Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume X (The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination)

(21) Original Text: Question: If something arises conditioned by formations, is that also consciousness? And if it is consciousness, is it conditioned by formations? Answer: This should be addressed in four propositions: 1) That which is conditioned by formations but is not consciousness: this refers to the remaining limbs [of dependent origination] other than consciousness. 2) That which is consciousness but not conditioned by formations: this refers to uncontaminated consciousness (anāsrava-vijñāna) and non-obscured, non-defined consciousness (anivṛtāvyākṛta-vijñāna), excluding maturation-born consciousness (vipākaja-vijñāna). 3) That which is both consciousness and conditioned by formations: this refers to the seed consciousness (bīja-vijñāna) for future existence and the resultant consciousness (phala-vijñāna). 4) Apart from these characteristics, it constitutes the fourth proposition. By this principle, the [relationships] up to "contact conditions feeling" should similarly be understood through these four propositions, as appropriate. 

Explanation: Question: If a dharma arises conditioned by formations (saṃskāra-pratyaya), is this dharma also consciousness (vijñāna)? If this dharma is consciousness, is consciousness then conditioned by formations? Answer: This question should be addressed through four propositions:

1) Some dharmas are conditioned by formations but are not consciousness; these are the other limbs besides consciousness, such as name-and-form (nāmarūpa), the six sense bases (ṣaḍāyatana), contact (sparśa), feeling (vedanā), craving (tṛṣṇā), grasping (upādāna), becoming (bhava), birth (jāti), and aging-and-death (jarāmaraṇa). 2) Some types of consciousness are not conditioned by formations, such as consciousness free from outflows (anāsrava-vijñāna), and non-obscured, non-defined consciousness (anivṛtāvyākṛta-vijñāna), excluding maturation-born consciousness (vipākaja-vijñāna). 3) Some consciousness is also conditioned by formations, such as the seed consciousness (bīja-vijñāna) leading to future existence and resultant consciousness (phala-vijñāna). 4) Apart from these dharmas with such characteristics, all else falls under the fourth proposition. 

By this same principle, it should be understood that name-and-form conditioned by consciousness, the six sense bases conditioned by name-and-form, contact conditioned by the six sense bases, feeling conditioned by contact, and so forth, all correspond appropriately to these four propositions.

The limbs from name-and-form, six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, and aging-and-death are also all conditioned by formations; they are dharmas produced by the activity (saṃskāra) of the mental faculty (manas). The arising of any dharma is the result of the activity of the mental faculty; if activity does not occur, none of the subsequent dharmas will arise. However, the directly conditioning limb for formations is the six consciousnesses (ṣaḍ-vijñāna); the direct condition for the arising of the six consciousnesses is formations, while the direct condition for name-and-form through aging-and-death is the preceding limb, with formations being an indirect condition. Another issue is that once the six consciousnesses are free from the outflows (āsrava) of defilement (kleśa), the direct condition for their arising is no longer the ignorance-formed (avidyā-saṃskāra) activity of the mental faculty, but the wisdom-formed (vidyā-saṃskāra) activity. These [states] do not belong to the dharmas within the twelvefold chain of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda); their results have transcended the cycle of birth and death (saṃsāra) governed by the twelve links. Sentient beings have also eliminated the seed-nature of ordinary beings (pṛthagjana), ending rebirth within the six realms (gati). The phenomenon of being born at different times, in different places, in different realms, and with different bodies ceases. This is the stage of the eighth-ground Bodhisattva (aṣṭamabhūmika-bodhisattva) and above. 

Both seed consciousness (bīja-vijñāna) and resultant consciousness (phala-vijñāna) refer to the six consciousnesses. Seed consciousness is the consciousness in the present life that, conditioned by formations, creates karmic actions (karma), leaving karmic seeds (bīja) that nourish future name-and-form. After name-and-form arises in a future life, resultant six consciousnesses manifest upon that name-and-form to experience karmic results. Both types of consciousness arise conditioned by formations. Formations rooted in ignorance (avidyā) can only give rise to ignorant six consciousnesses, while wisdom-formed, uncontaminated (anāsrava) formations give rise to uncontaminated six consciousnesses, including uncontaminated seed consciousness and uncontaminated resultant consciousness. This also illustrates that the mental faculty (manas) is the basis of defilement or purity for the six consciousnesses. Consciousness (mano-vijñāna, the sixth consciousness) cannot become pure unilaterally; it cannot eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and defilements (kleśa) alone. It must rely on the mental faculty to eradicate the view of self and defilements, thereby attaining the uncontaminated state (anāsrava).