The Realms Cognized by the Eight Consciousnesses

The sixth consciousness cannot perceive objectively real realms (bhūta-lakṣaṇa); these belong to the realms of the five dusts, which only the five consciousnesses can perceive. The dharmas that the five consciousnesses can perceive are the fewest and simplest; the dharmas that the mind consciousness can perceive are more numerous than those the five consciousnesses can perceive; the dharmas that the manas can perceive are more numerous than those the mind consciousness can perceive; and the eighth consciousness can perceive all dharmas, more numerous than those the manas can perceive.

Because the eighth consciousness can transform all dharmas, it can perceive all dharmas. If a dharma cannot be perceived by the eighth consciousness, it cannot receive the eighth consciousness's sustaining and upholding (ādhāra), and that dharma cannot exist. The eighth consciousness, based on the first layer of dharmas—the objectively real realm (bhūta-lakṣaṇa)—manifests the second layer of dharmas, the true impurely-perceived realm (bhūta-āśraya-lakṣaṇa), which the manas can perceive. The true impurely-perceived realm includes the realms of the five dusts and the realm of mental dust. These belong to the external six dusts realm.

Based on the second layer of dharmas perceived by the manas, the eighth consciousness again manifests the third layer of dharmas, which includes the objectively real realm and the false impurely-perceived realm. The first five consciousnesses perceive the five dusts of the objectively real realm, and the consciousness accompanied by the five senses (pañca-sahagata-mano-vijñāna) perceives the inner mental dust of the false impurely-perceived realm. The manas can perceive both of these dust realms, and therefore it can act as the master, governing the operation of the six consciousnesses. Based on the third layer's false impurely-perceived realm, the eighth consciousness again manifests the fourth layer, the subjectively imagined realm, which the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta) can perceive, and the manas can also perceive.

Why does the eighth consciousness manifest the dharmas of each layer in sequence? Because the manas needs them; the subjectively imagined realm is needed by both the manas and the mind consciousness. If a certain layer of dharmas is not needed, then the eighth consciousness has no need to manifest it, and the dharmas of subsequent layers would even less likely appear.

The first layer of dharmas is the most real; the second layer is next in realness; the third layer is next after that; the fourth layer is the most false, the third layer is next in falseness, and the second layer is next after that. The first layer of dharmas is also illusory; since all dharmas are born and manifested by the eighth consciousness, they are all illusory.