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The Characteristics of Seeds
To be born as a human being with a limited lifespan of about one hundred years is a precious opportunity to live deeply, to cherish each present moment instead of running after money, power, or fame. Practicing mindfulness through daily gathas, walking meditation, sitting meditation, or through ordinary activities such as drinking tea or sweeping the house helps to nurture the quality of life, bringing peace, joy, and happiness right in each step and each breath. The path of the Dharma is not to escape from life, but to generate the energy of love and understanding, in harmony with science and philosophy, helping us to transform suffering and difficulties into insight and deep love.
In the study of Manifestation-Only, all phenomena—self and dharmas—arise thanks to the store consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) with its seeds (vāsanā) that are always arising and passing away, transforming and continuing. From there arise the seven evolving consciousnesses (manas, mind consciousness, and the five sense consciousnesses), which both perfume the store consciousness with wholesome and unwholesome, happiness and suffering, and serve as the intermediaries manifesting the world. Understanding the impermanent, interdependent, and interpenetrating nature of the seeds helps us to let go of attachment, to maintain insight, happiness, and lasting liberation.
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Six characteristics of seeds in the store consciousness
- Arising and ceasing in every instant—impermanent
- Continuous succession—like a flowing river
- Determinate nature—only manifesting corresponding results
- Collective conditions—requiring sufficient conditions to manifest
- Leading from result—maintaining the relationship between cause and effect
- Individual manifestation and collective manifestation (sva and saha vijñapti)—manifesting both as individuals and as a community
