Can the Activities of the Six Consciousnesses Involve the Outer Representation?

Because the six sense objects we come into contact with are all inner representations, the big tree we see is an inner representation—it is inside the black box, and our six consciousnesses cannot come into contact with the outer representation. So if the six consciousnesses and the five-aggregate body cut down the tree, is it the tree's inner representation that is destroyed, or its outer representation? Does the big tree outside still exist? If one kills a person, is it the person's inner representation that is killed, or the outer representation? If killing a person means killing the person's inner representation, then it would not be called killing, because that person would still be alive. If it is the person's outer representation that is killed, the six consciousnesses cannot come into contact with the outer representation. When we hit someone, are we hitting our own outer representation or our own inner representation? If we are hitting our own inner representation, the other person should not feel pain. If we are hitting our own outer representation, our six consciousnesses cannot come into contact with the outer representation. What exactly is going on here?

When cutting down a big tree, if only the tree's inner representation is cut down, then the tree's outer representation would still exist—the big tree would not have been cut down, and the dharma of "cutting down the big tree" would not be established. If it is the tree's outer representation that is cut down, the six consciousnesses cannot come into contact with the tree's outer representation. When stealing someone else's things, is one stealing things of the inner representation or things of the outer representation? If one is stealing things of the inner representation, it should not be against the law; if one is stealing things of the outer representation, the six consciousnesses cannot come into contact with the outer representation.

In fact, the true principle is that the inner representation exists in dependence on the outer representation: first there is the outer representation, and then there is the inner representation. If there were no outer representation, there would be no inner representation. So when a person destroys an object, it is not merely the inner representation that is destroyed—the outer representation is certainly also destroyed, and moreover the outer representation is destroyed first, and the inner representation is immediately destroyed along with it. The outer representation of that object is certainly destroyed, or has disappeared; others can no longer enjoy it or see it again—that must mean the outer representation no longer exists.

That is why it is said that destroying things is an offense, stealing is an offense, and killing is an offense. It is precisely because the outer representation is destroyed, causing others to suffer loss and no longer be able to enjoy or obtain what they had—not merely involving one's own inner representation. If only one's own inner representation were destroyed, then killing hundreds of millions of people would carry no offense, and no one could do anything about it. Therefore, killing people, cutting down trees, destroying property, and stealing all involve the substance of the outer representation, and hence there is offense and fault.

Since the six consciousnesses can only come into contact with the inner representation and cannot come into contact with the outer representation, why can the actions and deeds of the six consciousnesses still bring about changes in the outer representation? Herein lies a great secret. The outer representation is the relatively real material world composed of the four great elements outside. This realness is also spoken of only in relative terms with respect to the inner representation; in fact it is not real either—it is also conjured forth by the tathāgatagarbha, and its substance is still illusory and false. The true dharma is only the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha; all other dharmas are false and illusory.