Can Ordinary Sentient Beings Cling to the Eighth Consciousness as a Self?

Only those who have realized the eighth consciousness begin to cling to it as the self. When ordinary beings have not realized the eighth consciousness, their manas cannot cling to the eighth consciousness as the self. After truly realizing the eighth consciousness and attaining enlightenment, through subsequent continuous cultivation, one must gradually eliminate the clinging of manas to the eighth consciousness in order to reach the third barrier in Chan Buddhism and attain liberation.

If sentient beings can cling to the eighth consciousness, they will no longer cling to the five aggregates as the self. If one has not realized the eighth consciousness, how could one cling to it? Everyone should persist in clinging to the eighth consciousness; as long as one can cling to the eighth consciousness even slightly, one will develop a degree of samadhi of suchness, which brings immeasurable merit.