The Relationship Between Manas, the Five Consciousnesses, and the Internal and External Five Sense Objects

First, the arising and functioning of the five consciousnesses originate from the manas (mind faculty). If the manas does not engage in attention (manaskāra) and selection, the five consciousnesses do not appear. After the manas attends and selects, the five consciousnesses and the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) arise simultaneously, discerning the six sense objects (viṣaya) at the point where the manas attends and makes contact (sparśa). Therefore, the emergence of the five consciousnesses is not determined by the mental consciousness but by the manas. The mental consciousness is merely one necessary condition for the birth of the five consciousnesses; the two must combine to jointly discern the complete sense objects. Their sequence of appearance is nearly simultaneous; the birth and operation of the five consciousnesses are not determined by the mental consciousness.

Since the manas determines the birth of the five consciousnesses, why does the manas dominate them? We know that the birth of the five consciousnesses is necessarily facilitated by the contact between the five sense faculties (indriya) and the five sense objects. However, this contact between the five sense faculties and the five sense objects is itself a result instigated by the manas. Both the five sense faculties and the five sense objects are material forms (rūpa), not consciousness; they do not actively contact each other and then decide to produce the five consciousnesses. It is the manas that causes the five sense faculties to contact the five sense objects and gives rise to the five consciousnesses.

Why can the manas cause the five sense faculties to contact the five sense objects? Because the manas grasps at (ālambana) the six sense objects, desiring to discern them in detail. The manas does not grasp only at the dharma-object (mental object) and contact the dharma-object; rather, it grasps the entire sensory field, comprehensively including the five sense objects. If it grasped only the dharma-object and not the five sense objects, the information about the sensory field would be incomplete, making it impossible to make selections and choices, and the six consciousnesses would not arise. For example, when faced with colorful flowers, the dharma-object and the five sense objects combined constitute the complete appearance of the flowers. If the manas does not grasp the five sense objects, it would not know the color of the flowers. How then could it decide to contact the red, blue, or purple flowers? How could it choose a flower? The reason the six consciousnesses selectively discern the sensory field is precisely because of the manas's selection regarding the sensory field, which necessarily includes the five sense objects. The five sense objects constitute a significant and crucial portion of the six sense objects; moreover, they manifest first and are easily recognizable. Therefore, the manas does not grasp the six sense objects separately and then make selections.

For instance, when the manas grasps at the appearance of a person, it does not grasp only the dharma-object aspect of the person while excluding the color of their skin and clothing. On the contrary, it is initially the colors that are most prominent and attractive, followed later by the finer dharma-object aspects. The same applies to other sensory fields; thus, the manas grasps the five sense objects. The manas can certainly grasp and make selections regarding the five sense objects even before the six sense objects enter the subtle sense faculties (adhiṣṭhāna indriya). For example, before a car accident occurs, the manas grasps the oncoming car and realizes an imminent collision, prompting an urgent decision to avoid it. If the manas grasped only the dharma-object of the car and not the five sense objects of the car, how could it know there is an oncoming car about to collide? How could it decide to avoid the oncoming car? Before a massive explosion occurs, if the manas does not grasp the five sense objects of the explosion sound, how could it decide to flee immediately?

After the manas makes any decision, the five consciousnesses immediately arise together with the mental consciousness to carry out the manas's command. This demonstrates that the birth of the five consciousnesses is determined by the manas, and they, along with the mental consciousness, obey the manas. Which sensory field the five consciousnesses and the mental consciousness discern, for how long, and which aspects they focus on discerning are all directed and dominated by the manas. In summary, the manas is the master consciousness (adhipati-vijñāna); it can dominate and make decisions regarding the five sense faculties, the five sense objects, and the five consciousnesses. The relationship between them is one of active and passive, of dominance and submission.