The State of Non-Abiding

When the mind does not follow changes and abides nowhere, this is the stability of consciousness, non-abiding in dharmas. Consciousness can discern the dharmic dust of meditative states, knowing that it does not follow the shifting of realms, knowing that it pays no heed to forms, sounds, scents, tastes, touches, or dharmas. This knowing awareness is the knowing of consciousness; this is the reflective nature of consciousness, the arising of consciousness's self-verifying aspect. Knowing that one's mind already abides nowhere—this knowing must be the conscious mind, while the state of mind abiding nowhere is a realm of dharmic dust. This realm corresponds to the mental faculty and consciousness, being the content discerned by consciousness; it does not correspond to the eighth consciousness, yet it does not exist apart from the eighth consciousness.

The true mind that abides nowhere, the mind unattached to the realms of the six dusts, is the eighth consciousness. Because the eighth consciousness does not engage with the six dusts, it neither abides in them nor discerns them. As long as the seven consciousnesses exist, they must invariably correspond to the six dusts, must invariably discern the six dusts, and are certainly abiding within the six dusts. Even when the conscious mind is extremely subtle, it can still perceive the dharmic dust of meditative states; therefore, wherever there is knowing, there is the conscious mind. Ordinary people can only correspond to consciousness; they cannot correspond to the eighth consciousness, because they lack the various qualifications of a Bodhisattva—merit, meditative concentration, prajñā wisdom, and so forth. Thus, they cannot locate the eighth consciousness, nor can they observe its unattached operational state.