The Analogy of the Video Camera

Question: In the camera analogy, the one operating the camera is the eighth consciousness, the five sense faculties are the lens, and then it transforms into the shadows of the inner six sense-objects—is the inner six sense-objects conjured up in this way?

Answer: The one operating the camera is the eighth consciousness; the six consciousnesses are the person viewing the images, who can only look at photographs and video images—what is viewed and what is not viewed is directed by the manas. What scenery the camera lens should point 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 viewer of the images, and also directs the camera operator. Wherever the seventh consciousness points, the eighth consciousness must take in the six sense-object realms of that place, and the six consciousnesses must discriminate the six sense-object images of that place.

What scenery the camera lens should point at to film is, at times, decided by the manas. After the manas selects the scenery, the eighth consciousness will film it. When the eighth consciousness is to project certain realms into appearance, sometimes the manas cannot decide either—the eighth consciousness brings forth adverse conditions and karmic creditors, and this is not the manas's choice; the manas would not ask the eighth consciousness to film and produce such scenery. 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 seeds.

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 electric power. Electric power is very important; the five faculties also need electricity in order to run. As long as one can find the electric power and the switch, find where exactly the master switch and the master valve are, one will awaken to the true reality of the dharmadhātu. Once the valve is opened, all dharmas will manifest.