also: はちしき
eight consciousnesses
Buddhist term referring to the eight layers of consciousness: the five sense-consciousnesses, mind-consciousness, self-consciousness, and store-consciousness. Used in Yogacara and related traditions.
In Yogacara, among the eight consciousnesses, the store-consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) is considered the fundamental consciousness.
Standard kanji spelling; the reading はっしき is the most common.
Alternate reading; less common than はっしき.
From 八 (eight) + 識 (consciousness). A translation of the Sanskrit term 'aṣṭa vijñānakāyāḥ'.