宗鏡錄 50

English (machine translation) 50

Language: English

50.1

Compiled by Chan Master Zhijue, Yanshou, Abbot of Huiri Yongming Monastery

50.2

Now, is this eighth consciousness definitely real or definitely provisional?

Answer: It is real, and it is provisional; it must not be dogmatically grasped. The Śūraṅgamasūtra says: "The ādāna is a subtle and minute consciousness, / Its habitual propensities becoming a torrent. / Fearing that [people] would be confused about whether it is real or not real, / I have always refrained from expounding it." The explanation says: In Sanskrit, ādāna is translated here as "appropriating consciousness." The substance of this consciousness is pure, but perfumed by avidyā, like water and milk difficult to distinguish; only a buddha can comprehend it. Because of unawakened delusive defilement, it forms habitual propensities, transforming and giving rise to the torrent and waves of the prior seven consciousnesses, surging into an ocean of saṃsāra. If, through great awakening, it is suddenly comprehended, it becomes the untainted pure consciousness, maintaining without interruption, exhaustively throughout future time, performing great buddha-works, capable of accomplishing an ocean of wisdom. "Fearing that [people] would be confused about whether it is real or not real" means the Buddha's intention: If I were to speak purely of it as real, sentient beings would no longer progress in practice and would fall into excessive pride (adhimāna), because while being undefiled it is defiled, and is not without the adventitious defilements. Furthermore, non-Buddhists grasp this consciousness as a self; if one says it is the true self of Buddha-nature, that would support their heterodox grasp, corrupting true cultivation. If I were to speak purely of it as not real, sentient beings would repudiate its existence in their own bodies and give rise to the view of annihilationism, and hence there would be no time when they could attain buddhahood. Therefore, before ordinary beings and the two vehicles, he did not definitively expound it, fearing the arising of confusion and inversion, failing to fathom the Tathāgata's esoteric intention, because this root consciousness is subtle, minute, and difficult to know.

50.4

Question: Is this eighth consciousness established in both of the two truths, ultimate and conventional?

50.5

Answer: As the root of defilement and purity, it exists in both conventional and ultimate [truths]. Those who do not comprehend true ripening and correct consciousness-only mostly grasp conventional existence and ultimate nonexistence, forcibly generating divergent views; unaware of the esoteric intention of all buddhas, they grasp the principle of emptiness that eliminates characteristics, taking it to be ultimate. This is merely refuting the emotional attachment to the imagined [nature], which is a negative formulation to protect against errors; they then repudiate the other-dependent and the fully perfected, making them all into the appearance of flowers in the sky. If the other-dependent and the fully perfected did not exist, the root consciousness and all phenomena would lack substance; since they would not be real existents, this would constitute great wrong views. The treatise says: "Non-Buddhists who slander the cause and effect of defilement and purity also do not claim they are completely nonexistent, but only grasp them as not real. If all were not real existents, a bodhisattva should not, in order not to abandon saṃsāra, vigorously cultivate and accumulate the provisions for bodhi. What wise person, in order to eliminate an illusory enemy, would seek the son of a barren woman to use as troops? Therefore, one should believe that there is a mind capable of holding seeds, and based on it establish the cause and effect of defilement and purity. That mind is precisely this eighth consciousness." Furthermore, the sūtra says: "There is a ripening mind, karmically induced by good and evil." If this consciousness did not exist, that ripening mind should not exist, because consciousnesses such as the eye [consciousness] have interruptions, and are not the fruit of karma at all times; like a flash of lightning, they are not the ripening mind. Ripening should not be interrupted and then resume, because apart from the life faculty and so forth, there is no such occurrence. The six consciousnesses such as the eye [consciousness] that are induced by karma are like sound and so forth, not constantly continuous; therefore, they are ripening-born, not true ripening. One must definitely accept that there is a true ripening mind that repays projecting karma, pervasive and without interruption, transforming into the body and the receptacle world, serving as the basis for sentient beings. Because the body and receptacle world apart from mind cannot reasonably exist; because unassociated phenomena lack real substance; because the various evolving consciousnesses do not exist constantly. If this consciousness did not exist, what would transform into the body and receptacle world? And based on what phenomenon could sentient beings constantly be established? The commentary says: Non-Buddhists also do not claim that defilement and purity and so forth are completely nonexistent, because they are presently seen; they only grasp them as not real: defiled causes cannot induce bad results, and good causes cannot induce good results, because they are not real, like flowers in the sky. Cause and effect are not nonexistent; one may believe that this consciousness collectively establishes the three natures. If one distinguishes existence and nonexistence within the two truths: within our ultimate truth, it is also not the case that there are no phenomena, but one cannot speak of them as cause or as effect, because the path of words is cut off. Within conventional truth, because the other-dependent and fully perfected exist, the imagined nature is nonexistent. "The true ripening mind repays projecting karma, pervasive and without interruption" means: the true ripening mind at all times continuously repays projecting karma; it is not the other completing karmas. Those that have interruptions are completing karma; the other evolving consciousnesses cannot project karma, but only come to complete the karmic fruits of good and evil. The consciousness that projects fruition exists pervasively in the three realms; the six consciousnesses do not pervade the formless realm, because in the absorption without mind and so forth, the five consciousnesses and manas do not exist. "Without interruption" means that it is constantly continuous. Therefore, the sūtra says: "Deeply believe in the Mahāyāna and do not slander cause and effect." It is only that within the ultimate truth, because all phenomena are unobtainable, the path of words is cut off, and the path of the mind's cognition is extinguished, it is sometimes said that all phenomena are empty. This is the emptiness of the ultimate truth, unobtainable emptiness; it is not the annihilative emptiness of non-Buddhists or the mere emptiness of the Lesser Vehicle. One must not give rise to the notion of turtle hair and rabbit horns, or grasp the view of snake legs and fragrant salt.

