Where Are the Eight Consciousnesses Located in the Physical Body?

The eight consciousness minds are formless and immaterial, not being material forms; hence, there is no physical contact between them and material forms. Therefore, consciousness minds do not reside inside, outside, or in between the material form body. If consciousness minds were inside the material body, then by disassembling this material form—cutting it into pieces—one should be able to see the consciousness minds. Yet, even when the material body is completely minced, no consciousness mind emerges. Even when the supramundane roots at the back of the head are disassembled, the eight consciousnesses cannot be found. Thus, consciousness minds are not within the material body.

If consciousness minds were outside the material body, beyond it lies empty space. Consciousness minds cannot exist within empty space, as they are of a different nature and cannot coexist within each other. Even if consciousness minds were in empty space, they would have no relation to you—they would belong to no one and could not be shared by all. If consciousness minds resided on another person, they would belong to that person; if on inanimate objects, smashing the objects would still yield no trace of them. Therefore, consciousness minds are not outside the material body.

If consciousness minds were in the middle of the material body, no middle location can be found. If they were on the surface of the body, that would still be part of the body’s interior, not the middle. Any specific location would belong to the inside of the body, not the middle. Thus, consciousness minds are not inside, outside, or in the middle of the material body.

For specific reference, see the first volume of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, where the World-Honored One explains that the six consciousnesses are not inside, outside, or in the middle of the material body. The seventh and eighth consciousnesses are the same as the first six—none reside inside, outside, or in the middle of the material body. Material forms and non-material forms cannot have physical contact; thus, non-material forms cannot exist inside, outside, or in the middle of material forms.

Then some may ask: Where, then, do the eight consciousnesses actually reside? It cannot be said that they exist nowhere, right? The eight consciousnesses certainly reside at their respective functional locations, but they are not perceived with the eyes, being formless and immaterial. As for the specific functions of each consciousness, one must diligently contemplate and practice; in due time, each consciousness can be realized, and then one will know where each resides. Among them, the first six consciousnesses are relatively easy to realize, while the seventh and eighth are extremely difficult, requiring the fulfillment of considerable conditions and causes to attain realization.