Store Consciousness - Verse Eleven

Although impermanent and without a separate self,
store consciousness contains all phenomena in the cosmos,
both conditioned and unconditioned,
in the form of seeds.

The Buddha Siddhartha Gautama received spiritual education from Master Alāra Kālāma of the Sānkhya School and Master Udraka Rāmaputra of the Jain School. In India there are eight spiritual schools - Mimāmsa, Vedant, Sānkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, Cārvāka, Buddhism and Jainism, collectively referred to as Hindu schools based on their historic and geographic coexistence. "Hind" in Arabic means India. However, when categorized on the basis of their acceptance of the Vedas, Cārvāka, Buddhist and Jain schools do not accept the authority of the Vedas.

Each school has its own distinct philosophy and practices but the same intent - of eliminating sufferings. When Siddhartha Gautama was receiving spiritual guidance from Alāra Kālāma, he studied the concept of self. This he later refuted through the teachings of no-self.

Except Cārvāka and Buddhist schools, all other schools believe that there is a separate self, and it is this self that needs to be liberated. It is important to understand the concept of a self to understand the no-self teachings of the Buddha.

According to the schools who propagate the doctrine of self, there is an entity beyond the body and mind which is the subject of all experiences. This entity is separate from the body and mind and is known as the self and referred to as the person (purusa) or the soul (ātmān).  While the body is of the nature of birth and death, the soul is migratory in nature, subject to the laws of retribution and experiences suffering and joy.

According to the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, there is no self (person/soul) "separate" from the five aggregates - body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness. The Buddha does not deny a person's existence but rejects the theory that this person (self) exists separate from her aggregates. To Buddha, the person is the five aggregates. Since the person is the five aggregates, she is subject to change and dependent origination (everything is a result of multiple causes and conditions). These five aggregates are also devoid of a separate self and are dependent on multiple causes and conditions. They inter-are. Similarly, all phenomena are devoid of a separate self, are subject to change and are a result of multiple causes and conditions.

The person, thus, is subject to change and does not have a separate existence beyond its constituent aggregates. From the perspective of time, there is no fixed self and this is the teaching of impermanence. Impermanent, here, means subject to change or transformation. From the perspective of space, there is no separate self and this is the teaching of no-self.

The store consciousness too does not have a separate self and is subject to change. It is the mind-field and seeds. It contains all phenomena - conditioned and unconditioned. Conditioned phenomena require various conditions to manifest. However, unconditioned phenomena do not require anything in order to manifest. Conditioned phenomena are of the nature of birth and death, unconditioned phenomena are not born and do not die.

A deluded mind dwells in samsara and perceives only conditioned phenomena. An enlightened mind (a Buddha) dwells in nirvana and perceives only unconditioned phenomena. The store consciousness contains the seeds of both conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. As we proceed we will learn how to water the seeds of nirvana.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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