The Seven Great Seeds Pervading the Dharmadhatu

The Seven Great Elements: The great elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space, seeing, and consciousness. The first five great elements—earth, water, fire, wind, and space—are used to constitute material dharmas. The great element of seeing and the great element of consciousness are used to constitute mental dharmas. The great element of consciousness constitutes the mental dharmas of the seven consciousnesses. The great element of seeing forms the functional role of the Tathagatagarbha in perceiving all dharmas, which is the Buddha-nature. In this way, the entire world of the five aggregates and all dharmas are fully equipped. Material dharmas and mental dharmas encompass all dharmas. The Tathagatagarbha utilizes the great element of seeing to activate the functioning of the seven consciousnesses, enabling them to perceive and discern the dust-like sensory objects, thereby manifesting all dharmas and forming the complete and systematic functional role of worldly dharmas.

The Seven Great Elements pervade the Dharma Realm; they pervade all times, all places, all aggregates, all locations, all realms, and all dharmas. The Five Great Elements form material dharmas. Apart from the Formless Realm, the Desire Realm and Form Realm of all Buddha-lands in the ten directions possess material dharmas. When there are no material dharmas, which occurs in the Formless Realm, the functions of the sixth, seventh, and eighth consciousnesses formed by the great element of consciousness and the great element of seeing are present.

Therefore, the pervasion of the Seven Great Elements throughout all dharmas naturally includes the pervasion of the great element of consciousness and the great element of seeing. First, regarding the great element of seeing: this element forms the seeing-nature of the Tathagatagarbha. When the seeing-nature of the Tathagatagarbha functions, it perceives dharmas, thereby enabling the manifestation of all dharmas and the operation of all dharmas. Wherever dharmas exist, the Tathagatagarbha and its seeing-nature necessarily exist. Thus, the participation and output of the great element of seeing are inevitable. Therefore, the great element of seeing pervades all places, all realms, all locations, and all dharmas.

Next, regarding the great element of consciousness: the great element of consciousness forms the deluded minds of the seven consciousnesses. Wherever the five aggregates exist, the seven consciousnesses and the great element of consciousness exist. Or, wherever sentient beings exist, the seven consciousnesses and the great element of consciousness exist. Wherever the manas (mental faculty) exists, the seven consciousnesses and the great element of consciousness exist. Even when sentient beings have not yet been born, and only the receptacle world exists, there still exists the realm of manas formed by the great element of consciousness and the seeing-nature of the Tathagatagarbha formed by the great element of seeing. Therefore, the great element of consciousness pervades all places (the places of sense faculties and objects), all realms, all locations, and all dharmas. In summary, the Seven Great Elements pervade the Dharma Realm, including the Buddha-world, the Bodhisattva Dharma Realm, the Pratyekabuddha Dharma Realm, the Arhat Dharma Realm, and the Dharma Realm of the six destinies of ordinary beings.