matrix of the Thus Come One ［如来蔵］ ( tathāgata-garbha;  nyorai-zō): Also, matrix of the Tathāgata, womb of the Thus Come One, womb of the Tathāgata, or Tathāgata-store. An expression that refers to all people or living beings as potential Buddhas. Tathāgata-garbha means that all living beings have the pure mind of the Thus Come One, or Buddha, hidden within the “matrix” or “womb” of their earthly desires. That all living beings are “the womb of the Thus Come One” means that all have the potential for attaining Buddhahood. This concept is found in various sutras and treatises, such as the Matrix of the Thus Come One Sutra, Shrīmālā Sutra, Secret Solemnity Sutra, The Treatise on the Treasure Vehicle of Buddhahood, and The Treatise on the Buddha Nature. For example, the Matrix of the Thus Come One Sutra states that all living beings are “the matrix of the Thus Come One,” the womb in which the Thus Come One is formed. The Sanskrit garbha means womb or embryo. According to the Shrīmālā Sutra, translated into Chinese by Gunabhadra, the Dharma body is buried or stored amid one’s earthly desires. When this store is opened, the Dharma body appears.