All Dharmas Are Born from the Tathāgatagarbha

Any product manufactured by humans is born of causes and conditions, and in essence it is still born of the tathāgatagarbha. Not only are the seeds of the four great elements of the product provided by the tathāgatagarbha, the theories for manufacturing the product are provided by the tathāgatagarbha, the people who manufacture the product are provided by the tathāgatagarbha, the required parts are provided by the tathāgatagarbha, and most importantly, the human labor activities that manufacture the product are provided by the tathāgatagarbha. The entire process of manufacturing is the tathāgatagarbha itself assembling the whole product; there is not a single dharma outside the tathāgatagarbha that participates. To reach this contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) of direct perception requires cultivating for more than one immeasurable kalpa.

The generation of the six external sense objects of the universe's material world (bhājana-loka) is also like this; no external dharma participates. The required causes and conditions come from the tathāgatagarbha, the required seeds come from the tathāgatagarbha, and the required karmic seeds come from the tathāgatagarbha. The tathāgatagarbhas operate in harmony with one another, jointly creating the world of the three realms. Whoever's tathāgatagarbha does not participate, that being does not exist in this world, and that being has no qualification to come to this world. If one does not contribute effort, there is no ready-made meal for you all to enjoy.