Tathāgatagarbha's Sustaining of the Embryo and the Body-World (5)

Another example is the residual force effect in the motion of objects. What is meant by "residual force"? There is really no such thing as residual force. The residual force and inertial effect of objects are both illusory surface phenomena; in essence they do not exist. They are all the sustaining function of the tathāgatagarbha, manifestations of the tathāgatagarbha's operation. For example, when we kick a soccer ball, after our foot exerts force and kicks the ball out, the ball flies up into the air, as if our foot had given it the force to move through the air, giving it residual force and inertial effect so that it moves through the air. In fact, all of this is the operation of the tathāgatagarbha. If the soccer ball were apart from the sustaining function of the tathāgatagarbha, it could not fly through the air; no matter how much force we exerted, it could not fly in the air. All of this involves the sustaining function of the tathāgatagarbha; He produces various effects upon objects through the seeds of the four great elements.

The tathāgatagarbha's sustaining function upon the body faculty, the vessel (the physical environment), the world, and karmic seeds, and its transforming and sustaining function upon all dharmas, is content of the profound seed-wisdom (bīja-jñāna) of Consciousness-only. At present, we only need to know that all dharmas do not exist independently, that there is no independent phenomenon of arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing, and that there are no independent functions and effects; all are closely connected with the tathāgatagarbha. Then, with regard to all worldly dharmas, we will eliminate illusory and inverted notions and eliminate mistaken cognition. In the future we will gradually realize the twofold selflessness of persons and dharmas, possess the profound wisdom of the Great Vehicle, make rapid progress on the path of bodhi, be free from afflictions, suffering, distress, and anxiety, and finally attain ultimate nirvāṇa.

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