Do the Five Sense Consciousnesses Possess a Thinking Function?

The first five consciousnesses also possess the five universal mental factors: attention, contact, sensation, perception, and volition (cetanā), but they are simpler and coarser compared to those of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. The sixth and seventh consciousnesses contemplate dharma-objects (mental objects), and their contemplation can be very refined and profound, whereas the first five consciousnesses contemplate the five sense objects (form, sound, smell, taste, and touch), and their contemplation is coarse and simple. As long as one can distinguish the five objects from the dharma-objects clearly without confusing them, one can discern the difference between the volition (cetanā) of the five consciousnesses and that of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. The volition of the five consciousnesses is not the same as the cognitive function of the mental consciousness (manovijñāna); they are distinct, and the difference is significant. Distinguishing the five objects from the dharma-objects is extremely difficult, so differentiating the cognition of the five consciousnesses from that of the mental consciousness is also very challenging. Separating the functions of manas (the root mind) and mental consciousness is likewise beyond the capability of ordinary people.

What people commonly refer to as "thinking" generally means the thinking of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses directed toward dharma-objects, especially the thinking of the independent mental consciousness (manovijñāna) toward mental images (pratibhāsa). The five consciousnesses inevitably participate in this process. However, the volition (cetanā) within the five universal mental factors of the five consciousnesses primarily serves the function of judgment and decision-making. After the five consciousnesses cognize their corresponding five objects, they apprehend the appearances of these objects, make a simple and coarse judgment, and then decide whether to continue cognizing them or to stop and avoid them. The mental consciousness simultaneously participates in this cognition. The reason the cognition of the five consciousnesses is said to be coarse is that the five objects are inherently rough; they do not require detailed discrimination. Therefore, cognition is rapid and does not demand much mental effort from the five consciousnesses, almost as if it bypasses the brain. In contrast, the dharma-objects accompanying the five objects are more subtle, requiring refined cognition by the mental consciousness. Consequently, the mental consciousness's cognition and analytical thinking are comparatively slower and more mentally taxing.

When the five objects are significant and their impact is substantial, manas primarily follows the judgment and decision of the five consciousnesses to make choices. It lacks the time to process the analytical judgments of the mental consciousness, thus overlooking the mental consciousness's cognition and thinking. Generally, the cognition of the five consciousnesses is more immediate and rapid, while the cognition of the mental consciousness is subtler and slightly slower than that of the five consciousnesses. In critical situations, manas prioritizes the reactions of the five consciousnesses and cannot attend to the responses of the mental consciousness. Therefore, in some sudden events, the analytical thinking of the mental consciousness cannot be utilized; manas directs the completion of actions, causing the mental consciousness to realize what happened only afterward. In summary, "thinking" refers to the thinking of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. The volition (cetanā) of the first five consciousnesses is simpler, coarser, and more direct than thinking; it is not deep nor does it need to be, because the objects of the five senses are shallow, coarse, and immediately perceptible.