The Tathatā Nature of the Eighth Consciousness

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 unified as the eighth consciousness; they are all the nature of the eighth consciousness.

Why are all dharmas the nature of the eighth consciousness? Because all dharmas are generated and transformed by the eighth consciousness; it is the eighth consciousness that perfectly manifests all dharmas, manifesting them in accordance with karmic seeds exactly as they are, without violating the laws and operating principles of the dharmadhātu. In its operation, the mind is not moved by any dharma, maintaining the purity and undefiled nature of the original mind, maintaining its original truth and unchanging nature, maintaining its suchness and immovability.

Although each dharma has its own worldly dharma-appearance, in essence it is still the appearance of the eighth consciousness, 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 motion, but in reality none of them move—neither increasing nor decreasing, neither changing nor differing. No matter how noisy and turbulent the worldly realm may be, the dharmadhātu remains as it inherently is, quiet and still, serene and unmoving. So what is there for us to clamor about? What is there to seek? What is there to grasp? Settle the mind, live out the days in accord with conditions, without even conceiving of "living out the days," and one will accord with the nature of suchness—serene and liberated.