The Four Virtues of Nirvāṇa

The four virtues of nirvāṇa—permanence, bliss, self, and purity—are a realm, a state, a nature. Permanence, bliss, self, and purity are the self-abiding realm of the great perfect mirror wisdom (ādarśajñāna) at the buddha-stage; they manifest in reliance upon the great perfect mirror wisdom, and they too are not real. Only the great perfect mirror wisdom is a real entity, real suchness, a real dharma. The nirvāṇa of the buddha-stage manifests in reliance upon the great perfect mirror wisdom; it is likewise not a real entity, not real suchness, not a real dharma. Apart from the ālayavijñāna, apart from the vipākavijñāna, and apart from the undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna), all other dharmas are entirely revealed and manifested by the tathāgatagarbha; they exist in dependence upon the tathāgatagarbha and are never apart from it. Only the tathāgatagarbha does not depend on any dharma: it exists independently, relying on nothing, standing tall and alone.