The Tathāgatagarbha's Nature of Suchness

The meaning of tathatā (suchness) refers to the original appearance of the dharmadhātu, the true existence and unchanging nature of the dharmadhātu, the genuine reality of the dharmadhātu, and the original nature of the dharmadhātu. The dharmadhātu refers to the boundaries of all dharmas, the limits of all dharmas, the delimitation of all dharmas. In essence, all dharmas are uniformly the tathāgatagarbha; they are all of the nature of the tathāgatagarbha.

Why are all dharmas of the nature of the tathāgatagarbha? Because all dharmas are generated and transformed by the tathāgatagarbha; it is the tathāgatagarbha that uses the seven intrinsically existing great seeds (earth, water, fire, wind, space, seeing, consciousness) to perfectly manifest all dharmas. All dharmas possess the nature of the seven great seeds, which is precisely the nature of the tathāgatagarbha. The tathāgatagarbha manifests all dharmas in accordance with karmic seeds, exactly as they are, without violating the laws and operating principles of the dharmadhātu. In the course of operating all dharmas, the mind of the tathāgatagarbha is not moved by any dharma; it constantly maintains the purity and undefiled nature of the original mind, preserves its original truth and unchanging nature, and abides in suchness, immovable.

Although each dharma has its own worldly dharma-appearance, in essence it is still the appearance of the tathāgatagarbha, that is, the appearance and nature of suchness. Therefore, all dharmas are collectively called the one true dharmadhātu. On the surface, all dharmas seem to be arising, ceasing, and changing; they seem to be in constant motion, yet in reality none of them moves—neither increasing nor decreasing, unchanging and not different. No matter how tumultuous and turbulent the worldly realm may be, the dharmadhātu remains as it inherently is, quiet and still, serene and unmoving. So what are we clamoring for? What are we seeking? What are we grasping at? If we settle the mind, live out our days in accord with conditions, without even conceiving of it as "living out our days," we will accord with the nature of suchness and attain tranquil liberation.