Transformation by causes and conditions is one of the two kinds of transformations 二變, the other being transformation by discrimination 分別變. Transformation by causes and conditions, that is, cognitive appearance of objects as they are, is based on the maturation (vipāka) of prior karma, i.e., maturation of the seeds of wholesome and unwholesome activities 善惡業種子. Also in this term, linguistic seeds 名言種子 are taken to be the causes 因 and karmic seeds 業種子 are taken to be the conditions 緣 for this type of transformation. Both linguistic seeds and karmic seeds are considered to produce actual forms and actual functions of various dharmas, so the dharmas realized by these two seeds are also true in essence-function 體用, i.e., form and function) and effect of arising of consciousness of the five faculties.

The idea of transformation by causes and conditions is elaborated in Kuijiʼs Cheng weishilun shuji (Narrative Record of the Treatise on Establishing Consciousness-only) 成唯識論述記 T 1830.43.316c20 and T 1830.43.325b3 and Huizhaoʼs Cheng weishilun liaoyi deng (Lamp of the Full Meaning of the Treatise on Establishing Consciousness-only) 成唯識論了義燈  T 1832.43.678a6. Also see causes that can transform or transformation as cause 因能變 in the Cheng weishi lun 成唯識論 T 1585.31.7c1.