The Relationship Between Various Realms and Nimitta

The fundamental objective realm is formed when the Tathāgatagarbha of each sentient being projects the four great elements, collectively creating the shared four great elements. All Tathāgatagarbhas jointly utilize these four great elements to construct the universe, the vessel world, and the six sense-object realms. Only the Tathāgatagarbha can perceive and cognize this realm. This portion of the perceived aspect is the most substantial perceived aspect.

The objective realm with material basis is the six sense-object realms manifested when an individual Tathāgatagarbha, having cognized the fundamental objective realm, absorbs the subtle particles of the four great elements from that fundamental realm. It is like images in a mirror, carrying the subtle particles of the four great elements from the fundamental objective realm, yet it differs significantly from the fundamental objective realm and is relatively illusory in comparison. This portion of the perceived aspect encompasses everything from the moment the Tathāgatagarbha contacts the fundamental objective realm and instantly gives rise to a similar perceived aspect, up until the perceived aspect enters the five physical sense organs or prior to entering the five subtle sense organs.

During the transmission of these perceived aspects, the subtle particles of the four great elements undergo filtration and absorption by the intermediate medium. The particles are continuously filtered out, causing the perceived aspect of the objective realm with material basis to become increasingly subtle. Its difference from the fundamental objective realm grows larger, though it still maintains a relatively strong connection and a somewhat similar appearance to the fundamental objective realm. Besides the Tathāgatagarbha, the mental faculty (manas) can also perceive and cognize this portion of the perceived aspect by following the Tathāgatagarbha.

Because the mental faculty can cognize and perceive the objective realm with material basis before it enters the subtle sense organs, it possesses a certain degree of discernment towards it. This allows it to roughly know the general nature and meaning of that realm, causing the five universal mental factors to manifest and operate. When encountering aspects of the objective realm with material basis that involve one's own safety, the mental faculty exhibits swift decisiveness. When the Tathāgatagarbha is aware of this decision, it causes the six consciousnesses to arise very rapidly as the objective realm with material basis enters the subtle sense organs to form the direct objective realm, precisely when the six sense faculties contact the six sense objects. This allows for a very swift response, leaving no opportunity for the analytical thinking, inference, or judgment of the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna). The five sense consciousnesses and the mental consciousness only need to obey the allocation and commands of the mental faculty; they do not need to make judgments themselves but must react immediately. Only afterward is there time to engage in thinking, analysis, inference, and judgment to understand what one just did and what happened. This is the reason why the mental faculty can respond rapidly to sudden events.

The direct objective realm is the six sense-object realms manifested within the subtle sense organs when the objective realm with material basis passes through the five physical sense organs and enters the subtle sense organs. It resembles the objective realm with material basis and is called the direct objective realm, yet it has certain differences from the objective realm with material basis. The objective realm with material basis undergoes filtration by the five sense organs during transmission, potentially causing some changes to the subtle particles of the four great elements. This results in the direct objective realm becoming even more subtle, as well as more insubstantial and illusory.

The imaginary realm differs significantly from the direct objective realm, even more so from the objective realm with material basis, and vastly from the fundamental objective realm. It is initiated by the mental faculty's grasping and is created out of nothing. The mental consciousness then processes and elaborates upon the mental faculty's delusory thoughts, sketching and adding details, employing non-valid inference (non-measurement) to exert a more refined function of delusory thought, even capable of vividly imagining realms. The five sense consciousnesses cannot participate in this portion; it is entirely accomplished by the mental consciousness cooperating with the mental faculty. At this time, the mental consciousness is called the solitary mental consciousness, working alone on delusory activities to sketch out scenarios.

The external six sense entrances and the external six sense objects refer to the perceived aspects of the six sense objects outside the subtle sense organs, which have not yet entered the subtle sense organs. This should refer to the objective realm with material basis, which can be cognized by the mental faculty but cannot be cognized or perceived by the six consciousnesses. What the six consciousnesses cannot discern does not belong to the internal perceived aspect; it should be considered the six sense objects outside the subtle sense organs, called the external six sense objects.

The internal six sense objects refer to the direct objective realm within the subtle sense organs. Not only can the mental faculty cognize and perceive it, but the six consciousnesses can also cognize and perceive it. Of course, the eighth consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna, Tathāgatagarbha) can cognize and perceive it even more fundamentally. All dharmas, regardless of which stage they belong to, are manifested and sustained by the eighth consciousness, the Tathāgatagarbha. Therefore, the Tathāgatagarbha naturally can cognize and perceive them; otherwise, no dharma whatsoever could arise or exist.