50.6

Question: Since receiving life and ending life depend on the root consciousness, at the time of birth and the time of death, in what mind does one abide?

50.7

Answer: Discussion of birth and death necessarily concerns a distracted, agitated citta. A sūtra says: 'Having thought is the snare of Māra; being unmoving is the seal of the Dharma.' The snare of Māra establishes the path of birth and death; the seal of the Dharma completes the gateway of nirvāṇa. Thus we know that both paths, distraction and quietude, exist depending on the fundamental consciousness. A śāstra states: 'A sūtra says: "All sentient beings, when taking birth or dying, necessarily abide in a distracted citta, not in an unconscious meditative absorption." If this consciousness did not exist, the citta at the time of birth and death could not exist. This is because at the time of birth and death, body and mind are dim and faint, like dreamless sleep or extreme fainting; the clearly discerning transforming consciousnesses do not actively arise. Furthermore, in this state, the modes of activity and the cognitive objects of the six transforming consciousnesses cannot be known; as in an unconscious state, they definitely do not operate. When the six transforming consciousnesses have modes of activity and cognitive objects, these can definitely be known, as at other times. Because the true maturational consciousness is extremely subtle, both its mode of activity and its cognitive object are incomprehensible. Being the fruit of directing karma, it continues for a single life-period and is eternally without change. It is a distracted, existent citta, termed the citta of birth and death, which does not contradict correct principle. It is also said: "The five consciousnesses are definitely absent in this state. The manovijñāna apprehends objects either caused by the five consciousnesses, or caused by instructions from others, or caused by meditative concentration. Since these causes cannot be found in the state of taking birth, the manovijñāna is also absent in the state of taking birth." And further, when about to die, due to wholesome or unwholesome karma, a cold touch gradually arises in the lower or upper parts of the body. If this consciousness did not exist, that event could not occur. This is because the transforming consciousnesses cannot appropriate the body. The five consciousnesses, eye and the rest, each have their distinct bases, or else they do not operate. The sixth manovijñāna does not reside in the body, its objects are unfixed, and because it relies pervading the body constantly in succession, the gradual arising of cold touch cannot be caused by it. Only the maturational citta, through the force of prior karma, is eternally, pervadingly continuous and appropriates the body. Where it relinquishes its appropriation, cold touch then arises. Because the three—lifespan, warmth, and consciousness—do not depart from one another, the place where cold touch arises is insentient. Although it transforms, it also cognizes, yet it does not appropriate. Thus we know this eighth consciousness definitely exists.' Furthermore, a sūtra says: 'Consciousness conditions name-and-form, and name-and-form conditions consciousness. Each factor thus mutually depends upon the other, like a bundle of reeds, operating simultaneously.' If this consciousness did not exist, the substance of that consciousness could not exist. That sūtra itself provides this explanation: 'Name refers to the four non-material aggregates; form refers to the kalala and so forth. These two and consciousness abide in mutual dependence, like two bundles of reeds, serving as conditions for each other, always operating simultaneously without departing from each other.' The transforming consciousnesses, eye and the rest, are included within name. If this consciousness did not exist, what could be called consciousness? Nor can it be said that the consciousness aggregate within name refers to the group of the five consciousnesses, and 'consciousness' refers to the sixth, because at the stage of the kalala the five consciousnesses do not exist. Furthermore, because the transforming consciousnesses have interruptions and alterations, they lack the power constantly to sustain name-and-form. The intention is that it constantly serves as a condition for name-and-form; therefore, the word 'consciousness' indicates the eighth consciousness.

50.8

Question: All sentient beings abide depending on nutriment, which is none other than the eighth consciousness. In brief, how many kinds of nutriment are there, and what are their modes of activity?

