The Tathāgatagarbha’s Eternality and Annihilability

The permanence of the Tathagatagarbha in sentient beings refers to the fact that the essence of the Tathagatagarbha itself is uncreated and indestructible, unchanging and immutable. The annihilation aspect of the Tathagatagarbha in sentient beings refers to the fact that the karmic seeds contained within the Tathagatagarbha continuously undergo birth, cessation, and transformation, and the consciousness seeds of the Tathagatagarbha itself are also born moment by moment, thereby forming the continuous, uninterrupted functioning of the Tathagatagarbha.

In summary, the Tathagatagarbha neither ceases nor is permanent.