A Brief Discourse on the Essence of Consciousness
Chapter Nine: The Distinction Between the Discriminative Function of Consciousness and the Discriminative Function of the Five Consciousnesses
1. The distinction between the first five consciousnesses and the sixth consciousness is as follows: The sixth consciousness often discriminates together with the first five consciousnesses, giving rise to mental activities such as analysis, thinking, reasoning, judgment, perception, investigation, and so forth. The five consciousnesses discern the coarse aspects of the five sense objects (rūpa, sound, scent, taste, and touch), while the sixth consciousness discerns the subtle aspects of these five sense objects. When the sixth consciousness discriminates without the five consciousnesses, it is called solitary mental consciousness (manovijñāna). The sixth consciousness engaged in deluded thoughts is solitary mental consciousness; the sixth consciousness reflecting on the past and future is solitary mental consciousness; and the activities of the conscious mind in dreams are also solitary mental consciousness. For example, when looking at a person, the sixth consciousness, through analysis, discerns that this person possesses temperament, cultivation, culture, virtue, their approximate age, gender, personality, temperament, disposition, and so on. All these are contents discerned by the sixth consciousness.
Generally, the sixth consciousness discriminates the five sense objects together with the five consciousnesses. The five consciousnesses discriminate the coarse aspects of form, sound, scent, taste, and touch, while the sixth consciousness discriminates the subtle aspects of form, sound, scent, taste, and touch. These subtle aspects are called dharma objects (dharmāyatana). For instance, when the eye faculty contacts a form object, the eighth consciousness produces eye consciousness. When the mental faculty (manas) contacts the dharma object associated with that form object, the eighth consciousness produces mental consciousness. Then, eye consciousness and mental consciousness together discriminate the form object, thereby clearly discerning what the form object is. For example, when looking at an electric rice cooker, eye consciousness knows its color, while mental consciousness knows its shape, condition (new or old), quality, specific size, composition, material, and so on. In fact, seeing form with the eyes is jointly discerned by eye consciousness and mental consciousness. It is not that the eye faculty alone possesses the capacity to see things. Although a corpse also has an eye faculty, it lacks eye consciousness and mental consciousness; thus, a corpse cannot see forms. When seeing form, what discriminates information such as color, brightness, and darkness is eye consciousness. Beyond that, what discriminates the object’s size, shape, length, and other dharma objects is the mind of mental consciousness.
2. When the physical eye faculty (gross sense faculty) contacts external form objects, what actually apprehends the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind) particles of the form object is not the eye faculty but the Tathāgatagarbha (storehouse consciousness). The eye faculty is merely a tool or instrument, like a camera. The Tathāgatagarbha, using the eye faculty as a tool, apprehends the four great elements particles from the external form object. After apprehending these particles, the Tathāgatagarbha transmits them through the eye faculty, eyeball, vitreous body, and optic nerve to the supramundane eye faculty (subtle sense faculty) located in the back of the brain, where it directly forms an image of the external form object. Among these, color belongs to the manifest aspect of form objects (rūpa-viṣaya), while dharma objects refer to form included in the dharma-āyatana (dharmāyatana-prapti-rūpa), encompassing shape, expression, and non-expression — these three together constitute dharma objects.
Because color is relatively simple and uncomplicated, eye consciousness can discern it relatively quickly. Dharma objects, however, are more complex and difficult to recognize clearly; thus, the time required for discrimination is relatively longer. In the first moment, after manifest color contacts the eye faculty, the Tathāgatagarbha produces eye consciousness. In the second moment, after the mental faculty contacts the dharma object, the Tathāgatagarbha produces mental consciousness. This precisely corresponds to the relationship where eye consciousness discerns in the first moment and mental consciousness discerns in the second moment. Then, eye consciousness and mental consciousness jointly discern the form object, resulting in a complete discernment of the form object (this occurs after the third moment).
Why must eye consciousness necessarily be produced first in the first moment to discern manifest color, before mental consciousness can discern shape, expression, and non-expression in the second moment? Because manifest color must first form and exist in order to manifest shape, expression, and non-expression. These three types of form are based on manifest color. For example, the size, shape, and length within shape cannot be expressed without the background of manifest color. expression relies on manifest color and shape to appear, being based on them. Non-expression relies on manifest color, shape, and expression to appear, being based on them. Therefore, manifest color comes first; eye consciousness must be produced first to discern it, and mental consciousness is produced later to discern dharma objects.
With sufficient concentration, when observing form objects, one will invariably notice that eye consciousness first perceives color — whether blue, yellow, red, white, black, dim, empty, or chaotic. In the second moment, a vague shape is seen, followed by a distinct form. Then, more information about the form object manifests, so the content discerned by mental consciousness is more numerous and detailed. When observing outwardly with concentration, eye consciousness sees first, followed by mental consciousness perceiving and discerning later. That is, manifest color appears first, producing eye consciousness. In the second moment, shape, expression, and non-expression arise, producing mental consciousness. The fact that mental consciousness is produced later indicates that shape, expression, and non-expression are dharma objects that manifest after manifest color.
