宗鏡錄 56.8.2

56.8.2

Inconceivable perfuming and inconceivable transformation are the causes of the manifesting consciousness. Grasping various sense objects and beginningless perfuming of false discrimination are the causes of the discriminating consciousness of affairs. Furthermore, the consciousnesses have three characteristics: namely, the characteristic of transformation, the characteristic of activity, and the true characteristic. And further, it is like a lump of clay and dust particles: they are neither different nor not different. Gold and ornaments are also like this. Mahāmati, if the lump of clay and the dust particles were different, [the former] would not be composed of the latter; but in fact it is composed of them. Therefore, they are not different. If they were not different, then the lump of clay and the dust particles would have no distinction. In this way, Mahāmati, if the transforming consciousness, the ālayavijñāna, and the true characteristic were different, the ālayavijñāna would not be the cause. If they were not different, when the transforming consciousness ceases, the ālayavijñāna should also cease. Yet its own true characteristic truly does not cease. Therefore, Mahāmati, it is not that the consciousness of one's own true characteristic ceases; only the characteristic of activity ceases. If one's own true characteristic were to cease, then the ālayavijñāna would cease. Mahāmati, if the ālayavijñāna were to cease, this would be no different from the nihilistic theories of the heterodox non-Buddhists. Mahāmati, those heterodox non-Buddhists make such an assertion: they claim that when the grasping of objective objects and their fruits ceases, the continuum of consciousness also ceases. If the continuum of consciousness were to cease, then the beginningless continuum would be severed. / A commentary explains: The Ru Lengqie jing directly clarifies the true characteristic of oneself: the mind of original enlightenment does not depend on false conditions, and its nature is intrinsically and wondrously cognizant; this is called the true characteristic of oneself. This is explained in accordance with the gate of difference. Furthermore, when it undergoes arising and ceasing along with the wind of avidyā, the nature of wondrous cognizance is not different from its origin; therefore it can also be called the true characteristic of oneself. This is explained in accordance with the gate of non-difference. Furthermore, consciousness has two modes of arising: namely, arising as a continuum, and arising as characteristics. What is called the true consciousness is the true mind of original enlightenment perfumed by fundamental avidyā. The manifesting consciousness is the ālayavijñāna. The discriminating consciousness of affairs is the manovijñāna. / The sūtra says: Bodhisattva Vicitrālaṃkāra addressed the Buddha, saying, 'World-Honoured One, by what cause and by what condition are the coarse-characteristic manovijñāna and the subtle-characteristic manovijñāna produced?' The Buddha said, 'Such coarse and subtle manovijñāna have the manifesting mirror-consciousness as their cause and have the six objective realms as conditions, continuously turning.' Furthermore, among the three subtle ones, the coarse is the manifesting consciousness; among the seven consciousnesses, the strongest is the manovijñāna. The sixth manovijñāna discriminates the six sense objects; it necessarily relies on manas as its supporting base (indriya). The manovijñāna is that which relies; the manas is that upon which it relies. Summarized, there are three subtle consciousnesses; in their coarse aspect, there are eight characteristics. Furthermore, the coarse division is the manovijñāna; the subtle division is manas. / A verse in the Laṅkāvatārasūtra says: / 'Just as the waves of the great ocean / Arise on account of fierce winds, / Surging waves pounding the dark abyss / Without any interruption; / The ocean of the ālayavijñāna is permanently abiding, / Moved by the wind of external realms, / And waves of various consciousnesses / Leap, surge, and turn into arising. / Blue, red, and various colors, / Conch-shell, milk, and rock sugar, / The bland flavor, various flowers and fruits, / The sun and moon and their radiance, / Are neither different nor not different. / The ocean water gives rise to waves; / The seven consciousnesses are also like this, / Arising in concord with citta. / Just as the ocean water transforms, / Turning into various waves, / The seven consciousnesses are also like this, / Arising in concord with citta. / In that place of the ālayavijñāna, / The various consciousnesses turn, / Namely, by means of that manovijñāna, / Reflecting on the meanings of the various characteristics. / The indestructible characteristics are eight; / Having no characteristics, there are also no characteristics.' / The commentary says: Explaining according to this sūtra passage, the text on the six characteristics arises. Now, what meaning does this sūtra passage intend to clarify? It intends to reveal that the ocean of the manifesting consciousness is by nature permanently abiding, and because it is fluttered by the wind of the realm of the six sense objects, the substance of the manifesting consciousness acts as the internal cause for these seven kinds of consciousness, and the realm of the six sense objects acts as the external condition, giving full rise to the six kinds of coarse and heavy characteristics. As the sūtra states: / 'Just as the waves of the great ocean / Arise on account of fierce winds, / Surging waves pounding the dark abyss / Without any interruption; / The ocean of the ālayavijñāna is permanently abiding, / Moved by the wind of external realms, / And waves of various consciousnesses / Leap, surge, and turn into arising.' / What is meant by the wind of external realms? What is the form and appearance of that wind? It means that various visual appearances such as blue and yellow are able to give rise to the eye consciousness. Jewels, conch-shells, and the like produce various superior and wondrous sounds, which are able to give rise to the ear consciousness. Fragrances such as sandalwood and milk permeate and spread various aromatic scents, which are able to give rise to the nose consciousness. Soft touchables such as cotton and rock sugar, together with various wholesome and pleasant comforts, are able to give rise to the body consciousness. Flavors such as sweet and bland produce various flavors according to what is appropriate, which are able to give rise to the tongue consciousness. Present flowers, future fruits, and various dharmāyatana objects, serving as the objective realms of that consciousness, are able to give rise to the manovijñāna. In this passage, by pointing out the sense objects, the consciousnesses are grasped; this should be carefully observed. That manas consciousness is simply the subtle state of manas, having no separate substance. Such six sense objects are able to move the substance of citta and cause it to be scattered, just like a fierce wind; hence they are called wind. As the sūtra states: 'Blue, red, and various colors, / Conch-shell, milk, and rock sugar, / The bland flavor, various flowers and fruits.' / Are these seven consciousnesses and the ālayavijñāna the same or different? They are neither the same nor different, because they are free from the two extremes. Just like the sun and its radiance, water and its waves, they are neither the same nor different. The meaning of the seven consciousnesses and the ālayavijñāna being neither the same nor different is also like this. As the sūtra states: / 'The sun and moon and their radiance, / Are neither different nor not different. / The ocean water gives rise to waves; / The seven consciousnesses are also like this, / Arising in concord with citta.' / From where do these seven consciousnesses enter the ālayavijñāna, forming a count of seven types, circulating and stirring without interruption? These seven transforming consciousnesses do not come from within, do not come from without, nor do they come from in between. It is only that the substance of the ālayavijñāna transforms into the seven consciousnesses, just as ocean water transforms into waves. As the sūtra states: / 'Just as the ocean water transforms, / Turning into various waves, / The seven consciousnesses are also like this, / Arising in concord with citta. / In that place of the ālayavijñāna, / The various consciousnesses turn, / Namely, by means of that manovijñāna, / Reflecting on the meanings of the various characteristics.' / Do these manifesting consciousness and seven transforming consciousnesses—these eight kinds of mental consciousnesses—have only the impermanent characteristics of arising and ceasing, or do they also possess the permanently abiding characteristic of the true nature (dharmatā)? These eight consciousnesses...