The Eighth Consciousness Has No Capacity to Make Decisions

Before attaining buddhahood, among the eight consciousnesses, only the eighth consciousness—the mind—is an unconditioned mind, an unconditioned dharma (asaṃskṛta-dharma). It has no mind that fabricates any dharma-mark, no mind that fabricates any karmic action; when causes and conditions are not complete, it does not give birth to any single dharma. The eighth consciousness always accords with conditions without changing, and does not change while according with conditions—one characteristic of its unconditioned nature is according with conditions; without the condition, it does not force itself to act. Moreover, the eighth consciousness has no self-nature and does not make decisions on its own; the eighth consciousness is also empty of mind and unconditioned, without marks and without wishes, and therefore is non-active (anābhoga). Thus it is said that the eighth consciousness is not the consciousness that acts as the master—only with a self does one need to act as the master, even taking the self as the primary authority. The eighth consciousness is without self; He has no volition to dominate any dharma.