Lankavatara 2:IX
Again, Mahamati asked the Buddha, saying: “The Bhagavan speaks of
- citta, manas, and vijnana,
- five dharmas*,
- self-nature characteristics,
- all practices of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas,
- seeing one’s own mind as equal,
- and that objective realms are not manifested through the sequential compositing of dharmas [i.e, samsarga].
All these are said to be characteristics of reality. All Buddhas call this “mind.” For the great Bodhisattvas dwelling in the oceans and mountains of Malaya in the Land of Laṅkā, share the Tathagata’s praises of the Dharmakaya of the realm of ocean-wave storehouse consciousness.
*相 (nimitta – perceptual appearance)，名 (nama – language-name)，分別 (vikalpa – reifying discrimination)，正智 (samjna – non-dual recognition; Lankavatara special use)，如如 (jneya – gnosis of suchness)
Discussion on 2:IX:1 (June 5, 2025)
At that time, the Bhagavan told Mahamati Bodhisattva, “Due to the four causes and conditions, the eye-consciousness evolves. Which four? They are:
- One’s own mind’s manifestations are gathered and received in ignorance.
- Beginningless errors pass through the perfuming of forms.
- Consciousness’s individuating marks are conceptually objectified,
- The desire to perceive manifold form characteristics.
Mahamati! These four types of causes and conditions are situated in a flowing stream and the alaya-vijnana’s turning produces waves.
Discussion on 2:IX:1-2 (June 12, 2025)
Mahamati! Just like the eye consciousness, all sense-capacities co-arise along with subtle dusts and gross form; indeed, they are all like this. Just like a mirror, manifesting all the different forms and appearances.
Mahamati! Like a fierce wind blowing on the water of the great ocean, the winds of the external realm buffet the citta-ocean, and the waves of consciousness arise without end.
Discussion on 2:IX:3-4 (June 19, 2025)
Because constructed nimitta are different and not different, and because nimitta arise according to karma, one enters deeply into conceptual fixation, and it is not possible to comprehend the self-nature of form, etc*; therefore, the five-sense-consciousness body transforms.
Mahamati! This five-sense-consciousness body, arising in conjunction with differentiating and partitioning cognition of perceptual appearances (nimitta), should be known as vijnana, causing your body to evolve.
*Likely the 5 skandhas: 色 (form), 受 (feeling tone), 想 (cognition), (volition), 識 (consciousness)
They (i.e., the not self-realized) don’t think: “I develop and evolve nimitta causes, my own mind appears, turning around delusive constructs arising from karmically perfumed tendencies, appearing as subject-object experience, and mistaken as real (wàngxiǎng) that are sequentially composited, reified, and clung to (samsarga).” And their every decaying characteristic also churns, such as: separating realms*, partitioning and differentiating, this is known as “revolving.”
Take yogins entering dhyana-samadhi. Subtle perfuming revolves, and they are not aware of that knowledge; they then give rise to the thought: “Consciousness ceases and then I enter dhyana-samapatti.” Really, it is not that consciousness ceases and then dhyana-samapatti is entered. The vasana-bija doesn’t stop; therefore, there is no cessation. It is the absence of grasping after revolving realms that causes cessation.
*Mindfulness here refers to smrti, which is mindfulness, specifically in the recollection of instructions.
**境界 is being translated as realms, which is a multivalent word. As alambana, it refers to the supporting basis of something, especially the connection between a sensation and the perception that it excites. A sphere of conduct wherein one’s actions bear fruit. Contains notions of mood, mental state, feeling, sensation, viewpoint, etc. As yogins, it is also the practices we engage in to realize the gross form of the Eternal. (Digital Dictionary of Buddhism, Charles Mueller)
Discussion on 2:IX:5-8 (June 26, 2025)
Mahamati! Such is the ultimate boundary of the subtle alaya-vijnana, except tathagatas and abiding bodhisattvas; the power of the samadhi-prajna that all sravakas, pratyeka-buddhas, and heterodox practitioners attain through their practice—all of them cannot measure or determine the prajna-characteristics of the remaining bhumi’s* skillful and expedient vikalpa**, and decisively express (consider: initiate others into) their meaning and principle.
*There are several models of bhumis (stages of development toward buddhahood). The most common has 10 stages, the first 6 of which are common to dualistic and non-dualistic Buddhist yoga praxis. 7-9 constitute the non-dual stages of the bodhisattva. 10 constitutes the maturity of tathagata-realization. Here, stages 7-10 are considered the remaining bhumis.
