The Meaning of "All Is Created by the Mind"

All phenomena are created by the mind, meaning that all dharmas arise from the mind of Tathagatagarbha, including the five aggregates and eighteen elements of sentient beings, the universe and the worldly realm, and the buddha-lands of the ten directions. The statement "all phenomena are consciousness-only" means that all objective realms of the six dusts we encounter are manifested through the combined functioning of the eight consciousnesses, primarily the three consciousnesses: the mind consciousness, manas, and Tathagatagarbha. These serve as the transformative consciousnesses that manifest all realms. The "mind" within body, speech, and mind refers to the mind consciousness. It cannot produce all phenomena because it is itself subject to arising and ceasing and lacks seeds; therefore, it cannot directly generate all dharmas and is not the "mind" referred to in "mind-only." Within the law of dependent origination, the cause is the eighth consciousness, Tathagatagarbha, and the conditions are all karmic conditions. All dharmas produced by causes and conditions are ultimately empty; yet within this emptiness, there is that which is not empty, which is Tathagatagarbha. Actions of body, speech, and mind are primarily governed by manas. When manas is subdued and the mind consciousness does not arise, the actions of body, speech, and mind cease. When the ignorance of manas ceases, one gains the capacity to cease the actions of body, speech, and mind.