Wisdom: The Last Method of Becoming a Buddha 成佛之最後法寶—智慧 from Collection of Rain Blossoms

The path to Buddhahood lies in transforming our clouded consciousness into clear wisdom. Image: Shutterstock.

A Bodhisattva reaches the shore of awakening through wisdom, which is the final method to awaken. But how does a Bodhisattva use wisdom to make this journey? It begins with four key words: transforming consciousness into wisdom.

Eight Layers of Consciousness

Everyone has eight layers of consciousness that act as different levels of the mind. The first six layers are tied to our senses: what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and think. The seventh layer is the relaying layer. It holds onto the sense of “I,” and it draws seeds from the eighth layer, the storehouse mind, and treats them as “mine.” The eighth layer stores all the impressions we have gathered from the past.

Among these eight layers, the sixth layer is very active. It takes in everything the five senses encounter and notices differences right away. Because it works so quickly, it has a strong influence on us. When this layer sees a difference, feelings of liking or disliking appear. When a feeling is strong, grasping shows up, and craving begins.

When this happens, the sixth layer plants a new seed in the eighth layer. The seventh layer grasps this experience as “my liking” or “my craving,” adding its own weight to the seed. Over time, these stored impressions become the habits and reactions that shape how we see the world. This is why the eighth layer is the hardest to clear. From the very beginning of our lives, the seeds it holds have been shaping our inner world and quietly influencing us.

Four Wisdoms

Transforming our consciousness into wisdom means moving through different levels of understanding. The eighth level becomes the Wisdom of Perfect Reflection, a wisdom that reflects everything just as it is. The seventh level becomes the Wisdom of Equal Nature, which sees all beings as having the same true worth. The sixth level becomes the Wisdom of Clear Insight, a steady and honest seeing that is not clouded by judgment. The first five levels together form the Wisdom of Right Action, the natural wisdom that guides our daily actions. Through this journey, a cloudy mind becomes clear.

The scriptures say, “Because wisdom has no fixed form, there is nothing real to claim as gained.” True wisdom is formless. If we hold tightly to an idea of what wisdom should look like, that idea becomes mistaken. If we cling to the thought of being wise, that thought becomes mistaken as well. When our practice reaches the point where we no longer hold on to ideas or thoughts about wisdom, we enter a state known as “no wisdom.” This state is not empty. It is open, calm, and free.

After transforming our consciousness into wisdom, we begin to see our true nature. Our true nature is a natural wisdom that moves on its own and a purity that has not been changed by anything in the world. We cannot see it with our eyes, but we can sense it with the heart. This is what the teachings mean by “seeing true nature.” In this way, true nature is the reflection of a settled mind. The mind itself is Buddha. Every person has this nature, meaning they carry the seed of Buddhahood. The only difference is that this nature can become covered, so we cannot see it clearly.

Finding Our True Nature Through Our Senses

To understand our true nature, we begin with our five senses. This is an important step in changing how we think. Take tasting food, for example. When we taste something, we can pause for a moment and notice what is happening inside. But what does that really mean?

Returning to the Original Nature — When we are born, we do not know what meat tastes like or the difference between salty and sweet. Still, our bodies grow strong, even without meat. So why do we cling to it now? Letting go of this attachment helps us return to our original nature. When we look within this way, our actions start to follow our true selves, and our urge to hold on fades on its own.

Connecting with Others — Every parent loves their child, and even animals share deep bonds. How could we bear to separate them? When we think about this, even seeing a piece of meat can make it hard to take a bite. At the very least, this reflection helps us begin to let go.

Reflecting in All Directions — In a butcher’s shop, we might see chickens, ducks, pigs, and cows hanging near the counter. Some people look at them as food and feel hungry. But someone who reflects sees a display of lifeless animals. When we understand it this way, our desire to eat them begins to fade.

When we reflect through all five senses like this, our true nature begins to show itself. Throughout history, many great Buddhas have started by working with their senses. That is why Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva began with listening. Later, after the Fifth Patriarch, a more direct method appeared that focused on the mind itself. But the mind has always guided all the senses.

