華嚴經義海百門 1.68

1.68

Sixth, elucidating buddha-nature: It means that awakening to the fact that a dust mote and all phenomena are conditioned and without intrinsic nature is called 'buddha-nature.' A sūtra says: 'The seed of the buddhas of the three periods of time takes absence of intrinsic nature as its nature.' Here, merely understanding the absence of intrinsic nature in all places is itself buddha-nature. It does not exist because of sentient beings, nor is it absent because of insentient things. Now, speaking solely of sentient beings is intended to exhort people to become fit vessels. Always, within a single dust mote and a single hair-tip, clearly seeing that all principle and phenomena are nothing other than Tathāgata-nature, is uncovering the merits of the Tathāgata's nature-origination; this is called 'buddha-nature.'