The Thirty-Two Marks of the Tathāgata Are Also Non-Marks

Original text of the Diamond Sutra: 须菩提。于意云何。可以三十二相见如来不。不也。世尊。不可以三十二相得见如来。何以故。如来说三十二相。即是非相。是名三十二相。

Explanation: The Buddha said: Subhūti, what do you think of this question — can one see the Tathāgata by means of the thirty-two marks? Subhūti replied: No, World-Honored One, one cannot see the Tathāgata by means of the thirty-two marks. Why is this said? Because according to the Tathāgata's intent, the thirty-two marks of which the Tathāgata speaks are not real marks either; they are merely provisionally named the thirty-two marks.

Since the thirty-two marks are not real, they are also not the Tathāgata; then there is another true and real Tathāgata, and we should not take the thirty-two marks as the Tathāgata, nor should we seek the Tathāgata in the thirty-two marks. The true Tathāgata is hidden behind the thirty-two marks; to behold His true countenance, one must possess immense wisdom and merit. The thirty-two marks are not the Tathāgata, and the five aggregates are also not self, not a person, not a sentient being, not a life span; therefore we should not take any one aggregate among the five aggregates, or all of them, as self and cling to them without letting go. We must break through the marks of the five aggregates, and thereby break through the marks of self, person, sentient being, and life span.

The Tathāgata has the thirty-two marks and the eighty excellent characteristics; the thirty-two marks are not truly existing marks, and the eighty excellent characteristics are not truly existing marks either — they are all marks that arise from nothing, and even when present are empty. They are marks conjured forth by the Tathāgata's undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna) from the seeds of wholesome karma accumulated through the Tathāgata's practice over three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas; their nature is empty, and their marks are also empty — the thirty-two marks are thus false marks. A wheel-turning sage king also has the thirty-two marks; the Buddha's cousin, the bhikṣu Nanda, has thirty-one of them; and Māra can also conjure up the thirty-two marks. If one recognizes people by their marks, one can easily be mistaken; if the marks perish, the person perishes too, yet in reality the Tathāgata does not perish. Therefore one must discern true marks from false marks, and must break through marks and attachments, in order to grow in wisdom and not be bound by marks.