The Meaning of the Dharmadhatu's Neither Increasing Nor Decreasing

"Neither increase nor decrease" carries several meanings: the total number of Tathagatagarbha possessed by all sentient beings in the Dharma Realm neither increases nor decreases (although Tathagatagarbha is not counted individually, it has ownership and is not shared; thus, using numerical terms is merely for ease of expression). The essence, function, and operation of Tathagatagarbha neither increase in sages nor decrease in ordinary beings. The number of the seven great seeds within Tathagatagarbha neither increases nor decreases. The six sense bases of the Dharma Realm neither increase nor decrease; the six sense objects of the Dharma Realm neither increase nor decrease; the six consciousnesses of the Dharma Realm neither increase nor decrease; the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness neither increase nor decrease. Because the phenomenal world is illusory and without inherent nature, it has never increased or decreased; illusory arising and illusory cessation are ultimately unobtainable, thus there is neither increase nor decrease; all dharmas arise from the combination of causes and conditions, fundamentally lacking true existence, having never been born nor perished, hence there is neither increase nor decrease.

All dharmas are unarisen; observing the ocean and its waves makes this easier to comprehend. Waves are undoubtedly surging, roaring, and changing moment by moment, yet no matter how the waves change, they are still the water of the ocean. The ocean itself never increases, decreases, arises, or ceases. Waves arise and cease, cease and arise; viewing the waves as a whole, within the ocean, it is as if they never arose or ceased, neither increasing nor decreasing. To understand the Dharma Realm in this way is very wise; although this is the wisdom of consciousness, it is still very good, capable of guiding contemplation and realization.

Tathagatagarbha neither increases nor decreases; the manas (mind faculty) also neither increases nor decreases. Immeasurable transformation bodies and immeasurable bodies of the six consciousnesses are all subsumed within Tathagatagarbha and the manas. Transformation bodies are also sentient beings; though phenomena may appear to increase or decrease, their nature does not increase or decrease, and their fundamental substance neither increases nor decreases. Although transformation bodies are also sentient beings, they must still be subsumed into the retribution body of the manas, because the retribution body of the manas is unique; thus, the transformation bodies also neither increase nor decrease.

The reason sentient beings are sentient beings is because they possess a complete set of "props," including the eight consciousnesses, which can also include the physical body, but primarily consist of the manas and Tathagatagarbha, with the seventh and eighth consciousnesses being central. Since the seventh and eighth consciousnesses neither increase nor decrease, the transformation bodies neither increase nor decrease. The Dharma Body is Tathagatagarbha; the Retribution Body is the seventh consciousness, the manas; the Transformation Body is the first six consciousnesses. Regardless of how many transformation bodies Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest, they all exist based on the Dharma Body and Retribution Body, belonging to the Dharma Body and Retribution Body; they cannot have transformation bodies independently. A transformation body alone cannot be counted as a sentient being, because it lacks autonomy and self-mastery; thus, transformation bodies also neither increase nor decrease. Overall, the Dharma Realm neither increases nor decreases.