The Ālambana of Tathāgatagarbha

When the Buddha expounded the law of dependent origination, he said: "Name-and-form conditions consciousness, and consciousness conditions name-and-form." This consciousness refers to the Tathagatagarbha, the Alaya-vijnana. Name-and-form refers to the five aggregates: the aggregate of form, the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental formations, and the aggregate of consciousness. The Tathagatagarbha conditions name-and-form; only then can it manifest itself and be utilized. Without name-and-form, the Tathagatagarbha cannot manifest, and its virtuous qualities cannot function. Name-and-form must depend on the Tathagatagarbha to arise and exist; without the Tathagatagarbha, name-and-form would not be produced. Name-and-form and the Tathagatagarbha depend on each other for existence. Although the Tathagatagarbha can exist alone, independent of name-and-form, to function, it must rely on name-and-form. The two are like bundled reeds, mutually supporting each other.

The Tathagatagarbha also conditions karmic seeds. Based on the karmic seeds of sentient beings, it brings forth their direct retribution bodies and the dependent retribution environments in which they live, as well as various karmic results. The Tathagatagarbha also conditions the four great elements inherently present within itself, bringing forth the five aggregates and eighteen dhatus of sentient beings, and the universe as the vessel-world. The Tathagatagarbha also conditions the seven consciousnesses, discerning the mental activities of the seven consciousnesses, transmitting consciousness seeds, and coordinating with the functioning of the seven consciousnesses.