The Ideology of "Tathagatagarbha"

The Khenpo first clarifies misconceptions about the Tathāgatagarbha, emphasizing its distinction from the eternalist concept of ātman in non-Buddhist traditions, and establishes the scriptural foundation of Tathāgatagarbha doctrine in Buddhist canonical texts. He then elaborates on the existence of Tathāgatagarbha through the nine analogies from the Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra (such as the Buddha image within withered flowers, honey amidst swarms of bees, etc.), explaining the principle that all sentient beings possess Buddha-nature. Finally, he emphasizes the necessity of understanding Tathāgatagarbha and the merits of study and practice, calling for the realization of one's true nature through the practice of mind observation.