Contemplating the Five Aggregates and Eliminating the View of Self (Part I) (Second Edition)
Section Two: Contemplative Practice on the Mind-Consciousness to Eradicate the View of Self
The five aggregates are the aggregate of form, the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of volitional formations, and the aggregate of consciousness. The aggregate of form is the functional operation of the physical body, while the four aggregates of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are the functional operations of the six consciousnesses; taken together they are the five aggregates, and even the aggregate of form cannot be separated from the operations of the six consciousnesses.
1. Contemplative Practice on the Non-Self of the Three Kinds of Feeling of the Six Consciousnesses
The aggregate of feeling is the feeling of the six consciousnesses, including painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and the third kind of feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant. The eye consciousness has feeling, the ear consciousness has feeling, the nose consciousness has feeling, the tongue consciousness has feeling, the body consciousness has feeling, and the mind consciousness has feeling—all six consciousnesses have feeling. For example, when the eyes look at a visual form—whether looking at a Buddha statue or at fresh flowers, no matter what visual form is being looked at—the eye consciousness has feeling: whether the light is dim or glaring, whether the material sense-object looks comfortable, and so on. The mind consciousness also has feeling: comfortable or uncomfortable, liking or disliking, or a neutral feeling (upekṣā-vedanā). When the eyes see sunlight, the eye consciousness has a feeling—feeling that it is too glaring and wanting to avoid it, or feeling that it is relatively mild and comfortable and thus liking and craving it. This is the eye consciousness's painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and the neutral feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant. When looking at a Buddha statue, the eye consciousness enjoys the colors and luster of the statue and delights in its form, while the mind consciousness discerns the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks and gives rise to feelings of reverence and joy.
Painful feeling is a feeling one does not like, a feeling in which the mind feels distressed; pleasant feeling is a feeling one likes and finds comfortable; the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant is a mild feeling that can neither be called liking nor disliking, a state of mind of indifference, a neutral feeling—this is the feeling when the eyes see forms. The aggregate of feeling is dominated by the feelings of the mind consciousness, because what the mind consciousness discerns is relatively broad, subtle, and profound, with relatively rich content, so the feelings of the mind consciousness are easy to observe. The feelings when the eyes see forms are dharmas arising from causes and conditions; they are subject to arising, ceasing, change, and impermanence, and are therefore false, unreal, and illusory. That which arises, ceases, changes, and is impermanent is suffering; what is suffering is not self; therefore the aggregate of feeling is not self.
When the ears hear sounds, there is feeling: the ear consciousness may find a sound especially grating and feel painful feeling, after which it wants to avoid it; or it may find a sound especially gentle and give rise to joy, delight, and craving—this is pleasant feeling. When listening to sounds, the mind consciousness also has feeling: when it finds the sound noisy, it gives rise to painful feeling; when it finds it gentle, it gives rise to pleasant feeling; or when it finds the sound has no particular significance, it gives rise to the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant. If the mind consciousness finds the content of a sound vulgar or aggressive, it gives rise to painful feeling and does not like to listen; if it is language of praise, content of interest, or gentle music, it gives rise to pleasant feeling and enjoys listening.
The mind consciousness is also divided into painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant; the ear consciousness is likewise divided into painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant—toward what it likes it gives rise to pleasant feeling, toward what it dislikes it gives rise to painful feeling, or it abides in the neutral feeling removed from both sides of pain and pleasure. Sometimes when listening to a sound one feels indifferent, neither liking nor disliking it—listening is fine, not listening is fine, anything goes, listening and not listening are the same. This is the neutral feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant; these are the feelings when the ears hear sounds.
When practicing contemplation on the falsity of the aggregate of feeling, one must observe from what convergence of causes and conditions this feeling arises; whatever appears from the convergence of causes and conditions is illusory. There being sounds, there being the ear faculty, there being the ear consciousness, there being the eighth consciousness, there being the manas, there being seeds—only when these causes and conditions converge can sounds be heard and feelings arise. Therefore any feeling the consciousness has toward sounds is illusory; all feelings are subject to arising, ceasing, change, and impermanence. Dharmas born of causes and conditions are empty, so the aggregate of feeling is not self. These feelings, when contemplated to the end, are all painful feeling; what is suffering is not self; therefore the aggregate of feeling is not self.
When the nose smells scents, both the nose consciousness and the mind consciousness have feelings—feeling pain, feeling pleasure, feeling neither pain nor pleasure. For example, when smelling a fragrance, if one finds it rather pleasant, the mind gives rise to a joyful mind; here there is the mind consciousness's pleasant feeling as well as the nose consciousness's pleasant feeling. If one finds the odor offensive, an aversive painful feeling arises; here there is the mind consciousness's painful feeling as well as the nose consciousness's painful feeling. If the odor is neutral, neither fragrant nor foul, the mind can neither be said to like it nor dislike it, feeling indifferent—this is the neutral feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant.
