The Origin of External and Internal Object-Aspects

Question: The television, tables, chairs, and benches in my room—are they manifested by my own tathāgatagarbha alone, or are they jointly manifested by the tathāgatagarbhas of all sentient beings?

Answer: All external things are jointly manifested by the tathāgatagarbhas of sentient beings with shared karma; the tathāgatagarbha of a single sentient being cannot, on its own, manifest any external thing. This is because in any living environment, there is never just a single sentient being existing alone—countless sentient beings exist there, and those living environments belong to sentient beings with shared karma. Therefore, the tathāgatagarbhas of sentient beings with shared karma, in accordance with the inherent nature of the great elements, form the common seeds of the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—and then jointly use these seeds of the four great elements to fashion all external things, including the universe and the material world (the vessel world).

When each sentient being later perceives all things, that being's own tathāgatagarbha then, on its own, transforms the external object-aspect (outer nimitta) of external things into an inner object-aspect at the supreme faculty (indriya) in the brain, forming images. When the inner six faculties contact the images of the inner six sense objects, the tathāgatagarbha gives rise to the six consciousnesses, and the six consciousnesses then discern the images of these things. Afterward, the sentient being believes that what he is contacting are real external things. Therefore, everything that sentient beings come to know is the inner object-aspect manifested solely by their own tathāgatagarbha. The inner object-aspects of the inner six sense objects are all illusory and unreal—"All marks are false and illusory"—this is precisely the principle.

The items in one's own room are also jointly manifested by the tathāgatagarbhas of the sentient beings with shared karma who are connected to them; the tathāgatagarbhas of sentient beings who have no connection do not participate in the manifestation. All the six sense-object realms that a sentient being personally contacts are the inner object-aspects manifested by his own tathāgatagarbha, having nothing to do with others. The seemingly real tables, chairs, benches, and televisions outside are jointly manifested by the tathāgatagarbhas of the relevant sentient beings, including the people who made those tables, chairs, benches, and televisions—these sentient beings can collectively bring forth the tables, chairs, benches, and televisions. When you see them, your own tathāgatagarbha manifests them once again, becoming the images in your mind; what you see is just a shadow.