The Changeless Nature

38 The Changeless Nature47 The impure, those both pure and impureand those absolutely perfectly pureare known respectively asordinary beings, bodhisattvas and tathagatas.48 The buddha-nature, summarised bythe six points on essence and so on,is explained through three phasesand by means of three terms.49 Just as space, concept-free by nature,is all-embracing, so also is the immaculate space,the nature of mind, all-pervading.50 This, the general characteristic of all,permeates the good, the bad and the ultimate,like space permeates all formswhether lesser, mediocre or perfect.51 Since the faults are but accidental whereasits qualities are part of its very character,it is the changeless reality,the same after as it was before.52 Just as space pervades all but remains absolutelyunaffected, because of its extreme subtlety,similarly this, present in all beings,remains absolutely taint-free.53 Just as universes always ariseand disintegrate in space,so also do the senses ariseand disintegrate in the uncreate space.54 Just as space has never been consumed by fire,likewise this is never consumedby death, sickness and ageing's fires.