The Relationship Between the Three Kāyas: Dharmakāya, Sambhogakāya, and Nirmāṇakāya

The Tathāgatagarbha neither increases nor decreases; the mental faculty (manas) neither increases nor decreases. Immeasurable transformation bodies and immeasurable bodies of the six consciousnesses are all subsumed into the Tathāgatagarbha and the mental faculty. Simultaneously, the six sense faculties within the Dharma Realm neither increase nor decrease, the six sense objects within the Dharma Realm neither increase nor decrease, and the six consciousnesses within the Dharma Realm neither increase nor decrease. The five aggregates of form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness neither increase nor decrease. These phenomena are like illusions and transformations, lacking inherent nature; therefore, they have never increased or decreased. Illusory arising and ceasing are ultimately unobtainable; therefore, they neither increase nor decrease. All dharmas arise from the confluence of causes and conditions; fundamentally unreal, they have never been born nor ceased; therefore, there is no increase or decrease.

Although transformation bodies are also sentient beings, they must be subsumed under the mental faculty. The mental faculty is singular; therefore, the transformation bodies neither increase nor decrease. The reason sentient beings are considered sentient beings is that they possess a complete set of props and costumes, including the eight consciousnesses, which can also include the physical body. The Dharma Body is the eighth consciousness, the Reward Body is the seventh consciousness, and the transformation bodies are the six consciousnesses. Regardless of how many transformation bodies the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest, they all exist based on the Dharma Body and the Reward Body, belonging to the Dharma Body and the Reward Body. Transformation bodies cannot exist independently; therefore, strictly speaking, transformation bodies alone cannot be considered sentient beings, as they lack autonomy and self-mastery.