宗鏡錄 47.5

47.5

答。經論成立。自有明文。此八種識。具三能變。一異熟能變。即第八識。二思量能變。即第七識。三了別能變。即前六識。唯識論云。識所變相。雖無量種。而能變識。類別唯三。一謂異熟。即第八識。多異熟性故。二謂思量。即第七識。恒審思量故。三謂了境。即前六識。了境麁相故。論頌曰。初阿賴耶識。異熟一切種。不可知執受。處了常與觸。作意受想思。想應唯捨受。是無覆無記。觸等亦如是。恒轉如瀑流。阿羅漢位捨。初能變識。大乘教名阿賴耶。此識有能藏所藏執藏義故。謂與雜染互為緣故。有情執為自內我故。古釋云。一能藏者。即能含藏義。猶如庫藏。能含藏寶貝。得藏名。此能含藏雜染種。故名為藏。亦即持義。二所藏者。即是所依義。猶如庫藏。是寶等所依故。此識是雜染法所依處故。三執藏者。堅守不捨義。猶如金銀等藏。為人堅守執為自內我。故名為藏。此識為染末那。堅執為我。故名為藏。起信鈔釋云。第八能藏所藏義者。且所藏義。謂此識體藏也。是根身種子器世間所藏處也。以根身等。是此識相分故。如藏中物像。如身在室內。欲覓賴耶識。只在色心中。欲覓摩尼珠。只在青黃內。次能藏義。謂根身等法。皆藏。在識身之中。如像在珠內。欲覓一切法。總在賴耶中。欲覓一切像。總在摩尼內。與前義互為能所。瑜伽論云。以八種義。證本識有。一依止執受相。二最初生起相。三有明了性相。四有種子性相。五業用差別相。六。身受差別相。七處無心定相。八命終時分相。又古德依論解釋證有第八識者。論云。此第八識。非是世間現量所見之境。唯憑聖言量。及以真正道理。而知有之。引七本經證之。阿毘達磨經有二頌。初頌云。無始時來界。一切法等依。由此有諸趣。及涅槃證得。無始時來界者。言界者。是因義。為第八識。從無始至今。能持一切漏無漏色心等諸法種子。又能與漏無漏種子力。令生現行。即第八與一切種子。為依持生起二因。一切法等依者。依是緣義。為第八識。能變為身器。作有情依。與一切漏無漏現行法而為所依。以能執受五色根身。與前七識現為俱有依故。即第八識能與一切現行色心等法。為增上緣依也。由此有諸趣。及涅槃證得者。此第八識。不唯獨與有漏流轉法為依持用。兼能與一切無漏順還滅法。為依持用。第二頌云。由攝藏諸法。一切種子識。故名阿賴耶。勝者我開演者。即第八識自證分。能持種故。名種子識。解深密經頌云。阿陀那識甚深細。一切種子如瀑流。我於凡愚不開演。恐彼分別執為我。阿陀那者。此云執持。為此識能執持諸法種子。及能執受色根。及根依處。亦能執取結生相續故。說此識。名阿陀那。一切種子如瀑流者。謂第八識中一切種子。若遇緣鼓擊。便生轉識現行。或種子有生住異滅。不停。如似瀑流。楞伽經頌云。譬如巨海浪。斯由猛風起。洪波鼓溟壑。無有斷絕時。藏識海常住。境界風所動。種種諸識浪。騰躍而轉生。又小乘增一阿含經云。有根本識。是諸識所依。此根本識。即是第八識。以第八識。能發起前六轉識故。二上座部。說有有分識。便是第八識。此有分識體。常不間斷。遍三界有。有謂三有。分者因義。即三有之因。皆由此識。三化地部中說有窮生死蘊。緣此第八遍三界九地。恒常有故。但有生死處。即常遍為依。直至大乘金剛心末。煩惱盡時方捨故。名窮生死蘊。若諸轉識。即無此功能。以第六識體多間斷故。入五位無心時。六識皆間斷不行。此時應不名有情。以無識任持故。即應爛壞。四。一切有部。說此識名阿賴耶。有愛樂欣喜四種阿賴耶。愛是總句。總緣三世為境。餘三是別句。別緣三世。樂是現在。欣是過去。喜是未來。即此第八識。是諸有情常執為自內我。是真愛著處。故名阿賴耶。真正理有十。一者。持種心。唯識論云。謂契經說。雜染清淨諸法種子之所集起。故名為心。若無此識。彼持種心不應有故。謂諸轉識在滅定等。有間斷故。根境作意善等。類別易起故。如電光等。不堅住故。非可熏。皆不能持種。非染淨種所集起故。二異熟心。唯識論云。如契經說。有異熟心。善惡業感。若無此識。彼異熟心不應有故者。即第八識。謂前世中。以善不善業為因。招感得今生第八異熟心是果。論云。定應許有真異熟識。酬牽引業。遍而無斷。變為身器。作有情依。身器離心。理非有故。三界趣生體。唯識論云。契經說。有情流轉五趣四生。若無此識。彼趣生體不應有故。須信有第八識為三界九地五趣四生之體。若無此識。即一切有情不應得有。四有執受。唯識論云。又契經說。有色根身。是有執受。若無此識。彼能執受不應有故。其有色界中有情。有五色根。及內五塵。是第八親相分。唯第八識能執受。若是餘識。即無此能。五壽煖識。三證有第八識。唯識論云。又契經說。壽煖識三更互依持。得相續住。若無此識。能持壽煖令久住。識不應有故。六生死時有心。證有第八識。唯識論云。又契經說。諸有情類受生命終。心住散位作無心定。若無此識。生死時心不應有故。又將死時。由善惡業。上下身分冷觸漸起。若無此識。彼事不成。第七引緣起依。證有第八識。唯識論云。又契經說。識緣名色。名色緣識。如是二法。展轉相依。譬如束蘆。俱時而轉。若無此識。彼識自體不應有故。小乘云。我將六識。為名色依。何要第八。論破云。眼等轉識。攝在名中。此識若無。說誰為識。論主云。眼等六識。已攝在名中。為識蘊故。須得第八為名外識支。與名色為依。又如此界人生時。中有初念心執取。結生時。由未有前六識。為名中識蘊。名色唯具三蘊。此三蘊名色。一念間。依何而住。故知信有第八識。是名外識支。與名色為依。八引識食。證有第八識。唯識論云。又契經說。一切有情。皆依食住。若無此識。彼識食體不應有故。所以佛告外道言。所為一切有情。皆依食住。此是正覺正說。餘不能知。汝外道自餓己身。終無有益。食是資益義。任持義。九。引滅定有心。證有第八識。唯識論云。又契經說。住滅定者。身語心行無不皆滅。而壽不滅。亦不離煖。根無變壞。識不離身。若無此識。住滅定者。識不離身。不應有故。論主云。入滅定聖人。身語心行無不皆滅。即出入息。是身加行。受想。是心加行。尋伺。是語加行。此三加行與第六識相應。在滅定中皆悉滅故。而壽不滅者。即第八識種上。有連持一報色心不斷功能。名壽。言亦不離識者。煖觸是第八識相分。即此二法。皆不離第八識。既在滅定中。六識身語心加行皆悉不行。而有壽煖在者。明知即是第八識與壽煖為依。十引染淨心。證有第八。唯識論云。又契經說。心雜染故。有情雜染。心清淨故。有情清淨。若無此識。彼染淨心不應有故。謂染淨法以心為本。因心而生。依心而住。受彼熏。持彼種故。以心為本者。即一切染淨有為無為法。皆以第八識為根本。依心而住者。即前七現行。皆依第八識而住。言受彼熏者。即第八識受彼前七識熏。言持彼種者。即第八能持前七三性染淨種子。所以密嚴經云。是身如起屍。亦如熱時焰。隨行因緣轉。非妄亦非實。為受之所牽。性空無有我。意等識所識。與心而共生。五識復更依。意識而因起。如是一切時。大地而俱轉。賴耶為於愛。所熏而增長。既自增長已。復增於餘識。展轉不斷絕。猶如於井輪。以有諸識故。眾趣而生起。於是諸趣中。識復得增長。識與世間法。更互以為因。譬如河水流。前後而不斷。亦如芽與種。相續而轉生。各各相差別。分別而顯現。識行亦如是。既三和合已。而復更和合。差別相而生。如是而流轉。常無有斷絕。內外一切法。皆因此而起。愚不了唯心。汝等勤觀察。華嚴經云。善男子。諸業虛妄積集名心。末那思量。意識分別。眼等五識了境不同。愚癡凡夫。不能知覺。怖老病死求入涅槃。生死涅槃。二俱不識。於一切境。妄起分別。又由未來諸根。五塵境界斷滅。凡愚之人。以為涅槃。諸佛菩薩自證悟時。轉阿賴耶得本覺智。善男子。一切凡愚迷佛方便。執有三乘。不了三界。由心所起。不知三世一切佛法。自心現量。見外五塵。執為實有。猶如牛羊。不能知覺。生死輪中。無由出離。善男子。佛說諸法無生無滅。亦無三世。何以故。如自心現。五塵境界。本無有故。有無諸法。本不生故。聖者自悟。境界如是。善男子。愚癡凡夫。妄起分別。無中執有。有中執無。取阿賴耶種種行相。墮於生滅二種見中。不了自心。而起分別。善男子。當知自心。即是一切佛菩薩法。由知自心即佛法故。則能淨一切剎。入一切劫。是以藏識頓變根身器世間故。為甚深之義。現量比量。俱不能量。又過量無量故。如經偈云。法界非有量。亦復非無量。牟尼悉超越。有量及無量。故知識性。淺智難明。究竟窮通。唯佛能了。是以宗鏡廣引斯文。為微密難知故。

