The World of Black Boxes
Chapter Eleven: Material Phenomena within the Black Box (2)
15. The Objects Perceived by the Seven Consciousnesses and Magnetic Fields
The fundamental realm is contacted by the eighth consciousness. Within the manifested realm, the authentically manifested realm is contacted by the seventh consciousness; the seemingly manifested realm and the falsely manifested realm are contacted by the sixth consciousness. The directly perceived realm is contacted by the five sense consciousnesses. The exclusively perceived realm is contacted by the solitary mental consciousness.
Magnetic fields are material phenomena. What can perceive material phenomena are the seven consciousnesses, primarily perceived by the seventh consciousness. The sixth consciousness is generally perplexed, unaware of the subtleties, while the seventh consciousness knows but cannot articulate it. The magnetic field effect is greatest in the manifested realm, which carries a relatively large number of the four fundamental elements (earth, water, fire, wind) from the fundamental realm, thus exerting a significant influence.
16. Observing the Problems of Sentient Beings' Consciousness through Mistaking a Rope for a Snake
When a person sees a rope, what the eye consciousness perceives should be the color of the rope, which is the visual object (rūpa). The remaining aspects such as the rope's length, thickness, material, texture, etc., are form included in the mental base (dharmāyatana), which are mental objects (dharma) perceived by the concomitant mental consciousness (manovijñāna). These all contain seeds of the four fundamental elements. What falls into the eye consciousness is the directly perceived realm. What falls into the concomitant mental consciousness is the seemingly manifested realm. The combination of these two completes the differentiation of the rope, leading to the conclusion that a normal worldly person should reach. Only then is it considered a normal worldly person. Subsequent handling of the rope should also align with that of a normal person.
If, due to certain reasons, this person's consciousness becomes disordered, they might mistake the rope for a snake. The eye consciousness sees the rope, perhaps still perceiving its color; the visual object remains unchanged. However, the mental consciousness perceives the mental object of the rope yet forcefully differentiates it as the form and appearance of a snake, thereby altering the mental object. This altered mental object is called the exclusively perceived realm. The mental consciousness discriminates it alone; the eye consciousness does not jointly discriminate it with the mental consciousness. The more and greater the alteration of the mental object, the more severe the disorder of the mental consciousness. The less it carries the substance of the rope, the less it conforms to reality, and the more wildly agitated the mind becomes. Conversely, the more and greater the substance of the rope it carries, the closer it is to reality, and the closer the mind is to normalcy.
During the process of seeing the rope, the mental object of the rope and the exclusively perceived realm may coexist, but as one wanes, the other waxes. If it is entirely the exclusively perceived realm, the rope is completely perceived as a snake. The person is utterly disordered and will flee in terror. If only part of the mental object is altered into the exclusively perceived realm of a snake, although the person is afraid and trembling, they will have doubts, not fully believing. They will be fearful while simultaneously carefully observing and differentiating again. When they see clearly that it is indeed a rope, the exclusively perceived realm completely reverts to the mental object, the fear disappears, and they can face the rope normally. If the influence of psychological suggestion is strong, and upon careful observation they confirm it is a snake, the mental object will completely transform into the exclusively perceived realm, and the person might flee in terror.
As ordinary beings in the Sahā world, those with disordered consciousness are everywhere, all suffering from varying degrees of mental disorder; almost none are entirely normal. Why? The afflictions and karmic obstructions of greed, hatred, and delusion cause the mind to be restless and unstable. Cognitive errors are ubiquitous; they cannot normally and correctly judge the people, events, and objects they encounter. They do not recognize the truth of reality, only recognizing the exclusively perceived realm generated by wrong views, whether it has substance or not, basis or not.
