The eighth consciousness is called the “ground consciousness;” it too is an aspect of luminosity and

understanding that is ever present. No matter what kind of sensory perception occurs, this underlying
continuity of consciousness is there. The ground consciousness is the basis, the ground, for all the other
consciousnesses. It can be analyzed in terms of mind and mental events. Five mental events arise from
the ground consciousness: form, feeling, identification, formation, and consciousness.6 In the case of
the seventh consciousness there are nine mental events: the above five as well as clinging to self,
attachment to self, pride in self, and ignorance in relation to self. These mental events are like the
transformations or the movements of the consciousnesses. When we look thoroughly and directly at the
mind, we can identify each of these consciousnesses. Among the eight consciousnesses, the mental
consciousness is the most important. The visual consciousness may see an image that may or may not
be beautiful, the ear consciousness may hear a pleasant or unpleasant sound, and so on, but it is the
mental consciousness that decides if the sensory perception is beautiful or ugly. The liking of a
perception brings about joy and attachment and gives rise to the afflictions or disturbing emotions (Skt.
kleshas).7 Experiencing an unpleasant sensory perception brings suffering and a disturbance of mental
clarity. When meditating, we use our mental consciousness to calm and pacify the mind. Meditation
pacifies all sensations and experiences of happiness and suffering, of attachment and aversion. When all
sensations have been pacified, the mind is clear and peaceful. We then rest in this clear and peaceful
state. This completely natural and true state of the mind is ultimate wisdom. When this state of wisdom
is attained, all the eight consciousnesses are transformed into the five wisdoms. This text describes the
consciousnesses, explains how they function, and defines the nature of the five wisdoms in detail;
therefore, it is called The Treatise Distinguishing Consciousness from Wisdom.