The Wisdom of Equality (samatā-jñāna) of the Seventh Consciousness, the Manas

The initial mind of supreme joy in the equality-nature of the seventh consciousness means that upon entering the mind of the first bhūmi, the Ground of Supreme Joy, the seventh consciousness transforms consciousness into wisdom, attaining a portion of the wisdom of equality-nature (samatā-jñāna). After the seventh consciousness, through cultivating the bodhisattva's six pāramitās, sees the true mind and attains enlightenment, it possesses prajñā wisdom; as prajñā wisdom grows, it attains the wisdom of subsequent realization (post-enlightenment wisdom); through cultivating the path it initiates the first dhyāna, eliminates afflictions, and successively passes through the mirage contemplation gate and the dream-like contemplation gate; after realizing nirvāṇa with remainder, it cultivates and immerses itself in Yogācāra, attaining a portion of the seed-wisdom of consciousness-only, and enters the first bhūmi. At that point, the sixth consciousness transforms consciousness into wisdom for the first time, attaining the initial portion of the wisdom of wondrous observation, and the seventh consciousness transforms consciousness into wisdom for the first time, attaining the initial portion of the wisdom of equality-nature. These two consciousnesses must undergo three transformations of consciousness into wisdom on the way to buddhahood; when the defilement of ignorance is completely severed and everything becomes luminosity, the eighth consciousness and the five sense consciousnesses then respectively become the great perfect mirror wisdom (ādarśajñāna) and the wisdom that accomplishes what is to be done, thereby perfecting the buddha path.

A bodhisattva on the first bhūmi has eliminated the ordinary being's nature (pṛthagjana nature), entered the household of the Tathāgata, and become a true son of the Buddha. This is an immense transformation in the course of studying Buddhism and cultivating the path, extremely emblematic, and the mind experiences supreme joy; hence it is called the Ground of Supreme Joy.

The wisdom of equality-nature of the seventh consciousness is transformed and brought forth during the course of cultivating the path through the three stages of virtuous states (trīṇi bhājana) after seeing the true mind; it is the hallmark of successfully accomplishing the transformation of the basis (āśraya-parāvṛtti) with respect to the eighth consciousness. The seventh consciousness realizes the equality-nature of the eighth consciousness, constantly observing that although all sentient beings have different karmic retributions, the eighth consciousness, which is the cause of those retributions, is equal for all. In this way, the marks of a person, of self, of sentient beings, and of a life span are all broken through, and one truly realizes that in essence all sentient beings are equal and will all ultimately become buddhas. The mind of the seventh consciousness also gradually attains the nature of equality; after afflictions are severed and consciousness is transformed into wisdom, one enters the first bhūmi.

Therefore, at the very moment of first seeing the true mind, it must be that the seventh consciousness and the sixth consciousness both see the true mind simultaneously; only then can one possess prajñā wisdom, only then can all four marks be broken through, only then can afflictions be severed, only then can one pass through the three gates of Chan, only then can both realize the mirage contemplation gate and the dream-like contemplation gate, only then can the ordinary being's nature be eliminated, only then can one realize the first portion of the seed-wisdom of consciousness-only of a first-bhūmi bodhisattva, only then can one realize the tathatā nature of all dharmas, only then can one realize a portion of the one true dharmadhātu, and only then can one ultimately become a buddha.

The seventh consciousness of an arhat does not possess the wisdom of equality-nature, because an arhat has not seen the true mind and attained enlightenment, and does not possess prajñā wisdom or consciousness-only wisdom. However, there is also some degree of equality-nature, but the standpoint of that equality-nature differs from that of a first-bhūmi bodhisattva. The arhat sees all sentient beings as empty and selfless, having severed all afflictions in the mind and broken through the four marks. From this standpoint of emptiness, the seventh consciousness sees all sentient beings as equal, but it cannot see the equality of all dharmas; it does not know that all dharmas are the eighth consciousness, are all the tathatā nature, are all the one true dharmadhātu. Therefore, it does not have the wisdom of equality-nature.

Looking at the entire course of the arhat's cultivation of the path, the pure dharma-eye wisdom from the first fruit to the fourth fruit is realized simultaneously by the seventh consciousness and the sixth consciousness; otherwise, one could not sever afflictions, enter nirvāṇa with remainder and nirvāṇa without remainder, nor break through the four marks. If the seventh consciousness, the manas, cannot eliminate self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi), then it cannot sever the afflictions of ignorance, birth and death cannot be brought to an end, the dust and toil of the three realms cannot be escaped, saṃsāra cannot be stopped, suffering cannot be severed, and cultivating the path would be meaningless.