What Is a Seed?

Seeds, as the name implies, have the meaning of "seed" and "offspring," that is, the aspect of generative capacity. For example, the seed of a plant can grow into a plant, and the seeds of all dharmas can give birth to all dharmas. Seeds include the seeds of the seven great elements and the seeds of karmic power. When the seeds of karmic power mature, the seeds of the seven great elements can generate all the dharmas of sentient beings. Apart from the seeds of karmic power, the seeds of the seven great elements are of no use. When the karmic seeds of sentient beings mature, the tathāgatagarbha uses the seeds of the seven great elements to create the karmic retributions of sentient beings.

Karmic power, as the name implies, is the force of karmic actions. This force is very great, and most sentient beings find it difficult to resist; they can only drift along with karmic power, unable to extricate themselves. This force is the force of the manas. The manas represents karma; the manas is powerful because it is the consciousness that makes decisions, able to do as it pleases, and in many cases the mind consciousness cannot withstand it. Moreover, the tathāgatagarbha consistently complies with the manas, releasing the seeds of karmic power, so sentient beings can only struggle bitterly within karma, bobbing up and down in the great ocean of birth and death. This is why one must rely on the mind consciousness to study and cultivate wholesome dharmas, continuously accumulating strength in order to guide and counteract the karmic power of the manas. Only in this way can karma be gradually turned around, with unwholesome retribution gradually becoming lighter and wholesome retribution gradually growing stronger.