Commentary on the Diamond Sutra. Chapter X: The Pure Land Adorned

Did the Tathagata truly attain the Dharma from Dipankara Buddha?

Original Text: The Buddha said to Subhuti, "What do you think? Did the Tathagata attain any Dharma when he was with Dipankara Buddha?" "No, World-Honored One. The Tathagata truly attained no Dharma when he was with Dipankara Buddha."

Explanation: The Buddha told Subhuti, "What do you think about this question? Did the Tathagata attain anything in the cultivation and realization of the Buddha Dharma when he was with Dipankara Buddha in the past?" Subhuti replied, "The Tathagata attained no Dharma, World-Honored One. When the Tathagata was with Dipankara Buddha, he truly attained nothing regarding the Buddha Dharma."

Our original teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha, attained the eighth Bodhisattva ground (bhumi) under Dipankara Buddha and received the prediction of Buddhahood. Clearly, he attained the eighth Bodhisattva ground and certainly obtained the Dharma of the eighth Bodhisattva ground. He also clearly received the prediction—both are instances of attainment. Why, then, is it said that he attained nothing? Because while these events exist in the phenomenal realm, in the realm of ultimate truth, there is no such thing. The phenomenal realm is empty; it is also a manifestation of the diamond-like prajna mind—it exists yet does not exist. The Tathagata’s mind was also empty, devoid of any dharma, without any attachment, not believing that he truly attained the Dharma or truly received the prediction. If the Tathagata considered this real, then his mind would possess the Dharma, and he would not have realized the emptiness and illusory nature of the Dharma. Then, he would not be an eighth-ground Bodhisattva and would not be qualified to receive the prediction. Because the Tathagata possessed the realization of an eighth-ground Bodhisattva, with a mind empty, non-active, and without substance, Dipankara Buddha then bestowed upon him the prediction of Buddhahood.

Ordinary people cannot comprehend this no matter how much they ponder it. The Tathagata attained such a great Dharma yet said he attained nothing. Receiving the prediction of Buddhahood is such a monumental event, yet he treated it as nothing, without the slightest attachment or thought. What kind of mind is this? An ordinary person encountering this would have long been overjoyed, excited, and rushing to spread the news. Of course, this is the mindset of attainment held by ordinary beings who have not realized the true reality. Therefore, such ordinary people neither attain the Dharma nor receive predictions. The Buddha’s mind is transparent; his eyes are clear. He does not casually bestow predictions upon people.

When the Bodhisattva Sakyamuni encountered Dipankara Buddha, he had just entered the eighth ground. Prior to this, the Bodhisattva Sakyamuni, life after life, encountered various Buddhas, serving as kings, wheel-turning sage kings, and lords of various heavens. He made offerings to the Buddhas of the four necessities—food, clothing, bedding, and medicine—without interruption, even offering his own body. However, none of the Buddhas predicted when he would achieve Buddhahood because, at that time, the Bodhisattva’s cultivation and realization of the Buddha Dharma were still within the realm of conditioned action. He cultivated, realized, and made offerings to each World-Honored One with a mind of seeking attainment, not yet having reached the unconditioned state of non-attainment and non-seeking. It was only when he encountered Dipankara Buddha that the Bodhisattva Sakyamuni entered the eighth ground, the immovable ground of the unconditioned, where his mind was without action and without attainment. Then, Dipankara Buddha predicted when the Bodhisattva Sakyamuni would achieve Buddhahood, what his Buddha land would be like, how many disciples he would have, his lifespan, and how long his Dharma would remain in the world.

The Buddha bestows predictions upon Bodhisattvas mostly after they have entered the eighth ground. Eighth-ground Bodhisattvas have reached the stage of non-retrogression in mindfulness regarding the cultivation of the Buddha Dharma. The cultivation speed of all eighth-ground Bodhisattvas is similar; their time to Buddhahood is fixed and will not change. At this stage, bestowing predictions upon Bodhisattvas is free from error. Bodhisattvas from the first to the seventh ground are at the stage of non-retrogression in conduct—meaning their actions in cultivation and liberating beings are unwavering. No matter what, they will cultivate and liberate beings, but sometimes, when encountering adverse conditions, they may experience momentary regressions in their state of mind. The duration of such regressions varies—a day or two, several hours, a few minutes, or even an instant.

Because of this potential for mental regression, the speed of cultivation is uncertain, and predictions would inevitably have temporal inaccuracies. Moreover, it could cause Bodhisattvas to become complacent. From the initial awakening to the mind (enlightenment) until just before the first ground, it is the stage of non-retrogression in position—the fruit of realization does not regress, but there can still be regression in conduct and mental state. Sometimes, they may be obstructed by worldly affairs, busy with mundane matters, hindered by adverse conditions, or afflicted by illness, rendering them unable to cultivate. However, whether cultivating or not, the seventh abiding stage of mind-awakening, the ten practices, and the ten dedications are stages of non-retrogression.

Why did the Bodhisattva Sakyamuni truly attain no Dharma when he was at the eighth immovable ground? Eighth-ground Bodhisattvas have not only severed afflictions but also the habitual tendencies of afflictions. Their enjoyment of the merits of liberation also surpasses that of great Arhats with the three insights and six supernatural powers. The attachment to self has long been completely severed, and a large portion of the attachment to dharmas has also been eradicated. Their wisdom of the patience with the non-arising of dharmas is profound and sharp. They have realized both the emptiness of self and the emptiness of dharmas. Their minds do not harbor thoughts such as "I cultivated the Dharma," "I realized the Dharma," or "I attained the Dharma." Simultaneously, they do not believe there is any Dharma to cultivate, realize, or attain. Their inner state is purely unconditioned. Because it is unconditioned and the mind is empty, they can manifest everything needed by sentient beings, even an entire Buddha land within a three-thousandfold world-system, without deliberate effort or exertion. A mind of non-attainment has immense capacity; hence, it possesses vast functions. In contrast, a mind of attainment is narrow; its functions and capacities are limited and cannot be fully expressed.

Why do Bodhisattvas not adorn Buddha lands? First, let us consider how Buddha lands are formed. They are produced and manifested by the Buddha’s immaculate consciousness, the great mirror wisdom. Sentient beings with karmic connections to the Buddha are to be reborn there, and the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature) of those sentient beings is also manifesting that Buddha land. The Buddha land manifested by a Buddha is the result of the causes and conditions accumulated through his cultivation over three immeasurable eons. Throughout these three immeasurable eons, the Bodhisattva makes great pure vows, cultivates the six paramitas and ten thousand practices, undertaking what is difficult to undertake and enduring what is difficult to endure. The seeds of all virtuous practices are stored within his own Tathagatagarbha. After achieving Buddhahood, the Buddha’s immaculate consciousness can project these seeds of virtuous practice to create a pure Buddha land, establishing a three-thousandfold world-system.