成佛之最後法寶—智慧

 雨花集

濟公活佛 

菩薩以智慧而登彼岸，智慧就是成佛之最後法寶。如何智慧而登彼岸呢？就是四字金言—轉識成智。

人有八識，眼耳鼻舌身意為六識，傳達識為第七識，含藏識為第八識。八識之中，意識之力最大。一個人由五根所得，由五根所入，意識能一一分辨。故意識之力最大，一有分辨之念，便起愛憎，有受便有取，有取便有貪，一一情形，由第七識傳達入第八識而含藏之，便成了行受之緣。故八識之中，最難清滅者為第八識；受胎成形，均受第八識影響。

所謂轉識成智，就是務令第八識成為大圓鏡智，第七識成為平等性智，第六識成為妙觀察智，其他五識成為成所作智。

經書云﹕無智亦無得。因智無相無體，有智之見是妄見，有智之念是妄念。所以修持到無智之見，無智之念，便叫無智。

轉識成智之後，便可見性。性是一種流轉之智慧，是一種未經塵染之本來性格。性不能眼見，祇能以心見。所謂明心見性，由此可知性就是定心之影，即心即佛，人人皆佛，因人人皆有自性。所不同者，性為體蔽，故不能透視。

見性之道，必從五根入手。所謂轉識，就是此理。如何從五根以見性呢？譬如從舌知味，舌乃五根之一，在之味之時，應該返照。怎謂之返照？

一、返照本性—人之初生，不知肉味，鹹甜不辨，而身體漸長，曾不因有肉始能生長，今天何必斤斤乎此？故不可執著此之謂返照本性。既有返照，便應依本性而為，自然不執。

二、返照對方—誰無子女，獸亦眾生，何忍使其分離。有此返照，必食肉亦不下咽，最低限度亦不會執。

三、返照三方—肉食店之柜檯，雞鴨鵝豬牛羊堆積如丘，心迷者認為珍饈，食指大動。知返照者認為屍林，此乃山莊，尚有食慾耶？

在五根中，處處如此返照，則本性必現，歷代各佛，均從五根入手而得見性。如觀自在菩薩等則選擇耳根入手，自五祖後，始創出單刀直入，由心根做起。其實心根者，亦無非五根之主耳！

A Personal Reflection

The seventh layer of consciousness is one of the hardest to notice. Many Eastern teachings remind us to soften our sense of “I” little by little so we can see it more clearly. This matters because when we don’t, we take the inner voice in our mind as “me,” and it becomes very hard to step back from it.

A simple way to begin noticing this layer is by watching our likes and dislikes. We don’t have to change anything yet. Just noticing them is enough. One of the easiest places to see this is at the dinner table. When I eat, my eyes go straight to the foods I like and away from the ones I don’t. Without realizing it, I take more of what I prefer. Each time this happens, the idea of “me” grows a little stronger.

To work with this, I try something small and gentle. I notice what others at the table are taking and sometimes offer them the dish that might be my favorite. Other times, I take a little more of the food no one else seems to want. I still want a balanced meal, but moments like these help loosen the tight sense of self and grow a wider sense of “us” that naturally includes others.

While eating, I also notice tiny reactions in my mind. I might feel a little pinch when someone takes the last piece I wanted or a bit of relief when no one touches it. These reactions show how the seventh layer operates. I’ve learned not to judge myself for them. Simply seeing them clearly brings in some gentleness.

Moments like these slowly move me from “me first” to “we first.” This shift isn’t about forcing myself to be good. It’s about letting the heart open a little more so the sense of self becomes softer and more spacious.

These small, everyday moments may seem unimportant at first, but they prepare us for the deeper work of transforming consciousness into wisdom. They help us pause, relax, and see what is unfolding inside. This is how the path quietly takes root in daily life.

This translated text is a chapter from Collection of Rain Blossoms, a scripture written by JiGong Living Buddha in the 1900s through spirit writing. Here the link to the original Chinese source.

If you are interested in other chapters of this book, here is the link to the table of contents.