成唯識論述記 4.986

4.986

The Commentary states: Below is the explanation of seeds. Consciousness as seeds cannot presently cognize the direct active cognitive objects of its own; earlier, the thesis established that enabling the citta and caitasikas to grasp their own cognitive objects constitutes the definition of a basis (āśraya), and seeds are not citta or caitasikas. Because they lack one requirement, they can have what they depend on (āśrita), but are not included among that upon which they rely (āśraya). Alternatively, this passage is explained as: the active [consciousness] does not take seeds as its basis (āśraya), because [seeds] lack the requirement of having an intentional object (sālambana), so they are not the basis of active [consciousness]. There are two explanations here: first, excluding the active eighth from being the basis of seeds; second, excluding seeds from being the basis of the active consciousness. Although these various explanations differ in wording, their reasoning is sharp and established by the treatises; that which wonderfully accords with the middle path is the fourth explanation.