How to Rely on Prajñā Instead of Vijñāna?

When the Buddha was approaching parinirvana, he instructed his disciples that in the practice and study of the Dharma, they must strictly adhere to the principle of the Four Reliances and Four Non-reliances: rely on the Dharma, not on persons; rely on wisdom, not on consciousness; rely on the meaning, not on the words; and rely on the definitive meaning, not on the provisional meaning. Although there are only these four principles, they are extremely difficult to put into practice, and the vast majority of people are unable to do so.

Among them, "rely on wisdom, not on consciousness" is not something ordinary people or even ordinary bodhisattvas can achieve. Firstly, this "wisdom" is not something ordinary people can possess. This wisdom is transformed from the consciousness of ordinary beings and the consciousness of bodhisattvas at the stage of virtuous ones before attaining the path of insight. It is the wisdom attained after transforming consciousness into wisdom—specifically, the wisdom of sublime observation (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna) of the mental consciousness and the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna) of the mental faculty. It is the wisdom of the all-encompassing consciousness (vijñāna), the profound and great wisdom possessed by bodhisattvas on the bhūmis (stages). The Buddha admonished sentient beings, "Do not trust your own mind; only when you attain the fruition of an arhat can you trust your mind."

As he approached parinirvana, he again instructed them to rely solely on the wisdom of the all-encompassing consciousness of bodhisattvas on the bhūmis, relying on the wisdom of sublime observation and the wisdom of equality. Thus, we see that the World-Honored One’s two instructions echo and align with each other, encompassing the entirety of both Hinayana and Mahayana practice and study.

Why did the World-Honored One emphasize this so strongly and impose such strict requirements on his disciples? Because those who have attained the fruition of an arhat have exhausted all afflictions, eradicated all traces of ignorance, and manifested liberating wisdom. Their wisdom is unobstructed, corresponding to the conceptual framework of the Hinayana path to liberation. Only then is there no error or omission, and only then can one rely on their liberating insight. As for bodhisattvas on the bhūmis who have transformed consciousness into wisdom, they have also eliminated the obscurations of afflictions, retaining only a very subtle sense of self-grasping that remains uneradicated. They possess profound wisdom of sublime observation and wisdom of equality, with wisdom in both Hinayana and Mahayana that is exceedingly deep and sharp. Their insight is penetrating, and only then can one rely on their understanding of all Buddhist teachings. As for others, the Buddha said, "Do not trust your own mind," because they are afflicted with obscurations, lack wisdom, and are prone to significant errors and omissions.