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The Diamond Sutra · 3 of 30

Chapter 5

The Lord Buddha interrogated Subhuti, saying: “What think you? Is it possible that by means of his physical body,[1] the Lord Buddha may be clearly perceived?” Subhuti replied, saying: “No! Honoured of the Worlds! It is impossible that by means of his physical body, the Lord Buddha may be clearly perceived. And why? Because, what the Lord Buddha referred to as a physical body, is in reality not merely a physical body.” Thereupon the Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “Every form or quality of phenomena is transient and illusive. When the mind realises that the phenomena of life are not real phenomena, the Lord Buddha may then be clearly perceived.”[2]

[1] “Primitive Buddhism distinguished a material, visible, and perishable body (Seh-Shen—lit., the Body of Form) and an immaterial, invisible, immortal body (Fah-Shen—lit., the Body of Law) as the constituents of every personality. This dichotomism, taught, as it seems by Sakyamuni himself, was ever afterwards retained as regards the nature of ordinary mortals. But in later ages, when the combined influence of Sivaism, which ascribed to Siva a threefold body (called Dharmakaya—essence, Sambhogakaya—reflex intelligence, and Nirmanakaya—practical issue of his intelligence), and that of Brahmanism with its Trimurti, gave rise to the Buddhist dogma of a Triratna (San-Pao—the precious Buddha, the precious Law, and the precious Priesthood), trichotomism was taught with regard to the nature of all Buddhas. Again they ascribed to every Buddha a triple form of existence, viewing him: [1] as having entered Nirvana; [2] as existing in reflex in the world of form; [3] as existing or having existed on earth.”—Handbook of Chinese Buddhism. Eitel.

[2] The spiritual Buddha must be realised within the mind, otherwise there can be no true perception of the Lord Buddha.—Chinese Annotation.

Asked of Guide

If the Buddha's body can't be perceived as a mere physical form, how are we supposed to perceive him?

The chapter says the Buddha cannot be clearly perceived through a physical body because that body is “in reality not merely a physical body.” It teaches that “every form or quality of phenomena is transient and illusive,” so perceiving the Buddha requires seeing past surface appearances to the truth behind forms.

Perception of the Buddha happens when the mind realises that phenomena are not truly real; then “the Lord Buddha may be clearly perceived.” This echoes the Diamond Sutra’s emphasis on non-attachment to forms and links with later Mahayana descriptions of Dharmakaya in the Handbook of Chinese Buddhism, where a Buddha’s true presence is an inner, law-like reality rather than a visible body.

Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.