Chapter Thirteen: Manas and the Physical Body

I. Why the Mind-Consciousness Does Not Reside Inside, Outside, or in the Middle of the Physical Body

Although the six consciousnesses discern the inner six sense objects within the subtle sense faculties, contact the inner six sense objects, and do not depart from the six sense faculties and the six sense objects, the mind-consciousness does not reside inside, outside, or in the middle of the physical body. In the first volume of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the World-Honored One explained that the mind-consciousness does not reside inside, outside, or in the middle of the physical body. This is because the mind-consciousness is formless and without characteristics; it cannot dwell within the physical body. If it dwelt within the physical body, then dissecting the body would reveal the mind-consciousness emerging from within. However, even when the body is cut into pieces, no trace of the mind-consciousness can be found. Therefore, the mind-consciousness does not reside within the physical body. If the mind-consciousness were outside the physical body, which is to say in empty space, then the mind-consciousness in empty space would be unrelated to oneself, not entirely belonging to oneself, and others could use it. If the mind-consciousness could act upon oneself, it could also act upon other sentient beings. If the mind-consciousness were in the middle between the physical body and empty space, there is no actual location called "the middle"; the so-called middle position cannot be found. Therefore, the mind-consciousness does not reside inside, outside, or in the middle of the physical body.

The same applies to manas and the tathāgatagarbha. Although the seventh consciousness constantly contacts the dharmas (mental objects) within the subtle sense faculties, does not depart from the dharmas, does not depart from the subtle sense faculties, and does not depart from the brain, the seventh consciousness does not reside inside, outside, or in the middle of the brain, nor inside, outside, or in the middle of the physical body. The reasoning is the same as for the six consciousnesses not residing inside, outside, or in the middle of the physical body. The tathāgatagarbha is also like this. Although the tathāgatagarbha pervades the five aggregates of the physical body, it does not reside inside, outside, or in the middle of the physical body, because it is formless and without characteristics.

II. Why Merely Hearing About Plums Causes Sour Saliva to Flow

The passage in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra about eating plums metaphorically illustrates the illusory nature of the aggregate of conception. The aggregate of conception is the function of the six consciousnesses to cognize and grasp appearances. However, the reason the six consciousnesses engage in cognition and grasping of appearances is because manas desires to cognize and grasp, prompting the six consciousnesses to perform corresponding activities. The body and mind of sentient beings mutually influence each other. Certain activities of the mind-consciousness can directly cause changes in the physical body, especially since manas has the function of controlling the physical body and can prompt various changes in the mind-consciousness. Hearing the name or concept of a plum with the ear, and sour saliva flowing in the mouth, demonstrates that manas understands the name "sour plum" heard by the ear-consciousness and mind-consciousness. Manas then acts as if a real sour plum is present; based on experience, knowing that sour plums are very sour, it prompts the mouth to produce saliva. This also illustrates that all phenomena arise from the combined operation of the three transformative consciousnesses, which is the principle that all phenomena are consciousness-only.

After mentally cognizing the sour appearance of the plum, the sour appearance of the plum is grasped. Thereupon, the sour appearance is born, and manas prompts the tongue root to produce saliva. With one illusory phenomenon as the cause, another or more illusory phenomena are born in succession. The Buddha uses this analogy to illustrate the illusory and unreal nature of the aggregate of conception, the causes giving rise to the aggregate of conception are also illusory and unreal, and the results following the aggregate of conception are even more illusory and unreal. All psychological and physiological reactions are illusory and unreal; therefore, we should not grasp at the unreal sensations of body and mind.

The body and mind of sentient beings are closely related, intimately connected, and mutually influential. The body affects the mind-consciousness, and the mind-consciousness can also affect the body. Body and mind depend on each other and interact. When the mind-consciousness changes, the body also changes. The tathāgatagarbha and manas, combined, can change all phenomena, provided that manas has the necessary strength. This strength refers to strong power of concentration, meaning focused attention, and the ability to bring about the necessary conditions, creating the circumstances for the tathāgatagarbha to produce all phenomena.

Hearing about plums and then having sour saliva flow in the mouth occurs first because the mind-consciousness knows that plums are sour, or has eaten sour things before, having had the experience and knowledge, so manas causes the sour reaction in the mouth. These experiences have already been stored as seeds in the tathāgatagarbha. When someone mentions plums, the ear faculty and manas simultaneously correspond to that speech; the ear-consciousness and mind-consciousness simultaneously discern and understand its meaning. Manas, through the tathāgatagarbha, then retrieves the past information about plums and transmits it, influencing the body through the tathāgatagarbha, causing the sour saliva to flow out.