Answer: That it is established in sūtras and treatises is clearly documented. These eight kinds of consciousness possess three types of transformative [consciousness]: first, the ripening transformation, which is the eighth consciousness; second, the cogitating transformation, which is the seventh consciousness; third, the distinguishing transformation, which is the prior six consciousnesses. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Although the forms transformed by consciousness are of immeasurable kinds, the transformative consciousnesses are distinguished into only three classes. The first is called ripening, which is the eighth consciousness, because it is predominantly of the nature of ripening. The second is called cogitation, which is the seventh consciousness, because it constantly and reflectively cogitates. The third is called perception of objects, which is the prior six consciousnesses, because they perceive the coarse characteristics of objects." The verse of the treatise states: / "The initial [transformation] is the ālayavijñāna, / ripening and possessing all seeds. / Its grasping, location, and perception are imperceptible; / it is constantly conjoined with contact, / attention, feeling, conceptualisation, and volition; / its feeling is solely equanimous feeling. / It is unobscured and indeterminate; / contact and the others are likewise. / It flows continuously like a rushing torrent, / and is abandoned at the stage of the arhat." / The initial transformative consciousness is called ālayavijñāna in the Mahāyāna teaching. This is because this consciousness has the meanings of being the repository, that which is deposited, and that which is grasped as a store—that is, because it serves mutually as a condition with defilements, and sentient beings grasp it as their inner self. An ancient commentary explains: "First, 'repository' (active store) means the capacity to contain and store. Just as a treasury can contain and store jewels and thus gets the name 'treasury', this [consciousness] can contain and store the seeds of defilements, and therefore it is named 'store' (ālaya); it also carries the meaning of sustaining. Second, 'that which is deposited' (passive store) means that which serves as the support. Just as a treasury is that upon which jewels and the like depend, this consciousness is the locus upon which defiled dharmas depend. Third, 'that which is grasped as a store' means holding firmly without letting go. Just as a hoard of gold and silver is firmly guarded by people who grasp it as their own inner possession, it is therefore called a store; this consciousness is firmly grasped as the self by defiled manas, and is therefore called a store." The Commentary on the Awakening of Faith explains: "Regarding the eighth having the meanings of active repository and passive deposit: to begin with the passive deposit, this means the substance of this consciousness as a storehouse; it is the place where the sense faculties, physical body, seeds, and the receptacle world are deposited. Because the physical body and the rest are the nimittabhāga of this consciousness, they are like objects and images within a treasury, or like a body inside a room. If one wishes to seek the ālayavijñāna, it is found only within matter and mind; if one wishes to seek the maṇi jewel, it is found only within the blue and yellow. Next, as for the meaning of active repository, it means that dharmas such as the sense faculties and physical body are all stored within the body of consciousness, like images within a jewel. If one wishes to seek all dharmas, they are completely within the ālayavijñāna; if one wishes to seek all images, they are completely within the maṇi jewel. Together with the previous meaning, they alternate as active and passive." The Yogācārabhūmiśāstra states: "By eight kinds of meaning one proves the existence of the fundamental consciousness: 1. the characteristic of being the support and grasping; 2. the characteristic of initial arising; 3. the characteristic of clear distinctness; 4. the characteristic of having seeds; 5. the characteristic of differences in karma and function; 6. the characteristic of