Guide to the Cultivation and Realization of the Manas: Part One
Chapter Six: The Difference Between Manas and Consciousness
I. Manas Perceives Signals from the Physical Body First
When a person desires to eat something, it indicates a deficiency in the body. Who is it that desires to eat and understands the body’s needs so well? The body is the most honest, while language can be highly deceptive. Why is the body honest and incapable of deception? Why can language be falsified and easily deceive? The neurons in the body are closely connected to manas. Manas, relying on the tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature), knows even the slightest changes in the body. Thus, the body’s demand signals prompt manas to seek solutions, giving rise to various thoughts and ideas. This is a direct signal from the body. Consciousness becomes aware of it later than manas, or may not become aware at all. Language, however, is a function of consciousness. Consciousness may not align with manas’s psychology and does not necessarily represent manas’s thoughts or ideas. When the two are inconsistent, deception occurs.
II. The Landscape May Change Easily, but One’s Nature Is Hard to Alter
“The landscape may change easily” refers to the susceptibility of the conscious mind to influence. “One’s nature is hard to alter” refers to the entrenched habits of manas, which are difficult to change. As long as manas remains unchanged, no method can alter it; it persists as before. If the nature remains unaltered, even if the landscape changes, it will revert or regenerate.
The five great seeds (earth, water, fire, wind, and space) are eternal and unchanging, including the seed of consciousness and the seed of perception. For karmic seeds to change, manas must first change. If manas does not change, karmic seeds cannot be altered. Therefore, to eliminate karmic obstacles, one must eradicate the ignorance of manas. Defiled karma arises from the ignorance of manas; without ignorance, there is no defiled karma. To eliminate the ignorance of manas, manas must recognize truth and reality, eradicate the view of self, and realize the true nature. To eliminate specific karmic obstacles, manas must repent; conscious repentance alone is ineffective.
III. What Is the Principle Behind “A Good Memory Is Not as Reliable as a Diligent Hand”?
Memory, when it involves rote learning without understanding, is a function of consciousness. If the content of memory has not been ingrained in manas, manas remains unaware. How can one effectively ingrain knowledge in manas so that it understands and can recall it anytime? The answer is to write continuously. Writing is practical application. Writing slowly allows for simultaneous practice and ingraining in manas, making it easier for manas to comprehend.
Writing slowly is concentration (samādhi). Focusing on manas enables digestion and absorption, so that when encountering the content later, it is understood without deliberate memorization. Content memorized without understanding is easily forgotten, unreliable, and cannot be recalled in future lives. When manas understands, it can be utilized in future lives.
Rote memorization occurs when manas does not comprehend the learned content, relying solely on conscious forced memorization. No matter how fluently consciousness memorizes, manas remains uncomprehending. When manas and consciousness truly understand the content, there is no need for memorization; it can be naturally accessed and applied when needed. Those with poor comprehension tend to memorize; those with wisdom, once they understand, do not bother. The difference between conscious effort and manas’s effort is vast. The wisdom of manas is true wisdom; the wisdom of consciousness is false wisdom.
IV. The Discriminative Characteristics of Manas and Consciousness
Manas discriminates broadly, overseeing the whole, grasping the macro, and emphasizing strategy. Consciousness discriminates within a limited scope, focusing on the local, subtle, and in-depth, emphasizing tactics. Those with wise manas are suited to be leaders or generals; those with intelligent consciousness are suited to be advisors or department heads, managing specific affairs. When combined, they can operate at any level, broad or detailed, with both strategy and tactics, making them invincible.
A person with the bearing of a great general possesses wise and experienced manas. Researchers possess consciousness that is meticulous and detailed. Thus, a person’s aura, temperament, demeanor, and cultivation lie mostly in manas and refer to manas. This cannot be learned; it cannot be acquired on the spot. If consciousness tries to imitate it, it cannot last long. Innate qualities are a person’s inherent traits; they are not learned and cannot be feigned.
