The Relationship between the Perceiving-Aspect of the Seventh Consciousness and the Element of Seeing, and the Relationship between the Element of Seeing and the Element of Consciousness

Within the tathāgatagarbha there are the seven intrinsically existing great seeds (earth, water, fire, wind, space, seeing, and consciousness). The tathāgatagarbha uses six of these great seeds to form the functions of the five aggregates and eighteen realms of sentient beings. Among them, the great element of seeing is the seeing-nature inherently possessed by the tathāgatagarbha itself; it does not belong to brightness or darkness and is unaffected by brightness and darkness. Its operative force exists in dependence on conditions—when conditions are present, the seeing-nature of the tathāgatagarbha manifests.

The great element of consciousness of the tathāgatagarbha directly forms the seven consciousnesses, and thus the seven consciousnesses come to possess the nature of discernment and discrimination. The discerning and discriminating nature of the seven consciousnesses is the perceiving-aspect of the seven consciousnesses, which is different from the seeing-nature of the tathāgatagarbha. The perceiving-aspect of the seven consciousnesses is subject to arising and ceasing, existing in dependence on the great seeds of consciousness of the tathāgatagarbha, whereas the seeing-nature of the tathāgatagarbha can exist forever—except in nirvāṇa without remainder, where, since there are no conditions of the six sense bases and six sense objects, the seeing-nature of the tathāgatagarbha does not manifest.

The consciousness-nature of the tathāgatagarbha itself is also without arising and ceasing, standing in a parallel relationship with the seeing-nature of the tathāgatagarbha, whereas the seven consciousnesses that are born are subject to arising and ceasing, because they are produced. That is to say, the seven great seeds of the tathāgatagarbha are by nature the very nature of the tathāgatagarbha, fundamentally without arising or ceasing; the seven great seeds are the tathāgatagarbha. The great element of seeing is the seeing-nature of the tathāgatagarbha. The Śūraṅgama Sūtra says, “见觉空顽”， which refers to whether the awareness of the Buddha-nature is aware or not of the objects of the six sense objects; whereas the seeing-nature of the seven consciousnesses is not empty and inert—it can discriminate specific objects and can only function when causes and conditions are present. The great element of seeing, however, endures without perishing; even in nirvāṇa without remainder, it endures without perishing. All seven great seeds, in nirvāṇa without remainder, endure without perishing, without arising or ceasing. The above is stated in accordance with the third volume of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra.