Store Consciousness, Thirty Verses of Vasubandhu and Triacon

This is a brief talk about Store Consciousness. 

Vasubandhu was the founder of the Yogacara (Mind Only) school of Buddhism.  It is Vasubandhu that introduced the concept of Store Consciousness. He was a brilliant logician and philosopher. He was the author of many profound teachings. 

Vasubandhu (image from Wikipedia)

Vasubandhu was the author of a wonderful, short document which we refer to as The Thirty Verses of Vasubandhu (Tri sikavijñaptikarika ). A version of this document which is translated by the famous modern-day Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh can be found at: http://pvom.org/  This is the Plum Village Online Monastery website, which is founded by Thich Nhat Hanh. 

I am quite thrilled about finding The Thirty Verses of Vasubandhu translated by Thich Nhat Hanh online. Turns out that there are very few Buddhist teachings that include the number thirty (30).  I know this because I have searched extensively.  I performed this search because of my fascination with the Triacon which has thirty (30) faces!  Now I can make a Triacon that has each individual verse of the The Thirty Verses of Vasubandhu inscribed on each face of the Triacon.

Thirty Transcendent Virtues
by Thomas J. Greenbaum
Fused glass Triacontahedron

Also, check out the video: http://vimeo.com/29003349 This is the third Dharma talk offered by Thich Nhat Hanh in the Together We Are One Retreat at Deer Park Monastery on the North American Tour, given on Friday, September 9th, 2011. Thich Nhat Hanh talks about store consciousness and mind consciousness, and specifically how they relate to the Four Noble Truths: 1) suffering, 2) the making of suffering, 3) it is possible to transform suffering into happiness, 4) the path to happiness. It is a long video, but at about 33 minutes Thich Nhat Hanh talks specifically about Store Consciousness.

Here is additional information on Store Consciousness (from Wikipedia):

Eighth consciousness : "store consciousness" (Tibetan: kun-gzhi rnam-shes; Sanskrit: ālāyavijñāna); " The seed consciousness (bi^ja-vijn~a^na); "the consciousness which is the basis of the other seven. The seven prior consciousnesses are based and founded upon the eighth. It is the aggregate which administers and yields rebirth; this idea may in some respects be compared to the usage of the word "citta" in the agamas; see below. In the early texts the sankhara-khandha plays some of the roles ascribed to the store-house consciousness by later Yogacara thinkers.

Store-house consciousness accumulates all potential energy for the aggregate of the 'bodymind' (Sanskrit: namarupa), the mental (nama) and physical (rupa) manifestation of one's existence, and supplies the substance to all existences. It also receives impressions from all functions of the other consciousnesses and retains them as potential energy for their further manifestations and activities. Since it serves as the basis for the production of the other seven consciousnesses (called the "evolving" or "transforming" consciousnesses), it is also known as the base consciousness (mūla-vijñāna) or causal consciousness. Since it serves as

the container for all experiential impressions (termed metaphorically as bija or "seeds"), it is also called the seed consciousness or container consciousness.

It is my wish that the reader research this topic thoroughly and contemplate these philosophical concepts during meditation. My experience is that great benefits will result.

Who Shall Lead Us?

We must be our own leader. To know one's true path through life is most important. We seek out the advise of wise men along the way, however, ultimately we are responsible for our own journey. We discover what is of value and what is to be discarded. We test our assumptions and validate them against experience and use intelligent reasoning to guide us. To be a warrior is to practice this constant vigilance. There is no external leader that can save us from our wrong views. We develop the right view and right attitude through our personal discipline. No wise man can tell us what is the right view and right attitude that we should adopt. No leader can convince us of it. This must come from within us. We forge and hone the sword of discriminating wisdom through our own effort. We wield this flaming sword and strike down our obstacles with our own might. Warrior lead thyself.

Manjushri