Explanation of the Diamond Sutra: Why True Reality Is Also Non-Appearance

Chapter Fourteen: Departing from Appearances to Enter Quiescent Extinction Original Text: "World-Honored One, this true reality is precisely non-appearance. Therefore, the Tathāgata designates it as true reality."

Explanation: Subhūti further addressed the World-Honored One: "World-Honored One, the true reality spoken of by the Tathāgata is without any dharma appearance. It possesses no dharma appearance whatsoever within the three realms of the mundane world. Therefore, the Tathāgata names it true reality."

"True" signifies reality, non-deception, and the meaning of true existence. Because it truly exists and can be realized, immeasurable and boundless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have already realized it and are endowed with immeasurable and boundless merit and wisdom. If it were not truly existent, merely a nominal concept or a mere designation, realization would be meaningless. It could not give birth to the great wisdom of prajñā, much less accomplish the Buddha Way. Because the vajra prajna heart is truly existent, genuinely real, its essence eternally abides, and its function is true. Thus, sentient beings can contemplate and realize it, thereby becoming the great wealthy elders within the Buddhadharma.

Although the substance of the vajra prajna heart is true reality, its essence true, attempting to match it with worldly appearances and seek its mundane form is utterly impossible. Because it is not a mundane dharma, not a mundane appearance, it has no form, no sound, no scent, no taste, no tangible object, no appearance of the six dusts (objects of the senses). Therefore, true reality is non-appearance. To seek and realize it, one must depart from these mundane appearances of the six dusts, depart from the perceiving mind appearance of the seventh consciousness, depart from the five aggregates appearance, and recognize that mind-substance which is without these appearances.

Yet, realizing it also requires investigation within these very appearances of the five aggregates and the mundane. True reality and mundane appearances are intimately connected, mutually dependent, inseparable from each other. True reality relies on mundane appearances to manifest its own virtue and function; mundane appearances rely on true reality to exist and operate, enabling their superficial, false functions. The two are like bundled reeds, mutually supporting each other.

Original Text: "World-Honored One, for me to hear such a sūtra now, to believe, understand, accept, and uphold it, is not difficult. But in the future world, in the latter five hundred years, if there are sentient beings who hear this sūtra, believe, understand, accept, and uphold it, such a person will be supremely rare and precious. Why? Because this person is without the characteristic of self, without the characteristic of person, without the characteristic of sentient beings, and without the characteristic of a life span."

Explanation: Subhūti said: "World-Honored One, I am now able to hear such a profound sūtra, not only able to give rise to pure faith and realize true reality, deeply understand its Dharma principles and meanings, deeply apprehend its prajñā significance and flavor, but also resolve to accept, uphold, and propagate this sūtra. For me to accomplish this now is not considered difficult, because I have the World-Honored One personally teaching and blessing me. If, in the future, during the final five hundred years of the Dharma-Ending Age, there are sentient beings who encounter this sūtra, hear the Dharma gate of the Tathāgatagarbha's true reality, such a one is a person of great merit and virtue, rare and precious. Moreover, if they can have pure faith, correctly understand the vajra heart, accept and uphold the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra (Diamond Sūtra), this person is the foremost rare and precious person. Why is this person the foremost rare and precious? Because this person is already without the characteristic of self, without the characteristic of person, without the characteristic of sentient beings, and without the characteristic of a life span."

"In the final five hundred years when the Buddhadharma is about to perish, the world is even more turbid and evil. Sentient beings' afflictions are heavier, and their virtuous roots are even scarcer. At such a time, if there are still sentient beings who hear the Diamond Sūtra, their virtuous roots and merit are very deep. Hearing it, they believe and accept it profoundly, realize and understand the vajra heart, protect and propagate the Diamond Sūtra. Such a person possesses extremely profound virtuous roots; they are a very rare, long-cultivated Bodhisattva. After realizing the vajra heart and comprehending the principle of the emptiness of the five aggregates, this person's mind is without the characteristic of self, person, sentient beings, or life span. These characteristics exist dependent on the five aggregates; once the five aggregates are empty, the four characteristics vanish, and virtuous characteristics manifest. Such a one is a rare sage."

"In that era, where characteristics are universally clung to, this person can realize the characteristicless vajra prajna heart; their mind departs from the four characteristics. Therefore, this person is rare and precious. After realizing true reality, this person's mind no longer has the characteristic of the five aggregates as self; they no longer regard the five aggregates as self. That is, they are one who has severed the view of self. Simultaneously, within their mind, the characteristic of person, which resembles the characteristic of self, will also vanish; they no longer regard the characteristic of person as real. Subsequently, this person will know that the characteristic of sentient beings, similar to the characteristics of self and person, which are the five aggregates of sentient beings, are also false and unreal, and their mind will relinquish the characteristic of sentient beings. Progressing further, they will observe that the characteristic of a life span, which depends on the illusory five aggregates of sentient beings, is also false and unreal. Sentient beings' successive life spans exist dependent on the illusory five aggregates. Since the five aggregates are illusory, life spans are even more illusory and unreal. Therefore, the characteristic of a life span also vanishes. A person able to depart from these four characteristics, in that Dharma-Ending Age, is indeed supremely rare and precious."