The Chinese Hua-yen teaching which rests on the Avatamsaka Sutra (C., Hua-yen ching) puts forth the idea of interdependence of one thing with another (C., shih-shih wu-ai). However, this idea of interdependence between things or phenomena doesn't exactly explain through what such coordination might be possible. Picturing the matter, how does a bulldozer interdepend with a wasp—through what?
The idea of interdependence between phenomena is flawed without a transcendent medium through which each unique thing interconnects with the rest. Hua-yen's notion of interdependence, which is intellectually profound, only describes the surface of temporal reality not the more fundamental depth in which the difference between phenomena is overcome which accounts for their interdependence. This deep reality is, of course, the Womb or Matrix of the Tathagata (S., tathagatagarbha). It is described as being self-luminous, immaculate, immanent in all beings, unchanging (nitya), permanent, eternal (shâshvata) and blissful.
This matrix, being universal, makes possible the interconnection between different phenomena. In other words, it is the absolute medium, like the ocean from which countless differing waves arise. However, not a single wave is obstructed by another. They reason they don’t obstruct each other is that they interdepend by means of water which, it is important to underscore, has no dependence whatsoever on its wave phenomena.
Taking this to our own thoughts, a sage like the Buddha can directly see this matrix which is devoid of phenomena—and from that supreme vantage point he preaches the Dharma which liberates ordinary minds (sattvacitta) that are tormented by the birth and death cycle of wavelike phenomena.
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