Characteristics of the Mark of Self Among the Four Marks in the Diamond Sutra

In the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment, the World-Honored One described a subtle form of the notion of self: For instance, there might be a person whose entire body is harmoniously comfortable, limbs fully relaxed, body and mind tranquil and profoundly still, who suddenly forgets the existence of their body and is unaware of its location. At this moment, if a needle lightly pricks their body, they immediately feel pain and unconsciously perceive "I am in pain," causing the mental notion of self to arise. Sentient beings unconsciously regard the body as the self, perception as the self, and the five aggregates as the self. This is a very subtle form of the notion of self, universally present among sentient beings.

The notion of self spoken of in the Diamond Sutra encompasses both coarse and subtle forms, with the emphasis on the coarse and heavy notion of self. Sentient beings universally possess coarse, heavier, and extremely coarse forms of the notion of self. In ordinary beings who have not severed the view of self, the notion of self manifests constantly and everywhere, particularly obvious, yet they remain unaware and unenlightened, regardless of whether they study Buddhism or not. Among those who study and practice Buddhism, the view of self and the notion of self are also severe. To highlight themselves, they readily consider themselves extraordinary and superior to others, always intentionally or unintentionally misconstruing that they have attained fruition or realized the mind. Without any evidence, they spread this everywhere, hoping to gain others' reverence and special regard, feeling they have finally surpassed others and triumphed, becoming extremely proud, arrogant, and conceited, looking down on others, and behaving wickedly. These are all manifestations of possessing the notion of self, which also includes the notion of person and the notion of sentient beings. Wherever there is the notion of person, sentient beings, or a lifespan, there must be the notion of self; where there is the notion of self, the other three notions must follow. These four notions are inseparable.

The notion of self is often closely linked with the notion of person, hence the mutual comparison and contrast, leading to jealousy, competition, disputes, conflicts, and even various wars. Wars between nations arise when the individual notions of self and person aggregate into collective notions of self and person. Similarly, competition and disputes among various groups occur when the small self becomes the great self, enlarging the notion of self and amplifying its influence. While it may appear that individuals have no self, in reality, it is all the notion of self.

The notion of self is even more pronounced in the secular world. Ordinary people generally take signs such as power, fame, profit, identity, status, honor, social class, wealth, etc., as the notion of self, deeply immersed in them, clinging relentlessly. For the sake of false face, to be looked upon favorably, they are willing to pay any price, extremely concerned about others' gazes and evaluations. Moreover, they strive to display their advantages and uniqueness to others, seeking admiration to satisfy their vanity. Such examples are too numerous to count and are ubiquitous, so they need not be listed here. In this, there is the involvement of the notion of person; otherwise, they would not care about others' gazes and evaluations. Because of the notion of self, for the sake of that so-called self, they indulge endlessly in greed, hatred, and delusion, reveling in the pleasures of the five desires. Their six sense faculties never rest for a moment; even while asleep, they are preoccupied with wealth, sex, fame, and food. Ordinary beings are like this, without a trace of lofty aspiration, clinging to low-level desires of the five senses, seeking money and enjoyment, nothing more.

In summary, because ordinary beings possess the notion of self, all actions of body, speech, and mind revolve around it, fully displaying the notion of self. Without the notion of self, there would not be so much greed, life would be much simpler, there would be far less contrivance, and many things would naturally cease. Without the mind, there are no affairs; without desire, there is no seeking. Actions of body, speech, and mind become very low-key, unwilling to seek attention, display the self, or be self-centered. Whether or not a person harbors the notion of self in their heart will unconsciously manifest in their speech and actions; it cannot be concealed or faked, because the ingrained habits within cannot be suppressed.