These are the feelings when the nose smells scents: there are the five feelings of pain, pleasure, sorrow, joy, and neutrality, or one may speak of three feelings (painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant). To observe the falsity of the aggregate of feeling when the nose smells scents, one must observe how this aggregate of feeling is produced, and what the prerequisite conditions and causes are. Since the feelings when the nose smells scents are produced under various causal conditions, the aggregate of feeling does not exist inherently; it is subject to arising, ceasing, change, and impermanence; it is false—that is, it is suffering; therefore the aggregate of feeling is not self.
When the tongue tastes flavors, there is feeling, capable of producing the three feelings of pain, pleasure, and neither pain nor pleasure. There is feeling both when there is food in the mouth and when there is not. When there is no food, the taste in the mouth is usually bland; we are already quite accustomed to it and feel nothing much, so it can hardly be called liking or disliking—this is the neutral feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant. When we have internal heat, we feel a bitter taste in the mouth; the tongue consciousness dislikes this bitterness, and the mind consciousness also dislikes it—this is painful feeling. During meditation, when saliva flows into the mouth, the tongue consciousness likes the sweet taste of the saliva, and the mind consciousness also likes it; both have pleasant feeling.
When tasting some food or drink, the tongue consciousness and mind consciousness give rise to pleasant feeling toward food and drink they like, and painful feeling toward those they dislike; toward food and drink that can neither be called liked nor disliked, this is neutral feeling. Practitioners do not crave material sense-objects of taste; toward food and drink they often give rise to a neutral feeling, not caring whether the tastes are good or bad—being full is enough. This is a practitioner's state of mind. No matter what the flavor is, everything is indifferent—not picky, not choosy, neither liking nor loathing—this is the practitioner's neutral feeling. These feelings are dharmas born of causes and conditions; all are subject to arising, ceasing, change, impermanence, and illusion; all are suffering; what is suffering is not self; therefore the aggregate of feeling is not self.
When the body experiences contact there are three feelings, and both the body consciousness and the mind consciousness have feelings. For example, when walking, feeling tired and fatigued; whether the various sensations in the body are comfortable or uncomfortable, warm or not warm, hot or cold, thirsty or hungry—the body consciousness and mind consciousness can both discern these, and thus painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and the neutral feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant arise. Practitioners do not care much about any feelings: whatever state the body is in is fine—tired is fine, cold is fine, hot is fine, hungry is fine, thirsty is fine; all conditions can be endured, feeling indifferent. This is the practitioner's state of mind of neutral feeling. These feelings are all dharmas born of causes and conditions; all are subject to arising, ceasing, change, and impermanence; all are illusory; all are suffering; what is suffering is not self; therefore the aggregate of feeling is not self.
Then there is the feeling of the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta). In the state of the wandering solitary consciousness, when the mind consciousness deliberates and recollects, it can give rise to painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and neutral feeling. In dreams, having all kinds of dreams can also give rise to various feelings of pain, pleasure, and neither pain nor pleasure. In meditative concentration, when certain meditative states manifest and the mind consciousness becomes aware of them, feelings arise; but these feelings are mostly pleasant feelings that are joyful, comfortable, and tranquil; from the fourth dhyāna upward they are neutral feelings, and within the desire-realm concentration there are also some painful feelings. These feelings are all dharmas born of causes and conditions; all are subject to arising, illusory transformation, and unreality; they are impermanent and empty. Although there is pleasant feeling, once the pleasant feeling passes one feels suffering; therefore all feelings are painful feelings, and thus the aggregate of feeling is not self.
2. How to Counteract Feelings
As for the aggregate of feeling: when you contact the six sense-object realms and have the capacity of knowing toward those realms—knowing it is sweet, knowing it is painful, knowing it is scenery, knowing it is an odor, knowing it is a sound—then painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant will follow; only then does the aggregate of feeling appear. The six consciousnesses direct attention (manaskāra) toward the six sense-objects, then contact, then receive and apprehend, then perceive, discern, and know, then feel the aggregate of feeling, then volition (cetanā)—choosing and deciding, with the aggregate of volitional formations engaging in activity.
In daily life, carefully examine your various feelings: examine what you are craving and attached to, what you care about, what you spend thought and energy on. After discovering these, analyze what kind of mentality this is, what significance it has, and what the result is. Then find ways to counteract your cravings and feelings. If you do this often, you will sweep away obstacles in your practice, and progress on the path will be rapid.
3. Contemplative Practice on the Non-Self of the Aggregate of Perception
As for the aggregate of perception: perception is a mark arising upon the mind—knowing that mark, grasping that mark, and then giving rise to designations and initial application and sustained examination (vitarka-vicāra). For example, looking at the wall before you, you know it is a wall; the eye consciousness and mind consciousness grasp the mark of "wall," giving rise to language, words, thoughts, and views concerning the wall—this is called perception. Mental activities and functions such as knowing, initial application and sustained examination, and so on are called the aggregate of perception.
