The Buddhist View of Dependent Origination Differs from Non-Buddhist Views

Question: All phenomena arise from the conjunction of causes and conditions, but doesn't this contradict the statement in the Surangama Sutra: "Fundamentally, they are neither due to causes and conditions, nor to natural spontaneity"? If there is no contradiction, what does each of these statements express?

Answer: The cause of all phenomena is the Tathagatagarbha. Conditions refer to all the factors that give rise to a particular phenomenon. The World-Honored One said: "With cause and conditions, the world arises; with cause and conditions, the world ceases." In the view of causes and conditions held by non-Buddhist schools, the term "cause" does not refer to the Tathagatagarbha; both words "cause" and "condition" together refer only to conditions. Therefore, in the Surangama Sutra, the Buddha negates the notion that all phenomena are produced by causes and conditions, stating instead that they are all the nature of Tathagatagarbha. The direct producer of all phenomena is the Tathagatagarbha. All phenomena originate from the Tathagatagarbha; they are directly produced by the seeds of the four great elements or the seven great elements transmitted by the Tathagatagarbha.

Just like the twelve links of dependent origination — they are like twelve chains. In reality, it is not that the preceding phenomenon gives birth to the subsequent one; rather, all phenomena are born from the Tathagatagarbha. No other phenomenon can give birth to all phenomena. Therefore, explaining the twelve links of dependent origination apart from the Tathagatagarbha is a non-Buddhist view. Pratyekabuddhas did not realize the twelve links of dependent origination apart from the Tathagatagarbha. When they traced the chain of dependent origination backwards, they deduced that the Tathagatagarbha is the source of life.

In the third volume of the Surangama Sutra, the World-Honored One states that all phenomena are "fundamentally neither due to causes and conditions, nor to natural spontaneity." This means that all phenomena of the world are not produced by various conditions, nor do they exist spontaneously. Instead, they arise from within the Tathagatagarbha; they are fundamentally the nature of Tathagatagarbha, all generated by the functioning of the Tathagatagarbha. Thus, within all phenomena, one can perceive one's own Buddha-nature, which is the nature of Tathagatagarbha. The Tathagatagarbha is like a vast, intricate net encompassing all phenomena; all phenomena are entirely its subjects. The phrase "fundamentally neither due to causes and conditions, nor to natural spontaneity" omits the words "fundamentally the nature of Tathagatagarbha" afterward. Consequently, many sentient beings find it difficult to understand the true meaning of this statement.