Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (15)

Without the tathāgatagarbha, there would be no dharmas at all

What the Buddha discusses in this passage is the formation of the world, with solidity as the primary aspect. Solidity comes from the earth element, and the earth element is the function of the seeds stored within the tathāgatagarbha. This statement explains that the trichiliocosm—the three-thousandfold great world system—is all transformed and created by the seeds within the tathāgatagarbha, that is, it is manifested by the tathāgatagarbha. It is not something that a single person's tathāgatagarbha can manifest on its own; rather, it is manifested together by the tathāgatagarbhas of all sentient beings with karmic connections. This is how the world comes into existence, formed bit by bit by the tathāgatagarbha.

The above explains how the earth element within our human body is formed, and how the external earth element of the universe and empty space is formed, showing that all dharmas are created solely by the mind of the tathāgatagarbha, and that without the tathāgatagarbha there would be no dharmas at all. If you truly understand how profound this principle is, you will understand the true reality of the world, eradicate ignorance and delusion, and no longer cling to a self, nor cling to gold, silver, jewels, mountains, rivers, and the great earth outside the body.