On the Transformation of Consciousness into Wisdom

The Buddha-bhūmi Sūtra says: 有五种法摄大觉地，所谓清净法界、大圆镜智、平等性智、妙观察智、成所作智。What is the relationship between the pure dharma realm (dharmadhātu) and the four wisdoms that follow?

After attaining buddhahood, the four wisdoms are perfect and luminous. First, the sixth and seventh consciousnesses undergo the third transformation of consciousness into wisdom; the five sense consciousnesses undergo the first and also the last transformation of consciousness into wisdom; and the eighth consciousness undergoes the first and also the last transformation of consciousness into wisdom. The mind consciousness is transformed into the wisdom of wonderful observation (pratyavekṣaṇa-jñāna), the seventh consciousness (manas) is transformed into the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna), the five sense consciousnesses are transformed into the wisdom of accomplishing what is to be done (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna), and the eighth consciousness is transformed into the great mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna). First, the mind consciousness is transformed from consciousness into wisdom: the defiled mind that originally possessed ignorance and afflictions is transformed into the wisdom of wonderful observation, which is no longer obscured by afflictions. When there is defilement by afflictions, there is obscuration, which obstructs the arising of wisdom, making the power of observation coarse and not subtle, and the wisdom shallow.

If the mind consciousness's power of observation is shallow and not subtle, it cannot convey the profound ultimate reality of all dharmas to the manas for the manas to know. Then the manas's view of a self in dharmas (dharma-ātma-dṛṣṭi) cannot be eradicated, and as long as there is a self in the mind, there is no wisdom of equality. Therefore, only when the mind consciousness first eradicates the afflictions and possesses the wisdom of wonderful observation can it enable the manas to eradicate the afflictions and realize, to a certain degree, the selflessness of dharmas (dharma-nairātmya), thereby attaining the wisdom of equality — observing that sentient beings are equal to and identical with oneself, and equal to and identical with the Buddha, seeing no distinction of high or low among dharmas.

When the sixth and seventh consciousnesses undergo the third transformation of consciousness into wisdom, the transformation is ultimate and thorough: ignorance is exhausted. The five sense consciousnesses are transformed into the wisdom of accomplishing what is to be done, accomplishing all dharmas; and the ignorance and defilement of the seven consciousnesses stored within the eighth consciousness are ultimately and completely exhausted, and it is transformed into the great mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna). At this point, the metamorphosis is complete: a sentient being of the causal stage is transformed into a Buddha of the fruition stage.

Because within the great mirror-like wisdom there are no longer any karmic seeds of ignorance and defilement, the entire mind-ground of the eighth consciousness is utterly pure, and all dharmadhātus born from this pure mind are pure. The six faculties, six sense objects, six consciousnesses, Buddha-lands, and the material world (bhājana-loka) — all become pure in accordance with the pure mind, without a trace of defilement. "As the mind is purified, the Buddha-land is pure" — this is precisely the principle.