The Knowing of the Five Consciousnesses and the Knowing of the Sixth and Seventh Consciousnesses

The knowing of the eye consciousness and the knowing of the five sense consciousnesses carry no names or concepts, whereas the knowing of the mind consciousness does involve names and concepts. For example, the eye consciousness knows sunlight and knows it is glaring, but without the name and concept of "sunlight," without verbal designation, without the name and concept of "glaring," without the verbal designation of "glaring." Only when the mind consciousness together with the eye consciousness jointly discerns the sunlight does one know it is sunlight, and know that the sunlight is glaring. However, closing the eyes to avoid the sunlight is a decision made by the manas; the eye consciousness and the mind consciousness merely execute it rapidly and involuntarily. Why can the manas make decisions so quickly? Because the discernments of the sunlight made in an instant by the eye consciousness and the mind consciousness are all transmitted to the manas, and the manas can know them in an instant—and knowing them correctly, it can make correct and reasonable decisions so as to seek benefit and avoid harm. If the material form discerned by the eye consciousness and the mind consciousness is unfamiliar to the manas, the manas cannot decide so quickly, because the manas may not necessarily be able to properly understand the transmitted material form; it must deliberate and examine it, and only after deliberating until it understands does it make a decision. There are also times when the manas cannot understand through deliberation; then it cannot truly understand the transmitted material form, and if it is forced to make a decision, it will make a wrong decision. Therefore, whether the manas decides quickly, correctly, and reasonably also depends on the manas's experience and wisdom.