The Operation of the Eye Consciousness and the Mental Factor of Volition

"Cetanā" means to deliberate, to decide, to determine; it represents a power of deliberative examination. Once the conscious mind has determined a dharma, it must then act; cetanā also signifies volition, fabrication, action, deed, operation, and so on. All eight consciousnesses have the operation of the mental factor of cetanā, which is to say they all require the power of deliberative examination; after discerning, they must all deliberate and choose, all make a decision, and after the decision, they must carry it out. This is the meaning of the mental factor of cetanā.

Among these, the eye-consciousness's discernment of material form cannot be separated from the mind consciousness's discernment, so the operation of the eye-consciousness's mental factor of cetanā cannot be separated from the operation of the mind consciousness's mental factor of cetanā.

For example, suppose the manas wants to apply ointment and decides to look for the ointment bottle. This task is accomplished jointly by the eye-consciousness and the mind consciousness; neither alone can see forms and search for material objects. After the manas makes its decision, the eye-consciousness and mind consciousness arise and go to the table to search for the ointment bottle. There are several items on the table, and the manas decides to examine them one by one, so the eye-consciousness and mind consciousness will discern each item in turn. Finally, the eye-consciousness fixes on the colors of the ointment bottle, and the mind consciousness fixes on the shape of the ointment bottle; the combined information reveals that it is an ointment bottle—of course, the concept of "ointment bottle" is supplied by the mind consciousness. When the two consciousnesses work together, it is always the mind consciousness whose workload is greater, whose mental activities are more numerous, and which discerns more dharmas.

When the eye-consciousness and mind consciousness fix on the ointment bottle, it is as if they direct attention (manaskāra) toward the bottle, contact the bottle, receive the bottle, discern the bottle, discriminate the bottle, and finally determine that it is the ointment bottle being sought. Among these, the determination is the function of the mental factor of cetanā, including the eye-consciousness's determination of the bottle's colors, and the mind consciousness's determination of the bottle's shape, label, and contents. For the determination of all material forms, the mind consciousness's determination is primary and the eye-consciousness's determination is auxiliary. After the determination, the information is transmitted to the manas; the manas deliberates and reviews, and also determines that it is the ointment bottle it needs, and so decides to pick it up—this is another round of deliberative examination. At this point, the eye-consciousness, mind consciousness, and body-consciousness operate in conjunction, including the manas, and also including such-and-such consciousness, and the action and fabrication are produced—the ointment bottle is picked up. This whole process takes only about twenty seconds, yet describing it takes several minutes.

In the process of discerning material forms, if the eye-consciousness has not determined, the mind consciousness cannot determine, the manas even less so, and that such-and-such consciousness just looks on, unable to determine anything. Even if the eye-consciousness has determined, the mind consciousness is not necessarily determined, and the manas cannot yet determine either. Only after the mind consciousness has determined does the manas deliberate and review, and finally it may determine—or perhaps still cannot determine. Then it will have the eye-consciousness and mind consciousness discern and confirm again, even repeatedly, providing more information to the manas, and only then can the manas determine and make its decision.

Some people always want to cultivate their practice only up to the mind consciousness and stop there, omitting that final crucial step—what could that accomplish? What use would it have? If attaining the fruits is not attested by the manas, what use is the conclusion reached by the mind consciousness? If seeing the mind is not seen by the manas, what use is the mind consciousness's seeing? If the boss does not make the final call, what use is whatever the employees under him say? A practice abandoned halfway is almost entirely wasted effort. Yet there are people who like to abandon things halfway and forgo the final result.