Explanation of the Diamond Sutra: One Mark No-Mark, Ninth

Why can a srotāpanna not have the thought "I have attained the fruit of srotāpanna"?

Original text: 须菩提。于意云何。须陀洹能作是念。我得须陀洹果不。须菩提言。不也。世尊。何以故。须陀洹名为入流。而无所入。不入色声香味触法。是名须陀洹。

Explanation: Subhūti, what do you think about this question? Can a srotāpanna of the first fruit have such a thought: "I have attained the fruit of srotāpanna"? Subhūti said: He cannot have such a thought, World-Honored One. Why? The srotāpanna is called "one who has entered the stream," yet there is nothing entered. He does not enter into form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas of the mundane world—this is what is truly called a srotāpanna.

A srotāpanna of the first fruit has just eradicated the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), no longer regarding the dharmas within the five aggregates and eighteen realms as "I" or as real. Having no view of self and no mark of self, he also does not regard there being an "I" who has eradicated the view of self and become a person of the first fruit. There is no person who has eradicated the view of self, no person called srotāpanna, no such fruit as the fruit of srotāpanna. Therefore the fruit of srotāpanna is a provisional designation, not a truly existent dharma, and cannot be grasped as real. If it is grasped as truly existent, then there is the view of self and the view of dharmas, and such a person is not a srotāpanna. If a person has the thought "I am a person of the first fruit," then the mark of self is plainly evident in that person, and he is not a person of the first fruit.

Therefore, as for those who all day long proclaim "I have attained the fruit, I have seen the mind," broadcasting and showing off everywhere—it can clearly be seen that such people have a heavy view of self and the mark of self in full; they are without doubt ordinary beings (pṛthagjana). If a person constantly clings to the notion "I am a sage, I am a person of such-and-such fruit, I am a bodhisattva of the three stages of worthies, I am a bodhisattva of such-and-such bhūmi, I have cultivated this and that, in past lives I was such and such, I have done such and such for sentient beings," spreading it everywhere, fearing that others do not know, hoping others will revere him, hoping others will prostrate themselves in worship of him, hoping his fame will be widespread—these behaviors clearly show that this person has a heavy view of self, the mark of self in full, and the mark of an ordinary being also in full; he is a thoroughgoing ordinary being.

Since the view of self has already been eradicated, there is then no mark of self, no mark of "I have eradicated the view of self." The mind has emptied of self and also emptied of fruit. In the ground of actual principle, there is no such thing as eradicating the view of self, no such person as a srotāpanna. Only when the mind of non-action (asaṃskṛta) appears has one truly attained the fruit of srotāpanna, a person who has realized the unconditioned dharma. If there is an "I" and a mark of self, then it is not non-action, and there is no fruit of non-action either. Therefore, to judge whether a person has eradicated the view of self, one can also judge from his words and deeds: see whether this person's speech and actual conduct, his way of doing things, show an empty mind, whether he is low-key, whether he dislikes self-promotion. If this person likes to keep "I" on his lips and displays himself everywhere, then the mark of self is in full, the view of self has not been eradicated, and he is not a srotāpanna.