Implications of a Buddha's Thirty-Two Majestic Marks

Quotes: 

“Subhuti, what do you think? Can one contemplate the Tathàgata by means of the thirty-two marks?”

Subhuti said, “So it is, so it is, World-Honored One. One can contemplate the Tathàgata  by means of the thirty-two marks.”

The Buddha said, “Subhuti, if one could contemplate the Tathàgata by means of the thirty-two marks, then a Sagely Wheel-turning King would be a Tathàgata.

Subhuti said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, what I understood from what you said is that one should not contemplate the Tathàgata by means of the thirty-two marks.”

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke the following verse:

If one sees me in forms,

If one seeks me in sounds, 

He practices a deviant way

And cannot see the Tathàgata.”

The Diamond Sutra, Chapter 26

  【「須菩提！於意云何？可以三十二相觀如來不？」須菩提言：「如是！ 如是！以三十二相觀如來。」佛言：「須菩提！若以三十二相觀如來者，轉輪 聖王則是如來。」須菩提白佛言：「世尊！如我解佛所說義，不應以三十二相 觀如來。」爾時世尊而說偈言︰ 若以色見我，以音聲求我；是人行邪道，不能見如來。】金剛經〈法身非相分〉第二十六

Remarks: 

The real Dharma body is not the aggregate body. Only the non-body body can denote the true body. True mentors—the enlightened ones—do not necessarily show a definite form or appearance; thus, judging authentic mentors by their physical appearance is undoubtedly a mistake because, regardless of their appearance, true mentors will abide by the tathāgatagarbha—that which they have attained awakening to—and will definitely identify themselves with the Three Jewels, take refuge with the Buddhas, and observe the Five Precepts and the Bodhisattva Precepts. For these reasons, the Buddha specifically cautioned Buddhist followers not to rely on mentors’ superficial appearances—whether they appear as ordained Sangha or not. The truth is that an individual’s appearance has nothing to do with the real Tathàgata. The real Tathàgata is devoid of the aggregate body.

Gurus who proclaim themselves as the unsurpassed teachers must first be examined based on their thirty-two majestic marks. These gurus should at least be endowed with the thirty visible majestic marks. Two marks are invisible: the “invisible mark on the head” [1] of the Buddha—the mark that denotes tathāgatagarbha, that which is without an apex (arhats do not know this as they have not realized the signless tathāgatagarbha, the eighth vijñāna), which can be seen only by the wisdom eye of enlightened ones—and the “concealed male organ” [2]. Thus, if someone claims to be a Buddha, he must have at least the thirty visible majestic marks that can be verified by the public.

The quote “The Buddha said, ‘Subhuti, if one could contemplate the Tathàgata by means of the thirty-two marks, then a Sagely Wheel-turning King would be a Tathàgata”’ also indicates that a Sagely Wheel-turning King also has all the thirty-two marks. However, such a king is still not as perfect as the Buddha. The Buddha already implies that Buddhist practitioners should not observe the Tathàgata from the perspective of the transformational Tathàgata body. In fact, the real Tathàgata is the eighth vijñāna, which also denotes “this sutra” rather than the transformation body of the five aggregates. It is impossible to witness the real Tathàgata of the five-aggregate body’s phenomenal dharma characteristics. One must know that the reality (True Self) in Buddhism is absolutely devoid of the six sense objects.

Fundamentally, all Buddhist learners must recognize that the five-aggregate body is illusionary due to its independently arising and ceasing nature. However, the Buddha still manifests with thirty-two majestic marks and eighty minor marks for all sentient beings. Why? It is for the benefit of those who love and are attached to appearances. Additionally, the Buddha manifests the perfect adornment of merits and virtues of the thirty-two marks are a demonstration for the sake of bodhisattva practitioners. 

Despite the differences in the Buddha’s transformation body, the real Tathàgata has only one true mark: the signless reality mark. Upon enlightenment, bodhisattva practitioners will not misconceive these thirty-two majestic marks of the Buddha’s transformation body. As they will perceive only the real Tathàgata that which is signless. At the same time, enlightened bodhisattvas will see nothing wrong with the myriad phenomena far and wide that can be remarkably outstanding and vibrant alongside the signless, and all phenomena are brought forth from the signless dharma of tathāgatagarbha.

Footnotes:

[1] C: 無見頂相; S: Uṣṇīṣa; 

[2]  C:馬陰藏相; S:kośopagata-vasti-guhya

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