YouTubeVideo: https://youtu.be/sTNVVDw_g0A Ālaya (Sanskrit: आलय) is a concept in Buddhist philosophy, especially in Yogācāra (Mind-Only) Buddhism, that refers to the ālaya-vijñāna, or the “storehouse consciousness.”
📜 What is Ālaya?-
The word ālaya means abode, dwelling, or storehouse.
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In Yogācāra, ālaya-vijñāna is described as the deepest layer of consciousness that contains the “seeds” (bīja) of all past actions, experiences, and tendencies (karma).
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It serves as the foundation of individual existence, holding the potential for both enlightenment and suffering.
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Storehouse of Karma
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All of our past actions, thoughts, and emotions plant “seeds” in the ālaya.
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These seeds ripen when conditions are right, leading to future experiences.
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This explains continuity of consciousness across lifetimes without a permanent self (anātman).
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Unconscious Layer of Mind
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It is like the subconscious, deeper than ordinary thought.
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Though we aren’t aware of it, it influences our perceptions and behaviors.
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Neither Good nor Bad by Itself
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Ālaya is morally neutral. It simply stores potential.
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Whether liberation or suffering arises depends on the kinds of “seeds” we plant through our actions and intentions.
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Transformable Through Practice
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In Yogācāra, enlightenment is described as the transformation of consciousness, where ālaya is purified and becomes wisdom (jñāna).
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This purified form is called “great mirror-like wisdom,” reflecting reality as it is without distortion.
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Like a field – seeds of karma are planted and grow when conditions ripen.
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Like an ocean – surface waves (thoughts and emotions) arise from the deep, quiet depths (ālaya).
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Like a storehouse – it contains all impressions of past experiences.
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Recognizing ālaya helps explain why mindfulness and ethical actions are important. Every thought, word, and deed plants seeds in this storehouse, shaping future experiences.
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Meditation, compassion, and wisdom help purify ālaya, transforming karmic seeds and leading toward awakening.
#PemaChodron
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