How to Abandon Evil and Cultivate Good

Question: Do the six consciousnesses, which represent phenomenal appearances, primarily determine how to live in this world?

Answer: The phenomenal appearances created by the six consciousnesses are ultimately governed and decided by the seventh consciousness, the manas. This represents the mental formations of the manas. The superficial actions, verbal expressions, and mental activities of the consciousness are all ultimately dominated by the seventh consciousness. While bodily, verbal, and mental actions may rely on the consciousness, this requires the consciousness to possess greater strength than the seventh consciousness, and the seventh consciousness must be willing to heed the suggestions and guidance of the consciousness. If the seventh consciousness is stronger and unwilling to follow the consciousness’s suggestions, then it entirely dominates and makes decisions.

For example, when killing, if one feels pity for sentient beings while committing the act, it indicates that the pity arising from the consciousness still cannot overcome the habitual tendency to kill rooted in the seventh consciousness. Thus, the act of killing is still carried out under the influence of the seventh consciousness. The consciousness cannot immediately overpower the seventh consciousness. Only when the consciousness grows stronger, understands the Dharma and causality more deeply, and gains greater persuasive power, can it convince the seventh consciousness. Once the seventh consciousness is persuaded, one will cease to create the karma of killing. If the consciousness fails to successfully influence the seventh consciousness, one will continue to kill while obeying the manas, all the while feeling pity in the heart.

When the wholesome mental factors within the consciousness itself are not yet firm and strong enough, they cannot persuade or overpower the seventh consciousness. As a result, one may perform wholesome actions while simultaneously harboring greed, hatred, jealousy, and self-interest, seeking only personal gain without considering the benefit of others. When the wholesome mental factors within the consciousness are not sufficiently strong and stable—when they have not been fully influenced and transformed—the Four Right Efforts remain unattained. Under such circumstances, the unarisen wholesome states within the seventh consciousness cannot arise, and the arisen unwholesome states cannot be abandoned. Thus, one remains unable to cease unwholesome actions and cultivate wholesome ones.