In the supramundane faculties located in the back of the brain, there are many distinct regions. One region is the supramundane eye faculty, where manifest color manifests. Another is the supramundane ear faculty, where the coarse aspect of sound manifests. Another is the supramundane nose faculty, where coarse scent objects manifest. These coarse five sense objects are all formed by particles of the four great elements. Additionally, there is the locus where the dharma objects associated with the five sense objects arise — the place where form included in the dharma-āyatana is produced. Whether this locus is in the same region as the five supramundane faculties has not yet been observed, nor is there theoretical or scientific evidence to prove it. The area in the back of the brain is particularly complex, divided into many regions invisible to us, which scientists can observe in detail using highly sophisticated instruments. The form, sound, scent, taste, and touch manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha arise in different regions. The dharma objects arising from the basis of these five sense objects — the dharma objects on the five sense objects — may be produced in yet another region.
Without the coarse five sense objects of form, sound, scent, taste, and touch, there would be no subtle dharma objects manifested based on them. The subtle dharma objects coexisting with the coarse five sense objects are called form included in the dharma-āyatana (dharmāyatana-prapti-rūpa). This also belongs to material form (rūpa) but is subtler than the coarse five sense objects. The coarse five sense objects are formed by tangible particles of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind). However, the form included in the dharma-āyatana, manifested from the coarse five sense objects, is extremely subtle. This subtlety can be illustrated by an analogy: Our physical body is formed by coarse four great elements, while the bodies of beings in the intermediate state (antarābhava), ghosts, spirits, and devas are formed by subtle four great elements. Bodies formed by subtle four great elements differ greatly from those formed by coarse four great elements. The coarse body feels heavy and solid, unable to float or fly, lacking supernatural powers or the divine foot. In contrast, the subtle body is the opposite. This difference is analogous to that between manifest color and the form (form included in the dharma-āyatana) on the five sense objects.
For example, a mirror can reflect whatever objects are before it. While a mirror cannot symbolize the supramundane faculties, it can symbolize the Tathāgatagarbha. The Tathāgatagarbha is like a mirror: All five sense objects come, and it “reflects” them all. For instance, the form objects before it — regardless of distance; sounds from all directions; surrounding scent objects — regardless of subtlety, fragrance, foulness, or distance — the Tathāgatagarbha simultaneously apprehends them all and “reflects” them entirely. The five sense objects — form, sound, scent, taste, touch — and infinitely many categories of them, if facing us, can all be simultaneously apprehended and reflected by the Tathāgatagarbha, all forming images simultaneously. This is the function of the Tathāgatagarbha.
3. Observing the six consciousnesses discerning objects in various levels of samādhi, including dullness samādhi, one can clearly verify whether the five consciousnesses discern first or the mental consciousness associated with the five (pañcavijñānānusārī manovijñāna) discerns first. At such times, it becomes evident that the five consciousnesses discern first, followed by the mental consciousness associated with the five. For example, suddenly hearing a sound in samādhi without mental preparation — only after a while can mental consciousness discern what kind of sound it is, assign it a name, and discern its other characteristics. Another example: Opening the eyes dimly, first perceiving a vast expanse of color, followed by shape, and then more detailed content.
4. *Commentary on the Hundred Verses* (Guang Bai Lun Shi Lun):
"Eye" refers to the function of the eye (eye consciousness), for it is the function of the eye faculty and inseparable from it; hence, it is also named "eye." If this eye function (eye consciousness) travels to the location of the form object, why is seeing distant objects not delayed? How is it that the moon in the sky and nearby objects are seen simultaneously upon raising the eyes, without difference in speed? Never in the world has a moving entity been seen to reach both near and far places simultaneously. For this reason, an inference should be established: Seeing distant objects by illumination does not involve reaching the distant objects; seeing nearby objects by illumination shows no difference in time.
Explanation: "Eye" means eye consciousness. It is what the eye faculty uses; inseparable from the eye faculty, hence named "eye" (consciousness). If eye consciousness could go to the location of the form object, why is seeing distant form objects not slower? Why can the moon and nearby objects be seen simultaneously upon looking up, without difference in speed? Never has a moving entity in the world been seen to simultaneously reach both near and far places. (Thus, eye consciousness does not move; it does not go to the form object. That is to say, the eye does not reach the form, yet there is seeing. Why is this?) For this reason, it should be established that this is inferential perception (anumāna). Eye consciousness illuminates and sees distant objects without reaching them; eye consciousness illuminates and sees nearby objects without reaching them. Seeing near and distant objects involves no temporal difference.
Why does eye consciousness see near and distant objects simultaneously? The eye does not reach the form; the form does not reach the eye, yet there is seeing. The ear does not reach the sound; the sound does not reach the ear, yet there is the nature of hearing. This is truly inconceivable. If explained using the supramundane faculties, it becomes easy to understand: What the six consciousnesses see are the six sense objects within the supramundane faculties. The internal six sense objects are all within the supramundane faculties; how can there be near or far? Regardless of how near or far the form object is, once transmitted into the supramundane faculties, there is no distinction of near or far — all are images. The conscious mind discerns and simultaneously cognizes the images; it does not discern the substantial external form objects. If it discerned external form objects, then the concept of near and far would apply. The Tathāgatagarbha can discern external form objects, but for the Tathāgatagarbha, external form objects also have no distinction of near or far.
5. When perceiving pain, four consciousnesses operate: body consciousness, mental consciousness, mental faculty (manas), and the eighth consciousness. Only the combined operation of these four consciousnesses can perceive foot pain; lacking one, it does not happen. Specifically, body consciousness and mental consciousness feel the pain; the mental faculty and eighth consciousness do not feel pain. How can these four consciousnesses be distinguished? If one can distinguish them, one possesses great wisdom.
