How the Sixth Consciousness Realizes the Tathāgatagarbha (III)

Although after attaining the bhūmis, one will observe that the true substance of the five aggregates is the tathāgatagarbha, at initial awakening it is impossible to realize this point; one can only strictly distinguish between the five aggregates and the functions arising from the tathāgatagarbha, and must not confuse them, otherwise that would be mistaken awakening. The tathāgatagarbha is formless and without marks, like the wind—how can He be found? Observe all the marks produced by the tathāgatagarbha; these marks are all the results of His functioning. Upon these marks one can observe the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha and thereby realize the tathāgatagarbha—the principle is the same as the function of the wind.

At the moment of first realizing and catching hold of the tathāgatagarbha, one may catch a single instant of the tathāgatagarbha's functioning—this occasional instant is just a tiny bit of the tathāgatagarbha's small function; His functioning has not yet been connected into a line, nor into a continuous whole. The discovery of His appearing is only at a single point, at a single instant. This level of awakening is extremely, extremely shallow—an awakening of instant after instant, where the tathāgatagarbha's functioning is discontinuous, not connected into a line, nor into a plane or a whole expanse. Strictly speaking, this does not count as awakening. Awakening requires at least realizing that the tathāgatagarbha's functioning is connected into a line; ideally it is connected into a continuous expanse. For one of thorough great awakening, it is connected into one vast expanse.

Therefore, in verifying whether a person has awakened or not, each has their own standard; if one's grip loosens even slightly, it may ruin the subsequent development of great wisdom in that person, making the road ahead very difficult to walk, beset with difficulties. Not only can it delay this person's future progress, it may even affect the stable development of the Buddhist cause. When one has realized the momentary functioning of the tathāgatagarbha, one should press the advantage and continue investigating, getting to the bottom of the matter, expanding one's wisdom further, connecting the tathāgatagarbha's functioning from point to line, thoroughly awakening to the whole of a single matter, and then proceeding from line to expanse.

At first, finding the tathāgatagarbha is at a certain place where He functions; upon deeper contemplation and investigation, one comes to know that here is a function of the tathāgatagarbha, there is also a function of the tathāgatagarbha, and over there is also a function of the tathāgatagarbha. These points are still scattered, not yet connected into a line; gradually one connects them into a line. Initially, one may find the tathāgatagarbha at the eye faculty, in the seeing of material form—but it is not finding the color and shape of the tathāgatagarbha; rather, the mind consciousness discovers how the tathāgatagarbha functions.

At first one discovers the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha at the eye faculty, and then one will also discover the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha at the other faculties, knowing that He functions in this same way at all six faculties; thus one observes the modes of functioning of the tathāgatagarbha at all six faculties. However, some people may only realize the momentary functioning of the tathāgatagarbha, not knowing how He functions continuously. Then, gradually through observation and investigation, when wisdom opens up, one can connect the tathāgatagarbha's functioning from point to line and from line to expanse.