How Does the Sixth Consciousness Count as Having Realized Tathāgatagarbha (III)

Although after attaining the bhūmis, one will observe that the true substance of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) is the tathāgatagarbha, at initial enlightenment it is impossible to realize this point; one can only strictly distinguish between the five aggregates and the functions manifested by the tathāgatagarbha, and must not confuse them, otherwise that would be mistaken enlightenment. The tathāgatagarbha, like the wind, is formless and without mark—how can He be found? Observe all the marks produced by the tathāgatagarbha; these marks are all the results of His functioning. From these marks one can observe the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha, and thereby realize the tathāgatagarbha—it is the same principle as the function of the wind.

At the moment one first realizes and catches hold of the tathāgatagarbha, one may catch a single instant of the tathāgatagarbha's functioning—this occasional instant is just a tiny bit of the tathāgatagarbha's small function; His functioning has not yet been connected into a line, nor connected into a whole expanse. One discovers that His appearing is only at a single point, at a single instant. This level of enlightenment is extremely, extremely shallow—an enlightenment of instant after instant; the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha is discontinuous, not connected into a line, nor connected into a surface or expanse. Strictly speaking, this does not count as enlightenment. Enlightenment requires at least realizing that the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha is connected into a line, and ideally connected into one whole expanse; for one who is greatly and thoroughly enlightened, it is connected into one vast expanse.

Therefore, in verifying whether or not a person is enlightened, each has their own standard; if one's hand slackens even slightly, one may ruin that person's subsequent development of great wisdom, making the road ahead very difficult to walk, beset with difficulties. Not only can this delay the person's future prospects, it may also affect the stable development of the Buddhist cause. When one realizes the instantaneous functioning of the tathāgatagarbha, one should press the advantage and continue investigating, getting to the bottom of the matter, expanding one's wisdom further, connecting the tathāgatagarbha from point to line, thoroughly enlightening to the whole of a single matter, and then proceeding from line to expanse.

Initially, one finds the tathāgatagarbha functioning at a certain place; upon further deep contemplation and investigation, one then knows that here is a function manifested by the tathāgatagarbha, there is also a function manifested by the tathāgatagarbha, and over there too is a function manifested by the tathāgatagarbha. These points are still scattered, not yet connected into a line; gradually one connects them into a line. Initially, one may find the tathāgatagarbha at the eye faculty, in the seeing of material form—but it is not finding the color and shape of the tathāgatagarbha; rather, the mind consciousness discovers how the tathāgatagarbha functions.

Initially one discovers the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha at the eye faculty, and then one will also discover the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha at the other faculties, knowing that He functions in this way at all six faculties; thus one observes the functioning characteristics of the tathāgatagarbha at all six faculties. However, some people may only realize the instantaneous functioning of the tathāgatagarbha, not knowing how He functions continuously. Then, gradually, through observation and investigation, when wisdom opens up, one can connect the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha into a line and into an expanse.