The Ninth Sūtra of the Dīrgha-āgama: The Great Discourse on Causes and Means

（十）Original text:佛告阿难。七识住。二入处。诸有沙门婆罗门言。此处安隐。为救为护。为舍为灯。为明为归。为不虚妄。为不烦恼。云何为七。或有众生。若干种身。若干种想。天及人。此是初识住处。诸沙门婆罗门言。此处安隐。为救为护。为舍为灯。为明为归。为不虚妄。为不烦恼。阿难。若比丘知初识住。知集知灭。知味知过。知出要。如实知者。阿难。彼比丘言。彼非我。我非彼。如实知见。 

Explanation: The Buddha told Ānanda: There are seven stations of consciousness and two bases of entry; you should know them. Various śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say that these seven stations of consciousness and two bases of entry are secure, are places that can be protected and rescued, are dwellings and bright lamps, are light and places of refuge, are places that are real and not false, and are places without afflictions. What are the seven stations of consciousness? The first station of consciousness is among humans and devas: there are sentient beings with the material bodies of humans and devas, of different kinds of bodies and different perceptions. The śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say that the abode of humans and devas is secure, is protected and rescued, is a dwelling where one may abide, is a bright lamp that can illuminate, is light, is a place of reliance, is a place that is real and not false, and is a place without afflictions.

Ānanda, if bhikṣus know the first station of consciousness, know its arising and ceasing, know its flavor of craving and stickiness, know its faults and drawbacks, and know the way to escape from it, fully understanding it as it really is, then the bhikṣus will say: the station of consciousness is not me, and I am not the station of consciousness; I can know and see this principle as it really is. 

Original text:或有众生。若干种身而一想。梵光音天是。或有众生。一身若干种想。光音天是。或有众生一身一想。遍净天是。或有众生。住空处。或有众生。住识处。或有众生。住不用处。是为七识住处。或有沙门婆罗门言。此处安隐。为救为护。为舍为灯。为明为归。为不虚妄。为不烦恼。阿难。若比丘知七识住。知集知灭。知味知过。知出要。如实知见。彼比丘言。彼非我。我非彼。如实知见。是为七识住。 

Explanation: The second station of consciousness is among the devas of the Brahmā-Paricāraka heaven (the Brahmā assembly) of the first dhyāna heaven of the form realm, where the material bodies are divided into several kinds, yet there is only one kind of perception; the third station of consciousness is among the devas of the Ābhāsvara heaven of the second dhyāna, where the material body is of only one kind, yet there are several kinds of perception; the fourth station of consciousness is among the devas of the Subhakṛtsna (Universally Pure) heaven of the third dhyāna, where the material body is of only one kind and the perception is also of only one kind; the fifth station of consciousness is among the devas of the Ākāśānantyāyatana (sphere of boundless space) heaven of the formless realm, where there is no material body, only extremely subtle perception; the sixth station of consciousness is among the devas of the Vijñānānantyāyatana (sphere of boundless consciousness) heaven, likewise without a material body, with only even subtler perception; the seventh station of consciousness is among the devas of the Ākiṃcanyāyatana (sphere of nothingness) heaven, where there is no material body, and their perception is even subtler and harder to know. These are the stations of the seven consciousnesses. Some śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas say that these stations are secure, that they offer protection and rescue, that they are dwellings, bright lamps, light, places to rely upon and take refuge in, places that are not false, and places without afflictions. Ānanda, if bhikṣus can know the seven stations of consciousness, know the arising and complete cessation of the seven stations of consciousness, know the flavor of craving and the faults of the seven stations of consciousness, and know the essential way to escape from the seven stations of consciousness, and can know and see these stations as they really are, then the bhikṣus will say: the seven stations of consciousness are not me, and I am not the seven stations of consciousness; being able to know and see the seven stations of consciousness as they really is—this is the seven stations of consciousness.