The Tathāgatagarbha Constructs the Five Aggregates and Seven Consciousnesses through the Seven Great Seeds

The four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—are seeds inherently present within the Tathagatagarbha. When conditions arise, the Tathagatagarbha delivers these seeds, which then form the sentient beings’ physical bodies and five sense faculties, as well as the objects of form, sound, scent, taste, and touch that sentient beings require, constituting the universe, the vessel-world, and the buddha-lands in the ten directions. Thus, the sentient beings’ proper retribution body and the dependent retribution—their living space and environment—are fully established, enabling sentient beings to survive.

The Tathagatagarbha naturally and inherently possesses the seven great seeds: earth, water, fire, wind, space, consciousness, and perception. Only when the Tathagatagarbha delivers the seeds of consciousness do the seven consciousnesses arise, enabling the functions and activities of the seven consciousnesses. Thus, the sentient beings’ five aggregates are fully established, and normal activities of the five aggregates occur. The four great elements play a significant role in our physical bodies, sustaining the needs of our bodily life activities. If the balance of the four great elements is disrupted, the physical body will experience suffering and illness. When the physical body suffers illness, the conscious mind is affected, leading to mental unease and the experience of suffering. Our body and mind are interdependent and mutually influential. Adjusting the body well brings mental ease, and adjusting the mind well brings a healthy and long-lived physical body.