大乘義章 3.51

3.51

第一釋名。八識之義，出《楞伽經》。故彼經中大慧白佛：「世尊不立八種識耶？」佛言：「建立。」所言識者，乃是神知之別名也。隨義分別，識乃無量，今據一門且論八種。八名是何？一者眼識、二者耳識、三者鼻識、四者舌識、五者身識、六者意識、七者阿陀那識、八阿梨耶識。八中前六隨根受名，後之二種就體立稱。根謂眼耳鼻舌身意，從斯別識，故有六種。體含真偽，故復分二：就前六中，對色名眼乃至第六對法名意。依此生心，能有了別，故名眼識乃至意識。阿陀那者，此方正翻名為無解，體是無明癡闇心故。隨義傍翻，差別有八：一無明識，體是根本無明地故。二名業識，依無明心不覺妄念忽然動故。三名轉識，依前業識，心相漸麁，轉起外相，分別取故。四名現識，所起妄境應現自心，如明鏡中現色相故。五名智識，於前現識所現境中，分別染淨違順法故。此乃昏妄分別名智，非是明解脫為智也。六名相續識，妄境牽心，心隨境界攀緣不斷，復能住持善惡業果不斷絕故。七名妄識，總前六種非真實故。八名執識，執取我故，又執一切虛妄相故。阿梨耶者，此方正翻名為無沒，雖在生死，不失沒故。隨義傍翻，名別有八：一名藏識，如來之藏為此識故。是以經言「如來之藏，名為藏識。」以此識中涵含法界恒沙佛法，故名為藏。又為空義所覆藏故，亦名為藏。二名聖識，出生大聖之所用故。三名第一義識，以殊勝故。故《楞伽經》說之以為第一義心。四名淨識，亦名無垢識，體不染故，故經說為自性淨心。五名真識，體非妄故。六名真如識，論自釋言：心之體性無所破故，名之為真；無所立故，說以為如。七名家識，亦名宅識，是虛妄法所依處故。八名本識，與虛妄心為根本故。名別如是。八中前六有所了別，可名為識，後之二種云何名識？釋有兩義。一義釋云：後二雖非了別之因，而是了體，故名為識。第二義者，八識並有了別之義，故通名識。云何了別？了別有三：一事相了別，謂前六識。二妄相了別，謂第七識。三者真實自體了別，謂第八識。了別既通，是故八種俱名為識。名義如是。

First, explaining the names. The meaning of the eight consciousnesses comes from the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra. Thus in that sūtra Mahāmati addressed the Buddha: 'Does the World-Honoured One not establish eight kinds of consciousness?' The Buddha said: 'They are established.' What is called 'consciousness' is an alternative name for spiritual awareness. When differentiated according to their functions, consciousnesses are indeed immeasurable; here, relying on one approach, we discuss eight kinds for now. What are the eight names? First is eye-consciousness; second, ear-consciousness; third, nose-consciousness; fourth, tongue-consciousness; fifth, body-consciousness; sixth, mental consciousness; seventh, ādāna-consciousness; and eighth, ālayavijñāna. Among the eight, the first six receive their names according to the faculties, while the latter two have their designations established based on substance. 'Faculties' refers to eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; since distinct consciousnesses derive from these, there are six kinds. Substance encompasses the true and the false, hence it is further divided into two. Regarding the first six: in relation to form it is named 'eye', up to the sixth, which in relation to dharmas is named 'mind'. Minds arising in dependence on these are capable of discernment, hence they are named 'eye-consciousness' up to 'mental consciousness'. 'Ādāna' is properly translated into the language of this land as 'non-understanding', because its substance is the mind of ignorance and dark delusion. Translated secondarily according to its meanings, there are eight distinctions: First, it is named the 'consciousness of ignorance', because its substance is the ground of fundamental ignorance. Second, it is named the 'karmic consciousness', because based on the mind of ignorance, unawakened deluded thoughts suddenly stir. Third, it is named the 'evolving consciousness', because based on the preceding karmic consciousness, mental characteristics gradually coarsen, evolving to produce external appearances and conceptually grasping them. Fourth, it is named the 'manifesting consciousness', because the arisen deluded objects appear and manifest in one's own mind, just as form and images are manifested in a clear mirror. Fifth, it is named the 'knowledge consciousness', because amid the objects manifested by the preceding manifesting consciousness, it discriminates between defiled and pure, resistant and compliant dharmas. This is obscure, deluded discrimination termed 'knowledge', not the knowledge of clear liberation. Sixth, it is named the 'continuing consciousness', because deluded objects pull the mind, and the mind follows objects in uninterrupted cognitive grasping, and furthermore because it can maintain the fruits of good and evil karma without severance. Seventh, it is named the 'deluded consciousness', because it summarizes the preceding six kinds as unreal. Eighth, it is named the 'grasping consciousness', because it grasps at a self and also grasps at all false appearances. 'Ālaya' is properly translated into the language of this land as 'unfailing' (wumò), because although it remains in saṃsāra, it is never lost or submerged. Translated secondarily according to its meanings, there are eight different names: First, it is named the 'storehouse consciousness', because the Tathāgatagarbha constitutes this consciousness. Hence the sūtra states: 'The Tathāgatagarbha is called the storehouse consciousness.' Because within this consciousness are contained Buddha-dharmas of the Dharma-realm as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, it is named 'storehouse'. Furthermore, because it is covered and concealed by the principle of emptiness, it is also named 'storehouse'. Second, it is named the 'noble consciousness', because it generates what is used by the Great Noble Ones. Third, it is named the 'ultimate consciousness', because it is preeminent; hence the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra speaks of it as the 'ultimate mind'. Fourth, it is named the 'pure consciousness', also named the 'immaculate consciousness' (amalavijñāna), because its substance is undefiled; hence the sūtra speaks of it as the 'mind naturally pure in its own nature'. Fifth, it is named the 'true consciousness', because its substance is not deluded. Sixth, it is named the 'tathatā consciousness'; the treatise itself explains: 'Because the substantial nature of the mind cannot be destroyed, it is named true; because nothing can be established, it is spoken of as suchness.' Seventh, it is named the 'home consciousness', also named the 'dwelling consciousness', because it is the dwelling place relied upon by false dharmas. Eighth, it is named the 'fundamental consciousness', because it serves as the root for the deluded mind. Such are the distinct names. Among the eight, the first six possess discernment and can appropriately be called 'consciousness'; why are the latter two called 'consciousness'? There are two interpretations. One interpretation explains: although the latter two are not the causes of discernment, they are the substance of discernment, and therefore are named 'consciousness'. The second interpretation is: all eight consciousnesses possess the meaning of discernment, and therefore are universally named 'consciousness'. How is there discernment? Discernment is of three kinds: first, phenomenal discernment, which refers to the first six consciousnesses; second, discernment of deluded characteristics, which refers to the seventh consciousness; third, discernment of the true self-substance, which refers to the eighth consciousness. Since discernment is universal, all eight kinds are equally named 'consciousness'. Such is the meaning of the names.