The Eighth Consciousness's Compliant Cooperation with the Sixth and Seventh Consciousnesses and Karmic Seeds

If the first six consciousnesses wish to discern the six sense objects, they are not active on their own; they are passive, directed and commanded by the seventh consciousness, the manas, which acts as the master. The six consciousnesses have a seeking nature toward the six sense objects, and whether they can find them depends on the conditions. The eighth consciousness merely complies with the seventh and sixth consciousnesses, manifesting the six sense objects according to conditions and karmic seeds, allowing the six consciousnesses to discriminate and make choices. First, the eighth consciousness transmits consciousness seeds to the six consciousnesses, and only then can the six consciousnesses become active. Whatever the seventh consciousness intends to do, the eighth consciousness complies—without choice, without conditions, without seeking any return—yet it must attend to the karmic seeds. No consciousness can control the eighth consciousness; the eighth consciousness has a compliant nature and its own operating principles. However, after enlightenment, one can observe the compliant nature of the eighth consciousness through various methods, to see whether He obeys. Upon observation, one finds that indeed, no matter what you do, He always complies and cooperates, without the slightest resistance.

This is the realm of the aggregate of perception, which is extremely illusory. For a detailed explanation, it has been discussed in "Elaborating on the Tathāgatagarbha," seemingly in the miscellaneous discussion chapter.