Can the Essence of the Eighth Consciousness Be Relinquished?

Question: It is said in the Cheng Weishi Lun (Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-śāstra): “（第八识）或名异熟识，能引生死善不善业异熟果故，此名唯在异生、二乘、诸菩萨位，非如来地，犹有异熟无记法故。”和“异熟识体，菩萨将得菩提时舍，声闻独觉入无余依涅槃时舍。” Are these two statements contradictory? After an arhat enters nirvāṇa without remainder, is he still an arhat, and does he still belong to the two vehicles? Especially the second statement—can the substance of the vipākavijñāna (retributive consciousness) actually be relinquished? My understanding has always been that the name is relinquished but not the substance.

Answer: For bodhisattvas before the eighth bhūmi, their eighth consciousness is called ālayavijñāna; after bodhisattvas reach the eighth bhūmi, and after śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas enter nirvāṇa, their eighth consciousness is called vipākavijñāna. When śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas enter nirvāṇa without remainder, they relinquish the name of ālayavijñāna, not the substance of ālayavijñāna, and still less can they relinquish the substance of vipākavijñāna; when a bodhisattva of wondrous enlightenment (miàojué) is about to attain buddhahood, he relinquishes the name of vipākavijñāna for the eighth consciousness, but cannot relinquish the substance of vipākavijñāna. The substance truly exists, neither arising nor ceasing; even a Buddha cannot relinquish it. If the substance of vipākavijñāna were relinquished, all dharmas would cease to exist and could never be born again; there would never again be the five aggregates, nor nirvāṇa, nor any Buddhas or worlds. Only the Buddhas, who have extinguished all retributive nature and all ignorance, can relinquish the name of vipākavijñāna; even a bodhisattva of virtual enlightenment (děngjué) cannot relinquish that name, let alone an arhat, a pratyekabuddha, or a solitary awakened one.