The Diamond Sutra Explained: Why Can't Tathagata Be Perceived Through Physical Form?

Tathagata is the virtue of nature, the true suchness, the dharmakaya, without physical form, thus cannot be perceived through bodily characteristics. Whether it be the bodily form of sentient beings or that of the Tathagata, none are real, neither arising nor ceasing, eternally unchanging; they are provisionally named as bodily forms. Therefore, the form body neither represents sentient beings nor the Tathagata. If one takes bodily form as sentient beings, takes bodily form as the Tathagata, then when the bodily form perishes, sentient beings vanish, and the Tathagata also disappears. Yet the Tathagata is eternally unchanging, never disappearing.

The Tathagata is also the virtue of nature of the Buddha, the true suchness mind essence of eternal bliss, true self, and purity. It is formless, without characteristics of a physical body; thus, taking bodily form as the Tathagata prevents one from seeing the Tathagata. To see the Tathagata, one must perceive the virtue of nature through the bodily form, see the formless true essence. The formless is true, the formed is false; the false appearance is provisionally named as bodily form. How then does this bodily form appear? It is the reward body of the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks attained through the Buddha's practice over three asamkhyeya kalpas, accumulated through wisdom merit and virtuous deeds. It is the manifested body from the Tathagata's undefiled consciousness of true suchness, a body arising from nothingness, subject to birth and cessation, hence illusory and unreal.

How then can one see the Tathagata, the true Buddha? The Buddha provided a four-line verse as the answer: "All phenomena are illusory; if one sees all phenomena as not-phenomena, then one sees the Tathagata." The answer is the result; the process of obtaining it involves meditation and investigation. The prerequisite is the complete perfection of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, the fulfillment of the six paramitas of a bodhisattva, and even more so, the complete perfection of the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment of the Hinayana, for if the Hinayana cannot realize it, the Mahayana certainly cannot.

"All phenomena" refers to every form: the self-phenomenon, the phenomenon of others, the phenomenon of sentient beings, the phenomenon of life span, the five aggregates phenomenon, phenomena of events, phenomena of objects, phenomena of the mind, phenomena of dharmas—without exception, all are not-phenomena, all are illusory, produced and transformed by the vajra mind. If one wishes to see the Tathagata, to see the vajra prajna true reality mind, one must engage in meditation, investigating the essence of these phenomena in all forms: what is the substance of these phenomena, why do all these phenomena exist, and why do they arise and cease. When the investigation is thoroughly penetrated, and the vajra prajna mind is realized, one knows that these phenomena are all empty of inherent nature, none are the phenomena of the fundamental essence; all are the functional activities of the vajra mind.

Just as wind blows and trees sway—the tree itself cannot sway; the swaying phenomenon is not the tree's own phenomenon but the effect of the wind's force. Thus, when the phenomenon of wind blowing manifests, the wind is realized, and the phenomenon of tree swaying is dispelled. Similarly, in all phenomena, one can realize the formless vajra mind and the wondrous true suchness nature, thereby dispelling all phenomena, realizing that all phenomena are not-phenomena. This is the profound meaning of what the Buddha said: "If one sees all phenomena as not-phenomena, one sees the Tathagata." If one sees all phenomena as all phenomena, that is the ordinary eye of a common person; if one sees all phenomena as not all phenomena, yet provisionally named as all phenomena, that is the sage bodhisattva. Although all phenomena are provisionally named as all phenomena, the false appearances still exist, the illusory functions still exist; they cannot be entirely obliterated. Therefore, all phenomena are not-phenomena, not non-phenomena, beyond the four propositions, transcending all negations.

Original text: All phenomena are illusory; if one sees all phenomena as not-phenomena, then one sees the Tathagata.

Explanation: All phenomena in the world are illusory; if one perceives within all phenomena a formless dharma, one sees the self-nature Tathagata. (This is explained from the perspective of prajna. From the perspective of consciousness-only, if one sees all phenomena as not being phenomena at all, as having no form, then one sees the self-nature Tathagata.)

All phenomena include the forms seen by the eye: the universe, space, mountains, rivers, earth, flowers, grass, trees, birds, beasts, people, etc.; sounds heard by the ear: sounds of humans, animals, the universe, rivers, all things, etc.; various scents smelled by the nose: fragrant, foul, sour, rotten smells; tastes experienced by the tongue: sweet, sour, bitter, spicy; tactile sensations felt by the body: hunger, thirst, cold, heat, softness, hardness, numbness, fatigue, lightness, ease, vexation, fullness, pain, etc.; and all mental phenomena discriminated by the mind, such as good, evil, right, wrong, etc. These six dust phenomena appear real to sentient beings, with real functions. However, from the perspective of ultimate truth, these phenomena are all illusory, all born from and manifested by the Tathagatagarbha.

