The Inseparability of All Dharmas from Suchness

The overview of the Dharma is that all phenomena revolve around Suchness, leading to the path of Buddhahood, with no phenomenon departing from Suchness. Throughout his lifetime, the World-Honored One's teachings were entirely centered on the fundamental mind, the Tathagatagarbha. Apart from this mind, there are no phenomena, and the ultimate reference point of all phenomena is also the Suchness of Tathagatagarbha. Even in the Hinayana Agamas, the Tathagatagarbha is implicitly, and sometimes explicitly, discussed. For instance, the Buddha stated: "Phenomena do not depart from Suchness; phenomena are not different from Suchness." This "Suchness" refers to the Tathagatagarbha. Here, "phenomena" specifically denote the five aggregates (skandhas) and the eighteen elements (dhatus). The Buddha further said: "The five aggregates are not the Self, yet are not different from the Self, and do not exist within the Self." This "Self" refers to the Tathagatagarbha. In the Arhat's state of Nirvana without residue, only the Tathagatagarbha remains.

The Four Noble Truths do not depart from the Tathagatagarbha. The Truth of Suffering does not depart from the Tathagatagarbha; it exists dependent on it. After sentient beings create karma, when the conditions ripen, the seeds of suffering are output by the Tathagatagarbha, and sentient beings experience the retribution of suffering. The Truth of the Origin of Suffering exists dependent on the Tathagatagarbha; the karmic seeds created by sentient beings are stored by the Tathagatagarbha. The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering exists dependent on the Tathagatagarbha; what is extinguished are the seeds of suffering within the Tathagatagarbha. The Truth of the Path exists dependent on the Tathagatagarbha; without the Tathagatagarbha, sentient beings cannot cultivate the path. Everything required for practice is provided by the Tathagatagarbha, and the seeds of wholesome dharmas accumulated through practice are stored by the Tathagatagarbha, enabling future continuation of practice.

The Middle Vehicle's Twelve Links of Dependent Origination do not exist apart from the Tathagatagarbha. The Tathagatagarbha stores and outputs the seeds of body, speech, and mind; it stores and outputs the seeds of name-and-form (nama-rupa) and the six sense bases (ayatana). Each link of the Twelve Links exists because of the Tathagatagarbha. Furthermore, when Pratyekabuddhas trace the links of dependent origination backwards, they ultimately "return at consciousness" and "cannot go beyond it." Tracing the source of name-and-form leads to the Tathagatagarbha, beyond which they cannot proceed, concluding that name-and-form is born from the Tathagatagarbha. The World-Honored One said: "Consciousness conditions name-and-form; name-and-form conditions consciousness." This means the Tathagatagarbha becomes manifest because of name-and-form, while name-and-form is born and functions because of the Tathagatagarbha; the two are mutually dependent.

The Mahayana teachings are even more pervasively centered on the functions, essence, and activities of the Tathagatagarbha. Without the Tathagatagarbha, there would be no Bodhisattva's practice of the six paramitas and myriad deeds. All practices are inseparable from the Tathagatagarbha; all phenomena are inseparable from the Tathagatagarbha. All the way to the attainment of Buddhahood, everything is cultivated relying on the Tathagatagarbha, and the karmic seeds of practice are stored within it, enabling the future perfect accomplishment of the Buddha Way.