III. How Material Form Can Influence the Physical Body and Mind-Consciousness

For example, taking stimulants can cause athletes to perform exceptionally well. Taking sedatives or sleeping pills can lower a person's excitement or cause them to fall asleep. These material forms greatly influence the mind-consciousness and can even cause it to cease. When substances enter the body and are absorbed, they alter the organizational structure of the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind) within the body. When the four great elements change, the body changes. Manas contacts the altered, abnormal physical body, and its reaction becomes abnormal; the mental state becomes abnormal. The mind-consciousness tries to control it but cannot; this is called "supernormal," exceeding the normal state. A person's mental state is manifested through the reactions of the body-consciousness and mind-consciousness. The reactions of the body-consciousness and mind-consciousness are controlled by manas. Different substances entering the body result in different four great elements, causing different effects on the body and simultaneously influencing manas's reaction, which in turn affects bodily, verbal, and mental actions.

Different objects of touch cause manas to produce body-consciousness and mind-consciousness that discern different objects of touch, resulting in different reactions of the mind-consciousness. These objects of touch are apprehended by the body faculty and manas. Manas apprehends all phenomena universally. After the body-consciousness and mind-consciousness arise, they simultaneously discern the objects of touch, resulting in the reaction of the mind-consciousness, which is the so-called mental state. Therefore, different substances contain different proportional compositions of the seeds of the four great elements. Different proportions of the seeds of the four great elements affect the body differently. Thus, when the body absorbs different substances, its state changes; the body undergoes changes, the objects of touch discerned by the mind-consciousness change, and the reaction of the mind-consciousness changes accordingly.

Some substances can stimulate brain excitement, increase mental activity, and strengthen the discerning power of the mind-consciousness, such as stimulants. Some substances can inhibit brain excitement, weaken the discerning power of the mind-consciousness, or cause it to lose discerning power, such as sleeping pills, sedatives, etc. Additionally, overeating can also inhibit brain excitement, causing the objects of touch within the subtle sense faculties to change and the discernment of the mind-consciousness to become inferior and weak. This is all related to the material of the four great elements within the body and to the material of the four great elements at the location of the subtle sense faculties. The objects of touch composed of the four great elements within the body are the food of the body-consciousness and mind-consciousness. When the four great elements are harmonious, first, the mental state of manas is normal, and second, the mental state of the mind-consciousness is also normal. When the four great elements are disharmonious, the mental state of manas is poor, and the mental state of the mind-consciousness consequently becomes poor. Sedatives and stimulants are two types of substances; their compositional structures of the seeds of the four great elements differ. When absorbed by the body, they produce different objects of touch, so the reaction of the mind-consciousness differs, and the mental state changes.

For example, consuming the five pungent spices (onions, garlic, etc.), after being absorbed by the body, alters the material structure of the four great elements within the body. The objects of touch produced within the subtle sense faculties change, manas's reaction undergoes changes, and the reactions of the body-consciousness and mind-consciousness change. Consequently, afflictions such as sexual desire and anger arise. Similarly, substances like tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, etc., affect the physical body and influence manas and the mind-consciousness in the same way. Body and mind are intimately connected; therefore, meditation can harmonize the four great elements, bringing both body and mind to a state of peace and harmony. Material form can influence the mental activities of the mind-consciousness, but it does not play an absolute role. What plays the absolute and direct role are the karmic seeds within manas. Some people are not affected by poison or other drugs, are not influenced by the material four great elements, and can even change the four great elements.

IV. What is the Principle Behind "Quenching Thirst by Looking at Plums" and "Flowing Sour Saliva Upon Hearing About Plums"? Without drinking water or eating anything, who resolves the problem of thirst? When thirsty, there is no saliva; when there is saliva, the mouth is not thirsty. How does saliva appear? The brain issues commands, transmitted to various parts or a specific part of the body, resulting in a certain reaction. Who issues the brain's commands? Manas issues them, and the tathāgatagarbha executes the commands, supplying what is needed, satisfying manas, and achieving manas's purpose. Therefore, if manas has no desire, can any state appear? No state will appear; no change will occur.

Why does manas, upon hearing about plums, cause sour saliva to flow? "Hearing" here, of course, is the subtle discernment by the ear-consciousness and mind-consciousness, which then conveys the information to manas, so manas knows about the plums. Knowing that plums are sour, knowing the nature of plums—is this known by the mind-consciousness, or by manas, or by both? Both know. Based on past experience, knowing the nature and effect of plums, the mind drifts into reverie, as if the plum were truly in the mouth. The mind-consciousness's reverie misleads manas; manas is deceived and causes the physical body to produce the appropriate reaction—sour saliva appears in the mouth. Thus, the problem of thirst is temporarily resolved. From this, we see that the mind-consciousness's non-veridical discernment, if manas is unaware, can lead to deception, resulting in abnormal phenomena. It is evident that since beginningless time, the mind-consciousness has frequently deceived manas, and then manas causes the mind-consciousness to suffer.

