How the Tathāgatagarbha Gradually Withdraws from the Rūpa-Kāya at the Moment of Death

The physical body is formed from the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind) within the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature). At the time of death, the four great elements within the physical body disperse back into it and cease to manifest anew, enabling the physical body to cease functioning and dissolve. At the end of life, the four great elements decompose and scatter, with their seeds returning to the Tathāgatagarbha. This process is not instantaneous; its duration varies depending on the individual's accumulated good and bad karma. The decomposition of the four great elements refers to the seeds of the four great elements gradually withdrawing from the physical body, causing bodily functions to diminish bit by bit, and the body to gradually stiffen. This process is conveniently described as the Tathāgatagarbha withdrawing from the physical body, no longer sustaining it, causing the body to lose its vitality. In reality, the Tathāgatagarbha itself neither withdraws nor changes; it is the physical body within the Tathāgatagarbha that undergoes transformation.

The Tathāgatagarbha is formless and without characteristics; no one can see it enter or withdraw from the physical body. The seeds of the four great elements are also formless and without characteristics; no one can see them forming the physical body or decomposing as they withdraw from it. One can only observe the changes in the physical body, and through these changes, infer the functioning of the seeds and the activity of the Tathāgatagarbha. Where the Tathāgatagarbha functions within the physical body, there is life, warmth, and consciousness; without the Tathāgatagarbha, there is no life, warmth, or consciousness. At the end of life, lifespan gradually diminishes, the body's temperature gradually fades away (growing colder and colder), the body stiffens increasingly, consciousness gradually weakens and vanishes, the mind becomes increasingly confused, until there is no awareness or sensation, and one enters the intermediate state body (antarābhava). The point where the Tathāgatagarbha finally departs the physical body is the point where the four great elements finally decompose, the point where lifespan finally ceases, and the point where body temperature finally disappears. This point determines the karmic realm (gati) into which one will be reborn in the next life. The higher up the body this final point of decomposition occurs, the more wholesome the karmic realm of the next rebirth; conversely, the lower it occurs, the more unwholesome the karmic realm.

The dharmas (phenomena) that sentient beings cannot perceive are true, while the dharmas they can perceive are false. Perceiving the false but not the true is called ignorance (avidyā). If one could constantly perceive the true in every place and at every moment, then nothing would be happening in the world; all would be empty (śūnya), not a single dharma could be grasped by the discriminating mind, the world itself would be non-existent, the mind would fully return to its inherent nature, and one would be endowed with wisdom (prajñā). This is called wisdom. Wisdom is not sentience (afflicted consciousness); where there is sentience, there is no wisdom.