Learning to Discern the Dharma of Truth from the Dharma of Illusion in Buddhist Practice

Each link in the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination is unarisen, unreal, and illusory; it exists only by depending on the Tathagatagarbha. Superficially, it appears to arise and has appearances, but in essence, it is non-existent. However, behind this, there truly exists a real Dharma; otherwise, the illusory dharmas could not exist. This reality exists regardless of whether we grasp it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not. If you grasp it, it is there; if you do not grasp it, it is still there. It has nothing to do with whether we grasp it or not, whether we covet it or not, or whether we recognize it or not. Even if you cannot see it or find it, it still exists and functions according to its inherent nature.

Therefore, when studying Buddhism, we should completely separate the true and the false, distinguishing their natures thoroughly, in order to recognize the essence of things. Do not conflate them. If conflated, one will fail to recognize both the true and the false, mistaking the true for the false and the false for the true. If these are mixed together without distinction, the great matter of birth and death will never be resolved. The fundamental reason sentient beings cannot realize the Way is precisely because they have not separated the true Dharma from the false Dharma, nor have they clearly understood the nature of these two. Consequently, their understanding is erroneous, and their wisdom does not open.

For example, within the Twelve Links, "name-and-form conditions the six entrances; the six entrances condition contact." This means that because there is name-and-form, there are the six sense faculties, and thus the six entrances. Why does name-and-form give rise to the six entrances? Where do these six entrances come from? The six entrances, the six sense faculties, certainly did not fall from the sky nor grow naturally. Rather, they must have arisen from name-and-form, from the fertilized ovum, where the Tathagatagarbha generated the six sense faculties. Thus, the preceding link serves as the condition that induces the next link, while the next link is produced by the Tathagatagarbha, relying on the condition of the preceding link.

Further, "the six entrances condition contact; contact conditions feeling." Because there are the six entrances, there is contact. Can the six entrances, the six sense faculties, actively contact anything? Fundamentally, no. It is only because the Tathagatagarbha is behind them that the six entrances contact the six dusts (sense objects). "Contact conditions feeling": because there is contact—the six sense faculties contacting the six dusts—there is feeling. So where does feeling come from? Who experiences feeling? After the six sense faculties contact the six dusts, the six sense faculties neither produce feeling nor experience feeling; the six dusts neither produce feeling nor experience feeling; contact neither produces feeling nor experiences feeling. Feeling fundamentally does not come from contact, because contact itself is not a real entity; it is an illusory entity and cannot produce feeling. There must be something—something unborn and undying, something containing seeds—that can produce feeling. Therefore, this feeling still comes from the Tathagatagarbha.

In summary, regarding the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, each of its twelve links originates from the Tathagatagarbha and is born from it. One link serves as the condition for the next link, but the cause is the Tathagatagarbha. Thus, the twelve links are all conditions, yet within each lies the cause, which is the Tathagatagarbha. Finally, the Buddha summarized it in one sentence: "Consciousness conditions name-and-form; name-and-form conditions consciousness." Here, "consciousness" refers to the alaya-vijnana (storehouse consciousness). The alaya-vijnana depends on name-and-form to manifest and function, while name-and-form depends on the alaya-vijnana to arise and exist. The alaya-vijnana conditions (i.e., produces and induces) name-and-form, the physical body, and the five aggregates; name-and-form arises because of this alaya-vijnana (Tathagatagarbha).