Can Proponents of the Six Consciousnesses Attain the Fruits?

The proponents of the Six Consciousnesses theory acknowledge only the five sense consciousnesses and the sixth consciousness, denying the existence of the seventh and eighth consciousnesses. In essence, this belongs to the doctrine of annihilationism. If one denies the seventh consciousness, which is the master consciousness of oneself, it becomes impossible to contemplate the master-nature of the seventh consciousness and its characteristic as one of the six sense faculties. One would fail to understand how a single dhamma can simultaneously be both a faculty and a consciousness. Due to this lack of understanding, one would deny the existence of the manas (the mental faculty), resulting in the eighteen elements (dhātus) lacking one element. Consequently, the view of self cannot be completely eradicated, making it impossible to attain the fruition of the path.

The Theravāda tradition teaches the Six Consciousnesses theory. However, the Āgama sūtras spoken by the Buddha do refer to the seventh and eighth consciousnesses. The Buddha taught that all sentient beings possess "their own island" (attadīpa), "the abiding of dhamma" (dhammatthitata), and "the reliance of sentient beings" (saraṇam sattānam), which point to the eighth consciousness. He also spoke of the manas as one of the six sense faculties and one of the eighteen elements. It is simply that the followers of the Theravāda sectarian traditions fail to comprehend the true meaning taught in the Āgama sūtras; they can only grasp the six consciousnesses, thus acknowledging only six consciousnesses and becoming proponents of the Six Consciousnesses theory. If one denies and rejects the existence of a subject consciousness for rebirth (the eighth consciousness), it is equivalent to slandering the Dharma. Slandering the Dharma is tantamount to slandering the Buddha, and those who slander the Buddha and the Dharma cannot attain the fruition of the path.

Once sentient beings slander the Buddha and the Dharma, not only do they fail to achieve the Three Refuges and Five Precepts, but they also fail to achieve the precepts of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, let alone the Bodhisattva precepts. For a true Bodhisattva, hearing slander against the Buddha and the Dharma is as painful as being pierced by three hundred spears in the heart. How, then, could they personally slander the Mahāyāna Dharma and the Bodhisattva Piṭaka? Therefore, a true Bodhisattva would never be willing to dwell or practice together with individuals or groups who slander the Buddha and the Dharma, much less praise or propagate the doctrines of those individuals or groups who slander the Buddha and the Dharma. True Bodhisattvas do not act in such ways; those who do so cannot become true Bodhisattvas. True Bodhisattvas all strive to protect the Three Jewels and the Buddha Dharma. They pay attention to the overall development and changes within Buddhism, and care about whether themselves and sentient beings can attain liberation; they do not focus solely on personal interests of any kind.