By Victor M Fontane
The ālaya-vijñāna acts as the receptacle in which the impressions (known as vāsanā or bīja) of past experience and karmic actions are stored. From it the remaining seven consciousnesses arise and produce all present and future modes of experience in saṃsāra. The Buddhist concept of “storehouse consciousness” (alaya vijnana) arose about 2,000 years ago to help explain why people return so often to the same emotional states and viewpoints. Karma or causal relationships arise from the karmic seeds in the Alaya-vijnana. Every form of karma in life, whether it be among family, lovers, or even quarrels with strangers, is the result of the karmic seeds in the Alaya-vijnana, manifesting as good or bad results.
Attaining Bodhi requires enduring the various impermanent and suffering results brought about by the karmic seeds in the Alaya-vijnana. Through the convergence of causes and conditions, one hears the Dharma and gradually attains awakening to Bodhi.
Through meditation and contemplation, one can review past suffering results. These memories are stored as images in our minds, as the brain forms memories in the form of images, making the experiences of suffering vivid in our minds. By contemplating, we realize that all the suffering results are formed by the karmic seeds in the Alaya-vijnana under various causes and conditions. These impermanent suffering results are unchangeable, leading us to try to let go of inner attachments.
To truly let go, we need to repeatedly meditate and contemplate all the suffering results, understanding that these suffering results arise from the flourishing thoughts of the Five Aggregates. Upon understanding that the flourishing of the Five Aggregates also stems from the karmic seeds in the Alaya-vijnana, we then repent our ignorance and karmic obstacles. If we have created bad karma with others, we should seek forgiveness to resolve the bad karma promptly. For unresolved karma, we can only temporarily repent our ignorance and karma, hoping to resolve it in the future, appreciating the causal relationships with family and all the results of good and bad karma.
We are grateful to the beings who bring about good and bad results, as they help the practitioner to attain Bodhi. This is the practitioner's merit and also the virtuous deeds of the karmic creditors born from the Alaya-vijnana.
Thus, one begins fasting to control the flourishing of the Five Aggregates with bodily suffering. Shaving the head aids in focusing on mind cultivation and breaking conventional self-identification. Each time one goes out, they should carry right mindfulness. Even if they experience suffering due to cultivating the body, they must show Vajra-like determination to others. Attaining Bodhi comes from the results of both good and bad karma; hence, one does not judge others based on good or bad and understands that the ignorance and suffering of beings caused by the flourishing of the Five Aggregates stem from the collective karma of the Alaya-vijnana. Therefore, one avoids creating bad karma with newly met beings. Initial acts of benevolence may arise from intention, but gradually, they become intentionless. When right mindfulness is always present, benevolent karma naturally accumulates without the need to inform others. Just as the Buddha guided the merit of formless giving, informing others creates good and bad karma and rekindles the mixed thoughts from the flourishing of the Five Aggregates. Thus, both good and bad are Bodhi.
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