Guide to the Cultivation and Realization of the Manas: Part One
Chapter One: The View and Grasping of Self by Manas
I. The View of Self by Manas
Manas is one of the six sense faculties and one of the eighteen dhatus. There is a one-to-one correspondence between the five aggregates and the eighteen dhatus. When a person repeatedly expresses "I, I, I," the "I" of manas emerges. What the six consciousnesses manifest are all the mental activities of manas' "I," reflecting the mental nature of manas. Those skilled in observing human psychology can perceive a person's essence, which is the mental activity of manas. Those unskilled in observation can only perceive the false appearances fabricated externally by the six consciousnesses and are easily deluded by these appearances. It now appears that without distinguishing manas from consciousness, it is indeed difficult to sever the view of self.
When contemplating the six sense faculties, one can contemplate manas. It is the root from which consciousness arises and is also the sovereign consciousness. By contemplating the constant variability, non-fixity, non-autonomy, and perishability of this sovereign consciousness, one realizes that manas cannot exist forever, that its mental activities are constantly changing and impermanent, and therefore it is also not the self.
Confirming that the functional role of consciousness is not the self begins with consciousness introspecting itself. Consciousness first confirms this. Then, through deep and subtle contemplation in meditative concentration, manas participates in the contemplation of consciousness. Further deliberation and investigation follow, and finally, manas also confirms that the functional role of consciousness is not the self, neither the self nor different from the self. There is also the manas "I" that acts as the sovereign constantly and everywhere; its false and selfless nature, its emptiness and impermanence, must also be confirmed. Manas, upon which consciousness depends to arise, is also not the self. Consciousness confirms this first, and finally manas confirms it itself. Before this, one must contemplate the functional roles of the five consciousnesses, confirming their arising, ceasing, impermanence, and selflessness. In this way, the view of self and the view of what belongs to self held by these several consciousnesses are severed. The view of what belongs to self is also not easy to sever.
The contemplation and confirmation of all these dharmas primarily aim for manas to confirm them. Confirmation by consciousness is the first step. This is because it is manas that takes all dharmas as the self and then directs the six consciousnesses to grasp them. After grasping, manas then takes the grasping function of the six consciousnesses as its own function, thinking "I am like this or that," and this "I" appears vividly and prominently.
Since beginningless kalpas, manas has always taken the five aggregates as the self. Taking the aggregate of form as the self, it says the body is the self (view of bodily self) or "my body" (what belongs to self). It then becomes attached to the form body, nurtures it, protects it, and drives the six consciousnesses to perform all karmic actions, including unwholesome actions, at any cost for the sake of the form body.
Manas takes the aggregate of feeling as the self, sometimes as what belongs to self, considering the aggregate of feeling to be the self, the self to be the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of feeling to be what belongs to the self, and that it possesses the function of the aggregate of feeling. Thus, for the sake of the aggregate of feeling, it directs the six consciousnesses to perform all karmic actions, including unwholesome actions, at any cost.
Manas takes the aggregate of perception as the self or as what belongs to self, considering the aggregate of perception to be the self, the self to be the aggregate of perception, that it possesses the function of the aggregate of perception, and that the function of the aggregate of perception belongs to it. "I can perceive; what is perceived belongs to me." It then directs and manipulates the six consciousnesses to perform all karmic actions, including unwholesome actions, at any cost.
Manas takes the aggregate of mental formations as the self or as what belongs to self, considering the aggregate of mental formations to be the self, the self to be the aggregate of mental formations, the aggregate of mental formations to be what belongs to the self, that it possesses the aggregate of mental formations, "I can act; what I act upon belongs to me." Thus, for the sake of the aggregate of mental formations, it directs and manipulates the six consciousnesses to perform all karmic actions, including unwholesome actions, at any cost.
Manas takes the aggregate of consciousness as the self or as what belongs to self, considering the aggregate of consciousness to be the self, the self to be the aggregate of consciousness, the aggregate of consciousness to be what belongs to the self, that it possesses the aggregate of consciousness. "I can cognize; what is cognized belongs to me." Thus, for the sake of the aggregate of consciousness, it performs all karmic actions, including unwholesome actions, at any cost.
