The Sustaining of Embryos, Sentient Bodies, and the Material World by Tathāgatagarbha (Part 5)

Furthermore, regarding the apparent force acting on a moving object, what is meant by "residual force"? There is no such thing as a true residual force. Both the apparent residual force and inertia of an object are illusory superficial phenomena; in essence, they do not exist. They are all manifestations of the sustaining function of Tathagatagarbha, expressions of Tathagatagarbha's activity. For example, when we kick a football and exert force with our foot, the ball flies through the air after being kicked. It seems as though our foot imparted the force for its aerial motion, giving it residual force and inertia, causing it to move through the air. In reality, all of this is entirely the operation of Tathagatagarbha. Without the sustaining function of Tathagatagarbha, the football could not possibly fly through the air. No matter how much force we exert, it could not fly. This all involves the sustaining function of Tathagatagarbha, which acts upon objects through the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind).

The sustaining function of Tathagatagarbha towards the body, instruments, realms, and karmic seeds, as well as its transformative and sustaining function towards all dharmas, constitutes the profound wisdom of consciousness-only (vijñapti-mātratā). For now, we only need to understand that all dharmas do not exist independently, that there are no independently existing phenomena of birth, abiding, change, and cessation, and that there are no independent functions. All are intimately connected with Tathagatagarbha. Thus, towards all worldly dharmas, one will eliminate false and inverted perceptions, eradicate erroneous cognitions, and gradually realize the non-self of persons and phenomena (pudgala-nairātmya and dharma-nairātmya). One will attain profound Mahayana wisdom, progress swiftly on the path to Bodhi, be free from afflictions, suffering, and anxieties, and ultimately reach complete Nirvana.

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