Notes on Storehouse Consciousness: Citta and Alaya

In the Lankavatara Sutra, Citta is derived from the root ci, which means "to pile up" and "to arrange in order". Thus, the Citta is akin to "a storehouse into which the seeds of all thoughts and deeds accumulate" and are stored.

Yet the Citta has two meanings, general and specific. Generally-speaking, it means "heart-mind", the emotive part of the mind which includes the activities of Manas — intellect or mind-sense which grasps mental objects — and Manovijnana (sixth consciousness), and also of the Vijnanas (the five consciousnesses).

In this sense, it represents a person's mindset or state of mind which may be dominated by emotions.

Specifically the Citta is the Alayavijnana in its relative aspects, which is distinguishable from the rest of the mental faculties i.e. the pure mind that is free of the defilements of attachment, hatred and delusion.

In the form of Citta-matra, Mind-only, "Citta" is identifiable with the Alaya in its absolute aspect.

Alayavijnana means storehouse consciousness, for alaya is a storehouse "where things are hoarded for future use." As a cumulative faculty, the Citta is thus identified with the Alayavijnana. Yet the Alaya "is not a Vijnana," and "has no discerning power in it."

Indeed, the Alaya "indiscriminately harbours all that is poured into it through the channel of the Vijnanas."

The Alaya is the mind-stream, the stream of consciousness which is neutral, indifferent, and non-judgmental.

Regarding citta, the mind is first calmed during samatha meditation.

Then the mind is purified when liberating insight arises during vipassana meditation.

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Reference:

Lankavatara Sutra: http://lirs.ru/do/lanka_eng/lanka-nondiacritical.htm
Citta: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citta
Vipassana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana
Instructions on breath meditation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta

Womb Essence (poem)

For all people who are conceived,
their Buddha Nature
in the Pure Land attracts them to
the womb of their mothers.
Thus it is Buddha Nature
that is the seed stored in
alaya consciousness until rebirth.

Destroying Samsara

Samsara is the human realm where all sentient beings wish to be reborn.

For the Buddhist devotee needs to develop non-deluded doubts about samsara.

Furthermore, the devotee who develops doubts about Emptiness will damage Samsara's hold over human beings.

Even samadhi leading to Bodhi Mind will not happen due to non-doubt in what the Buddha taught.

Indeed, Buddhism arose to help its followers awaken to the fact that transmigration is not of souls as Hindu define souls.

Rather, the store (alaya) consciousness is what is reborn due to the working of karma, both good and evil.

For me then, the optimal balance of karma ought to be equal amounts since the Middle Way is the pivot between good and evil.

Only Consciousness is Reborn

Mind undergoes rebirth, not a permanent soul.

Yet you may ask, "is the mind then permanent?"

No, when one considers it spiritual energy, the ordinary mind is impermanent.

For the consciousness which merges with the physical form "creates" mind.

When one dies, that consciousness (mindstream) returns to the Absolute as Alaya.

Then it is sent out again according to karmic merit, to influence the destiny it chooses, be it rebirth as the creation of new life in a new existence (samsara), or rebirth in the Pure Land.

In essence, consciousness enters the mind continuum as the mindstream and is reborn according to the fruition of karma.

A thorough reading of Yogacara and certain Vajrayana sutras will confirm this.

Letting go of Ego (poem)

Letting go of ego
being embraced by
Thusness, the wise ones cut through
delusion and view
Buddha Nature as Self Nature.

Holding onto ego,
letting go of Thusness,
the fool tightly clings
to delusion with all his might --
Phantasies are at his command!

Seeing ego as delusion,
calm mind is the mindful one's reward
for just sitting still --
with such purity of mind
one uncovers Buddha Nature.

With five senses arise
five consciousnesses with
the sixth reflecting upon these five,
to realize ego is impermanent,
the seventh consciousness is free
to view Alaya consciousness as Thusness,
leaving all eight empty of substance.
Not clinging to them at all,
one is liberated from samsara,
only to return to this world
to help others find the Way.

So let go of ego as self,
and cut through the delusion
of Alaya consciousness as soul
to uncover Buddha Nature
which is Self Nature for
both are empty of substance.

Thus does this foolish one
stop clinging to ego,
and all thought of soul transmigrating
is washed away by all waters
flowing into the Ocean of Mind,
that refreshes us all
with liberation from samsara.