The Non-Abiding of the Deluded Mind in the Seven Consciousnesses

All dharmas are divided into the innate and the acquired, including the non-abiding mind, the mind of equanimity, the concentrated mind, the mind of wisdom, the enlightened mind, and so forth. The innate non-abiding mind is the eighth consciousness, Alaya vijnana, the Tathagatagarbha of true suchness. It does not require anyone to devise means for it to be non-abiding; it has always been non-abiding—at all times, in all places, and amidst the functioning of all dharmas.

The acquired non-abiding mind pertains to the deluded mind of the seventh consciousness. However, for the deluded mind of the seventh consciousness to attain non-abiding is extremely difficult; it requires not only meditative concentration but also precepts and great wisdom. If one seeks for the seventh consciousness to achieve complete and thorough non-abiding, like that of the Tathagatagarbha, this is only possible after attaining Buddhahood. A more apparent state of non-abiding is reached at the eighth ground (bhumi) of a Bodhisattva, or earlier, after the first bhumi where consciousness is transformed into wisdom. Apart from these stages, the minimum requirement is to cultivate up to the first dhyana or second dhyana and above, relying on meditative concentration to temporarily subdue the restless mind, enabling the mental faculty (manas) and the six consciousnesses to not dwell on or minimally dwell on the objects of the six senses. Such abiding may be termed acquired non-abiding, but it is impermanent and subject to cessation.