All Dharmas Are of the Nature of Tathatā

The Sixth Patriarch states in the Platform Sutra: If all dharmas were impermanent, then each and every thing would possess its own intrinsic nature (svabhāva), undergoing birth and death, and the true eternal nature would have places it does not pervade. Therefore, when I speak of permanence, it is precisely the true meaning of impermanence as taught by the Buddha.

Self-nature gives rise to all dharmas; the essence of all dharmas is also self-nature. Self-nature is permanent, and since all dharmas depend on self-nature, they are also said to be permanent. If all dharmas were impermanent, then everything would possess its own intrinsic nature, capable of arising and ceasing spontaneously; they would not be born from self-nature, nor would they require self-nature to give birth to them. In that case, self-nature would have places it does not pervade. However, this is impossible. Therefore, all dharmas, when spoken of in dependence on self-nature, possess the permanent nature of the true suchness (Tathatā) of self-nature. If there were a dharma that was impermanent, then that dharma would possess its own intrinsic nature, for it is only by having intrinsic nature that the concepts of birth and death apply. Then, would not true suchness have places it does not pervade? There would be dharmas it could not produce.

All dharmas, when considered based on the true suchness of self-nature (Tathāgata-garbha), are of the nature of true suchness, neither arising nor ceasing. Because these dharmas are all born from the true suchness of self-nature and all possess the nature of true suchness, therefore all dharmas are also permanent and indestructible. As long as the true suchness of self-nature exists, the manifestation of all dharmas will always occur. If all dharmas were impermanent, then once they ceased they could not be born again. If they cannot be born, it would mean the true suchness of self-nature does not function and cannot produce dharmas; that would mean the true suchness of self-nature has places it does not pervade. However, this is impossible. The true suchness of self-nature pervades all places; all places and all dharmas are the true suchness of self-nature. Wherever there are dharmas, there is the true suchness of self-nature. Moreover, within true suchness there inherently exist seeds (bīja) that are neither born nor destroyed, eternally abiding. As long as conditions (pratyaya) are encountered, they will give rise to all dharmas.

The meaning conveyed by the Sixth Patriarch is this: If all dharmas were impermanent, then all things would possess their own intrinsic nature; these things would be able to arise and cease spontaneously, undergoing endless birth and death. In that case, they would not require the true suchness of self-nature to give birth to them, and self-nature would have places it is not universal. This contradicts the meaning of the sutras. Therefore, when the Sixth Patriarch states that all dharmas are permanent, it is precisely the true principle of impermanence as taught by the Buddha. That all dharmas are permanent demonstrates that all dharmas are born from and manifested by self-nature; thus, all dharmas lack their own intrinsic nature, and therefore are impermanent.