The better the psychological quality and the more normal the mental state, the more detached, calm, and peaceful the inner mind becomes, with smaller reactions and less turbulence. Conversely, the inner mind becomes increasingly turbulent, exerting greater influence or destructive power on the surrounding environment, increasingly capable of causing disorder in surrounding people and events, leading to unrest within a group. Phenomena of collective mental disorder are not uncommon and will become increasingly prevalent in the future. This is primarily due to the disorder of the group's leader, which permeates and influences the entire group, causing everyone within the group to experience disordered consciousness and psychological disturbance. When the group's problems become more numerous and severe, issues arise endlessly, leading to a situation where fire cannot be wrapped in paper (the truth cannot be concealed). Such a group is not far from destruction.
As long as you are not an eighth-ground Bodhisattva nor a first-ground Bodhisattva, then everyone can be influenced and can influence others. What kind of influence one should receive and what one should be influenced to become – everyone has the right to choose. This right belongs to oneself; others cannot seize it. Therefore, choice involves wisdom, as well as issues of karmic power and merit. If one makes a correct and error-free choice, it indicates that one possesses wisdom, has minor karmic obstructions, and possesses merit. Some influences are not limited to one lifetime; they may manifest as acquired habits over many lifetimes, even life after life. Choosing the environment and choosing the people, events, and objects one interacts with is very important, indeed extremely important.
17. What the Sixth Consciousness Manifests is the Seemingly Manifested Realm
"Using the mind to perceive form, seemingly manifested, the intermediate perceived aspect arises from one end" refers to the function of the sixth consciousness perceiving form. What it perceives is a dust realm similar to the manifested realm, not the manifested realm itself. The perceived dust realm is very false, like an image in a mirror. These false perceived aspects only appear within the sixth consciousness mind; they are not transmitted further down, stopping here. Because they are already false and lack substance, how can they be transmitted without real dharmas? In truth, what real events or dharmas exist in the world? Upon seeing through this, one transcends everything in a single thought, returning everything to emptiness and stillness. From then on, the world is at peace.
18. The Directly Perceived Realm Does Not Follow the Mind; The Exclusively Perceived Realm Solely Follows Perception; The Manifested Realm Connects Feeling and Basis.
Question: "The directly perceived realm does not follow the mind; the exclusively perceived realm solely follows perception." Does "the exclusively perceived realm solely follows perception" mean that the exclusively perceived realm shares the same seed as the perceiving aspect, or does it mean that the exclusively perceived realm changes according to the perceiving aspect?
Answer: The directly perceived realm is the true or similar manifestation of the external six dusts within the subtle sense faculties (indriya) at the back of the brain, formed by subtle seeds of the four fundamental elements; it cannot be changed. The exclusively perceived realm is an illusory realm conjured by the storehouse consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) in response to the grasping of the mental faculty (manas). The perceiving aspect is formed by consciousness seeds. The exclusively perceived realm manifests and changes according to the mental formations (caitta) of the mental faculty and mental consciousness. If the mental faculty does not grasp and the mental consciousness does not engage in false thinking, the exclusively perceived realm does not exist. As for the directly perceived realm, regardless of whether the mental faculty grasps or not, it necessarily exists and cannot be changed.
The directly perceived realm is the perceived aspect (nimitta) perceived by the five sense consciousnesses. If the mental consciousness does not engage in thinking and differentiation within it, after the five consciousnesses perceive it, they perceive whatever it is without being affected or changed by the mental consciousness's conviction (adhimokṣa). For example, when touching sunlight, the body consciousness simply feels heat without any fuss or dispute; the eye consciousness simply sees brightness without any fuss or dispute. It is very direct, without the mental consciousness differentiating for a long time, pondering terminology, or giving rise to mental formations.
The exclusively perceived realm is the object perceived solely by the solitary mental consciousness; the five sense consciousnesses have no part in it. When the mental consciousness gives rise to thought, the exclusively perceived realm arises. If the mental consciousness is correct, the exclusively perceived realm is correct; if the mental consciousness is erroneous, the exclusively perceived realm is erroneous. The realm changes and manifests according to the mental consciousness; it has no autonomy and no self-nature.
