amala-vijnana

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
Post Reply
Yogicfire
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 5:16 pm

amala-vijnana

Post by Yogicfire »

I have been reading about the amala-vijnana (the ninth consciousness). Up until recently, I thought that the mind only school had eight consciousnesses, and that the alaya-vijnana was the base consciousness. However, some of the Far Eastern schools appear to have added a ninth consciousness, amala-vijnana, the pure consciousness.

I would be interested in hearing any thoughts on this doctrinal development, and some explanation on the exact correspondence between the alaya-vijnana and the amala-vijnana. Why was there a need to introduce this extra consciousness? Is this a teaching that is only in the Far Eastern schools, and not in Vajrayana?

Amala-vijnana seems to have been a popular concept in the Hua Yen and T'ient'ai schools.
Last edited by Yogicfire on Sun May 02, 2010 4:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
jcsuperstar
Posts: 1915
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:15 am
Location: alaska
Contact:

Re: amala-vijnana

Post by jcsuperstar »

might want to ask this one over on dharma wheel not dhammawheel
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
User avatar
Alex123
Posts: 4035
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:32 pm

Re: amala-vijnana

Post by Alex123 »

The closest thing that I am aware of is the bhavanga citta found in Theravada Abhidhamma. It may be somewhat similar to 7th and 8th consciousness of vijnanavada.
Yogicfire
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 5:16 pm

Re: amala-vijnana

Post by Yogicfire »

jcsuperstar wrote:might want to ask this one over on dharma wheel not dhammawheel
Is there a dharma wheel? Or is that a joke? I have been out of the Buddhist forum loop for a few years, and this site seemed one of the main Buddhist forums, and this sub forum seemed to have a lot of Mahayana type questions, as well as Theravada, as a dhammic 'free for all'.
User avatar
bodom
Posts: 7216
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Re: amala-vijnana

Post by bodom »

Yogicfire wrote:
jcsuperstar wrote:might want to ask this one over on dharma wheel not dhammawheel
Is there a dharma wheel? Or is that a joke? I have been out of the Buddhist forum loop for a few years, and this site seemed one of the main Buddhist forums, and this sub forum seemed to have a lot of Mahayana type questions, as well as Theravada, as a dhammic 'free for all'.
No joke.

http://www.dharmawheel.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
Yogicfire
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 5:16 pm

Re: amala-vijnana

Post by Yogicfire »

Many thanks for the link. If the moderators want to delete this thread that is fine.
Post Reply