Explanation of the Diamond Sutra: What Is the Notion of Self?

The "self" perceived by sentient beings is the mistaken identification of the five aggregates and eighteen elements as the self, believing them to be real, when in truth they are not. The five aggregates include the aggregate of form, the aggregate of sensation, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental formations, and the aggregate of consciousness. The aggregate of form is the physical body, starting from the fertilized egg after conception, developing into a fetus, infant, child, adolescent, youth, middle-aged, and elderly body. It is constantly changing, subject to birth and destruction. The phenomena of arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing demonstrate that it is impermanent, false, illusory, suffering, and not the true self.

The aggregate of sensation refers to feelings, primarily the consciousness-mind’s experience of suffering, pleasure, and neutral feelings. There is sensation when the eye sees form, when the ear hears sound, when the nose smells fragrance, when the tongue tastes flavor, when the body feels touch, and when the mind cognizes mental objects. These sensations are ceaselessly arising and perishing. When suffering increases, the mind becomes numb and no longer perceives it as suffering, turning into a neutral feeling. When suffering decreases slightly, the mind feels joy. For example, being beaten thirty times a day, one feels happy if it is reduced to fifteen times. When pleasure increases, it ceases to be pleasurable and becomes neutral. The aggregate of sensation vanishes upon death, in coma, upon entering the state of no-thought concentration, upon entering the state of cessation, and during dreamless sleep. It is impermanent, subject to birth and destruction, suffering, and not the true self.

The aggregate of perception is the mind grasping appearances; it involves distinguishing, planning, intending, thinking, and judging—in short, delusional thinking. Perception occurs under five circumstances: when the eye sees form, distinguishing colors like blue, yellow, red, white, as well as length, shortness, squareness, roundness, coarseness, fineness, and engaging in analysis, thinking, and judgment; when the ear hears sound, distinguishing pitch, volume, distance, male voices, female voices, animal sounds, cosmic sounds, valley and river sounds, etc., while also analyzing, reasoning, judging, and planning; when the nose smells fragrance, distinguishing types, intensity, direction, and distance of scents, while analyzing, thinking, judging, planning, and intending; when the tongue tastes flavor, distinguishing sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, etc.; when the body feels touch; and especially when the mind cognizes mental objects. This aggregate of perception ceases upon death, in coma, upon entering the state of no-thought concentration, upon entering the state of cessation, and during dreamless sleep. It is subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, illusory, unreal, suffering, and since it is suffering, it is not the self.

The aggregate of mental formations refers to the flow of time, changes in space, shifts in location, and includes bodily, verbal, and mental actions. Any moving, non-stationary activity belongs to this aggregate: breathing, heartbeat, pulse, blood flow, movement of limbs, coming and going, stopping, speech, thought activities, and all volitional actions. Seeing form with the eye is a mental formation; hearing sound with the ear is a mental formation; smelling fragrance with the nose, feeling touch with the body, and cognizing mental objects with the mind are all part of this aggregate. It ceases upon entering nirvana and at the moment of death. It is also ceaselessly arising and perishing moment by moment, impermanent, illusory, suffering, unreal, and thus not the self.

The aggregate of consciousness includes the six consciousnesses: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness. It primarily functions to distinguish and cognize. Eye-consciousness cognizes the appearance of form-objects, the coarse aspects, while mind-consciousness simultaneously cognizes the subtle aspects. Ear-consciousness cognizes sound-objects, distinguishing the general, coarse parts, while mind-consciousness simultaneously performs finer distinctions. Nose-consciousness smells scents, cognizing coarse aspects, while mind-consciousness cognizes subtle aspects. Tongue-consciousness tastes flavors, cognizing coarse aspects, while mind-consciousness cognizes subtle aspects. Body-consciousness feels touch, cognizing coarse aspects, while mind-consciousness cognizes subtle aspects. The aggregate of consciousness ceases during dreamless sleep, in coma, upon entering the state of no-thought concentration, upon entering the state of cessation, and at the moment of death. It is subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, illusory, suffering, unreal, and thus not the self. In summary, the five aggregates are subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, suffering, and without self.

The eighteen elements include the six faculties, six objects, and six consciousnesses. The six faculties are the eye-faculty, ear-faculty, nose-faculty, tongue-faculty, body-faculty, and mental faculty. The eye-faculty is divided into the physical eye (floating-dust faculty) and the essential eye (supreme-meaning faculty). Composed of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind), the part outside the body resembling a grape is called the physical eye, also known as the external eye-faculty. Connected by the optic nerve in the back of the head, the visual cortex of the brain, which governs vision, is the essential eye, the basis for eye-consciousness, where eye-consciousness arises. If the essential eye is damaged, even if the physical eye is intact, one cannot see forms, termed "open-eyed blindness." The eye-faculty is created by the tathāgatagarbha absorbing the four great elements (nutrients) from the mother’s body during the fertilized egg stage. It is subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, illusory, suffering, and thus without self.

