The Objects of the Seven Consciousnesses

The object of real form (real object-aspect) is the object-aspect perceived and seen by the five sense consciousnesses, in which the mind consciousness does not engage in deliberation and discrimination. After the five sense consciousnesses perceive it, whatever it is, that is what is seen; it is not influenced or altered by the mind consciousness's determination (adhimokṣa). For example, when touching sunlight, the heat-aware body consciousness feels heat, with no fuss and no disputes; the brightness-aware eye consciousness sees brightness, with no fuss and no disputes. It is very direct, without the mind consciousness having to discriminate for half a day, pondering names and concepts, or generating mental activities.

The subjectively imagined realm is the object perceived solely by the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta), with no involvement of the five sense consciousnesses. When the mind consciousness gives rise to mental activity, the subjectively imagined realm manifests; if the mind consciousness is correct, the subjectively imagined realm is correct; if the mind consciousness is erroneous, the subjectively imagined realm is erroneous. The realm transforms and develops its image in accordance with the mind consciousness, having no autonomy and no self-nature.

The realm with essence (object with substance) must be transmitted from sentient beings' fundamental eighth consciousness. When the eighth consciousness perceives the real dharma composed of the most fundamental seeds of the four great elements, and the seventh consciousness then perceives it, the eighth consciousness幻化s the real dharma once again, producing a幻化ed realm. At this point, the sense-object realm is a dharma carrying a certain degree of substantiality, which the seventh consciousness can then perceive; this is called true realm with essence, which differs both from what the eighth consciousness perceives and from what the six consciousnesses perceive conditionally.