Buddhist Philosophy in India and Ceylon c21.s2.18

c21.s2.18

What then is left in the universe, when the work of negation of reality and negation alike is completed? Nothing but a mere suchness or thusness (*tathatā*),¹ or voidness without origination or essence,² to which also the style is given of womb or source of the Tathāgata (*tathāgata-garbha*). We are, however, expressly warned by the *Laṅkāvatāra*³ against the heresy of deeming that this conception is parallel to the Brahman or absolute of the Vedānta. On the contrary, the term expresses merely the nature of all phenomena as without essence of any kind, and as free from all characteristics. But the term Tathāgatagarbha is admitted to be a concession to meet the feeling of those who regard the idea of unsubstantiality as open to objection; the Vijñānavāda in effect, like the Buddha himself, is prepared to temper its teaching to some measure to the minds of those to be instructed.