<A Brief Outline of the Stages of the Path of Consciousness-Only (Yogācāra)>
What is meant by awakening to and entering the Five Stages of Consciousness-Only?
The Stage of Accumulation (Sambhāra-mārga): cultivating the Mahayana factors conducive to liberation.
The Stage of Preparation (Prayoga-mārga): cultivating the Mahayana factors conducive to definitive penetration.
The Stage of Penetration (Darśana-mārga): the Path of Seeing in which Bodhisattvas abide.
The Stage of Cultivation (Bhāvanā-mārga): the Path of Meditation/Cultivation in which Bodhisattvas abide.
The Ultimate Stage (Niṣṭhā-mārga): abiding in Unexcelled Perfect Enlightenment (Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi).
How does one gradually awaken to and enter Consciousness-Only?
This means that in the Stage of Accumulation, Bodhisattvas can deeply believe in and understand the characteristics (lakṣaṇa) and nature (svabhāva) of consciousness.
In the Stage of Preparation, they can gradually subdue and eliminate the perceived (grāhya) and the perceiver (grāhaka), inducing true insight.
In the Stage of Penetration, they thoroughly understand reality as it is.
In the Stage of Cultivation, acting in accordance with the truth they have seen, they repeatedly cultivate, subduing and severing the remaining hindrances.
Upon reaching the Ultimate Stage, they transcend all hindrances with perfect luminosity. Able to exhaust the bounds of the future, they transform all sentient beings, leading them in turn to awaken to and enter the characteristics and nature of Consciousness-Only.
Regarding the stages of the path, the five stages of the Bodhisattva encompass the following:
First, the Stage of Accumulation. Also called the factors conducive to liberation, this stage encompasses the forty states of mind prior to the Bhūmis (Grounds): the Ten Faiths, Ten Abodes, Ten Practices, and Ten Dedications.
Second, the Stage of Preparation. This stage is the preparation for the Path of Seeing. In older translations, it was called the Stage of Expedient Means, but this is inaccurate as it is not 'conducive to'. This stage encompasses the states of Heat (Uṣmagata), Summit (Mūrdhan), Patience (Kṣānti), and Supreme Worldly Dharma (Laukikāgra-dharma). It constitutes the factors conducive to definitive penetration, as the untainted wisdom (anāsrava-jñāna) of the Path of Seeing is the true factor of definitive penetration.
Third, the Stage of Penetration (Path of Seeing). Within this, there are two paths: the True Path of Seeing and the Phenomenal (Sign-based) Path of Seeing. The True Path of Seeing severs the two hindrances (afflictive and cognitive) and realizes the two emptinesses (of self and dharmas). The Phenomenal Path of Seeing takes subsequently attained wisdom (pṛṣṭhalabdha-jñāna) as its substance; in contemplating the non-established truth (the absolute truth), there are three grades of mind.
Contemplating the non-established truth with three grades of mind:
i. The wisdom internally dispelling the false cognitive conditions of sentient beings (self), which eradicates the soft/weak grade of conceptually-formed latent defilements (anuśaya).
ii. The wisdom internally dispelling the false cognitive conditions of all dharmas (phenomena), which eradicates the medium grade of conceptually-formed latent defilements.
iii. The wisdom universally dispelling all false cognitive conditions of sentient beings and dharmas, which eradicates all conceptually-formed latent defilements.
The first two are called Dharma-knowledge (dharma-jñāna) because they perceive distinctively; the third is called Subsequent-knowledge (anvaya-jñāna) because it perceives comprehensively. Modeled after the True Path of Seeing, the perceiving aspect (darśana-bhāga) of the two emptinesses, the eradication of their respective hindrances, and the uninterrupted (ānantarya-mārga) and liberation (vimukti-mārga) paths are established both separately and comprehensively; this is termed the Phenomenal Path of Seeing.
