The Process of All Buddhas’ Attainment of Omniscience

Gold possesses the nature of gold. Gold is equivalent to the Tathagatagarbha, and the nature of gold is equivalent to the nature of the Tathagatagarbha, which is also equivalent to the Suchness-nature. Gold basins, gold bowls, and gold jewelry are crafted from gold; they all possess the nature of gold, or in other words, they are the nature of gold. Similarly, all dharmas manifested by the Tathagatagarbha possess the Suchness-nature, meaning they all possess the nature of the Tathagatagarbha.

One may know that a gold basin or bowl is made of gold, but initially, one may not know that it is crafted from one hundred percent pure gold, that every particle from the inside out is gold and possesses the attributes of gold. Over time, through continuous observation and verification of the gold basin and bowl, one gains increasing knowledge of the attributes of gold, becoming more and more certain of the gold content and purity of the basin and bowl. Finally, one completely verifies that the gold basin and bowl are entirely made of pure gold, one hundred percent gold, possessing all the attributes of gold, and can be treated entirely as gold.

This process is identical to the process of attaining the Tathagatagarbha and subsequently generating the all-encompassing wisdom (总相智), the particularized wisdom (别相智), the wisdom of the path (道种智), and the wisdom of all modes (一切种智). When one first awakens and attains the Tathagatagarbha within the five aggregates, it is equivalent to just realizing that the gold basin and bowl are made of gold, containing a certain degree of gold nature, but without knowing the exact purity percentage of the gold. After generating the particularized wisdom, one carefully observes and verifies the Tathagatagarbha within all dharmas, increasingly discerning the nature of the Tathagatagarbha in all phenomena. After observing to a certain extent, one attains the realization that all dharmas possess a portion of the Suchness-nature of the Tathagatagarbha, thereby entering the First Bhūmi (初地). After continuing to observe and verify within all dharmas, one attains the realization that all dharmas perfectly and completely possess the Suchness-nature of the Tathagatagarbha, realizing the tenfold Suchness-nature, the full Suchness-nature, seeing all phenomena as nothing but Suchness. At this point, one attains Buddhahood.

In contrast, one who does not recognize gold sees only basins and bowls, not the gold itself; such a person is fit only to be a poor vagrant, begging for survival while guarding the gold – how pitiable. Similarly, ordinary beings guard the Tathagatagarbha within their bodies but do not recognize it, acknowledging only the body of the five aggregates. Consequently, they are fit only for the samsaric existence of the six realms – this is even more pitiable.