The manifested realm is necessarily transmitted from the fundamental eighth consciousness of sentient beings. The eighth consciousness perceives the most fundamental real dharmas composed of the four fundamental elements. When the seventh consciousness perceives it again, the eighth consciousness once more conjures the real dharmas, producing an illusory realm. At this point, the dust realm is a dharma carrying a certain degree of substance, which the seventh consciousness can perceive; this is called the authentically manifested realm, differing from what the eighth consciousness perceives and what the six consciousnesses perceive.
19. Using the Mind to Perceive the Mind is the Authentically Manifested Realm; The Intermediate Perceived Aspect Arises from Both Ends
The seventh consciousness perceives the perceiving aspect of the eighth consciousness. After the eighth consciousness perceives the fundamental realm, it extracts particles of the four fundamental elements, forming the initial image, carrying the substantial particles of the four fundamental elements from the fundamental realm. The seventh consciousness perceives this and mistakes it for what it itself sees, thinking "all this is me," giving rise to an attitude of grasping. Relying on the eighth consciousness, it transmits dharmas carrying the substance of the four fundamental elements to the subtle sense faculties, relying on the six consciousnesses to discriminate and grasp them. However, the dharmas transmitted to the subtle sense faculties are no longer the dharmas initially perceived by the seventh consciousness; they are only similar. The six consciousnesses do not know this principle and all take them as real. The perceived aspect between the seventh and eighth consciousnesses arises, first, within the seventh consciousness mind, and second, within the minds of the six consciousnesses. However, the perceived aspects perceived by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses have certain differences, which the sixth and seventh consciousnesses are unaware of and thus disregard. This is also ignorance (avidyā).
The perceived aspect transmitted into the black box of the subtle sense faculties is perceived by the six consciousnesses. After perception, it manifests within the minds of the six consciousnesses. The perceived aspect within the minds of the six consciousnesses, like an image in a mirror, undergoes a qualitative change; it no longer carries the substance of the fundamental realm—the real seeds of the four fundamental elements. This is called the seemingly manifested realm, also known as the falsely manifested realm. It resembles the external perceived aspect, resembles the fundamental realm, and resembles the authentically manifested realm.
If it is a person with spiritual powers (siddhi), who has trained all six consciousnesses well, remaining unmoved like thusness (tathatā) towards all objects of the six dusts, knowing they are illusory and without real function, then the perceived aspect of the six dusts within the black box of the subtle sense faculties has no effect whatsoever on the bodies of the six consciousnesses. High mountains and vast oceans cannot obstruct the bodies of the six consciousnesses because mountains and water are false realms, false perceived aspects, like images in a mirror, without substantial effect. A great fire burning the bodies of the six consciousnesses does not move them; fire burning and knives cutting cause no obstruction to the body because fire and knives are false realms and false dharmas, like perceived aspects in a mirror—what substantial force do they have?
Sentient beings do not understand this principle and lack meditative concentration (dhyāna). Therefore, when a realm comes, the mind is moved and enters the heart, and the body and mind suffer injury. To be harmed by a false realm—is it not unjust? Is it not disheartening? Is it not grievous?
20. The Authentically Manifested Realm and the Substance-Lacking Exclusively Perceived Realm
Going out to bask in the sun, the sunlight one receives is the authentically manifested realm because it actually increases the body's heat and energy, supplements calcium, and has practical functional effects. Food eaten and entering the stomach belongs to the authentically manifested realm because it supplements the body's energy, fills the stomach, and gives a person spirit and physical strength. However, food eaten in a dream has no satiating effect; upon waking, the stomach still feels hungry. The food in the dream is a substance-lacking exclusively perceived realm; it carries no substance, thus having no actual functional effect. Similarly, food imagined in the mind also has no satiating effect and cannot increase the body's energy; it is likewise a substance-lacking exclusively perceived realm.
Some people make offerings to the Buddha, never using actual objects but relying on mentally imagined, substance-lacking exclusively perceived realm food. Without actual objects, they do not expend actual material or wealth; without giving, of course, there is no return. If imagined food cannot satiate oneself nor be put into one's mouth, how could it possibly enter the Buddha's mouth and stomach? Using imagined food to make offerings to ghosts and spirits is also very insincere. Without expending actual material, because the imagined food contains not a bit of actual substance, giving it to others is like deceiving them. In future lives, one will also be deceived in the same way; deceiving others is equal to deceiving oneself.