The feeling of pain belongs to the aggregate of feeling (vedanā-skandha). Only when the aggregate of feeling is exhausted can one cease to feel pain. To cultivate to the exhaustion of the aggregate of feeling requires at least the fourth dhyāna (meditative absorption). After realizing the mind and seeing the nature (明心见性), one must cultivate to the stage of a fourth-ground Bodhisattva or higher. The Indian teacher of Xuanzang in Yogācāra still suffered headaches so severe he wished to leave, but Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva stopped him, instructing him to first teach Yogācāra to Xuanzang and revealing his past-life karmic causes. Are there people today who have cultivated to the level of wisdom of Xuanzang's Indian teacher? Even if they have, they have likely not reached the exhaustion of the aggregate of feeling, nor perhaps even the exhaustion of the aggregate of form. So how can they speak of having no pain sensation?
Those without pain sensation fall into three categories:
1. Those born with it as a karmic result; it disappears when the merit is exhausted.
2. Those granted it by other beings' blessings; this is even more impermanent and unreliable.
3. Those who attain it through cultivating the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis; this too is conditioned and impermanent.
However, Bodhisattvas of the fourth ground and above can maintain it. Those who have not realized the mind and attained the fruition (证果) — sages — fundamentally cannot maintain it.
6. What is called the "peripheral vision" of the eye? What are the functional differences between the various consciousnesses?
"Peripheral vision" refers to not looking directly at a form but scanning the forms on both sides of the face with the corner of the eye. When looking at form, most of eye consciousness's attention is focused directly ahead. When peripheral vision also sees form, a very small part of eye consciousness's attention is directed to the form objects in the surrounding directions. The more concentrated the attention, the clearer eye consciousness's discernment. This is the principle of wisdom arising from concentration (śamatha). Forms seen with peripheral vision are unclear; eye consciousness only slightly discerns them. With unfocused attention, eye consciousness's power is weak, and its discernment is unclear; the discerned form objects are blurry.
Eye consciousness's discernment is direct perception (pratyakṣa-pramāṇa). When mental consciousness and eye consciousness look at form simultaneously, mental consciousness sometimes needs comparison and reasoning to know what the form is. Mental consciousness's discernment involves inference (anumāna) and erroneous perception (abhūta-parikalpa). While looking at form, mental consciousness may also return to the past or imagine the future. However, eye consciousness can only see present form; it cannot perceive past or future form. Therefore, eye consciousness's discernment is purely direct perception: It sees form when present and does not see it when absent; eye consciousness cannot imagine form. Mental consciousness can have inferential and erroneous discernment; non-actual discernment results may not accord with reality. Thus, conclusions reached by mental consciousness through comparison or reasoning are not entirely reliable.
In the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*, the Bhagavān explained the functions of the six consciousnesses: Eye consciousness has only eight hundred merits; it can see only two-thirds, unable to see behind the head, so its merit of seeing form is incomplete. Ear consciousness has twelve hundred merits; it can hear sounds from all around and behind, even through obstacles without obstruction. Thus, ear consciousness's merit is complete — twelve hundred merits. Nose consciousness and body consciousness both have incomplete merits — only eight hundred each. Tongue consciousness has complete twelve hundred merits. Therefore, sentient beings in the Sahā world have the sharpest ear faculty and sharp tongue consciousness. Mental consciousness also has twelve hundred merits; it can perceive the past, future, and present, all of which it can contemplate and imagine.
Sentient beings, due to karmic obstructions and limited wisdom, may have erroneous and unreliable discernment by the various consciousnesses. The six consciousnesses are unified by the mental faculty and the Tathāgatagarbha. The Tathāgatagarbha is the non-discriminating mind; it manifests all dharmas according to the mental faculty and karmic conditions. The Tathāgatagarbha both follows and does not follow the mental faculty; it both perceives and does not perceive; it both knows and does not know. It does not fall into extremes; this is called the wisdom of the Middle Way (madhyamā-pratipad). Such wisdom of the Middle Way is difficult to comprehend. After realizing the Tathāgatagarbha, the wisdom of the Middle Way gradually arises.
In the manifestation of all dharmas, the Tathāgatagarbha often follows the direction of the mental faculty and accordingly manifests certain dharmas. It does not resemble a boss but rather an attendant or follower; while the mental faculty seems like the boss, deciding everything. In reality, when karmic conditions manifest, the mental faculty is helpless, completely within the adverse conditions manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha, unable to break free. In the state of sentient beings, neither the mental faculty nor the Tathāgatagarbha can master the five-aggregate body. The five aggregates of sentient beings arise and transmigrate through birth and death according to karmic conditions; they themselves cannot be masters. Sentient beings drift through the six destinies of birth and death in this masterless manner.
7. The discriminative nature of the five consciousnesses: The five consciousnesses depend on the sixth consciousness for their discriminative nature, and subsequently for simple differentiation and discernment. For example, if eye consciousness initially cannot clearly see a certain object, it must reapply attention, contact the form object, receive it, discern it, and finally grasp its characteristics — but without verbal designation. Then it generates the mental factor of volition (cetanā), initiating a decisive function to determine whether to continue looking or avoid it. Eye consciousness can also feel simple pleasant or unpleasant sensations but lacks emotional coloring and is not subtle. Ear, nose, tongue, and body consciousnesses are likewise. Because eye consciousness has discriminative ability, when looking at an object, it needs to look repeatedly and carefully to make a final decision and judgment. Of course, this simultaneously involves the cooperative function of mental consciousness. The five consciousnesses cannot independently discern the objects of the five sense fields because they can only discern the coarse aspects of the five sense objects. More content requires the cooperation of the mental consciousness associated with the five (pañcavijñānānusārī manovijñāna) to discern the complete five sense objects.
