Mind Consciousness Is Not the Master Consciousness

Question: Regarding the dharma teaching that the mind consciousness is the master — such as the Verses on the Structure of the Eight Consciousnesses, which says "in moving the body and producing speech, it alone is foremost," as well as the deliberating volition (审虑思), deciding volition (决定思), and initiating volition (动发思) — do these all speak of the mind consciousness being the master?

Answer: None of these say that the mind consciousness is the master. The meaning of "moving the body and producing speech" is that the mind consciousness can, together with the body consciousness, move the body and create bodily karma, and the mind consciousness can, together with the body consciousness, produce vocal sounds and create verbal karma. In bodily and verbal karma, the mind consciousness has the greatest function and plays the primary role, while the body consciousness plays an auxiliary role with a weaker function.

The deliberating volition, deciding volition, and initiating volition refer to the function of the mental factor of volition (cetanā) of the mind consciousness. Although the mind consciousness possesses these functions of the volition mental factor and is capable of making decisions, whether its decision ultimately produces the intended effect still depends on whether the manas accepts it and the degree to which it accepts it. For example, when a child decides to buy a toy, whether the purchase can ultimately be made depends on whether his parents agree, because the money is held by the parents, and the parents have the authority to decide how to spend it. For instance, a staff officer or subordinate may decide to launch a military exercise, but whether this matter is ultimately accomplished is decided by the chief and the commander-in-chief; the staff officer or subordinate merely offers a suggestion, and whether it is heeded is up to the leadership.

The mind consciousness exists to serve the manas. If the manas does not need the service of the mind consciousness, it will not decide to bring forth the mind consciousness, and then the mind consciousness will not appear, so there can be no talk of being the master or making decisions. The five sense consciousnesses also have the volition mental factor and can make decisions, but the decisions of the five sense consciousnesses are even weaker than those of the mind consciousness; whether they take effect or are heeded all depends on the manas. Then, after the manas makes the decision as master, whether the matter can be accomplished still depends on the eighth consciousness; if there are no karmic seeds and no merit, even the eighth consciousness is powerless. Therefore, for the manas to act as master and accomplish things or bring forth certain dharmas, there are also preconditions — it is not the case that the manas can accomplish whatever it wants to do.