The Two Meanings of "Abiding Nowhere, Yet Arousing the Mind"

"Abiding nowhere, yet giving rise to the mind" has two meanings. The first, most fundamental meaning is that our true suchness self-nature—the intrinsic nature of the eighth consciousness—does not abide in any dharma, yet constantly gives rise to the mind outwardly. Here, "giving rise to the mind" means that He can give birth to the myriad dharmas and transform the myriad dharmas; this is the nature of true suchness. The second meaning is that our deluded mind (the mind of the seven consciousnesses) should also learn from the eighth consciousness and, like Him, not abide in any dharma while operating upon all dharmas. When the five-aggregate body is operating—when cultivating and studying in worldly dharmas and in the Buddha-dharma—we should likewise, like the eighth consciousness, not abide in any dharma.

If we wish our deluded mind and five aggregates to abide nowhere and give rise to the mind, just like the intrinsic nature of the eighth consciousness, we should, through immersion in the teaching of the Mahāyāna true-suchness nature of the eighth consciousness, realize the eighth consciousness. Thereafter, we can gradually observe the pure nature of the eighth consciousness, and only then can our five aggregates slowly draw closer to the eighth consciousness, acting like Him in all worldly dharmas and transcendental dharmas. When engaging in conditioned dharmas, we should not abide in the marks of any dharma, and should practice the bodhisattva path without attaching to the marks of any dharma.

To attribute the marks of all dharmas to the true-suchness self-nature of the eighth consciousness requires immersion and cultivation in every respect before enlightenment. Before realization, it is only a semblance of abiding, a semblance of learning from the eighth consciousness; in truth, before you have realized it, your mind cannot rely upon the intrinsic nature of the eighth consciousness to engage in worldly conditioned dharmas. Before enlightenment, it is a matter of immersion; only after enlightenment can one observe the operation of the eighth consciousness truthfully and through direct perception. And while observing, one simultaneously learns from Him and draws closer to Him; the mental activities slowly transform, until in the end one can truly abide nowhere and give rise to the mind. "Giving rise to the mind" means that as soon as the mind of the seven consciousnesses arises, it must operate within the worldly dharmas of the three realms.

The fundamental mind, the eighth consciousness, is also giving rise to the mind. Here, "giving rise to the mind" means that He constantly gives birth to the conditioned dharmas of the three realms; all dharmas of the three realms of the world are produced by the eighth consciousness. Therefore, the intrinsic nature of the eighth consciousness does have mental activity. The five universal mental factors are the mental activity of the eighth consciousness; He employs the five universal mental factors to extensively create all worldly dharma-marks, yet He does not abide in any of the dharma-marks of the world. This is the meaning of "abiding nowhere, yet giving rise to the mind." Here there is the fundamental meaning as well as the worldly meaning—both meanings are present. If one spoke only of the meaning concerning the eighth consciousness, ordinary people could not understand it, and so both meanings must be explained; in this way the meaning is complete.