- Joyous, 2) Stainless, 3) Illuminating, 4) Radiant, 5) Difficult-to-Conquer, 6) Manifest, 7) Far-going, 8) Immovable, 9) Perfect Intelligence, 10) Dharma Cloud
**Vikalpa here refers to expedient conceptual discriminations—constructs provisionally used to navigate or liberate from delusion. Even the sense of self, when understood as such, can be one such upāya.
The most exalted, boundless, good root matures when:
- separated from one’s own mind’s manifestations of erroneous wàngxiǎng
- peacefully sitting in a mountain forest,
- able to see one’s own mind’s wàngxiǎng flow in lower, middle, and upper practices.*
- anointed in the limitless fields of all the Buddhas,
- obtaining self-realization, spiritual powers, and samadhi.
*Lower: practice based on dualistic mind (relative concentration, conceptual view) Middle: cultivation informed by paratantra-svabhāva—dependent nature, discerning vikalpa Upper: non-conceptual realization of pariniṣpanna-svabhāva—true suchness, empty of projection
Discussion on 2:IX:9-10 (July 3, 2025)
All spiritual friends, children of Buddhas, and their retinue, their:
- citta, manas, vijnana,
- perceptions of their citta’s manifested realms and wàngxiǎng,
- birth and death existing as an ocean
- karma, craving, ignorance
and likewise other conditions are thoroughly transcended. It is thus, Mahamati, All yogins, should draw near to the most supreme spiritual friend.
At that time, the Bhagavan wanted to again restate this meaning, and said in verse:
Like great ocean waves,
That arise from fierce winds,
Flooding waves pound the black abyss,
Without a moment’s cessation.
The ocean of alaya-vijnana constantly abides,
moved by the Winds of Realms,
Diverse seeds–all of consciousness’s waves,
Leaping, bounding, and revolving birth.
Azure, red, every kind of color,
alabaster, milk, and crystallized honey,
Delicate tastes, multitudes of blossoms, and fruit,
Sun, Moon, and Radiant Light,
Are all not different,
and not not different.
Say, it is by that vijnana, that
the significance of nimittas is contemplated,
There are 8 non-decaying nimitta,
Absence of nimitta is just absence of nimitta.
Just like ocean waves,
They are thus without distinction;
All consciousness and citta are like this,
Different and unable to be grasped.
Citta is described as accumulating karma,
Mana’s is described as broadening the accumulation.
All consciousnesses—vijnana* and visaya**,
manifest equally in what are called the five sense realms.
*vijnana: separating knowledge, the gnosis of distinct objects of consciousness, the capacity to know and perceive.
**visaya: that which is known, a perceptible object of the vijnana function, i.e. the functional appearance of an “external” phenomenon.
Discussion on 2:IX:10-verses part 1 (July 10, 2025)
At that time, Mahamati asked in verse:
The characteristics of ocean waves,
their drumming and leaping, can be distinguished,
Alaya and karma are like this,
How, then, do we fail to awaken?
Then the Bhagavan replied in verse:
Ordinary Beings lack prajna,
Alaya is like a great ocean,
Karma nimitta is like waves,
Rely on this simile to understand
At that time, Mahamati asked in verse:
The sun’s rays illuminate equally,
Lower, middle, and upper sentient beings.
Tathagata illuminates the world,
Speaking of suchness for the ignorant,
Having already distinguished all dharmas,
Why not speak of reality?
Then the Bhagavan replied in verse:
If one speaks about tathata,
their citta lacks tathata.
Like ocean waves,
Reflected in a mirror or in a dream,
All simultaneously manifest,
Citta realms are also like this.
Because realms are not fully actualized,
Karma unfolds in sequential becoming,
Consciousness is conscious of what can be known,
Manas, naturally takes it to be real,
Five senses’ manifestation,
lacks a set sequence.
Like a skilled painter,
And their apprentice,
Adding colors to the outline of every image,
I say it is like this.
Colors essentially lack designs,
Neither brush nor silk [have them either],
Just for pleasing sentient beings,
They weave and color many images.
Speach and action are distinct,
tathata is separate from names,
Vikalpa responds to initial karma,
Practice reveals suchness.
The place where tathata self-awakens,
Awareness is separated from what is known,
This is spoken to the Sons of Buddhas,
The Ignorant falsely discriminate.
All things are like illusions;
though they appear, they lack reality.
Such are the various teachings,
adapted distinctly to circumstance.
What is said does not accord—
and for them, it is not true speech.
Each sick person,
the doctor treats according to their condition,
Tathagata, for Sentient Beings,
Teaches in accordance to each citta.
Wàngxiǎng is not a realm,
Sravakas also have no part [in this realization],
What the compassionate one teaches,
is the domain of self-realization