Evidence That the Eighth Consciousness Is Not Shared

After a sentient being's eighth consciousness has cultivated for three immeasurable kalpas, the ignorance of the seven consciousnesses is completely eliminated, and in the final transformation of consciousness into wisdom, the seventh consciousness becomes the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna), the sixth consciousness becomes the wonderful observing wisdom (pratyavekṣaṇa-jñāna), and the first five consciousnesses become the wisdom of accomplishing what is to be done (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna). At the same time, the eighth consciousness is transformed into the great perfect mirror wisdom (ādarśajñāna), which perfectly illuminates all dharmas, no longer being limited, obstructed, or obscured by the defiled seeds of the seven consciousnesses. The eight consciousnesses together accomplish the Buddha Way, and this sentient being becomes a Buddha, having completed the path to Buddhahood of three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas, no longer needing to cultivate, becoming an honored one of the three realms who is beyond training (aśaikṣa). As for other sentient beings who have not become Buddhas, their eighth consciousness has not yet transformed into the great perfect mirror wisdom; it still contains the defiled seeds of the seven consciousnesses and contains defilement—it is not the undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna). Their wisdom and virtuous capabilities are therefore obscured and limited by the defiled seeds of the seven consciousnesses, and cannot perfectly illuminate all dharmas. Thus it is said that sentient beings' eighth consciousnesses are not shared in common—each sentient being has one of its own—and they differ from the Buddha's eighth consciousness in both name and function. The Buddha's eighth consciousness possesses twenty-one mental factors: the five universal factors, the five object-specific factors, and the eleven wholesome factors; whereas a sentient being's eighth consciousness has only the five universal mental factors, so its functions are inferior to the Buddha's eighth consciousness, the undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna), and it is not the great perfect mirror wisdom (ādarśajñāna).