All Phenomena Are Tathāgatagarbha

The Tathāgatagarbha merely causes all phenomena to ceaselessly arise, abide, change, and cease, while Itself remains unchanging. If the Tathāgatagarbha were also subject to change, it would be a dharma characterized by arising, abiding, alteration, and cessation, which entails grave faults. If this were so, then questions would arise: When did the Tathāgatagarbha arise? How did It come into being? Before Its arising, when It did not exist, all things and dharmas would be non-existent, and even empty space would not exist—what state would that be? Where would the karmic seeds of sentient beings reside? Where would the manas (mental faculty) abide?

The Tathāgatagarbha abides nowhere; certainly, It does not abide within the myriad phenomena. Otherwise, when the myriad phenomena are destroyed, would the Tathāgatagarbha also be destroyed along with them? If one were to dissect the myriad phenomena piece by piece, could one then find the Tathāgatagarbha? This is fundamentally impossible. The entire process of all phenomena, from growth to destruction, is the functioning of the union and operation of the four fundamental elements; it is all the result of the Tathāgatagarbha’s activation and upholding.

Within all dharmas, one can find traces of the Tathāgatagarbha’s operation. Its traces and imprints are the mental phenomena and material phenomena formed by the seven fundamental elements, all of which are the intrinsic raw materials within the Tathāgatagarbha Itself. Therefore, upon seeing the dharma, one should perceive the Tathāgatagarbha. The entire view of green mountains is nothing but the dharma; the whole is a single true Dharma Realm—the Tathāgatagarbha, which neither arises nor ceases. Not even a fraction of a hair’s breadth or a mote of dust is permitted to stand outside the Tathāgatagarbha. All are dharmas within the Tathāgatagarbha’s mind, and all are the Tathāgatagarbha’s essence, characteristics, and functions. Sentient beings live within the Tathāgatagarbha; in reality, there are no sentient beings—all are the Tathāgatagarbha. Which dharma is not the Tathāgatagarbha? Which dharma can exist independently, transcending the Tathāgatagarbha? None can.