21. What Realm Does the Echo in the Valley Belong To?
When you shout in a valley, this sound itself is the fundamental realm. The fundamental realm is transformed by the eighth consciousness into the manifested realm perceived by the seventh consciousness. During propagation, encountering air or rock walls, encountering obstruction, the transmitted sound changes in quality because the particles of the four fundamental elements have changed. When we hear the echo again, it feels relatively illusory and unreal, as if from a distant horizon, greatly differing from the person's shout. The person's shout is real; the echo arises based on the shout, like the second moon.
The echo is similar to the rebound sound when sound encounters obstruction, like a ping pong ball rebounding off a paddle; the speed of the rebounding ping pong ball depends on the magnitude of the resistance encountered. The volume and timbre of the echo in an empty valley depend on the force of air convection and the magnitude of the rock wall's resistance. The emptier the valley, the falser, more illusory, and less real the echo becomes. The echo in the valley cannot be said to be true nor false; it possesses a nature of both true and false because it carries the substance of the fundamental realm.
The second moon directly originates from the true first moon in the sky; without the first moon, there is no second moon. You cannot say the second moon is true, nor can you say the second moon is false. The second moon possesses a nature of both true and false because it carries the substance from the fundamental realm of the first moon, carrying a relatively large amount, thus appearing relatively real. Nevertheless, a person with wisdom, even if pinching out the second moon, would not regard it as the true first moon. Similarly, one should not regard the echo in the empty valley as the person's real voice; one can only follow the echo to find the person's real voice, thereby finding the person. This is also a secret of Chan meditation.
22. The Perceived Aspect Seen by the Six Consciousnesses is Invisible to Others
Question: The manifested realm is the realm of the six dusts manifested by a single storehouse consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) after perceiving the fundamental realm, absorbing particles of the four fundamental elements from the fundamental realm. This part of the perceived aspect includes the similar perceived aspect arising from the storehouse consciousness contacting the fundamental realm in an instant, up to the perceived aspect before entering the five physical sense faculties or the five subtle sense faculties. The directly perceived realm refers to the manifested realm passing through the five physical sense faculties into the subtle sense faculties, manifesting as the realm of the six dusts within the subtle sense faculties. Shouldn't the second moon formed by pinching the eye, which manifests as the realm of the six dusts within the subtle sense faculties, be more appropriately classified as the directly perceived realm?
Answer: The directly perceived realm is the perceived aspect perceived by the five sense consciousnesses. So, can the eye consciousness perceive the second moon? Can others perceive it? The perceived aspects and realms seen by each consciousness differ. The same form, when it reaches each consciousness, undergoes changes in attributes. For example, when a person looks in a mirror, and there is another mirror opposite, with mirrors on the left and right sides of an object, the reflections of this person appearing in each mirror are roughly similar, yet the attributes and reality within each mirror differ greatly.
23. The Difference Between the Fundamental Realm and the Manifested Realm
Does the original realm formed by the eighth consciousness initially outputting the four fundamental elements, and the manifested realm after discrimination by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, both belong to the category of realms? Both belong to the category of realms; one is the realm within the subtle sense faculties, the other is the realm outside the subtle sense faculties, which is what the Buddha called the inner realm and the outer realm.
The fundamental realm and the original realm formed by the eighth consciousness initially outputting the seeds of the four fundamental elements are contacted by the eighth consciousness; it is not the directly perceived realm. The directly perceived realm is the illusory realm conjured within the five subtle sense faculties by an individual's eighth consciousness based on the fundamental realm, like a mirror reflecting an image. The realms contacted by sentient beings are all the directly perceived realm and manifested realm conjured a second time by the individual's eighth consciousness, plus the exclusively perceived realm. If the exclusively perceived realm cannot manifest normally within the brain, the solitary mental consciousness cannot normally read the exclusively perceived realm; it is like amnesia, but actually, it is the inability to discriminate the exclusively perceived realm that should be discriminated.
