Why do the five consciousnesses arise before the mind consciousness?

The objects perceived by the five consciousnesses are intrinsic realms, formed by the combination of the actual five great seeds, and are thus real realms. The objects perceived by the mind consciousness are derived realms, which manifest based on intrinsic realms, serving as supplementary explanations to the intrinsic realms. Therefore, they are illusory and false realms. Without intrinsic realms, there are no derived realms; intrinsic realms come first, followed by derived realms. Consequently, the five consciousnesses first arise to discern intrinsic realms, and the manifest forms appear before the eyes. The mind consciousness later arises to discern derived realms, and shapes and colors subsequently appear. The unconnected mind consciousness discerns non-representational forms last. If the five consciousnesses have not yet discerned intrinsic realms, on what basis can the mind consciousness discern derived realms? Whose essence do derived realms carry? Without an essence, derived realms cannot exist. Thus, the five consciousnesses must first arise to discern intrinsic realms before the mind consciousness can arise to discern derived realms. After both have jointly discerned the six sense objects, the unconnected mind consciousness arises to engage in thought analysis, definitional consideration, summarization, and induction of derived realms, processing information. It then transmits this upward to the mind faculty, allowing the mind faculty to make decisions.

If the mind faculty merely seeks to perceive objects purely, without other thoughts, and the mind is relatively clear, the five consciousnesses and the mind consciousness accompanying the five senses jointly discern the objects. Knowing what the objects are and transmitting this to the mind faculty suffices; the unconnected mind consciousness need not arise, and various thought analyses and conjectures are unnecessary. The six consciousnesses simply perceive and know purely, without further thoughts or mental states. In cultivating meditative concentration, the first step is to eliminate the inner activities of the unconnected mind consciousness, preventing it from arising, and to perceive objects with indifferent knowing. Gradually, one ceases to know, discriminate, or perceive, and the mind becomes calm. Some people, in cultivating concentration, shut down the five consciousnesses and the mind consciousness accompanying the five senses, while the unconnected mind consciousness drifts across five thousand years of history, refusing to cease, and the mind cannot calm down. Eventually, the six consciousnesses must contact objects and discern them, making concentration impossible. Thus, the unconnected mind consciousness is more difficult to tame than the mind consciousness accompanying the five senses and the five consciousnesses.