All Dharmas Are Solely Created by Tathagatagarbha

All phenomena are created by the mind alone. What is this "mind"? It must refer to the Tathāgatagarbha (storehouse of the Tathāgata); nothing else can create and give birth to all phenomena. This is because the seven consciousnesses themselves are non-autonomous, lacking self-mastery, subject to birth, cessation, and change, and devoid of intrinsic substance. Consequently, they cannot store seeds. Whether it be the seven great seeds used to create all phenomena or karmic seeds, none reside within the seven consciousnesses. Therefore, the seven consciousnesses cannot give birth to any phenomenon whatsoever. They can only project a reflection, cast a shadow, or manifest an image within the mind of the phenomena born from the Tathāgatagarbha. Beyond this, they are incapable of anything else.

Within the state of cessation (nirodha-samāpatti), the six consciousnesses are absent. Who then manifests the perceived aspect (nimitta) within the subtle sense organs (ādhyātmika-indriya)? When asleep, the six consciousnesses are absent – who manifests the six sense-object realms? When unconscious, the six consciousnesses are absent – who manifests the six sense-object realms? All are manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha in accordance with karmic seeds, with the manas (mind-root) playing a cooperative role. Because the manas grasps the body, the five sense faculties can function, and the Tathāgatagarbha will transmit the reflections of the five sense objects through the five sense faculties. The six consciousnesses cannot manifest anything, precisely because they are absent. The statements "All phenomena are created by the mind alone" and "All phenomena are consciousness-only" (vijñapti-mātra) have distinct meanings. "All phenomena are consciousness-only" means that all phenomena are manifested through the eight consciousnesses. If even one consciousness is missing from the five aggregates and seven consciousnesses of an ordinary being, certain phenomena cannot be manifested, although those phenomena may still exist objectively.

The Mind-Only School (Cittamātra) teaches that all phenomena are born solely from the Tathāgatagarbha. The seven consciousnesses are also included within the Tathāgatagarbha, being phenomena born from the essential nature of the Tathāgatagarbha mind. The Consciousness-Only School (Vijñānavāda) focuses solely on the eight consciousnesses, with the seven consciousnesses subordinate to the Tathāgatagarbha. There is no Dharma gate that does not emanate from the Tathāgatagarbha; no Dharma gate can be established apart from the Tathāgatagarbha. All Dharma gates are gates within the Tathāgatagarbha; all are branches of the Tathāgatagarbha. The Gate of Emptiness (Śūnyatā) is the Tathāgatagarbha's Dharma gate of liberation. The Emptiness School (Śūnyavāda) is the Tathāgatagarbha School of Emptiness.

Only bodhisattvas on the bhūmis (stages) who possess the wisdom of consciousness-only (vijñāna-jñāna) can observe that all phenomena are created solely by the Tathāgatagarbha, and that all phenomena are Suchness (Tathatā). Others cannot observe this. If there were any part omitted, not created by the Tathāgatagarbha, it would mean there exists phenomena outside the Tathāgatagarbha mind. Such a view would be a non-Buddhist (tīrthika) view. Bodhisattvas before the first bhūmi inevitably retain some non-Buddhist thoughts; hence, they do not enter the Tathāgata's household and are not the Buddha's true sons. The difference between the Buddhist path (inner path) and non-Buddhist paths (outer paths) lies in just a single thought.