The Functions of the Sixth and Seventh Consciousnesses in Bodily, Verbal, and Mental Actions

Question: Since the manas governs a person's bodily, verbal, and mental actions, in what specific functions are the six consciousnesses manifested in bodily actions and verbal actions? 

Answer: The mind consciousness is the concrete executor of bodily actions and verbal actions—that is, the doer. From bodily actions and verbal actions, one should be able to know how the mind consciousness operates and what functions it performs. For example, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, laughing, eating, drinking, and so on are all produced through the operation of the mind consciousness and the body consciousness, but the controller is the manas. On the surface, it seems as if the mind consciousness is giving commands, but the mind consciousness only offers suggestions; the actual decision lies with the manas. During the process of operation, the mind consciousness may generate other ideas to advise the manas. If the manas considers them reasonable, it will adopt them; if it does not agree, the decision and command remain unchanged, and the mind consciousness must continue operating as usual. 

Bodily action is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the body consciousness; verbal action is also the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the body consciousness. Seeing forms is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the eye consciousness; hearing sounds is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the ear consciousness; smelling scents is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the nose consciousness; tasting flavors is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the tongue consciousness; feeling tangibles is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the body consciousness. In the operation of the six faculties, there is always the operation of the mind consciousness. Without the mind consciousness, the five-aggregate body cannot move; if the mind consciousness is weak, the five-aggregate body also has great difficulty moving. 

Question: I remember that Master said in his teachings on the Dharma that the manas directly regulates a person's nervous system, and the nervous system in turn directly controls a person's muscle contractions. From this it can be seen that the direct operator regulating the body's muscular activity is the seventh consciousness, not the sixth consciousness. Why is it said that bodily action is the function of the mind consciousness? 

Answer: Obvious bodily, verbal, and mental actions all require the mind consciousness to operate; otherwise, the six consciousnesses would have no use, and the body could not act either. Although the contraction and relaxation of the nervous system are all regulated by the manas and are subconscious behaviors, they are very hidden and very subtle. Breathing, for example, includes a part with the mind consciousness's participation and a part without it. The movement of the body cannot be accomplished without the mind consciousness, no matter what. Subtle activities of the nervous system can occur without the mind consciousness, such as the twitching of the body after falling asleep, the fluttering of the eyelids, and slight bodily movements. Slight breathing can also occur without the mind consciousness, but the mind consciousness can actively regulate breathing, such as deep breathing and so on. 

The muscular and neural activities closely connected with the physical body can be regulated by the manas alone, without the cooperation of the mind consciousness; the mind consciousness may also participate, but it can only guide the manas and cannot command the whole body, because the manas alone can control the central nervous system, issuing commands there, and those instructions can be transmitted throughout the body. Neural activities with the mind consciousness's participation are called conscious behaviors; those without the mind consciousness's participation are called unconscious behaviors. For example, breathing activities, the contraction and stretching of muscles, incontinence of urine and feces, gastrointestinal peristalsis, the circulation of qi and blood, and some special emotional activities, such as being so frightened that the heart pounds and flesh trembles, hair standing on end in rage, or being scared out of one's wits. But the motor activities of the body faculty must be jointly operated and regulated by the body consciousness and the mind consciousness together with the manas.