The Appropriative and Conductive Function of Tathāgatagarbha Toward External Manifestations

All the phenomena of the six dusts (objects of sense) that sentient beings can contact are the internal manifesting aspect; they cannot contact the external manifesting aspect. Only the Tathāgatagarbha can contact the true reality of the external manifesting aspect, but since the Tathāgatagarbha does not differentiate the specific six dusts of the external manifesting aspect, it also does not know the specific characteristics of that aspect. The external manifesting aspect is the material dharmas jointly manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha of all karmically connected sentient beings through the common projection of the seeds of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind). It is also collectively upheld by the Tathāgatagarbha of all sentient beings sharing this collective karma. These material dharmas contain the four great elements. The individual's Tathāgatagarbha also contains the four great elements. Being in correspondence with these material dharmas enables contact with the material dharmas of the external manifesting aspect, allowing the extraction and transmission of the subtle particles of the four great elements within that external aspect. These particles also arise and cease moment by moment (kṣaṇa by kṣaṇa). One particle arises and ceases, then another particle arises and ceases, and in this way, the particles composed of the four great elements are continuously transmitted to the subtle material faculties (indriyas), transforming into the subtle internal manifesting aspect of the four great elements that the seven consciousnesses can perceive, resembling the external manifesting aspect. What the seven consciousnesses differentiate is precisely this internal manifesting aspect, not the true essential material dharmas of the external world. If a sentient being departs from this world, it must withdraw the seeds of the four great elements belonging to its portion of the external manifesting aspect back into its Tathāgatagarbha. Consequently, the external manifesting aspect becomes different from before, though sentient beings do not perceive this change. When beings with negative karma all depart from this world, it results in the cessation of some of the negative aspects of the external manifesting aspect, and thus our world becomes somewhat more beautiful. If more sages are added, their powerful positive karma, participating in manifesting the external aspect, will cause this world to undergo significant transformation.