50.9

Answer: The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra states: 'The sūtras say that there are four kinds of nutriment: First, morsel nutriment, whose characteristic is alteration and destruction. It belongs to the desire realm. Odour, taste, and tangibles, at the time of alteration and destruction, can perform the function of nutriment. Therefore, the āyatana of visible form is not included in morsel nutriment, because at the time of alteration and destruction visible form is without function. Second, contact nutriment, whose characteristic is contact with objects. When defiled contact merely grasps an object, its taking in of joy and the like can perform the function of nutriment. Although this contact is associated with all consciousnesses, that belonging to the six consciousnesses has a predominating meaning of nutriment, because contact with coarse, manifest objects, taking in joy and pleasure as well as conducive equanimity, is superior in nourishing. Third, mental volition nutriment, whose characteristic is hope. Defiled volition operating together with desire, hoping for desirable objects, can perform the function of nutriment. Although this volition is associated with all consciousnesses, that belonging to the manovijñāna has a predominating meaning of nutriment, because the manovijñāna's hope regarding objects is superior. Fourth, consciousness nutriment, whose characteristic is holding and sustaining. Defiled consciousness, grown in strength through morsel, contact, and volition nutriment, can perform the function of nutriment. Although this consciousness extends across the substances of all consciousnesses, the eighth consciousness has a predominating meaning of nutriment, because it is uniform and continuous, superior in holding and sustaining. These four are able to sustain the bodies and lives of sentient beings so that they do not break down or end; hence they are called nutriment. Morsel nutriment is useful only in the desire realm. Although contact and mental volition nutriments pervade the three realms, they operate depending on consciousness, following its presence or absence. The transforming consciousnesses, eye and the rest, have intervals and alterations; they cannot pervade and constantly sustain body and life. This is because in the unconscious absorptions, sound sleep, fainting, and the heaven of non-conception, there are interruptions. Even in states with citta, depending on bases, conditions, nature, realm, and stage, there are changes and variations; hence they do not pervade or constantly sustain body and life. [...] By this it is definitely known that distinct from the transforming consciousnesses there is a maturational consciousness, uniform, constant, and pervasive, which holds and sustains the body and life so that they do not end or break down. Relying on this, the World-Honoured One made this statement: "All sentient beings abide depending on nutriment."' The commentary states: '"Although this contact is associated with all consciousnesses, that belonging to the six consciousnesses has a predominating meaning of nutriment" means that the substance of this contact nutriment extends across all eight consciousnesses. Although it is associated across all consciousnesses, that belonging to the six consciousnesses has a predominating meaning of nutriment because the characteristics of the objects it contacts are coarse and manifest, and it can distinctly take in the feelings of joy and pleasure, and can generate equanimity that benefits the body; hence its meaning is predominant. The seventh and eighth both contact subtle objects and are entirely unable to generate feelings of joy or pleasure; although they generate the feeling of equanimity, it merely causes no harm and is not beneficial. By this meaning it is revealed that contact generating distress and suffering, or non-conducive equanimity, is not the substance of nutriment, because it does not nourish.' The Ekottarikāgama says: 'The World-Honoured One addressed Aniruddha, saying: "All phenomena abide through nutriment. The eye takes sleep as nutriment; the ear takes sound as nutriment; the nose takes fragrance as nutriment; the tongue takes taste as nutriment; the body takes smoothness as nutriment; the manas takes dharmas as nutriment; nirvāṇa takes heedfulness as nutriment." At that time, the Buddha said to the monks: "Such is this wondrous Dharma. As for food and drink, there are nine matters. In the human realm there are four nutriments: first, morsel nutriment; second, contact nutriment; third, volition nutriment; fourth, consciousness nutriment. Furthermore, there are five kinds of supramundane nutriment: first, dhyāna nutriment; second, aspiration nutriment; third, mindfulness nutriment; fourth, eight liberations nutriment; fifth, joy nutriment. These are the markers of the supramundane. You should all focus single-mindedly, abandon the four kinds of nutriment, and seek to accomplish supramundane nutriment." Thus the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says: "Kāśyapa abides in the equal Dharma and should beg for food in succession. For the sake of non-eating, one should beg for food; for the sake of destroying the aggregate mark, one should take morsel food; for the sake of non-reception, one should receive that food." These are all methods for breaking the five aggregates and accomplishing the nutriment of nirvāṇa.'

50.10

Question: For one who abides in the cessation absorption, which consciousnesses among the eight consciousnesses are ceased?

50.11

Answer: Only the six consciousnesses are ceased, because the eighth consciousness sustains the body. A śāstra states: 'A sūtra says: "For one who abides in the cessation absorption, the bodily, verbal, and mental activities all cease without exception, yet life does not cease, nor does it depart from warmth; the faculties do not alter or deteriorate, and consciousness does not depart from the body." If this consciousness did not exist, the consciousness that does not depart from the body for one abiding in the cessation absorption could not exist. The modes of activity of the consciousnesses, eye and the rest, are coarse and agitated; when arising toward cognitive objects, they inevitably cause toil and worry. Loathing and detesting them, one temporarily seeks their cessation, gradually subduing and removing them until reaching the state where they are utterly ended. Abiding in the cessation absorption is established based on this state; therefore, in this absorption, those consciousnesses are all ceased. If one does not accept that there remains a subtle, uniform, constantly pervasive consciousness holding and sustaining lifespan and the rest, based on what could it be said that "consciousness does not depart from the body"? If it is said that later on that consciousness arises again, like an alternate-day fever, and is therefore called "not departing from the body", then it should not be said that mental activity has ceased, because consciousness and saṃjñā and so forth would arise and cease identically; lifespan, warmth, and the faculties would also be like consciousness, resulting in great error. Therefore, it must be granted that consciousness, like lifespan and warmth, truly does not depart from the body. Moreover, if in this state there were no consciousness at all, one would be like tiles and rubble, not counted among sentient beings; how could one be said to abide in the cessation absorption? Furthermore, if the maturational consciousness did not exist in this state, what could hold and sustain the faculties, lifespan, and warmth? Without being held and sustained, they would all disintegrate and perish like a corpse, and there would be no lifespan and so forth. In that case, the subsequent consciousness definitely would not arise again; to what would the statement "does not depart from the body" refer? When maturational consciousnesses abandon this body, apart from taking up another body, they cannot be reborn here. Furthermore, if in this state there were no seed-holding consciousness, the subsequent consciousness would lack seeds; how could it arise? Past and future non-concomitant dharmas are not real entities, as has already been fully proven. Material dharmas and so forth do not exist apart from consciousness; their receiving perfuming and holding seeds has also already been refuted. [...] States such as non-conception should be understood as analogous to this. Furthermore, that states such as the cessation absorption are termed "unconscious" does not necessarily mean entirely without citta. The Karmasiddhiśāstra says: "There are two kinds of citta: first, the accumulating-and-arising citta, because it is the locus where immeasurable seeds accumulate and arise; second, the various cittas, because they operate with distinctions in cognitive objects and modes of activity. States such as the cessation absorption lack the second citta and are called unconscious, just as a one-legged horse, lacking one leg, is also called legless."'