8. Vasubandhu Bodhisattva states in the *Treatise on the Hundred Dharmas* (*Mahāyāna-śatadharma-prakāśamukha-śāstra*):
"All dharmas are briefly of five kinds:
I. Mind dharmas (citta-dharma): Eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, mental consciousness, manas (seventh consciousness), and the eighth consciousness — altogether eight consciousnesses.
II. Mental factors (caitta-dharma): Briefly fifty-one kinds: Five universal factors, five object-determining factors, eleven wholesome factors, six root afflictions, twenty secondary afflictions, and four indeterminate (wholesome or unwholesome) factors.
III. Form dharmas (rūpa-dharma): Briefly eleven kinds: Five sense faculties with form, five sense objects, and form included in the dharma-āyatana.
IV. Conditioned factors not associated with mind (citta-viprayukta-saṃskāra-dharma): Briefly twenty-four kinds.
V. Unconditioned dharmas (asaṃskṛta-dharma): Briefly six kinds: Space-like unconditioned, cessation through discrimination, cessation not through discrimination, the stillness of feeling and perception, the cessation of perception and feeling, and thusness unconditioned."
The eleven form dharmas include: Five sense faculties, five sense objects, and form included in the dharma-āyatana. The five sense faculties are the eye faculty, ear faculty, nose faculty, tongue faculty, and body faculty. The five sense objects are form objects, sound objects, scent objects, taste objects, and touch objects. The first five sense faculties are physical faculties, composed of seeds of the four great elements, also called gross sense faculties (audārika-indriya), located on the body's surface, visible to sentient beings' eye faculties, and belong to form dharmas. The five supramundane faculties in the back of the brain are also composed of seeds of the four great elements, belong to form dharmas, and their nature is arising-ceasing, changing, impermanent, and not-self. The five sense objects are composed of seeds of the four great elements, are visible to sentient beings' eye faculties, thus belong to form dharmas, and are also arising-ceasing, changing, impermanent, and not-self.
Form included in the dharma-āyatana (dharmāyatana-prapti-rūpa) manifests simultaneously with the five sense objects on the five sense objects. It also belongs to form dharmas, is called form included in the dharma-āyatana, and is composed of seeds of the four great elements. Dharma objects manifest dependent on the five sense objects, are contacted by the mental faculty, and are specifically discerned by mental consciousness. They are also arising-ceasing, changing, impermanent, and not-self. After the mental faculty contacts the dharma objects on the five sense objects, the Tathāgatagarbha produces mental consciousness, which can then recognize the dharma objects. This means mental consciousness at this time is jointly discerning the five sense objects with the first five consciousnesses: The five consciousnesses discern the coarse aspects of the five sense objects, while mental consciousness simultaneously discerns the subtle dharma objects on the five sense objects. The five consciousnesses discern coarsely; mental consciousness discerns subtly. The above is an extremely brief summary. A detailed explanation would divide into internal faculties, external faculties, internal objects, external objects, internal dharma objects, external dharma objects, etc., making the content very complex.
9. Conditions for the Arising of Eye Consciousness
The Buddha said: "Dharmas arising from causes and conditions, I say are empty." Sentient beings seeing form and discerning form objects are the functional activities of eye consciousness. Eye consciousness is a dharma arising from causes and conditions. Its manifestation and arising require nine conditions; lacking any one, eye consciousness does not arise, and sentient beings cannot see form. The act of the eye seeing form depends on external conditions; it cannot exist independently. Dharmas arising from causes and conditions are false, empty, arising-ceasing, and not autonomous.
The conditions for the arising of eye consciousness are ninefold: Eye faculty, form object, space, light, attention, seeds of eye consciousness, manas (seventh consciousness), mental consciousness, and Ālayavijñāna (eighth consciousness).
(I) Eye Faculty
Includes the gross eye faculty (audārika-cakṣur-indriya) and the supramundane eye faculty (paramārtha-cakṣur-indriya). If the supramundane faculty is damaged, eye consciousness cannot arise to see form. Therefore, what discerns form objects is eye consciousness, not the eye faculty. The gross eye faculty is the receptor for receiving form objects; the supramundane faculty is the locus for producing eye consciousness. The vitreous body of the eyeball is the external eye faculty, also called the gross sense faculty. The visual cortex in the back of the brain is the internal eye faculty, also called the supramundane faculty. If the supramundane faculty is injured, sentient beings cannot see form normally.
The supramundane faculty contacts the form object, giving rise to eye consciousness. The form object is the internal form object within the supramundane faculty. The Ālayavijñāna, through the gross eye faculty, contacts the external form object, absorbs particles of the four great elements from it, transmits them via the optic nerve, and projects them onto the cerebral cortex, transforming them into an image identical to the form object. The image contacts the supramundane faculty; the Ālayavijñāna produces eye consciousness, which then sees the form. Sentient beings still perceive it as real form, unaware that they see an image, an illusion. Therefore, the eye faculty is one locus for producing eye consciousness and is one of the twelve sense fields (āyatana). Describing the entire process of seeing form takes considerable time, yet the actual operation is countless times faster than a rocket, almost instantaneous. In reality, there is still a time difference.
