The Changeless Nature

58 The Changeless Nature116 So also within the rind-confine of beings' ignorance etc, is containedthe pure dharma nature. Likewise, when by virtue it is sustained,it will the very substance of a 'king of victors' gradually attain.117 Just as a tree grows from within a banana or mango fruit's skin,due to conditions — humidity, sunlight, air, soil, space and time,likewise is the seed and germ of perfect buddhahood containedwithin the skin of that 'fruit' — sentient beings' defilements;due to virtue's condition, this true nature will be seen and augment.118 A god, having by the road a precious image of a tathagata discovered,all wrapped in smelly tattered rags, would tell someone the factof it lying there at the roadside, so that it might be recovered.119 Similarly, when the buddhas, of unhindered vision, seethe very 'substance' of the tathagatas (even in animals present)but wrapped within the envelope of defilement,they also show the means by which it may be set free.120 A god with divine vision who had perceived the tathagata image,precious by nature yet wrapped in smelly rags and lying by the road,would point it out to folk that it might be freed.Just like that, the victors see (even in animals) the buddha nature,lying by samsara's road, wrapped in defilements tattered garband they teach the dharma in order that it might be liberated.121 An ugly-looking woman, having no oneto whom to turn and staying in a pauper-homemay hold the glory of a king within her very wombyet not know this ruler of men to be within her present.