50.12

Question: When the Hīnayāna enters the cessation absorption, why can it not manifest deportment?

50.13

Answer: In the Hīnayāna it is cessation of phenomena; in the Mahāyāna it is cessation of principle. As the Qingliang commentary states: 'Those who have the wisdom and supernormal power of the samādhi of the cessation of all phenomena mean that the phenomena of the five groups are intrinsically quiescent and ceased in their very substance; this is cessation of principle. It differs from the cessation absorption of other traditions, which only clarify cessation of phenomena, merely ceasing the mental and mental-concomitant dharmas of the sixth and seventh, without ceasing the eighth and so forth. Merely being cessation of phenomena, they cannot function while in concentration. Because one realizes cessation of principle, concentration and distraction are unobstructed. Due to phenomena being identical with principle, it does not obstruct cessation; due to principle being identical with phenomena, it does not obstruct function. Thus the sūtra says: "Although entering moment by moment, one does not abandon the bodhisattva path", and so forth. Nor is it that the citta is in concentration while the body gives rise to function, nor does it solely clarify the dual severance of concentration and distraction; it is simply that phenomena and principle are unobstructed. In the Daśabhūmika it says: "Although practicing the limit of reality, one does not realize it; one is able to enter moment by moment and also arise moment by moment." And the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says: "Without rising from the cessation absorption, one manifests all deportments." All these express this meaning.' Furthermore, ancient masters said: 'In the Mahāyāna's cessation absorption, because the five aggregates are complete, the eighth consciousness and the purified aspect of the seventh manas, the equality wisdom, are present, and are able to induce various deportments. The Hīnayāna has only the two aggregates of form and formations, the preceding six consciousnesses having already ceased. Because the deportment affairs manifested in the Hīnayāna require the manovijñāna to be induced, since there is no manovijñāna, there is no efficacy of operation; this differs from the Mahāyāna.'

50.14

Question: Both Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna give rise to deportment from the manovijñāna. Since the sixth manovijñāna is what is loathed in the cessation absorption, the sixth manovijñāna is already absent. Even if the seventh equality wisdom exists, it is not a consciousness that gives rise to deportment. Although the eighth consciousness is accepted as holding conditions, it also cannot give rise to deportment. How can it be said that it can induce deportment?

50.15

Answer: Ancient explanations say: At the precise time of entering the cessation absorption, although there is no manovijñāna, before it ceased, in the preparatory citta, one made the vow: 'After I enter cessation, if there are sentient beings who ought to hear my teaching of the Dharma or see my deportment, I shall instruct and transform them.' Due to this vow, after entering concentration, the transformation-manifestation seeds in the fundamental consciousness are stimulated, producing active operations. Through the equality wisdom, deportment can be manifested and aroused. However, although the equality wisdom does not directly correspond with the deportment manifested through the vow and aspiration of the sixth, if one wishes to give rise to an equal transformation, the equality wisdom is necessary. The above is still a distinction made according to modes of activity. If discussed in terms of principle, deportment is itself concentration, and concentration is itself deportment, because form and citta have long been suchness.

50.16

Question: Within the enumeration of the hundred dharmas, although names and meanings differ, when tracing back to their ultimate source, there is only one consciousness. Why do the sūtras, in [explaining] the life-faculty, speak of it as three dharmas: lifespan, warmth, and consciousness?

50.17

Answer: Although it is one consciousness, three are spoken of according to differences in meaning. The treatise says: "Three are spoken of according to differences in meaning, just like the four right exertions, and so forth." The commentary explains: "The material dharmas of the nimittabhāga of the ālayavijñāna obtained by the body-faculty are called warmth. The seeds of this consciousness are called lifespan, because they are able to sustain consciousness. The actively functioning consciousness is consciousness. Therefore they are called three dharmas, spoken of according to differences in meaning; it does not mean that they possess separate substances. Consequently, when the body relinquishes warmth, it does not necessarily relinquish the remaining two, as in birth in the formless realm. When the remaining two are relinquished, warmth is necessarily relinquished along with them. Yet now these three are spoken of distinctly according to meaning, but are only one single substance. Just as the four right exertions are spoken of as four substances according to the distinction in meaning of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas already arisen or not yet arisen, yet are only a single substance—just as with the wholesome and unwholesome dharmas already arisen or not yet arisen in the four right exertions, which are spoken of as four substances according to distinctions in meaning, yet are merely a single mental factor of virya."

