A Teaching on the Tathagatagarba by Rangjung Dorje

I pay homage to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

"Though beginningless, it has an end.
It is pure by nature and has the quality of permanence.
It is unseen because it is obscured by a beginningless covering.
Like, for example, a golden statue that has been obscured."
That was taught (by the Buddha).

"The element of the beginningless time
Is the location of all phenomena.
Due to its existence, there are all beings
And also the attainment of nirvana."
(That was taught by the Buddha.)

"All beings are Buddhas,
But obscured by incidental stains.
When those have been removed, there is Buddhahood."
That is a quotation from a Tantra.

The "element" has no creator,
But is given this name because it retains its own characteristics.
"Beginningless" means that
There is nothing previous to it.
The "time" is that very instant.
It hasn't come from somewhere else.

"Phenomena" are explained to be
Samsara and nirvana appearing as a duality.
This is named "the ground of the latencies of ignorance."
The movement of mental events, correct thoughts
And incorrect thoughts are the cause of that arising (of samsara and nirvana).
The condition for their causes is taught to be the alaya (the universal ground).

The "location" is the Buddha nature.
Incorrect conceptualisation is completely located within the mind's purity.
This purity that exists in that way
Exists, but is not seen due to ignorant conceptualisation.
Therefore, there is samsara.
If they are dispelled, there is nirvana,
Which is termed "the end."

"Beginning" and "end" are dependent upon conceptualisation.
Mental events are like winds
That cause karma and kleshas to arise.
The (karma and kleshas) manifest the skandhas, dhatus,
Ayatanas, and all the phenomena of dualistic appearances.
Someone who strives for and discards these (appearances) is deluded.
What can be negated through rejecting your own projections?
What can be gained by acquiring your own projections?
Isn't this belief in duality a fraud?

Though this understanding is taught as a remedy,
The understanding of non-duality is not truth.
It is not conception of non-conceptuality.
The understanding of emptiness gained through breaking down forms and so on,
Isn't it itself a delusion?
But it is taught so that attachment to things as real will cease.

There isn't anything that is either real or false.
The wise have said that everything is like the moon's reflection on water.
The "ordinary mind" is called
The "dharmadhatu" and "the Buddha nature."
The enlightened cannot improve it.
Unenlightened beings cannot corrupt it.
It is described by many names,
But its meaning cannot be known through verbal expression.

It is unceasing manifestation.
(It is taught) to have sixty-four qualities.
Though this is (just) a simplified description,
It is said that each of the sixty-four has millions (of qualities).

There are ten strengths:
(1) the knowledge of appropriate and inappropriate actions;
(2) the knowledge of the ripening of karma, (3) of natures,
(3) aptitudes, and (5) aspirations;
(6) the knowledge of the destinations of all paths,
(7) (the possession) of dhyana;
(8) divine sight, (9) the memory of previous lives, and (10) peace.

Due to those (ten strengths), there are the four fearlessnesses:
(1) teaching that one abides in enlightenment, within all phenomena,
(2) teaching the path,
(3) teaching cessation, and
(4) being beyond dispute.

Due to those causes there are these eighteen (distinct qualities):
(1) no error, (2) no empty chatter, (3) no forgetfulness,
(5) continuous meditation, (5) the absence of a variety of identifications,
(6) the absence of an undiscriminating neutrality,
(7) the possession of an undeteriorating aspiration,
(8) diligence, (9) mindfulness, (10) samadhi, (11) prajna,
(12) the wisdom that sees complete liberation,
(13)-(15) every action being preceded by wisdom, and
(16)-(18) time being unable to obscure.
If those thirty-two (qualities) are possessed, there is the dharmakaya.

In our present (state), we deny the (presence of the Buddha nature) and these qualities.
There is no understanding of it as it is.
The non-existent "fabrications" are conceived of as existent.
The "completely true" is not known.
Thus we create our own torment.
Oh! Understanding these qualities of the dharmakaya
To be true is the knowledge of truth,
But in their present state, beings with meagre ability
Reject the knowledge of truth and fabricate untruth,
Which is adopted by the agitation that follows it.

Through knowing (the Buddha nature) as it is
One obtains its powers.
There is nothing whatever to be removed;
There isn't the slightest thing that needs to be added.
The truth is truly seen.
If the truth is seen, there is complete liberation.
The "element" is devoid of the incidental impurities,
Which have the characteristic of being separate.
It is not devoid of the unsurpassable qualities,
Which have the characteristic of inseparability.

In (the Buddha nature) are the qualities of the two form kayas:
The thirty-two major and (eighty) secondary signs.
Those qualities that are attained are one's own body.

The body is not created by self, Phwya, Shiva, Brahma, external real particles,
Or by elements beyond experience.
When the impure development of the five senses,
When the (duality) of perceiver and perceived
Is purified, the name "attainment" is given.

