How to Investigate the Tathāgatagarbha

Question: The functions of the tathāgatagarbha are present everywhere, and it is precisely because they are everywhere that there is no place to begin. How can one search for the tathāgatagarbha? By what means?

Answer: One must first cultivate sufficient meditative concentration (samādhi) before engaging in investigation; otherwise, the result will be mostly intellectual understanding. If it is merely intellectual understanding, one will not be able to observe the workings of the tathāgatagarbha, will not know exactly how the tathāgatagarbha gives rise to the five aggregates, and wisdom will not grow; only genuine enlightenment corresponds to the tathāgatagarbha. If your meditative concentration is insufficient, hold off for now on undertaking the investigation of Chan.

After the elimination of self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi), it becomes easy to realize the tathāgatagarbha: negate all the functions and operations of the five aggregates, and the functions of the tathāgatagarbha will manifest. If you still take the functions of the five aggregates to be real, you will not be able to sense the functions of the tathāgatagarbha, and realizing Him will be very difficult. When merit, meditative concentration, and the power of wisdom (prajñā-bala) are all complete, and the bodhisattva's practice of the six perfections has been accomplished, then by investigating Chan through gong'an, one can attain enlightenment—at that point there will be a place to begin.