II. How to Sever the View of Self Without Contemplating Manas?
To sever the view of self by contemplating the five aggregates, one must know that manas is one of the six sense faculties and must also contemplate its selfless nature to sever the view of self and realize the fruition. The Buddha taught us the method for contemplating manas in the Shurangama Sutra, which is very thorough and ultimate, but it is difficult. The more ultimate the method, the harder it is to practice; the simpler the method, the more convenient, but the less ultimate. Therefore, capable individuals should not seek cheapness, speed, or ease, nor fear paying worldly costs. The reward is the most important and valuable. No matter how good worldly dharmas are, they are suffering. To relinquish suffering and exchange it for a treasure that never disappears—why not do it?
A very serious problem now arises: manas is one of the five aggregates and eighteen dhatus. During contemplation, the false and selfless nature of manas must be completely contemplated and realized. Most people cannot contemplate manas, or rather, the vast majority, or almost everyone, cannot contemplate manas. Then how can they sever the view of self? How to sever manas' view of self?
III. Restlessness During Contemplation of Selflessness Indicates Manas is Affected
Why do some people start to feel restless and unable to continue contemplation when contemplating the selflessness of the five aggregates to a certain point? This is because manas somewhat senses that the five aggregates are selfless and that it itself is unreal. It fears truly being selfless, fears disappearing. This is precisely due to manas' ingrained habit of grasping the self since beginningless kalpas. It has never encountered the concept of selflessness before. Now, through the deliberation of consciousness, it understands a little but has not yet fully comprehended the principle of selflessness. It fears that if consciousness continues to deliberate, it itself will cease to exist and cannot be grasped. Thus, it becomes restless and prevents consciousness from further deliberation and contemplation.
From this phenomenon, it can be seen that severing the view of self means severing manas' view of self. During deep and subtle deliberation and contemplation, manas participates; the content contemplated and deliberated by consciousness is known to manas, which then deliberates on this content itself. When manas is cultivated to a certain degree, it can fully comprehend the principle of selflessness and the principle of the eighth consciousness, after which realization can occur. Manas possesses a certain power of superior understanding regarding the Buddha Dharma; otherwise, consciousness cannot influence manas, and studying Buddhism becomes useless. After manas attains enlightenment, it gradually attains great wisdom, transforms consciousness into wisdom, attains the wisdom of equality, and upon perfecting wisdom, becomes a Buddha.
IV. How the Grasping of Self and Dharmas Arises and Ceases
Prior to beginningless kalpas, there was only manas and the Tathagatagarbha, without the six consciousnesses, the five-aggregate body, or the world. At that time, manas already had ignorance. This ignorance had no karmic seeds because there were no six consciousnesses to create karma for manas. Therefore, manas is said to be non-defined (avyakrta). It alone cannot create karma; it requires karmic tools to create karma. Manas governs from behind the curtain, merely wielding the baton to direct; front-line interactions are handed over to the six consciousnesses. Superficially, it seems the six consciousnesses create karma, but actually, it is all directed by manas presiding. Those who do not understand the truth attribute the merits and faults to the six consciousnesses.
The grasping of self and dharmas also belongs to ignorance; it has no karmic seeds and has existed since beginningless kalpas; it was not created by karma. However, the acquired conditioning of consciousness in the environment can also increase manas' grasping of self and dharmas, strengthening manas' self-attachment. This ignorance can only be gradually eliminated through cultivating the path. Because ignorance existed since beginningless kalpas, it caused karma to be created without cause or reason. Without ignorance, one would not wish to create karmic activities, except for the pure great vows of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
The karmic seeds formed by actions created due to ignorance are called karmic activities arising from ignorance. These karmic activities arising from ignorance can in turn condition and strengthen manas' ignorance. These karmic activities arising from ignorance can be eliminated through experiencing their retribution, but ignorance must be eliminated through realizing the path. The degree of path realization determines the degree of ignorance eliminated.
V. Sighing During Contemplation of Selflessness Indicates Manas' Helplessness
Question: When I contemplated the five aggregates as not-self, I suddenly sighed, feeling a sense of loss. This sighing phenomenon occurred unintentionally; it was clearly not the function of consciousness but should be the function of manas. Manas has long firmly grasped the five aggregates as itself, but the result is not so. Manas experienced a psychological gap, hence the sigh. Is that so?
