Excerpts from Ascertaining the True Reality of Existence
Venerable Xiao Pingshi
Bodhisattva Vajra-Storehouse said, “The ālaya-vijñāna of all sentient beings inherently exists (each and every one has it) and is perfect and pure. It surpasses all mundane matters and is equivalent to nirvana. For example, worldly people will see a full or crescent moon when a bright moon appears across various lands, but the nature of the moon does not increase or decrease. By the same token, the tathāgatagarbha (C: Cáng shí,藏識) manifests universally in all realms of sentient beings. Its nature is permanent, perfect, and pure and does not increase or decrease. Ignorant people will falsely speculate and generate attachments. If correct understanding prevails here, one can promptly benefit from aligning oneself with the distinctly taintless tathāgatagarbha.”[1] Hence, the tathāgatagarbha is the ālaya-vijñāna.
[1] Mahāyāna Ghana Vyūha Sutra, Vol. 2. ; C:《大乘密嚴經》卷2, 金剛藏菩薩云：「一切眾生阿賴耶識，本來而有，圓滿清淨，出過於世，同於涅槃。譬如明月現眾國土，世間之人見有盈虧，而月體性未嘗增減。藏識亦爾，普現一切眾生界中，性常圓潔，不增不減，無智之人妄生計著。若有於此能正了知，即得無漏轉依差別。」