宗鏡錄 63.28

63.28

Answer: A verse in the treatise says:
'Due to the consciousness containing all seeds,
Transforming in such and such ways,
Through the power of reciprocal influence,
These and those conceptual discriminations arise.'
'The consciousness containing all seeds' is precisely the eighth consciousness. Because this consciousness can hold the seeds of all conditioned phenomena, the differentiated capacities of all seeds to each produce their own fruits are called 'the consciousness containing all seeds'. There are two kinds of capacity: first, actual activity is called capacity, which is like the seeds of grain and wheat, etc., having the capacity to produce sprouts; second, the seeds within the eighth consciousness are called capacity, because they have the capacity to produce actual activity. What is spoken of now as 'the consciousness containing all seeds' takes only the capacity of the seeds within the fundamental consciousness to be able to produce all conditioned phenomena, such as form and mind. Thus form is the object-condition (ālambana), and mind is precisely that which conditions [it]. Thus form is the object; it is not separate from mind, and this is vijñaptimātra. These minds and objects only arise from within the fundamental consciousness—why would external objects be required for them to arise? 'Transforming in such and such ways': such eight consciousnesses arise from seeds; that is, the self-corroborating division (svasaṃvittibhāga) of the eight consciousnesses transforms and produces the darśanabhāga and the nimittabhāga. The nimittabhāga is not separate from the darśanabhāga; this is vijñaptimātra. 'Through the power of reciprocal influence': that is, the remaining conditions constitute the power of reciprocal influence, for mental phenomena arise from four conditions and material phenomena arise from two conditions. 'These and those conceptual discriminations arise': that is, based upon those darśanabhāga and nimittabhāga, one falsely grasps that there are real selves and dharmas externally, and thus conceptual discriminations arise. Therefore one knows that it is merely through the seeds within the fundamental consciousness that the consciousnesses arise; they can arise without relying on external false objects. Therefore one knows that all is vijñaptimātra.