..續本文上一頁roduction to The Tathagatagarbhashastra by Rangjung Dorje in the chapter, When Did Samsara Begin

　　 When Will It End

　　 It is a summary of the quotations on the Buddha nature from the sutras and tantra and introduces the contents of the shastra that the Third Karmapa now offers in detail. The root text lists six definitions of the Buddha nature given in the sutras.

　　 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.)

　　“Beginningless”

　　“Beginningless” means that

　　There is nothing previous to it.

　　The “time” is that very instant.

　　It hasn”t come from somewhere else.

　　There is the element of beginningless time in all living beings, which is also the essence of the Tathagatas. It is the place from which all wonderful qualities of being arise and already exists within every living being without exception. This means that the one or other person does not have a better chance of realizing his or her own true being.

　　The word “beginningless” means that there is nothing previous to something, that nothing has gone before. If there is a beginning, then there wasn”t anything before. “Time” is therefore described as (…) that very instant, i.e., time is the present mind in this very instant. Its essence is emptiness and its nature is clarity. When the essence and nature have been realized, the ultimate is seen. One then realizes that the relative arises amid the vast expanse of the ultimate. The true nature of the mind is just that and not beyond conditioned existence.

　　Many texts speak about “four times.” The first three refer to the past, present, and future, which are relative truths because they are mental constructs, i.e., they are designated by the mind. For example, the present day is called “today,” the past day “yesterday” - a negation of the word “today” - and the coming day “tomorrow,” but there is nothing definite or conclusive about these statements other than functionality. That is why there is beginningless-ness, the fourth dimension. Whoever practices the teachings given by Lord Buddha can achieve that recognition, since

　　“All beings are Buddhas,

　　But obscured by incidental stains.

　　When those have been removed, there is Buddhahood.”

　　That is a quotation from Tantra.

　　Rangjung Dorje continued by presenting the next five definitions of the Buddha nature according to the sutras. They are: element, phenomena, location, exists, and the end.

　　“Element”

　　The “element” has no creator,

　　But is given this name because it retains its own characteristics.

　　The Tibetan term for “element” here is khams, the Sanskrit word is dhatu, a term frequently used for the Buddha nature in the sutras and predates the usage of the term Tathagatagarbha. So “element” refers to the beginningless Buddha nature, which is always and ever present within all living beings. The definition of the term “element” in this context is therefore “the essence of the Tathagatas or Buddhas.” Thus the essence of the Buddhas is the element possessing all the magnificent qualities and characteristics of a Buddha. Who created it

　　 Nobody created it because it possesses its own qualities, i.e., the Buddha nature is replete with the knowledge of a Buddha, the love of a Buddha, as well as the power and qualities of a Buddha”s body, speech, and mind. These qualities are present within each and everyone and can manifest abundantly wh…

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