The Dharma of Arising and Ceasing Ultimately Reveals the Tathagatagarbha: The Unborn and Unceasing Dharma

All dharmas are divided into conventional truth and ultimate truth. Conventional truth can be observed through appearances, which are illusory and fabricated, possessing numerous illusory functions. Although they exhibit superficial functions, these are still unreal and delusional. For example, the five aggregates of sentient beings: the form aggregate has its illusory functions, which are undeniable. Despite having functions, it remains a dharma of arising and ceasing, not a true dharma, and thus should not be taken as real or clung to. The same applies to the feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, mental formation aggregate, and consciousness aggregate—all possess undeniable illusory functions yet are equally unreal and illusory.

These fabricated illusory appearances are merely the convergence of various causes and conditions, arising dependently and empty in nature. Who brings them together? It is the Tathagatagarbha that aggregates them. Based on the karmic seeds of sentient beings, the Tathagatagarbha uses the seeds of the four great elements or the six great elements to assemble all dharmas of the five-aggregate world. Superficially, they appear as arising and ceasing. In essence, however, these dharmas of arising and ceasing are all fashioned from materials within the Tathagatagarbha; their fundamental nature belongs entirely to the Tathagatagarbha, with not a single one existing beyond it. Therefore, from the perspective of their essence, all dharmas of arising and ceasing are none other than the non-arising, non-ceasing Tathagatagarbha. Relying on the Tathagatagarbha, they too are non-arising and non-ceasing, because the six great elements that form the dharmas of arising and ceasing are themselves non-arising and non-ceasing, eternally capable of manifesting these dharmas. Thus, ultimately, the dharmas of arising and ceasing are also non-arising and non-ceasing.