Tag Archives: Alaya vijnana

Ālayavijñāna: The Hallmark of the Yogācāra

Our next chapter in question for this present sutra is Number Five in the Tibetan Translation and Number Three for the Chinese. We have been following John Keenan’s numbering sequence. Basically the difference between the translations is that the Tibetan … Continue reading

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A further look at the Vijñānas

The Sagathakam posits numerous statements concerning the Vijñānas, as does the Lanka as a whole. Doing a search here at Unborn Mind Zen you will discover a rich source of connotations concerning the vijnanic system. This blog offers a further … Continue reading

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Karma’s Repository

The advent of Mahāyāna Buddhism that coincided with the beginning of the Christian-era gave birth to the most sublime innovations in Buddhist-thought that have not been surpassed even to this day. Colorful, dynamic and transcendent in scope, resplendent with rich … Continue reading

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Technique #2: Binzuru-Ho

Question: In Shoden Session #2 you refer to the Dhyana Technique as Binzuru- Ho. What is the significance of that? Vajragoni: Binzuru is the Japanese name for Pindola Bharadvaja, who is a healing Arhat in Buddhist lore. The Arhats are … Continue reading

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The Effects of Purification

ii. 33-45 Positive Exchange of the Mind-stuff 2.33 Destructive negative thoughts can be deterred through positive reinforcement. When the alaya-vijñana overflows with negative regularity, positive imprints from the Amala-recepticle (Pure-Thought Realm of the Tathagatas) can make for Right Cultivation of … Continue reading

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Womb of Darkness, Womb of Light: Bardo 2, Part 5

One of Mind’s Revelations, by virtue of its Wordless Transmission, as expounded in the Dharmakaya Sutra is that all six realms within the samsaric order of creation are mere skandhic-apparitions. For instance, gods and demi-gods “dream” just as much as … Continue reading

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The Black Dragon Eye Mandala: A Singular Focal-point of the Unmoving Principle

The Black Dragon Eye Mandala is an auspicious medium in which to navigate through the turbulent and erratic seas (the Moving Principle). The black background of the Black Dragon-Eye Mandala depicts the infinite universal realm of the Dharmakaya that always … Continue reading

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A Movable Feast

Mardi Gras is fast approaching with its vast array of spectacular shapes and colors all manifesting into one great orgy, indulging and gorging (Fat Tuesday) oneself before the solemn season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. After studying the Lanka, … Continue reading

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The Other

Section LXXXII of the Lanka delineates the nature of the Tathagata-garbha and the Alaya vijnana (repository consciousness). This can be quite confusing because although apparently different—one pure, one defiled—they are also essentially synonymous in nature. A good analogy to break … Continue reading

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