(II) Form Object
The form object is what eye consciousness discriminates. Without a form object, eye consciousness cannot arise. Form objects include external and internal form objects. External form objects are substantial for sentient beings, composed of seeds of the four great elements. Neither the eye faculty nor eye consciousness can contact them; only the Ālayavijñāna can contact them because it possesses seeds of the four great elements, corresponding to form. Hence the Buddha said: "Form does not reach the eye; the eye does not reach form, yet there is seeing." After the Ālayavijñāna contacts the external form object, like a mirror, it instantly manifests an image identical to the external form. This image is called the internal form object. It is a subtle material particle that can be transmitted via nerves to the back of the brain. The Ālayavijñāna then produces eye consciousness to discern this image. Therefore, the form objects seen by sentient beings are false, illusory, empty, and unreal.
(III) Space
Space is a condition for the arising of eye consciousness. There must be a certain spatial distance between the eye faculty and the external form object for seeing to occur; otherwise, it cannot. Pressing an object against the eye prevents seeing it because there is no focal point for imaging, similar to the principle of a camera. This proves that the form seen by sentient beings is as illusory as an image recorded by a video camera — unreal. Sentient beings do not see the actual external form. The eye also cannot see itself, cannot see the face, mouth, or neck because, without spatial distance, no focal point forms, and no image arises. Therefore, the Ālayavijñāna is like the camera, eye consciousness is the one watching the recording, and the mental faculty is the operator.
(IV) Light
The arising of eye consciousness necessarily requires light as a supporting condition. This excludes devas, asuras, ghosts, spirits, non-humans, and those with the divine eye. Other sentient beings cannot see form without light. Sentient beings in prolonged darkness experience diminished eye faculty function; gradually, the eye faculty degenerates and is lost, becoming eyeless beings, and their offspring are also eyeless.
(V) Seeds of Eye Consciousness
A light bulb emitting light requires electric current, generated by a generator. Electrons are emitted one by one, forming a current that passes through the bulb, causing it to light up. Eye consciousness is formed by seeds of eye consciousness stored in the Ālayavijñāna. The Ālayavijñāna outputs these seeds; seeds arise one after another continuously, forming eye consciousness, which then has the function of seeing, enabling sentient beings to see form objects.
(VI) Manas (Seventh Consciousness)
Also called the mental faculty. It is the mind that constantly makes decisions. What sentient beings do or do not do, when to act or not, are all decided by the mental faculty. The mental faculty is like a general manager who does nothing directly, has inferior discriminative wisdom, but can issue commands. The first six consciousnesses then follow its commands to discern the six sense objects, producing bodily, verbal, and mental actions. For example, if the mental faculty decides to buy jewelry, body consciousness must pick it up, eye consciousness must discern it, mental consciousness must analyze, judge, and evaluate it. All these discernment processes are transmitted to the mental faculty, which, based on mental consciousness's analysis, decides whether to buy it or negotiate the price. All matters, great or small, are decided by the mental faculty; the first six consciousnesses obey, and the eighth consciousness cooperates to complete them. If the mental faculty does not wish to see something, eye consciousness will not discern that form object, or it will be seen but unnoticed — eye consciousness and mental consciousness do not attentively discern the form object because the mental faculty is uninterested, perhaps focused on other matters. Therefore, the mental faculty is a condition for producing eye consciousness.
(VII) Attention (Manaskāra)
Attention is eye consciousness intending to contact and know the form object, then directing attention to it. Only then can eye consciousness contact the form object, generate reception and apprehension of it, and subsequently cognize it. Only with continuous attention can there be continuous contact, continuous reception, continuous cognition, continuous volitional decision-making, enabling eye consciousness to operate continuously. Without attention, eye consciousness cannot arise.
(VIII) Sixth Consciousness
Eye consciousness cannot arise alone because it can only discern the coarse characteristics of form objects, such as the manifest colors blue, yellow, red, white, etc. — these are objects of direct perception (pratyakṣa). Other subtle characteristics are simultaneously discerned by the sixth consciousness. Therefore, the sixth consciousness is a supporting condition for eye consciousness's functioning. For example, when looking at a flower, eye consciousness sees the flower's color and coarse external appearance, while mental consciousness discerns the flower's shape, variety, name, growth state, beauty/ugliness, charm, mood, origin, etc. Without the sixth consciousness, eye consciousness does not arise. When looking at a person, eye consciousness discerns skin color and clothing color, while mental consciousness discerns gender, age, skin texture, beauty/ugliness, personality, temperament, bearing, cultivation, connotation, culture, severity of afflictions, etc., and discerns the type, material, workmanship, etc., of the clothing — these subtle characteristics. Without mental consciousness to cooperate, eye consciousness cannot function alone.
(IX) Ālayavijñāna (Eighth Consciousness)
The Ālayavijñāna is the direct source producing eye consciousness; it directly gives rise to eye consciousness. It is the storehouse of consciousness seeds, storing and outputting seeds of consciousness, thereby enabling the function of eye consciousness. When the eye faculty and form object contact, the Ālayavijñāna outputs the first seed at the point of contact. This seed ceases and returns to the Ālayavijñāna. The second seed is output to the position of the first seed, ceases, and returns. The third arises at the position of the second seed, ceases again, and so on, forming eye consciousness like a continuous stream, enabling discriminative function. Therefore, when eye consciousness first sees form, it cannot yet discern clearly; it requires multiple seeds to arise, looking for a while, before seeing clearly. The Ālayavijñāna is the most important causal condition for producing eye consciousness. Hence, it is evident that any dharma arising from causes and conditions must be perishable, false, empty, and not-self; therefore, it should not be grasped.
