How to Correctly Understand the Aggregate of Consciousness (II)

Original text of the Lokadharaparipṛcchā:智者正观察选择通达。非阴是识阴。凡夫于非识阴生识阴相，以觉观分别忆想。颠倒相应。虚妄所缚。强名为识阴。贪着是识阴。依止所识。依止识种种示思惟故。生起识阴。是人种种分别。贪着内识。贪着外识。贪着内外识。贪着远识。贪着近识。以识相故。分别起识阴。

Explanation: A person of wisdom should correctly observe, discern, and thoroughly comprehend that the so-called aggregate of consciousness originally has no inherent nature or mark of an aggregate entering into existence; there is no aggregate of consciousness, yet it is provisionally named the aggregate of consciousness. But ordinary beings give rise to the appearance of the aggregate of consciousness toward dharmas that are not the aggregate of consciousness, using their initial application and sustained examination (vitarka-vicāra), recollection, and deliberation, corresponding with deluded minds, bound by false and illusory marks, forcibly naming it the aggregate of consciousness. Ordinary beings cling to these illusory marks as the aggregate of consciousness, rely upon the deluded discriminating nature, rely upon the aggregate of consciousness, and in various ways manifest the deliberative functionality of the aggregate of consciousness, thereby giving rise to the appearance of the aggregate of consciousness.

Ordinary beings, through various discriminations, cling to the inner consciousness that discerns sense-objects within the body, cling to the outer consciousness that discerns sense-objects outside the body, cling to the inner and outer consciousness, cling to the distant consciousness of past and future, and cling to the near consciousness present before their eyes. Because they delusively discern the marks of the conscious mind—discerning the illusory marks of the conscious mind—they grasp these illusory marks as the aggregate of consciousness.

Original text:是人以忆想分别。若心若意若识。假借强名是心是意是识。如是知种种心相生。是凡夫贪着识阴。为识阴所缚。心意识合故。起种种识阴。分别虚妄事故。以一相故。以决定相故。能得是心是意是识。能得分别爱着。

Explanation: Ordinary beings, relying on recollection and deliberation, say "this is mind, this is manas, this is consciousness," borrowing the marks of the conscious mind and forcibly naming them mind, manas, and consciousness. After such discrimination, the various marks of the conscious mind arise in their minds. Because ordinary beings cling to the aggregate of consciousness, they are bound by the aggregate of consciousness; only when mind, manas, and consciousness combine together does the aggregate of consciousness manifest, and thus the marks of the aggregate of consciousness arise in the mind. Because the aggregate of consciousness can delusively discriminate the various characteristics of phenomena, because one delusively perceives the combined marks of the aggregate of consciousness, and because the mind determines that the aggregate of consciousness has marks, ordinary beings grasp these as mind, manas, and consciousness, and further discriminate and cling to them.

Original text:是人依止识阴。深贪识故。亦得过去识阴。贪着念有。亦得未来识阴。贪着念有。亦得现在识阴。贪着念有。诸凡夫于见闻觉知法中。计得识阴。贪着念有。是人贪着见闻觉知法。为识阴所缚。贵其所知。以心意识合系故。驰走往来。所谓从此世至彼世。从彼世至此世。皆识阴所缚故。不能如实知识阴。

Explanation: Ordinary beings rely upon the aggregate of consciousness, and because they deeply cling to the aggregate of consciousness, they also grasp at the past aggregate of consciousness; because they cling to the aggregate of consciousness, believing it truly exists, they then grasp at the future aggregate of consciousness; because they cling to the aggregate of consciousness, believing it truly exists, they also grasp at the present aggregate of consciousness.

Because they cling to the aggregate of consciousness, believing it to be a truly existent dharma, all ordinary beings, among all dharmas of seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, reckon and grasp these as the functions of the aggregate of consciousness. Because they cling to and reckon the aggregate of consciousness as existent, ordinary beings cling to the dharmas of seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, and are bound by the aggregate of consciousness, treasuring and cherishing the dharmas that can know and perceive. Because mind, manas, and consciousness combine together to bind their minds, ordinary beings continually transmigrate through birth and death within the six realms of existence, being born and dying, dying and being born, going from this life to future lives, coming from past lives to this life—all because they are bound by the aggregate of consciousness, unable to truly comprehend and see through the aggregate of consciousness.