The Four Divisions of the Eight Consciousnesses

The four divisions are the perceiving-aspect (darśana-bhāga), the object-aspect (nimitta), the self-cognition (svasaṃvitti), and the self-validating cognition (svasaṃvedana). Among the eight consciousnesses, not only does the sixth consciousness have the four divisions, including the self-validating cognition, but the seventh consciousness also has the self-validating cognition, and the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha, also has the self-validating cognition. All eight consciousnesses have the four divisions; it is simply not spoken of to those who lack the capacity for contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) and cannot realize it directly. There are many profound dharmas that the Buddha, when facing those whose faculty of faith is not complete and whose power of wisdom is not complete, either does not speak of, or speaks of only through indirect and skillful means rather than directly, because if spoken directly, sentient beings cannot understand, and it would only increase their doubts.

As one's practice deepens continuously, as afflictions are subdued and eradicated, and as the power of wisdom keeps rising, the eight consciousnesses not only grow ever stronger in their consciousness-nature, but their nature of wisdom also becomes stronger and deeper. The functions of the seven consciousnesses of each person are absolutely different—that is, the mental factors (caittas) are absolutely different. This is precisely the difference between those who practice and those who do not, and the difference between those who practice well and those who practice poorly.

As practice deepens continuously, not only does the sixth consciousness undergo changes, but the changes in the seventh consciousness also become greater and greater, manifested mainly in the transformation of the mental factors (caittas), and manifested in the wisdom of the conscious mind. In other words, the mark of successful practice is the transformation of consciousness into wisdom. Even if one has not yet practiced to the point of attaining the bhūmis, the wisdom of one's conscious mind should still be different from that of ordinary beings, and it is also quietly transforming; it is only a matter of whether sentient beings have the ability to observe it. If one lacks the ability to observe, it shows that the wisdom-nature of one's conscious mind is still not good enough, and there are still obstructions. For those who lack the ability to observe and whose faculty of faith is also insufficient, one should no longer speak of the most profound dharmas.