Commentary on the Diamond Sutra. Part Fourteen: Beyond Form and Stillness Extinguished

Appearance (相) refers to all phenomena and all worldly manifestations within the three realms. In the Diamond Sutra, this "appearance" primarily denotes four notions: the notion of self, the notion of person, the notion of sentient beings, and the notion of a lifespan. Secondly, it refers to the thirty-two marks of a Buddha. Thirdly, it encompasses the appearances of the six dusts—form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas—as well as all appearances within the three realms. To depart (离) means to leave, not to correspond to, not to possess, or to be without. So who can depart from these appearances, not correspond to these appearances, and be without these appearances? Clearly, only the diamond-like prajñā mind-essence and all Buddhas can do so.

Because the diamond-like mind can depart from these appearances and does not correspond to them, it is therefore quiescently extinguished (寂灭). If it does not depart from these appearances, then there is the duality of subject and object, there is the knower and the known; regarding the realms of the six dusts, there is feeling and perception. Then it would be like the mind of the seventh consciousness, abiding in a clamorous state where the mind cannot be stilled. It would not be a quiescently extinguished mind, and thus could not be called the nirvana mind-essence.

The meaning of quiescent extinction is that it itself has no form and does not perceive form, so the mind is quiescently extinguished; it itself produces no sound and does not listen to sound, so the mind is quiescently extinguished; it itself emits no fragrance and does not smell fragrance, so it is quiescently extinguished; it itself has no taste-dust and does not experience taste, so the mind is quiescently extinguished; it itself has no touch-dust and does not receive touch-dust, so the mind is quiescently extinguished; it itself has no dharma-dust and does not discriminate or receive dharma-dust, so the mind is quiescently extinguished. No matter how clamorous the six dusts may be, the diamond-like mind itself abides in a state of quiescent extinction, identical to the quiescent state of an arhat abiding in the realm of nirvana without residue. Therefore, this title serves to reveal the essential nature of the diamond-like mind.

Original Text: At that time, Subhuti, having heard this sutra spoken, deeply comprehended its meaning and purport. Shedding tears and weeping sorrowfully, he addressed the Buddha, saying: "Rare indeed, World-Honored One! The Buddha has spoken such a profoundly profound sutra. From times past until now, with the wisdom eye I have attained, I have never before heard such a sutra as this."

Explanation: At this time, Subhuti, having heard the Buddha expound this Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sutra, deeply apprehended all the principles and purport of this Diamond Sutra. Because Subhuti had profoundly realized the meaning of this sutra, he was overcome with both sorrow and joy. Gratefully shedding tears, he said to the World-Honored One: "Rare and precious World-Honored One! You are able to expound such a sutra with such profound principles. From ancient times until now, with the wisdom eye I have attained through cultivation, I have never heard such a sutra with such profoundly profound principles."

Since it says he "deeply comprehended the meaning and purport," it indicates that Subhuti did not merely understand the principles of the Diamond Sutra, but had deeply realized them. Realization has many levels, shallow and deep. The shallow realization pertains to the content of the ten abodes (十住位), realizing the general-character wisdom of the Tathāgatagarbha. Slightly deeper is the realization of the particularized wisdom of the Tathāgatagarbha, corresponding to the bodhisattva stages of the ten practices (十行位) and the ten transferences of merit (十回向位). Deeper still is the realization that possesses the wisdom of the path (道种智). It is not indicated here whether Subhuti realized the particularized wisdom of the ten practices or the ten transferences, but it is clear that Subhuti had deeply realized the essential principle of the Tathāgatagarbha within the Diamond Sutra. Therefore, it was not a shallow awakening.

