The Status of Mind Consciousness

The mind consciousness only appears four or five months after conception, so the transformation and creation of the material body takes place without any participation of the mind consciousness; even after the mind consciousness is born, it has little to do with this. The mind consciousness ranks at most third in importance, and many major matters do not require its participation at all. From this we can see that when the tathāgatagarbha and the manas work in conjunction, they can create the material universe (the inanimate world) and the world of the five aggregates—truly remarkable—without the mind consciousness offering plans and strategies, without the mind consciousness providing any suggestions. Only after the world has been created does the mind consciousness emerge to enjoy it and receive the retribution.