Even Good Medicine Cannot Cure the Illness

A: Precepts, concentration, and wisdom constitute the main path of practice; these three must be equally maintained without neglect. 

B: The Tathāgatagarbha inherently observes no precepts, practices no concentration, and cultivates no wisdom; talk of precepts, concentration, and wisdom is redundant. 

A: The goal of learning Buddhism is to attain liberation, freeing oneself from all worldly entanglements. 

B: The Tathāgatagarbha is inherently liberated and fundamentally unbound. 

A: Only with complete mastery of meditation can one realize the Way; one must diligently cultivate meditation. 

B: The Tathāgatagarbha inherently possesses meditation; it requires no cultivation. 

A: If one resolves to renounce household life for practice, subduing afflictions becomes easier, and meditation grows rapidly. 

B: The Tathāgatagarbha is inherently renounced; it needs no further renunciation. 

A: Achieving Buddhahood through practice requires three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas. 

B: The Tathāgatagarbha is inherently Buddha; it need not become Buddha again. 

A: Continuously introspect your mind, subdue afflictions, and remove defilements. 

B: The Tathāgatagarbha is inherently pure, free from afflictions and defilements. 

A: Then do you still need to practice? 

B: The Tathāgatagarbha is inherently Buddha; it needs no practice. 

A: Why did you sow discord and violate precepts today? 

B: All this was done by the Tathāgatagarbha. 

A: Do not speak of the Tathāgatagarbha; speak only of yourself. 

B: I rely on the Tathāgatagarbha; I transfer my reliance to the Tathāgatagarbha. 

A: How do you transfer your reliance? B: ········· 

Tathāgatagarbha: B, I strongly suspect you were born from me, yet why do you bear no resemblance to me? I also doubt you have no intention of learning Buddhism or practicing, merely using my name while doing nothing yourself. The disparity between us is so vast: I am inherently pure in nature, so why are you deeply afflicted? I am Buddha, so why do you still struggle bitterly in the six realms? I am liberated, so why are you bound everywhere? I never commit verbal karma, so why do you often engage in slander, divisive speech, false speech, and harsh words? I constantly abide in concentration, so why is your mind scattered and clinging everywhere? I am inherently renounced, so why can you not relinquish attachments to family, abandon worldly fame, profit, honor, and wealth? I possess perfect wisdom, so why are you so ignorant? 

B: It’s enough that you are fine; I transfer my reliance to you. 

Tathāgatagarbha: Empty words of transfer? Be careful. If you fall into the three evil realms again, I will not accompany you. Each bears their own karma; not even a birth mother can help. I hope you conduct yourself well henceforth. Stop invoking me to justify your actions, and do not attribute misdeeds to me. I will not endure retribution for you, nor will I attain Buddhahood on your behalf. 

B: ·········· 

A: Do not assume that relying on the Tathāgatagarbha is a panacea. Do what must be done; laziness is useless, shortcuts do not exist, and glib lip service cannot counteract karma and causality. The Dharma of Tathāgatagarbha is supreme medicine for curing afflictions, yet you merely toy with it without ingesting it. Then you will indeed become incurable.