50.18

Question: If the seed of consciousness is indeed the life-faculty, in what sense is it a 'faculty' (indriya)?

50.19

Answer: The treatise says: "However, based on the seeds that directly produce this consciousness, through the differentiated capacity induced by karma, whose duration of abiding is determinate, the life-faculty is nominally established." The commentary explains: "Saying 'this' excludes seeds that directly produce other consciousnesses. Saying 'consciousness' excludes seeds of associated dharmas, because only consciousness is taken. Saying 'seeds' excludes active manifestation, because the active manifestation of the eighth [consciousness] is not taken as the life-faculty. What are thus excluded are not all the life-faculty. Here, taking the nominal seeds that directly produce [it], upon which the differentiated capacity to sustain the body—induced by karma of prior lives—determines the duration of abiding of matter, mind, and so forth: based on this capacity, it is designated as the life-faculty, not by taking the sense of producing the actively functioning consciousness. Because this seed is driven by karmic force, it possesses a differentiated capacity to sustain the body of a single retribution, causing it to be determinate. If this seed lacked this capacity, the body would immediately rot and decay. The active manifestation of the ālayavijñāna, due to this seed, is able to take objects and to maintain dharmas such as the eyes; it is also called 'able to sustain'. This seed directly sustains the actively functioning consciousness. Were it not so, the actively functioning consciousness could not exist, and there would be nothing able to sustain dharmas such as the remaining faculties. Due to this capacity, consciousness sustains the body. Through the power of the internal seeds of active manifestation, the dharmas of arising, taking objects, and sustaining are not called the life-faculty, because they are not fundamental; they arise from seeds, whereas this seed does not exist by depending on active manifestation, for seeds are the root of all dharmas. Furthermore, the actively functioning consciousness is that which is sustained; spoken of from the perspective of what is sustained, the conscious seed that is able to sustain is called the life-faculty. The dharmas that are the life-faculty sustain the substance, but are not [themselves] the life-faculty. Now, because the duration of abiding of the six bases is determinate, seeds are the life-faculty. The remaining actively functioning matter, mind, and so forth are not the life-faculty, because they are not continuous and are not induced by karma. When karma directly impels, it impels only this seed; only then can the seed generate and produce active manifestation. It is not that active manifestation is called the life-faculty; therefore, only the seed is the faculty. Furthermore, the life-faculty is nominally established based on mind; life is that which relies, and mind is that upon which it relies. Master Sengzhao said: 'The fire that burns firewood, when swung around, forms a circle; the circle necessarily gathers the fire to produce illumination. Sentience is also like this; it necessarily relies on mind to accomplish its function.' Life's reliance on mind is just like sentience's reliance on mind."

50.20

Question: Do the various mental dharmas have differences, or do they have no differences?

50.21

Answer: The nature of phenomena has no differences; according to characteristics there are distinctions. Although there are distinctions, they do not contradict one another. The Yogācārabhūmiśāstra says: "Just as with various mental dharmas, although the nature of mental dharmas has no difference, yet because their characteristics differ, they operate simultaneously within a single body; in the same way, the ālayavijñāna and the evolving consciousnesses operate simultaneously within a single body, and you should know that they also do not contradict one another. Just as a rushing torrent has many waves, or just as on the surface of a single clear mirror many reflections appear at one time without contradicting one another, in the same way, within a single ālayavijñāna many evolving consciousnesses operate simultaneously, and you should know that they also do not contradict one another. Furthermore, just as a single eye-consciousness at one time, toward an objective realm of a single matter, grasps only one type of undifferentiated form-characteristic, or at one time suddenly grasps many various form-characteristics; and the ear-, nose-, tongue-, and body-consciousnesses, up to the conceptual manovijñāna, at one time grasp either the characteristic of a single realm or the characteristics of many diverse realms, you should know that the principle likewise does not contradict itself. Moreover, manas also always operates together with the ālayavijñāna, constantly associated at one time with the four kleśas such as innate, spontaneous self-pride."

50.22

Question: The Vimalakīrtinirdeśasūtra says: "From the unstaying root, all dharmas are established." The unstaying root is the ālayavijñāna. Why is this consciousness said to be the root of all dharmas?

