Tathāgatagarbha and All Dharmas Are Neither One Nor Different

The tathāgatagarbha outputs the four great seeds to generate a certain kind of material form, just as gold is fashioned into a golden basin: when something needs to be held, the golden basin is used. When golden kitchen utensils are needed, the golden basin is of no use; the golden basin is melted down and fashioned anew into golden kitchen utensils.

The tathāgatagarbha is also like this: when this kind of material form ceases, the four great seeds flow back into the tathāgatagarbha. When other material forms are needed, the tathāgatagarbha once again outputs the four great seeds to generate other material forms. Therefore it is said that all dharmas are the tathāgatagarbha, neither one with nor different from the tathāgatagarbha; each has its function, each has its nature, each has its mark, each has its substance. Yet the nature of all dharmas is determined by the tathāgatagarbha, the marks of all dharmas are determined by the tathāgatagarbha, the substance of all dharmas is established by the tathāgatagarbha, and the function of all dharmas is bestowed by the tathāgatagarbha. Therefore all dharmas are the tathāgatagarbha, and they are neither one with nor different from it.

The tathāgatagarbha neither arises nor ceases; the seven great seeds neither arise nor cease. All dharmas appear to arise and cease, but at their root they too neither arise nor cease—when they cease and arise again, what harm is there in ceasing for arising? As long as there is the tathāgatagarbha and the seven great seeds, no dharma ever ceases permanently; what harm is there in intermittent existence?