Commentary on the Treatise on the Establishment of Consciousness-Only

Original text:论。内识所变至实我法性。

述曰。此显依他我法名假。先显其体实非我法。内识所变似我似法。虽体依他缘起是有。而非是彼妄情所执实我法性。此缘起法。无主宰故。无作用故。

Explanation: Inner consciousness refers to the seven consciousnesses that discern the inner six sense-objects (inner dharma-viṣaya). The inner six sense-objects are manifested with the participation of the seven consciousnesses; the three transformative consciousnesses (the eighth consciousness, the seventh consciousness, and the first six consciousnesses) together manifest the inner six sense-objects and the five aggregates. The six consciousnesses and the five aggregates are of dependent origination (paratantra), arising from the eighth consciousness in dependence on various conditions. They manifest a seeming false self of the five aggregates and six consciousnesses, and manifest a seeming universe of the vessel-world. In fact, none of these dharmas truly exist; they are not a truly existing self or dharmas.

The five aggregates are not the self, not real; the six consciousnesses are not the self, not real; the six sense-objects are not real. All dharmas are not the self, not real. The false self and false dharmas manifested by the inner consciousness appear to exist phenomenally, but in essence they do not exist; illusory transformation is in itself emptiness (śūnyatā).

The five aggregates, six sense-objects, and six consciousnesses are merely a false designation, generated in dependence on various conditions. Dharmas of dependent origination appear to exist on the surface, but in fact it is only sentient beings' sentient cognition that falsely reckons them as a self and as real, as if there were a self and various dharmas. In actuality there are none; illusory transformations are not real, just like things in a dream. Because these dependently originated dharmas are produced by causes and conditions, they have no autonomy, no sovereignty, and no real function.

"Self" means sovereign master. Since the five aggregates have no autonomy and no sovereignty, the five aggregates are not the self; they are merely a nominal concept, falsely existent and not real. The five aggregates have no real function; their apparent functions, lacking sovereignty, are not the doing of the five aggregates. Behind them there is another sovereign master, the true master, the true self. Only that self has genuine, real function, has autonomy, and can govern the arising, abiding, alteration, and cessation of all dharmas.

There is no true five aggregates, nor any true function of the five aggregates, nor any real function of the five aggregates. Sentient beings feel that the five aggregates have function; this is false knowing and false perceiving, because the mind is deranged, because the mind is deluded. In fact, there is not even a deluded and inverted mind; all is like flowers in the sky, like scenes in a dream. After attaining the bhūmis, one will no longer feel that the five aggregates have real function, will no longer think that all dharmas have real function; they are all false appearances without real function, and only the eighth consciousness has real function. It is like a wooden puppet, which has no real function—how could a wooden puppet have function? No matter what, a wooden puppet can never have function. Those who believe a wooden puppet has function are deluded and inverted sentient beings whose minds have not been opened.