Answer: This is indeed manas sighing helplessly. It somewhat dislikes the principle of the selflessness of the five aggregates and dislikes even more negating its views and graspings held since beginningless kalpas. Yet it has no choice because the selflessness of the five aggregates might be a fact; it might truly be so. Manas is not mentally prepared to accept this principle yet, so it cannot help but sigh.
VI. How Manas Can Sever the Grasping of Self Completely
The reason manas has grasping of self is because it has the view of self. The reason it has the view of self is because of the fundamental ignorance (klista-manas). Due to fundamental ignorance, manas takes all dharmas manifested by the eighth consciousness as the self and what belongs to self, not knowing they all belong to the eighth consciousness. Thus, it has the view of self and the view of what belongs to self. Because manas holds such wrong views, its views are incorrect, so it clings to the five aggregates and eighteen dhatus born and manifested by the eighth consciousness as the self and what belongs to self, refusing to relinquish them. Afflictions blaze, and birth and death continue without cease.
To eliminate manas' grasping of self, one must first eliminate manas' view of self. Only with the view of self can there be grasping of self. After eliminating the view of self, one can gradually eliminate the grasping of self; wrong views lead to grasping. If manas' view is correct, knowing the five aggregates and eighteen dhatus are suffering, empty, impermanent, and selfless, that they cannot be grasped, then it will no longer cling to the five aggregates and eighteen dhatus, and only then can the mind be purified and attain liberation.
Manas' elimination of the view of self and its cognition of the selflessness of the five aggregates are divided into different levels. Due to differences in ignorance, meditative concentration, and contemplative wisdom, the depth of severing the view of self varies. There are those who sever the view of self as Stream-enterers, Once-returners, Non-returners, and Arhats. Within each fruition, the depth of severing the view of self also varies, and the wisdom attained differs. It is like students in a school having uneven levels; even students in the same grade and class have uneven levels.
After a Stream-enterer severs the view of self, they continue to contemplate and condition themselves with the principle of the suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and selflessness of the five aggregates. As wisdom and meditative concentration deepen, the view of self is severed more and more thoroughly. Consequently, grasping of the five aggregates becomes lighter and lighter. When grasping of self is completely severed, one becomes a fourth-fruition Arhat. For one whose view of self is completely severed and grasping of self is completely severed, fundamental ignorance is also completely severed. At the end of life, they can enter Nirvana without residue.
Therefore, the view of self is the root of grasping of self. Before severing grasping of self, one must eliminate the view of self. When does manas begin to sever the view of self if it severs grasping of self completely at the fourth fruition? It must be that at the first fruition (Stream-entry), manas' view of self is severed. After severing the view of self, manas' grasping nature towards the five aggregates can gradually loosen and lessen, and afflictions also become lighter and lighter. At a certain point, the second fruition (Once-returner) is attained. Due to reduced grasping and lighter afflictions, the five hindrances are effectively subdued, and the first dhyana can arise. Then, utilizing the merits and benefits within the first dhyana, greed and hatred afflictions are severed, becoming a third-fruition practitioner (Non-returner). After that, self-conceit and grasping of self are completely severed, becoming a fourth-fruition practitioner (Arhat), who enters Nirvana without residue when worldly conditions are exhausted.
If manas does not sever the view of self, one cannot become a Stream-enterer, nor have the liberating merits and benefits of a Stream-enterer, and thus cannot further contemplate to become a Once-returner with lighter afflictions. Without becoming a Once-returner, one cannot initiate the first dhyana to become a Non-returner. Without becoming a Non-returner, one cannot become an Arhat who has severed all afflictions. The sequential practice of the Hinayana is like this. Mahayana Bodhisattvas also cannot bypass this without practicing it; Mahayana Bodhisattvas' practice must also follow this principle, this sequence, this procedure.
VII. Manas Grasps the Functional Role, Not the Concept, of the Five Aggregates
Manas also has self-witnessing consciousness (svasamvedana). During observation, consciousness observes first. Manas, based on consciousness's observation, then makes its own observation and deliberation, thus forming its own views and conclusions. Everything is primarily based on manas's conclusions. Manas, relying on the eighth consciousness, perceives all dharmas magically manifested by the eighth consciousness and then generates its own views and opinions about these dharmas. For dharmas manas cannot understand directly, it must understand through the six consciousnesses. Then, based on the content understood by the six consciousnesses, it reconsiders, judges, and forms its own viewpoints and conclusions.