Contemplating the established truth (conventional truth/Four Noble Truths), there are sixteen minds. This is further divided into two types:
Firstly, based on contemplating the perceived and the perceiver, sixteen kinds of minds of Dharma and Subsequent knowledge are separately established. That is, regarding the Truth of Suffering, there are four kinds of mind:
i. Patience of Dharma-knowledge regarding Suffering: contemplating the True Suchness of the Truth of Suffering in the three realms, directly severing the twenty-eight conceptually-formed latent defilements abandoned by seeing suffering in the three realms.
ii. Dharma-knowledge of Suffering: immediately following patience, contemplating the aforementioned True Suchness, realizing liberation from the previously severed afflictions.
iii. Patience of Subsequent-knowledge regarding Suffering: immediately following knowledge, untainted wisdom arises, internally realizing the individual Dharmas of patience and knowledge, affirming that all subsequent holy dharmas are of this kind.
iv. Subsequent-knowledge of Suffering: immediately following this, untainted knowledge arises, verifying and sealing the patience of subsequent-knowledge regarding suffering.
Just as there are four kinds of mind for the Truth of Suffering, it should be known that the same applies to the Truths of Accumulation, Cessation, and the Path. Of these sixteen minds, eight contemplate True Suchness, and eight contemplate correct knowledge. Modeled after the True Path of Seeing, the uninterrupted and liberation paths, along with the perceiving and self-evidencing (svasaṃvitti-bhāga) aspects, are differentially established; this is termed the Phenomenal Path of Seeing.
Secondly, based on contemplating the lower and upper truth-objects, sixteen kinds of minds of Dharma and Subsequent knowledge are separately established. Meaning, in contemplating the Four Noble Truths of Suffering, etc., in the manifest (Desire Realm) and unmanifest (Form and Formless) realms, there are two minds for each:
i. Patience of direct contemplation.
ii. Knowledge of direct contemplation.
As appropriate, modeled after the True Path of Seeing, the uninterrupted and liberation paths, and the perceiving aspect contemplating the truths, severing the 112 conceptually-formed latent defilements abandoned by seeing; this is termed the Phenomenal Path of Seeing.
If relying on the principles of the widely disseminated holy teachings, it is said that the Phenomenal Path of Seeing has nine kinds of mind. This is established based on the aforementioned twenty-six kinds of calming (śamatha) and contemplation (vipaśyanā) perceiving the established truth. That is, combining the patience and knowledge of the Dharma and Subsequent categories, there are four contemplations for each, making eight minds; the eight corresponding states of calming are collectively spoken of as one. Although calming and contemplation operate in tandem during the Path of Seeing, regarding the meaning of "seeing," contemplation is conducive while calming is not; thus, the division and integration of this contemplation and calming are different. Based on these nine minds, it is termed the Phenomenal Path of Seeing.
Fourth, the Stage of Cultivation. In this stage, one further cultivates non-discriminating wisdom and severs the remaining hindrances. The process from emerging from the abiding in the First Ground up to the Vajra-like Uninterrupted Path of the Tenth Ground is called the Path of Cultivation.
The Ten Grounds (Daśabhūmi) are:
The Ground of Supreme Joy (Pramuditā-bhūmi): Initially attaining the holy nature, fully realizing the two emptinesses, and being able to benefit oneself and others, thus generating great joy.
The Ground of Freedom from Defilement (Vimalā-bhūmi): Possessing pure morality (śīla), keeping far away from the defilements of afflictions that cause subtle transgressions.
The Light-Maker Ground (Prabhākarī-bhūmi): Accomplishing supreme concentration (samādhi) and the great Dharma dhāraṇīs, able to emit the boundless light of wondrous wisdom.
The Ground of Radiant Wisdom (Arciṣmatī-bhūmi): Abiding in the most supreme factors of enlightenment, burning the firewood of afflictions, as the flames of wisdom increase.
The Ground That Is Difficult to Conquer (Sudurjayā-bhūmi): The two wisdoms of truth and convention have conflicting characteristics; uniting them to be in correspondence is extremely difficult to conquer.
