How to Perceive the Vase

When seeing a flower vase, there exists an external flower vase and a flower vase within our mind. The external flower vase is conjointly manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha of sentient beings with shared karma. The flower vase we perceive is separately manifested again by our own Tathāgatagarbha based on the external flower vase; it is a mere shadow of the external flower vase, an illusory manifestation of the external flower vase.

When observing the flower vase, the harmonious functioning of the Tathāgatagarbha, the seventh consciousness (manas), the sixth consciousness (mental consciousness), and the eye consciousness enables us to perceive the shadow of the external flower vase. The conscious mind capable of seeing the flower vase is born from the Tathāgatagarbha; the mind root (manas) and eye faculty used are born from the Tathāgatagarbha; the form dust (rūpa) of the flower vase being seen is born from the Tathāgatagarbha. Thus we understand that our entire being is born from the Tathāgatagarbha; in essence, all is the Tathāgatagarbha. The false self composed of the five aggregates and eighteen elements is merely an illusory manifestation manifested and revealed by the Tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, the five aggregates are neither the self nor separate from the self.