The Five Aggregates and Six Consciousnesses Are All Tools of Manas

Question: If all dharmas are realized by the mind-root, then why is consciousness still produced?

Answer: Both the consciousness and the five aggregates, along with the five sense consciousnesses, are essential tools that the mind-root must employ. Without these tools, the mind-root itself is powerless. It requires the six consciousnesses and five aggregates to serve it, utilizing them to grasp all dharmas within the world. Without the six consciousnesses and five aggregates, the mind-root is helpless. Therefore, while the mind-root can perceive many dharmas, it necessarily requires consciousness to process these dharmas. For example, when a ghost or spirit appears nearby, the mind-root feels quite fearful, perceiving a threat to itself. Yet it cannot deal with the ghost or spirit directly, nor can it avoid it alone. Thus, while goosebumps rise, it alerts the consciousness to become aware of the matter. The consciousness then wonders: What exactly is happening? Why do I feel afraid? Why does the surroundings feel eerie, as if something is amiss? When the consciousness is sharp, it ponders and, to the best of its ability, recognizes the presence of a ghost or spirit nearby. It then devises a way to avoid it, thus achieving the mind-root's objective.

Therefore, although the mind-root possesses perception, the actual affairs need to be handled by the consciousness and the five aggregates. After the mind-root realizes the Dharma, the pure practices of body, speech, and mind require the consciousness and the five aggregates to uphold them. Thus, the pure bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses reflect the purity of the mind-root. However, upon reaching a sufficiently high level of cultivation, when the four dhyanas and eight samadhis are attained, and one possesses immeasurable supernatural powers and spiritual strength, the mind-root can replace the functions of the six consciousnesses. At this stage, the six consciousnesses need not be produced; all matters are handled by the mind-root itself, which is extremely convenient and efficient. Consequently, the functional status of consciousness cannot compare to that of the mind-root; it is forever a master-servant relationship. The master uses the servant to manage trivial affairs, but when the master's capabilities are great enough, with everything handled through modernized processes, the servant becomes unnecessary, as everything can be handled well and exquisitely by the master alone.