The Ground of the Manifest (Abhimukhī-bhūmi): Abiding in the wisdom of dependent origination, drawing forth the most supreme non-discriminating prajñā (wisdom), causing it to manifest.
The Far-Reaching Ground (Dūraṃgamā-bhūmi): Reaching the final edge of effortful abiding in signlessness, transcending the worldly paths and the paths of the Two Vehicles.
The Immovable Ground (Acalā-bhūmi): Non-discriminating wisdom continues effortlessly; the characteristics, functions, and afflictions can no longer move one.
The Ground of Good Wisdom (Sādhumatī-bhūmi): Accomplishing the subtle four unhindered understandings (pratisaṃvid), able to eloquently preach the Dharma throughout the ten directions.
The Cloud of Dharma Ground (Dharmameghā-bhūmi): The great cloud of Dharma wisdom contains the water of myriad virtues, covering the coarse obscurations which are like empty space, completely filling the Dharmakāya.
These ten grounds comprehensively encompass conditioned and unconditioned merits as their inherent nature. Because they provide a supreme foundation for the practices cultivated, enabling them to grow, they are called "Grounds" (Bhūmi).
Through the Ten Grounds, the ten supreme practices are perfected. The ten supreme practices are the Ten Perfections (Pāramitās).
Giving (Dāna) has three types: giving of wealth, giving of fearlessness, and giving of Dharma.
Morality (Śīla) has three types: precepts of observing moral codes, precepts of gathering wholesome dharmas, and precepts of benefiting sentient beings.
Patience (Kṣānti) has three types: patience in enduring animosity and harm, patience in peacefully bearing suffering, and patience in thoroughly investigating dharmas.
Vigor/Diligence (Vīrya) has three types: armor-like diligence, diligence in gathering wholesomeness, and diligence in benefiting and bringing joy to beings.
Meditation (Dhyāna) has three types: meditation of peaceful abiding, meditation that induces [virtues], and meditation that accomplishes tasks.
Wisdom (Prajñā) has three types: non-discriminating wisdom of the emptiness of beings (self), non-discriminating wisdom of the emptiness of dharmas, and non-discriminating wisdom of both emptinesses.
Skillful Means (Upāya-kauśalya) has two types: skillful means of dedication, and skillful means of rescuing and liberating.
Vows (Praṇidhāna) have two types: the vow to seek Bodhi, and the vow to benefit and bring joy to others.
Power (Bala) has two types: the power of discerning thought, and the power of cultivation.
Knowledge/Wisdom (Jñāna) has two types: the knowledge of enjoying the joy of the Dharma, and the knowledge of maturing sentient beings.
Fifth, the Ultimate Stage. This refers to abiding in Unexcelled Perfect Enlightenment, transcending hindrances with perfect luminosity, able to exhaust the future in transforming sentient beings, and again causing them to awaken to and enter the characteristics and nature of Consciousness-Only. In this stage, the fruit is perfectly transformed. Having cultivated and accumulated boundless difficult and supreme practices over three great incalculable eons (asaṃkhyeya-kalpa), when the Vajra-like samādhi manifests, one eternally severs all inherent coarse obscurations, instantly realizes the fruit of Buddhahood, achieves the perfect transformation of the basis (āśraya-parāvṛtti), and exhausts the bounds of the future, providing endless benefit and joy.
The transformation of the basis obtained in the preceding Stage of Cultivation should be known as the phenomenal aspect of the Ultimate Stage. This means that the fruit of the two transformations of the basis mentioned above is encompassed by the ultimate untainted realm (anāsrava-dhātu). All defilements (āsrava) are eternally exhausted, it does not increase defilements, and its nature is pure and perfectly luminous; therefore, it is called "untainted." "Realm" (dhātu) carries the meaning of a treasury (garbha), as it contains and holds boundless, rare, and great meritorious virtues; alternatively, it carries the meaning of a cause, as it can generate the beneficial and joyful deeds of the mundane and supramundane realms of the Five Vehicles.
--- Briefly written by Wang Muti, Taiwan