The Principle of the Five Aggregates in Sentient Beings

Question: Robots do not have the permeation of seed consciousness or the dwelling and entry of the eight consciousnesses, so why can they still exhibit behavioral activities?

Answer: The activities of robots result from human-programmed control, functioning through the operation of electric currents and programs. In truth, the activities of the five aggregates in sentient beings follow the same principle. It is merely that sentient beings themselves lack enlightenment, clinging to the activities of the five aggregates as real.

Question: The movements of the human body's faculties are accomplished through the coordination of body consciousness, mental consciousness, the seventh consciousness, and the eighth consciousness. Without mental consciousness and body consciousness, the seventh and eighth consciousnesses alone cannot accomplish bodily activities. However, the first seven consciousnesses reside in the head, while bodily faculties like hands and feet are far from the head—meaning the first seven consciousnesses are not present in the hands. How is it possible, then, for the hands to move?

Answer: Tugging one hair moves the whole body. The brain is the central command, and the mental faculty (manas) is the commander-in-chief. When the mental faculty activates, commands are issued from the brain's central nervous system, rapidly transmitted to all neural tissues throughout the body, and the entire body moves. In reality, when the mental faculty activates, the Tathāgatagarbha gives rise to the six consciousnesses. The six consciousnesses then activate, and subsequent actions emerge. All of this pertains to the secret Dharma, involving the Tathāgatagarbha's general wisdom, specific wisdom, and all-encompassing wisdom. Each individual must investigate this through Chan meditation to comprehend it clearly; it cannot be explicitly stated by others.