On What Basis Does the Tathāgatagarbha Grasp and Transform the Material Body

The tathāgatagarbha constantly abides in quiescence and cessation without moving. If it is to manifest any dharma, it must be the result of the manas being stirred, and there must be the manas as its dominant condition. On the surface, when the tathāgatagarbha forms the nāma-rūpa fertilized egg, transforms and constructs the fertilized egg, and repairs the tissues of the physical body, it seems that there is no functioning of the manas; in reality, the manas is always involved. The manas is forever corresponding with karmic seeds, and the tathāgatagarbha accords with karmic seeds—both seeds of merit and seeds of demerit are accorded with—which is equivalent to according with the manas. In the vast majority of cases, when the tathāgatagarbha gives rise to worldly dharmas, it does so in accordance with karmic seeds. Even when the manas is constantly deliberating and constantly making choices, when the tathāgatagarbha cooperates with the manas, it still must rely on karmic seeds, on the conditions of merit, and on other causal conditions.

If the causal conditions do not permit it, if merit is insufficient, if there are no karmic seeds, or if the karmic seeds have not yet matured, the tathāgatagarbha cannot give rise to dharmas according to the manas's choices. For example, many people wish to be promoted and become wealthy, wishing to possess excellent worldly retribution, but without karmic seeds and with conditions not yet mature, they can only carry on as before, living the life of an ordinary commoner. Take another example: some people have the retribution of chronic illness; no matter how hard they strive, no matter how much money and energy they spend, they cannot repair their bodies and restore them to health. Even the merit of an emperor would not suffice; moreover, once an emperor has exhausted his merit, he may commit suicide, be killed, or have his power usurped. In this world, quite a few people are born with great merit, but because from childhood they indulge in and squander this merit to the extreme, by the time they grow up the merit is all used up, and they either die young, or live in poverty and hardship, or suffer many calamities and misfortunes.

The retribution of the three realms is drawn along by the power of karma, and the tathāgatagarbha turns along with the power of karma. But if the power of vows is greater than the power of karma, it can draw the tathāgatagarbha to move along with one's aspirations. When ordinary beings make great vows, they will gradually break free from the bondage of karmic power, be transformed and reborn as noble ones, and ultimately attain buddhahood. Therefore, repentance and the making of vows is a powerful method of practice. As long as there is a vow, as long as the manas holds a vow, sooner or later the day of its realization will come. No vow is an empty vow; all will be realized—the only question is when the conditions will be complete. After these great vows are made, the tathāgatagarbha records them, and when the seeds mature, they will be fulfilled as wished. What we need to do is, first, to make pure great vows and wholesome vows, and second, to strive to bring the seeds of the power of vows to maturity; in the future we will then obtain the fruits of those vows.