10. *Commentary on the Mahāyāna Treatise on the Hundred Dharmas*, Volume 2:
"'Ten touches' (sparśa) refers to what the body apprehends — the meaning of what can be touched; hence called 'touch.' There are twenty-six kinds: Earth, water, fire, wind, lightness, heaviness, roughness, smoothness, slowness, quickness, cold, warmth, hardness, softness, hunger, thirst, fullness, strength, weakness, suffocation, itchiness, stickiness, aging, sickness, death, thinness. The first four are real; the rest are conventionally established based on the four great elements. Someone may ask: 'Since the rest are conventional, what does body consciousness rely on?' Answer: 'It relies precisely on the real. Since it relies on the real, how does it know lightness, etc.? The mental consciousness associated with the five [senses] (pañcavijñānānusārī manovijñāna) discriminates them.'"
Explanation: The touch objects felt on the body are contacted and discerned jointly by body consciousness and mental consciousness. There are twenty-six kinds in total. Among them, the relatively coarse real dharmas composed of the four great elements are discerned by body consciousness. The conventional dharmas based on these so-called real dharmas, which are subtler, are discerned by mental consciousness and are called form included in the dharma-āyatana.
The lightness, comfort, etc., of various touch objects felt on the body manifest from changes in the seeds of the four great elements within the body. Body consciousness and mental consciousness jointly feel lightness and comfort: Body consciousness feels the coarse aspect; mental consciousness feels the subtle aspect. The subtle aspect depends on the coarse aspect; the former is the real dharma of the five sense objects; the latter is the conventional dharma of dharma objects.
These twenty-six kinds of touch objects are all results of changes in the four great elements. There are real dharmas of the five sense objects and conventional dharmas of dharma objects. Body consciousness and mental consciousness jointly discern and feel them. The touch objects manifested by changes in the seeds of the four great elements arise dependent on the eighth consciousness, seventh consciousness, sixth consciousness, and first five consciousnesses. This shows that when the mind changes, objects change. Body and mind depend on each other, mutually influence each other, and rely on each other. Cultivating the mind can change the body and material form dharmas. Heaven and earth are created and changed by the mind. As the saying goes: "The three realms are mind-only; all dharmas are consciousness-only."
Changes in the mind occur, in one aspect, through cultivating concentration (dhyāna). The mind abides in one object, focuses on one thought, or is cut off from thoughts, no longer engaging in conceptualization. The mental faculty grasps less at the body or ceases grasping it altogether. The body's four great elements change; body and mind become light, comfortable, and at ease. Or greater changes occur, manifesting wondrous functions and supernatural powers — all due to the mental faculty's non-grasping. Returning to the fundamental origin, inherent functions manifest, attaining great freedom. Thus, it is evident that the mental faculty's grasping binds itself and its mind, preventing liberation. Then, what is cultivation fundamentally about? Essentially, it is cultivating the mental faculty — changing the mental faculty through cultivating mental consciousness and mental consciousness's practice. When the mental faculty changes, all dharmas change.
11. When reciting a mantra mentally without vocalizing, the sound object does not exist. The mantra recited mentally belongs to dharma objects — it is an image-only realm (pratibimba), discerned solely by solitary mental consciousness (manovijñāna), without ear consciousness discerning it. Since there is no sound object, ear consciousness does not arise. When solitary mental consciousness discerns it, it is called "mental hearing"; the recitation is also done by solitary mental consciousness.
However, while reciting the mantra, the mental faculty directs the recitation, guiding mental consciousness to recite. The mental faculty directs mental consciousness to listen, guiding it to listen. In this process, the eighth consciousness also provides all necessities, diligently serving. The three consciousnesses together accomplish mental recitation and mental hearing.
12. Question: When the ear faculty contacts a sound object, producing ear consciousness, are the seeds of consciousness produced at the source of the sound (the sound object), at the ear faculty, or at the supramundane faculty in the back of the head? Is the arising of other consciousnesses the same?
Answer: The eighth consciousness manifests the internal five sense objects at the supramundane faculties in the back of the brain. The supramundane faculties contact the internal five sense objects; the mental faculty applies attention; the eighth consciousness then produces the five consciousnesses at the supramundane faculties. The five consciousnesses, the five supramundane faculties, and the internal five sense objects — these three together contact, producing the sensation (vedanā) of the five consciousnesses. The five consciousnesses can then, together with mental consciousness, discern the internal five sense objects and dharma objects at the supramundane faculties — that is, the six sense objects within the "black box." The five consciousnesses are neither inside nor outside the black box. The eighth consciousness produces ear consciousness; the functional activity of ear consciousness is to discern the internal sound object. Ear consciousness cannot discern sounds outside the supramundane faculties; thus, it is not external. Yet ear consciousness, being formless, is also not internal, yet functions in this way.
13. Without mental consciousness arising, the first five consciousnesses cannot arise alone. When the mental faculty contacts a complete dharma, including the five sense objects and dharma objects, if the mental faculty simultaneously contacts the five sense objects and dharma objects and needs the six consciousnesses to specifically discern them, then the five consciousnesses and mental consciousness arise simultaneously in the same moment. If, when the mental faculty contacts a dharma, it first discerns the five sense objects and then the dharma objects in the second moment, then the five consciousnesses will arise one moment earlier, and mental consciousness will arise in the second moment. Then they jointly discern that dharma. The five consciousnesses and mental consciousness discern simultaneously and arise simultaneously, but a difference of one moment is not precluded.
