Consciousness-Only Theory Is a Manifestation of Lack of Wisdom.

Nowadays most people's practice falls upon the mind consciousness, with everything centered on the mind consciousness and judged solely by the mind consciousness. They cannot even distinguish the eighth consciousness from the seventh consciousness, let alone clearly distinguish the five sense consciousnesses. Yet even so, quite a few people claim to have awakened, but what they have awakened to is the combined state of the eight consciousnesses, or the mixed state of the four consciousnesses—not at all the state of the eighth consciousness operating on its own. This is no different from not having awakened at all. To clearly distinguish the natures of all eight consciousnesses amid the lively activities of the five aggregates and eighteen realms—this is great wisdom. If everything is bundled together and said to be awakened to all at once, then it is meaningless, the same as saying nothing and awakening to nothing.

If one binds the five sense consciousnesses, the seventh consciousness, and the eighth consciousness all together with the mind consciousness when speaking of them, such that apart from the mind consciousness one cannot clearly explain the natures and characteristics of the other consciousnesses, then it shows that this person can only observe the mind consciousness and cannot observe the other consciousnesses—their wisdom is too shallow. If one says that all these natures belong to the mind consciousness, and that the natures of the other consciousnesses are bestowed by the mind consciousness, this is consciousness-only-in-the-sense-of-mind-consciousness-ism; such a person has virtually no wisdom at all.

This mind-consciousness-only doctrine has resulted in streets full of noble ones who claim to have severed the three fetters and attained enlightenment. If someone thinks this matter is easy and nothing remarkable, then they have certainly misunderstood the dharma of seeing the path, and they will surely regret it at the time of death. Sentient beings are truly pitiable. Lacking experience in study and practice, they have mistakenly believed in some untrue dharma and refused to believe what the Buddha taught, and this is the result. Who is to bear this responsibility, and how is it to be borne? The three evil destinies are truly not a fun place; everyone should carefully weigh themselves. Nowadays the Buddha-dharma is severely misunderstood. Even when many people read the sutras and believe the Buddha's words, they do not necessarily read them with understanding, yet they think they have understood—how much more so when relying on what others say.

Practitioners of every dharma gate are all firmly convinced of the correctness of their own method and direction of practice, and all firmly convinced of the correctness and authenticity of what they have awakened to. In short, they trust themselves and the people and dharmas they follow, and never bring forth the mind to deliberate (manasikāra) in accordance with the truth—this is the karmic power of sentient beings. When Yuanyin Laoren's teacher probed and tested his wisdom and realization, he too respectfully held up with both hands a nonexistent moon and presented it before his teacher, meaning that this was the self-natured pure mind, suchness—not knowing which one this actually was, exactly the same style as the zen repartee of the Chan patriarchs. It can be seen that many people's awakenings look alike on the surface, but what is their actual substance within? Because sentient beings lack wisdom, they are often blinded by appearances and fail to see Mount Lu's true face. Sentient beings are indeed dull, yet no one admits to being dull; all consider themselves extraordinary—this is the self-nature of sentient beings.

The self-confidence of so many people ultimately harms themselves and harms others as well. Even when karmic retribution arrives, they may fail to recognize this point—how much less so when the conditions for karmic retribution are not yet ripe. How could such dull sentient beings, at the very moment of hearing the dharma, with the mind consciousness deliberating only slightly, eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa), or even see the mind and attain enlightenment? How could countless people attain the fruits of realization merely by organizing and digesting theory? This age of the final dharma is truly terrifying!