The Two Meanings of Suchness

Suchness (tathatā) has two meanings: one refers to the substance of the true mind, which is the eighth consciousness, the Ālayavijñāna; the other refers to the nature of the true mind, namely the reality of the eighth consciousness, the Ālayavijñāna, and its immovable suchness with regard to all dharmas. Whatever meaning suchness carries, it is unconditioned. However, if suchness refers to the mind-substance itself, then it is neither arising nor ceasing; but if suchness refers to the nature of the true mind, then it is not a real dharma, because a nature can only exist by depending on the substance, and only the substance is real. A nature is a description and expression of the substance, and therefore is certainly not a real dharma, not a self-existing dharma. For example, a piece of clothing is the substance, truly existing, whereas the adjectives describing the clothing—such as beautiful, elegant, well-fitting, luxurious, and so on—can only exist by depending on the clothing; even when they exist, they have no physical entity: they cannot be touched, cannot be contacted, cannot be worn; they can only be appreciated and felt. All these adjectives describe things that are not self-existing, not truly existent, not the substance.

Suchness is the same: it is used to describe the characteristics of the substance of the eighth consciousness, and is of the same nature as adjectives like beautiful, elegant, and luxurious; it cannot substitute for the substance. The only self-existing dharma is the substance of the eighth consciousness; the only dharma that neither arises nor ceases is the substance of the eighth consciousness. But the nature of the eighth consciousness is merely provisionally existent, a name arbitrarily assigned; it is not truly existent, not a real dharma that neither arises nor ceases.