The Fundamental Purpose of Studying Buddhism Is to Realize the True Reality of the Dharma Realm

The goal of studying Buddhism is to give rise to the great wisdom of prajñā; only with the great wisdom of prajñā can one attain buddhahood. The essence of prajñā is the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha. All Buddhist sutras unfold around the tathāgatagarbha; therefore, the tathāgatagarbha is the key to attaining buddhahood and the principal consciousness. The conscious mind can be found and realized quite easily, but finding the mind consciousness does not enable one to know the true reality of the dharmadhātu, nor will the great wisdom of prajñā arise. This is not the fundamental goal of studying Buddhism.

The fundamental purpose of Buddhist practice is to realize the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha, thereby awakening to the true mind and seeing one's true nature, becoming a Mahāyāna bodhisattva. Then one gives rise to various contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) wisdoms, and only in the end can one attain buddhahood. The principles of all eight consciousnesses are important, and all must be understood; in this way we possess great wisdom. To be ignorant of even one dharma is ignorance (avidyā). When ignorance is completely eliminated, one possesses the wisdom of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā); the mind is entirely luminous, with no dharma that is not thoroughly understood—then one attains buddhahood.

In studying Buddhism, once one understands the nature of the mind consciousness, one can eliminate the self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) of the mind consciousness and no longer mistake the mind consciousness for the true mind, the eighth consciousness, when seeking enlightenment. Once one understands the nature of the seven deluded consciousnesses, one can locate the seven deluded minds, and the remaining one, the eighth consciousness, becomes easy to find. Finding the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha, is awakening to the true mind and enlightenment; then one can know the five "how unforeseen is self-nature (svabhāva)" statements spoken by the Sixth Patriarch, our wisdom can open up, and we will know the entire ins and outs of all worldly and world-transcending dharmas, knowing the source of the myriad dharmas.