50.23

Answer: This consciousness establishes the sentient and the insentient, and gives rise to defiled dharmas and pure dharmas. If there is awareness and sensation, then the realm of sentient beings arises; if there is no thought and no deliberation, then the conditions of the physical world arise. Due to defiled dharmas, there is revolving through the six destinies; following pure dharmas, there are the progressive stages of the four kinds of noble ones. It can indeed be called the root of ordinary beings and sages, the origin of bodies and physical containers. If one understands the source of this consciousness, what dharma is not awakening? If one realizes this nature of mind, what objective realm is not real? It may be called the gate beyond learning, the dwelling place of the spirit. The Yogācārabhūmiśāstra says: "The ālayavijñāna is the root of all defilements. Why is this? Because this consciousness is the root of the arising of the world of sentient beings, being able to produce the various faculties, the support-bases of the faculties, the evolving consciousnesses, and so forth; it is also the root of the arising of the receptacle world, because it is able to generate the receptacle world; it is also the root of sentient beings' mutual arising, because all sentient beings, viewed in relation to one another, serve as sovereign conditions for each other. Why is this? There are no sentient beings who, when seeing one another and so forth, do not give rise to suffering, pleasure, and the like, experiencing one another. By this principle, you should know that the realm of sentient beings serves as sovereign conditions for one another. Furthermore, because this very ālayavijñāna can sustain the seeds of all dharmas, in the present world it is the substance of the truth of suffering, and it is also the generating cause of the truth of suffering in the future; it is also the generating cause of the truth of the origination [of suffering] in the present. Because it is able in this way to produce the world of sentient beings, because it is able to produce the receptacle world, up to the seeds of wholesome dharmas such as the aids to liberation (mokṣabhāgīya) and the aids to penetration (nirvedhabhāgīya) subsumed and sustained by the ālayavijñāna, as well as the eighteen dhātus such as the eye-consciousness." The sūtra says: "The simile of a cluster of akṣa fruits, because within the ālayavijñāna there are many dhātus."

50.24

Question: If one accomplishes the ālayavijñāna, does one also accomplish the evolving consciousnesses?

50.25

Answer: One should distinguish this by four alternatives. The Yogācārabhūmiśāstra says: "Some accomplish the ālayavijñāna, but not the evolving consciousnesses, namely [those in] mindless sleep, mindless fainting, entering the attainment of non-conception, entering the attainment of cessation, and those born in the heaven of non-conception. Some accomplish the evolving consciousnesses, but not the ālayavijñāna, namely arhats, pratyekabuddhas, non-retrogressing bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas who abide in states with mind. Some accomplish both, namely the remaining sentient beings abiding in states with mind. Some accomplish neither, namely arhats, pratyekabuddhas, non-retrogressing bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas who enter the attainment of cessation or dwell in the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder."

50.26

Question: The Supreme Sage bestowed compassion, and the King of Enlightenment manifested traces: with the characteristic of a broad and long tongue, he uttered subtle words of truthfulness; amidst the absence of names and characteristics, he spread the inconceivable ocean of teachings; speaking by means of nominal characteristics, he expounded the inexhaustible source of meaning. Now, as for the mind of the eighth consciousness, it originally has no name or characteristic; titles are established according to stage, and designations are acquired due to grasping. At which stage are these provisional designations relinquished?

