眾生無邊誓願度
煩惱無盡誓願斷
法門無量誓願學
佛道無上誓願成

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Dharma Teachings

06 Jan 2020    Monday     1st Teach Total 2107

Why Does the Ālaya-vijñāna Not Contain the Seeds of Avidyā?

In the ālaya-vijñāna, the seeds of the seventh consciousness inherently exist, yet there are no seeds of fundamental ignorance pertaining to the seventh consciousness. Why is this so? Because all seeds are karmic seeds left by the actions of body, speech, and mind; without karma, there are no seeds, except for the seven great seeds. The seventh consciousness perpetually accompanies the ālaya-vijñāna. In the beginning, there were neither the six consciousnesses nor the five aggregates, so actions could not be performed, and thus no seeds could be retained in the ālaya-vijñāna. After the birth of the six consciousnesses and the five aggregates, the actions of body, speech, and mind are precisely based on the ignorance of the seventh consciousness. If the seventh consciousness lacked ignorance, the six consciousnesses and the five aggregates would not arise, and consequently, there would be no karmic actions, nor the great chiliocosm—only perfect stillness. If the seventh consciousness truly lacked ignorance, it would enter nirvāṇa, and moreover, the nirvāṇa of Buddhahood. Thus, it is evident that the seventh consciousness is fully endowed with all fundamental ignorance, thereby giving rise to the world and the realm of sentient beings, perpetuating the cycle of rebirth without cease.

——Master Sheng-Ru's Teachings
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