The Consciousness of Tathāgatagarbha

The Tathāgatagarbha is also consciousness, possessing its own functions and operations. It has its unique discernment content, which differs from that of the seven consciousnesses. Therefore, the Tathāgatagarbha is the ālaya-vijñāna, the eighth consciousness. The Tathāgatagarbha discerns the faculties, bodies, vessels, and realms of sentient beings, as well as their karmic seeds. Apart from the six dusts (objects) discerned by the seven consciousnesses, the Tathāgatagarbha does not engage in specific discernment involving names and characteristics; all else falls within the scope of what the Tathāgatagarbha discerns. Only after discerning the karmic seeds of sentient beings can the Tathāgatagarbha manifest the five aggregates of sentient beings, thereby actualizing their karmic retribution. Only by discerning the karmic seeds can it generate the environment for sentient beings' existence and shape the universe, the vessel-world.

The Tathāgatagarbha causes the seven consciousnesses to arise by projecting the seeds for them, and causes the four great elements to manifest by projecting their seeds, thereby bringing forth the faculties, bodies, vessels, and realms. After perceiving the mental activities of sentient beings, the Tathāgatagarbha must cooperate with their seven consciousnesses and five aggregates to produce the dharmas currently required. If the Tathāgatagarbha lacked the function of discernment, it could not actualize karmic retribution, nor could it manifest sentient beings or their living environments. The Tathāgatagarbha operates entirely according to the karmic seeds, projecting the seeds of the four great elements to form the physical body, shape the living environment, and create the universe, the vessel-world. The discriminative nature of the Tathāgatagarbha is something learned and specifically understood after enlightenment; it cannot be observed prior to enlightenment.