Commentary on the Sutra of the Compendium of Father and Son (53)

Tathagatagarbha is like the void, neither coming nor going.

Original text: The Buddha said to the king: "Suppose that person fills it again with earth. What do you think? Where has the void gone?" The king said: "The void has nowhere to go." "Why is that?" "Because the realm of void has no coming or going. It does not abide in male form, nor is it female form."

"Great King, the external realm of void is originally unmoving, because its self-nature is detached. It is only displayed through words; only the Buddha's correct wisdom can fully understand it."

Explanation: The Buddha said: "Great King, suppose that person fills the pond or well again with earth, what do you think, where has the void aspect gone?" King Suddhodana said: "The void aspect also has nowhere to go." "Why is that?" "Because the realm of void originally has no coming or going. The realm of void has no male form, nor female form."

The Buddha said: "Great King, the external realm of void has never changed; its self-nature is detached from all forms. It is only through words that the void is displayed; the void has no substance. Only the Buddha's supreme great wisdom can fully understand its essence."

The realm of void has no coming, nor going; Tathagatagarbha is similarly like the void, neither coming nor going, and it is formless and without characteristics. You came from home to here; has your Tathagatagarbha come? Tathagatagarbha has no feet, no wings, it cannot come; when you go back, has Tathagatagarbha gone back? Tathagatagarbha also has not gone, similarly because it is formless. Therefore, a past Zen master asked his disciple: "Where did you come from?" The disciple said: "I came from Shanghai." The master asked again: "Did you come by boat or by walking?" The disciple replied: "I came by boat." The master, upon hearing this, said: "Before you came by boat, I should have given you a blow." It should be beaten; can you ride a boat? Have you ever ridden a boat? With what do you ride a boat? The Zen master's questioning never departs from Tathagatagarbha; Tathagatagarbha is like the void, neither coming nor going, because it is without form.