The Unconditioned Dharmas in the Gateway of the Hundred Dharmas

The Hundred Dharmas Enlightenment Gate introduces six types of non-conditioned dharmas. Among them is the originally non-conditioned true mind Tathagatagarbha, as well as the non-conditioned state cultivated later by the deluded consciousness of the seven vijnanas, encompassing both the true and the false. The non-conditioned state of empty space refers to the Tathagatagarbha's fundamental essence remaining unmoving like empty space while operating all dharmas; this is the nature of the non-conditioned. The Tathagatagarbha is eternally unmoving. Regardless of encountering any state, it never stirs in thought; its mind-nature is non-conditioned. The non-conditioned state of Suchness (tathata) refers to the non-conditioned nature of the Tathagatagarbha. Non-selective cessation (apratisamkhyanirodha) also refers to the non-conditioned nature of the Tathagatagarbha. The non-conditioned state of immobility refers to when the seven vijnanas cultivate to the level of the fourth dhyana (meditative absorption), the mind no longer stirs in thought, thus becoming non-conditioned; the body has no breathing, pulse, or heartbeat, also becoming non-conditioned and immobile. When both body and mind are non-conditioned, it is called the non-conditioned state of immobility. Selective cessation (pratisamkhyanirodha) and the cessation of perception and feeling (samjna-vedita-nirodha) both refer to the non-conditioned state of the seven vijnanas. Within the state of cessation (nirodha-samapatti), the manas (mind-root) ceases perception and feeling, retaining only attention (manasikara), contact (sparsa), and volition (cetana), with most mental activities becoming non-conditioned. In reality, the Tathagatagarbha is fundamentally a non-conditioned dharma. Its mind-nature is non-conditioned, yet this does not hinder its conditioned functionality in serving sentient beings and the five aggregates (skandhas). Within this conditioned functioning, the mind-nature is resolutely non-conditioned. Is there any dharma surpassing the non-conditioned mind-nature of the Tathagatagarbha? There is none. The seven vijnanas can never be more non-conditioned than the Tathagatagarbha; the five aggregates can never be more non-conditioned than the Tathagatagarbha. There exists no dharma more non-conditioned than the Tathagatagarbha. Only when the seven vijnanas are cultivated to a considerable degree can they gradually become non-conditioned, yet this non-conditioned state cultivated later is a dharma subject to arising and ceasing.