate world.