Commentary on the Pitāputrasamāgama Sūtra (60)

The Reason for the Falsity of the Eye Faculty

Before the four elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—are delivered, did we have the existence of the eye faculty? No, originally there was nothing at all. When the Tathagatagarbha delivers the seeds of the four elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—the formation of the eye faculty begins. The eye socket, the vitreous body of the eye, the retina, and the optic nerves gradually form material phenomena (rūpa-dharma) out of nothingness, and finally, they disintegrate. Thus, in the eye base, there is not the slightest dharma to be obtained.

The seeds of the four elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—are also formless and without characteristics; they are not material phenomena. The Tathagatagarbha is formless and without characteristics. When it delivers formless and characteristicless seeds, they form material phenomena with form and characteristics, creating a tangible, formed substance out of nothingness. Within this, there is not the slightest dharma to be obtained; nothing can be grasped. The nature of earth cannot be obtained, the nature of water cannot be obtained, the nature of wind cannot be obtained, and the nature of fire cannot be obtained. Therefore, the eye faculty, eyeball, vitreous body, retina, and so forth are unobtainable, illusory, and can be destroyed at any moment. They are unreliable and should not be clung to.

The seeds of the four elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—are all unobtainable, and the material world formed from them is also unobtainable. Within this, there is not the slightest dharma to be obtained. Why? Because material phenomena lack autonomy, lack sovereignty, and lack inherent existence; they are illusory and unreal. There is no sovereign being within this, nor is there anyone who creates it. Who creates it? If we say we create it, who commands us? Before the eye faculty arose, there were no five aggregates, no so-called "us." The Tathagatagarbha does not act as a sovereign nor does it create. Therefore, there is no person or dharma that creates the eye faculty.