The modification of the object-based state is termed the cognition-tinged object.

Question: Can the image formed by a single Tathāgatagarbha after apprehending the essential nature of a shared characteristic still be called the essential realm? Can the physical body formed by a single Tathāgatagarbha be called the essential realm? When the information apprehended by the six consciousnesses is transmitted to the manas (mental faculty), is the transmission method such that the eighth consciousness forms the mental objects (dharmas), which are then apprehended by the manas to be known?

Answer: The image formed by the Tathāgatagarbha after apprehending any essential realm belongs to the objectively supported realm (adhipati-pratyaya), not the essential realm. The essential realm is the initial dust realm formed by the Tathāgatagarbha. When the Tathāgatagarbha subsequently manifests dust realms based on this substrate, their nature changes and they are called the objectively supported realm, which the manas can contact and apprehend. All physical bodies are essential realms born from the Tathāgatagarbha; only the Tathāgatagarbha can contact and apprehend them. After the Tathāgatagarbha subsequently forms the objectively supported realm of the physical body, the manas can contact and apprehend it. Upon reaching the subtle physical sense faculties (indriyas), the directly perceived realm (pratyakṣa-viṣaya) is formed, which the five consciousnesses can apprehend, and the mental image realm (mano-vijñapti-mātra) is formed, which the mental consciousness can apprehend. The information apprehended and transmitted by the six consciousnesses belongs to the mental objects (dharmas) of the mental image realm; they are formless and imageless, differing from the mental objects manifested upon the five sense objects.

Realms such as the objectively supported realm, the directly perceived realm, and the mental image realm belong to the wisdom of consciousness-only (vijñapti-mātratā-jñāna), which is cultivated and realized by bodhisattvas on the grounds (bhūmis). I have not yet fully comprehended them; what use is it for you ordinary people to study them daily? First, learn all the teachings once to have a general understanding in your mind and clarify some conceptual terms and designations. There is nothing wrong with this; each person should manage their own affairs. You must manage the allocation of your time, energy, and the appropriate measure yourself. If you find the practice of the four foundations of mindfulness beneficial, you may also begin simultaneously. Meditative concentration must be cultivated.

In the stage of learning the Dharma, you are not essentially acquiring knowledge; learning the Dharma is not an accumulation of knowledge. Those who truly know how to learn do not look at the finger pointing to the moon but at the bright moon pointed to by the finger. What is the bright moon? It is emptiness, the nature of emptiness. If, while learning the Dharma, you exclaim, "This Dharma is truly wonderful!" believing it to be interesting, profound, and mysterious, yet fail to see that this Dharma reveals the emptiness and selflessness of worldly phenomena, then such study will only increase arrogance, strengthen the view of self and self-attachment. Learning in this way is useless yet consumes much time. The current state of the Buddhist community studying the Mahāyāna is precisely like this; decades of study benefit neither sentient beings nor Buddhism and even cause a certain degree of harm, damaging the foundation and roots of Buddhism.

If you wish to practice responsibly for your own sake, based on a preliminary understanding of both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, you should begin practicing from the foundational Hīnayāna teachings. In actual practice, do not skip steps or aim too high beyond your reach. Be steadfast and diligent; only then will there be hope for initial liberation in this life. Otherwise, mere research is a waste of life, yielding no gain. Reflect inwardly and ask yourself: what is your ultimate purpose in learning the Dharma? Is it for interest and hobby, for collecting knowledge, or for liberation and accomplishment in either the Mahāyāna or Hīnayāna?