Therefore, the purified nadis, vayus, and bindus are the pure form kayas.
The unpurified are the impure form kayas.
For example, the qualities of an encrusted
Beryl are not evident.
When it is cleaned with yak-hair cloth and salty-water,
And cleaned with vinegar and woollen cloth,
Purified, it becomes the jewel that fulfils all needs and desires.

In the same way, for the purpose of clearing away
The three encrustations of the kleshas, knowledge, and meditation
From the aquamarine of the mind,
There is their total cessation through the paths of accumulation and juncture,
The seven impure bhumis and their pure bhumis.

When incorrect conceptualisation
Encounters correct conceptualisation,
Just as both (kindling-) sticks are burned by the fire, there is freedom
from (both) conceptualisations.
There is freedom from the concepts of elimination,
Remedies, suchness, and the idea of a result.

At that time, the flowers of the physical signs blossom
In the one who has the body of space.

The three phases of impurity, both purity and impurity,
And of complete purity are respectively:
(The phases) of beings, Bodhisattvas, and the Tathagatas.
Though this is what is said, Buddhahood is not newly created.
As it was before, it is the same after.
It is the changeless Buddha nature.
The "change" is becoming free of the stains.

If someone has the negative view
That the Buddha qualities have no cause,
Or conceive them not to be within oneself,
But created by external causes and conditions,
What difference is there between that and the eternalist and nihilist views of non-Buddhists?

The apparent momentary birth and cessation of the "mental events" (of Buddhas)
Correspond to the impure mental events (of beings).
If (the mental events of the Buddhas) were not like that,
The activity of the form kayas would cease.
However, they are not given the name "mental events,"
But (the name) "discriminating wisdom."

The nature of material elements
Is (either) accompanied by clinging (or) their powerful essence is manifested.
There is no difference whatsoever in appearances
To the deluded and the undeluded.
The (only) difference is the presence or absence of clinging to dualism.
If that was not so,
How could the Buddhas apply their activity?

The examples of the wish-fulfilling jewel and so on
Are explained to represent the manifestation of non-conceptual power.
However, this does not exist solely within the beings of others.
If that were so, it would be the wisdom of other beings.
And if that were so, then wisdom would be delusion.

If one states that (wisdom) has attachment for its own appearances,
Then a mirror that has appearances within it
Would (also) have thoughts of attachment.

All the delusions that beings have
Appear to (a Buddha's) wisdom.
The wisdom is however unstained by the delusions.
For example, though the material elements
Appear to originate and cease within space,
Space is unstained, is without any origin or cessation.

In that same way, though the wisdom of the Buddhas
Enters beings, it is not stained.
It is not given the name "delusion."
It is called "(the wisdom of) accomplishment of action."

The mind that has the absence of the three obscurations
Is "(the wisdom of) equality" and it is "peace."
Due to having love and great compassion (for beings)
The sambhoga(kaya), etc., appears to them.
This is stated in order to refute those who say
That the attainment of Buddhahood is the same as the Hinayana (attainment).

Wisdom is the three permanences:
Permanence of nature is the dharmakaya;
Permanence of continuity is the sambhogakaya;
Uninterruptedness is the nirmanakaya.

There are three impermanences:
Mentally fabricated emptiness is impermanent;
The mind of moving thoughts is impermanent;
The composite six consciousnesses are impermanent.

However, the three permanences are present.
The three impermanences are stains.
The three permanences are wisdom.

This is not the same as the Tirthika "self,"
Because that is a mental fabrication and (Buddha nature) is not.
This is not the same as the nirvana of the Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas
Because (in that) all the qualities of the form kayas are not manifested.
This is not the same as the body of an (ordinary) being
Because it is not created due to the defilements.

It will not change back to the previous state
Because it has manifested exactly as it is.

There will never (again) be the appearance of the stains
Because there is freedom from differentiating conceptualisation.

Therefore, the mind, this Buddha,
Is present now, but is not known.

(From the "Sutralankara"):
"When there is realization, at that time,
Just as when the heat of metal ceases,
And conjunctivitis in the eyes cease,
Because Buddhahood (has occurred), one cannot say that
Mind and wisdom either exist or do not exist."

(From the "Mahayanavimshika"):
"Because in the pristine meaning there is no birth,
There is also no liberation there.
Buddhahood is like space.
It has the same qualities as beings.
As 'this side' and 'the opposite side' are birthless,
The composites are truly empty.
This is the experience of omniscient wisdom."

(From the "Uttaratantra")
"It is subtle, so it is not the object of learning.
It is ultimate, so it is not the object of contemplation.
The dharmata is profound, so it is not the object of
Mundane meditation, and so on."

This experience of wisdom that knows itself,
This ultimate arises through trust in self-origination.
Oh! Because they do not understand this,
The children wander in the ocean of samsara!

Through the power of great Shakyamuni,
Of Manjushri, Maitreya, and Avalokiteshvara,
This was written by Rangjung Dorje.

May all beings have unmistaken knowledge
And full attainment of the Buddha nature!

This completes the definitive presentation of the Buddha nature,
which is the essence of the vajrayana.

SHUBHAM! (Auspiciousness!)