50.27

Answer: The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: "Although all sentient beings are endowed with the eighth consciousness, various names are established for it according to differences in meaning. That is to say, it is sometimes called citta (mind), because it is that in which seeds are accumulated and gathered through the perfuming of various dharmas. Or it is called ādāna, because it holds and maintains seeds and the material sense faculties without letting them decay. Or it is called 'support of what is to be known' (jñeyāśraya), because it serves as the support for all defiled and pure dharmas that are to be known. Or it is called the seed-consciousness (bījavijñāna), because it is capable of universally sustaining the seeds of mundane and supramundane dharmas. These names apply through all stages. Or it is called the ālayavijñāna, because it stores all dharmas of the defiled class so that they are not lost, and because the view of self and other [afflictions] appropriate and store it, taking it to be their internal self. This name exists only among ordinary beings and those with more to learn (śaikṣa), not in the stage of those with nothing more to learn (aśaikṣa) or of non-retrogressing bodhisattvas, because [in the former] there is the meaning of appropriating and storing defiled dharmas. Or it is called vipāka (retribution), because it is capable of drawing forth the vipāka results of good and unwholesome karmas in birth and death. This name exists only in the stages of ordinary beings, the two vehicles, and bodhisattvas; it does not exist on the Tathāgata ground, because there are still morally indeterminate dharmas of retribution [in the former]. Or it is called the immaculate consciousness (amalavijñāna), because it is the support for all most extremely pure, uncontaminated dharmas. This name exists only on the Tathāgata ground; in the stages of bodhisattvas, the two vehicles, and ordinary beings, contaminated seeds are held and can receive perfuming, so they have not yet attained the beautifully pure eighth consciousness. As a verse of a sūtra states: 'The Tathāgata's immaculate consciousness / is the pure, uncontaminated realm, / freed from all obstacles, / associated with the great round mirror wisdom.' The name ālayavijñāna is especially highlighted here because its fault is grave and it is the first to be abandoned. The substance of the vipāka consciousness is abandoned by bodhisattvas when they are about to attain bodhi, and abandoned by śrāvakas and solitary awakened ones when they enter the nirvāṇa without remainder. The substance of the immaculate consciousness has no time of abandonment, because the time of benefiting and gladdening sentient beings is inexhaustible. Because citta and the other [names] are common [to all stages], they should be stated according to the meaning." An explanation says: The meaning of "accumulating" is the meaning of citta. The meaning of "gathering and arising" is the meaning of citta, because it can gather and generate multiple seeds, or because the seeds capable of perfuming are within this consciousness; since it can accumulate and also give rise to dharmas, this consciousness is said to have the meaning of citta. "Ādāna" is translated here as "holding and maintaining", because it holds and maintains the seeds and the material faculties; this is common to ordinary beings and noble ones. "Support of what is to be known" means that the three natures take it as their support, hence it is called the support of what is to be known. Furthermore, an ancient master said: "Ālayavijñāna has the meaning of 'storehouse'. Truly, because the true mind does not preserve its own nature, it blends in accordance with perfuming, appearing as one and appearing as eternal; therefore, the foolish take what merely appears so to be real, seize it as an internal self, and it is grasped by the view of self, hence it is called 'storehouse'. Furthermore, it can store its own substance within all dharmas, and it can also store all dharmas within its own substance. In the stage where the two kinds of view of self never arise again, the name ālaya is lost." It also says: As for the names of the eighth consciousness, from the eighth bhūmi on up there is no name "ālaya", there being only the vipāka consciousness; the seventh [consciousness] only grasps the vipāka consciousness as dharmas. Moreover, the eighth consciousness originally has no name "ālaya"; because the seventh grasps the darśanabhāga of the eighth as a self, it causes the eighth to obtain the name ālaya. When it does not grasp [it as such], it is simply called the vipāka consciousness. As for the eighth being sometimes called citta: because seeds are accumulated by various dharmas, it is therefore called citta. Although receiving perfuming and holding seeds has the meaning of accumulating and gathering-and-arising such that it receives the name citta, this is only the svasaṃvittibhāga. For example, it is like a storehouse that can store various goods, because it can hold all seeds; subsequently, it causes the seeds to arise in active manifestation, serving as the two causes of supporting-maintenance and arising for the seeds. Thus one knows that the eighth's receiving perfuming and holding seeds obtains the name citta. In the cause it holds new and old seeds, hence it is called citta; in the fruit stage it holds all old and uncontaminated seeds, hence it is called citta. This is also called the seed-holding citta. Or it is called citta, which here designates the conditioned mind; or it is called muhūrta, which here translates as the firm and real mind, namely tathatā, which is the unconditioned mind. Or it is called ādāna, which translates here as the consciousness that holds and maintains: it can hold and maintain the seeds and the physical body of faculties, with the meaning of producing continuity, which is the meaning of realms, destinies, and births; this is common to all stages. Holding and maintaining has three aspects: first, holding and maintaining the body of faculties so that it does not rot and decompose; second, holding and maintaining seeds so that they are not scattered and lost; third, grasping and linking birth in continuity: when a sentient being is at the final position of the intermediate existence (antarābhava) body, at the very first thought-moment when the eighth consciousness takes rebirth, there is the meaning of grasping and linking birth in continuity. "Linking" means binding and attaching; taking rebirth at one thought-moment within the mother's womb, it is then bound and attached thereto. It is also like a lodestone attracting iron: the iron is like the two drops of the parents' semen and blood, and the eighth consciousness is like the lodestone; in a single kṣaṇa it draws them together and abides, and at the same time the seeds of the faculties, objects, etc., also produce active manifestations from its own consciousness; this is called grasping and linking birth. As for the five embryonic stages: within the first seven days it is called kalala, shaped like thin curds; the mixing of father's semen and mother's blood is called mixed, and its own substance being impure is called filthy. Within the second seven days it is called arbuda, like a pea-sized blister; the shape of the arbuda is like curd inside and out, because flesh has not yet grown. Within the third seven days it is called peśī, meaning a slightly congealed form, like set blood. Within the fourth seven days it is called ghana, gradually solidifying. Within the fifth seven days it is called praśākhā: blown by internal winds, the forms of the faculties are produced, and the distinct forms of one body and four limbs arise. Using these thirty-five days, the five faculties are entirely complete. Within the sixth seven days is the stage of hair, nails, and teeth. Within the seventh seven days is the stage of complete faculties: because the five faculties are perfected, consciousness gradually arises, though it does not yet possess conditions such as space and light. Or it is called the seed-consciousness.

50.28

Question: What is the difference in meaning between this consciousness and citta?

50.29

Answer: The meaning of seeds differs from that of citta: taking the active manifestation of the eighth consciousness, it is also called seed; simply because it is a seed capable of producing active manifestation, it is called the seed-consciousness. This active manifestation of consciousness can give rise to the first seven consciousnesses, possessing the functional aspect of being a seed that produces dharmas, in terms of which the eighth consciousness is called the seed-consciousness. What was previously called citta is named citta merely in the sense of accumulating and gathering-and-arising. Furthermore, the eighth consciousness has various names established according to differences in meaning: it is sometimes called the root consciousness (mūlavijñāna), the cause of saṃsāra, the cause of cessation, the substance of realms, destinies, and births, and the master of the comprehensive retribution (leading result). Ālaya translates here as 'storehouse grasped with self-love'. The vipāka consciousness is the stage of the fruition of good and evil karma: taking the fruit of good and evil karma as the cause, it brings about and attains this leading result; karma of a past life is the cause, and the cause is good or evil, while the eighth consciousness induced in this life is morally indeterminate vipāka, meaning the fruit differs from the cause, hence it is called vipāka. Furthermore, it possesses four meanings: first, real; second, constant; third, pervasive; fourth, unmixed. This is called the true vipāka consciousness.

