成唯識論述記 3.296

3.296

述曰：內身多續，少分間斷，由有生一念即便命終故，或如蜉蝣等，生已即死故。若變外器，多分長時，《瑜伽》第三說：外器定一劫。若變內身即隨壽，故多分相續；聲、光多暫時，少有相續故。「等」者，等取華色、華香等。何以然者？由擊發故聲等方生，緣力盡時，彼即不續。有法師云：第八不緣聲，以間斷故，如心心所斷，故亦不緣。若作此說，亦應不緣等流色等，以間斷故，如電光等。第七末那既恒相續，何故不緣？問曰：若爾，第八恒相續，如何緣斷法？答：如鏡恒時明，境至方影起，第八任運起，有境便即緣，此復何妨。

The Commentary states: The internal body is mostly continuous and only partly intermittent, because there are those who die after living for a single thought-moment, or like mayflies and the like who die as soon as they are born. If it transforms the external vessel, it is mostly for a long time; fascicle three of the Yogācārabhūmi states: the external vessel is fixed for one kalpa. If it transforms the internal body, it follows the lifespan; hence it is mostly continuous. Sounds and lights are mostly temporary, and rarely continuous. 'Etc.' includes the colors of flowers, the scents of flowers, and the like. Why is this? Because sound and the like only arise when struck and activated; when the causal force is exhausted, they do not continue. A certain Dharma master said: the eighth [consciousness] does not take sound as an object because it is intermittent; just as it does not take minds and mental factors as objects because they are intermittent. If one makes this statement, it should also not take homogeneous-flow matter and the like as objects, because they are intermittent like lightning flashes and the like. Since the seventh manas is constantly continuous, why does [the eighth] not take it as an object? One asks: If so, since the eighth is constantly continuous, how can it take intermittent phenomena as objects? Answer: Just as a mirror is constantly bright, and a reflection arises only when an object arrives, so the eighth arises spontaneously: whenever an object exists, it immediately takes it as an object; what is the obstacle in this?