How to Break Through Ignorance?

What the Heart Sutra says—"no ignorance and also no ending of ignorance"—refers to the fact that the eighth consciousness has no ignorance. Therefore, the eighth consciousness does not need to cultivate, does not need to eliminate ignorance, does not need to sever afflictions, does not need to attain liberation, and does not need to become a Buddha either. The seventh consciousness and the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) cannot be like this: since the seventh consciousness and the five aggregates have ignorance, they need to cultivate in order to eliminate ignorance. Only when ignorance has been completely eliminated can they attain purity, great ease, and great liberation. In the process of eliminating ignorance, one needs to cultivate, needs to keep the precepts, needs meditative concentration (samādhi), needs to study the wisdom of prajñā, needs to practice Chan and awaken to the Way, needs to sever afflictions, needs to attain realization, and needs to become a Buddha.