When the solitary arising mind-consciousness imagines one's foot standing on the edge of a cliff, manas truly believes it is standing on the edge of a cliff. Consequently, a reaction of fear arises to prevent the foot from slipping; the sole of the foot certainly becomes tense, the whole body trembles. Fearing falling, manas tightly controls the body faculty, tensing it. Who causes this? Manas causes it, which is also the result of the tathāgatagarbha activating the body faculty and body-consciousness to cooperate. Due to the mind-consciousness's irrational mental engagement (ayoniśomanaskāra), manas engages irrationally, subsequently issuing erroneous emergency measures and commands, resulting in abnormal reactions of the body faculty.

Since beginningless time, the erroneous teachings of the mind-consciousness to manas have caused manas to always walk the wrong path, unable to return to the right path. The erroneous teachings of the mind-consciousness result from the defilement of manas's ignorance (avidyā). If manas were without ignorance, the mind-consciousness would certainly be entirely luminous, without erroneous views and erroneous teachings, and manas would also forever be without erroneous views.

You deceive me, I deceive you—this is cause and effect. You are wrong, I become wrong, and then I make you wrong—this is cause and effect. Therefore, the cause of the cycle of birth and death in the three realms and six destinies, the cause of life and death, is the ignorance of manas. And the ignorance of manas has existed since beginningless time, existing within the tathāgatagarbha, enabling the tathāgatagarbha to give rise to birth and death, hence the suffering of saṃsāra.

V. Why the Seven Consciousnesses Cannot Simultaneously Operate Through Two or More Bodies, Grasping Them as the False Self

The seven consciousnesses cannot go to another person's body to operate; they cannot make another person's body serve as one's own. Therefore, they cannot regard another person's body as belonging to oneself. Even if manas can temporarily control another person's body and five aggregates, it cannot do so permanently. It knows that another's body is not its own. This also involves the operation of the tathāgatagarbha. Because it is not a body operated by one's own tathāgatagarbha, it cannot be regarded as one's own. If there were a doppelganger, the seven consciousnesses would regard the doppelganger as oneself, but there would still be a distinction between primary and secondary.

Manas also cannot go to the bodies of other sentient beings to operate; it cannot manage the bodies of other sentient beings, because they are not produced by one's own tathāgatagarbha. Manas can clearly know that that body is not oneself and does not belong to oneself, except in cases of deliberate spirit possession. Manas follows what the tathāgatagarbha perceives and transforms, grasping according to conditions. What one's own tathāgatagarbha cannot manifest, manas cannot regard as one's own. The seventh consciousness can only grasp the phenomena manifested and currently sustained by its own tathāgatagarbha as being oneself or one's own; it does not regard others as its own.

If the mind-consciousness lacks meditative concentration and has not cultivated a mind-made body (manomayakāya), manas cannot simultaneously manifest more than one body. If the mind-consciousness or the seven consciousnesses have afflictions, are defiled, or have obstructions, no matter how capable the tathāgatagarbha is, it cannot manifest multiple bodies for manas. From this, we understand that the functions and roles of the tathāgatagarbha are obscured by the ignorance of the seven consciousnesses. Only when the seven consciousnesses change can manas radiate great light. The tathāgatagarbha is of unconditional great compassion and shares the same essence of great compassion. It always protects, complies with, and cares for the seven consciousnesses that belong to it, storing all the defiled seeds of the seven consciousnesses within its essential nature. As a result, its own functions are hindered, yet the tathāgatagarbha does not mind, appearing without resentment or regret.

The seven consciousnesses daily burden and obscure the tathāgatagarbha with defiled minds, yet never feel ashamed. Lack of shame (āhṛikya) and lack of embarrassment (anapatrāpya) are not wholesome mental factors; they are afflictive, defiled mental factors. Each of us should examine the mental factors of our own mind-consciousness: Is there a sense of shame? Is there a sense of remorse? Then examine whether our own manas has wholesome mental factors, whether it has mental factors of shame and remorse. Then we will know whether we are good or evil. In this way, we won't need to think every day how good or how virtuous we are; we can correctly know ourselves and thereby change ourselves.

