On the Non-Causal Dharma of Tathagatagarbha

The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination expounded by the Buddha are, in their essence, all branches that depend upon the Tathāgatagarbha. Apart from the Tathāgatagarbha, there is no dependent origination. The dependent origination spoken of by worldly people only understands superficial phenomena, seeming as if "because this exists, that exists," or "this dhamma produces that dhamma." In reality, conditioned by this dhamma, the Tathāgatagarbha produces that dhamma, and this dhamma itself is also a dhamma within the Tathāgatagarbha. Any dhamma cannot exist apart from the Tathāgatagarbha. The arising of any dhamma is also the arising by the Tathāgatagarbha; it is simply that many conditions are required for the Tathāgatagarbha to produce that dhamma. If one speaks of dependent origination apart from the Tathāgatagarbha, claiming that this dhamma can produce that dhamma, that is fundamentally untenable.

For example, "Ignorance conditions volitional formations (saṅkhāra)." Ignorance itself cannot produce the mental formations (citta-saṅkhāra) of the manas (the seventh consciousness, or mind root). It is the Tathāgatagarbha that produces the mental formations of the manas. Because the manas has ignorance, not knowing the true reality of the dharma realm, unwilling to abide in the quiescent True Suchness (tathatā), it gives rise to a mind seeking external craving. The Tathāgatagarbha then, in accordance with the ignorance of the manas, produces the mental formations of the manas. Consequently, the manas internally generates agitation, desiring to grasp the dharmas of the three realms and the five aggregates (skandhas), desiring to have bodily, verbal, and mental actions.

"Volitional formations condition consciousness (viññāṇa)." Due to this agitated, restless mental activity and the outward-seeking mind of the manas, the Tathāgatagarbha satisfies the volition (cetanā) of the manas and produces the six consciousnesses (vijñāna), enabling the manas to utilize the six consciousnesses to fulfill its intentions and create all bodily, verbal, and mental actions.

"Consciousness conditions name-and-form (nāmarūpa)." Because the mental activity of the manas is continuous, and the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses are unceasing, the Tathāgatagarbha automatically stores karmic seeds (bīja). Thus, the seeds for rebirth in future lives are planted. At the time of death, the mental activity of the manas does not cease; it seeks the five-aggregate body. The Tathāgatagarbha then gives birth to the intermediate state (antarābhava) body. Within the intermediate state body, the manas, dissatisfied with the temporary form, still desires the five-aggregate body of the next life. When the conditions of the parents are complete, the Tathāgatagarbha follows the manas taking rebirth, and name-and-form arises.

"Name-and-form conditions the six sense bases (saḷāyatana)." After the fertilized egg of name-and-form is formed, the Tathāgatagarbha, in accordance with the manas's conception of the five-aggregate body, continuously transforms and shapes the physical body based on karmic seeds and conditions. On the physical body, the eye faculty, ear faculty, nose faculty, tongue faculty, and body faculty grow and are continuously developed and perfected. Thus, the five physical sense faculties are created by the Tathāgatagarbha. Adding the manas, the six sense bases are complete.

"The six sense bases condition contact (phassa)." When the conditions of the six sense bases are complete, because the manas desires to perceive the six sense objects (āyatana), the Tathāgatagarbha transmits the external six sense objects through the five physical sense faculties to the five subtle material sense bases (indriyas). Thus, the six sense faculties contact the six sense objects. This contact is also produced by the Tathāgatagarbha.

"Contact conditions feeling (vedanā)." When the six sense faculties are able to contact the six sense objects, the manas desires to discern them. The Tathāgatagarbha then gives birth to the ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and mind consciousness to collectively discern the objects of the six sense spheres (in the womb, eye consciousness cannot yet arise to see forms). Consequently, the six consciousnesses have sensations regarding the six sense objects – pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral feelings. The manas also has its own feeling within this. These feelings are also born from the Tathāgatagarbha.

"Feeling conditions craving (taṇhā)." Because there are the three feelings of the six consciousnesses, the manas, depending on the feelings of the six consciousnesses, has its own feeling. When it contacts sense objects, it also has feelings – either pleasant feelings arising from craving, unpleasant feelings arising from aversion, or neutral feelings. Because of these feelings, craving arises, especially the craving of the manas. The Tathāgatagarbha, depending on this, can produce all subsequent bodily, verbal, and mental actions, giving rise to more dharmas. The feelings of the six consciousnesses and the feelings of the manas are all produced by the Tathāgatagarbha outputting consciousness seeds. The craving of the six consciousnesses is also produced by the Tathāgatagarbha outputting consciousness seeds. Especially the craving of the manas is born from the Tathāgatagarbha conditioned by the feelings of the manas.

"Craving conditions clinging (upādāna)." Because the manas has craving, it gives rise to a grasping nature, desiring to possess and cling to the myriad dharmas of the six sense objects in the three realms. This grasping nature is also produced by the Tathāgatagarbha outputting consciousness seeds. Apart from the Tathāgatagarbha, there is no manas, let alone the feelings, craving, and grasping nature of the manas.

"Clinging conditions becoming (bhava)." Due to the manas's clinging to the myriad dharmas of the three realms, the Tathāgatagarbha, in accordance with the mental activity of the manas, continuously produces all dharmas of the threefold world. "Becoming conditions birth (jāti)." After the dharmas of the threefold world are produced, the environment for the existence of the five-aggregate body is complete. Thus, the Tathāgatagarbha gives birth to the five-aggregate body.

"Birth conditions aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair (jarāmaraṇa, śoka-parideva-duḥkha-daurmanasya-upāyāsa)." Because the five-aggregate body is of an impermanent, illusory nature, after birth, the Tathāgatagarbha sustains it, continuously outputting the seeds of the four great elements, causing the physical body to grow continuously, gradually age, and finally die. Within this, there is immeasurable suffering of birth and death, endless sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. These sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death are also born dependently by the Tathāgatagarbha. The root cause is still the grasping nature of the manas and the craving of the manas. Only by extinguishing the craving of the manas can all suffering be extinguished.

From the above explanation of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, it can be seen that all dharmas of the threefold world arise because of the craving and grasping of the manas. The Tathāgatagarbha, in accordance with the manas and karmic seeds, produces all dharmas of the five-aggregate world. Suffering and happiness in birth and death are all born from the Tathāgatagarbha. Apart from the Tathāgatagarbha, there are no dharmas. Apart from the grasping of the manas, the Tathāgatagarbha would not produce dharmas. Therefore, within all dharmas, there is the manifest activity of the manas and the Tathāgatagarbha. All dharmas are inseparable from the manas and the Tathāgatagarbha.