How Tathagatagarbha Records Karmic Actions and Outputs Karmic Seeds (Part IV)

To further illustrate the entire process of the Tathagatagarbha projecting and retrieving consciousness seeds, let us use the analogy of a water pump. The water pump circulates water, much like the Tathagatagarbha functions as the pump. The consciousness seeds projected by the Tathagatagarbha are akin to water droplets. Just as the pump conveys water drop by drop, forming a water flow, this flow corresponds to the stream of consciousness formed by the Tathagatagarbha projecting seeds. After the pump sends out water, the path the water travels collects surrounding objects like soil, dust, plants, pearls, and other materials, bringing them back. The water, having been sent out, returns along its path, carrying back debris from the areas it traversed. This water circulates, meaning the water that goes out returns to the pump, only to be sent out again.

If the pump contains debris, it will carry that debris out along with the water—if it contains vajra sand, it carries out vajra sand; if it contains soil, it carries out soil; if it contains weeds, it carries out weeds. Then, as the water flows along its path, it will also bring back various debris to the pump. Thus, the water returning is not the original pure water that was sent out, but water mixed with debris. This debris may be impure substances or pure treasures. It might include soil, dust, sand, aquatic plants, and other things; it might also carry other treasures, such as vajra sand, jewels, and similar items. The path the water travels corresponds to the six dust realms (the objects of the six senses). The water flow corresponds to the physical, verbal, and mental karmic activities of sentient beings. As the consciousness of sentient beings traverses this path, it brings back all their karmic actions—physical, verbal, and mental—performed in response to the six dust realms, which include both defiled and pure karmic deeds.

So what does this pump store? It stores not only water but also all the debris brought back along the water’s path—whether impure substances, pure treasures, vajra sand, jewels, stones, earth, mud, or sand—everything is brought back. The more debris it brings back, the more it will project out with the water in the future. When the pump stores more and becomes full, it becomes easier to project the debris out. The more debris it holds, the more readily conditions mature, making it easier for the pump to project this debris out. If it holds a lot of vajra sand and the conditions ripen, then when the pump projects water, the water will carry the vajra sand with it. The water flow then carries treasures, making it precious.

If, along its path, the water flow carries back more soil, dust, and sand, storing them in the pump, then when the pump projects water, it will also convey soil, dust, stones, weeds, and other debris along with the water. Such water is called sewage water, symbolizing the unwholesome karmic activities of the consciousness mind. This process is called circulation. After the water is projected out, it flows back again. On its return path, it may bring back different things—perhaps more vajra sand, perhaps more soil and sand, perhaps other items. It might discard some vajra sand or shed some soil; this is uncertain.