An object includes color, shape, and substance. Color is discerned by eye consciousness; the rest — softness, hardness, size, shape, texture, etc. — are discerned by mental consciousness. For any object, dharma objects predominate, with mental consciousness's discernment being primary. From the direct observation (pratyakṣa) in meditation, eye consciousness first discerns manifest color. In the second moment, mental consciousness discerns shape. Then it discerns expression and non-expression. Ear consciousness first discerns coarse, vibratory sound objects; mental consciousness in the second moment discerns the sound's loudness/softness, distance, etc., then its pitch, category, etc. The five consciousnesses and mental consciousness are parallel; both serve the mental faculty and work for it. If the mental faculty does not need them, none can arise.
14. At the moment of enlightenment (kenshō), it is also solitary mental consciousness that finds and realizes the eighth consciousness, the Tathāgatagarbha. The five consciousnesses do not participate in the witnessing. Although enlightenment may occur while eye consciousness sees form, ear consciousness hears sound, or nose consciousness smells scent, the operational characteristics of the Tathāgatagarbha are observed solely by mental consciousness alone. The operational characteristics of the Tathāgatagarbha do not belong to the realm of the five sense objects; they are unrelated to the five sense objects. Therefore, the five consciousnesses cannot perceive them.
15. The dharma objects discerned by the mental consciousness associated with the five (pañcavijñānānusārī manovijñāna) are form included in the dharma-āyatana. They coexist with the five sense objects and cannot be separated from them. Dharma objects and the five sense objects combine to form complete form, sound, scent, taste, and touch; otherwise, the five sense objects cannot manifest, the five consciousnesses cannot arise, and the mental consciousness associated with the five cannot discern dharma objects. While the mental consciousness associated with the five discerns form included in the dharma-āyatana, solitary mental consciousness may separately discern other content or introspect the discernment content and state of the mental consciousness associated with the five. The five sense objects and dharma objects appear simultaneously; dharma objects are not manifested later. For example, the reflection and image in the eye are dharma objects, existing even before being transmitted to the supramundane faculty in the back of the brain. Therefore, it is said that external five sense objects have external dharma objects, which are inseparable from the external five sense objects.
The five consciousnesses cannot operate and perform discernment functions alone; they must operate jointly with the mental consciousness associated with the five to discern the six sense objects. It is just that the seeds of the five consciousnesses arise slightly earlier — less than a moment before the seeds of mental consciousness arise — almost simultaneously. Then the five consciousnesses and mental consciousness jointly operate to discern the six sense objects. Therefore, it is said that the five universal mental factors (pañca-sarvatraga) of the five consciousnesses cannot operate alone without mental consciousness. When the five universal mental factors of mental consciousness operate, those of the five consciousnesses also operate simultaneously.
Form included in the dharma-āyatana belongs to form dharmas. Form dharmas are all objective realities (vastu), not changing according to the conscious mind. For example, a person's appearance does not change at all regardless of the other's state of mind. Skin color belongs to manifest color, discerned by eye consciousness; it does not change according to variations in the other's eye consciousness. Height, weight, etc. — shape, expression, and non-expression — are likewise. Height and weight are shape (form included in the dharma-āyatana), discerned by the mental consciousness associated with the five; they are also objective realities, not changing due to mental consciousness's mistaken interpretations. Those with strong concentration, while the mental consciousness associated with the five discerns form included in the dharma-āyatana, can use solitary mental consciousness to conceive of it differently, thereby changing the form included in the dharma-āyatana.
Visualization requires strong concentration, relying mainly on the erroneous and inferential discernment functions of solitary mental consciousness. The concentration of the mental consciousness associated with the five is insufficient. Concentration primarily refers to the powerful function of solitary mental consciousness — creating something from nothing or transforming existence into nothingness. Visualizing the sun causes the sun to appear before one — sun visualization is accomplished. Visualizing a skeleton causes the skeleton to appear before one — skeleton visualization is accomplished.
16. Question: I have been contemplating the meaning of "dharma objects." Form included in the dharma-āyatana should not only refer to the subtle forms seen by mental consciousness but also include the coarse forms seen by the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body consciousnesses. Because form is contrasted with mind, there is the concept of form objects, but there is no term "mind objects"; instead, "dharma objects" encompasses both — half form dharmas, half mind dharmas.
The form seen by Aniruddha (who was blind) included both coarse and subtle aspects. If coarse form is not seen, how can subtle form be seen? Without eyes, there is naturally no eye consciousness; certainly, only mental consciousness sees form. The form included in the dharma-āyatana seen is distinct in both coarse and subtle aspects.
Answer: The concept of dharma objects is quite broad. All dharmas are "dharma"; all are called dharma objects. "Objects" (viṣaya) refer to worldly phenomena, like dust, transient and non-abiding. In the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*, the Bhagavān called them "guest dust" — guests in the world, unable to dwell permanently, arising and ceasing, not the host.
The eleven form dharmas: Eye faculty, ear faculty, nose faculty, tongue faculty, body faculty, form object, sound object, scent object, taste object, touch object, and lastly, form included in the dharma-āyatana. Form included in the dharma-āyatana encompasses: The dharma objects included in the form object field, the dharma objects included in the sound object field, the dharma objects included in the scent object field, the dharma objects included in the taste object field, and the dharma objects included in the touch object field. Dharma objects of form included in the dharma-āyatana cannot appear alone; they must appear simultaneously with the five sense objects and are discerned by the mental consciousness associated with the five. Therefore, the form included in the dharma-āyatana discerned by the conscious mind invariably has the coarse aspects of the five sense objects appearing simultaneously. Without these coarse aspects, there are no subtle aspects.
