What Exactly Is the Thought-Free Spiritual Awareness Mind?

The eighth consciousness pervades all times, pervades all places, pervades all locations, pervades all realms, and pervades all dharmas. "Pervades all times" means the eighth consciousness exists moment by moment, never leaving sentient beings, never leaving the seventh consciousness (manas), and never leaving the five aggregates. "Pervades all places" means that sentient beings in the three realms and nine stages all possess the eighth consciousness; wherever there are sentient beings, there is the eighth consciousness. Every sentient being dwelling within the three realms and nine stages possesses the eighth consciousness. Even upon transcending the three realms and entering the state of Nirvana without residue, the eighth consciousness still exists, only the individual sentient being is absent.

"Pervades all locations" means the eighth consciousness permeates the six sense faculties and also pervades the six sense objects. When the six sense faculties of sentient beings contact the six sense objects, the eighth consciousness is present and manifests. "Pervades all realms" means the eighth consciousness exists on the six sense faculties, exists on the six sense objects, and also exists on the six consciousnesses. "Pervades all dharmas" means that as long as a dharma exists, regardless of whether it can be cognized, it is upheld by the eighth consciousness; whether it is form dharma or mind dharma, it is sustained by the eighth consciousness; whether it is conditioned dharma or unconditioned dharma, it is upheld by the eighth consciousness; as long as a dharma exists, all phenomena, affairs, and principles are upheld by the eighth consciousness.

Many people do not understand whether the thought-free lucid awareness mind is the sixth consciousness or the eighth consciousness. Now let us analyze this thought-free lucid awareness mind. "Thought-free" means there are currently no thoughts or delusions. "Lucid awareness" means clear, luminous knowing – knowing that one is free of thoughts, knowing that one has no thoughts, knowing that one is temporarily free of delusions and thinking. In the thought-free state, one can even perceive other states. So how many consciousnesses are present in this thought-free state? Since the eighth consciousness pervades all times, it certainly exists at this moment; otherwise, the five aggregates would not exist, the seven consciousnesses would not exist, and the state of thought-free awareness would not occur.

Is the seventh consciousness present at this time? Certainly, if the seventh consciousness were absent, sentient beings would enter Nirvana without residue, and the state of thought-free lucid awareness could not possibly arise. Is the sixth consciousness present here? Certainly, except in five circumstances where the sixth consciousness ceases: during dreamless sleep, unconsciousness, death, the state of no-thought concentration, and the state of cessation concentration. Since thought-free lucid awareness does not fall into these five categories, it indicates that the sixth consciousness mind also exists. Furthermore, the ability to know the state of being free of thoughts, which is the object of mental consciousness (dharmadhātu), demonstrates that the knowing mind present during thought-free lucid awareness is precisely the sixth consciousness. As for whether the first five consciousnesses are present during thought-free lucid awareness, if one can perceive the existence of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches, that is the knowing of the five consciousnesses.

Since during thought-free lucid awareness, at least the eighth consciousness, seventh consciousness, and sixth consciousness – these three consciousnesses – are present, if someone claims to have attained enlightenment at this moment, which consciousness have they actually realized? Herein lies a significant difference. If realized correctly, it is the realization of the eighth consciousness; if realized incorrectly, it is the realization of the sixth consciousness. The seventh consciousness is generally difficult for ordinary people to realize, and the eighth consciousness is also difficult to realize; this requires specific conditions. These specific conditions are the six perfections (pāramitās) taught by the Buddha for Bodhisattvas. Without fulfilling the conditions of the six perfections, it is impossible to realize the eighth consciousness, impossible to attain the enlightened mind and become a true meaning Mahāyattva, impossible to transcend the state of an ordinary being, and thus impossible to ensure one never falls into the three evil paths in the future.

If a person's practice lacks sufficient merit, lacks observance of precepts, has an insufficiently developed mind, lacks patience and endurance, and is not diligent in the cultivation of giving, precepts, patience, meditation, and wisdom; if their meditation is insufficient, lacking even the preliminary concentration (anāgamya-samādhi); if their knowledge and understanding of the Buddha Dharma are insufficient, and they do not understand the nature of the eighth consciousness – then it is evident that such a person absolutely cannot realize the eighth consciousness. If someone believes they have attained realization at this point, they must carefully examine which consciousness they have actually realized. Only after thoroughly learning and understanding the nature of all eight consciousnesses can one accurately judge one's own realization or that of others, and thus know what has truly been realized.