Abstract
This paper is concerned with speculation into the nature of Enlightenment and the structure of Mind from earliest Buddhism up until the Chinese ‘Consciousness-Only’ (_??__??__??__??_) shool of the seventh centur. During this period, the notion of ‘prakrti-visuddham cittam’ is considered the predominant condition for the realization of enlightenment; yet, at the same time, it is also criticized by some Buddhist schools. With the rise of the Mahayana in India, prakrti-visuddham cittam is taken as tantamount to sunyata (‘emptiness’) or tathata (‘suchness’), which act as the key to the realization of enlightenment. According to the Consciousness-Only School(_??__??__??__??_), on the other hand, enlightenment is seen as realised by means of both impressions from learning (_??__??__??_) and undefiled seeds as the natural outflowing of the dharmadhatu (_??__??_). This. paper will examine whether or not the ‘Consciousness-Only’ doctrine of Mind and Enlightenment remain consistant with Buddhism's foundational conception of impermanence.