differences in bodily sensation; 7. the characteristic of dwelling in mindless concentration; 8. the characteristic of the time of death." Furthermore, ancient masters, relying on treatises to explain and prove the existence of the eighth consciousness, noted: The treatise says that this eighth consciousness is not an object seen by worldly direct perception; its existence is known solely by relying on the pramāṇa of sacred testimony and genuine logical reasoning. It cites seven root sūtras as proof. The Abhidharmasūtra has two verses. The first verse states: / "The realm from beginningless time / is the common support of all dharmas. / Because of this there are all destinies, / as well as the attainment of nirvāṇa." / Regarding "the realm from beginningless time": the word "realm" (dhātu) means cause. It is because the eighth consciousness, from beginningless [time] until now, can uphold the seeds of all defiled and undefiled dharmas, whether material or mental, and can also impart power to the defiled and undefiled seeds to cause them to generate actual activities. Thus the eighth serves as the two causes of supporting and generating all seeds. Regarding "the common support of all dharmas": "support" means condition. Because the eighth consciousness can transform into the body and receptacle to serve as the support for sentient beings, it serves as the support for all defiled and undefiled actualised dharmas. Because it grasps the physical body of the five material sense faculties and acts as the simultaneous support for the manifest prior seven consciousnesses, the eighth consciousness can serve as the predominant condition support for all actualised material, mental, and other dharmas. Regarding "because of this there are all destinies, as well as the attainment of nirvāṇa": this eighth consciousness not only serves as the function of sustaining the defiled dharmas of transmigration, but can also serve as the function of sustaining all undefiled dharmas that accord with cessation. The second verse states: / "Because it gathers and stores all dharmas, / it is the consciousness with all seeds; / therefore it is named ālayavijñāna. / To the superior ones I have revealed it." / That is, the self-verifying portion (svasaṃvittibhāga) of the eighth consciousness, because it can hold seeds, is called the seed-consciousness. A verse of the Sandhinirmocanasūtra states: / "The ādānavijñāna is profoundly deep and subtle; / all its seeds are like a rushing torrent. / I do not reveal it to fools and ordinary beings, / fearing they would conceptualise and grasp it as a self." / "Ādāna" is translated here as "grasping and holding." Because this consciousness can grasp and hold the seeds of all dharmas, can grasp the material faculties and their bases, and can also take up the continuation of rebirth, this consciousness is called ādāna. "All its seeds are like a rushing torrent" means that all the seeds in the eighth consciousness, when struck and stirred by conditions, produce the actual activity of the transforming consciousnesses; or that the seeds undergo arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing without stopping, just like a rushing torrent. A verse of the Laṅkāvatārasūtra states: / "Just as waves upon the great ocean / are stirred up by violent winds, / and surging billows churn the deep abyss / without any cessation, / so the ocean of the storehouse consciousness is ever-abiding, / moved by the winds of external objects, / and the billows of the various consciousnesses / surge and leap into manifestation." / Furthermore, the Hīnayāna Ekottarika-āgama says: "There is a fundamental consciousness, which is that upon which all consciousnesses depend." This fundamental consciousness is none other than the eighth