Section Two: The Manifestation of Ālayavijñāna

Original Text: Consciousness resides within the body, like the substance of darkness. It cannot be seen with the eyes, nor can it be grasped or held. It is like a mother carrying a child in her womb, yet she does not know whether it is a boy or a girl, whether its skin is black, white, or yellow, whether its sense faculties are complete or incomplete, or whether its hands, feet, eyes, and ears resemble her own. When she consumes hot food or drink, the child moves within her, causing her to feel pain.

Explanation: Ālayavijñāna within the five aggregates (skandhas) is like darkness—formless and colorless. It cannot be seen with the eyes, nor can it be grasped, touched, or held. This describes its characteristic of being formless and shapeless yet manifesting within all phenomena. It is like a pregnant mother who does not know the gender of her child, the color of its skin (whether black, white, or yellow), whether its six sense faculties are complete or incomplete, or whether its hands, feet, eyes, ears, and appearance resemble her own.

In ancient times, without modern detection devices, a pregnant woman could not determine the fetus’s gender or physical features—whether it had hands and feet, eyes and ears, or resembled her. However, when the mother eats hot food, the child, stimulated by the heat, moves restlessly within the womb, fearing the heat. When the child moves, the mother feels sharp pain. If the mother consumes something cold, the child, unable to endure it, also moves restlessly, causing the mother to feel pain. At such times, the mother knows the child is active.

Original Text: When sentient beings come and go, bend and stretch, look and blink, speak and laugh, converse, carry water or firewood, bear heavy loads, or engage in various activities, the manifestations of consciousness are fully revealed. Yet they do not know where consciousness resides. It abides within the body, but they do not know its form.

Explanation: When the five aggregates of sentient beings come and go, bend and stretch, glance around, speak, laugh, converse, carry water or firewood, bear heavy loads, or engage in all activities, the manifestations of Ālayavijñāna are fully revealed. Yet sentient beings do not know where Ālayavijñāna operates. Ālayavijñāna dwells within the body, but sentient beings do not know its state—just as a pregnant mother does not know her child.

The child in the womb is likened to Ālayavijñāna, while the mother is likened to the five aggregates of sentient beings. Ālayavijñāna is formless and shapeless; sentient beings do not know its appearance. But when the five aggregates function, they know Ālayavijñāna is present. Thus, a Chan kōan arises: Ālayavijñāna is easy to realize, and the insight into the mind (明心) can occur quite swiftly. Speculation does not count; it must be investigated through meditative concentration (定中参究), without the activity of deliberate thought. Ālayavijñāna is within the bodies of sentient beings, but its exact state is unknown. When ordinary understanding is insufficient, one only knows Ālayavijñāna functions everywhere, but not where it functions or what role it plays. At this stage, one is still distant from realization and must continue striving.

This sūtra almost explicitly reveals Ālayavijñāna. When one subsequently contemplates Chan or kōans, it becomes very easy to penetrate them. Chan meditation is actually not difficult; it is the lack of meditative stability (定力) and insufficient merit (福德) and other causal conditions that make realization seem harder. Intellectual understanding (解悟) is relatively easy. Previously, the direction for Chan meditation was elusive. Now, studying this passage from the Mahāyāna *Sūtra of the Manifestation of Consciousness* (大乘显识经), it becomes clear: Ālayavijñāna never departs from the five aggregates. The true Dharma does not depart from the provisional Dharma, and the provisional Dharma does not depart from the true Dharma. Within the functioning of the provisional Dharma, the true Dharma manifests. This direction for Chan meditation is very clear. Yet some Buddhists meditate for thirty years and, at death, still do not know in which direction to investigate or how to realize Ālayavijñāna.

If these sentences were explained in detail, ordinary Chan kōans would become understandable. However, even if one understands them, if the actual functioning of Ālayavijñāna remains unknown, it is merely intellectual understanding, not true realization. One must still investigate meticulously without engaging the conscious mind (意识心), discerning the concrete functioning of Ālayavijñāna. Only this is realization (证悟). Speculation and conjecture by the conscious mind do not count. If one discerns only the general situation of Ālayavijñāna without knowing its specific functioning or details, it is at best intellectual understanding. After realization, wisdom immediately increases, whereas intellectual understanding keeps wisdom stagnant.

Original Text: Bhadrapāla, the intrinsic nature of consciousness pervades all places yet is not defiled by them.

