Only the Undefiled Consciousness Is the True Self

In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the World-Honored One said "still neither true nor untrue," which means that sentient beings' Ālayavijñāna is not yet the true self, not yet completely real, because the mind-substance still contains the seeds of arising and ceasing created by the seventh consciousness; the seeds still have the nature of arising and ceasing, and it is not yet the self that is permanent, blissful, self, and pure, nor is it completely permanent and unchanging. Only upon attaining buddhahood does the undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna) become the true self, become completely and utterly true, no longer having seeds that arise, cease, and change, becoming that which is permanent, blissful, self, and pure.