Lecture on the Diamond Sutra: Why Are the Concepts of Self, Others, Living Beings, and Lifespan "Not Actual Concepts"?

Chapter Fourteen: The Extinction of Marks through Detachment
Original Text: Why is that? The mark of self is not a mark. The mark of person, the mark of sentient beings, and the mark of lifespan are not marks. Why? Because one who is detached from all marks is called a Buddha.

Explanation: Subhuti said: Why is it said that this person can be without the four marks? Because the mark of self is not a mark of true existence, the mark of person is not a mark of true existence, the mark of sentient beings is not a mark of true existence, and the mark of lifespan is also not a mark of true existence. Since they are not marks of true existence, one can eradicate the four marks. Why is this so? Because every Buddha is detached from all marks; one who is detached from all marks is called a Buddha.

Why, after realizing the true reality of prajna mind, does the mind become without the four marks and detached from them? Because the mark of self is not a true mark; superficially it seems to exist, but in reality, it is not true. One who realizes true reality will observe the functioning of the Tathagatagarbha, observing how the Tathagatagarbha gives rise to the five aggregates of self, and why they are illusory manifestations of the Tathagatagarbha. As wisdom deepens further, one will observe that all activities of the five aggregates are functions and roles of the Tathagatagarbha; the five aggregates themselves have not truly done anything. The dharmas of the five aggregates are illusory and unreal; in essence, they are all the Tathagatagarbha.

For example, a magician conjures a body of five aggregates. This body of five aggregates will possess certain functional uses, but this body lacks true reality; its functional uses are also not truly existent—they are all the doing of the magician. Another example is a puppet on stage performing a play. No matter how the puppet acts on stage, it is not doing it by itself. Therefore, all activities of the puppet are illusory, without real substance; in essence, they are all done by the manipulator backstage. The activities of my five aggregates are likewise; thus, the mark of self of the five aggregates is a non-mark, not a true mark. Similarly, the mark of person, which resembles the self in its shared characteristics, is also like this—there is no true mark of the five aggregates shared by persons. No matter how humans live and act in the world, engaging in various endeavors, there are no real activities of the five aggregates; their essence is the Tathagatagarbha nature. Therefore, the mark of person is a non-mark.

Further, similarly, the mark of sentient beings, which resembles the mark of person, is also false and unreal. Superficially it seems to exist, but in essence, it is non-existent; its essence is the Tathagatagarbha nature of sentient beings. The activities of the five aggregates of sentient beings are like a robot performing work. The robot itself is not autonomous; it lacks independence. It still requires human assembly and manipulation. Therefore, the robot cannot truly perform any work; it is all done by the designer, manufacturer, and manipulator. The robot merely presents a false appearance, deceiving the eye. Thus, the boss would absolutely not pay a salary to the robot, nor reward or punish it. Because the boss clearly knows that the robot is not a person; it lacks human wisdom and ability. It is merely a tool used by people; the work is not done by it. The five aggregates of sentient beings are like this; all endeavors are not done by the five aggregates; the five aggregates are merely a tool. Therefore, the mark of sentient beings is a non-mark—unreal and not truly existent.

Then, the mark of lifespan, which manifests based on the five aggregates of sentient beings, is also a non-mark, not truly existent. The life activities of sentient beings within a certain period—such as breathing, metabolism, eating, drinking, excreting, etc.—superficially seem real and meaningful, but in reality, they are also illusory appearances manifested by the Tathagatagarbha, bestowed by it; their essence is also the Tathagatagarbha. No matter how long this lifetime lasts, the essence of life is the Tathagatagarbha. Sentient beings have no true mark of life; therefore, the mark of lifespan is a non-mark.

Why are the four marks of self, person, sentient beings, and lifespan said to be non-marks, unreal marks? Because the true reality of the Dharma realm is detached from all marks. Having the four marks means they are false marks, illusory marks, marks of arising and ceasing; they are not the true reality of the Dharma realm, nor are they true marks. The indestructible mind of true reality, vajra-prajna, which is the Dharmakaya of all Buddhas, is detached from all marks—without the four marks and without any marks at all. Thus, it is said that the true Buddha is without marks, and the true Buddha does not preach the Dharma. The Buddha detached from all marks is the Dharmakaya Buddha of all Buddhas—the Buddha in the true sense. The Buddha with the five aggregates is the Sambhogakaya Buddha, Nirmanakaya Buddha, and Transformation Body Buddha—Buddhas manifested by the Dharmakaya Buddha, not the true Buddha.

Why can the four marks disappear? Because the four marks were never truly existent marks to begin with; they are illusory marks conjured by the vajra mind. Therefore, they are of the nature of arising and ceasing—empty and unobtainable. If they were marks of true existence, they could not be emptied; no matter how much effort one exerted, one could not make these marks disappear. After realizing the vajra mind, when encountering conditions and objects, one observes directly that the mark of self arises from the vajra mind, the mark of person arises from the vajra mind, the mark of sentient beings arises from the vajra mind, and the mark of lifespan also arises from the vajra mind. Thus, the four marks gradually exhaust and cease, and the wisdom of emptiness deepens progressively. Gradually, other dharmic marks are also emptied; when all dharmic marks are completely emptied, Buddhahood is attained.

Therefore, the Buddha said: Detached from all marks, one is called a Buddha. Here, "Buddhas" has two meanings: one refers to the Nirmanakaya Buddha with a five-aggregate body, and the other refers to the Dharmakaya Buddha. The Dharmakaya Buddha itself has been detached from all marks since beginningless time—empty of any mark, without form or mark, without the marks of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma, and cannot be perceived by the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind. At this time, the Nirmanakaya Buddha is also detached from all marks, empties all marks, and does not cling to any marks. The mind-nature of the Nirmanakaya Buddha is identical to that of the Dharmakaya Buddha, equally pure and unconditioned; only then is it the Buddha with perfect merit.

Original Text: The Buddha told Subhuti: So it is, so it is. If again there is a person who, upon hearing this sutra, is not alarmed, not frightened, and not fearful, you should know that this person is truly rare.

Explanation: The World-Honored One told Subhuti: It is so, indeed it is so. If there is a person who, upon hearing this Diamond Sutra of Prajnaparamita, is not alarmed, not frightened, and not fearful within their mind, you should know that this person is truly rare and precious; they are a person with very profound roots of goodness and merit.

Why did the World-Honored One say this? Because the Diamond Sutra of Prajnaparamita entirely expounds the principle of emptiness in the Mahayana, teaching sentient beings to detach from the four marks and all marks, not to grasp any marks. Yet sentient beings, since beginningless time, have always been clinging to the four marks, grasping all marks, unwilling to relinquish them. Sentient beings' minds are deeply entrenched in self-attachment and self-view; they see all marks as existent, not seeing all marks as empty.

Because sentient beings have deeply relied on existence since beginningless time, when they hear the Diamond Sutra speaking of emptiness and non-existence, their minds will inevitably feel great fear and dread, afraid of falling into emptiness, becoming void, unwilling to throw away the crutch they have relied on since beginningless time, unwilling to become unsupported. Thus, they fear becoming empty and void, afraid that they will cease to exist. Therefore, fear and dread arise in their minds. These are people whose roots of goodness and merit are insufficient, whose past cultivation spans a short period. Conversely, those who hear this sutra speak of non-existence of the four marks, detachment from the four marks, and whose minds are not fearful—those are people who have cultivated for a very long period, whose planted roots of goodness are already very deep. Such people, upon hearing the Diamond Sutra, not only are not alarmed and fearful but can also give rise to pure faith and can realize the vajra-prajna mind detached from the four marks. It is evident that such people are truly rare and precious.