Theravada: 6 consciousnesses (5 senses and mind consciousness)

Mahayana: 8 consciousnesses (6 senses, 7th klesha-mind, 8th all-base

consciousness)

5 sense consciousnesses described as Gates (thought-free consciousnesses)

o Eye c. looks like a flax flower, blue and extremely small and subtle
(light manifestation)
o Ear c. is like the knotty protuberances in bark of birch trees (light
manifestation)
o Nose c. resembles two parallel, extremely fine copper needles (light
manifestation)
o Tongue c. resembles half-moon (light manifestation)
o Body c. is like covering skin of bird soft to touch, takes shape and
color according to part of body it covers (eg. Skin-colored at skin, bonecolored at bone, etc - (light manifestation)
6th is the thinker that entertains different thoughts
o Happy thoughts lead to happy feelings; Unhappy thoughts lead to
unhappy feelings
o Any 5 senses can appear as object of the mind (both outer and inner
objects)
o Judges immediately with thoughts like thats good or thats bad
o It is THIS consciousness that meditates (therefore, whether
visualization is clear or not depends on stability of the mind)
o Acts as root for all attachment, aversion, happiness and suffering
First 6 described as unstable consciousnesses
o They arise only when used and vanishes when unused
th
7 and 8th described as stable consciousnesses
o 7th is the mind endowed with holding on to the self of the person and
self of phenomena
4 mental events to do with the thought I:
Conception of I view neutral thought
Attachment to I I am important
Ignorance/haziness The I is not recognized as false
Pride I am better than others
Serves as basis for 6th to build up coarse grasping of self, which
increases more
When noble ones see the truth of dharmata directly, they no
longer have the kelsha-mind. However, if they do not meditate,
the klesha-mind appears again.
When arahantship is achieved, both within and after meditation,
the klesha-mind is abandoned.
th
o 8 is the general basis for the whole mind
The mind is a singularity mind is one, essence is one. While it
has specific defining characteristics and functions, it has only a
single expression that is clear and cognizing
Established in 2 ways:

All-base that seizes karmic imprints perceptions of eyes,

ears, nose, tongue, body, mental activities Memories are
made in this way
All-base of complete ripening allows karmic imprints to
reappear again
Forms are not external, but purely mental therefore, all
appearances are form
There does not exist the slightest trace of any house or
mountain they are not actually there, but still they appear as if
they were
They only appear in the ESSENCE of the mind
For example, dream objects merely appear within the
mind. The same applies to the whole of reality while we
are not dreaming. They are not truly present externally.
Like a savings bank karmic imprints paid into bank and taken
out again
Learning occurs through the mind consciousness
although the mind consciousness does not exist anymore,
we are still able to remember what we have learned
previously
Karmic imprints can be reawakened
Similar with strong mental afflictions anger can continue
to rage the day after
There is also interest a small karmic action can reap a
heavy consequence (cause small, but result often heavier)
It can also be possible that it happens at some time when
the conditions are right
The clarity aspect of the mind is uninterrupted, only coarse
thoughts are calming down. Clarity that knows and understands
everything is never interrupted.
The mind consciousness creates an impression, such as a deity
visualization, but when karmic imprints get stored in the allbase, it can be possible to meet the deity one day face-to-face.
Therefore, a small act of dharma activity can lead to the
ultimate fruit of buddhahood
The mind consciousness is the wave, the all-base consciousness is the
ocean

Body is composed of atoms while Mind is clear and cognizing. However, body is
bound to mind, so should see them as a single unit.
Meditation of a deity does not happen through the five sense consciousnesses, but
within the mind consciousness. Hence, the objects are less clear.

The principal mind and mental events

The eight consciousnesses are COLLECTIONS they consist of a multiplicity
o This is because the mind is easily mistaken for the self
5 Types of mental events:

o
o
o
o

Ever-present continuous activity (eg. Sensations of happiness or

suffering)
With certainty over object : Only appear when object is perceived
clearly with stability (within the 6 sense consciousnesses)
PURE: Virtuous positive attitudes, arising with virtuous actions (6 th
consciousness)
IMPURE: Collection of mental afflictions
Root afflictions constant and more intense afflictions
Secondary afflictions Appear occasionally
Variable can switch between virtuous and negative states