"He Is Now Me, I Am Not Him"

The Tathāgatagarbha has its own inherent nature, while the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen elements have their own inherent natures; these are fundamentally distinct. However, the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen elements lack self-nature; all their characteristics, functions, and actions are bestowed by the Tathāgatagarbha. Without the Tathāgatagarbha, there would be no five aggregates, twelve sense bases, or eighteen elements, yet without the five aggregates, twelve sense bases, and eighteen elements, the Tathāgatagarbha still exists. The Tathāgatagarbha can exist alone, independent of external conditions, but for the Tathāgatagarbha to manifest, it must rely on the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen elements; within the activities of the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen elements, the Tathāgatagarbha can be found.

The aggregates: the aggregate of form, the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental formations, and the aggregate of consciousness; the sense bases: the twelve sense bases, comprising the six sense faculties plus the six sense objects; the elements: the eighteen elements, comprising the six sense faculties, the six sense objects, plus the six sense consciousnesses. The Tathāgatagarbha manifests without departing from the locus of these dharmas, yet it can exist apart from these dharmas. The six sense faculties, six sense objects, and six sense consciousnesses in their entirety are the true function of the Tathāgatagarbha; they are all the Tathāgatagarbha, yet the Tathāgatagarbha is not the six sense faculties, six sense objects, and six sense consciousnesses. "He is now me, but I am not him" — this is the meaning. "He" refers to the five aggregates, twelve sense bases, and eighteen elements; "I" refers to the Tathāgatagarbha. The five aggregates, twelve sense bases, and eighteen elements are the Tathāgatagarbha, yet the Tathāgatagarbha is not the five aggregates, twelve sense bases, and eighteen elements.