Seeds in the Tathāgatagarbha without Mental Factors

Mental factors are the companions of consciousness; wherever there is consciousness, there are the five universally functioning mental factors. Some mental factors do not necessarily manifest and function when the six consciousnesses arise and operate; those are not called universally functioning mental factors. They may be the five particular mental factors, or afflictive mental factors, or wholesome mental factors. These mental factors do not manifest at all times. The meaning of "universally functioning" is that wherever there is consciousness, these mental factors are present; mental factors and consciousness accompany each other inseparably, hence they are called universally functioning mental factors. The five universally functioning mental factors differ from the five pervasions of the Tathāgatagarbha. The five pervasions of the Tathāgatagarbha refer to the operation of the Tathāgatagarbha's essence pervading all times, places, locations, realms, and dharmas. The operation of the Tathāgatagarbha's essence is also accompanied by its own five universally functioning mental factors.

Consciousness always operates in the form of mental factors. Mental factors have no seeds; they are not generated from seeds. As soon as any consciousness manifests, that consciousness operates in the form of mental factors. Mental factors accompany consciousness in its operation; they are the companions of consciousness. Mental factors have no seeds; the eighth consciousness does not store seeds of mental factors, nor do the other consciousnesses store seeds of mental factors. Mental factors have no seeds, just as ignorance has no seed, and just as conditioned factors not associated with mind have no seed.