The Relationship Between Karmic Seeds and the Seven Great Seeds

Whether karmic seeds and the seven fundamental seeds are independent: first, let's examine how karmic seeds are formed. Karmic seeds arise from the physical, verbal, and mental actions created by the seven consciousnesses through the physical body. The agent of karma creation is the mental faculty (manas), which directs, incites, and commands the six consciousnesses to utilize the physical body to perform physical, verbal, and mental actions. These actions exist as seeds within the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature). When conditions mature in the future, the seeds take root and sprout, manifesting as karmic retribution, thereby actualizing the law of cause and effect.

The seven consciousnesses are formed from the consciousness seeds among the seven fundamental seeds. The physical body is formed from the five fundamental seeds of earth, water, fire, wind, and space among the seven fundamental seeds. Additionally, there is the seed of perception, which is the functional activity of the Tathagatagarbha. The seven fundamental seeds operate in conjunction, creating karmic actions and forming karmic seeds. This entire process can be said to be the functional activity of the Tathagatagarbha.

The relationship between karmic seeds and the seven fundamental seeds is extremely close; without the seven fundamental seeds, there would be no karmic seeds. However, karmic seeds are independent of the seven fundamental seeds. For example, when the five fundamental seeds of earth, water, fire, wind, and space return to the Tathagatagarbha, they cannot carry karmic actions back with them. The five fundamental seeds do not create karmic actions or karmic seeds. When the seed of perception returns to the Tathagatagarbha, it does not carry karmic actions or karmic seeds either. Do the consciousness seeds of the seven consciousnesses carry karmic seeds or karmic actions back to the Tathagatagarbha? Certainly not. Consciousness seeds themselves are pure; they are neither virtuous nor non-virtuous nor neutral—they remain eternally so. Therefore, they do not carry karmic actions or karmic seeds. Karmic actions are distinguished as virtuous, non-virtuous, or neutral. This distinction arises only after the consciousness seeds give birth to the seven consciousnesses, and mental factors operate in conjunction with them, causing the consciousnesses to possess the three natures: virtuous, non-virtuous, and neutral. The consciousness seeds themselves lack these three natures. When mental factors operate, the consciousnesses manifest karmic actions of the three natures (virtuous, non-virtuous, neutral), forming karmic seeds. These karmic seeds do not follow the consciousness seeds back into the Tathagatagarbha. The consciousness seeds retain their original purity and, when projected again, remain pure consciousness seeds.

Since mental factors operate in conjunction with the consciousnesses, the three types of karma (virtuous, non-virtuous, neutral) arise. Mental factors possess the three natures, while the consciousnesses formed from consciousness seeds lack the three natures. Therefore, karmic seeds are related to mental factors. When mental factors change, karmic seeds change; when mental factors are purified, karmic seeds are purified. Thus, the seven fundamental seeds and karmic seeds are two distinct mechanisms. Although they are closely interrelated, they should not be conflated.

Do the seven fundamental seeds carry information about karmic seeds when projected by the Tathagatagarbha? They cannot, because the seeds are pure. The seven fundamental seeds of all sentient beings, including Buddhas, are equally identical and without distinction. The difference lies in the mental factors. Karmic seeds are related to mental factors, and the purity or impurity of the consciousnesses is related to mental factors. The key to spiritual practice is to transform the mental factors—not to alter the seven fundamental seeds or the consciousness seeds, as these seeds cannot be changed. Only by changing the mental factors can karmic seeds be transformed, becoming utterly pure, thereby enabling one to become a Buddha as pure as the Tathagatagarbha.