Manas does not have a clear concept of "I" and "mine," or even any specific concept at all. It only values functional roles, grasping the functional roles of the five aggregates and eighteen dhatus, including grasping its own functional role, without having a concept of manas itself. This differs greatly from consciousness. When manas ceases to grasp the five aggregates as self, it also includes ceasing to grasp its own functional role. However, at the Stream-enterer stage, the cognition of selflessness is not as clear and profound as at the Once-returner stage; the Once-returner stage is less clear and profound than the Non-returner stage; the Non-returner stage is less clear and profound than the Arhat stage. Therefore, at the Stream-enterer stage, one gains the purified Dharma-eye. Although the grasping nature is reduced and lightened compared to before, it is not as slight as at the Once-returner and Non-returner stages. At the Arhat stage, there is simply no grasping nature; one no longer grasps the five aggregates and eighteen dhatus, including not grasping manas's own functional role.
VIII. Why Manas Can Sever Grasping of Self Completely
Manas, because it studies the Buddha Dharma, gradually recognizes the principle of the selflessness of the five aggregates. Under the illumination of truth and wisdom's sunlight, the ice in its heart gradually melts and finally vanishes completely. This stage requires a very long time. Strictly speaking, it begins from realizing the selflessness of the five aggregates. Less strictly, it begins from encountering the Four Noble Truths and being able to contemplate according to the principle.
First, one must realize the selflessness of the five aggregates; only afterward can one gradually break the grasping of self. This is the sequential practice. The degree to which the selflessness of the five aggregates is realized determines the degree to which manas reduces its grasping. After severing the view of self, manas' grasping of the five aggregates becomes lighter and lighter. Only when it becomes light enough can grasping of self be severed instantly. The grasping of manas in ordinary beings and Stream-enterers is very heavy; it is not eliminated all at once but lessened bit by bit. It is like long-accumulated hard ice melting bit by bit under sunlight before finally disappearing. Manas eliminating grasping is also like this: first it lessens, and finally it disappears. Without meditative concentration, there is no appropriate contemplation and deliberation for these dharmas; then they cannot be understood. When the mind does not resonate with the Dharma, one inevitably lacks interest. If even intellectual understanding by consciousness is absent, then realization cannot be discussed.
When meditative concentration is insufficient, all contemplation can only lead to intellectual understanding by consciousness, not realization. If one considers consciousness's intellectual understanding to be ultimate, then realization becomes impossible. Therefore, sometimes having much knowledge and understanding is not a good thing. Chan (Zen) Patriarchs most oppose Chan practitioners having much knowledge and understanding, considering knowledge and understanding to be the root hindering the path. Yet nowadays, almost one hundred percent of people pursue much knowledge and understanding, taking pride in knowing much. Therefore, those who realize are extremely few today, while those who merely understand intellectually flourish everywhere. Once the Buddha Dharma becomes diluted, it will rapidly perish.
IX. The Mark of Accomplishment in Studying Buddhism is the Emptiness of Mind
If one considers all dharmas to be truly existent, the mind cannot be empty. This view is ignorance. If there is any dharma you consider real, this dharma will obstruct you, becoming dust in your mind; this thought is the ignorance-obstacle. Even liking the idea of becoming a Buddha, considering the dharma of becoming a Buddha as real—this is still ignorance. Only when all ignorance is completely broken, all dharmas are emptied, and not a single dharma remains in the mind, is one equal to the Tathagatagarbha and can become a Buddha. If, at the end of cultivation, there is still a mind wishing to become a Buddha, and the mind holds the dharma of becoming a Buddha, one still cannot become a Buddha. Only when cultivated to the point where internally all dharmas are empty, without characteristics, without wishes, without fabrication, is it true accomplishment.
Before the eighth bhumi (ground), the mind has many conditioned aspects. At the eighth bhumi, the mind is truly unconditioned, empty; the mind is truly unconditioned and non-doing. While spontaneously making offerings to the Three Jewels according to conditions, and while working for sentient beings and the Buddha Dharma, the mind is also empty. Only then does the Buddha predict Buddhahood. When the mind is not empty, before the seventh bhumi, even if one performs many conditioned wholesome deeds, makes offerings to Buddhas, Dharma, and Sangha very diligently, the Buddha will not predict Buddhahood because the mind is still conditioned, the dharmas are still not emptied and purified, not fully in accord with the unconditioned nature of the Tathagatagarbha, and ignorance is still evident. Even if such a Bodhisattva makes offerings to Buddhas life after life, offering all the jewels of a great trichiliocosm to the Triple Gem, the Buddha will not predict Buddhahood, let alone performing those worldly conditioned dharmas.
