What Exactly Counts as Relying on the Tathāgatagarbha

Nowadays many people talk at great length about taking refuge in the tathāgatagarbha, but there is something of chasing shadows in it. Because if we want to rely on something, we must first find that thing, understand it, and then judge whether it is worth relying on, whether we can rely on it, how to rely on it, and what conditions are needed to rely on it, and what will happen after relying on it. All of these require us to understand, think about, and observe, and then take actual action in order to achieve the purpose of relying on it and gain safety and benefit. Taking refuge in the tathāgatagarbha must be done the same way. For example, if we want to rely on a big tree to rest and enjoy its shade, we first need to find that big tree accurately and without error, and be able to observe and measure it, then figure out how to walk to the foot of that tree, then judge where it is suitable and more comfortable to lean, where we can shelter from wind and rain and sun, and then place a cushion and sit down leaning against it. Taking refuge in the tathāgatagarbha follows the same principle. 

If we want to take refuge in the tathāgatagarbha, we must first realize Him through seeing the mind and seeing the nature, and only then can we observe Him directly and truthfully, and we must observe comprehensively, understanding and observing the general nature of the tathāgatagarbha truthfully without error; only then can we rely on Him, and only then can our body and mind and world begin to transform. Through observation and comparison, we see the body and mind of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) as increasingly empty, until even our cognition of the entire world begins to empty out, and our mental nature draws ever closer and converges with the tathāgatagarbha. Only when our mental nature has truly transformed, having removed the afflictions and defilements of greed, anger, and delusion, can we say that our mental nature has taken refuge in the tathāgatagarbha and has transformed; only then does it count as a preliminary successful transformation of the basis (āśraya-parāvṛtti). And by this time the sixth and seventh consciousnesses have long since transformed consciousness into wisdom, equivalent to a great bodhisattva at or above the first bhūmi. 

If the mind still has the afflictions of greed, anger, and delusion, if the defilements are still very heavy, wisdom is still very lowly and has extremely many deficiencies and omissions, then the mind has not taken refuge in the tathāgatagarbha, nor has it drawn near to the tathāgatagarbha; the distance from the tathāgatagarbha is still quite far, and neither body nor mind has received any real benefit. At this time it does not count as the transformation of the basis as tathāgatagarbha (āśraya-parāvṛtti-tathāgatagarbha), because the body has not transformed and the mind has not transformed; it is still the same body and mind as before, complete with the five poisons. In no way is that the transformation of the basis as tathāgatagarbha; one is still relying on ignorance and afflictions, not relying on the tathāgatagarbha, let alone achieving a preliminary successful transformation of the basis.

After realizing the tathāgatagarbha, in the operation of the five aggregates and the eighteen dhātus, one continuously observes the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha. This requires at least the wisdom of specific characteristics, the posterior wisdom (post-enlightenment wisdom), and even later a bit of the wisdom of the varieties of paths, in order to observe truthfully and as it really is the manner and patterns of the tathāgatagarbha's functioning. Otherwise it belongs to inference and speculation; imagining the tathāgatagarbha's functioning is not truthful observation, and one cannot observe the tathāgatagarbha. Then one cannot truly understand the nature of the tathāgatagarbha, and cannot take refuge in the tathāgatagarbha. After enlightenment, each time one observes the tathāgatagarbha's functioning upon the five aggregates, one's own body and mind will be touched; comparing them, one is pure and one is defiled, one is without mind and one has mind. In this way one can give rise to a sense of shame, self-reproach, and aspiration. Over a long time, with deepening practice, one is gradually influenced and perfumed by the mental nature of the tathāgatagarbha; afflictions are severed, consciousness is transformed into wisdom, and the preliminary transformation of the basis succeeds. The complete and thorough transformation of the basis is Buddhahood. 

After realizing the tathāgatagarbha, in what aspects should one observe His purity? Observe in the operation of the five aggregates, in the operation of the six faculties. For example, when seeing forms, you should observe how the tathāgatagarbha is pure, without mental activity or thought, and even more without any wrong intentions. We should also be like Him, taking Him as our model, not having so many selfish thoughts and distracting notions, self-serving ideas, greed, competitiveness, and possessiveness; all these mental actions must be removed. When hearing sounds, observe how the tathāgatagarbha is pure; no matter what kind of sound He contacts, He remains suchness is immovable (tathatā-acalita), not turned by the sound. So when we hear others' words, whether sounds of praise or sounds of insult, we should take the tathāgatagarbha as our model and try our best not to give rise to mental actions of greed and anger. 

When the nose smells scents, the tongue tastes flavors, the body feels tangibles, and the mind discerns dharmas—when facing all states—one should observe how the tathāgatagarbha is pure, how selfless, how without self, how it serves sentient beings. After observing in this way, the seventh consciousness mind will be perfumed, and whenever any state arrives, one's own mind will accordingly become purified bit by bit, and also begin to become selfless and without self.

Through such continuous perfuming, the mind gradually transforms its basis, mental actions will change, defilements are eliminated, afflictions are exhausted, and the great wisdom of emptiness of self and emptiness of dharmas arises, transforming the nature of consciousness into the nature of wisdom; the sixth consciousness possesses the wisdom of wonderful observation, and the seventh consciousness possesses the wisdom of equality—at this point the preliminary transformation of the basis is considered successful. Before this, it is not successful; one is only slowly learning. Those who have not attained enlightenment should not casually speak words like "transformation of the basis as tathāgatagarbha," because they are still too far from the transformation of the basis. Even those who have just attained enlightenment are not qualified to discuss the matter of the transformation of the basis—they have a pile of afflictions and shallow wisdom; how do they have even the slightest appearance of the tathāgatagarbha?