If one wishes to experience the Ālayavijñāna, it can be done through samādhi. There are also other ways through which one may briefly experience the Ālayavijñāna. For example, after running desperately until completely exhausted, if one suddenly stops, the mind may fall into a momentary blankness. At that moment, the mind can temporarily glimpse the Ālayavijñāna. Likewise, when a person is stunned by a heavy blow, or when one falls into an extremely deep, dreamless sleep, these too are states related to the Ālayavijñāna.
However, according to Tibetan Buddhism, an extremely deep state of sleep should more precisely be called “Ālaya” . In the Chinese Yogācāra tradition, the distinction between Ālaya and Ālayavijñāna is generally not emphasized, but in Tibetan Buddhism this distinction must be clearly explained in the context of practice.
For example, when we fall asleep, what is it that actually sustains the state of sleep? After falling asleep, the eyes no longer see, the body no longer consciously feels, the nose no longer smells, and the ears no longer hear. Yet the blood continues to circulate, and the flesh continues to grow. We do not see the flesh growing onto the bedframe, nor does the blood burst through the skin and spray out. This shows that there is still a consciousness maintaining the body’s functioning. That consciousness is precisely the Ālayavijñāna.
However, at that time, because of the influence of sleep—the mental factor of sleep —there is no clear awareness whatsoever. Only the foundational Ālaya remains in operation. Once clear awareness is present, it is then called Ālayavijñāna.
That clear awareness is not the awareness of the first six consciousnesses. The awareness of the first six consciousnesses is distinctly differentiated: thinking performs the function of thinking, the eyes perform the function of seeing, and the ears perform the function of hearing. The eyes cannot replace the ears. Once awareness becomes so clearly divided and categorized, it can no longer be called Ālayavijñāna.
As mentioned earlier, through meditation we can directly and clearly experience the Ālayavijñāna. Once this experience arises, one discovers that all phenomena emerge from it, and that all phenomena can also withdraw back into it during samādhi.
However, Ālayavijñāna is still not our ultimate essence. It is the root of saṃsāra and what is called “Origin” (Samudaya) in the Four Noble Truths. The arising of phenomena is suffering, and the Ālayavijñāna that gives rise to phenomena is precisely this “Origin.”
What is the “Path” (Mārga)? The process of coming to understand what Ālayavijñāna truly is, is called the Path. This is also what is meant by “observing the mind.” Since Ālayavijñāna is also referred to as “mind,” the entire process of observing and cultivating the mind is the Path. This is the Mahāyāna way of explaining the Four Noble Truths.
What is “Cessation” (Nirodha)? Ultimately, we discover that the essence of Ālayavijñāna is emptiness together with luminosity—the union of luminosity and emptiness. This is the Truth of Cessation, the truth of “cessation” itself. Of course, it may seem that only I explain Ālayavijñāna in this way. But don’t worry—it is definitely not wrong. If it is, then I deserve to fall into hell.
—Excerpted and compiled from The Relationship Between Buddhist Theory and Practice
This article is a preliminary translation draft and has not yet been reviewed or proofread by the speaker.
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