Explanation: Bhadrapāla, the intrinsic nature of Ālayavijñāna pervades all places. It pervades the twelve sense fields (十二处)—the six sense faculties and six sense objects—and is not defiled by the dharmas of these twelve sense fields.

The six sense faculties contacting the six sense objects are: eye seeing form, ear hearing sound, nose smelling scent, tongue tasting flavor, body feeling touch, and mind cognizing dharmas. Ālayavijñāna manifests distinctly within these six sense faculties contacting the six sense objects. This will not be elaborated here, leaving some secrets for personal investigation to increase wisdom. Ālayavijñāna enters the twelve sense fields yet is not defiled by them. This means when sentient beings see forms with the eye, Ālayavijñāna is not defiled by form objects: seeing beauty does not generate joy or greed; seeing ugliness does not generate aversion or hatred—the mind is not defiled by these form objects. When sentient beings hear sounds, hearing praise does not please Ālayavijñāna; hearing curses does not provoke anger—the mind is not defiled by sound objects. When sentient beings smell scents with the nose, encountering fragrance does not please Ālayavijñāna; encountering foul odor does not disgust it—it is not defiled by scents.

When the six sense faculties contact the six sense objects, Ālayavijñāna is never defiled. Why? Because Ālayavijñāna does not perceive the six sense objects of the mundane world. It does not hear mundane sounds; thus, curses have no effect on it, nor does praise. It does not see mundane forms; if you bow to it, it feels no joy; if you glare at it, it feels no anger. To it, all dharmas are inconsequential; thus, it is undefiled. If Ālayavijñāna, like the six consciousnesses, could perceive the mundane six sense objects, it would certainly be defiled by them, because the six consciousnesses discriminate good and evil, beauty and ugliness, right and wrong—likes and dislikes easily arise. Ālayavijñāna does not discriminate good, evil, right, wrong, beauty, ugliness, size, or length; thus, it does not generate joy or aversion. Its immunity to defilement by the six sense objects stems from its non-discrimination of their specific content.

Original Text: Ālayavijñāna pervades and abides in the six sense faculties, six sense objects, and the five aggregates of affliction, yet is not defiled by them. Through this, the functional activity of consciousness is revealed.

Explanation: Where else does Ālayavijñāna abide? It abides hidden within the six sense faculties—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—sustaining them. Without the upholding of Ālayavijñāna, these faculties would cease. Ālayavijñāna also abides hidden within the six sense objects—forms, sounds, scents, flavors, tactile sensations, and mental objects—upholding them. Without Ālayavijñāna upholding the six sense objects, forms, sounds, scents, flavors, tactile sensations, and mental objects would vanish and cease to exist.

The five aggregates of affliction (五烦恼阴) are the five aggregates subject to clinging (五受阴): the aggregate of form, the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental formations, and the aggregate of consciousness. Ālayavijñāna pervasively abides within these five aggregates subject to clinging; otherwise, they could not exist, and there would be no sentient beings. Ālayavijñāna pervasively abides within the six sense faculties, six sense objects, and the five aggregates, yet is not defiled by these dharmas. Through the functioning of the five aggregates, six sense faculties, and six sense objects, the functional activity of Ālayavijñāna is revealed. This is called "daily function" (日用). Ordinary beings are unaware of this daily function; if they knew, they would not be ordinary. Ālayavijñāna operates moment by moment upon the six sense faculties, six sense objects, six consciousnesses, and the five aggregates, yet sentient beings do not know it. This is beginningless ignorance (无始无明).

Original Text: Bhadrapāla, it is like a wooden automaton fixed in one place, performing various actions: walking, leaping, jumping, dancing.

Explanation: Bhadrapāla, Ālayavijñāna is like a wooden automaton placed in one location, made to perform various actions: walking, leaping, jumping, dancing.

These are originally actions performed by the five aggregates subject to clinging. A wooden automaton performing various actions is analogous to the five aggregates performing actions. The five-aggregate body is like a wooden automaton; its actions follow a programmed design. The wooden automaton lacks autonomy; similarly, the five-aggregate body lacks autonomy. For example, a robot or a washing machine is made to perform tasks within its capacity. Once programmed and powered, the wooden automaton, robot, etc., begins to operate. In truth, it is not the wooden figure or robot that operates but the result of human manipulation behind it. Similarly, Ālayavijñāna also operates continuously. As it operates, the sentient being’s five aggregates follow suit and begin to function. How the five aggregates operate is explicitly explained here by the Buddha.

