Can the Tathāgatagarbha of an Arhat Be Called Vipāka-vijñāna?

Ālayavijñāna, vipākavijñāna, and amala-vijñāna—these three names all represent the eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha. The reason the names differ is that the karmic seeds they contain differ. Changes in the karmic seeds indicate that the ignorance which brings about birth and death has been reduced to a considerable degree, or has been completely extinguished. Among these, the name Ālayavijñāna represents the presence of segmented birth-and-death (pariccheda-maraṇa), with the seeds of unwholesome karma still very heavy and numerous. When there is no more segmented birth-and-death but transformational birth-and-death (parināma-maraṇa) still remains, that is when all afflictive manifestations have been completely severed, the seeds of unwholesome karma have been eliminated, and there is no longer any attraction to segmented birth-and-death within the three realms—that is the realm of the arhat of the fourth fruit of the Small Vehicle, and at that time the tathāgatagarbha is called vipākavijñāna.

Because the arhat has completely severed the afflictions, there is no more segmented birth-and-death—that is, no more transmigration through the six paths of the three realms. Although no longer transmigrating within the six paths, the arhat still has the identity of a sage beyond the six paths and a training ground for cultivating the path, and with this identity continues to practice within the three realms until attaining buddhahood, never leaving the three realms. Thus, when the arhat has completely severed the afflictions, he escapes the segmented birth-and-death of transmigration in the six paths, and the Ālayavijñāna is renamed vipākavijñāna. His liberation realm is equivalent to that of an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva, except that the habituated tendencies have not yet begun to be severed. Although an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva has begun severing the habituated tendencies, they are not yet exhausted; because they are not exhausted, there is still transformational birth-and-death, and his tathāgatagarbha is also called vipākavijñāna.

From this it can be seen that birth and death arise from afflictions and the habituated tendencies of afflictions, and the aim of practice is to sever afflictions and sever habituated tendencies—whether in the practice of the Great Vehicle or the Small Vehicle, the goal is the same. The only difference is that the practice of the Small Vehicle can only reach the level of completely severing the afflictions, but cannot sever the habituated tendencies; therefore one must continue to advance in the practice of the Great Vehicle, in the hope of exhausting all ignorance and attaining the fruit of buddhahood. Because the doctrine of the Small Vehicle is not deep enough and not ultimate, it cannot guide practitioners in severing the habituated tendencies, whereas the dharma meaning of the Great Vehicle becomes progressively deeper, subtle and fine to the utmost, omitting nothing, and can guide practitioners to exhaust all ignorance and habituated tendencies, ultimately attaining buddhahood. Having understood this principle, in learning Buddhism and practicing, one must constantly examine and introspect upon one's own mental disposition, to see whether the afflictions have lessened and whether the mind has become a bit purer. Do not take the theories one has learned as ultimate; theory serves the purpose of severing afflictions and habituated tendencies. Once the habituated tendencies are exhausted, all theories have no place left to be of use.

To sum up: the ultimate fruit of the Small Vehicle is equivalent to the liberation-wisdom realization of an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva of the Great Vehicle, but it lacks the eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva's profound consciousness-only wisdom of the seeds (sarvākārajñatā), and there has been no transformation of consciousness into wisdom. In terms of wisdom, the arhat differs greatly from the eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva, and also differs greatly from the first-bhūmi bodhisattva; even the wisdom of nonarising of the Great Vehicle differs considerably from that of bodhisattvas at the three stages of virtuous practice. If a practitioner cultivates only the liberation of the Small Vehicle and not the Great Vehicle, his liberation will still not be ultimate; the great matter of birth and death will in the end not be truly resolved—although he can attain nirvāṇa, birth and death still remain.