The concept of Ālayavijñāna, or "storehouse consciousness," was primarily developed and articulated by the Indian Buddhist philosopher Asaṅga and his half-brother Vasubandhu. These two figures are central to the Yogācāra school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, also known as the "Mind-Only" (Cittamātra) school.
### Asaṅga (circa 4th century CE)
- **Contributions**: Asaṅga is credited with founding the Yogācāra school and developing many of its key doctrines. He wrote several influential texts, including the *Mahāyāna-saṃgraha* and the *Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra*, which elaborate on the concept of Ālayavijñāna.
- **Philosophical Contributions**: Asaṅga's works discuss how Ālayavijñāna functions as the repository for all karmic seeds (bīja) and latent tendencies, influencing the arising of various mental states and experiences.
### Vasubandhu (circa 4th to 5th century CE)
- **Contributions**: Vasubandhu was initially a scholar of the Sarvāstivāda school but later converted to Mahāyāna Buddhism under the influence of his brother Asaṅga. He became a significant proponent and systematizer of Yogācāra philosophy.
- **Philosophical Contributions**: Vasubandhu's seminal work, the *Triṃśikā-kārikā* (Thirty Verses on Consciousness-Only), succinctly presents the doctrine of Ālayavijñāna and its role in the overall structure of consciousness and perception.
- **Detailed Exposition**: In his *Viṃśatikā-kārikā* (Twenty Verses on Consciousness-Only) and its commentary, Vasubandhu provides further analysis of Ālayavijñāna, addressing potential criticisms and elaborating on its importance in understanding the nature of experience and reality.
### Key Features of Ālayavijñāna
1. **Storehouse of Karmic Seeds**:
- Ālayavijñāna serves as a repository for all the karmic seeds and latent impressions accumulated from past actions. These seeds mature and give rise to future experiences and mental states.
2. **Foundation of Consciousness**:
- It is considered the foundational layer of consciousness, underlying and supporting the other types of consciousness (the five sense consciousnesses, the mind consciousness, and the afflicted mind).
3. **Continuous Stream**:
- Ālayavijñāna is described as a continuous, ever-flowing stream of consciousness that persists throughout an individual's life and across lifetimes, providing continuity to the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara).
4. **Transformation**:
- The purification of Ālayavijñāna is essential for achieving enlightenment. Through spiritual practice, the karmic seeds stored in Ālayavijñāna can be transformed, leading to the cessation of defilements and the realization of ultimate truth.
### Conclusion
The concept of Ālayavijñāna was proposed and developed by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu, key figures in the Yogācāra school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Their work laid the foundation for understanding the storehouse consciousness as a central element in the structure of the mind, playing a crucial role in the accumulation and maturation of karmic seeds and the continuity of consciousness across lifetimes.
