The Seeds of the Seven Great Elements: Universally Present, Pervading the Dharma Realm

Question: Some people say that among earth, water, fire, wind, space, consciousness, and perception, only the four great elements of earth, water, fire, and wind are great seeds, while the other three—space, consciousness, and perception—are neither great nor universal, and are not seeds. Is this so?

Answer: Seeds have the aspect of generation and the aspect of transformation. For example, a flower seed can generate and become a fresh flower, and a tree seed can generate and become a great tree. The seeds of the seven great elements within the tathāgatagarbha can all transform into some dharma and then perform some function; therefore they are all seeds, all great, and all universally present. Earth, water, fire, wind, and space can combine to generate the universe, the material world (bhājana-loka), pervading the three realms. Where there is form, it is formed by the four great seeds of earth, water, fire, and wind; where there is no form, it is formed by the seed of the great element of space. Within material form there is also the great element of space; otherwise, matter would have no gaps and no such thing as density, and there would be no flow or transmission of other substances within material objects.

Where there is no matter, that is empty space (ākāśa). Empty space is also a dharma that arises later, as evidenced by the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. Original text of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra: 虚空生汝心内，如片云点泰清里。 Here the World-Honored One clearly explains that empty space is also born from the original mind of the tathāgatagarbha; it is merely without form, different from material form—it is a form dharma without material obstruction. The Bodhisattva Maitreya also says in the first volume of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra that space and the colors of light and darkness confront the eye faculty and are seen by the eye consciousness; therefore space belongs to another kind of form dharma. When the eye consciousness looks out, it can see the colors of matter and space; therefore space is generated by the seed of the great element of space within the tathāgatagarbha. The seed of the great element of space is not a useless ornament that performs no function at all, nor is it merely a meaningless term. When the Buddha established a great element of space, it must have real and actual functions and effects. When the Buddha spoke of a great element of space, there is the function of the great element of space. If the great element of space had no function, there would be no gaps within material form, matter would have no density or hardness, material form would have no place of generation, and the world could not be established.

In the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamasūtra), the World-Honored One spoke of the six elements: the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness. In other sūtras, He also spoke of the six elements. The six great elements are the six elements (dhātus); "element" is the functional boundary of a seed. The great element of space is a seed and has its functional boundary; its functions differ from those of the four or five great seeds. The empty space generated by the great element of space differs from material form with material obstruction, and also differs from the seven consciousnesses generated by the seed of the great element of consciousness. It is evident that the great element of space indeed has its own independent function; otherwise, the worlds of the ten directions could not be established.

Likewise, the seed of the great element of consciousness within the tathāgatagarbha is also a seed and has the aspect of generation. When the seed of the great element of consciousness is transmitted outward, it forms the five consciousnesses, the sixth consciousness, and the seventh consciousness; only then do the seven consciousnesses have their functions and their discriminating roles. The seven consciousnesses come from the seeds of consciousness, just as flowers come from flower seeds and trees come from tree seeds. Furthermore, the seed of the great element of perception within the tathāgatagarbha is also a seed and has the aspect of generation. When the seed of the great element of perception is transmitted outward, the tathāgatagarbha itself has the nature of seeing and can see all dharmas; therefore the tathāgatagarbha can operate all dharmas, generate all dharmas, and perfectly accomplish all worldly dharmas. For example, sentient beings rely on the eye consciousness to see forms before they can carry out all worldly affairs; likewise, the tathāgatagarbha must rely on its own nature of seeing to operate all dharmas, and only when the seed of the great element of perception is transmitted outward can the tathāgatagarbha have the nature of seeing. Therefore, the seeds of the seven great elements within the tathāgatagarbha all have the aspect of generation, are all seeds, and all have their functions; seeds are not useless ornaments or nominal designations.

Moreover, the seeds of the seven great elements universally exist, pervading the entire dharma realm, as evidenced by sūtra passages.

Original text of the third volume of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra: 若此虚空性圆周遍，本不动摇，当知现前地水火风，均名五大，性真圆融，皆如来藏本无生灭……如来藏中性觉真空，性空真觉，清静本然，周遍法界。

Here the World-Honored One has already clearly revealed that space is the great element of space, and it pervades the dharma realm. Empty space pervades the worlds of the ten directions and is also the nature of the tathāgatagarbha, without birth and without extinction. Empty space is contained within the tathāgatagarbha and does not lie outside it; it is generated and manifested by the great element of space within the tathāgatagarbha. Empty space does not have the four great elements of earth, water, fire, and wind; it is not generated by the four great elements but is generated by the great element of space.

Original text of the third volume of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra: 若见闻觉知，性圆周遍，本不动摇，当知无边不动虚空，并其动摇地水火风，均名六大，性真圆融，皆如来藏，本无生灭。……如来藏中性见觉明，觉精明见，清静本然，周遍法界，随众生心，应所知量。如一见根，见周法界，听嗅尝触，觉触觉知，妙德莹然，遍周法界，圆满十虚，宁有方所。

Here the World-Honored One also clearly reveals to sentient beings that perception is also a great seed, and it pervades the dharma realm, perfectly filling the ten-directional void. From this great element of perception the seeing faculty is born, and relying on this seeing faculty, the seven consciousnesses can have the natures of seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing.

Original text of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra: 若此识心本无所从，当知了别见闻觉知，圆满湛然，性非从所，兼彼虚空地水火风，均名七大，性真圆融，皆如来藏，本无生灭。……如来藏中性识明知，觉明真识，妙觉湛然，遍周法界，含吐十虚，宁有方所。

Here the World-Honored One also very clearly reveals that consciousness is a great seed, capable of generating the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, possessing the nature of knowing and discerning, and it also pervades the dharma realm, perfectly filling the ten directions.
Summary: The seeds of the seven great elements stand parallel and side by side, together generating the five aggregates and eighteen realms of sentient beings and the universe, the material world; they pervade the dharma realm, perfectly limpid, pervading the worlds of the ten directions, and all manifest according to karma.