Again Mahamati, there has always been an eternally-abiding Reality. The "substance" of Truth abides forever whether a Tathagata appears in the world or not. So does the Reason of all things (dharmata) eternally abide; so does Reality abide and keep its order. What has been realized by myself and all other Tathagatas is this Reality (Dharmakaya), the eternally-abiding self-orderliness of Reality; the "suchness" (tathata) of things; the realness of things (bhutata); Noble Wisdom which is Truth itself.

(The Lankavatara Sutra)