Questions and Answers on the Contemplative Practice of the Four Establishments of Mindfulness 15

Question: When observing the breath, which consciousness is manipulating the breath? How many consciousnesses are observing the breath? Why does the body become hot and sweat when observing the breath? Which consciousness controls the heat and sweating? 

Answer: When observing the breath, it is the mind consciousness that observes; there is the awareness of the body consciousness, so it is the consciousness accompanied by the five senses (pañca-sahagata-mano-vijñāna) that is aware. If one's attention is focused, the manas observes together with the mind consciousness simultaneously; if attention is not focused, the manas only lightly attends to it, and because it is not concentrated, there will not be any particular feelings or thoughts. When observing, if the mind follows the breath down to the dantian, the dantian will become warm, the heat will dissipate, and perhaps one may sweat automatically. These dharmas are manifested by the tathāgatagarbha in accordance with conditions; they arise from causes and conditions, and there is not necessarily any particular consciousness controlling them. If there is a mind that controls, the thoughts become scattered, and meditative concentration (samādhi) will become shallower. Some dharmas are extremely profound and difficult to observe, and they are of no use to our current practice, so there is no need to insist on investigating them. Concentrate your energy on doing well what is at hand—two birds in the forest are not as good as one bird in the hand. Being able to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa) is true ability.