The Seventh Consciousness is the level of self-consciousness, often described as the "egocentric self." It is responsible for our instinctive, deep-seated urge to survive and our attachment to a separate "I".
According to the Nine Consciousness SGI PDF, the nine levels of consciousness are: Nine Consciousness Sgi Pdf
These are the most basic and familiar levels: the five senses of sight , hearing , smell , taste , and touch (known as chakshur-vijnana , shrota-vijnana , etc.). They act as the body's gateways to the external world, constantly gathering raw data about our environment, such as colors, sounds, and textures. These faculties for processing information are not unique to humans and are essential functions for survival shared with other forms of life. These faculties for processing information are not unique
Nichiren Buddhism teaches that attempting to clear karma by dealing only with the eighth consciousness is an endless, exhausting task. Instead, practitioners bypass the limitations of the ego (7th) and the weight of karma (8th) by tapping directly into the 9th consciousness. The , also known as ālaya (storehouse) consciousness,
The , also known as ālaya (storehouse) consciousness, operates largely in the realm of the unconscious. All our experiences, thoughts, words, and deeds from this life and previous lifetimes are stored there as karmic energy, or "seeds". When we create a cause by thinking, speaking, or acting, its latent effect is simultaneously engraved in this level of life. This means our entire karmic destiny, including our ingrained habits, fears, and core beliefs, resides within the eighth consciousness. It is a rushing, ever-changing stream of energy that powerfully influences our conscious mind from an entirely subconscious level. Without active spiritual practice, our lives are largely at the mercy of the fixed karmic patterns stored here.
Rather than being built up by actions, it is the inherent, indestructible reality of life itself. The SGI Perspective: Purifying Life through Chanting