When does perception appear? The aggregate of perception is the six bodies of perception; whenever the six faculties contact the six sense-objects, the aggregate of perception manifests. When the eyes see forms there is perception: for example, when the eyes see a Buddha statue, one knows it is a Buddha statue, takes it as a Buddha statue, and gives rise to language and words concerning the Buddha statue. This knowing includes the knowing of the eye consciousness and the knowing of the mind consciousness. The aggregate of perception and the capacity of knowing when the eyes see forms are born dependent on various causes and conditions; lacking even one condition they cannot arise, and when one condition ceases, the capacity of knowing also ceases. The aggregate of perception is subject to arising, ceasing, change, and impermanence; it is illusory and suffering; therefore the aggregate of perception is not self.
When hearing sounds there is perception: the mind knows the sound, grasps the mark of the sound, and gives rise to designations concerning the sound—the aggregate of perception appears. What sound is this? What does this sound mean? What is its content? Is it good or bad? Knowing what beneficial or harmful relevance the sound has to oneself and one's surroundings—all of this belongs to the domain of the aggregate of perception. Observing the process of the aggregate of perception's arising, one knows that the aggregate of perception when hearing sounds is also a dharma born of causes and conditions, able to arise only by relying on certain causes and conditions; when the causes and conditions are not complete, the aggregate of perception does not appear; when the causes and conditions cease, the aggregate of perception ceases along with them. Therefore the aggregate of perception is subject to arising, ceasing, change, and impermanence; it is also false and suffering; the aggregate of perception is not self.
When the nose smells scents there is perception: the nose consciousness and mind consciousness simultaneously know the scent-object, take up designations and concepts of the scent-object, and have initial application, sustained examination, and thought regarding it. The nose consciousness directly perceives whether the fragrant or foul odor is pungent; the mind consciousness discerns the content of the scent-object, knowing what kind of object it emanates from and what effect it has on the body. This knowing is grasping—grasping the mark of the scent-object, grasping the name-and-mark of the scent. Then there follow subsequent initial application, sustained examination, and thought, giving rise to various thoughts, views, and opinions—this is the aggregate of perception when the nose smells scents. This aggregate of perception must rely on various conditions and be born from the tathāgatagarbha; it is a dharma born of causes and conditions, an unreal dharma. A dharma of arising, ceasing, change, and impermanence is empty; what is empty is suffering; therefore the aggregate of perception is not self.
The aggregate of perception when the tongue tastes flavors: when the tongue tastes, the tongue consciousness and mind consciousness know whether it is sour or sweet, bitter or spicy. After knowing, they grasp the name-and-mark of this taste-object, and then designations and discrimination, initial application and sustained examination, and thought arise, and various mental activities appear—all of this belongs to perception. This is a dharma born of causes and conditions, and a dharma born of causes and conditions is empty; therefore the aggregate of perception is not self.
Then, when the body experiences contact there is perception: the knowing of the body's various sensations is perception. For example, knowing whether one is now hungry or full, knowing whether one is now fatigued or comfortable, knowing the sensation of the soles of the feet contacting the ground while walking, and so forth—such perceptions arise, followed by designations, initial application and sustained examination, and thought, and a whole series of mental activities manifest. These mental activities are all born of causes and conditions, and are therefore subject to arising, ceasing, change, and impermanence; they are illusory, empty, and also suffering; therefore the aggregate of perception is not self.
There is also the mind consciousness's own solitary perception: for example, recollection, planning, scheming, idle fantasies, pondering problems, observing principles of things, and so on—all of these belong to the mind consciousness's perception, which then gives rise to designations and initial application and sustained examination, establishing names and marks. This perception of the solitary consciousness arises depending on various causes and conditions such as the eighth consciousness, the manas, and mental sense-objects; therefore it is a false, impermanent, changing dharma—suffering, empty, and without self.
4. How to Practice Contemplation on the Unreality of the Aggregate of Perception
Perception itself is subject to arising, ceasing, and impermanence. To make you keep perceiving one thing continuously is simply impossible; to make the content of perception not change, to keep perceiving one single thing, is also impossible. No matter how the mind consciousness perceives, once the manas feels this matter is unimportant and there are more important things to do, the mind consciousness must turn to other matters and no longer has the mind to keep perceiving. Thinking at night until one cannot sleep—that is the manas being unable to let go of matters, driving the mind consciousness to think back and forth; once the manas lets go with an empty mind and releases the matters, the mind consciousness immediately ceases and one falls asleep.
Perception that arises, ceases, changes—coming from nowhere, going nowhere, traceless when coming, shadowless when going. Where can perception be seen as self? When thoughts are myriad, if you track the thoughts and ideas, you can never find their traces; precisely while thinking, the thoughts are also empty. What is a thought? What is thinking? Where are the people and affairs being recollected? Where are the matters and principles being pondered? What is the conscious mind that thinks? It cannot be grasped; nothing is obtained; all is empty. Dharmas of arising, ceasing, and impermanence cannot be clearly articulated; they cannot be clung to either; look back to search again—no trace whatsoever.
