Unveiling the Operational Mechanism of the Five Skandhas in Conjoined Beings

There is a pair of conjoined twin sisters who share a significant portion of their body. The parts above the heart are separate, with each having one independent arm and one leg. They share part of the middle and lower jiao (energetic centers). Overall, about half to two-thirds of their body is distinct for each individual. The sisters' spines are fused at the pelvis, sharing part of the nervous system and a single set of reproductive organs. They can ride bicycles, play ball games, swim, and drive a car together.

  The two entered the womb together and resided there. Within the womb, their Tathagatagarbhas jointly transformed, based on shared karmic seeds, the common parts of the body and their respective distinct parts. Naturally, they share common karmic seeds, having created shared karmic actions in past lives. Their relationship was so intimate, sharing so many things, that in this life they must share a single body and live together in close cooperation; otherwise, neither can survive. This is karmic obstruction (karmavarana) – a very unfree and dependent karmic hindrance. Therefore, relationships between people should maintain an appropriate distance; do not become too intimate, nor make vows about what will happen in future lives. When those future lives actually come to pass, it may not necessarily be joyful, and could even be very painful.

  The two Tathagatagarbhas, based on identical karmic seeds, output the four great elements (mahābhūta) to form shared physical matter, which harmoniously operates to create the common parts of the body. Their respective independent parts, however, are formed by their individual Tathagatagarbhas separately outputting the four great elements for transformation. When the physical body (rūpakāya) was slightly more developed, each Tathagatagarbha gave rise to its own consciousness (vijñāna), resulting in two distinct awarenesses. When the gestation period was complete, they were born together as conjoined twins. Fortunately, they are of the same gender; if they were different genders, living together would be very awkward.

  Their hands, legs, and feet require coordinated cooperation. Activities involving the five aggregates (skandhas), like eating, dressing, walking, etc., also necessitate mutual cooperation and synchronization. Their mental thoughts are independent; habits, preferences, personalities, and temperaments differ. Being joined means they must constantly accommodate and coordinate with each other, otherwise, it becomes very unpleasant. Each has her own breathing and heartbeat. Food and drink enter their respective stomachs – each eats her own food and feels her own satiety. However, the digestive system below the stomach has shared parts to jointly digest the food, which is then excreted through a shared excretory system. Although each eats her own food, there is mutual influence; if one is sick, the other can take medicine on her behalf.

  Because they share part of the nervous system, their stress responses and reactions to the external world are largely consistent. Although their manas (the seventh consciousness, or kliṣṭamanas) have different temperaments and their response styles show slight variations, because of their wholesome karmic connection (kuśalahetupratyaya), they cooperate and accommodate each other when dealing with shared people, things, or situations. From this, it can be seen that the division of labor and cooperation between the two Tathagatagarbhas is extremely subtle and marvelous. The Tathagatagarbha is omniscient; thus, as long as the karmic seeds permit, the Tathagatagarbhas will certainly cooperate closely, accomplishing coordination without words or deliberate thought. This is truly inconceivable.

  Among the six consciousnesses, the mutual coordination between their two body consciousnesses (kāyavijñāna) is the most frequent, almost constant, otherwise tasks cannot be accomplished, as the nervous systems are interconnected and they can perceive each other. Their eye faculties (cakṣurindriya) are on their respective heads; each uses her own eye consciousness (cakṣurvijñāna). However, being on one body, the sights they face cannot differ greatly, limiting their visual scope. Their ear faculties (śrotrendriya) are on their two heads, each with her own ear consciousness (śrotravijñāna), hearing distinct sounds. Their nose faculties (ghrāṇendriya) are on their respective heads, each with her own nose consciousness (ghrāṇavijñāna), able to smell distinct scents. Their tongue faculties (jihvendriya) are on their respective heads, each with her own tongue consciousness (jihvāvijñāna), able to taste distinct flavors. Their manas are distinct, and their mental consciousnesses (manovijñāna) reside within their respective subtle sense faculties (indriyādhiṣṭhāna), thinking and discerning different dharmas.

  When the physical bodies (rūpakāya) of the two need to act, their two sets of eight consciousnesses must cooperate closely. Each has its division of labor, equivalent to sixteen consciousnesses cooperating – far more complex than just eight. The lower abdomen (lower jiao) shares many parts, almost entirely so. Therefore, during digestion and excretion, their minds must focus together, share the same intention, share the same sensations; they cannot separate. When ill, it's as if both are sick; when in pain, both feel it simultaneously, yet each perceives the illness and pain through her own body consciousness and mental consciousness, so the sensations may differ slightly.

  Among the seven consciousnesses, the most intimately connected is the coordination of their two body consciousnesses. Sharing one body makes their cooperation extremely swift, nearly seamless, without any sense of discord or strain. The most crucial aspect is the operation and command of their two manas. If both have strong self-attachment (ātmagrāha) and their habits are diametrically opposed, they will argue frequently. If they share a wholesome karmic connection, even with different personalities, temperaments, habits, and preferences, they can still coordinate well, focus their minds together, care for each other, and thus each gain the greatest benefit.

  When lying down to sleep, both manas must agree to lie still; they cannot move the body casually for fear of disturbing the other. If one falls asleep, her six consciousnesses cease, and her body consciousness also ceases. If the other is not yet asleep and moves her body, it may prompt the consciousness and body consciousness of the first to arise, waking her up. If one thinks too much, it can also affect the other's sleep, due to the shared nervous system. Even without that, the power of mental force and magnetic fields can influence the other; this involves many secrets here.

  If one body gradually becomes unusable or dies, the functions of the physical body belonging to that person cease to operate. The head becomes non-functional, the subtle sense faculties are destroyed, one arm and leg become useless, the heart stops beating, and the internal organs cease to function. If the other is still alive, she must struggle to use the incomplete body, its functions greatly impaired and restricted. After all, the dead part of the body cannot be completely removed, potentially spreading disease. Even if disease transmission is prevented, the loss of certain functions will greatly hinder the surviving sister's functioning of the five aggregates, making life quite inconvenient, drastically reducing her quality of life, and her lifespan will likely not be long.

  Where there is life, there is suffering (duḥkha). How much more so when it is not a normal life! A life where two bodies are joined together entails even greater suffering. However, because sentient beings cling to life (trṣṇā), they may not feel the suffering; instead, they may constantly pursue pleasure, even taking suffering as pleasure. Sentient beings are so ignorant and deluded; those with heavy greed (rāga), no matter how much they suffer, will not have any thought or pursuit of liberation from suffering. With wisdom (prajñā) and without delusion (moha), there would be no craving; one would know suffering and seek to end and abandon it. Therefore, the root of liberation (mokṣa) lies in wisdom.