The Relationship between Pure Karma and Defiled Karma

Within the tathāgatagarbha, the seeds of the seven consciousnesses are inherently contained. When these seeds are output, and after the six sense objects have been discerned, they return, bringing back the content of the discernment and activity with them; the tathāgatagarbha then stores this on file, and at the same time knows what the seven consciousnesses have done. If the seven consciousnesses have performed karma of greed, anger, and delusion, the seeds that return are defiled; after being stored, when they are output again they are defiled seeds, and the seven consciousnesses will naturally carry the nature of greed, anger, and delusion. If what the seven consciousnesses have engaged in is pure karma, the seeds that return are pure, and when they are output again, the mental activities of the seven consciousnesses will be pure. These seeds, in accordance with our bodily, verbal, and mental actions, must constantly alternate between purity and defilement: the more purity, the less defilement; the more defilement, the less purity. Purity and defilement will not increase simultaneously or decrease simultaneously; the two always stand in a relationship where one increases as the other decreases.

From this it can be seen that the number of seeds of the seven consciousnesses is fixed, and no increase or decrease in quantity can occur; otherwise, sentient beings' wholesome nature would increase while their unwholesome nature also increased; or wholesome karma would decrease while unwholesome karma also decreased—and this is impossible.