Last night withered branches battered by wind and rain; this morning mist, dew, and slanting sunlight. In past lives, thought after thought of old friends' affection; in this life, forgotten, become strangers. What is there to perceive?
5. Contemplative Practice on the Aggregate of Volitional Formations
As for the aggregate of volitional formations: "formations" refers to the various operations and activities of body, speech, and mind of the six consciousnesses, the various functions created by the six consciousnesses. It actually also includes the running activities of the seventh consciousness, because the seventh consciousness's own running activities can also obscure the self-mind, covering over the functional operations of the eighth consciousness. "Formation" means running, operating, moving; whatever moves, whatever is engaged in activity, whatever performs various functions, whatever changes—all belong to the aggregate of volitional formations.
Bodily formations refer to a series of activities inside and outside the body. The body's external activities can be discovered by others; internal activities are not easily discovered by others. External activities include the operational activities of the limbs such as walking, standing, sitting, lying down, greeting and seeing off, bending, stretching, bowing, and raising; internal activities include breathing, blood circulation, the beating of the heart and pulse, the metabolism of cells, and so on. Verbal formations include the expression of language, sounds, and words, as well as the mind's various initial applications and sustained examinations, including meaningful and meaningless language and sounds, and language and sounds with or without the nature of greed, anger, and delusion. Mental formations are the mind consciousness's various mental activities, including meaningful thinking activities and meaningless miscellaneous rambling thoughts, including mental activities and mental factors with or without the nature of greed, anger, and delusion.
The aggregate of volitional formations specifically manifests as the operation of the volition mental factor (cetanā) of the six consciousnesses, the arising activities of deliberation (manasikāra) and choice. The operation of all mental factors of the six consciousnesses belongs to the aggregate of volitional formations. When the eyes see forms, after the seeds of the eye consciousness are transmitted out one by one, the mental factors of the eye consciousness begin to operate. One mental factor after another operates in turn, and the eye consciousness has activities of discernment and discrimination—this belongs to the eye consciousness's formations.
The ear consciousness's formations: when hearing sounds, the seeds of the ear consciousness arise one by one, the mental factors operate continuously—after directing attention, then contact, then feeling, then perception, then volition—giving rise to various deliberations and choices, and the ear consciousness can continuously carry out activities of discernment and discrimination. When the nose smells scents, the nose consciousness also has an aggregate of volitional formations: the nose consciousness's seeds are transmitted out one seed after another, the nose consciousness continuously carries out discerning activities, and the mental factors operate without cease. The tongue consciousness's aggregate of volitional formations: when tasting flavors, the tongue consciousness's seeds arise one seed after another, the tongue consciousness's mental factors operate continuously, giving rise to deliberations and choices, continuously carrying out activities of discerning taste-objects.
The body consciousness's aggregate of volitional formations includes the output of consciousness seeds and the operation of mental factors, with the body consciousness continuously discerning various contact-objects and giving rise to deliberations and choices. The mind consciousness's aggregate of volitional formations includes the output of consciousness seeds, the operation of mental factors, and the mind consciousness's own continuous activities of discernment and recognition. What constitutes these activities is the operation of consciousness seeds; therefore no matter what kind of activity it is, it is subject to arising, ceasing, and falsity, and none of it is self.
6. Contemplative Practice on the Falsity of the Aggregate of Consciousness
The aggregate of consciousness is the recognizing and discerning nature of the six consciousnesses. For example, the function of the eye consciousness seeing forms is the eye consciousness's discerning and discriminating operation upon material sense-objects—this is the eye consciousness's aggregate of consciousness. The discriminating functions of the six consciousnesses toward the myriad dharmas of the six sense-objects, the functions of knowing the six sense-objects, are called the aggregate of consciousness; the entire process of discriminating the six sense-objects is the process of the aggregate of consciousness's operation.
The prerequisite conditions for producing the discrimination of the six consciousnesses are: first, the six faculties must exist, and they must be normal, without damage or abnormality; second, the inner six sense-objects must exist; third, the manas must direct its attention toward the six sense-objects and wish to know them. At this point the six faculties contact the six sense-objects, and the eighth consciousness gives birth to the six consciousnesses; at the same moment the six consciousnesses are born, the five universal mental factors begin to operate upon these six sense-objects.
In fact, at the seed-stage just before the six consciousnesses are about to be born, they have already directed attention toward the six sense-object realms; then the six consciousnesses are born and contact the six sense-objects; finally the volition mental factor can determine the six sense-object realms and give rise to a decisive mind. Once the final decision arises, the six consciousnesses' discernment of the present six sense-object realms ends, and attention shifts to other six sense-object realms to continue discriminating and discerning activities. If the six consciousnesses discern multiple targets simultaneously, attention is scattered, the six consciousnesses cannot concentrate, and meditative concentration will not appear. In this way the six consciousnesses' discerning wisdom is insufficient, their discerning capacity weak, their knowing unclear, and mistakes easily occur. Only those with strong meditative concentration and thorough training can use one mind for many tasks, one mind with many capacities; therefore training the six consciousnesses' power of concentration gives rise to wisdom.
