Exploring the Origin of Consciousness from the Yogācāra Eight-Consciousness System
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) July 29, 2026 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21667752 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that silicon-based AI lacks the structural basis for genuine subjective experience, as explained by Yogācāra's eight-consciousness framework, and proposes a metacognitive architecture for conscious general intelligence with ethical constraints. |
Abstract
Abstract Contemporary artificial intelligence has achieved outstanding performance in perception, reasoning, content generation, and pattern learning. Nevertheless, current silicon-based intelligence cannot generate genuine first-person subjective experience, which remains a core bottleneck for general artificial intelligence and consciousness research. Established mainstream consciousness theories mainly focus on information integration and global cognitive broadcasting, lacking a structural interpretation of the generation of subjective awareness. Based on the eight-consciousness framework of Yogācāra theory, this paper constructs an interdisciplinary paradigm integrating neuroscience, quantum observation theory, and artificial intelligence philosophy. The study sorts out the hierarchical structure and functional characteristics of traditional cognitive models, distinguishes hardware-carried cognitive activities from pure functional cognitive operations, and establishes theoretical correspondences with modern neurological clinical findings and fundamental quantum measurement problems. By comparing the cognitive architectures of carbon-based biological systems and silicon-based intelligent systems, this paper explains the essential structural limitations of current artificial intelligence in generating endogenous subjective consciousness. Furthermore, a novel metacognitive architectural framework for general intelligence is proposed, with standardized design principles and clear ethical boundaries. This research bridges Eastern cognitive philosophy, neuroscience, quantum foundations, and AI theory. It provides a self-consistent and open interdisciplinary framework for interpreting cognitive observation mechanisms, understanding hierarchical consciousness structures, and exploring the evolutionary path of conscious general intelligence.