Birth-and-Death and Nirvāṇa Are Like Flowers in the Sky

Birth-and-death and nirvāṇa are both like flowers in the sky; the tathāgatagarbha itself has neither birth-and-death nor sky-flowers. Only the tathāgatagarbha is not a flower in the sky; apart from this, all dharmas are flowers in the sky. No matter how sacred, how unique, how precious, how adorned, how rare a dharma may appear—no matter how, how very much—including attaining buddhahood, including propagating the Dharma and benefiting sentient beings, including all endeavors—all of it is entirely a dreamlike flower in the sky. Only after a bodhisattva realizes this principle can he put his mind to rest, can he truly put his mind to rest.