The Meanings of Vipāka-vijñāna, Vipāka-vāsanā, Niṣyanda-vāsanā, and Amala-vijñāna

Vipāka-vijñāna is another name for the Tathāgatagarbha, representing the true mind of Bodhisattvas at the eighth ground and above. Vipāka-vijñāna denotes the karmic seeds within the mind-body that cause Bodhisattvas to still undergo subtle birth-and-death transmigration, remain subject to change, and prevent them from attaining Buddhahood or ultimate nirvāṇa. This subtle birth-and-death is distinct from the coarse, segmented birth-and-death. The Ālaya-vijñāna stores the seeds of segmented birth-and-death for sentient beings before the eighth Bodhisattva ground, meaning that sentient beings at this stage possess defiled karma of segmented birth-and-death within their seven consciousnesses and five aggregates. The Vipāka-vijñāna stores the seeds of transformative birth-and-death for sentient beings beyond the eighth Bodhisattva ground, indicating that Bodhisattvas at the eighth ground and above still have subtle birth-and-death seeds to eliminate; only when these are fully exhausted can they attain Buddhahood, at which point the Vipāka-vijñāna is renamed the Amala-vijñāna (Undefiled Consciousness).

Vipāka habitual tendencies, also known as habitual tendencies of birth-and-death transmigration, habitual tendencies of ignorance, or habitual tendencies of afflictions, are extremely subtle. They generally refer to the habitual tendencies of ignorance in Bodhisattvas beyond the eighth ground, or alternatively, the habitual tendencies of afflictions in Bodhisattvas from the first ground and above. Where there are habitual tendencies, there is birth and death; only when the habitual tendencies are completely severed can one attain Buddhahood.

The "equal" (等) in "equal outflow habitual tendencies" (等流习气) signifies sameness or identity, while "outflow" (流) means continuous flow. It denotes the habitual tendencies of the same consciousness flowing continuously, or the unchanging habitual tendencies of the same sentient being flowing onward.

The immaculate consciousness (白净识) is an alternative name for the eighth consciousness (Ālaya-vijñāna) in the stage of Bodhisattvas at the eighth ground and above. The karmic seeds contained within the substance of the eighth consciousness at this stage are pure and immaculate, predominantly consisting of seeds of white, wholesome karma. Seeds of black, unwholesome karma are almost entirely absent and cannot manifest. At this point, the eighth consciousness can be called the Ādāna-vijñāna (Holding Consciousness).