However, performing these conditioned dharmas can increase one's own merit, used to increase the provisions for attaining the wisdom of Buddhahood. Only then can wisdom grow. Therefore, one cannot say, "since all dharmas are empty, I will cultivate no merit at all," for then the mind is still not empty; there is still "I." Without the support of merit, the true wisdom of emptiness will not arise. Even if one considers a certain dharma empty, it cannot be realized; thus, it is not true emptiness, and the mind in action and creation is still not empty.
Since cultivation is about recognizing and realizing the emptiness of all dharmas, when we engage in activities, we should not think that doing more means having more merit; it is not so. When liberating sentient beings, we should not think that guiding more sentient beings means having more merit; it is also not so. Actually, through these Bodhisattva activities of liberating sentient beings, on one hand, one's own merit increases; on another hand, one's compassion grows; and on yet another hand, one continuously eliminates the self, extinguishes the "I"-mind, making one's own mind emptier and emptier, increasingly able to see through, increasingly unattached to appearances. Only when the mind is empty to a certain degree is it true accomplishment, and only then can there be great function.
The amount of merit is not necessarily proportional to the amount of work done, nor is it necessarily proportional to the number of sentient beings liberated. The key is the degree to which the mind is empty while doing these things, the degree of unconditionedness attained. Therefore, a true Bodhisattva does not rack their brains all day thinking about how many believers to guide and influence, believing that this is the greatest accomplishment; it is not so. Rather, it is the degree of understanding of all dharmas during this process, the degree to which the mind is empty—this truly represents the degree and depth of one's realization of the Buddha Dharma. Use this as the standard to measure one's own merit and judge one's own Bodhisattva fruition. Therefore, do not grasp at appearances; observe the mind within the appearances through the appearances. The emptier the mind within appearances, the more unconditioned it is, the deeper the degree of Dharma realization, and the higher the fruition. Therefore, in cultivation, never grasp any appearance or seize any appearance.
Even if you conduct a hundred Dharma assemblies a year, guide hundreds of thousands or millions of sentient beings, write a hundred books, or make offerings of hundreds of millions or tens of billions to the Triple Gem in a year—all these are conditioned dharmas. Using them to generate inner grasping and arrogance is the mark of self, being attached within appearances. The more one grasps, the less empty the mind is, and the lower the fruition and level of realization. Without understanding this principle, one will frantically create and compete in conditioned dharmas: "I am stronger than everyone, more capable than everyone; I am number one, I am unique." All these so-called accomplishments fall entirely on appearances; they are all conditioned, all grasping; the mind is not empty at all. Then this is karmic activity for birth and death. The more one creates, the less empty the mind is, the greater the ignorance, and the less the liberation.
Some people, although they do not do as much, possess the wisdom of emptiness, can see through the essence of all matters, are not deluded by appearances, and do not fall into appearances and become trapped. Possessing deep wisdom of emptiness, they naturally can influence those around them to also have empty minds and not grasp appearances. In this way, the quality of liberating sentient beings is high. If a Bodhisattva's mind is not empty, how can the minds of the followers be empty? If the Bodhisattva grasps appearances, those who follow will grasp appearances even more. This is counterproductive and not in accord with the path. Therefore, cultivating the path means breaking through appearances, breaking through the ignorance in one's own mind. Grasping appearances is grasping of dharmas; it is the root of birth and death.
X. Severing Manas' View and Grasping of Self Does Not Require Direct Observation of Manas' Functioning
To observe the mental activities, functioning, and mental factors of manas directly (pratyaksa) requires cultivating to the degree where both consciousness and manas transform consciousness into wisdom, which is at least the level of a first-bhumi Bodhisattva. Transforming consciousness and manas into wisdom requires: 1) Severing the view of self, severing the manifestation of afflictions, possessing meditative concentration of the first dhyana or above, becoming a Noble One of the third fruition or above; 2) Realizing the true mind and self-nature through enlightenment, possessing profound prajna wisdom, possessing the specific wisdom of Mahayana Bodhisattvas; 3) Passing the third barrier of Chan, realizing Nirvana with residue; 4) Possessing the wisdom of consciousness-only (vijnaptimatrata). Overall, one must possess meditative concentration of the first dhyana or above and profound liberating wisdom of both Mahayana and Hinayana.
