Is the Physical Body Not the Eighth Consciousness, Yet Not Different from the Eighth Consciousness?

After the tathāgatagarbha gives birth to our material body, how does the present material body exist? Is it still being born from the tathāgatagarbha? Is the tathāgatagarbha still continuously giving birth to the material body? If this question cannot be answered, how can one know that the material body is not the eighth consciousness, is not different from the eighth consciousness, and does not dwell within the eighth consciousness?

When the tathāgatagarbha first gives birth to the material body, it transmits the seeds of the four great elements, at the same time transmits the consciousness seeds of the manas, and then transmits the consciousness seeds of the mind consciousness, while continuously transmitting the seeds of the four great elements. After the material body is born, the tathāgatagarbha still continuously transmits the seeds of the four great elements, which is equivalent to the tathāgatagarbha still continuously giving birth to the material body. Once the tathāgatagarbha ceases to transmit the seeds of the four great elements, the material body is no longer born, and the material body ceases and no longer exists.

The tathāgatagarbha gives birth to all dharmas. As long as any dharma exists, the tathāgatagarbha is continuously giving birth to that dharma. After a dharma appears, the subsequent generation is called sustaining and maintaining, but in fact it is still birth, without interruption. The seeds of the four great elements arise and then cease, arise again and cease again; through this continuous cycle of arising and ceasing, the material body continues to exist and constantly changes. The tathāgatagarbha's function with respect to the material body is to continuously transmit and withdraw the seeds of the four great elements and the consciousness seeds. The tathāgatagarbha's function with respect to all dharmas is to transmit seeds and continuously give birth to dharmas—that is, to maintain the existence and transformation of dharmas, allowing dharmas to arise, abide, change, and perish.

The entire material body is composed entirely of the seeds of the seven great elements output solely by the tathāgatagarbha. Thus the material body is a holding limited company invested in solely by the tathāgatagarbha, and it may also be called a sole proprietorship. Only there is no harvest, no profit, and no loss; rise or fall, success or failure—the tathāgatagarbha does not care, because the tathāgatagarbha does not regard the material body as self or as belonging to self.

From the perspective that the tathāgatagarbha wholly invests in and controls the material body—is the material body not the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha? No, it is! Is the material body not different from the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha (not possessed by the eighth consciousness)? No, it is! Does the material body not dwell within the eighth consciousness? No, it does!

All the seeds of the material body come from the eighth consciousness; a portion of the seeds within the eighth consciousness constitutes the material body. The material body is the eighth consciousness and belongs to the eighth consciousness. The material body in its entirety is true suchness (tathatā)—this is what is called the one true dharma realm! Of all the conditioned dharmas in the world, which one is not the eighth consciousness? The whole is true suchness—the one true dharma realm!

Since the material body in its entirety is composed of the seeds of the eighth consciousness, and the material body is regulated and controlled by the eighth consciousness, then the material body neither dwells within the eighth consciousness, nor does it not dwell within it! How could the boss ever leave his own company?

But is the material body really a wholly-owned enterprise of the eighth consciousness, with no partner holding shares? Are there no second boss or third boss? No, there are! There is also a false boss who superficially manages and controls it—He believes the material body is "I" and "mine," and that He has the final say.

On what basis does the eighth consciousness output the seeds of the seven great elements to invest and hold shares? Of course, on the basis of karmic seeds. Where do the karmic seeds come from? They come from the manas leading the six consciousnesses to create karmic actions. When the manas leads the six consciousnesses to create wholesome karma, there will be a good material body, an excellent profit-making company; when the manas leads the six consciousnesses to create unwholesome karma, there will be a material body of the evil destinies, a disaster-ridden material body, a losing, declining company. For the rise and fall, success and failure of the material-body company, the manas bears the risk and takes the responsibility; profits go to the manas, and losses go to the manas.

The tathāgatagarbha is a hands-off proprietor: after making the investment, He concerns Himself with nothing else. When the company needs money, He will invest and manage again, as long as there is stock in the warehouse. That said, does the material-body company deposit its profits into the storehouse? Yes, they are deposited into the storehouse. If the company's operations fail, the manas is responsible for the debts, which are paid off from the deposits in the storehouse. When the storehouse is depleted, the material body wanders and begs for a living, and the second boss, the manas, along with the third boss, the six consciousnesses, are reduced to slavery.