The six consciousnesses and the seventh consciousness are all born from the consciousness seeds transmitted by the eighth consciousness. These consciousness seeds are transmitted out one by one, forming the minds of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses; the moment these minds form, they begin to operate, performing the functions of discernment and discrimination, able to know all realms. The conscious mind is also a consciousness produced from the moment-by-moment arising and ceasing of consciousness seeds, like a stream of water formed drop by drop. The water stream is a metaphor for the consciousness stream of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses; the drops of water are a metaphor for the consciousness seeds. One may also compare the consciousness seeds to electrons: electrons are formless and markless, invisible to us, but once the switch is turned on, the electrons are transmitted out one by one, arranged in sequence, forming an electric current. When the current passes through a light bulb, the lamp lights up, and the electrons' functions manifest.
These consciousness seeds, transmitted out one by one by the eighth consciousness, form a consciousness stream, the six consciousnesses appear, and there is the functional operation of discriminating the six sense-objects. One consciousness seed arises and ceases, returning to the eighth consciousness; the next one arises and ceases and again returns to the eighth consciousness; continuous arising and ceasing forms the six consciousnesses, and with the mental factors cooperating, there is the capacity of discernment. The essence of the six consciousnesses' discernment is intermittent discernment; only because the flow is so fast do we fail to discover the intermittent cessation within it.
It is like electrons: one electron arises and ceases, another electron arises and ceases; continuing without interruption, this forms an electric current. On the surface the current appears continuous, but in reality it is intermittent; only because the arising and ceasing is so fast do we fail to discover the intermittent cessation within it. However, the phenomenon of the current weakening can still be discovered: when the output of electrons slows somewhat, the number of electrons decreases, and the current changes.
It is the same with a water stream: when the number of water drops output decreases, or the stream is diverted, or the transmission speed slows, the water stream weakens and the flow rate slows. Similarly, if the six consciousnesses direct attention toward and contact many different six sense-object realms, the discriminating capacity of the consciousness weakens, just as when water is diverted the force of the stream weakens. After the consciousness seeds are diverted, the force of recognition weakens, the discerning capacity becomes weak, and wisdom becomes inferior. When we cultivate meditative concentration, we want the six consciousnesses to concentrate on one realm, directing attention to one place, contacting only one place; in this way the consciousness is not diverted, its force is strong, its discriminating capacity is strong, and wisdom is high.
If we want to practice contemplation on the falsity of the six consciousnesses and thereby eradicate the view of self regarding the conscious mind, we must contemplate the falsity and impermanence of the conscious mind and the moment-by-moment arising and ceasing of the consciousness seeds. To contemplate the falsity and impermanence of the conscious mind, one must contemplate the impermanence of the six consciousnesses. The consciousness formed from consciousness seeds is like a water stream formed from water drops: the drops flow out rapidly and continuously, circulating and pouring, forming a continuous stream of water; if one believes a real water stream exists, that is an illusion, deceived by the false appearance of the water stream. Consciousness seeds pouring out rapidly one by one form consciousness; believing there is a continuous conscious mind discriminating is in fact also an illusion. Contemplating this principle deeply, one can eradicate the wrong view (mithyā-dṛṣṭi) of taking the conscious mind as self.
Contemplating the moment-by-moment arising and ceasing of the conscious mind, which forms what appears to be a continuous function of discrimination and discernment—is this discriminating and discerning function of the conscious mind false? Of course it is all illusory and unreal, without any real discriminating nature. The conscious mind and its discriminating functions cease the moment they are said to cease; they are subject to arising, ceasing, change, and impermanence; they are false and conditional. With cause and condition, consciousness is born; when the causes and conditions cease, the consciousness seeds are no longer produced and the consciousness disappears; therefore the six consciousnesses are not the real self.
If the eighth consciousness did not pour out consciousness seeds, the six consciousnesses would have no discerning function, and the phenomenon would appear of having eyes yet not seeing forms, having ears yet not hearing sounds—no dharma could be discerned at all. In our daily lives we can practice contemplation at the places where the six faculties contact the six sense-objects, where the six consciousnesses discern the six sense-objects, contemplating the falsity, arising-and-ceasing, impermanence, and non-self nature of this conscious mind that can know all dharmas. In this way the wrong knowledge and wrong views that the conscious mind is self, is real, and eternally existent are eradicated, and the view of self regarding the conscious mind is severed. One thereby knows that the conscious mind is not self, that the conscious mind's functions are also not self, that none of them is real, that all are false. The mind with which we feel all things, the conscious mind with which we discern all things—including the bodily, verbal, and mental actions created by this conscious mind—are all false, impermanent, empty, and without self.
