The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2645 page)

(‘Receptacle Consciousness’, or storehouse consciousness) which is the foundation of personal identity. Due to the effect of previous actions (
karma
) the
laya becomes tainted and unstable, and proceeds to manifest itself in a dualistic form whereby the notions of ‘self’ and ‘other’ arise. This is the second aspect, the ‘defiled consciousness’ (
kli
a-manovijñ
na
). The division of consciousness is carried further through its operation in the six sense-modalities (touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight, and thought) which completes the list of eight functions. An image commonly used to describe this scheme is that of the ocean: its depths are like the
laya, and the operation of the six senses are compared to the waves which disturb its surface stirred by the wind of
karma
. For the Vijñ
nav
da enlightenment is achieved through the recognition of the
laya as the only reality and the consequent cessation of dualistic imaginings.
The Vijñ
navada introduced a doctrine of ‘three aspects’ (
trisvabhava
) to describe the ways in which the
laya manifests itself.
The doctrine of ‘Mind-Only’ had a profound influence in all
Mah
y
na
Buddhist countries and became especially popular in the Far East.

 
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