Whether the Physical Body Is Not the Eighth Consciousness Yet Not Different from the Eighth Consciousness

After the tathāgatagarbha gives birth to our physical body, how does the present physical body exist? Is it still being produced by the tathāgatagarbha? Is the tathāgatagarbha still continuously producing the physical body? If this question cannot be answered, how can one know that the physical body is not the eighth consciousness, is not different from the eighth consciousness, and does not dwell together with the eighth consciousness?

When the tathāgatagarbha first produces the physical body, it transmits the seeds of the four great elements, and at the same time transmits the seeds of consciousness of the manas, and then transmits the seeds of consciousness of the mind consciousness, while continuously transmitting the seeds of the four great elements. After the physical body is born, the tathāgatagarbha still continuously transmits the seeds of the four great elements, which is equivalent to the tathāgatagarbha still continuously producing the physical body. Once the tathāgatagarbha stops transmitting the seeds of the four great elements, the physical body is no longer produced, and the physical body ceases and no longer exists.

The tathāgatagarbha gives birth to all dharmas. As long as a dharma exists, the tathāgatagarbha is continuously producing that dharma. After a dharma appears, the subsequent generation is called grasping, sustaining, and maintaining; in fact, it is still generation, without interruption. The seeds of the four great elements arise and then cease, arise again and cease again; through this continuous cycle of arising and ceasing, the physical body continues to exist and constantly changes. The tathāgatagarbha's function upon the physical body is to continuously transmit and withdraw the seeds of the four great elements and the seeds of consciousness. The tathāgatagarbha's function upon all dharmas is to transmit seeds and continuously produce dharmas—that is, to sustain the existence and transformation of dharmas, allowing dharmas to arise, abide, change, and perish.

The entire physical body is composed entirely of the seven great seeds output solely by the tathāgatagarbha. Thus the physical body is a holding company solely invested in by the tathāgatagarbha; it may also be called a sole proprietorship. Only there is no harvest, no profit, and no loss; rise or fall, success or failure—the tathāgatagarbha does not care, because the tathāgatagarbha does not regard the physical body as self or as belonging to self.

From the perspective that the tathāgatagarbha fully invests in and controls the physical body, is the physical body not the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha? No, it is! Is the physical body not different from the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha (not owned by the eighth consciousness)? No, it is! Does the physical body not dwell together with the eighth consciousness? No, it does!

All the seeds of the physical body come from the eighth consciousness; a portion of the seeds within the eighth consciousness constitutes the physical body. The physical body is the eighth consciousness and belongs to the eighth consciousness. The physical body in its entirety is true suchness (tathatā)—this is what is called the one true dharma realm! Of all the conditioned dharmas in the world, which one is not the eighth consciousness? The whole is true suchness—the one true dharma realm!

Since the physical body in its entirety is constituted by the seeds of the eighth consciousness, and the physical body is regulated and controlled by the eighth consciousness, the physical body neither dwells together with the eighth consciousness, nor does it fail to dwell together with it! How could the boss ever leave his own company?

But is the physical body really solely owned by the eighth consciousness, with no partner holding shares? Are there no second or third bosses? No, there are! There is also a false boss who superficially manages and controls it—He believes the physical body is "I" and "mine," and that He has the final say.

Upon what basis does the eighth consciousness output the seven great seeds to invest and hold shares? Of course, based on karmic seeds. Where do the karmic seeds come from? They come from the manas leading the six consciousnesses to create karmic actions. When the manas leads the six consciousnesses to create wholesome karma, there will be a good physical body, an excellent profit-making company; when the manas leads the six consciousnesses to create unwholesome karma, there will be a physical body of the evil destinies, a disaster-ridden physical body, a losing, declining company. The rise and fall, success and failure of the physical-body company: the manas bears the risk and takes the responsibility; the profits go to the manas, and the losses go to the manas.

The tathāgatagarbha is a hands-off proprietor; after investing, He ignores everything else. When the company needs money, He will invest and manage again, as long as there is stock in the warehouse. That said, does the physical-body company deposit its earnings into the storehouse? Yes, they are deposited into the storehouse. If the company's operations fail, the manas is responsible for the debts, which are paid off from the deposits in the storehouse. When the storehouse is empty of funds, the physical body wanders and begs for a living, and the second boss, the manas, and the third boss, the six consciousnesses, are reduced to slavery.