The Two Meanings of Suchness

Suchness (tathatā) has two meanings: one refers to the substance of the true mind, which is the tathāgatagarbha; the other refers to the nature of the true mind, namely the reality of the tathāgatagarbha and its immovable suchness toward all dharmas. Whichever meaning suchness carries, it is unconditioned. However, if suchness refers to the mind-substance itself, then it is neither arising nor ceasing; if suchness refers to the nature of the true mind, then it is not a real dharma, because a nature can only exist in dependence on the substance, and only the substance is real. The nature is a description and expression of the substance, and therefore is certainly not a real dharma, not a self-existing dharma. For example, a piece of clothing is the substance and truly exists, whereas the adjectives describing the clothing—such as beautiful, elegant, well-fitting, luxurious, and so on—can only exist in dependence on the clothing; even if such qualities exist, they have no physical entity: they cannot be touched, felt, or worn, but can only be appreciated and sensed. What these adjectives describe is all non-self-existing; they are not truly existent and are not the substance.

Suchness is the same. If it is used to describe the characteristics of the tathāgatagarbha substance, then it is of the same nature as adjectives like beautiful, elegant, and luxurious, and cannot substitute for the substance. The only self-existing dharma is the tathāgatagarbha substance; the only dharma that neither arises nor ceases is the tathāgatagarbha substance. But the nature of the tathāgatagarbha is provisionally existent, a name given by people; it is not truly existent, not the real, neither-arising-nor-ceasing dharma-substance.