大乘起信論廣釋卷第三．四．五 3.60

3.60

The treatise says: "Fifth is called [the continuing consciousness], because ... without interruption."

Exposition: This is also the subtle stage of phenomenal consciousness. Because this subtle phenomenal consciousness is associated with attachment to dharmas and its grasping is uninterrupted, it is called the continuing consciousness.

If one claims that these two are phenomenal consciousness, why is their name established only within mental consciousness? Answer: Because they are also coarse, they have general and specific names. The general name is phenomenal consciousness; the specific names are cognition, etc. Just as the three subtle marks also have general and specific names: the general name is ālayavijñāna; the specific names are karma, etc. That their names are established below within mental consciousness is to further illuminate and state them, shadowing and revealing what came before. For example, the mark of manifesting objects is called ālayavijñāna, yet the name ālaya also extends to the karmic consciousness. Furthermore, establishing the name "mental consciousness" based on the view of self—how could the name "mental consciousness" belong only to the view of self? If that were accepted, the two vehicles should be free from mental consciousness; why then speak of the perfuming of mental consciousness in the two vehicles? Moreover, since the marks of objects manifested by this ālayavijñāna are precisely the phenomena discriminated here, when this [consciousness] cognizes and discriminates defilement, purity, suffering, and pleasure regarding those objects, how could it not be phenomenal consciousness? Otherwise, under which consciousness would this be subsumed? It should not be said to be the seventh or eighth consciousnesses: the manas does not take external marks of objects as its object, and the fundamental consciousness does not give rise to marks of defilement and purity. Therefore, that it belongs to phenomenal consciousness is inevitable in principle.

One cannot object that these two are also grasping of self. Although they both belong to phenomenal consciousness, their coarseness and subtlety are each distinct, just as karma, manifestation, and appearance share the substance of the fundamental consciousness, yet the karmic consciousness does not yet have active and passive marks. If, as in the objection, the two graspings were not distinct, it would greatly contradict the various teachings. Therefore, this is merely subtle attachment to dharmas and is equally called phenomenal consciousness; this is without contradiction in principle. Therefore, this is merely subtle attachment to dharmas and is equally called phenomenal consciousness; this is without contradiction in principle.

If so, why is it said that the perfuming of phenomenal consciousness can experience the suffering marks of being bound by karma for ordinary beings? Answer: This phenomenal consciousness extends to both marks of dharma and self. That [statement] is made regarding the locus where both marks are complete; hence the perfuming of phenomenal consciousness brings suffering to ordinary beings. In the case of people of the two vehicles, they have only attachment to dharmas; although they have perfuming, they lack the suffering of karmic bondage, because they have already severed the mark of self and its function of initiating karma. Just as on the eighth and ninth grounds one is free from the defilements of appearance and manifestation, could one say that the mind of the fundamental consciousness is absent? This is also like that. Therefore, having only attachment to dharmas is also called phenomenal consciousness; this is without contradiction in principle.

If so, are the six defilements the substance of consciousness, or are they the mental factors that correspond to the substance of phenomenal consciousness? Answer: They are the substance of phenomenal consciousness, not mental factors. Because they are spoken of as the arising mind of phenomenal consciousness, they are called the uninterrupted associated defilement, etc., in the sense of being associated with defiled mental factors. What is called mental consciousness is precisely the continuing consciousness. Hence we know that the various defilements have no separate substance; thus they are merely called manas, mental consciousness, and so forth, and not in the sense of associated mental factors. The mental factors of phenomenal consciousness are secondary avidyā, which are indeed the afflictions of view and attachment that can arise. These six do not subsume the afflictions of view and attachment, because they are all consciousnesses arisen from view and attachment. In accordance with distinct karmic functions, multiple names are provisionally established, just as karma, manifestation, and appearance are only a single consciousness. Because it is associated with those mental factors, these various marks are opened within a single consciousness; it does not mean that the various marks are themselves mental factors.