The Coexistence of Dharma-Dust and the Five Dusts

Form-dust and dharmas-dust together constitute form dharmas; both are simultaneously born and manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha and are inseparable. If the two were not together, but separated, then the trichiliocosm would be entirely composed of colors without form, substance, or content. In that case, all material form dharmas would be indistinguishable, there would be no trichiliocosm, no existence of form dharmas, and the eye consciousness could not arise.

If the external world consisted only of manifest colors, while dharmas-dust were separately created within the subtle root faculty based on form-dust and the four great elements of the subtle root, then the external world would not truly be external, and material form dharmas would have no boundaries. Therefore, it is said that dharmas-dust and form-dust are simultaneously born, simultaneously cease, and simultaneously undergo transformation; they are simultaneously created by the Tathāgatagarbha using the seeds of the four great elements.

Similarly, dharmas-dust and sound-dust, dharmas-dust and smell-dust, dharmas-dust and taste-dust, dharmas-dust and touch-dust are all simultaneously born, simultaneously cease, and simultaneously undergo transformation; they cannot be separated.