宗鏡錄 72.29

72.29

Answer: We exclude it using the fourth characteristic: 'causing citta and caittas to grasp their own cognitive objects.' That is, it must cause the relying citta and caittas to condition and grasp the object of their basis; only then does it become a basis. Now, the active eighth consciousness cannot cause the seeds to grasp their own cognitive objects, and therefore it is not a basis. The seeds within the eighth consciousness presently lack cognitive consideration and cannot grasp their own cognitive objects; hence the eighth is not the basis of the seeds, but merely has the sense of a support.