Aniruddha lacked the eye faculty; his physical eyes could not see form. He saw form entirely with the divine eye. Seeing form with the supernatural divine eye differs greatly from seeing with physical eyes. Because Aniruddha had no eyes, there was no manifest color in the supramundane faculty, so eye consciousness did not arise, and there was no seeing by eye consciousness or mental consciousness. However, because Aniruddha cultivated the divine eye, he used it to see form, which is far more extensive and subtle than what is seen with physical eyes.
17. Observing the six consciousnesses discerning objects in various levels of samādhi, including dullness samādhi, one can clearly verify whether the five consciousnesses discern first or the mental consciousness associated with the five discerns first. For example, suddenly hearing a sound in samādhi without mental preparation — only after a while can mental consciousness discern what kind of sound it is, assign it a name, and discern its other characteristics. Another example: Opening the eyes dimly, first perceiving a vast expanse of color, followed by shape, and then more detailed content.
18. Loud sounds can damage the ear bones, causing deafness. This proves that sound is a material form dharma with the impact force of material form; thus, there is a touch object contacting the material ear, thereby damaging it. The coarse aspect of sound contacts the ear faculty; ear consciousness first discriminates the coarse sound, followed by mental consciousness discriminating the subtle aspect. Often, ear consciousness first feels the vibrational sound of the ear faculty — this is the five sense objects. Then mental consciousness can know specifically what the sound is and other subtle dharmas.
19. A ghost king has a thousand eyes; seeds of eye consciousness flow to a thousand eye faculties, enabling all thousand eyes to see form simultaneously. Having a thousand hands and feet, seeds of body consciousness flow simultaneously to a thousand hands and a thousand feet, enabling all thousand hands and feet to act simultaneously. For example, a person's entire body, from head to toe, belongs to the body faculty. Seeds of body consciousness flow to all parts of the body faculty, enabling the whole body, inside and out, to act simultaneously. Sentient beings have many thoughts; seeds of mental consciousness flow to various dharma objects, enabling mental consciousness to extensively discriminate, apply attention, contact, feel, think, and create karmic actions extensively.
The Great Compassionate One (Avalokiteśvara) has a thousand hands and eyes. Which is the principal eye? The principal eye does not see form.
20. When consciousness contacts an object, the faculty, object, and consciousness — the three together contact. What is the result? The result is that eye consciousness discerned form, ear consciousness discerned sound, and so on up to mental consciousness discerning dharmas.
The contact of these three together is extremely important. If the faculty does not contact the object, there is no consciousness. If consciousness does not contact the object, consciousness has no function at all. What objects do the various consciousnesses contact? Clarify the scope of what each consciousness can contact, then contemplate: Without the six consciousnesses, what can still be done? Beings in the formless realm lack a physical body with five faculties; why do they still have mental consciousness? Understanding these issues clearly will lead to realization (證悟) in the future. Otherwise, with insufficient concentration and incomplete theoretical understanding, one cannot engage in profound observation. At best, cultivation will result only in intellectual understanding (解悟). Nowadays, those with intellectual understanding are increasing, yet they gain almost no meritorious benefits, and their afflictions remain just as heavy.
The faculty contacts the object, producing consciousness. If the faculty does not contact the object, consciousness cannot arise. At death, the four great elements decompose first. At this time, consciousness still exists and can still discern the condition of the body's four great elements decomposing, causing intense suffering.
Each person's physical body is sustained by their own eighth consciousness; changes in one's own body are also results of one's own eighth consciousness's function. Then how can one person kill another, thereby changing the other's physical condition? Without mental consciousness, the five consciousnesses also cannot arise. Discernment of the six sense objects is decided by the mental faculty, which governs it. The mental faculty necessarily contacts dharma objects. If the mental faculty does not decide or govern, the eighth consciousness does not produce the five consciousnesses. When the mental faculty governs, it contacts dharma objects and necessarily produces mental consciousness. Mental consciousness is also a concomitant condition for the five consciousnesses.
21. The Tathāgatagarbha manifests the six sense objects — form, sound, scent, taste, touch, and dharmas — at the supramundane faculties in the back of the brain. It invariably manifests the first five sense objects first — the coarse form, sound, scent, taste, and touch — providing them for the first five consciousnesses to discern. Beyond the coarse first five sense objects, it manifests subtle dharma objects, called form included in the dharma-āyatana. As soon as the faculties and objects contact, the six consciousnesses are produced. The faculties, objects, and consciousnesses then contact together, enabling the six consciousnesses to discern the six sense objects.
Since the coarse form, sound, scent, taste, and touch are manifested first, the five faculties naturally contact the five sense objects first. Certainly, the first five consciousnesses arise first and discern the five sense objects first. Then, in the next moment, the subtle dharma objects are manifested; the mental faculty contacts the dharma objects, and mental consciousness can then arise to discern the dharma objects. Mental consciousness necessarily arises after the first five consciousnesses. Thus, in the first moment, the first five consciousnesses discern the coarse form, sound, scent, taste, and touch. In the second moment, mental consciousness discerns the subtle form included in the dharma-āyatana. Then, in the third moment, the five consciousnesses and mental consciousness operate together to jointly discern. Thereafter, both consciousnesses operate together to jointly discern the six sense objects and dharmas until the discernment activity regarding that object ceases.
