What is neither increasing nor decreasing?

The six faculties of the dharmadhātu neither increase nor decrease, the six sense objects of the dharmadhātu neither increase nor decrease, the six consciousnesses of the dharmadhātu neither increase nor decrease, and the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness neither increase nor decrease. Because the phenomenal world is like an illusion, like a conjuration, without any intrinsic essence, it has never increased or decreased; illusory arising and illusory ceasing can never be grasped, therefore there is neither increase nor decrease; all dharmas arise from the conjunction of causes and conditions, are not truly existent in the first place, never arising and never ceasing, therefore there is neither increase nor decrease. To understand the dharmadhātu in this way is very wise; although it is the wisdom of the mind consciousness, it is still very good, and it can guide contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) toward realization.

Are Nirmāṇakāya Buddhas sentient beings? Do they increase or decrease? Nirmāṇakāya Buddhas are also sentient beings; although the phenomena may increase or decrease, the nature does not increase or decrease, and the fundamental essence neither increases nor decreases. What makes a sentient being a sentient being is that it possesses a complete set of equipment, including the eight consciousnesses, and may also include the material body; the main components are the manas and the eighth consciousness, with the seventh and eighth consciousnesses as the primary ones. Since the seventh and eighth consciousnesses neither increase nor decrease, the Nirmāṇakāya Buddha neither increases nor decreases. The Dharmakāya Buddha (dharma-kāya-buddha) is the eighth consciousness, the Sambhogakāya Buddha (saṃbhoga-kāya-buddha) is the seventh consciousness, and the Nirmāṇakāya Buddha (nirmāṇa-kāya-buddha) is the six consciousnesses. No matter how many Nirmāṇakāya Buddhas the buddhas and bodhisattvas manifest, they all exist in dependence on the Dharmakāya and Sambhogakāya and belong to the Dharmakāya and Sambhogakāya; they cannot exist independently as Nirmāṇakāya Buddhas, and a Nirmāṇakāya Buddha alone cannot be counted as a sentient being, because it lacks self-mastery (avaśatā) and autonomy.