What Dharma Does Time Belong To?

Time is not a real dharma composed of the four great elements, nor is it directly produced by the tathāgatagarbha; it is an illusory appearance that manifests after the tathāgatagarbha gives rise to material form. It is not an external sense-object, and the tathāgatagarbha cannot cognize it. Only after the eye consciousness and mind consciousness are generated can time be judged and discerned on the basis of material form. When there is no eye consciousness or mind consciousness—for example, during sleep—the manas can also judge time, likewise discerning and judging on the basis of the material form produced by the tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, there is no such dharma as time existing independently, nor is it divided into external object-aspects and internal object-aspects. The manas can also discern dharmas that belong neither to the external object-aspect nor to the internal object-aspect.