The Non-Abiding of the Deluded Mind of the Seventh Consciousness

All dharmas can be divided into those that are original and those that are acquired, including the mind that abides nowhere, the mind of equanimity, the mind of meditative concentration (samādhi), the mind of wisdom, the awakened mind, and so on. The originally non-abiding mind is the true suchness self-nature, the eighth consciousness, the Ālayavijñāna, the tathāgatagarbha. No one needs to devise any means to make He abide nowhere; He has always been abiding nowhere, at all times, in all places, in the operation of all dharmas.

The acquired non-abiding mind is the deluded mind of the seven consciousnesses. However, for the deluded mind of the seven consciousnesses to abide nowhere is extremely difficult; it requires not only meditative concentration (dhyāna) but also precepts and great wisdom. If the seven consciousnesses are to truly, completely, and thoroughly abide nowhere, just like the tathāgatagarbha, this is only possible after attaining buddhahood. The more evident non-abiding occurs at the stage of the eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva, and somewhat earlier, after the first-bhūmi bodhisattva when consciousness is transformed into wisdom. Apart from this, at the very minimum one must cultivate to the first or second dhyāna or above, relying on meditative concentration to temporarily subdue restless agitation, so that the manas and the six consciousnesses do not dwell on, or dwell only slightly on, the realms of the six sense objects. Such abiding can be called acquired non-abiding, but it is not reliable and can be extinguished.