All these contemplations use consciousness to observe manas, while manas can also contemplate along with consciousness. Severing the view of self means enabling both manas and consciousness to sever the view of self. As long as one contemplates and realizes that manas is also a dharma that can perish and cannot last long, one can sever the view of self. There is no need for direct observation of manas' mental activities and functioning, which is an especially deep and subtle dharma. Similarly, to eliminate manas' innate grasping of self, one only needs to enable manas to realize that the five aggregates and eighteen dhatus are neither self nor what belongs to self, and then sever afflictions successively within the first dhyana. Manas' self-conceit, grasping of self, etc., will all be severed, thus becoming a fourth-fruition Arhat. Direct observation of manas' functioning and mental activities is not required.
XI. The Fundamental Purpose of Buddhist Cultivation and Realization is Liberation from All Dharmic Bonds
Our entire process of studying Buddhism and cultivating from an ordinary being to Buddhahood is continuously realizing that all these dharmas are not real, are illusory, are shadows, are dreams, are selfless. In the end, realizing that all conditioned dharmas in the mundane world, all dharmas, are unreal, are not the self—only then do we thoroughly awaken from this great dream of birth and death, and only then are we ultimately liberated and become Buddhas, no longer needing to cultivate. Therefore, the cultivation process is a continuous process of changing one's own cognition. The mind that takes all dharmas as real, this ignorant and deluded mind—we must gradually change it during the cultivation of the path. Changed to the end, recognizing that all these dharmas are not real, and finally realizing that it is indeed so, that none are real—then all mental activities will be completely transformed, becoming a mind without defilement, without ignorance and delusion. The seven consciousnesses completely transform into wisdom, and one becomes a Buddha.
The process of studying Buddhism and cultivating is like this. During this process, the mind continuously detaches from the bonds of dharmas, continuously liberates from dharma bonds, becoming increasingly free. The reason ordinary beings are not liberated and not free is that they mistake the false for the real, taking the false appearances of the three realms, these illusory shadows manifested in the mundane world, as real. Within them, they grasp and create, then are bound by karmic actions, and the mind is not liberated, not free. They suffer the afflictions of birth and death within these three realms. Through cultivation, we break through this ignorance, enabling us to no longer mistake the false for the real, break through all appearances, and attain great liberation.
The principle is such a principle; it seems not difficult. But the actual cultivation process is extremely long because manas' ignorance is too much and too heavy, and grasping of self and dharmas is also too heavy. Therefore, breaking ignorance requires a very, very long time.
XII. What Does Manas Grasp as Self?
Manas' grasping of self is innate; it is called innate grasping of self. It primarily grasps the five aggregates and eighteen dhatus as the self and what belongs to self, as having real function. It grasps self, person, sentient beings, lifespan, the six sense objects, the functions of the six sense faculties, the knowing and seeing of the six consciousnesses, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, consciousness, and the form body. Grasping of other more subtle dharmas is named grasping of dharmas—grasping dharmas as real, as belonging to self, as having actual function. Of course, when many dharmas are still unknown and not understood, there is no way to grasp them. As the degree of cultivation deepens continuously, one encounters more and more dharmas, increasingly subtle. Grasping of dharmas in the mind will continuously appear and strengthen, requiring continuous contemplation to subdue and eliminate.
Consciousness also has grasping, just not as severe as manas. It arises only when encountering objects, grasping the objects encountered. The more objects of the six dusts one contacts, the more and heavier the grasping; this is called discriminating grasping of self. The discriminating grasping of self by consciousness is intermittent, sometimes present, sometimes absent. When consciousness ceases, grasping ceases. When consciousness understands the principle, grasping can be subdued or eliminated. Consciousness's grasping of objects is lighter than manas's grasping; it is less stubborn and can be relinquished upon command—perhaps forgotten after a night's sleep. Manas's grasping cannot be forgotten even after a lifetime of sleep; it cannot be erased; it is utterly stubborn. Sometimes, the more one opposes it, the more stubborn it becomes.
