Conditioned Dharmas and Unconditioned Dharmas

The dependently arisen six consciousnesses, six sense objects, and five sense faculties are easily dispersed and decayed; therefore they are easily destroyed, easily changed, and easily eliminated. The non-dependently arisen manas is not easily dispersed and decayed; therefore it is not easily destroyed, not easily changed, and not easily eliminated. Changing the manas is very difficult, which is why it is said that cultivation is not easy and liberation is not easy.

As for the non-dependently arisen eighth consciousness, it simply does not disperse or decay, does not mutate, cannot be changed, and cannot be eliminated. Therefore, in the practice of cultivation, there is no need to cultivate or change the eighth consciousness; one only needs to realize the eighth consciousness, and then see with one's own eyes that all dharmas depend on the eighth consciousness and are products of the eighth consciousness, and that before the eighth consciousness, all dharmas remain hidden and do not manifest. In this way, one no longer grasps at any dharma—not even grasping at the eighth consciousness itself. The mind becomes greatly empty, utterly empty. This is liberation.

When there is no meditative concentration (samādhi), one sees all dharmas as just all dharmas; when there is meditative concentration, one sees that all dharmas are not just all dharmas—one can see the true appearance of dharmas, can see the substance and root of dharmas. Afterward, ignorance is extinguished, the mind is transformed, and there is liberation.