Commentary on the Diamond Sutra: Why No Dharma Exists Such That the Tathagata Attained Buddhahood

Chapter Seventeen: Ultimate Selflessness
Original Text: Subhuti, what do you think? Did the Tathagata attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi through any dharma at the place of Dipankara Buddha? No, World-Honored One. As I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, the Buddha attained no dharma called Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi at the place of Dipankara Buddha.

Explanation: Subhuti, what do you think? Did the Tathagata attain any dharma at the place of Dipankara Buddha that enabled him to realize Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi? Subhuti said: World-Honored One, according to my understanding of the meaning you have expounded, you attained no dharma at the place of Dipankara Buddha that enabled you to accomplish Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

When the World-Honored One encountered the ancient Buddha Dipankara, he realized the fruition of the eighth ground, the Immovable Ground. His mind was pure and unconditioned, with no dharma to grasp, no appearance to cling to. All dharmas were emptied and abandoned; his mind was utterly vacant. Only then did Dipankara Buddha bestow the prediction of Buddhahood upon Shakyamuni Buddha. Yet even this prediction of Buddhahood is illusory; the realized fruition of the eighth ground is illusory; the state of a pure and unconditioned mind is illusory; the notion of "not grasping any dharma" is illusory; the state of "utter vacancy of mind" is illusory; and now that the World-Honored One has become a Buddha, the appearance of being honored throughout the three realms is also illusory. In this world, there is not a single appearance that is not illusory, not a single appearance that is real—except for that indestructible true reality mind, unborn and undying, which transcends the world. Therefore, the Buddha attained no dharma called Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi at the place of Dipankara Buddha.

Original Text: The Buddha said: So it is, so it is, Subhuti. Truly, there is no dharma by which the Tathagata attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Subhuti, if there were any dharma by which the Tathagata attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, Dipankara Buddha would not have given me the prediction, saying, ‘You will attain Buddhahood in the future, named Shakyamuni.’ Because truly there is no dharma by which Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi is attained, Dipankara Buddha gave me the prediction, saying these words: ‘You will attain Buddhahood in the future, named Shakyamuni.’

Explanation: The Buddha said: So it is, so it is, Subhuti. Truly, there is no dharma that enables the Tathagata to attain Buddhahood, nor does the Tathagata rely on any dharma to attain Buddhahood. If there were any dharma or dharmas upon which the Tathagata could rely to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, then Dipankara Buddha would not have given me the prediction, saying: ‘In the future, at such-and-such kalpa, you will accomplish Buddhahood. Your Buddha-name will be Shakyamuni Buddha, your Buddha-land will be thus, your disciples thus, the propagation of the Dharma thus,’ and so on. Because the Tathagata truly has no dharma to rely upon that enables him to realize Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, Dipankara Buddha therefore gave me the prediction, saying: ‘In the future, at such-and-such time, you will attain Buddhahood, named Shakyamuni Buddha.’

Here, the Tathagata explicitly refers to the Buddha World-Honored One with his five-aggregate body, while implicitly pointing to the true suchness mind-essence, the vajra-like prajna mind. The Buddha’s vajra-like indestructible mind, since beginningless kalpas, has never attained a single dharma—not even the dharma of Buddhahood. For it is not a mind of attainment, not a mind of craving. It is inherently complete, lacking nothing, possessing all dharmas. Everything in the world arises from this mind. As for the Buddha-Dharma, the true suchness mind-essence attains nothing; it never learns the Buddha, never learns the Dharma, for both Buddha and Dharma refer to itself—thus there is no need for it to learn itself. It does not cultivate precepts, meditative concentration, or wisdom; it does not extinguish greed, hatred, or delusion; it does not eradicate ignorance—for it inherently possesses precepts, concentration, and wisdom, and is without ignorance, greed, hatred, or delusion. It does not need to eliminate the four marks or eight marks, for it inherently has no mark at all, clings to no mark, does not correspond with any mark. Instead, it can manifest immeasurable and boundless marks. Therefore, the Tathagata truly has no dharma by which he attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

As for the Tathagata with the five-aggregate body, relying on the markless true Tathagata mind-essence, he too attains no dharma, no Buddha-Dharma. Within and without, body and mind, he is utterly naked, completely bare—devoid of even a single dharma. Corresponding with the true suchness mind-essence, he abandons all dharmas and all marks, even abandoning the Buddha-Dharma entirely. Only then can he accomplish Buddhahood. If even a single dharma remains unemptied and unpurified in his mind, he cannot accomplish the Buddha Way. Although he accomplishes the Buddha Way and attains the fruition of Buddhahood, in reality, there is no fruition of Buddhahood to attain—not even the dharma of "non-attainment." All dharmas involving attainment, all dharmas with marks, are entirely illusory. Only thus can one become a Buddha; only thus is one the Buddha World-Honored One.

Original Text: Why? The Tathagata is the suchness of all dharmas. If someone says, ‘The Tathagata attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi,’ Subhuti, truly there is no dharma by which the Buddha attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

Explanation: Why is it said that truly there is no dharma by which the Tathagata attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi? The Tathagata I speak of refers to the true suchness meaning of all dharmas, the inherent principle-essence of all dharmas. If someone says, ‘The Tathagata attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi; the Tathagata became a Buddha,’ such a statement implies that the Tathagata truly attained some dharma. But what dharma could the Tathagata attain? In truth, the Tathagata has nothing to attain. Subhuti, truly there is no dharma that enables the Buddha to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Only by attaining not even a single dharma can one attain what is called Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi; it is merely provisionally named "attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi."

What did the Buddha actually attain? Did he attain the fruition of Buddhahood? By what dharma did he attain Buddhahood? Attainment is a superficial phenomenon; in reality, nothing is attained, nothing can be attained. Superficial phenomena can be seen and felt by many, but what is seen and felt is not real—it arises from karmic conditions; it is illusory manifestation. Attainment is the superficial phenomenon; non-attainment is the essence. The combination of superficial phenomenon and essence is what is called "attaining the fruition of Buddha-bodhi." The Tathagata attains nothing in all dharmas, because all phenomena are inherently complete within him, and he craves no dharma whatsoever. Therefore, he attains no dharma, nor does he attain the fruition of Buddha-bodhi.