7. Why the Conscious Mind Is Impermanent
First, the conscious mind flows on without abiding thought after thought, arising and ceasing moment by moment, formed from the seeds of consciousness. For example, an electric current is formed by electrons arising and ceasing in continuous succession, one electron after another, forming a kind of flow; this flow is the electric current, which has the function of producing and emitting light. The conscious mind is the same: seeds flow out one by one, forming a stream of consciousness. The first seed flows out and ceases; the second seed flows out at the same position and ceases; the third seed flows out and ceases again—thus forming a consciousness stream, which has the discriminating nature of consciousness. When the first consciousness seed comes out and contacts the six sense-objects, it cannot discriminate clearly; the second seed comes out and continues discriminating, still not clearly; the third seed comes out and can discriminate somewhat clearly; the more seeds flow out, the clearer the discrimination.
These seeds exist in the eighth consciousness and are transmitted out by it. When the eyes see forms, at first one does not see very clearly; only after looking for a while can one see clearly. The discrimination of the six consciousnesses is all like this. The Buddha said that in the duration of a finger-snap, eighty-one thousand arising-and-ceasing seeds pour out: one arises and ceases, another arises and ceases in succession; continuing without interruption, this forms a seed stream, and only then can the conscious mind discriminate all dharmas. Therefore the conscious mind is moment-by-moment arising and ceasing, is impermanent; what is impermanent is not self.
Second, the conscious mind can cease under five conditions: when asleep without dreams, when unconscious, at death, when in the concentration of no perception (asaṃjñi-samāpatti), and when in the cessation attainment (nirodha-samāpatti). Under these five conditions there is no capacity of seeing, hearing, knowing, and awareness, no discrimination by the conscious mind. Since the conscious mind can cease, it is impermanent, changing, and suffering; therefore it is not self.
Third, the conscious mind comes from non-existence into existence; it does not exist inherently. When the six faculties contact the six sense-objects, it is the eighth consciousness that produces the six consciousnesses, which then discriminate the six sense-objects. Since the conscious mind is something born, not inherently existent, it is false, impermanent, suffering, changing, and not self, without any nature of self.
Fourth, sentient beings' conscious minds are always changing unpredictably: something one greatly liked a moment ago becomes loathsome shortly after; an idea one found very satisfying a moment ago changes shortly after; a plan just made is canceled shortly after. Mental states change constantly; ideas keep shifting. One illusion arises and ceases; a later thought negates an earlier one; promises made are hard to fulfill; joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are impermanent; plans and intentions constantly change. One cannot even grasp one's own mind, nor know what one really wants to do or how exactly; others understand his mind even less. The more one observes this mind, the more one feels it is impermanent and unreliable; therefore the conscious mind is not real—it is not a real, reliable, dependable self. In this way the contemplative practice on the falsity of the conscious mind is complete; when the manas, within meditative concentration (samādhi), accepts this principle, the wrong view of taking the conscious mind as self is severed.
8. Contemplative Practice on the Aggregate of Consciousness
In practicing contemplation on the aggregate of consciousness among the feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness of the five aggregates, one should contemplate the functions produced by the consciousness seeds generating the seven consciousnesses, with the functions of the six consciousnesses as the main focus. After the consciousness seeds of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are transmitted out, they form the six consciousnesses, and only then do the various functions of the six consciousnesses appear. Once the six consciousnesses are born, there is the sensation of feeling, then the discriminating function of conscious awareness, then the awareness of formations, and all the functions of the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of volitional formations, and the aggregate of consciousness. One must carefully observe clearly what all these functions are, one by one, without missing a single one. One must know that after the consciousness seeds emerge, the conscious mind has these functions—this is very important. When observed clearly, both the Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna can be realized.
Within the aggregate of consciousness, one should mainly observe the falsity of feeling. Among the five aggregates, the aggregate of feeling is still the main one: sentient beings all take their own sensations as real and unfold the bodily, verbal, and mental activities of the five aggregates centered on sensation. Observe how this sensation is unreal, subject to arising and ceasing, empty, suffering, and not self. Then continue observing the aggregate of perception and the aggregate of volitional formations. The aggregate of perception is grasping (upādāna), taking marks—taking marks upon the mind, discerning and discriminating, or various thoughts and thinking. The aggregate of volitional formations: where there is consciousness there is formation, because consciousness must necessarily operate; only after consciousness operates are there feeling and perception, and the functions of discrimination. If one observes clearly the content of consciousness seeds forming consciousness, both Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna dharmas can be realized upon this; the wisdom of future realization will be extremely deep, and upon enlightenment one will awaken directly to Consciousness-Only. This enlightenment is far deeper and more penetrating than the Chan school's enlightenment; having awakened to consciousness, the wisdom becomes extremely profound, and in the future one can quickly possess the seed-wisdom of Consciousness-Only (the wisdom of all aspects, sarvākārajñatā).
