The Role of the Sixth and Seventh Consciousnesses in Bodily, Verbal, and Mental Actions

Answer: The mind consciousness is the concrete executor of bodily and verbal actions—that is, the doer. From bodily and verbal actions, one should be able to know how the mind consciousness operates and what functions it performs. For example, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, laughing, eating, drinking, and so on are all produced through the operation of the mind consciousness and the body consciousness, but the controller is the manas. On the surface, it seems as if the mind consciousness is giving commands, but the mind consciousness only offers suggestions; the actual decision rests with the manas. During the process of operation, the mind consciousness may generate other ideas and advise the manas. If the manas deems them reasonable, it will adopt them; if it does not agree, the decision and command remain unchanged, and the mind consciousness must continue to operate as usual.

Bodily action is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the body consciousness; verbal action is also the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the body consciousness. Seeing forms is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the eye consciousness; hearing sounds is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the ear consciousness; smelling scents is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the nose consciousness; tasting flavors is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the tongue consciousness; feeling tangibles is the combined operation of the mind consciousness and the body consciousness. In the operation of the six faculties, there is always the operation of the mind consciousness. Without the mind consciousness, the five-aggregate body cannot move; if the mind consciousness is weak, the five-aggregate body also has great difficulty moving.  

Answer: Obvious bodily, verbal, and mental actions all require the mind consciousness to operate; otherwise, the six consciousnesses would have no use, and the body could not act either. Although the contraction and relaxation of the nervous system are both regulated by the manas and are subconscious behaviors, they are very hidden and very subtle. This includes breathing: part of it involves the participation of the mind consciousness, and part does not require the mind consciousness. The movement of the body, without the mind consciousness, can never be accomplished no matter what. Subtle nervous system activities can occur without the mind consciousness, such as the twitching of the body after falling asleep, the fluttering of the eyelids, and slight bodily movements. Slight breathing can also occur without the mind consciousness, but the mind consciousness can actively regulate breathing, such as deep breathing and the like.

The muscular and neural activities closely connected with the physical body can be regulated by the manas alone, without the cooperation of the mind consciousness; the participation of the mind consciousness is also possible, but it can only guide the manas and cannot command the whole body, because the manas alone can control the central nervous system, issuing commands there, and the instructions can be transmitted throughout the body. Neural activities involving the mind consciousness are called conscious behaviors; those not involving the mind consciousness are called unconscious behaviors. For example, breathing activities, muscle contraction and relaxation, incontinence of urine and feces, gastrointestinal peristalsis, the circulation of qi and blood, and some special emotional activities, such as being startled so that the heart pounds and the flesh jumps, flying into a rage with hair standing on end bristling against the crown, or being scared out of one's wits with bladder and bowels giving way. However, the motor activities of the body faculty must be jointly operated and regulated by the body consciousness and the mind consciousness together with the manas.