What Is the Oneness of Nature and Characteristics?

The appearance (lakṣaṇa) of a thing and the nature (svabhāva) of that thing are both suchness (tathatā)—the one true dharmadhātu. The appearance is manifested from the four great element seeds within the self-nature of suchness; it is manifested by suchness, its essence is suchness, and its nature is the nature of suchness. For example, a golden vessel is made of gold: its appearance is the appearance of gold, its nature is the nature of gold, and its appearance and nature are unified as gold.