9. Whatever Arises, Ceases, and Changes Cannot Possibly Be Self
Only when consciousness seeds emerge do the functions of the five aggregates appear; without their emerging there are no functions of the five aggregates. Then are all these functions of the five aggregates real? Are they self? Is the self thus fixed and determined, dominated in this way? Is the self subject to constant arising and ceasing, unstable? Can such ungraspable functions of the five aggregates be the real self? The five aggregates that survive only by eating and would starve to death without food—can they be self? The five aggregates that sustain life only with air, whose life activities cease without air—can they be self? The five aggregates that can walk, sit, and lie down only when vital energy and blood are replenished, but become stiff as firewood without them—the five aggregates so rigidly limited by various causal conditions—can they be self? Such a body of the five aggregates, lacking self-mastery (avaśatā) and autonomy—what is there in it to crave and treasure?
Within the physical body, the seeds of the four great elements arise, cease, and change moment by moment; the cells in the body are being renewed and metabolized at every instant; within a short period the cellular tissues are completely renewed, and the blood in the body is entirely replaced, no longer the former blood. The internal organs are also completely renewed within a period of time; even the tissues, organs, muscles, tendons, and so on throughout the body must all be renewed and changed; finally even the bones in the body must be entirely renewed. The whole body, from inside to outside, from top to bottom, changes completely, no longer the former body. Therefore our appearance is always changing; at a certain age, one's looks differ drastically from one's youth, sometimes to the point of showing no resemblance. Everyone is completely different from their childhood; those who have gone through serious illness may have an appearance and health entirely different, unrecognizable as the same person. How can such a body be oneself? How can it be another?
Then, when thinking carefully and practicing contemplation, a person of wisdom will not take such a body as real or as himself, will no longer stubbornly insist that this is self, clinging and craving incessantly. Many people clearly know that such a body simply cannot be grasped or controlled—so why not transfer attention and energy to the mental domain that we can grasp to some extent, where seeds can be stored and their benefits still enjoyed in future lives, and strive to elevate our prajñā wisdom?
10. The Ālayavijñāna Does Not Belong to the Aggregate of Consciousness
The Buddha said in the Saṃyukta Āgama that the five aggregates and eighteen realms are called "sentient being," and this sentient being is suffering, empty, and impermanent, not the real self. Realizing the principle of the Four Noble Truths and realizing that the five aggregates are suffering, empty, impermanent, and without self, one eradicates the view of self and attains a portion of the benefit of liberation. To realize non-self, one must, within deep meditative concentration, negate the functions of these five aggregates, not taking the functions of the five aggregates as real, not taking them as self and mine—then the view of self is severed, and the karmic deeds leading to the three evil destinies are simultaneously eliminated.
The aggregate of consciousness spoken of in the Āgama sūtras refers to the functions of the six consciousnesses, which arise, cease, and change; it does not refer to the Ālayavijñāna. The "covering" (āvaraṇa) in "aggregate" refers to the obscuring function—obscuring the minds of the seven consciousnesses, so that they recognize only the merits of the six consciousnesses without knowing they are all the functions of the Ālayavijñāna. But the Ālayavijñāna does not obscure the self-mind, so it is not classified within the aggregate of consciousness. Because the non-Buddhists do not know that they each have an intrinsically pure mind that is unborn and undying, they take the aggregate of consciousness as the real self and do not acknowledge the real Dharmakāya Buddha (dharma-kāya-buddha), the tathāgatagarbha, the Ālayavijñāna; therefore they cannot escape the suffering of birth-and-death saṃsāra.
The aggregate of consciousness itself has the function of recognition. The functions of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness of the aggregate of consciousness are also called the four aggregates; the four aggregates plus the aggregate of form are called the five aggregates. The aggregate of form is the physical body from the mother's womb until old age and death; the aggregate of feeling is the feeling that can experience the pain, pleasure, sorrow, joy, and neutrality of the six sense-object realms, obscuring the minds of the seven consciousnesses from recognizing the truth; the aggregate of perception is discerning, taking marks, grasping—taking marks upon the mind and making discriminations, such as names and concepts, after which the mind gives rise to attachment—this is the aggregate of perception, obscuring the minds of the seven consciousnesses from recognizing ultimate reality; the aggregate of volitional formations—"formation" means movement: continuous arising, ceasing, changing, flowing, and activity is movement, is formation; it also obscures the minds of the seven consciousnesses from recognizing the truth.
In summary, the aggregate of consciousness is the functional operation of the six consciousnesses; the six consciousnesses arise and cease, so the aggregate of consciousness must arise and cease. The Ālayavijñāna is unborn and undying; He does not belong to the aggregate of consciousness. Although He is also called "consciousness," His recognizing nature is completely different from that of the six consciousnesses; the two must not be confused.
11. The Manifestations of Taking Feeling as Self
Among the various views of self, those who take the aggregate of feeling as self are the most numerous. Many people emphasize the aggregate of feeling, creating karma for the sake of sensations, suffering for the sake of face—precisely for the sake of the conscious mind's sensations they make the physical body suffer. Throughout history people have taken the conscious mind as self, clinging to the conscious mind even more severely than to the physical body. Only when self-grasping is completely severed can the attachment to the conscious mind's sensations be completely severed, though latent habits may still occasionally manifest.
