The Accommodation and Coordination of the Eighth Consciousness with the Sixth and Seventh Consciousnesses and Karmic Seeds

The first six consciousnesses discern the six dusts (objects of perception), but not actively; they function passively under the direction of the seventh consciousness, the manas (mind root), which acts as the master. The six consciousnesses possess a searching nature towards the six dusts, but whether they can find them depends on causes and conditions. The eighth consciousness merely accommodates the seventh consciousness, manifesting the six dusts according to causes, conditions, and karmic seeds, allowing the six consciousnesses to differentiate and choose. Firstly, the eighth consciousness supplies the seeds of consciousness to the six consciousnesses, enabling them to manifest. Whatever the seventh consciousness intends to do, the eighth consciousness accommodates it unconditionally, without choice, without conditions, and without seeking anything in return, yet it must always respond to the karmic seeds. No consciousness can control the eighth consciousness; it possesses an accommodating nature and follows its own operational laws. However, after enlightenment, one can observe the accommodating nature of the eighth consciousness through various methods to see if it is obedient. Upon observation, it is found that indeed, regardless of what one does, it entirely accommodates and cooperates, never opposing in the slightest.

This is the realm of the aggregate of conception (sanjna), which is utterly illusory. A detailed explanation can be found in the discourse on the Tathagatagarbha. It seems to be in the chapter on miscellaneous discussions.