The Meaning of Transforming Consciousness into Wisdom

Transforming consciousness into wisdom mainly refers to the transformation of the seventh consciousness into wisdom. The seventh consciousness has the consciousness-nature of ignorance and lacks wisdom, or its wisdom is very shallow; that is why it is necessary to eliminate the ignorance and afflictions of the seventh consciousness and give birth to great wisdom, thereby transforming consciousness into wisdom. After the seventh consciousness has completely severed ignorance and transformed consciousness into wisdom, the defiled seeds stored in the tathāgatagarbha or in the vipākavijñāna are completely eradicated, no longer dragging down the tathāgatagarbha-vipākavijñāna, no longer restricting the functions and operations of the tathāgatagarbha-vipākavijñāna. At that point, the tathāgatagarbha-vipākavijñāna will radiate great light, fully unfolding all of its own functions and operations, becoming the great perfect mirror wisdom (ādarśajñāna)—conventionally described as the tathāgatagarbha-vipākavijñāna transforming consciousness into wisdom.

The consciousness-nature of the conscious mind is characterized by ignorance, foolishness, affliction, obstruction, and attachment; its wisdom is shallow. When it perceives dharmas, it often falls into the appearances of dharmas; it lacks the wisdom of consciousness-only (Yogācāra) teachings and does not recognize the true face of dharmas. After seeing one's true mind, one gradually attains meditative concentration, severs afflictions, removes obstructions, and progressively passes through the final barrier. In nirvāṇa with remainder (sopadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa), at the end of life one has the ability to enter nirvāṇa without remainder (anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa) yet does not enter it. Subsequently, one passes through the dream-like contemplation, studies the consciousness-only teachings, and after acquiring a portion of the seed-wisdom of consciousness-only (种智), when perceiving dharmas one will know their consciousness-only nature and know the substance of dharmas, no longer falling into worldly appearances of dharmas; wisdom then undergoes a qualitative leap. Thereupon the sixth and seventh consciousnesses transform consciousness into wisdom, entering the home of the Tathāgata, becoming true children of the Buddha, able to continue the lineage of the Buddha's seeds and spread the teaching across a region.

The prerequisites for transforming consciousness into wisdom are: one must have realized the fruits, and moreover the third fruit or above; one must have meditative concentration, and moreover the first dhyāna or above; one must have awakened to the true mind, possessing not only the general-characteristic wisdom of the dharmadhātu but also the subsequently acquired wisdom, being able to observe in detail and directly how the tathāgatagarbha operates within the five aggregates (pañcaskandha), as well as possessing a portion of the seed-wisdom of consciousness-only. Therefore, without meditative concentration, do not talk about realization, do not talk about wisdom, let alone transforming consciousness into wisdom—at most one has dry wisdom that solves no actual problems.

The initial transformation of consciousness into wisdom occurs at the bhūmi of the first-ground bodhisattva, entering through the door into the house, entering the home of the Tathāgata, becoming a true child of the Buddha—that is, the Buddha's own son. The implication is that before the first-ground bodhisattva, none are the Buddha's own children, including the great arhats of the fourth fruit and the pratyekabuddhas. The reason is that they have not transformed consciousness into wisdom; their consciousness-nature exceeds their wisdom-nature, their power of wisdom (prajñā-bala) to contemplate all dharmas is insufficient, and in contemplating all dharmas, the existence of dharmas outweighs the emptiness of dharmas.

In the study and practice of the Buddha's teachings, transforming consciousness into wisdom is a very high threshold, involving the power of meditative concentration and the power of wisdom; only when both have power can one calmly step over this threshold. The power of concentration must include the meditative power of the first dhyāna or above; the power of wisdom must include the wisdom power of contemplating emptiness, including the emptiness of self regarding persons and a portion of the emptiness of no-self regarding dharmas. Other conditions, such as the bodhisattva's power of merit, self-discipline, disposition of mind, compassion for sentient beings, and power of vow, must all be fulfilled in order to transform consciousness into wisdom. This is not something that can be achieved through practice over such a short time as a few kalpas, a few dozen kalpas, a few hundred kalpas, or even a few thousand kalpas.

Holding the precepts is self-discipline; only then can one restrain others and discipline others, becoming a model and guide for sentient beings. When the precepts are perfected along with patience and gentleness, the first dhyāna concentration can be fulfilled. With this first dhyāna concentration, on the foundation of having eliminated self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi), one will sequentially sever various afflictions, and part of the obstruction to wisdom is removed. If the afflictive habits are also severed, the obstructions to wisdom will be completely removed, and the sun of wisdom will shine brilliantly over heaven and earth.

From this it can be seen that the ultimate purpose of practice is to accomplish the wisdom of emptiness in the sixth and seventh consciousnesses: the mind consciousness sequentially realizes the emptiness of all dharmas, and the manas also sequentially realizes the emptiness of all dharmas, transforming the consciousness-nature of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses into wisdom-nature. A conscious mind with ignorance and afflictions is consciousness-nature; a conscious mind without ignorance and afflictions is wisdom-nature. To sever the fundamental afflictions, one must possess the power of concentration of the first dhyāna or above, and must also sever the "view of self regarding persons" and the "view of self regarding dharmas" in order to transform consciousness into wisdom.