Because sentient beings take the aggregate of feeling as self and cling to it, for the sake of inner feelings they give rise to craving and anger, committing boundless, immeasurable sinful karma. If one did not take the aggregate of feeling as self, did not cling to it, did not crave pleasant sensations, did not loathe unpleasant sensations, one would not give rise to craving and anger, and would not commit evil karma unknowingly. The most prominent characteristic of sentient beings in the Sahā world is greed, anger, and delusion; the most universal affliction in the desire-realm human world is craving. Although people have studied the Buddha-dharma and understand something of cause and effect, knowing that craving is the root of sinking in birth-and-death, because their karmic obstructions are deep and heavy they still cannot subdue craving. Whether layperson or monastic, subduing all afflictions is extremely, extremely difficult. Because in the conditioning of birth-and-death over immeasurable kalpas, the latent habits are deeply rooted and hard to shake.
12. The Mind Consciousness in Meditative Concentration Is Also a Conditioned Dharma
The most foundational Hīnayāna teaching in the Buddha-dharma is the principle of the Four Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. One contemplates the afflictions of the five aggregates' suffering, understands the truth of the origin of the five aggregates' suffering, knows the truth of the cessation of the five aggregates' suffering, and cultivates the truth of the path that extinguishes the five aggregates' suffering. Then, practicing contemplation one by one on the suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self nature of the five aggregates, only when one genuinely accepts this in the depths of the heart can one eradicate the view of self and realize the first fruit, and the karma of the three evil destinies is eliminated from then on. Following the Buddha's teachings to practice contemplation with wisdom, this also does not depart from the cultivation of precepts, the cultivation of meditative concentration, and the conditions of merit.
In contemplative practice, the falsity of the aggregate of consciousness is mainly what is difficult to contemplate, especially since the mind consciousness is too subtle and also very extensive. If one can contemplate all the functions of the mind consciousness and then negate them one by one, realizing the falsity of these functions of the conscious mind is also not easy. If one can make a deep and subtle understanding of the nature of the six consciousnesses, and then contemplate all the functions of the conscious mind within meditative concentration, one can be confident of eradicating the view of self thoroughly.
The realms of the mind consciousness are very extensive. Ordinary practitioners easily know that the scattered, afflicted mind consciousness is conditioned and false, but often do not know that when the mind consciousness enters concentration and becomes subtle and pure, without idle thoughts and without thoughts, it is still a conditioned, false mind consciousness, not the real self. This is the mind consciousness's meditative state, not the realm of the unchanging true mind. Since it is a state, a state is a mental sense-object realm, and the mental sense-object realm is the object discriminated by the mind consciousness. Knowing that one has entered a meditative state—this knowing of the meditative state is the mind consciousness, a conditioned dharma, not self, not real. Because after emerging from concentration there is no meditative state, and thoughts arise again—such a dharma with change, with arising and ceasing, is a false dharma, not the real unchanging dharma.
The Sixth Patriarch said: 那伽常在定，无有不定时。The true mind is forever in concentration; there is no emerging from concentration and no entering concentration, no increase, decrease, or change. The Buddha also said in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra: 内守悠闲，犹是法尘分别影事。What the Buddha spoke of is precisely this situation of entering concentration. He, the World-Honored One, long ago foresaw that beings of later ages would have difficulty distinguishing true from false—especially in the Dharma-ending age, when beings have meager merit (alpa-puṇya) and wrong views blaze fiercely, unable to recognize and discern the genuine from the counterfeit. The World-Honored One specifically gave this pointer in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra to warn later generations. Only by clearly recognizing that even the mind consciousness's state within concentration is false can the view of self be completely severed. If one takes the mind consciousness in concentration to be the unborn and undying true mind, then neither the Hīnayāna nor the Mahāyāna fruits can be realized, and one remains an ordinary person clinging to the conditioned conscious mind as self.
13. The Arising-and-Ceasing, Changing Operation of the Mind Consciousness Has No Autonomy
Question: After the mind consciousness discerns a mental sense-object, does it cease? During the day, mental sense-objects constantly change, arising and ceasing; when the mind consciousness is not asleep, is it only the consciousness accompanied by the five senses (pañca-sahagata-mano-vijñāna) and the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta) constantly shifting in accordance with mental sense-objects, ceasing only during dreamless sleep?
Answer: When the mind consciousness discerns a mental sense-object and finishes operating on that content, it disappears from that mental sense-object; directed by the manas, it is born and discerns and operates on another one or two mental sense-objects, then ceases again, arising once more elsewhere. The mind consciousness, following the manas's engagement, constantly arises and ceases in this way, without a shred of autonomy. Therefore the mind consciousness is far too false and unreal; it is simply not self or what belongs to self; one must no longer take such a mind consciousness as self.
