All Dharmas Have Never Departed from Tathagatagarbha

Just as all things are born from the earth, grow upon the earth, draw nourishment from the earth, and perish upon the earth, with their nourishment returning to the earth, it cannot be said that after perishing, they return to the earth, for they have never departed from the earth. Similarly, just as a person is born within a family, grows within the family, ages within the family, and dies within the family, it cannot be said that after death, the person returns to the family, for they have never departed from the family.

Likewise, every person is born from the Tathagatagarbha, grows within the Tathagatagarbha, ages within the Tathagatagarbha, and dies within the Tathagatagarbha. It cannot be said that after death, a person returns to the Tathagatagarbha, for every person has never departed from the Tathagatagarbha. Nor can it be said that upon attaining enlightenment and death, one enters Nirvana, for there is no entering Nirvana, nor can the Tathagatagarbha be entered. It is merely that the karmic seeds of the Three Realms vanish, the seven fundamental elements return to the Tathagatagarbha and cease to manifest, and the nourishment of all dharmas, having no recipient, returns to the Tathagatagarbha and no longer flows forth.