50.30

Question: How is the eighth true vipāka consciousness called a leading result?

50.31

Answer: Good and evil karma are that which leads, and the eighth is that which is led; because it is the fruit of that which leads, it is called a leading result, and is therefore the master of the comprehensive retribution. The first six consciousnesses are called completing results, because a portion of particular good and evil retributions comes to complete them; what is induced by this completing karma is called 'born of retribution' (vipākaja), not the true vipāka. Lacking the four meanings, only the eighth is the leading result and the true vipāka consciousness, because it possesses the four meanings. This extends from ordinary beings to the tenth bhūmi, all of which have the name vipāka consciousness; at the end of the vajropamasamādhi, it is permanently abandoned in a single kṣaṇa. In the path of liberation, it becomes the immaculate consciousness, called amala, which is the eighth consciousness in the fruit: entirely and purely uncontaminated, not containing any seeds of defiled dharmas, and not serving as the support for defiled seeds or active manifestations, it is associated solely with the mirror wisdom, and is called the immaculate consciousness. Furthermore, there are six alternate names for citta: first, called citta in the sense of gathering and arising, which belongs solely to the eighth, because it gathers seeds and gives rise to active manifestations; second, called citta in the sense of accumulating, which belongs to the first seven transforming consciousnesses, because they can perfume and accumulate seeds of various dharmas, or alternatively, the initial gathering and arising belongs to the first seven transforming consciousnesses, whose active manifestations jointly gather and perfume to give rise to seeds, while the subsequent accumulating is called citta belonging to the eighth, because it contains and accumulates the seeds of various dharmas (although both explanations above have the senses of active gathering and passive gathering, here we only take active gathering to be called citta, which should be considered in accordance with reason); third, called citta in the sense of cognitive consideration, because they can all cognize and consider their own respective spheres of objects; fourth, sometimes called vijñāna (consciousness), in the sense of discerning; fifth, sometimes called manas (mind/thought), in the sense of immediate succession; sixth, sometimes called citta. A further extensive explanation: 1. Called citta in the sense of gathering and arising: namely, the eighth consciousness, because it gathers seeds and gives rise to active manifestations. Saying that it 'gathers seeds' means that the seeds of all dharmas—matter, mind, humans, devas, the three realms, contaminated, and uncontaminated—are all capable of being gathered by this eighth consciousness, just like a granary or treasury of worldly people. Saying that it 'gives rise to active manifestations' means that all active manifestations of matter, mind, etc., across the three realms, five destinies, contaminated, and uncontaminated, are produced from the eighth consciousness; that is, the eighth consciousness is that which gathers and gives rise, while all seeds of matter, mind, etc., are that which is gathered and given rise to. Now, we take only that which gathers and gives rise to be called citta. Now, we properly take the svasaṃvittibhāga of the eighth mind-king to be called the citta of gathering and arising: the nimittabhāga is form, the darśanabhāga is function, and the saṃvittisvasaṃvittibhāga falls behind them; because the svasaṃvittibhāga can gather the seeds of dharmas without letting them be lost, and can further give rise to the functional capacity of these seeds into active manifestation, uninterrupted from beginningless time, it alone possesses the meaning of gathering and arising. Thus we know that the svasaṃvittibhāga of the eighth acts as two causes for the seeds within the consciousness, which are precisely the two meanings of gathering and arising here: first, acting as the supporting cause, which is the meaning of gathering; second, granting power to cause arising, which is the meaning of arising. 2. Called citta in the sense of accumulating: also because within the eighth consciousness are held the seeds of the three realms and five destinies, the eighth obtains the name of containing and accumulating. That is, the svasaṃvittibhāga of the eighth can hold old seeds, hence it is called 'accumulation' (ji), and it can also gather newly perfumed ones, hence it is called 'gathering' (ji). Thus one knows that in interpreting citta as accumulating and gathering-and-arising, the eighth consciousness alone is called citta, which is the standard doctrine. The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: 'Because it can universally sustain the seeds of mundane and supramundane dharmas'—this is the meaning of the storehouse consciousness; that is, the svasaṃvittibhāga is that which sustains and that which accumulates, while all seeds are that which is sustained and that which is accumulated. The first seven are called transforming consciousnesses (pravṛttivijñāna): 'transforming' means altering and shifting, which has the meaning of being undetermined; only when the three natures, three pramāṇas, and three objects easily shift and are undetermined are they called transforming consciousnesses. The eighth is exclusively of a single category and morally indeterminate, and further is solely of the realm of real nature (vastu) and direct perception (pratyakṣa), hence it is called the non-transforming consciousness. Furthermore, called citta in the sense of gathering and arising also belongs to the seventh transforming consciousness: 'gathering' means gathering the active manifestations of the first seven; 'arising' means that the active manifestations of the first seven each have their own power to perfume and produce new seeds, which is called arising. For instance, when the visual consciousness cognizes form, it must rely on the simultaneous manovijñāna to jointly gather and perfume seeds; the remaining four consciousnesses are also like this.

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宗鏡錄 — Classical Chinese