consciousness, because the eighth consciousness can give rise to the prior six transforming consciousnesses. Second, the Sthaviranikāya speaks of having a bhavāṅgavijñāna (constituent-of-becoming consciousness), which is precisely the eighth consciousness. The substance of this bhavāṅgavijñāna is constantly uninterrupted and pervades the three realms of existence. "Existence" refers to the three realms of existence; "constituent" (aṅga) has the meaning of cause—that is, the causes of the three realms of existence all stem from this consciousness. Third, the Mahīśāsaka school speaks of having an aggregate that exhausts saṃsāra (saṃsārakotiniṣṭha-skandha). Because this eighth [consciousness] pervades the three realms and nine levels and is constantly present, wherever there is birth and death, it constantly and universally serves as the support; it is abandoned only at the end of the diamond-like mind in the Mahāyāna, when defilements are exhausted, and therefore it is named the aggregate that exhausts saṃsāra. The transforming consciousnesses do not have this capacity, because the substance of the sixth consciousness is frequently interrupted; when entering the five mindless states, the six consciousnesses are all interrupted and inactive. At that time, [one] should not be called a sentient being, and because there would be no consciousness to sustain it, [the body] would immediately decay. Fourth, the Sarvāstivāda speaks of this consciousness as the ālayavijñāna, having four kinds of ālaya: attachment, delight, rejoicing, and pleasure. "Attachment" is the general term, generally taking the three times as its object; the other three are specific terms, specifically taking the three times as objects: "delight" is the present, "rejoicing" is the past, and "pleasure" is the future. It is precisely this eighth consciousness that sentient beings constantly grasp as their own inner self; it is the locus of true attachment, and is therefore called ālayavijñāna. The genuine logical reasonings are ten in number: First, the mind that holds seeds. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "The sūtra says: 'Because it accumulates and gives rise to the seeds of defiled and pure dharmas, it is called citta.' If this [eighth] consciousness did not exist, that mind that holds seeds could not exist." This is because the transforming consciousnesses are interrupted in the cessation concentration and so forth; because their sense faculties, objects, mental attentions, wholesomeness, and so forth are of distinct classes and easily aroused; and because, like lightning, they do not abide firmly, cannot be perfumed, and are all incapable of holding seeds, as they are not what accumulates the defiled and pure seeds. Second, the ripening mind. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "As the sūtra says: 'There is a ripening mind, karmically induced by good and bad deeds.' If this consciousness did not exist, that ripening mind could not exist." This refers to the eighth consciousness: having wholesome and unwholesome karma as causes in a previous life, it induces the eighth ripening mind as the result in the present life. The treatise says: "One must definitely admit that there is a true ripening consciousness that requites the leading karma, is pervasive and uninterrupted, transforms into the body and the receptacle, and serves as the support of sentient beings; for the body and the receptacle apart from mind are logically nonexistent." Third, the substance of realms, destinies, and types of birth. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "The sūtra says: 'Sentient beings transmigrate through the five destinies and the four modes of birth.' If this consciousness did not exist, the substance of those destinies and births could not exist." One must believe that there is an eighth consciousness serving as the substance of the three realms, nine levels, five destinies, and four modes of birth. If this consciousness did not exist, all sentient beings could not exist. Fourth, having appropriation. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Furthermore, the sūtra says: 'The physical body with its sense faculties is appropriated.' If this consciousness did not exist, that which appropriates could not exist." The sentient beings in the material realms possess the five material sense faculties and the internal five sense objects, which are the direct nimittabhāga of the eighth consciousness; only the eighth consciousness can appropriate them. Other consciousnesses do not have this capacity. Fifth, the three of life-span, warmth, and consciousness prove the existence of the eighth consciousness. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Furthermore, the sūtra says: 'The three of life-span, warmth, and consciousness mutually sustain one another to abide in continuity.' If this consciousness did not exist, a consciousness that could sustain life-span and warmth to make them abide long could not exist." Sixth, having a mind at the time of birth and death proves the existence of the eighth consciousness. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Furthermore, the sūtra says: 'All sentient beings, when taking birth and dying, abide in a distracted state of mind, not in mindless concentration.' If this consciousness did not exist, the mind at the time of birth and death could not exist." Moreover, when one is about to die, due to wholesome or unwholesome karma, the cold touch gradually arises in the upper or lower parts of the body; if this consciousness did not exist, that phenomenon could not take place. Seventh, citing the support of dependent origination to prove the existence of the eighth consciousness. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Furthermore, the sūtra says: 'Consciousness conditions name-and-form; name-and-form conditions consciousness. These two dharmas depend mutually on each other, just like bundles of reeds, arising at the same time.' If this consciousness did not exist, the self-substance of that consciousness could not exist." The Hīnayāna says: "We take the six consciousnesses as the support for name-and-form; why is the eighth required?" The treatise refutes them, saying: "The transforming consciousnesses, such as the eye [consciousness], are subsumed within 'name'. If this [eighth] consciousness does not exist, what would be called consciousness?" The author of the treatise says: The six consciousnesses, such as the eye [consciousness], are already subsumed within "name" as the aggregate of consciousness; therefore, the eighth must be obtained as the link of consciousness external to "name", to serve as the support for name-and-form. Furthermore, when humans in this world are born, at the initial moment of the intermediate state (antarābhava) when the mind grasps and links up to rebirth, because the prior six consciousnesses do not yet exist as the aggregate of consciousness within "name", name-and-form consists of only three aggregates. What do these three aggregates of name-and-form depend upon to abide for a single thought-moment? Therefore, we know and believe that the eighth consciousness exists as the link of consciousness external to "name", serving as the support for name-and-form. Eighth, citing the nutriment of consciousness to prove the existence of the eighth consciousness. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Furthermore, the sūtra says: 'All sentient beings abide depending on nutriment.' If this consciousness did not exist, the substance of that consciousness-nutriment could not exist." Therefore, the Buddha told the non-Buddhists: "That all sentient beings abide depending on nutriment is the correct teaching of the Perfectly Enlightened One, which others cannot know. You non-Buddhists starve your own bodies to no ultimate benefit." "Nutriment" carries the meaning of nourishing and sustaining. Ninth, citing the existence of mind in the cessation concentration to prove the existence of the eighth consciousness. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Furthermore, the sūtra says: 'For one who abides in the cessation concentration, bodily, verbal, and mental conditioning factors are all extinguished, yet life-span is not extinguished, nor is one separated from warmth; the faculties do not degenerate, and consciousness does not leave the body.' If this consciousness did not exist, that consciousness does not leave the body for one abiding in the cessation concentration could not exist." The author of the treatise says: For a noble person who enters the cessation concentration, bodily, verbal, and mental conditioning factors are all extinguished: inhalation and exhalation are bodily preparations; feeling and conceptualisation are mental preparations; vitarka and vicāra are verbal preparations. Because these three preparations correspond to the sixth consciousness, they are all completely extinguished in the cessation concentration. Regarding "yet life-span is not extinguished": on the seeds of the eighth consciousness, there is the continuous capacity to maintain the matter and mind of a single retributive life without interruption, which is called "life-span". Regarding "nor is one separated from consciousness": the tactile sensation of warmth is the nimittabhāga of the eighth consciousness; thus these two dharmas are not separate from the eighth consciousness. Since in the cessation concentration the preparations of body, speech, and mind of the six consciousnesses are completely inactive, yet life-span and warmth remain, we clearly know that it is precisely the eighth consciousness that serves as the support for life-span and warmth. Tenth, citing the defiled and pure mind to prove the eighth [consciousness]. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Furthermore, the sūtra says: 'Because the mind is defiled, sentient beings are defiled; because the mind is pure, sentient beings are pure.' If this consciousness did not exist, that defiled and pure mind could not exist." This means that defiled and pure dharmas have mind as their basis: they arise because of mind and abide dependent on mind, because it receives their perfuming and holds their seeds. "Having mind as the basis" means that all defiled and pure, conditioned and unconditioned dharmas have the eighth consciousness as their fundamental root. "Abiding dependent on mind" means that the manifest activities of the prior seven [consciousnesses] all abide depending on the eighth consciousness. "Receiving their perfuming" means that the eighth consciousness receives the perfuming of those prior seven consciousnesses. "Holding their seeds" means that the eighth can hold the defiled and pure seeds of the three natures of the prior seven. Therefore, the Ghanavyūhasūtra states: / "This body is like a revived corpse, / and also like a mirage in the heat; / it revolves according to the conditions of karma, / being neither illusory nor real. / Pulled along by feeling, / its nature is empty and devoid of a self. / What is cognised by consciousnesses such as the intellect / arises together with the mind. / The five consciousnesses, moreover, / arise depending on the manovijñāna. / In this way, at all times, / they operate together on the great earth. / The ālaya is perfumed by craving, / and thereby increases; / having increased