The ear-faculty is divided into the physical ear and the essential ear. The part visible externally on the body, resembling a newly curled leaf, is called the physical ear. Connected by the auditory nerve to the auditory cortex in the back of the brain, it is called the essential ear, the basis for ear-consciousness, where ear-consciousness arises. The ear-faculty is created by the tathāgatagarbha absorbing nutrients from the mother’s body during the embryonic stage. It is subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, illusory, suffering, and without self.

The nose-faculty is divided into the physical nose and the essential nose. The physical nose is on the body’s surface, resembling two olfactory bulbs or a hanging gall, serving as the receptor for scents. After scent is received, it is transmitted via the olfactory nerve to the brain cortex, where nose-consciousness arises to distinguish fragrances and odors. The brain cortex in the back of the head is the essential nose, governing the sense of smell, the basis for nose-consciousness. The nose-faculty is also created by the tathāgatagarbha during the fertilized egg stage. It is subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, illusory, suffering, and not the self.

The tongue-faculty is composed of the four great elements (earth, water, wind, fire) and is transformed by the tathāgatagarbha during the fertilized egg stage. It is divided into the physical tongue and the essential tongue. Externally visible when the mouth is open, the crescent-shaped part is the physical tongue, the taste receptor. Taste sensations are transmitted via the taste nerve to the brain cortex, where the tathāgatagarbha produces tongue-consciousness to distinguish various taste-objects. The brain cortex in the back of the head is the essential tongue. The tongue-faculty is subject to birth and destruction, illusory, impermanent, suffering, and thus without self.

The body-faculty is created by the four primary elements (earth, water, fire, wind), an accumulation of thirty-six substances. The twelve external aspects are: hair, body hair, nails, teeth, eye discharge, tears, saliva, spittle, feces, urine, dirt, and sweat. The twelve bodily containers are: skin, flesh, blood, muscles, tendons, veins, bones, marrow, fat, grease, brain, and membrane. The twelve internal organs are: liver, gallbladder, intestines, stomach, spleen, kidneys, heart, lungs, raw viscera, cooked viscera, red phlegm, and white phlegm. All parts, from the skin and muscles to the internal organs, have sensation transmitted via nerves to the spinal cord and then to the brain cortex, where body-consciousness arises to perceive touch. The brain cortex is the essential faculty, located in the back of the head. If this part is damaged, the entire body becomes paralyzed, turning into a vegetative state. The physical faculty resembles a barrel of flesh, visible to the human eye and called the physical body-faculty. The body-faculty is subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, illusory, suffering, and thus without self.

The mental faculty is a spiritual entity, the mind, not material, existing since beginningless time and ceasing when an Arhat enters nirvana. It is always associated with afflictions; all thoughts pertain to "I" and "mine." It possesses the constant function of examination, deliberation, and discernment, perpetually grasping the first six consciousnesses as the external self and the eighth consciousness as the internal self. It is the defiled manas-consciousness. Moment by moment, it deliberates, dominates, decides, and has strong attachments. Relying on the six consciousnesses to distinguish specific sense objects, it is the root cause of delusion and karma creation. Only through cultivation can its defiled nature be transformed into purity, completely severing attachment to the self, thereby attaining liberation. It is also subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, empty, suffering, and not the self.

Next are the six objects: form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects. Form-objects are divided into external and internal form-objects. External form-objects are composed of the combination of the four great element seeds (earth, water, fire, wind), including the universe, the vessel-world, Mount Sumeru, heavenly palaces, the seven golden mountains, the four great oceans, the four great continents, etc. They are collectively created by the tathāgatagarbha of sentient beings with shared karma, serving as the living environment for sentient beings. Only with this environment can karmically destined sentient beings be reborn within it to undergo retribution. When conditions cease, the universe and vessel-world gradually disintegrate, and sentient beings are reborn into other karmically destined vessel-worlds. Thus, external form-objects are subject to birth, destruction, and change, impermanent, illusory, empty, and without self.

Internal form-objects are created when the tathāgatagarbha of sentient beings, through contact between the eye-faculty and external form-objects, generates identical shadow signals. These are transmitted via the retina and optic nerve to the brain cortex, forming a false form identical to the external form, known as the internal form-object. It is also a shadow, not real matter. Real form cannot contact the eye-faculty nor be transmitted via the optic nerve to the back of the head. Moreover, if the eye-faculty could contact physical form, it would be damaged. For example, if the eye-faculty contacts a knife tip, the eye would be pierced; if it contacts fire, the eye would be burned; if it contacts sand, the sand would irritate the eye. Thus, the internal eye-faculty does not contact the physical form to see; what it contacts are the four great element particles emitted by the form, which are shadows.

This principle is similar to that of a camera: external form passes through the camera, becoming an inverted image within the machine, which the naked eye then sees as an upright image, creating the illusion of seeing real form-objects. In reality, it is a shadow or photograph, just like the form-objects seen on television. Sentient beings, since beginningless time, have never seen the true external form-objects. Therefore, the internal form-objects seen by sentient beings are illusory, empty, suffering, and without self.

