The Relationship between the Perceiving Aspect of the Seven Consciousnesses and the Perceiving Expanse, and the Relationship between the Perceiving Expanse and the Consciousness Expanse

The Tathāgatagarbha contains seven great elements: earth, water, fire, wind, space, sight, and consciousness. The Tathāgatagarbha utilizes six of these great elements to form the functions of sentient beings' five aggregates and eighteen realms. Among them, the great element of sight is the seeing nature inherently possessed by the Tathāgatagarbha itself, which does not belong to light or darkness and is unaffected by light or darkness. Its function manifests conditionally; when conditions arise, the seeing nature of the Tathāgatagarbha is present.

The great element of consciousness within the Tathāgatagarbha directly forms the seven consciousnesses, thereby endowing them with the capacity for discernment and discrimination. The discerning and discriminating nature of the seven consciousnesses constitutes their perceiving aspect, which is distinct from the seeing nature of the Tathāgatagarbha. The perceiving aspect of the seven consciousnesses undergoes arising and ceasing, dependent on the seed of the great element of consciousness within the Tathāgatagarbha. In contrast, the seeing nature of the Tathāgatagarbha can exist perpetually, except in the state of Nirvana without remainder, where, lacking the conditions of the six sense faculties and six sense objects, the seeing nature of the Tathāgatagarbha does not manifest.

The conscious nature of the Tathāgatagarbha itself is also without arising or ceasing and exists in a parallel relationship with the seeing nature of the Tathāgatagarbha. However, the seven consciousnesses that are produced do undergo arising and ceasing because they are generated. Therefore, the seven great elements are fundamentally the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha, originally neither arising nor ceasing; the seven great elements are the Tathāgatagarbha. The great element of sight is the seeing nature of the Tathāgatagarbha. The Śūraṅgama Sūtra states, "The seeing awareness is empty and inert," referring to the Buddha-nature's awareness being unaware of the realms of the six dusts (sense objects). The seeing nature of the seven consciousnesses, however, is not empty and inert; it is capable of discriminating specific objects and functions only when conditions and causes are present. The great element of sight endures perpetually without cessation; even in Nirvana without remainder, it remains eternally present and indestructible. Within Nirvana without remainder, all seven great elements are eternally present, neither arising nor ceasing. The above is stated according to the third volume of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra.