The Relationship Between the Physical Body and Tathāgatagarbha

The material body and the tathāgatagarbha are related as bread and flour: the tathāgatagarbha is like the flour, and the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) are like the bread. The bread is made entirely of flour; the five aggregates are all functions and operations of the tathāgatagarbha. Footprints in the snow: the tathāgatagarbha is like the snow, and the five aggregates are like the footprints. The footprints are all snow; the five aggregates are all the tathāgatagarbha. Gold and gold jewelry: the tathāgatagarbha is like the gold, and the five aggregates are like the gold jewelry. The gold jewelry is entirely gold; the five aggregates are entirely the tathāgatagarbha.

If I say that all dharmas are the tathāgatagarbha, that is not wrong; but if others say this, it is very likely mistaken. This is because I can genuinely carry out contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on this principle, so however I speak of it, it holds true; for those who have not carried out such contemplative practice, it is merely imagination. When one has realized that principle, speaking of it horizontally or vertically, however one speaks, nothing is inverted; without realization, when one guesses and imagines, one does not know why it is so.