The Manifestation of the Mind's Self-Validating Cognition

These dharmas of Yogācāra are extremely profound and subtle; before enlightenment, the time needed to be able to directly perceive and contemplate (vipaśyanā-caryā) the dharma of the seed-wisdom of Yogācāra in terms of direct perception is roughly one incalculable eon. Therefore, no matter how wise someone believes themselves to be, one should not be too confident.

Since all eight consciousnesses possess self-validating cognition (svasaṃvedana), which can validate the dharmas each of them perceives and discriminates, this shows that the mind-consciousnesses have determination (adhimokṣa) and a certain degree of wisdom. The self-validating cognition of the sixth consciousness (manovijñāna) manifests more frequently and obviously, so it is easy to observe, and ordinary people generally acknowledge that the mind consciousness has wisdom and an extremely strong power of determination. In foolish people, the mind consciousness lacks the power of introspection (pratyavekṣā-bala); their self-validating cognition does not manifest, and they have no power of determination, so they cannot make sense of either worldly dharmas or transcendental dharmas.

That the eighth consciousness possesses self-validating cognition shows that the eighth consciousness has wisdom and the power of determination. Its power of determination is manifested in accurately discriminating karmic seeds, not misinterpreting karmic seeds, and faithfully actualizing karmic seeds without confusion; it is also manifested in the eighth consciousness being able to accurately and reasonably discriminate the mental factors (caittas) of the manas, closely cooperating with the manas, and satisfying the manas' needs by generating all dharmas.

The seventh consciousness also has self-validating cognition, which shows that the seventh consciousness has the power of determination, can understand its own cognition and state, and has wisdom; only thus can it in the future transform consciousness into wisdom. The power of determination of the seventh consciousness is manifested in its ability to discriminate the dharmas manifested by the eighth consciousness and make correct decisions, directing the six consciousnesses to operate; it is manifested in the seventh consciousness being able to correctly discriminate the dharmas observed and discriminated by the six consciousnesses, understanding the analysis, deliberation, and judgment of the mind consciousness, and thereby making correct decisions, producing bodily, verbal, and mental actions that accord with reason, without confusion.

When this power of determination develops to its utmost, one can transform consciousness into wisdom; when the power of determination reaches its maximum, one can transform consciousness into wisdom for the third time, ultimately accomplishing the Buddha Way. There has never been a case where one could become a Buddha while the manas is still very foolish, lacking the power of determination and great wisdom; if one could, it would be a foolish Buddha. Nor has there ever been a case where one could transform consciousness into wisdom and become a bhūmi bodhisattva who enters the Tathāgata's family and becomes a true son of the Buddha while the manas lacks the power of determination and great wisdom; if one could, one would merely become a foolish bodhisattva.

The five consciousnesses also have weak power of introspection; they possess self-validating cognition and a very narrowly scoped power of determination, and can operate in coordination with the manas' directives. But the power of determination of the five consciousnesses is far inferior to that of the manas, even more inferior to that of the mind consciousness, and also not equal to the power of determination of the eighth consciousness—even though the eighth consciousness cannot determine the realms of the six sense objects and cannot determine worldly dharmas.

When the mind consciousness lacks wisdom and cannot observe the self-validating cognition of these consciousnesses, the self-validating cognition of these consciousnesses still exists and operates, regardless of whether the mind consciousness can observe it or not.