楞伽阿跋多羅寶經註解 2.243

2.243

Above it was said, "The cessation of the consciousness of vikalpa is called nirvāṇa"; thereupon doubt arose that the eight consciousnesses also cease, and the Buddha answered that they do not cease. Saying that they are established means they do not cease. Furthermore, there was doubt that the seven consciousnesses do not cease, so the Buddha answered that because of that cause and objective support the seven consciousnesses do not arise: "that" refers to the sixth consciousness, meaning that the cause and objective support lie in the sixth consciousness, while the seventh consciousness grasps at a self and they are never separated from each other; if the sixth consciousness ceases, then the seventh consciousness also does not arise. From "As for the mental consciousness" downward, it comprehensively reveals that the various consciousnesses mutually cause one another and have never not been conjoined, being one in substance but distinct in characteristics. There are also four meanings: first, "segmented divisions of sense objects" means that the sixth consciousness arises from the six dusts; second, "nourished by vāsanā" means that the sixth consciousness is not apart from the seventh and eighth consciousnesses; third, "grasping at 'I' and 'mine'" means that the self-grasping of the seventh consciousness arises from reflecting on those causes and those conditions; fourth, from "without destroying the marks of the body" downward, the storehouse consciousness is the eighth consciousness, and the statement that it is "because of grasping at the realms appearing from one's own mind as its objective support, etc.", means that this eighth consciousness, dependent on the six consciousnesses' ability to take objects, in turn takes as its objective support the realms appearing from one's own mind—namely, the six dusts; because of grasping, it gives rise to the six consciousnesses, and because it can synthesize all minds it is called "the assembly of minds arises", meaning that the eighth consciousness and the sixth consciousness arise mutually causing one another. Such mutual causation has a root and branches: the root means that the eighth consciousness evolves to give rise to the various consciousnesses; the branches mean that the sixth consciousness gives rise to good and evil; the seventh consciousness transmits between them; thus they are said to "mutually cause one another". He further illustrates this with a simile: the ocean illustrates the eighth consciousness, the waves illustrate the sixth consciousness, and the six dusts are taken as the wind of realms; realms appear from one's own mind, which in turn blows upon the ocean-mind of the eighth consciousness to evolve and give rise to the various consciousnesses. Their arising and ceasing are like the wind depending on the ocean and the waves being stirred up by the wind; the nature of mutual causation is like this. When the wind ceases, the waves cease; therefore it is said, "when the mental consciousness ceases, the seven consciousnesses also cease."