Is the Muscular Activity of the Human Body That of the Mind Consciousness or of the Manas?

Question: The manas directly regulates the human nervous system, and the nervous system in turn directly controls the contraction of a person's muscles. From this it can be seen that the direct operator regulating the body's muscular activity is the seventh consciousness, not the sixth consciousness. If that is so, why is it said that bodily conduct is the function of the mind consciousness?

Answer: Muscular activity belongs to the activity of the nervous system; it is a response issued after the brain's central nervous system gives a command, and the brain's central nervous system is regulated by the manas. As soon as the manas's decision is set in motion, the cerebral cortex moves, the central nervous system issues a command, which is transmitted to the corresponding nerves of the body, producing the phenomenon of muscle contraction. Although bodily, verbal, and mental actions are directed and commanded by the manas, the specific operations must all be carried out jointly by the mind consciousness and the five sense consciousnesses. If the six consciousnesses cannot arise normally, the body cannot function.

Although the contraction and relaxation of the nervous system are both regulated by the manas and are subconscious behaviors, they are very hidden and very subtle. Breathing, for example, includes a part in which consciousness participates, but a large part does not require consciousness's participation. The movement of the body, without consciousness, can in no way be accomplished; subtle nervous system activities can occur without consciousness, such as the twitching of the body after falling asleep, the fluttering of the eyelids, slight bodily movements—these can occur without consciousness. Slight breathing can also occur without consciousness, but 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; 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 that can be transmitted throughout the body. Neural activity in which consciousness participates is called conscious behavior; that in which consciousness does not participate is called unconscious behavior. For example, breathing activity, the stretching and contracting of muscles, incontinence of urine and feces, gastrointestinal peristalsis, the circulation of qi and blood, and some special emotional activities—such as being so startled that the heart pounds and the flesh jumps, being so enraged that hair stands up and pushes off the hat, or being so terrified that one loses control of one's bowels and bladder—can all occur without the participation of consciousness; the manas alone can accomplish them. But the motor activities of the body root must have the body consciousness and the mind consciousness operating and regulating jointly with the manas.