The Meaning of "All Dharmas Are Mere Consciousness"

All dharmas are consciousness-only (万法唯识) — this refers not only to the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha, but also includes the first six consciousnesses and the seventh consciousness. These three transforming consciousnesses (三能变识) together and in harmony manifest all dharmas of the threefold world. However, the source of all dharmas is the eighth consciousness; only the eighth consciousness contains and stores the seeds of all dharmas. For these seeds to produce all dharmas, the cooperation of the second transforming consciousness, the seventh consciousness (manas), is required, as well as the cooperation of the third transforming consciousness, the six consciousnesses; only then can the eighth consciousness produce all dharmas. If there were only the eighth consciousness, with the first seven consciousnesses not participating, the eighth consciousness alone could not transform and create any dharmas — just like in the state of nirvāṇa without remainder (anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa).

If there were only the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, they would be even less able to create any dharmas, because without the eighth consciousness, the seven consciousnesses could not exist at all, let alone be put to any use. Only when the eight consciousnesses operate together in harmony can all dharmas be accomplished. The nature of the eighth consciousness is utterly different from that of the seven consciousnesses; they cannot transform into one another. The seven consciousnesses are forever of a nature of arising and ceasing, while the eighth consciousness never arises nor ceases. Whether the seven consciousnesses are defiled or pure, the eighth consciousness — tathatā (suchness), the tathāgatagarbha, the undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna), the great perfect mirror wisdom (ādarśajñāna) — is forever a single mind-substance, which in itself has no defiled nature.