Chapter 5: Seeing the True Principle

Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be recognized by his bodily form? No, World-Honored One. The Tathagata cannot be recognized by his bodily form.

The physical body has form, while the Dharma body is formless. The physical body is a combination of the four great elements, born from parents and seen with ordinary eyes. The Dharma body has no shape or form—it is not blue, yellow, red, or white, and has no appearance at all. It cannot be seen with ordinary eyes; only the eye of wisdom can perceive it. Ordinary people only see the physical body of the Tathagata, not the Dharma body. The Dharma body of the Tathagata is as vast as empty space. Therefore, the Buddha asked Subhuti, "Can the Tathagata be seen through physical form?" Subhuti knew that ordinary people only see the physical body of the Tathagata, not the Dharma body, so he replied, "No, World-Honored One, the Tathagata cannot be seen through physical form."

Why? Because the physical form spoken of by the Tathagata is not a true physical form.

The physical body is form; the Dharma body is nature. All good and evil arise from the Dharma body, not from the physical body. If the Dharma body creates evil, the physical body will not be reborn in a good realm. If the Dharma body does good, the physical body will not fall into an evil realm. Ordinary people only see the physical body and do not perceive the Dharma body. They cannot practice unattached giving, cannot act with equality in all situations, and cannot respect all living beings universally. Those who perceive the Dharma body can practice unattached giving, can respect all living beings universally, and can cultivate the practice of Prajñāpāramitā. Only then do they believe that all living beings share the same true nature—originally pure, free from defilement, and endowed with the wondrous functions as countless as the sands of the Ganges.

The Buddha said to Subhuti: All forms are illusory. If you see that all forms are not forms, then you see the Tathagata.

The Buddha taught that all appearances are illusory, in order to reveal the true nature of reality. If you see that all appearances are empty and unreal, then you perceive the formless truth of the Buddha.