Question

________ accepts Ālayavijñāna.

• A. Vaibhāṣika
• B. Mādhyamika
• C. Yogācāra
• D. Hinayāna

Hint:

Ālayavijñāna = Yogācāra (Storehouse of consciousness). It is the "8th consciousness" unique to this school.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept: Ālayavijñāna (Storehouse Consciousness) is the most pivotal concept in the "Mind-Only" or Yogācāra school of Buddhism. It was developed to solve the problem of continuity: if everything is momentary and there is no permanent soul (Anatta), where do the results of past actions and the tendencies (Samskaras) reside?

Step 1: The function of Ālayavijñāna in Yogācāra. The Yogācāra (also known as Vijñānavāda) school, founded by Asanga and Vasubandhu, introduced a layer of consciousness deeper than the standard six (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness). This eighth consciousness, the *Ālayavijñāna*, acts as a "storehouse" where the "seeds" (bijas) of all past experiences and actions are kept. These seeds sprout when conditions are right, creating our perceived reality.

Step 2: Why other schools do not accept it. The Vaibhāṣika and other Hinayāna schools generally stick to the 6-consciousness model and use different mechanisms (like *prapti* or *avijñapti*) to explain continuity. The Mādhyamika school, while sometimes engaging with the concept, ultimately views even the storehouse consciousness as "empty" of inherent existence and does not treat it as an ultimate ontological reality.