Selected Lectures on the Sutra of the Father and Son Collection (28)

this realm of consciousness, each [consciousness] perceives and distinguishes its respective sense objects and then ceases. Consciousness arises from nowhere and ceases to nowhere. Great King, consciousness is empty when it arises and empty when it ceases. Its self-nature is devoid of characteristics; it does not abide in the male form nor in the female form. It is merely an illusory appearance expressed through language. Thus, the realm of consciousness and the nature of consciousness are both ungraspable. Only the Buddha's perfect wisdom can fully comprehend this.

After eye-consciousness perceives and distinguishes form, eye-consciousness ceases. After ear-consciousness perceives and distinguishes sound, ear-consciousness ceases. After nose-consciousness perceives and distinguishes smell, nose-consciousness ceases. After body-consciousness perceives and distinguishes touch, body-consciousness ceases. After mind-consciousness perceives and distinguishes mental objects, mind-consciousness ceases. These six consciousnesses come from nowhere and go nowhere. When they arise, they are empty; when they cease, they are empty. When eye-consciousness arises, it has no location; it does not come from the eye-faculty and form, nor from space, nor from the brain; it arises from nowhere. When it ceases, it also has no place of cessation; it does not go into the eye-faculty, nor into form, nor into space, nor into the brain. This explanation pertains to the Hinayana viewpoint. From the Mahayana perspective, they all arise from the Tathagatagarbha.

The self-nature of the realm of consciousness is apart from all dharmas, unattached to all dharmas. Its intrinsic nature is fundamentally empty. The nature of consciousness does not abide in the male form nor in the female form; there is no male form nor female form. Yet, the nature of consciousness can perceive and distinguish male and female forms. The realm of consciousness inherently has no form or self-nature; it is merely displayed through language. Therefore, it is said that the realm of consciousness and the nature of consciousness are both utterly ungraspable, cannot be clung to, and cannot be grasped. Only the Buddha's correct knowledge and wisdom can thoroughly comprehend this matter.

These consciousnesses also do not abide on the six sense faculties (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind), nor on the external sense objects of form, sound, smell, taste, touch. They do not abide on the faculties and objects, nor on any dharmas. They themselves have no male or female form; they are merely a nominal illusion, a term expressed through language. Therefore, the six realms of consciousness and the nature of the consciousness realm are ungraspable.

The nature of consciousness is discrimination: eye-consciousness discriminates forms, ear-consciousness discriminates sounds, nose-consciousness discriminates scents, tongue-consciousness discriminates tastes (sour, sweet, bitter, spicy), body-consciousness discriminates tangible objects, mind-consciousness discriminates mental objects included in the form realm. Their intrinsic nature is all ungraspable. Only the Buddha's correct wisdom can completely and fully comprehend this matter; we can only comprehend a small part of it.