The Dharma Realm of One Reality, as a Whole Is True Suchness

All dharmas are consciousness; the entirety is Suchness, with nothing beyond this. A single blade of grass is consciousness, let alone other things. Wind cannot blow by itself; trees cannot sway by themselves; all phenomena cannot arise and cease, cease and arise, by themselves.

The eighth consciousness neither arises nor ceases. What arises and ceases are all phenomena, which are the functions manifested by the eighth consciousness. The essence of the eighth consciousness is non-arising and non-ceasing, while its functions ceaselessly arise and cease. All dharmas of the three realms are its functions. These functions are all the functioning of the seven great seeds; the entirety of the seven great seeds is the eighth consciousness, and all dharmas in their entirety are also the eighth consciousness. All dharmas are like gold objects; the eighth consciousness is the gold itself. Seeing the gold objects, one should recognize the gold.

The eighth consciousness operates through mental associates to manifest functions, using seeds to generate all dharmas. The eighth consciousness employs consciousness-seeds to give rise to consciousness, forming mental dharmas. There are also material dharmas, which are generated by the five great seeds. Additionally, there is the great element of perception, which is the perceiving nature of the eighth consciousness itself. Thus, all functions and activities of the eighth consciousness are perfected.

The eighth consciousness itself also possesses consciousness-seeds, which flow forth moment by moment, forming its own discerning nature. This flow never ceases except at the stage of Buddhahood; therefore, the eighth consciousness is eternally indestructible. The flow of seeds of the seventh consciousness may cease at times; hence, the seventh consciousness can be extinguished and is subject to arising and ceasing. The eighth consciousness has never arisen or ceased.

All dharmas are material dharmas and mental dharmas. Mental dharmas include the eighth consciousness and its own mental associates, as well as the seven consciousnesses and their mental associates. Mental dharmas encompass conditioned dharmas and unconditioned dharmas. The entire world is thus: the whole is the eighth consciousness; the entirety is Suchness. These constitute the essential principles of the entire Buddhist doctrine; details will not be discussed for now.