24. The Principle of the Double-Slit Experiment
Once the six consciousnesses, or rather the seven consciousnesses, or rather one's own eight consciousnesses, join in the perception of matter, the three transforming consciousnesses (āśraya-parivṛtti-vijñāna) can manifest and change the state of matter. That is to say, a fundamental realm has a fixed composition of particles of the four fundamental elements. Once it enters the subtle sense faculties of the human eye, the particles of the four fundamental elements inevitably change; their quantity and even proportional structure change. When they fall into the minds of the five sense consciousnesses and mental consciousness, the realm manifested and supported by the six consciousnesses—how can it not change? How can the realm not be altered? However, the change is only in the realm manifested and supported by the six consciousnesses; the fundamental realm remains as it was. Therefore, in the double-slit experiment, the light wave becomes particle-like once observed. Similarly, when a plant or animal is raised by different people, its life state and vitality will differ.
However, the unchanging nature of the fundamental realm is only a temporary phenomenon; it will change sooner or later. Because the fundamental realm is also a dharma born of causes and conditions, subject to arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing. When causes and conditions change, the fundamental realm necessarily changes. When causes and conditions remain unchanged, if sentient beings pay attention to and desire the fundamental realm, and the mental faculty's wishes join in, the fundamental realm will inevitably change. With sincere hearts united as one, the masses will inevitably cause the fundamental realm to turn according to the collective mind, even turning according to the mind of one person possessing the Way (Dharma).
For example, the Earth, before the birth of humans, although existing in states of birth, abiding, change, and cessation, its existence at that time changed very slowly. The delicious earth's essence and fertile ground floated on the Earth's surface for many kalpas, remaining sweet, delicious, and fertile, neither diminishing nor thinning. When the devas from the Second Dhyāna Heaven of Radiant Sound (Ābhāsvara) descended to Earth and became humans, due to their greed for the earth's essence, it became thinner and scarcer, finally ceasing to grow and becoming extinct. This is the result of interference by the karmic force of sentient beings. After extinction, humans began cultivating delicious rice. Finally, due to sentient beings' unrelenting greed, the rice disappeared, even its name becoming untraceable. Such is the power of sentient beings' karmic force.
25. The Meanings of Transformation-Carrying and Grasping-Carrying within the Manifested Realm
The character "带" (dài - carry) in the manifested realm has two meanings. One is "变带" (biàn dài - transformation-carrying), carrying out form dust and form dharma dust. The other is "挟带" (xié dài - grasping-carrying), carrying out the eight consciousnesses, or the mental factors (caitta) of the eight consciousnesses, or the perceived aspect, self-witnessing aspect, and witnessing of the self-witnessing aspect of the eight consciousnesses—it is mental dharma dust.
The transformation-carrying manifested realm is the realm of the six dusts, and it is divided into internal and external six dust realms. Originating from the fundamental realm and original realm, the particles of the four fundamental elements it carries differ somewhat from those of the fundamental realm; the number of seeds is less than that of the fundamental realm, and the seed structure also changes somewhat. It is the six dust realm carrying the substance of the fundamental realm; it is the perceived aspect of the consciousness mind. Transformation-carrying comes from the external perceived aspect of the directly perceived realm; it manifests based on the external perceived aspect, resembling the external perceived aspect; it is the internal perceived aspect perceived and considered by the seventh consciousness.