The "wisdom eye" (慧眼) in the text refers to the eye of wisdom, possessed by bodhisattvas before the first ground (地前) and by arhats and pratyekabuddhas. It is not yet the dharma eye (法眼) attained upon entering the grounds. Wisdom includes the wisdom of the Hinayana Dharma and the wisdom of the Mahayana Prajñā and Vijñānavāda. In the Hinayana, one obtains the wisdom eye upon severing the view of self. In the Mahayana, one obtains it upon enlightening the mind (明心), and it persists until the end of the ten transferences of merit. After that, one obtains the dharma eye. Subhuti possessed the wisdom eye in his past life, indicating that in that life he had at least attained the Hinayana fruition. In this life, while still in his mother's womb, he knew that all dharmas are empty and quiescent, without the obscuration of rebirth (隔阴之谜). He was foremost among the Buddha's disciples in understanding emptiness. Thus, Subhuti had cultivated the Buddha Path for at least countless kalpas, possessing extremely profound good roots. Given Subhuti's good roots cultivated over many kalpas, yet he had never heard a sutra as profound as the Diamond Sutra, this shows that the Diamond Sutra is a rare, hard-to-encounter, profoundly profound Dharma treasure. If one lacks sufficient good roots and merit, one cannot encounter such a profound prajñā sutra. With shallow good roots and scant merit, one certainly cannot realize the diamond-like prajñā mind upon hearing it.

Original Text: "World-Honored One, if again there are people who, hearing this sutra, have pure faith and give rise to true reality, you should know that such people will accomplish the foremost, rare merit."

Explanation: Subhuti said: "World-Honored One, if there are people who, after hearing this sutra, believe without doubt, giving rise to pure faith, able to believe and accept that within sentient beings' bodies dwells this indestructible diamond-like mind perpetually abiding in the world, they will realize this indestructible diamond-like mind, give rise to the wisdom of true reality, knowing that the source of all dharmas is this indestructible diamond-like mind, knowing that the true mind, the Tathāgatagarbha, is the true reality of the Dharma Realm, true and not false, while all other dharmas are illusory appearances. Then you should know that such people have accomplished the foremost, rare merit."

The merit and wisdom of such a person are the foremost, rare, and precious in the world. From then on, this person's merit will gradually increase and grow vast, their wisdom will become ever deeper and more boundless, and they will be able to greatly benefit immeasurable sentient beings, ultimately attaining complete Buddhahood. Therefore, realizing the prajñā mind of true reality, its merit is inconceivable, its wisdom is inconceivable; no worldly dharma can compare. Even possessing immeasurable worldly wealth and treasures cannot compare to this merit. Even mastering all worldly skills and clever wisdom cannot compare to this wisdom of prajñā true reality. These worldly merits and wisdoms are all conditioned, impermanent, unreliable dharmas; even while enjoying them, they are accompanied by afflictions. Sentient beings, because of these afflictions, drift through the six paths, still living like beggars, leading a life of wandering and begging, constantly afflicted. Only by realizing the unborn, unceasing prajñā mind of true reality can one gradually extinguish all afflictions, attain coolness and clarity of mind, and have a mind increasingly pure and increasingly abundant.

Clearly, this so-called "true reality" (实相) is the cognitive wisdom that arises within those who hear the sutra due to pure faith; it is realized wisdom. The wisdom that realizes true reality is not true reality itself. The wisdom of true reality itself is unborn, unceasing, neither increasing nor decreasing, unchanging. However, the wisdom that cognizes true reality has birth, cessation, increase, and decrease; therefore, it is not true reality, not the originally existent true appearance. It is provisionally named "true reality" but should be called "the wisdom of true reality" or "the wisdom that arises upon realizing true reality."

Whereas the originally existent true reality is formless and markless, devoid of any worldly dharma appearances, devoid of any appearances of the six dust realms. It has always revealed itself as markless; therefore, it is also non-appearance (非相). This markless diamond-like mind is also named "true reality" to use this name to reveal the diamond-like mind's true nature—its indestructibility and its unborn, unceasing nature—enabling sentient beings to recognize and extol it.

After hearing this Diamond Sutra, if one can have pure faith, pure faith in this sutra, pure faith in the diamond-like mind, and furthermore realize the diamond-like mind, one truly accomplishes the foremost rare merit, which is indeed rare and precious. Such a person possesses extremely profound good roots. The appearance of realizing the diamond-like mind is also eradicated; the appearance of giving rise to the wisdom of true reality is eradicated. Then, regarding the cultivation and realization of the Buddha Dharma, one does not grasp it as real, does not give rise to self-conceit, dispels all appearances, and the mind becomes empty, pure, and tranquil. Thus, one will swiftly reach the other shore of nirvana.