The Presence of Cetana Does Not Imply Sovereign Agency

The eighth consciousness, while capable of discerning karmic seeds, knowing whether they have ripened, and knowing when to allow them to manifest and bring forth karmic results, functions spontaneously and naturally. This is its inherent principle; it does not deliberately act as a master to realize karmic fruition. When causes and conditions arise, it necessarily follows them without opposition. Yet, regardless of circumstances, its mind remains unchanged—unperturbed, eternally like an uninvolved entity, without a single drop of dust settling within it.

Although the eighth consciousness possesses the mental factor of volition and can make decisions, the ability to decide does not equate to the ability to exercise volition. The first five consciousnesses also possess the mental factor of volition and can make decisions, yet they cannot exercise volition; they can only obey commands. The so-called "decision" refers to mentally resolving upon the dharmas it contacts and perceives, enabling their operation and processing the dharmas it discerns. This falls within the functional scope of each consciousness and does not represent volitional agency. If it signified volitional agency, sentient beings would possess eight consciousnesses exercising volition—would they not have gone mad long ago?