The Discernment of Tathāgatagarbha Differs from That of Manas

Question: When the manas (seventh consciousness) perceives the objective realm with essence, is this realm the dharma dust or the perceiving division of the Tathagatagarbha? How should we reconcile the mind root (manas) perceiving dharma dust versus perceiving the perceiving division of the Tathagatagarbha?

Answer: The functioning of the Tathagatagarbha relies on its inherent five universally pervasive mental factors: attention, contact, sensation, perception, and volition. When these five mental factors operate upon the realm of fundamental essence, they can discern the karmic seeds and the sentient beings' sense faculties, body, and material realm; they possess the function of the perceiving division, enabling them to perceive and illuminate all dharmas. All these dharmas are the perceived division seen by the Tathagatagarbha. After the volition mental factor of the Tathagatagarbha operates, it manifests the objective realm with essence, which is fabricated by the volition mental factor of the Tathagatagarbha. The objective realm with essence is the perceived division of the Tathagatagarbha; it is the result of the operation of the perceiving division and is the dharma dust revealed by the perceiving division.

The seventh consciousness, relying on the perceiving division of the Tathagatagarbha, can consequently perceive the perceived division brought forth by the Tathagatagarbha's perceiving division – the objective realm with essence. Therefore, although the seventh consciousness can perceive the perceiving division of the Tathagatagarbha, what it perceives is different from the perceived division seen by the Tathagatagarbha. One is the realm of fundamental essence, the other is a similar realm transformed based on that fundamental essence, like fire in a mirror – it is illusory. Although the realm of fundamental essence perceived by the Tathagatagarbha's perceiving division is also illusorily manifested by the Tathagatagarbha, the objective realm with essence perceived by the seventh consciousness is an illusion within an illusion – a twice transformed manifestation.

The perceived division at the location of the supreme sense bases is the objective realm with essence and the realm of mere appearance. The objective realm with essence includes true objective realm with essence and false objective realm with essence, divided into transformative objective realm and narrow objective realm. It includes material dharmas, mental dharmas, and dharmas that are neither material nor mental. The realm of fundamental essence perceived by the Tathagatagarbha consists of particles composed of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind); it is relatively coarse, heavy, and substantial material dharmas. In contrast, the material dharmas within the objective realm with essence, although also composed of particles of the four great elements, are subtle material dharmas, less substantial and more illusory. This is like the difference between the material body of a human and the material body of a ghost or spirit. For example, the realm of fundamental essence is like fire, water, the earth, mountains, rivers, etc., composed of the four great elements. The objective realm with essence is analogous to fire, water, the earth, mountains, rivers, etc., seen in a mirror. One is substantial, the other is illusory. The seventh consciousness can only perceive illusory dharmas; it cannot perceive substantial dharmas. Substantial dharmas can only be perceived by the Tathagatagarbha.