The Remaining Karmic Seeds in the Tathagatagarbha After an Arhat's Nirvana

Arhats, having eradicated self-attachment, no longer grasp at the dharmas of the three realms. With the complete extinction of momentary ignorance, when their karmic connection to the three realms ends, they enter Nirvana and will not take rebirth within the three realms. As for the notion that Arhats may later emerge from Nirvana, this occurs because they have been perfumed by the Mahayana Dharma; it is the maturation of the seeds of Mahayana Dharma, not the maturation of seeds related to the dharmas of the three realms. Arhats will not be reborn in the three realms due to the seeds of the three realms' dharmas.

Then, at the moment an Arhat enters Nirvana, do the seeds of the three realms' dharmas still exist? Seeds possess the potential to produce manifestation. Where there are seeds, manifestation must necessarily occur. Yet Arhats no longer manifest the seeds of the three realms. Where, then, have the seeds of the three realms gone?

The formation of seeds is due to ignorance and the power of vows. The momentary ignorance of Arhats is extinguished, so they no longer form seeds related to the three realms. Furthermore, Arhats lack the power of vows, so they also do not form seeds related to the three realms. According to the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, ignorance gives rise to formations (saṅkhāra). These formations encompass all actions (karma) within the three realms, including bodily, verbal, and mental activities. Without ignorance, the formations of the three realms necessarily vanish entirely, and thus there is no further birth of the five aggregates. The Mahayana Dharma perfumed by the Arhat before entering Nirvana becomes seeds deposited within the mind-essence. Their subtle affection and delight towards the Mahayana Dharma also become seeds, which can facilitate the maturation of the conditions for the Mahayana seeds. The greater the affection and delight, the more easily the conditions mature, and the sooner they mature, the sooner the Arhat emerges from the state of Nirvana to take rebirth again.

Before an Arhat enters Nirvana, since the mental faculty (manas) no longer grasps, it stores the seeds of the Mahayana Dharma in the "USB drive" (i.e., the tathāgatagarbha, Buddha-nature). When rebirth occurs in a future life, it is the maturation of the seeds within the "USB drive" (tathāgatagarbha) that summons the manifestation of the world of the five aggregates.