How does the tathāgatagarbha record and store karmic seeds?

Then it depends on what the tathāgatagarbha has done within the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of these six consciousnesses. Because the tathāgatagarbha possesses the seven intrinsically existing great seeds (earth, water, fire, wind, space, seeing, consciousness), one of which is the seeds of consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha has seeds of consciousness, and these seeds of consciousness divide into the seeds of consciousness of the seven consciousnesses. He can simultaneously deliver to each of these seven consciousnesses their respective seeds of consciousness; once delivered, these seven consciousnesses become manifest and can operate. The operation of the seven consciousnesses relies on the five universal mental factors and the five particular mental factors, as well as the operation of afflictive mental factors such as greed, hatred, and delusion. For example, when the six consciousnesses are operating, they not only have the five universal mental factors; sometimes they also have the five particular mental factors; there are also the eleven wholesome mental factors—although sometimes the eleven wholesome mental factors do not manifest in full; and there are also afflictive mental factors such as greed, hatred, and delusion, all of which will manifest.

It is the same with the seventh consciousness, the manas: besides the five universal mental factors, He also has other afflictive mental factors, such as greed, hatred, delusion, conceit, doubt, and so on. Once the seven consciousnesses operate, the corresponding mental factors will be expressed, for the mind consciousness operates in the form of mental factors. And among the mental factors, some are pure, some are defiled, and some belong to neither purity nor defilement; at times all of them must manifest. Once the seeds of consciousness arise, the seven consciousnesses can operate, and they arise and cease moment by moment. When they arise, they arise from within the tathāgatagarbha; when the seeds of consciousness cease, where do they cease to? If these seeds, upon ceasing, simply vanished naturally, then how many seeds of consciousness would there be in the tathāgatagarbha to keep arising continuously without being exhausted and lost? Those seeds of consciousness arise and cease, arise and cease—does that mean the tathāgatagarbha must be constantly producing new seeds of consciousness? It is not so; there is no dharma that produces seeds of consciousness any longer.