Why Consciousness Cannot Discern and Recall Past Lives

Question: Recollection is a function of discrete mental consciousness, which also relies on the perfuming seeds flowing from the eighth consciousness to arise momentarily. Why is mental consciousness unable to perceive recollections of past lives?

Answer: The mental consciousness of this present life is a newly arisen mental consciousness in this life, not the mental consciousness of a past life. The mental consciousness of this present life has not experienced the people and events of past lives; therefore, it naturally lacks memories of past lives. If it could perceive the people and events of past lives, it could not be called recollection. Only events personally experienced can be called recollection. If it is said that one can recall events from past lives, this is a kind of expedient expression. This is spoken primarily from the perspective of manas (the defiled mental faculty), because manas connects past and future lives. Mental consciousness, however, exists segment by segment. The mental consciousness of this present life being able to know events of past lives is, strictly speaking, not recollection but indirect knowing. If a person with psychic powers says, "I recall the past," this "I" refers to the 'I' of manas. Although manas itself cannot recollect, it clings to the functions of mental consciousness as 'I,' and thus it speaks in this way. In this case, mental consciousness perceives people and events it has never personally experienced through manas.

The five aggregates of a past life and the five aggregates of the present life have a relationship of being neither identical nor different; they have both shared and unshared aspects. The five aggregates of a past life, without considering the consequences for the five aggregates of the present life, committed unwholesome karmic actions. Therefore, the five aggregates of the present life must bear the bitter karmic fruits of the unwholesome actions committed by the five aggregates of the past life. Is there a connection between past and present lives? There certainly is! Manas and the eighth consciousness are still the manas and eighth consciousness continuing from past lives. Habits, predispositions, and nature are still the same as in past lives. Karmic creditors and enemies are the same. The seeds of wholesome and unwholesome karma are still always carried along. If one continues to create unwholesome karma in this present life, the five aggregates of future lives will suffer. Moreover, it will be one's own five aggregates that suffer; manas and the eighth consciousness do not suffer. You should all act with caution.