The Manas Has Beginningless Ignorance

Innumerable eons ago, the manas existed together with the eighth consciousness; there was no point of beginning. At that time the manas was in a state of ignorance, and that is why it existed together with the eighth consciousness, so that ignorance came into function, prompting the eighth consciousness to give birth to the world of the three realms and the five-aggregate body. If the manas had no ignorance, then innumerable eons ago the manas would not have existed at all—there would only be the eighth consciousness, which is the state of Nirvāṇa without remainder, and this Nirvāṇa without remainder would be maintained forever, with no manas ever again arising from it; of course, no five-aggregate body would be born either. That state is the state of the original Buddha, and that is why it is said that sentient beings are originally Buddhas, and that mind is Buddha. But the actual situation is not like this: the eighth consciousness gave birth to sentient beings, so mind, Buddha, and sentient beings have a very close point of connection—the eighth consciousness—and the eighth consciousness is one; there is no difference between itself and itself, for their natures are identical.