Original Text: What do you think? By whose power are the automaton’s actions performed? Bhadrapāla said to the Buddha: My wisdom is narrow and shallow; I cannot determine this.

Explanation: Bhadrapāla, what do you think? What force drives the actions of the wooden automaton? Who is the operator of its mechanism? Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla said: My wisdom is narrow and shallow; I cannot resolve this matter.

If the Buddha had explained this more explicitly here, we would not need Chan meditation. For example, when you press a button, a washing machine begins to operate; press a switch, and a light turns on; press a button, and a robot begins to work; press a button, and an electric doll begins to sing and dance.

Original Text: The Buddha told Bhadrapāla: You should know it is all due to the power of karmic action. Karmic action is formless, yet wisdom operates it. Similarly, the mechanisms of the body perform various actions by the power of consciousness. The diverse activities of immortals, gandharvas, nāgas, spirits, humans, devas, asuras, and others all depend on it. Consciousness generates the body like a craftsman’s automaton.

Explanation: The Buddha told Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla: All actions performed by the wooden automaton are operated by a force of karmic action (作业之力). This creative force is formless and shapeless; it is through the form of wisdom that the automaton operates and accomplishes its tasks. Similarly, the sentient body is like the automaton. The operation of the body’s mechanisms follows the same principle as the automaton: it is driven by a wisdom-power of consciousness to operate and perform various actions. The operation of the body’s mechanisms relies on the power of Ālayavijñāna, enabling the body to perform all actions. The various activities of beings with spiritual powers—immortals, gandharvas, nāgas, spirits, humans, devas, asuras, and others—all depend entirely on Ālayavijñāna.

Ālayavijñāna generates the physical body, like an automaton crafted for work—just as a robot or washing machine operates when a button is pressed. All these activities are the activities of the five aggregates, encompassing all bodily, verbal, and mental actions. "Karmic action" (业) here refers to karmic activity (业行), not worldly undertakings or careers. Any operation of the five aggregates is called "activity" (事业).

Original Text: Consciousness is formless and immaterial, yet universally upholds the entire Dharma Realm. Its power of wisdom is complete. Like sunlight, it illuminates impartially—sentient beings with evil karma, all that is impure, corpses, foulness, and filth—without being defiled by any evil. Similarly, consciousness, though dwelling in the bodies of pigs and dogs that consume impure things, or in the bodies of beings in evil destinies, is not defiled by them.

Explanation: Ālayavijñāna is formless and immaterial, colorless and shapeless, yet it universally upholds the entire Dharma Realm (法界). Its power of wisdom is complete. Like sunlight, which illuminates all dharmas equally—sentient beings with evil karma, all impure things, corpses, foul places, and filth—it is never defiled or tainted by evil or foulness. Ālayavijñāna is also like sunlight, universally upholding all dharmas. Though it dwells within the bodies of pigs and dogs, enabling them to consume filthy and impure food, or within the bodies of beings in the three evil destinies (三恶道), it is not defiled by those evil-destiny beings or their evil karmic retribution.

The Dharma Realm referred to is the Ten Dharma Realms (十法界)—the four sagely realms and six mundane realms—plus the eighteen elements (十八界) of the six sense faculties, six sense objects, and six consciousnesses. All dharmas are upheld by Ālayavijñāna. Ālayavijñāna possesses complete wisdom-power, skillfully utilizing all seeds to create all dharmas. Like sunlight, whether illuminating evil-destiny sentient beings, all impure things, or corpses and foulness, it shines universally without partiality. Ālayavijñāna is similarly impartial: encountering whatever conditions arise, it gives birth to and upholds whatever dharmas manifest, without bias. Whatever karmic seeds beings possess, it can manifest them; whatever karmic retribution, it can actualize; whatever adverse environment, it can produce—even feces and corpses.

Moreover, Ālayavijñāna is not defiled by any evil dharmas. It gives birth to evil people and evil actions yet is not defiled by the evil minds and actions of sentient beings. It emerges from mud yet remains unstained; it dwells in a room of orchids yet remains unperfumed. Though Ālayavijñāna dwells within pigs and dogs, sharing their impure food, residing in the bodies of beings in evil destinies, it is not defiled by evil karma. It does not become foolish like pigs and dogs, greedy like hungry ghosts, or hateful like hell beings—even though these beings are all its manifestations.