itself, / it further augments the other consciousnesses. / Revolving in mutual succession without break, / it is just like a well-pulley. / Because there are these consciousnesses, / the various destinies arise; / and within these various destinies, / consciousness again increases. / Consciousness and worldly dharmas / serve mutually as causes for each other, / just as river waters flow / in unbroken succession before and after, / and like a sprout and a seed, / arising continuously in transformation. / Each of their various distinct characteristics / is manifested through discrimination. / The movement of consciousness is also like this: / after the three have combined, / they combine again, / and diverse characteristics arise. / Transmigrating in this way, / it is ever without cessation. / All internal and external dharmas / arise on account of this. / Fools do not understand mind-only; / you all should diligently observe this." / The Avataṃsakasūtra says: "Good sons, the accumulation of fictitious karma is called citta; manas cogitates; manovijñāna discriminates; the five consciousnesses, such as the eye [consciousness], perceive objects differently. Ignorant ordinary people cannot perceive this; fearing old age, illness, and death, they seek to enter nirvāṇa. They recognise neither saṃsāra nor nirvāṇa, and falsely generate discriminations toward all objects. Furthermore, ordinary fools consider the annihilation of future sense faculties and the objects of the five dusts to be nirvāṇa. When the buddhas and bodhisattvas realise enlightenment for themselves, they transform the ālayavijñāna and obtain the wisdom of original awakening. Good sons, all ordinary fools are confused about the Buddha's skilful means, cling to the existence of the three vehicles, and fail to understand that the three realms arise from the mind. They do not know that all the buddhas' teachings of the three times are the direct perception of their own minds; seeing the external five dusts, they grasp them as real, just like oxen and sheep, incapable of understanding, with no way to escape from the wheel of birth and death. Good sons, the Buddha teaches that all dharmas have no arising and no ceasing, and also have no three times. Why is this? Because, being manifestations of one's own mind, the objects of the five dusts are fundamentally nonexistent, and all existing and non-existing dharmas are fundamentally unarisen. Such is the realm realised by the noble ones for themselves. Good sons, ignorant ordinary people falsely generate discriminations: they grasp existence within nonexistence, and grasp nonexistence within existence; seizing upon the various aspects of the ālayavijñāna, they fall into the two views of arising and ceasing, failing to understand their own minds and generating discriminations. Good sons, you should know that one's own mind is precisely all the teachings of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Because one knows that one's own mind is the Buddha's teaching, one can purify all lands and enter all eons." Therefore, because the storehouse consciousness instantaneously transforms into the physical body and the receptacle world, it is of profoundly deep meaning: neither direct perception nor inference can measure it. Furthermore, it surpasses measure and is immeasurable, as a verse from a sūtra states: / "The dharmadhātu is not measurable, / nor is it immeasurable; / the Muni has completely transcended / both the measurable and the immeasurable." / Thus we know that the nature of consciousness is difficult for shallow wisdom to comprehend; only the Buddha can completely exhaust and penetrate it. Therefore, the Mirror of the Source extensively cites these passages, because it is subtle, secret, and difficult to know.