The Difference Between the Cessation of the Six Consciousnesses in Nirvāṇa and in Asaṃjñā-samāpatti and Nirodha-samāpatti

In nirvana, not only are the six consciousnesses extinguished, but primarily the manas (ego-mind) is also extinguished. In the thoughtless samādhi, although the six consciousnesses cease, the manas remains, and the five universal mental factors continue to operate, belonging to a state with mind. In the cessation samādhi, the six consciousnesses are extinguished, the manas remains, but the five universal mental factors lose their functions of feeling and perception, belonging to a half-minded state. When completely devoid of mind, one attains nirvana.

The extinction of the six consciousnesses can be temporary or permanent. In the thoughtless samādhi and cessation samādhi, the temporary extinction of the six consciousnesses occurs because the manas temporarily ceases to grasp at objects. However, since the manas has not relinquished the world of the five aggregates, it will still cause the six consciousnesses to arise again, emerging from the samādhi. During sleep, the six consciousnesses cease because the manas requires the physical body to rest; this is temporary. As long as the mind of manas is not extinguished, it will cause the six consciousnesses to arise upon awakening. During coma, obstacles arise in the physical body, preventing the subtle sense faculties from normally receiving the six dusts (sense objects), so the six consciousnesses cannot continue to discern. Yet the manas still desires to possess the functions of the six consciousnesses and the physical body. When the physical obstacles disappear, the manas will again prompt the six consciousnesses to arise. At death, the four great elements separate, and the six sense objects cannot be transmitted to the subtle sense faculties, making it impossible to sustain the functions of the six consciousnesses. Only then does the manas reluctantly depart from the body of the five aggregates, generating an intermediate body to continue utilizing the functions of the six consciousnesses. This is the passive action of the manas.

The emergence of the nirvana state occurs because the manas ceases all mental activities, making it impossible for the six consciousnesses to continue functioning; thus, the six consciousnesses are extinguished, and the manas itself is also extinguished. This is the active action of the manas.

The six consciousnesses are like winds of objects, capable of stirring the waves of the seventh consciousness in the ocean of the ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness). When the objects discriminated by the mental consciousness are transmitted to the manas, the manas becomes tainted, thereby giving rise to thoughts and stirring the mind, causing waves to surge and the ocean of mind to become unsettled. Therefore, when the mental consciousness ceases its discrimination, the manas becomes purified and gradually approaches nirvana.

The same principle applies to sentient beings reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. When the mental consciousness in the Pure Land is not exposed to defiled objects similar to those in the Sahā world for an extended period, the mind becomes purified, no longer tainting the manas with unwholesome dharmas. As the mental consciousness becomes pure, the manas also becomes pure. When the manas is purified and resonates with the Pure Land, beings will emerge from the lotus flowers to see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and realize the state of non-arising.