眾生無邊誓願度
煩惱無盡誓願斷
法門無量誓願學
佛道無上誓願成

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Dharma Teachings

18 May 2018    Friday     2nd Teach Total 506

All dharmas are born from the tathāgatagarbha

Any product manufactured by humans is born of causes and conditions, and in essence it is still brought forth by the tathāgatagarbha. Not only are the seeds of the four great elements of the product provided by the tathāgatagarbha, but the theory for manufacturing the product is provided by the tathāgatagarbha, the person who manufactures the product is provided by the tathāgatagarbha, the parts needed are provided by the tathāgatagarbha, and most importantly, the human labor involved in manufacturing the product is provided by the tathāgatagarbha. The entire process of manufacturing is the tathāgatagarbha itself assembling the whole product; not a single dharma outside the tathāgatagarbha participates. To reach this level of direct-perception contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) requires cultivating for more than one immeasurable kalpa.

The generation of the external six sense-objects of the universe's inanimate world is also like this—no external dharma participates. The causes and conditions needed come from the tathāgatagarbha, the seeds needed come from the tathāgatagarbha, and the karmic seeds needed come from the tathāgatagarbha. The tathāgatagarbhas operate in harmony with one another, jointly creating the world of the three realms. Whose tathāgatagarbha does not participate, that being does not exist in this world, and that being has no qualification to come into this world. If you do not put in the effort, there is no ready-made meal for you all to enjoy.

——Master Sheng-Ru's Teachings
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The Two Levels of Recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti)

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How to Eliminate the Imputed Nature (parikalpita-svabhāva) of the Manas

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