VI. Why Can Fright Cause Death? Death is the Cessation of the Six Consciousnesses First, Followed by Manas Departing the Body

When frightened, why does manas choose to leave the body? This fright must have frightened manas; it is a fear emanating from the heart outward, to the extent of injuring the body, causing severe pathological changes in bodily organs, especially the heart, resulting in the inability of blood to flow normally. The body can no longer be used; the subtle sense faculties are severely obstructed; the body-consciousness and mind-consciousness cannot function; manas can no longer guard the physical body; thus, it rapidly departs.

Why can manas no longer guard the body? When manas is frightened, it first affects the cerebral cortex and central nervous tissue. The central nervous tissue then transmits the information of being shaken to various parts of the body, to the visceral nervous tissue, causing major changes and reactions in the internal organs of the body. Consequently, blood flow becomes abnormal, neural transmission becomes abnormal, bodily functions are hindered, internal organs cannot operate normally, and the central nervous tissue of the brain also cannot operate normally. The six consciousnesses cannot function normally, to the point where the six consciousnesses disappear. The body and the six consciousnesses cannot function; manas feels the body cannot be used. At this time, due to the stimulation, its judgment may be inaccurate, so it decides to leave the body.

A slight fright is dismissed as unimportant; afterward, one can even laugh heartily or mock one's own timidity. If the fright is severe—terrified to the point of trembling all over, shaking all over, "scared out of one's wits"—when the fright involves the gallbladder, the gallbladder cannot function, and a person can die or become seriously ill. Emotional stress reactions can injure the internal organs. There are idioms: "heartbroken to the extreme," "grief-stricken to the extreme," "depressed to death," "dead from rage"—all are results of the stress reactions made by manas. Mental state, spirit, and will can affect the health of the physical body. Conversely, the health of the physical body also affects emotions and mental state. Body and mind can mutually influence each other.

What can destroy the internal organs? What can cause the body to perish? What can cause heartbreak? What exactly is it that can kill a person? Being beaten black and blue—who did the beating? All phenomena arise from the combined operation of the eight consciousnesses, the sovereigns of the mind. If the functions of each are fully understood, one attains at least the differentiated wisdom (pratipattibheda-jñāna) of prajñā. In every phenomenon, there is at least the operation of four consciousnesses: there is the true mind, and there is the deluded mind. One cannot emphasize only one mind; a single mind cannot operate.

VII. How Do Ghosts and Spirits Control the Physical Bodies of Others?

Ghosts and spirits control the physical bodies of others by controlling manas, thereby controlling their brain nerves to control their physical bodies. When controlled by ghosts and spirits, sometimes the mind is clear but cannot act autonomously; the body does not obey one's own commands; speech and language do not obey one's own commands. Sometimes the mind is not clear, muddled; one does not know what one has done; one speaks nonsense, often without knowing it oneself. Sometimes one wants to say something but cannot speak it; what is spoken is not what one intended to say.

For ghosts and spirits to control another's physical body, their manas must be stronger than the person's manas, or the two must have a good karmic connection, an affinity, so that the ghosts and spirits can enter the person's body and direct and control their bodily, verbal, and mental actions. Everyone wants to be their own master, unwilling to be manipulated. Therefore, the manas of ordinary people does not agree to possession by ghosts and spirits, unwilling to be controlled, and will strongly resist. If manas does not agree, resistance occurs. If the ghosts and spirits refuse to give up, they will use supernatural powers to cause various hardships for this person until their manas compromises, willing to temporarily withdraw from the master's position and hand over control. Afterward, the body is used by the ghosts and spirits. If the two have an affinity and are relatively close, and manas agrees to temporarily yield, then the ghosts and spirits can easily occupy the other's physical body without causing them pain.

But how do ghosts and spirits replace another's manas to control them? We need to understand how our own manas controls our own body-mind world. Find the "switches" for bodily, verbal, and mental actions, and then we will know how manas regulates bodily, verbal, and mental actions, and thus know how ghosts and spirits can control others' bodily, verbal, and mental actions. The switch for manas regulating the physical body is located at the subtle sense faculties. The nervous system within the subtle sense faculties extends throughout the body. As long as ghosts and spirits occupy the subtle sense faculties and then control the main acupuncture points of the body, they can control the entire body of that person. Sometimes even the mind-consciousness is controlled; sometimes it cannot be controlled, or is not controlled. The mind-consciousness clearly knows the actions of the ghosts and spirits but can do nothing; it cannot act autonomously. The switch regulating bodily balance is in the cerebellum. If the cerebellum has a problem, the body becomes unbalanced. Ghosts and spirits must also control the nervous system of the cerebellum to allow the person to walk normally.