The grasping-carrying manifested realm is the mental dharma dust realm. It is the mental dharmas carried out by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses; it is the perceived aspect of mental dharma dust discriminated by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, including the object perceived by one's own mind regarding one's own mind-body. The grasper is the perceiving mind, the seventh consciousness, mainly referring to the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, primarily the sixth consciousness. It grasps one's own perceived aspect (i.e., introspecting one's own thoughts), or one's own mental factors (introspecting one's own mental factors), or refers to the perceiving aspect of the seventh consciousness (the ability to perceive) perceiving the perceived aspect (the consciousness mind perceiving the dust realm), or the perceiving aspect perceiving the self-witnessing aspect, the perceiving aspect perceiving the witnessing of the self-witnessing aspect, etc. Or it refers to the conscious mind of a wise person who has realized the storehouse consciousness (Tathāgatagarbha), able to perceive the true thusness characteristic of the eighth consciousness. The mental consciousness can observe the true and thus nature of the eighth consciousness, the nature capable of attaining Buddhahood.
Grasping-carrying is a method of perceiving dharmas distinct from transformation-carrying the external perceived aspect of the directly perceived realm. What seems like the characteristic of a realm perceived within the seventh consciousness mind is also carried out by the seventh consciousness. The exclusively perceived realm is entirely carried out by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses; it does not depend on the external perceived aspect to exist. When the mental consciousness observes its own mental activities, the mental activities and mental factors are what the mental consciousness carries out. When the mental consciousness observes the eighth consciousness, observes the five sense consciousnesses, observes the seventh consciousness, or observes itself, the objects observed are all perceived aspects carried out by the mental consciousness. When our eyes see a cup, the mental consciousness also discriminates and identifies the cup; this kind of realm characteristic is the manifested realm, existing dependent on the external perceived aspect of the cup. Being in a distant place, closing the eyes and thinking of parents' faces in the mind—this is the exclusively perceived realm, carried out by the mental consciousness.
26. What Kind of Form Can Contact the Physical Sense Faculty of the Eye?
Form is divided into the form of the fundamental realm, the form of the manifested realm, and the form of the directly perceived realm. Among these, the external form dust of the fundamental realm can only be contacted by the eighth consciousness; the eye consciousness, mental consciousness, and the physical sense faculty of the eye cannot contact it; the mental faculty also cannot contact it. After the eighth consciousness contacts the fundamental realm, it again manifests the manifested realm based on the particles of the four fundamental elements of the fundamental realm. This part of the form can be contacted by the mental faculty and can also be transmitted to the physical sense faculty of the eye. What the physical sense faculty of the eye contacts is the particles of the four fundamental elements of the manifested realm conjured again by the eighth consciousness, not the particles of the four fundamental elements on the fundamental realm. Therefore, the physical sense faculty of the eye cannot contact the form dust of the fundamental realm; it maintains a certain distance from the fundamental realm to transmit the form dust to the subtle sense faculties. The sense faculty and dust object contact, then the eye consciousness arises to perceive form.
If the physical sense faculty of the eye directly contacts the form dust of the fundamental realm without a certain distance in between, the storehouse consciousness cannot transmit the manifested realm conjured based on the fundamental realm through the physical sense faculty to the subtle sense faculties, and thus cannot give birth to the eye consciousness to perceive form. Because the transmission of form dust by the eye faculty is special, there is the principle of image formation by the eye faculty. Form dust and the eye faculty must have distance for an inverted image to form on the retina of the eye faculty. The other faculties do not have this phenomenon; they do not need a certain distance from their respective form objects. Therefore, seeing form with the eye has the additional condition of spatial distance compared to the other faculties perceiving dharmas.
27. Does External Mental Dust Actually Exist?
External mental dust, such as a high mountain outside, its shape, height, majesty, grandeur, etc., are all external mental dust. After the storehouse consciousness contacts it, it transmits it into the subtle sense faculties, becoming internal mental dust, which the six consciousnesses can then discriminate. If there were no external mental dust, the outside mountain would only have color, nothing else. Then how to distinguish this mountain from that mountain? How to distinguish mountains, rivers, and the earth? Wouldn't the universe and the vessel world (bhājana-loka) just be a patch of colorful confusion?
