爾時大慧菩薩摩訶薩 復白佛言 世尊 惟願爲說 諸識無常 自性相 佛告大慧 一切諸識 有三種相 謂生住滅 大慧 識生時 無所從來 識滅時 無所至去 大慧 識三種相 謂轉相 業相 眞相 大慧 彼生滅者 是識自性 非如虛空 不生不滅 大慧 如是大慧 諸識生滅 去來相續 如幻如夢 諸修行者 應當棄捨 外道見解 精勤修習 自覺聖境 遠離一切 虛妄分別
ěr shí dà huì púsà mó hē sà fù bái fó yán shì zūn wéi yuàn wèi shuō zhū shí wú cháng zì xìng xiāng fó gào dà huì yī qiē zhū shí yǒu sān zhǒng xiāng wèi shēng zhù miè dà huì shí shēng shí wú suǒ cóng lái shí miè shí wú suǒ zhì qù dà huì shí sān zhǒng xiāng wèi zhuǎn xiāng yè xiāng zhēn xiāng dà huì bǐ shēng miè zhě shì shí zì xìng fēi rú xū kōng bù shēng bù miè dà huì rú shì dà huì zhū shí shēng miè qù lái xiāng xù rú huàn rú mèng zhū xiū xíng zhě yīng dāng qì shě wài dào jiàn jiě jīng qín xiū xí zì jué shèng jìng yuǎn lí yī qiē xū wàng fēn bié
Key Message
All consciousness arises and ceases without coming from anywhere or going anywhere. Directly perceiving this impermanence is the beginning of practice.
▸The Chapter on Impermanence (無常品) is the section where the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra explains the truth of impermanence from the perspective of Yogācāra.
The Chapter on Impermanence (無常品) is the section where the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra explains the truth of impermanence from the perspective of Yogācāra. The Buddha teaches that all vijñānas — all acts of consciousness — have three aspects: arising (生), abiding (住), and ceasing (滅). Yet when consciousness arises, it comes from nowhere; and when it ceases, it goes nowhere. Through the three aspects of consciousness — the transforming aspect (轉相), the karma-aspect (業相), and the true aspect (眞相) — the structure and impermanence of cognition are analyzed. This teaching provides practitioners with the practical instruction to deeply understand that all cognitions and experiences arise and cease without substance, like illusions or dreams, to turn away from the false discriminations of non-Buddhist views, and to advance toward the 'realm of the sages' own inner realization' (自覺聖境) — the domain of direct, personal enlightenment.