Explanation of the Diamond Sutra: The Dharma Body Is Not a Form, Chapter 26

Original text: Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be seen by means of the thirty-two marks? Subhuti said: Yes, indeed, the Tathagata is seen by means of the thirty-two marks. The Buddha said: Subhuti, if the Tathagata is seen by means of the thirty-two marks, then the Wheel-Turning Sage King would also be the Tathagata. Subhuti said to the Buddha: World-Honored One, as I understand the meaning of the Buddha's teaching, one should not see the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks.

Explanation: Subhuti, what do you think? Should sentient beings, when contemplating the Tathagata, view the Tathagata through His thirty-two marks? Subhuti replied: Yes, it is so. Sentient beings do view the Tathagata through His thirty-two marks. If one possesses the thirty-two marks, he is the Tathagata; if one does not possess the thirty-two marks, he is not the Tathagata. The World-Honored One said: Subhuti, if the Tathagata is seen by means of the thirty-two marks, then the Wheel-Turning Sage King, who also possesses the thirty-two marks, would likewise be the Tathagata. Subhuti said to the World-Honored One: As I understand the meaning of the Dharma taught by you, World-Honored One, sentient beings should not view the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two marks. Because those who have not yet attained Buddhahood, if they cultivate great blessings and virtues, may also possess the thirty-two marks. Thus, one could easily make a mistake, mistaking the false for the true, and fail to recognize the true Buddha.

The true Buddha is formless; that which possesses form is not the true Buddha. Out of compassion, the World-Honored One here not only once again breaks sentient beings' attachment to forms, but also reveals to them the formless Tathagata. Thus, when sentient beings engage in Chan meditation, they will no longer seek forms and make mistakes. As stated earlier, the true Tathagata, the Dharmakaya Tathagata, is devoid of any form. The thirty-two marks, cultivated over three immeasurable eons, are attained by the Sambhogakaya Buddha and the Nirmanakaya Buddha. The Dharmakaya Buddha remains empty of any form and attains not a single dharma. Because the entire Diamond Sutra discusses the formless vajra mind, the Tathagata-garbha, and the future Dharmakaya of sentient beings, the World-Honored One, from beginning to end, instructs sentient beings on how to realize the formless Dharmakaya. Therefore, He explains the formless Dharmakaya Tathagata everywhere, guiding sentient beings to awaken to the true reality of all dharmas.

From the very beginning of the sutra, the World-Honored One continuously breaks sentient beings' attachment to forms, so that they may all move towards the formless Dharmakaya Tathagata, correspond with the true-mark mind, the Dharmakaya Tathagata, and through Chan meditation, realize their own master who is not attached to anything, thereby finding the path home and attaining a place of rest. The World-Honored One deliberately asked Subhuti whether seeing the true Buddha is through the thirty-two marks. Subhuti also deliberately replied that sentient beings do indeed see the Tathagata through the thirty-two marks. This prompted the World-Honored One to explain in detail why one cannot see the Tathagata through the thirty-two marks, and why the thirty-two marks are not true marks and do not correspond with the Dharmakaya Tathagata.

In fact, is he the Tathagata? Here, the World-Honored One specifically explains that one who possesses the thirty-two marks is not the true Tathagata. The thirty-two wondrous marks are obtained through cultivating blessings. The Wheel-Turning Sage King, possessing immense blessings and virtues, also has the thirty-two marks, yet he is far from Buddhahood. Even Mara, the Evil One, can manifest the thirty-two marks to impersonate Sakyamuni Buddha. Bodhisattvas at the eighth stage and above can also manifest the thirty-two marks and save sentient beings in the form of a Buddha. Therefore, for sentient beings to realize the true mind and attain Buddhahood, they must see the true Buddha's Dharmakaya Tathagata. Yet, the true Tathagata does not possess the thirty-two marks. One who possesses the thirty-two marks is not the true Buddha or true Tathagata.

Original text: At that time, the World-Honored One spoke a verse: If one sees me through form, If one seeks me through sound, That person practices a deviant path, And cannot see the Tathagata.

Explanation: Hearing Subhuti say this, the World-Honored One spoke a verse: If one sees me, the Tathagata, through form, if one seeks me, the Tathagata, through sound, that person walks on a deviant path, not on the right path, and thus cannot see the true Tathagata.

This is the famous four-line verse in the Diamond Sutra. The World-Honored One tells us that to realize the Dharmakaya Tathagata, one must be free from the marks of the six sense objects: form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects. Do not see the Tathagata through the marks of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects. The Tathagata has no marks of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects. Therefore, to see the Tathagata, one cannot use the eyes to see or the ears to hear. What is seen by the eyes is the mark of form, not the Tathagata. What is heard by the ears is the mark of sound, not the Tathagata. These marks are all contrary to the Tathagata. One must abandon these marks and set them aside to see the true Tathagata. So-called abandoning and setting aside does not mean to eliminate these marks, but to purify the mind's eye, not to regard these marks as real, and within these false marks, to recognize that true and precious pearl—the Tathagata-garbha. This is walking the right path, enabling one to see the Tathagata and attain Buddhahood.

So, how exactly does one see the Tathagata? Everyone, look at me waving my hand and calling: Come to the sutra hall to recite the sutras! When you see me waving my hand, do not cling to the false form of my five fingers, do not cling to the marks of the actions of my five aggregates. Set aside these illusory marks of the five aggregates. Within these illusions, seek that mani jewel which is not illusory and is also formless. It is constantly moving up and down, in and out, back and forth within the mountain of the five aggregates. Yet, although it is so, it is thus and unmoving, without the mark of going up or down, without the mark of coming in or going out, without the mark of coming back or going forth. It neither goes up nor down, neither comes in nor goes out, neither returns nor departs. It has been busy within the mountain of the five aggregates for countless eons without rest, yet it has never felt busy or tired. It comes thus and goes thus. It seems to have come, and it seems to have gone, but in truth, it neither comes nor goes; it is originally thus. How then to see the Tathagata? Look again at my waving hand: Come, come, come, recite the sutras!

Here, there is no mark of the five aggregates, no mark of sentient beings, no mark of ordinary people, no mark of Bodhisattvas, no mark of the thirty-two marks, no mark of form, no mark of sound, no mark of the six sense objects. Setting aside these marks is the mark of the Tathagata. Everyone, open your eyes wide and search carefully within these illusions!