On What Basis Does the Tathāgatagarbha Uphold and Transform the Physical Body?

The tathāgatagarbha constantly abides in quiescence and cessation without moving. If He is to manifest any dharma, it must be the result of the manas being stirred, and there must be the manas as an associated condition. On the surface, it seems that when the tathāgatagarbha forms the nāma-rūpa fertilized egg, transforms the fertilized egg, and repairs the tissues of the material body, there is no functional operation of the manas; in reality, the manas is always at work. The manas forever corresponds to karmic seeds, and the tathāgatagarbha accords with karmic seeds—according with both seeds of merit and seeds of meager merit (alpa-puṇya)—which is just the same as according with the manas. In the vast majority of cases, when the tathāgatagarbha gives rise to worldly dharmas, He does so on the basis of karmic seeds. Even though the manas is constantly deliberating and constantly making choices, when the tathāgatagarbha cooperates with the manas, He must still rely on karmic seeds, on the conditions of merit, and on other causal conditions. 

If the causal conditions do not permit it, if merit is insufficient, if there are no karmic seeds, or if the karmic seeds have not yet matured, the tathāgatagarbha cannot give rise to dharmas according to the choices of the manas. For example, many people wish to be promoted and become wealthy, wishing to possess superior worldly retribution, but because they have no karmic seeds and the conditions are not ripe, they can only continue as before, living the life of ordinary commoners. Take another example: some people should have the retribution of chronic illness; no matter how hard they strive, no matter how much money and energy they spend, they cannot restore their bodies to health. Even someone with merit as great as an emperor's could not do so; moreover, once an emperor has exhausted his merit, he may commit suicide, be killed, or be usurped and overthrown. In this world, quite a few people are born with great merit, but because from childhood they indulge in and consume this merit to the extreme, by the time they grow up the merit is used up, and they either die, or live in poverty and hardship, or suffer many calamities. 

The retribution of the three realms is drawn along by karmic power, and the tathāgatagarbha turns along with karmic power. But if the power of vows is greater than karmic power, it can draw the tathāgatagarbha to move according to one's aspirations. When ordinary beings make great vows, they will gradually break free from the bondage of karmic power, be reborn transformed and become sages, and ultimately attain buddhahood. Therefore, repentance and the making of vows is a powerful method of cultivation. As long as there is a vow, as long as the manas holds a vow, sooner or later the day of its fulfillment will come. No vow is an empty vow; all will be fulfilled—the only question is when the conditions will be complete. After these great vows are made, the tathāgatagarbha records them, and when the seeds mature, they will be fulfilled as wished. What we need to do is, first, to make pure great vows and wholesome vows, and second, to strive to bring the seeds of the power of vows to maturity; in the future we will then obtain the fruits of those vows.