成唯識論述記 4.948

4.948

[The Commentary states:] This explains the support and the meaning of a support. Why is that? Only when it possesses these four characteristics is it called a support: First, the characteristic of determinateness. If a dharma arises relying on this, there is no time when it does not arise relying on this; hence it is called "determinate". This excludes the sixth consciousness taking the five consciousnesses as its support, because that is indeterminate. When the sixth arises, the five are not determinately present, so it does not take the five as its support. It also excludes the eighth taking the five sense-faculties as its support, because even without the five sense-faculties it can arise. It also excludes the seventh and eighth taking the fifth and sixth as their supports, because the seventh and eighth operate constantly, while the fifth and sixth are intermittent. Thus, all seeds with respect to active perfuming are not their supports, because later they continue by themselves without the active, which is not the meaning of determinateness. Moreover, the particular objects, wholesome, afflicted, etc., lack not only sovereignty but also determinateness, excepting only the omnipresent factors and a small portion of the aggregates of form and formations. If so, should the four great elements and the supportive matter of the five sense-faculties, the four great elements, serve as supports for the five consciousnesses? Should the life-faculty, seeds, the unconditioned, and so on, also serve as supports for dharmas, since they are all determinate? Not so: that is, within the five aggregates, except for a small portion of the aggregate of consciousness considered in mutual relation.