心理學者藉精神分析的研究發現人的心理層次有三層，即意識，意識流和潛意識，它們間關係緊密，而層次上則一層深過一層. 佛學行者們透過不斷的內觀反省，經由六識，末那識(第七識)至阿賴耶識(第八識)，不斷的開展，進而了解到心性的特質. 比對意識，意識流，潛意識和六識，末那識，阿賴耶識時，我們發現它們間有許多相關性，且在心靈的深度也有著可以類比的深度. 其中意識是心靈外顯之最外表層，最深層的結構是阿賴耶識，它是最深層，最難更動的識心. 當我們討論到最深層的末那識和阿賴耶識時，就會碰到原本就存在的基本元素，那就是[我] 的存在概念. [我] 是由於末那識執阿賴耶識組合而成的. 就心裡學的角度來看，[我] 正好存在潛意識裡面. 當然潛意識裡還有很多的基本元素，包括[生] 的本能及[死亡]的本能都在這裡. 再仔細解析[我] ，可以了解到它可分為[本質的我] 和[附加的我] . 有了這樣的了解，就可以明瞭心理上的[本我] ，[自我]，[超我]和佛學上的[我執]，[我見]，[我貪]，[我慢]，[我癡]有著相似的結構. 繼續沿著意識，意識流和潛意識深入，我們將同時注意到意識，意識流乃至潛意識真正反應了我們心靈活動的現象，也就是說真正的心靈是藉潛意識，意識流再流出意識來展現的. 在此真正的心靈已展現出[能知] 的特性，而意識 ，意識流和潛意識則呈現心靈活動的現象，它們是被心靈所知的情況，也就是[被知]的範籌. 於是我們了解到，認知概念可以分為兩部分：即能知的主體與被知的範疇. 真正的心靈是能知的主體，而意識，意識流和潛意識則屬於被知的範疇. 當吾人能全盤了解真正的心靈和意識，意識流，潛意識的關係，才可說對吾人的心有真正的了解. Through psychoanalysis, psychologists realized that there are three levels of consciousness in human mind，that is, the consciousness, stream of consciousness and subconsciousness. There are close relationships between these three levels of consciousness, and the depth of these three levels is deeper and deeper in sequence. Through endless practice of inwards search and self-communion，Buddhistical practitioner can go through the sixth, seventh and eighth consciousness, and finally understand his own mind. Comparing the consciousness, stream of consciousness and subconsciousness in psychology on one side and the sixth, seventh and eighth consciousnesses in Buddhism on the other side，we see there are a lot of correlations between these two sides, and the depth in mind in either side is comparable to the other. In psychology，the outmost level of the mind is the consciousness, followed by the stream of consciousness and the subconsciousness; the subconsciousness is the closest to the mind，and therefore is the hardest to understand. In Buddhism，similar structure of the mind can be found in which the sixth consciousness is the outmost level，followed by the seventh and the eighth consciousnesses. The eighth consciousness is also the closest to the mind，and thus is the hardest to understand. When one explores the deep seventh and eighth consciousness, he shall encounter the long-existing fundamental element of the mind，i.e.，the concept of "self. The "self " is composed of the seventh and the eighth consciousness. In terms of psychology，the "self " is in the level of subconsciousness. In addition to the "self，the subconsciousness also contains the instinct of birth and death. When the "self " is further analyzed，it can be decomposed into the "natural self " and the "auxiliary self. With this understanding，we can realize that "id"，"ego" and "superego" in psychology is similar in structure to the "self-center"，"self-opinioned"，"self-interest"，"self-conceit" and "self-will" in Buddhism. Deep along the pathway of consciousness, stream of consciousness, and subconsciousness, we can notice at the same time that the consciousness, stream of consciousness and subconsciousness reflect the phenomena of our mind activities. In other words, the real mind expresses itself through the flow of subconsciousness, stream of consciousness, and consciousness. In this way，the mind shows the characteristics of its cognitive ability，and the consciousness, stream of consciousness and subconsciousness are the phenomena to be cognized by the mind. So，we understand that the notion of cognition can be divided into two parts：the cognitive part and the part to be cognized. The real mind is the cognitive part，and the consciousness, stream of consciousness and subconsciousness constitute the part to be cognized. When we understand thoroughly the relation between the mind and the consciousness, stream of consciousness and subconsciousness, we can say that we really understand our minds.
