The Eighth Consciousness Has No Sovereignty

Before attaining buddhahood, among the eight consciousnesses, only the eighth consciousness—the mind—is an unconditioned mind, an unconditioned dharma (asaṃskṛta-dharma). It has no mind that fabricates any dharma-mark, no mind that fabricates any karmic action; when causes and conditions are not complete, it does not bring forth any single dharma. The eighth consciousness always accords with conditions yet remains unchanging, and remains unchanging yet accords with conditions. One characteristic of its unconditioned nature is that it accords with conditions; without the requisite conditions, it does not force itself to act. Moreover, the eighth consciousness has no self-nature and does not make decisions on its own; the eighth consciousness is also a mind empty and unconditioned, without marks and without aspiration, and therefore it is non-acting (anābhoga). Thus it is said that the eighth consciousness is not a decision-making consciousness. Only when there is a self does one need to be in charge, even taking the self as the master; the eighth consciousness is without self, so He has no volition to dominate any dharma.