The Manifestation of the Eighth Consciousness (Ālayavijñāna) in the Face of the Six Sense Objects

The realms of the six sense objects are manifested by the eighth consciousness. The seeds of the four great elements of the eighth consciousness are constantly arising and returning on the realms of the six sense objects, moment after moment. The eighth consciousness, moment after moment, is always grasping and sustaining the six sense objects; they cannot be separated even for an instant, and they are in such intimate contact—how could the eighth consciousness fail to cognize the realms of the six sense objects? If the eighth consciousness did not cognize the realms of the six sense objects, how could it change the six sense objects moment by moment, and how could it allow the six sense objects to continuously undergo all kinds of changes?

The eighth consciousness cognizes the realms of the six sense objects just as a computer processes programs, just as a robot processes instructions—cognizing without discriminating. Cognition is knowing; discrimination is knowing the specifics of how things are. The eighth consciousness cognizes the realms of the six sense objects, yet it does not know east, west, south, north, or center; it does not know whether the six sense objects are wholesome or unwholesome, beautiful or ugly, right or wrong; it does not know what the six sense objects even are. Therefore, facing the realms of the six sense objects, the eighth consciousness remains suchness, immovable (tathatā-acalita), without arising thoughts or mental activity, without feeling, without emotions, without mental formations, and without creating karmic actions. Having neither karmic actions nor karmic retribution. Because the eighth consciousness is as unfeeling as a piece of wood, it abides in neutral feeling (upekṣā-vedanā); and because it abides in neutral feeling, its mind-ground is pure, without desires, without demands, without any activity, without any vows or volitional actions—this is why it is said to be an unconditioned dharma (asaṃskṛta-dharma).