What Is Seeing Nature?

What is the perceiving nature? The perceiving nature is the ability to perceive dharmas (phenomena). The eighth consciousness possesses a perceiving nature, the seventh consciousness possesses a perceiving nature, the sixth consciousness possesses a perceiving nature, and each of the first five consciousnesses possesses its own perceiving nature. The dharma appearances perceived by the perceiving nature of the eight consciousnesses differ from one another. After perceiving nature arises, the discerning nature emerges. Once the discerning nature emerges, dharmas begin to move, giving rise to the flow of arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing.

The Buddha said: "King Prasenajit, is there any difference between the seeing when you beheld the Ganges River at three years old and the seeing when you beheld it at thirteen years old?" King Prasenajit replied: "There is no difference. Even compared to the seeing with which I now behold the Ganges River at sixty-two years old, there is no difference. The perceiving nature is unchanging." The Buddha said: "This unchanging perceiving nature is that indestructible 'you'. Whether you perceive or not, that perceiving nature always exists and is indestructible."

Then, what kind of seeing is the seeing that perceives the Ganges River? Does the eighth consciousness perceive the Ganges River? If the eighth consciousness does not perceive the Ganges River, how could the fifth, sixth, and seventh consciousnesses perceive the Ganges River? If the eighth consciousness perceives the Ganges River, what need is there for the fifth, sixth, and seventh consciousnesses to perceive the Ganges River? How exactly is it?

From the similar reflections arising after the perception by the eighth consciousness, they extend all the way into the subtle sense faculty (indriya), and further on to the point where the fifth and sixth consciousnesses perceive the reflections. The seventh consciousness perceives continuously without ever turning away. If the seventh consciousness did not perceive, there would be no fifth or sixth consciousness, let alone their seeing. And the eighth consciousness has never for a single instant failed to perceive; otherwise, how could the fifth, sixth, and seventh consciousnesses perceive?