Who Governs the Bodily, Verbal, and Mental Actions of the Six Consciousnesses?

The phenomenal deeds carried out by the six consciousnesses are determined by the seventh consciousness, the manas, which presides behind them; they also represent the mental activities of the manas. Behind the surface actions of the mind consciousness, and behind all bodily, verbal, and mental actions, the manas is always the one in charge. Bodily, verbal, and mental actions may follow the decisions of the mind consciousness, but only if the mind consciousness's power is greater than that of the manas and it is persuasive enough, and only if the manas is willing to heed the mind consciousness's suggestions and guidance. If the manas's power is greater and it is unwilling to follow the mind consciousness's suggestions, then the manas alone presides and decides. For example, when someone kills living beings while feeling compassion even as they kill, this shows that the mind consciousness's compassion still cannot overcome the manas's habit of killing, and the killing karma is still committed in accordance with the manas.

When the mind consciousness temporarily cannot prevail over the manas, then once the mind consciousness grows stronger and understands the Dharma and cause and effect more deeply, its persuasiveness increases; after it has persuaded the manas, killing karma will no longer be committed. When the mind consciousness has not yet succeeded in perfuming the manas, it will comply with the manas in committing killing karma while at the same time feeling compassion in its heart. When the wholesome mental factors of the mind consciousness are not yet firm and strong enough to guide the manas and cannot prevail over it, one will commit wholesome karma on the one hand while being greedy, hateful, and jealous on the other, seeking only one's own benefit and having no thought of benefiting others. When the mind consciousness's wholesome mental factors are not strong and firm enough, and perfuming has not yet fully succeeded, the four right efforts have not been cultivated; then the manas cannot bring forth wholesome states that have not yet arisen, and cannot cut off unwholesome states that have already arisen—one cannot sever evil and cultivate good.