The Wisdom of Equality of the Manas

The seventh consciousness possesses the equality-nature wisdom (samatā-jñāna) at the initial mind-arising of the Ground of Extreme Joy, meaning that upon entering the initial mind of the first ground, the Ground of Extreme Joy, the seventh consciousness transforms consciousness into wisdom and possesses one portion of the equality-nature wisdom. After the seventh consciousness, through cultivating the bodhisattva's six perfections, sees the true mind and attains enlightenment, it possesses prajñā wisdom; as prajñā wisdom grows, it possesses the wisdom acquired after attainment (post-realization wisdom); through cultivating the path it initiates the first dhyāna, eliminates afflictions, successively passes through the mirage gate and the dream-like gate, and after realizing nirvāṇa with remainder (sopadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa), it trains in Consciousness-Only and possesses one portion of the Consciousness-Only seed-wisdom. Upon entering the first ground, the sixth consciousness for the first time transforms consciousness into wisdom, possessing the initial portion of the wonderful observing wisdom (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna), and the seventh consciousness for the first time transforms consciousness into wisdom, possessing the initial portion of the equality-nature wisdom. 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 of accomplishing what is to be done, fulfilling the buddha path.

Bodhisattvas on the first ground have eliminated the ordinary being's nature (pṛthagjana-nature), entered the household of the Tathāgata, and become true sons of the Buddha. This is an immense transformation in learning Buddhism and cultivating the path, highly emblematic, and the mind is extremely joyful; hence it is called the Ground of Extreme Joy. The seventh consciousness's equality-nature wisdom is transformed during the process of cultivating the path in the three stages of virtuous abodes after seeing the true mind; it is the mark of successfully accomplishing the transformation of the basis (āśraya-parāvṛtti) with the eighth consciousness. The seventh consciousness realizes the equality of the eighth consciousness, constantly observing that although all sentient beings differ in their retributions, the eighth consciousness—the cause that manifests those retributions—is equal; therefore the marks are also equal. In this way, the marks of a person, a self, sentient beings, and a life span are all broken through, and one truly realizes that in substance all sentient beings are equal and will ultimately all become buddhas. The mind of the seventh consciousness also gradually comes to possess the nature of equality, and after severing afflictions and transforming consciousness into wisdom, one enters the first ground.

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, break through the four marks, sever afflictions, pass through the three gates of Chan, realize the mirage gate and the dream-like gate, eliminate the ordinary being's nature, realize the first ground bodhisattva's portion of Consciousness-Only seed-wisdom, realize the tathatā nature of all dharmas, realize one portion of the one true dharma realm, and ultimately become a buddha.

The seventh consciousness of an arhat does not possess the equality-nature wisdom, 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 a certain equality: the standpoint of this equality differs from that of first-ground bodhisattvas. An arhat sees all sentient beings as empty and selfless, has severed all afflictions in the mind, and has 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 of the nature of the eighth consciousness, are all of tathatā nature, are all the one true dharma realm. Therefore there is no equality-nature wisdom.

Viewing the arhat's entire process of cultivating 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 ended, 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.