The Discriminative Nature and Knowing Nature of Consciousness

The seventh consciousness has the nature of discrimination; the seventh consciousness is inherently meant to discriminate. As long as the mind of the seventh consciousness exists, there is necessarily the nature of discrimination; if it did not discriminate, it could not appear in the three realms. The reason the first seven consciousnesses are called consciousnesses is that the self-nature of the conscious mind is inherently to discriminate or to recognize, and it always possesses the nature of discrimination; otherwise it would not be called a consciousness and would be no different from a piece of wood. Since the eighth consciousness is also called a consciousness, the eighth consciousness itself of course also has the nature of discrimination. All eight consciousnesses possess the nature of discrimination, which is why they are called the eight consciousnesses. Even after attaining buddhahood, the eight consciousnesses still possess the nature of discrimination and cognition, and must cognize and discriminate all dharmas.

What is discrimination? When you know all dharmas, that is discrimination; without discrimination, there is no capacity for knowing. Without discrimination one would know nothing at all, and would be no different from a piece of wood. Therefore, even after becoming a Buddha, one still knows all dharmas, and knows them more perfectly and more completely than we sentient beings do—there is not a single dharma that He does not know. The Buddha's capacity for knowing and discriminating has reached thorough and ultimate perfection; when discriminating all dharmas, He does so with complete clarity and thoroughness. The Buddha's capacity for knowing pervades all space and time, without any obstruction or separation, without the slightest ignorance or lack of knowledge. The knowing and discriminating capacity of sentient beings' seven consciousnesses is limited and constrained; because ignorance is deep and heavy, what they know is not perfect or complete, and they can only know a very small part of it. As long as ignorance, afflictions, and defilements remain within the seven consciousnesses, their discriminating nature is subject to great obscuration and obstruction.

At the time of buddhahood, the eight consciousnesses still possess the nature of discrimination; it is only that, when discriminating, they possess immense wisdom, able to know completely and thoroughly all dharmas such as form, sound, smell, taste, and touch, and to discriminate with utter thoroughness all dharmas of the world of the three realms. If one says that none of the eight consciousnesses discriminate, what state would non-discrimination be? Non-discrimination would be like a rock. Sentient beings are not rocks, and after attaining buddhahood, even less so. Since one is not a rock, the conscious mind of course must discriminate and know the various dharmas. It is precisely because of the nature of discrimination and cognition that we can survive in this world and be living, vibrant sentient beings.