Jifo's comments

“The reason Subhuti asked these questions was because he realized that in the Buddha’s everyday actions of wearing his robe, eating, washing his feet, and sitting down, he never stopped manifesting the marvelous workings of his true mind and that all such instruction contained the essence of perfect prajna. Hence, Subhuti’s words of praise are not meant to be superficial, for they arise from realization. In fact, the whole sutra can be summed up by these words.”

Chi-fo says, “The reason Subhuti asked these questions was because he realized that in the Buddha’s everyday actions of wearing his robe, eating, washing his feet, and sitting down, he never stopped manifesting the marvelous workings of his true mind and that all such instruction contained the essence of perfect prajna. Hence, Subhuti’s words of praise are not meant to be superficial, for they arise from realization. In fact, the whole sutra can be summed up by these words.” Tao-ch’uan says, “Before the Tathagata has spoken a single word, why is Subhuti singing his praises? When you see horns above a fence, you know there’s an ox on the other side. When you see smoke above a mountain, you know there’s a fire behind the ridge.”

Chi-fo says, “This is the sixth time the Buddha has mentioned an offering of the seven jewels in this sutra. In Chapter Eight, he says making an offering of the seven jewels does not compare with seeing one’s nature. In Chapter Eleven, he says making an offering of the seven jewels does not compare with grasping this sutra. And in this chapter, he says making an offering of the seven jewels does not compare with detachment from form, for attachment to form creates a karmic seed that can never produce a non-karmic fruit.”

Chi-fo says, “All objects are illusions. To be attached to an object is to be attached to an illusion. Once you stop being attached to objects, you will not be affected by illusions. And once you are not affected by illusions, you will no longer be subject to sansara [life and death], and your pure original body will appear by itself. This non-attachment to attachment is a most wonderful practice. As for how it works, don’t be attached to a self within or to others without or to any gift that passes between. View things as you would in a mirror. When things appear, reflect them. When things disappear, let them go.”

Chi-fo says, “The sky refers to what lies within the great vault. Free of even the slightest obstruction and utterly void, it is beyond the reach of our imagination.”

Chi-fo says, “Previously, Chapter Five asked us to see the Tathagata without attributes. Chapter Thirteen said that rather than the falseness of seeing the Tathagata’s thirty-two attributes, better the truth of grasping this sutra and seeing one’s nature. This chapter says not only are his thirty-two attributes false, neither are his incarnations and supernatural powers his true appearance. While in general, the meaning of this and the fifth and thirteenth chapters are similar, their level of truth varies in depth. There are two points being made here. First, because the Buddha has no visible attributes, he is concerned that his disciples might wonder, if there is no body and no attributes, who is it who speaks the Dharma? Second, because the majority of those who cultivate in the dharma-ending age are attached to material appearances and given to such external practices as offering incense, flowers, and prostrations, they don’t realize their own true nature. Thus, the Buddha once again warns them to break through the falsehood of bodies and attributes in order to reveal the truth that is free of falsehood.”

Chi-fo says, “The marvelous dharma of prajna is actually something in your own home. Since you have never lost it, how can you find it? If you find something, you are not free of attachments and have not yet broken through the delusions of subject and object. Previously, the Buddha talked about obtaining the fruit of merit by sowing the seeds of charity. Here, he says nothing is obtained. This refers to the nature of merit, with which the fruit of merit cannot compare.”

Chi-fo says, “Those who are attached to worldly dharmas are not free of distorted views. Hence, in the face of destruction, they cling to permanence. And in the face of permanence, they cling to destruction. But being inexhaustible and unending, the dharma of prajna cannot be said to be destructible. And having the ability to adapt to conditions, the dharma of prajna cannot be said to be indestructible. Here, when the Buddha talks about no destruction, he means that the dharma of prajna is neither destructible nor indestructible and cannot be grasped by such views as destruction or permanence.”

Chi-fo says, “All dharmas must be selfless. But people are incapable of selflessness because they are incapable of acceptance. If they can’t be accepting, how can they be selfless? But only through selflessness can they become accepting. All the other five thousand words in this sutra merely explain these few, which comprise the Buddha’s essential teaching.”

Chi-fo says, “It was said that the Tathagata cannot be seen by means of attributes, and yet he does not lack attributes. Attributes are basically the appearance of dharmas. This does not mean to get rid of appearances but only to remain detached from dharmas. This means that when we see that dharmas have no self and can accept that dharmas have no self, prajna will appear.”