The Metaphor of the Camera

Question: The person operating the video camera is the eighth consciousness, the five faculties are the lens, which then transforms into the shadows of the inner six sense-objects — is this how the inner six sense-objects are conjured into appearance?

Answer: The person operating the camera is the eighth consciousness; the six consciousnesses are the person viewing the images, who can only look at photographs and video footage, and what they look at or do not look at is directed by the manas. What scenery the camera lens points at to film is decided by the manas. The eighth consciousness, through the five faculties or the six faculties, takes in the outer six sense-objects; once the image is formed, it is the six consciousnesses that discriminate these images — the six consciousnesses are the person viewing the images. The seventh consciousness is the one directing the person viewing the images, and also directs the person operating the camera. Wherever the seventh consciousness points, the eighth consciousness must take in the sense-object realms of that place, and the six consciousnesses must discriminate the sense-object images of that place.

What scenery the camera lens points at to film is, at certain times, decided by the manas. After the manas selects the scenery, the eighth consciousness will film it. But when the eighth consciousness projects certain realms into appearance, sometimes the manas cannot be the master of it: when the eighth consciousness brings forth adverse conditions and karmic creditors, this is not the manas's choice — the manas would not instruct the eighth consciousness to film such scenery into appearance. Then the sixth consciousness will add some of its own ideas and concepts onto the scenery, which is equivalent to post-production, polishing and airbrushing. This post-processed scenery is then stored as a seed.

Therefore, behind the activities of sentient beings' five aggregates, there is a master controller. Even a robot is manipulated behind the scenes by human agency; even a computer is operated by human agency — humans design the programs and then supply electrical energy. Electrical energy is very important; the five faculties also need electricity in order to run. As long as one can find the electrical energy and the switch, find where exactly the master switch and the master valve are, one will realize the true reality of the dharmadhātu. Once the valve is opened, all dharmas will manifest.