The Functioning Characteristics of Tathāgatagarbha Are Not within the Realm of the Five Sense Objects

At the time of enlightenment, it is also the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta) that finds and realizes the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha; the five consciousnesses do not participate in witnessing it. Although it is while the eye consciousness sees forms, the ear consciousness hears sounds, and the nose consciousness smells scents that the mind consciousness realizes the tathāgatagarbha, the mode of operation of the tathāgatagarbha can only be observed by the mind consciousness alone. The mode of operation of the tathāgatagarbha does not belong to the realms of the five sense objects and is unrelated to the five sense objects; therefore, the five consciousnesses cannot be aware of it.