Section One: The True Mind is Empty and Quiescent, Devoid of the Five Aggregates

In the Saṃyuktāgama, the Buddha frequently taught that "the five aggregates are not the self, are not different from the self, and do not contain each other." Sometimes he also stated that the twelve sense bases and eighteen elements all "are not the self, are not different from the self, and do not contain each other." This means that the five aggregates, twelve sense bases, and eighteen elements are not the true self, not the true mind Tathāgatagarbha. However, it cannot be said that the five aggregates, twelve sense bases, and eighteen elements are separate dharmas from Tathāgatagarbha. Within the five aggregates, there is no form of Tathāgatagarbha, and within the substance of the Tathāgatagarbha mind, there is no form of the five aggregates.

The scripture states: "Therefore, in emptiness, there is no form. There is no feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness." The phrase "in emptiness, there is no form" means that within the substance of the empty-natured mind, Tathāgatagarbha, there is no aggregate of form. Tathāgatagarbha itself is formless and without characteristics; it has no length, shortness, bigness, smallness, blue, yellow, red, or white; it does not even contain space. If Tathāgatagarbha possessed the aggregate of form, we could see it with our eyes and touch it with our hands, making the realization of Tathāgatagarbha far too easy. If Tathāgatagarbha had the aggregate of form, it would have length, shortness, squareness, roundness, size, and location. Where within Tathāgatagarbha would the five-aggregate body reside? Would it overlap with Tathāgatagarbha? What exists outside the form aggregate of Tathāgatagarbha? Would it be within space or beyond space? It would certainly be within space. Then space would be greater than Tathāgatagarbha, enveloping it, not born from Tathāgatagarbha. This contradicts the Buddha's teaching in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra that space is within Tathāgatagarbha like a single cloud within the vast sky. Therefore, the assertion that Tathāgatagarbha possesses the aggregate of form is erroneous; Tathāgatagarbha does not have the aggregate of form.

"In emptiness, there is no feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness" follows the same principle. Within the substance of the Tathāgatagarbha mind, besides lacking the aggregate of form, there is also no aggregate of feeling, aggregate of perception, aggregate of mental formations, or aggregate of consciousness. Tathāgatagarbha is apart from seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing. It does not see, hear, taste, or touch the six dusts (objects of sense), whereas the nature of seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing are functions of the six consciousnesses. Tathāgatagarbha maintains equanimity (upekṣā) towards all dharmas. Its equanimity differs from the equanimity of the mental consciousness. The equanimity of the mental consciousness occurs when it contacts the mental object without feeling pain or pleasure. In contrast, the equanimity of Tathāgatagarbha stems from its fundamental lack of understanding of what the six dusts are; it does not know right or wrong, good or bad, beautiful or ugly. It has no afflictions within itself, no sense of selfhood, and thus does not generate feelings of pain or pleasure in response to the six-dust realms. Its equanimity is far more profound and subtle than that of the mental consciousness, being very difficult to truly comprehend. The difference between the two is vast, and it also differs greatly from the equanimity of the manas (seventh consciousness). Tathāgatagarbha also does not discriminate the realms of the six dusts; it does not know form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects; it does not know east, west, south, or north; it lacks the analysis, planning, or intention regarding the six dusts; it does not have the thoughts and mental formations like those of the mental consciousness.

The deluded mind discriminates; the first seven consciousnesses all discriminate, although the discrimination of the manas (seventh consciousness) is not specific or detailed, yet it possesses a general, overall discrimination and discerning nature. The deluded mind is precisely what discriminates the realms of the six dusts; the true mind does not discriminate the six dusts. However, when the deluded mind discriminates the six dusts, there is the cooperation of the non-discriminating true mind. Therefore, when we discriminate, simultaneously there exists a non-discriminating true mind operating concurrently. The two harmoniously function together, operating in parallel without conflict.

Tathāgatagarbha does not have the aggregate of mental formations because, lacking the aggregate of form and the aggregate of consciousness, it has no creation of bodily, verbal, or mental actions, no movement or exertion, no change or flux, and no moment-by-moment arising, ceasing, or metabolism. Tathāgatagarbha does not contain the aggregate of consciousness. The aggregate of consciousness is the seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing of the six-dust realms, but Tathāgatagarbha does not see, hear, sense, or know the six dusts. Since Tathāgatagarbha lacks the aggregate of consciousness like that of the six consciousnesses, it also lacks aggregates of feeling, perception, and mental formations like those of the six consciousnesses. Although Tathāgatagarbha also possesses the universally applicable mental factors (caitta) of the five omnipresent mental factors—feeling, perception, and volition—these differ significantly from the feeling, perception, and volition mental factors of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. The mental factors of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses carry ignorance and afflictive nature, possess self-nature and attachment, have subjectivity, and harbor likes and dislikes; they are not peaceful. The mental factors of Tathāgatagarbha operate like wood or stone, unaffected by circumstances, devoid of self-nature and attachment, and lacking subjectivity or the psychology of liking and disliking.

Arhats extinguish the five aggregates and enter nirvana without residue. In nirvana without residue, the seven consciousnesses are extinguished, leaving only Tathāgatagarbha alone. If Tathāgatagarbha possessed the five aggregates, this nirvana would contain form and the movement of mind. Not only could all Buddhas find the Tathāgatagarbha of the Arhat, but enlightened Bodhisattvas could also find it, and even ordinary people could find the Tathāgatagarbha of the Arhat, which would be equivalent to finding the Arhat himself. In reality, however, after an Arhat enters nirvana, not even the divine power of all Buddhas in the ten directions can find him, because Tathāgatagarbha is formless and without characteristics; it cannot be seen by the eye, heard by the ear, smelled by the nose, tasted by the tongue, touched by the body, or conceived by thought or imagination. Therefore, to summarize, it is said that Tathāgatagarbha is devoid of the five aggregates (in terms of their functions and activities).