How to Contemplate That All Dharmas Are of Tathāgatagarbha Nature

In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the World-Honored One repeatedly explains that the five aggregates and eighteen realms are all the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha—neither natural nor conditioned. That they are neither natural nor conditioned can be understood through contemplation, yet the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha itself is extremely difficult to comprehend. Even upon realizing the Tathāgatagarbha, it remains difficult to observe, and understanding it is not easy.

Formless and shapeless seeds of the four great elements combine to form the tiniest particles. These particles then aggregate to form slightly larger particles. Continuously, the seeds of the four great elements form particles, and particles ceaselessly gather together, ultimately manifesting as material form visible to the naked eye. From nothingness to existence, from formless, empty seeds to tangible, minuscule particles—this process of creation out of nothingness is itself wondrous, like magic. Hence, it is said that the Tathāgatagarbha is the magician.

It is said that the Tathāgatagarbha projects the seeds of the four great elements, yet in essence, these seeds do not depart from the Tathāgatagarbha; the particles formed from them do not depart from the Tathāgatagarbha; and the material form that arises does not depart from the Tathāgatagarbha. The physical body arises and ceases within the Tathāgatagarbha, never departing from it. The Tathāgatagarbha is formless and shapeless, so how could the physical body possess form and shape? What, then, is the true state of the physical body? If it is said that material form arises, it must detach from the Tathāgatagarbha, existing outside it with an independent form. If the seeds of the four great elements could depart from the Tathāgatagarbha to form particles, how would they function after leaving? Who grants them this function? How do formless seeds operate outside the Tathāgatagarbha? How do they transform from formlessness into form? How does material form exist and change outside the Tathāgatagarbha? What serves as its basis? When the seeds cease, how do they return to the Tathāgatagarbha? If the seeds never depart from the Tathāgatagarbha, then talk of returning to it is meaningless. It turns out that it is the Tathāgatagarbha itself playing, creating a game, performing magic for itself—self-amusement.

Consciousness seeds give rise to the conscious mind. Since the consciousness seeds do not depart from the Tathāgatagarbha, the conscious mind does not depart from it either. Apart from the Tathāgatagarbha, there are no seeds; apart from it, there is no conscious mind, no mental factors associated with consciousness, no feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness. If feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness operate within the Tathāgatagarbha—arising and ceasing, chaotically appearing and disappearing—then form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are all affairs within the Tathāgatagarbha’s own domain. The illusion does not extend beyond its own household; it is the Tathāgatagarbha enjoying itself alone, self-entertaining.

All phenomena do not depart from the Tathāgatagarbha; therefore, they are unborn. They also do not return to the Tathāgatagarbha; therefore, they are unceasing. If there are no phenomena in the world, no world itself, nothing at all, nothing exists—then one might as well sleep all day long. But who is it that sleeps? The rules and principles within the Tathāgatagarbha are so mysterious; without understanding them, one probably cannot sleep soundly either.