Person A is a person, person B is a person. For B, A is the external dust, including the six dusts of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects. A's height, build, gender, temperament, age, appearance, etc., are all external mental dust. After B's storehouse consciousness contacts it, it transmits it into B's subtle sense faculties, becoming internal mental dust. It cannot be said that A is just a patch of color, without height, build, age, appearance, etc., as external mental dust, right? If every person were only a patch of color without mental dust, then what difference would there be between people? Could it be said that each person's storehouse consciousness uses others' storehouse consciousnesses to create internal mental dust? Does each person's storehouse consciousness arbitrarily fabricate others' mental dust appearances?
28. Mental Dust and the Five Dusts Are Simultaneously Manifested within the Subtle Sense Faculties
Question: Some say mental dust arises solely within the subtle sense faculties; the mental faculty contacts it and then gives rise to the mental consciousness to discriminate the mental dust. Is this so?
Answer: Mental dust within the subtle sense faculties is transmitted simultaneously with the external five dusts through the five sense faculties into the subtle sense faculties, becoming the internal six dusts, for the mental faculty to contact and for the six consciousnesses to simultaneously discriminate. Internal mental dust is not born solely within the subtle sense faculties. If it were, mental dust would have no relationship with the five dusts. Mental dust born solely would seem abrupt, without basis, somewhat arbitrarily fabricated, unable to reveal the nature and connotation of the five dusts. The concomitant mental consciousness (manovijñāna) would also have no close relationship with the five sense consciousnesses.
After the concomitant mental consciousness discriminates the mental dust and makes decisions and judgments, it needs to convey information to the mental faculty. The information of the five dusts discriminated by the five sense consciousnesses is also conveyed to the mental faculty together with the mental consciousness, because the mental faculty is also the co-existent basis (sahabhū-hetu) for the birth of the five sense consciousnesses. When the mental faculty decides to discriminate and process the five dusts, the five sense consciousnesses can then arise. Therefore, the actions and creations of the five sense consciousnesses must be directed by the mental faculty, responsible to the mental faculty, and for the mental faculty's reference.
The five dusts and mental dust together constitute the complete realm of the six dusts of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects. The five sense consciousnesses discriminate and process the relatively coarse parts within the six dusts; the mental consciousness discriminates and processes the relatively subtle parts. The combined coarse and subtle information is conveyed to the mental faculty. The mental faculty simultaneously receives information about coarse dharmas and subtle dharmas, undergoes its own separate deliberation, and makes its own judgments and decisions regarding the entirety of the six dusts.
For example, going to a mall to buy clothes, seeing colorful garments, the mental faculty needs to choose a color relatively suitable for oneself. The eye consciousness and mental consciousness simultaneously discriminate the clothes. The eye consciousness only discriminates the color; the mental consciousness discriminates the mental dust beyond color, including the clothing's style, material, and essence. After the information of the form dust and mental dust is conveyed to the mental faculty, the mental faculty will consider the color and style/material, then ask the mental consciousness to separately analyze and judge which color, red or black, is more suitable, which style is more appropriate. This is the scope of work for the solitary mental consciousness. Then the solitary mental consciousness imagines the effect of wearing it, conveys the imagined analysis result to the mental faculty, which then deliberates and judges again, making its own decision. Finally, the several consciousnesses operate together to buy the clothes satisfactory to the mental faculty, and the six consciousnesses complete their service to the mental faculty.
What constitutes the complete garment includes the manifest color part, which is the form dust discriminated by the eye consciousness. All parts beyond color—shape color, indicative color, and non-indicative color—are the mental dust discriminated by the mental consciousness. The two together constitute a piece of clothing. When the clothing is produced and processed, the form dust and mental dust coexist simultaneously. When each person discriminates it, they simultaneously transmit the form dust and mental dust through the five sense faculties into their own subtle sense faculties, forming internal form dust and internal mental dust for the eye consciousness and mental consciousness to discriminate respectively. It is not that when the clothing is produced, it only has color, without style, material, length, width, size, essence, etc., as mental dust content. If so, it wouldn't be called clothing, nor would sewing and cutting equipment be needed to handle the fabric, nor would there be such a thing as fabric. Therefore, mental dust is combined with the five dusts; it is not produced solely within the subtle sense faculties.