Sound-objects are divided into external and internal sound-objects. External sound-objects, such as those emitted by the universe, valleys, rivers, and various substances, are collectively manifested by the tathāgatagarbha of sentient beings with shared karma based on causes, conditions, and karmic conditions. Sound-objects emitted by sentient beings themselves are manifested by their individual tathāgatagarbha. They are also composed of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind), material, subject to birth and destruction, illusory, impermanent, empty, suffering, and without self. Internal sound-objects are generated when the tathāgatagarbha, through contact between the ear-faculty and external sound-objects, manifests an identical shadow. This is transmitted via the auditory nerve to the brain cortex (essential faculty). When the faculty and object contact, the tathāgatagarbha produces ear-consciousness to distinguish sounds. In reality, this sound is manifested by one’s own tathāgatagarbha—false, illusory, subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, suffering, and without self. This principle resembles a tape recorder: the sounds heard from a recorder are merely resemblances to the real sounds outside; they are actually just images.

Smell-objects are divided into external and internal smell-objects. External smell-objects are composed of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind), collectively manifested by the tathāgatagarbha of sentient beings with shared karma based on karma and conditions. The smell-objects of a sentient being’s own body are individually manifested by their own tathāgatagarbha. Internal smell-objects are generated when the tathāgatagarbha, through contact between the nose-faculty and external smell-objects, manifests a similar shadow. This is transmitted via the olfactory nerve to the cortex at the back of the head, contacting the essential nose-faculty. The tathāgatagarbha then produces nose-consciousness to distinguish, but it is merely distinguishing a false image. Both internal and external smell-objects are subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, empty, suffering, and not the self. Sentient beings, unaware, cling to them persistently.

Taste-objects are divided into external and internal taste-objects. External taste-objects are material, composed of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind), collectively manifested by the tathāgatagarbha of sentient beings with shared karma based on karma and conditions. They are subject to birth, destruction, and change, impermanent, illusory, suffering, and thus without self. Internal taste-objects are generated when the tathāgatagarbha, through the tongue-faculty, contacts external taste-objects and manifests a similar shadow. This is transmitted via the taste nerve to the brain cortex, contacting the essential tongue-faculty. The tathāgatagarbha then produces tongue-consciousness, enabling the function of distinction, but what is distinguished is merely an illusory false appearance. Internal taste-objects are illusory, impermanent, suffering, and without self.

Touch-objects are divided into internal and external touch-objects. External touch-objects are composed of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind), collectively manifested by the tathāgatagarbha of sentient beings with shared karma based on karma and conditions. They are subject to arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing, impermanent, illusory, suffering, and thus without self. Internal touch-objects are generated when the tathāgatagarbha, through the body, contacts external touch-objects and manifests a similar shadow. This is transmitted via nerves to the back of the head, contacting the essential body-faculty. The tathāgatagarbha then produces body-consciousness for distinction. Internal touch-objects are subject to birth and destruction, illusory, impermanent, suffering, and without self. Sentient beings, ignorant, mistakenly perceive them as real and cling persistently.

Mental objects are also divided into external and internal mental objects. External mental objects are composed of the subtlest particles of the four great elements, manifesting as form-colors, indicative colors, non-indicative colors, and other form-included mental objects, collectively manifested by the tathāgatagarbha of sentient beings with shared karma. External mental objects are then transmitted along with the five objects to the essential faculty, where the tathāgatagarbha transforms them into internal mental objects that contact the mental faculty. The tathāgatagarbha then produces the five-concomitant mind-consciousness to distinguish the internal mental objects. Therefore, both internal and external mental objects are illusory, subject to birth and destruction, impermanent, suffering, and without self.

The six consciousnesses constitute the aggregate of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness. All are born from the tathāgatagarbha when the six faculties contact the internal six objects. If the mental faculty is uninterested in the six objects, the tathāgatagarbha does not produce the six consciousnesses, resulting in phenomena like seeing without perceiving or hearing without registering—states of no-mind. Upon entering the state of no-thought concentration or the state of cessation, the mind-consciousness also does not arise, and sentient beings become completely unaware, without any discrimination.

In summary, all the five aggregates and eighteen elements of sentient beings are subject to birth, destruction, and illusion. The five-aggregate body is like a puppet in a shadow play, an electric doll, a character in an animated film, like images of cats or dogs formed by clouds in the sky, or like characters on television—utterly unreal. Sentient beings, ignorant and deluded, cling to it, falsely creating bodily, verbal, and mental karma, unable to escape the six paths of rebirth. To transcend the suffering sea of rebirth, one should constantly contemplate and reflect, as described above, on the illusory nature of the five aggregates and eighteen elements. This can lead to realization of the Hinayana fruits or even awakening to the Mahayana path, attaining the true tathāgatagarbha.

From the characteristic of self, it can be seen that the characteristics of person and sentient beings are also impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self—all are illusory.