Commentary on the Pitāputrasamāgama Sūtra (15)

Without the Tathagatagarbha, there would be no dharmas whatsoever.

In this passage, the Buddha explains the formation of the world, which is predominantly characterized by solidity. Solidity arises from the earth element, and the earth element is a function of the seeds stored within the Tathagatagarbha. This statement illustrates that the entire three thousand great thousand worlds are formed and transformed from the seeds within the Tathagatagarbha; that is, they are manifested by the Tathagatagarbha. The Tathagatagarbha of a single individual cannot manifest this alone; it is the collective manifestation of the Tathagatagarbha of all sentient beings with the requisite karmic connections. This is how the world arises, gradually formed piece by piece from the Tathagatagarbha.

The above explains how the internal earth element within our human body is formed and how the external earth element of the cosmic void is formed. It demonstrates that all dharmas are solely created by the Tathagatagarbha mind; without the Tathagatagarbha, there would be no dharmas whatsoever. Only when you truly comprehend the profound depth of this principle will you understand the true reality of the world, thereby severing ignorance and delusion. You will no longer cling to the self, nor will you cling to external things like gold, silver, jewels, mountains, rivers, or the great earth.