Within the Tathagatagarbha are the seeds of the four elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. These four seeds combine according to specific proportional structures, transforming into the universe, the world system, Mount Sumeru, heavenly palaces, the four continents, the four great oceans, minerals, plants, etc. The physical bodies of sentient beings are also transformed and born from the Tathagatagarbha. Due to the mental faculty (manas) carrying afflictions, habitual tendencies, and attachments from beginningless time, refusing to extinguish itself, always desiring a physical body to use, after death, there is the intermediate state (antarabhavā). Seeing the union of future parents, it rushes over and participates. If destined to be male, it develops attachment to the future mother; if destined to be female, it develops attachment to the future father. At the last moment of the parents' union, a joyful mind arises, and the mental faculty along with the Tathagatagarbha are drawn into the father's sperm and mother's blood, forming a fertilized egg, entering the mother's womb. The Tathagatagarbha absorbs nutrients from the mother's body, continuously transforming the fertilized egg, changing every seven days, developing the head, limbs, five sense organs, internal organs. After four or five months, consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, and body consciousness arise. When body and mind are mature, the Tathagatagarbha blows the karma wind, and the fetus turns head down to exit the mother's body, becoming an infant. Through drinking milk and eating food, the Tathagatagarbha absorbs nutrients from the diet to transform the physical body. Thus, the physical body is manifested by the Tathagatagarbha.

When sentient beings see forms with their eyes, they believe they truly see the forms, yet in reality, they never perceive the external forms directly. What the eye faculty contacts is merely a false appearance, a shadow. If the external form truly touched the eye faculty, the external form would become invisible. If the eye could truly contact form, seeing a sharp knife—if the knife tip contacted the eye, it would certainly pierce the eyeball; seeing fire—if fire contacted the eye, it would burn the eyeball; seeing sand—if sand contacted the eye, it would certainly irritate the eye. The eye faculty and form cannot actually make contact; form must be at a certain distance from the eye faculty to transmit the subtle particles of the four elements of the form dust. The Tathagatagarbha, through contact between the eye faculty and the external form, transforms the external form into an identical shadow, enabling perception. If the form touches the eye faculty directly, without spatial distance, the form cannot be seen. The nose faculty, tongue faculty, and body faculty can directly contact external scents, tastes, and tactile objects without requiring a specific distance or space; the three corresponding consciousnesses can then arise to distinguish scents, tastes, and touches.

The shadow seen by the eye consciousness differs from the material external form; it is not the actual object. Only thus can it pass through the retina and optic nerves to the supreme sense bases in the back of the brain responsible for vision. There, the Tathagatagarbha manifests the eye consciousness, which then distinguishes the form dust. This form appears identical to the external form but is actually a similar shadow; sentient beings mistake it for real. Similarly, the ear faculty, nose faculty, and tongue faculty also cannot directly contact external sounds, scents, or tastes; the Tathagatagarbha contacts them and then manifests them. Whatever is produced is illusory and transformed; this is the principle that all dharmas are created by the mind. In summary, all phenomena are illusory. If one can find, within the various phenomena of the five aggregates and eighteen realms, the Tathagatagarbha—which is without form, not a phenomenon—then one sees the Tathagata, realizing the mind, attaining enlightenment, and perceiving true reality.

Since all phenomena are born from and manifested by the Tathagatagarbha, the functioning of all phenomena cannot be separated from the Tathagatagarbha. When seeing phenomena, a wise person can discover the true reality accompanying the phenomena. Who discovers the true reality, the vajra mind? It is the deluded mind; enlightenment is the deluded mind realizing the true mind. Within the various illusory phenomena operating in the five aggregates and eighteen realms, one can realize the vajra mind. For instance, in raising a hand, taking a step, welcoming, seeing off, reciting Buddha's name, prostrating to the Buddha, hitting people, scolding people—the vajra mind operates alongside all these. The Sixth Patriarch said: "If one sees the nature, one sees it even on the battlefield wielding a sword." This is the principle.

The Vimalakirti Sutra states: "When a bodhisattva lifts a foot or sets it down, it all comes from the place of enlightenment." Tang Dynasty layman Pang said: "Carrying firewood and drawing water—all are spiritual powers and wondrous functions." Master Deshan used a stick to hit people to reveal this truth to students; Master Linji used a great shout to instruct students; Master Zhaozhou said: "Have some tea." Chan Master Yongming told his disciples: "Go prostrate to the Buddha." These Chan masters all used skillful means to point out the truth to students. When merit and causes and conditions are sufficient, one awakens to true reality, realizing the great matter. One disciple came to his master and said: "Since I arrived here three years ago, you have never expounded the Dharma to me." The master replied: "Where have I not expounded it? When you bring water, I drink; when you bring food, I eat; when you greet me, I return the greeting. Where have I not expounded the Dharma?" Hearing this, the disciple pondered. The master said: "If you want to see, just see; what are you pondering?" The disciple immediately awakened.

One Chan master often scolded and hit his disciple. One day, the disciple finally couldn't bear it and said: "Why do you always hit or scold me?" Hearing this, the master pointed at him and said: "You dare slander me?" Raising his hand to hit, the disciple cried for help. The master covered his mouth with his hand, and the disciple suddenly had a great awakening. How skillfully this Chan master taught! Countless samadhis are right within this. One disciple asked his master about the Dharma. The master said: "Go work in the fields." The dull disciple didn't understand but actually went to work in the fields. After finishing, still not understanding, he asked again about the Dharma. The master said: "Go sweep the courtyard." The dull disciple went to sweep the courtyard. Sweeping back and forth, suddenly he understood: "So this is it!" He attained enlightenment. The sweeping wasn't in vain. Sweeping holds mysteries; everywhere holds mysteries. It depends on the practitioner to investigate rightly, to apply the mind correctly, to find the right path. In our daily lives, everywhere there are traces of the Tathagatagarbha, manifesting a phenomenon that is not a phenomenon. Finding it is seeing the Tathagata.