The principle of mantra power reanimating corpses is the same. When chanting mantras, ghosts and spirits are controlled by the mantra power, enter the corpse, take control of the central nervous system of the corpse, make the corpse rise, walk, lift its legs, and raise its arms. The manas and tathāgatagarbha of the ghosts and spirits both occupy the corpse, exerting regulatory control over it, so the corpse can walk. If the manas and tathāgatagarbha separate, neither can enter the corpse alone to control it. If it is a person who died not long ago, the corpse can also be made to speak.

Initially, ghosts and spirits use supernatural powers to control the subtle sense faculties. The mind-consciousness and manas cannot normally discern the mental objects (dharmas), so they cannot effectively control their own body faculty. At this time, the manas and tathāgatagarbha of the ghosts and spirits come to manipulate the person's body faculty. Once the brain nerves are controlled by the ghosts and spirits, the entire body is at their disposal; it does whatever they command. If ghosts and spirits want to make this person insane, they either: 1) Use supernatural powers to manifest an illusion or false appearance for this person's six consciousnesses to discern, causing abnormal behavior to achieve the purpose of subduing or retaliating; or 2) Make this person's six consciousnesses perform erroneous, non-veridical discernment of the normal inner perceived aspect (pratyakṣa), causing the six consciousnesses to behave strangely.

It is not easy for the manas and tathāgatagarbha of ghosts and spirits to enter another's physical body. They must open the passage of the central nervous system of the brain. Once opened, it becomes easy to enter again, and it also becomes easy for other ghosts and spirits to enter. Ghosts and spirits must not only open the brain nerves of the possessed person but also open the main meridians throughout the body, occupying the main acupuncture points, so that the manas and mind-consciousness of the ghosts and spirits can rule and regulate the person's body. Our own manas regulates our own body in the same way, primarily through the brain's nervous system to regulate the whole body. Therefore, as soon as manas has mental activity, the brain nerves immediately move, and the physical body immediately undergoes changes. Thus, when manas is affected, the physical body must have a corresponding reaction.

To sever the view of self (satkāyadṛṣṭi) and realize the mind (cittotpāda), manas must be affected. Once manas is moved, the physical body reacts, and both body and mind undergo changes. When the manas and tathāgatagarbha of ghosts and spirits withdraw from the body, the situation is somewhat similar to when sentient beings are dying. The manas and tathāgatagarbha of the ghosts and spirits gradually depart from the subtle sense faculties of the brain. Once the person's nervous system and entire body are about to lose their controller, it is as painful as the separation of the four great elements. At that time, one's own manas and mind-consciousness have not yet fully taken control of the physical body. But one's own tathāgatagarbha has not departed; of course, manas has also not left the body (otherwise the person would die); manas is simply unable to regulate itself.

VIII. The Interrelationship Between Body and Mind

Heart meridian blockage — harboring grudges. Liver meridian blockage — anger. Spleen meridian blockage — complaining. Lung meridian blockage — grief. Kidney meridian blockage — pressure. Pericardium meridian blockage — depression. Gallbladder meridian blockage — anxiety. Stomach meridian blockage — impatience. Bladder meridian blockage — dejection. Small intestine meridian blockage — sorrow. Large intestine meridian blockage — regret. Triple burner meridian blockage — tension.

Why can meridian blockages lead to various abnormal psychological emotions? Meridian blockages are a physiological phenomenon; emotional abnormalities are a psychological state. Physiology and psychology mutually influence each other; body and mind depend on each other.

This "mind" certainly refers to manas first, and only then to the mind-consciousness. But at this time, when the mind-consciousness wants to control manas's abnormal psychological state, it is often very difficult. Therefore, sometimes the mind-consciousness does not want to get angry, but manas insists on getting angry; whatever the mind-consciousness does not want to do, manas does it anyway, and the mind-consciousness can do nothing.

As long as changes occur in the body, there is a reaction psychologically, indicating that manas, relying on the tathāgatagarbha, can constantly know the state of the body. Its discernment is very sharp in this aspect; its wisdom power is not weak and does not necessarily require discernment through the mind-consciousness. Most of the time, the mind-consciousness does not know what condition the body is in; it may need to ponder deeply to understand a little, or perhaps still not figure it out. Many people do not know what is wrong even when seriously ill.

Manas is closely related to the physical body. First, because manas grasps the body, considering the physical body to be the self; every slight ache or itch on the body is important and worthy of attention, hence the various reactions. Second, because manas issues commands and transmits information through the brain's nervous tissue. Once the meridians are blocked and information cannot be transmitted, manas will manifest various emotions. If one can cultivate to the stage of being unaffected by the aggregate of form, then no matter what happens to the body, it will absolutely not affect the psychology of manas.