All Dharmas Are of the Nature of Tathatā

In the Platform Sutra, the Sixth Patriarch states: If all dharmas are impermanent, then each and every thing would possess its own intrinsic nature, capable of undergoing birth and death, and the permanent nature would have places where it does not pervade. Therefore, when I speak of permanence, it is precisely the Buddha’s teaching on true impermanence.

Self-nature gives rise to all dharmas, and the essence of all dharmas is also self-nature. Self-nature is permanent, and when all dharmas are spoken of in dependence upon self-nature, they too are permanent. If all dharmas were impermanent, then everything would possess its own intrinsic nature, capable of self-generation and self-extinction, and would not be born from self-nature, nor would it require self-nature to give birth to it. In that case, self-nature would have places where it does not pervade. However, this is impossible. Therefore, when all dharmas are spoken of in dependence upon self-nature, they all possess the permanent nature of the true suchness of self-nature. If it is said that there is one dharma that is impermanent, then that dharma would have its own intrinsic nature, for it is only with intrinsic nature that the concept of birth and death arises. Would that not imply that the true suchness has places it does not pervade, that there are dharmas it cannot give birth to?

When all dharmas are spoken of in dependence upon the true suchness of self-nature, they are all of the nature of suchness, neither born nor perishing. Because these dharmas are all born from the true suchness of self-nature, they all possess the nature of suchness; therefore, all dharmas are also permanent and indestructible. As long as the true suchness of self-nature exists, the manifestation of all dharmas will always occur. If all dharmas were impermanent, then once they perished, they could not be born again. If they cannot be born, it would mean the true suchness of self-nature is inoperative, incapable of producing dharmas, implying that the true suchness of self-nature has places where it does not pervade. However, this is impossible. The true suchness of self-nature pervades all places; all places and all dharmas are the true suchness of self-nature; wherever there are all dharmas, there is the true suchness of self-nature. Moreover, within suchness, there are originally seeds that are neither born nor perish, eternally abiding. As long as conditions are met, they will give rise to all dharmas.

The meaning conveyed by the Sixth Patriarch is this: If all dharmas were impermanent, then all things would possess their own intrinsic nature. These things would be capable of self-generation and self-extinction, undergoing birth and death ceaselessly. In that case, the true suchness of self-nature would not be needed to give birth to them, and self-nature would have places where it is not universal. This contradicts the meaning of the scriptures. Therefore, when the Sixth Patriarch says all dharmas are permanent, it is precisely the Buddha’s teaching on the true principle of impermanence. The statement that all dharmas are permanent indicates that all dharmas are born from and manifested by self-nature; thus, all dharmas lack intrinsic nature, and therefore are impermanent.