Those who accurately grasp the development and overall direction of the Buddhist community are invariably long-practicing bodhisattvas. Due to prolonged practice, manas has extensive experience and broad knowledge, understanding much about Buddhism and its history, and seeing through many phenomena in Buddhism. Thus, they clearly discern what accords with the Dharma and what does not, the advantages and disadvantages within the Dharma, and the sharpness or dullness of sentient beings’ faculties. This is the merit of manas, though it does not exclude the discriminative thinking of consciousness.
Newly practicing bodhisattvas, due to limited experience, heavy afflictions, and lack of experience, cannot understand Buddhist matters, cannot discern the sharpness or dullness of sentient beings’ faculties, and cannot comprehend the direction and pros and cons of the Dharma. They often view issues superficially and shallowly, lacking depth, leading to more errors and misjudgments.
V. Consciousness Awakens Before Manas
Due to which deluded mind’s thoughts do sentient beings sink into birth and death? It is, of course, due to the deluded thoughts of manas. Who is the accomplice in sinking into birth and death? Manas’s tools for creating karma are the six consciousnesses, which in turn fuel manas’s delusions and ignorance, making birth and death endless. There must be one who awakens first. Who can awaken first? Consciousness lacks innate attachments; its ignorance is not deeply rooted. It has strong analytical thinking abilities, is agile and flexible, and easily accepts new things. Upon encountering the Buddha Dharma, it awakens first. When encountering defiled matters, consciousness is the first to be influenced upon contact, then affects manas. Thus, consciousness is easily influenced by the surrounding environment, which then influences manas.
VI. The Surface Is Consciousness; the Hidden Is Manas
Why is manas difficult to detect? Because manas lacks language and words; its mental activities are hidden and profound. It does not have the obvious functions of inference, speculation, thinking, analysis, imagination, fantasy, etc., like consciousness. However, manas’s decisiveness and decision-making power are quite apparent. When concentration is insufficient, wisdom is lacking, the mind is coarse, and even if manas’s functions are obvious, they are not easily observable.
For example, a person who likes to lie often has two intentions: one operates on the surface, relatively obvious; the other operates hidden in the background. A person’s true intention is the hidden one, not the surface one. The surface one only serves as a cover, diverting attention, while the hidden one is concealed, not easily exposed, and not revealed to others. Finding the hidden one means finding manas. Manas is a person’s essential character, representing moral quality and personality, playing a key role.
Many people have two inner voices in front of others: one is visible, displayed for others to see and evaluate; the other is substantive, deliberately hidden, and not to be known. When alone, in moments of indecision, a person may also have two opinions, two thoughts, two plans, and two mental activities. Due to inconsistency, internal conflict arises. If unresolved, prolonged internal conflict may lead to mental breakdown, schizophrenia, and physical health risks, as body and mind influence and constrain each other.
Consciousness-only (vijñapti-mātratā) is psychology. Mastering consciousness-only enables one to perceive the subtle and know the significant. Observing people’s psychology is not difficult, but when understanding others, do not speak lightly to avoid trouble and poor interactions. Straightforward people express their thoughts directly, without twists and turns; those with convoluted minds hide their thoughts, leading others in circles until they become confused and fall into their designed trap, achieving their goal.
VII. Can Repentance Eliminate Karma?
Repentance may or may not eliminate karma. Superficial conscious repentance cannot eliminate karma and is ineffective. Deep repentance involving both manas and consciousness can eliminate karma. The extent of elimination depends on the sincerity of manas. Because manas’s mental activities determine karmic seeds, and manas uses the six consciousnesses to create karma and store unwholesome seeds, manas itself must repent and change its mental activities to eliminate part or all of the unwholesome seeds. Conscious repentance cannot eliminate the influence of karmic seeds; the seeds remain, and the suffering in future lives is unavoidable.
VIII. Manas Does Not Persuade Consciousness
Consciousness can criticize manas, but manas does not criticize consciousness. First, because manas is the sovereign consciousness with decision-making power; it can completely ignore consciousness’s decisions and attitudes and can even reverse consciousness.
Second, manas lacks the function of language and words; it cannot criticize, negate, or persuade consciousness and will not debate with consciousness. If manas is dissatisfied with consciousness’s thoughts or views, or if consciousness does not understand manas’s thoughts or views and disobeys manas’s will, manas may feel uncomfortable, become frantic, or depressed. More likely, it may ignore consciousness’s suggestions and make decisions independently. Manas merely needs consciousness’s understanding, support, and cooperation, which would make it more resolute and mentally stronger. If consciousness does not understand, manas generally still demands obedience.
IX. The Discrimination of Eye-Consciousness and Consciousness Is Governed by Manas
Question: When comparing two similar colors, after eye-consciousness and consciousness observe them, if uncertainty remains, causing doubt about whether one saw clearly, and a decision is made to look again for clarity, is this doubt and decision from eye-consciousness, consciousness, or manas? At a traffic intersection, upon seeing a traffic light, one decides to stop or drive. Is this decision from eye-consciousness, consciousness, or manas?
Answer: The discriminative activities of eye-consciousness and consciousness arise only when driven by manas; they are tools governed and directed by manas to discriminate form objects. Therefore, manas must understand the form objects discriminated by eye-consciousness and consciousness before making choices and decisions, leading to further activities of the six consciousnesses. Comparing two colors is decided and governed by manas. If the two consciousnesses cannot confirm after discrimination, manas also cannot confirm. If consciousness doubts the colors, manas doubts, and thus manas decides to discriminate again.
Discriminating and distinguishing colors, though the function of eye-consciousness, cannot be done by eye-consciousness alone; it must be done jointly with the five sense-consciousnesses. Consciousness can discriminate the depth of color, the name and connotation of the color, whether it is comfortable or uncomfortable, bright or dim, and other subtle aspects. Eye-consciousness discriminates the coarse aspects of color and does not know the name, brightness, comfort, etc. Thus, for the five sense objects related to color, manas can also contact and discriminate them but cannot discriminate clearly without the aid of eye-consciousness and consciousness.
At a traffic intersection, seeing traffic lights is also discriminated by eye-consciousness and consciousness under the governance and direction of manas. Based on the discrimination of the two consciousnesses, manas makes its own discrimination and decides to stop, drive, turn left, or turn right. In these decisions, consciousness first makes a decision for manas to consider. Manas then deliberates and makes the decision but does not necessarily fully follow consciousness’s opinions or views.
X. Manas’s Dominating Role over the Physical Body
A person covered in wounds faints from pain but wakes up only to continue suffering. Why does manas choose to wake up? Because manas fears death, is deeply attached to the body, and always desires the activities of the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness), not wanting their functions to cease. When the conditions for the birth of the six consciousnesses are present, manas will inevitably give rise to the six consciousnesses, producing the activities of the five-aggregate body. When the pain is severe, the body suffers significant damage, preventing consciousness from continuing to discriminate and arise. Consciousness thus has to cease. When the body recovers slightly, manas wants to understand the body’s condition, so consciousness and the five sense-consciousnesses arise. Alternatively, if other strong sense objects appear, manas wants to discriminate them, and the six consciousnesses arise, waking the person from unconsciousness. This shows how deeply manas clings to the five-aggregate body.
There are also people who die from excessive joy. Why can one die from great joy? When joy is uncontrollable by consciousness, and the mind feels it should not be so joyful but cannot help it, that is the joy of manas. When the mental activity of joy is excessive, the heart’s blood supply cannot keep up, causing the body to malfunction or be damaged. The six consciousnesses then cannot function normally and cease. Manas finds the body damaged and unusable, and the six consciousnesses can no longer arise, so it decides to leave the body, abandoning it. The five aggregates thus die. For those who die suddenly, manas is unprepared and unwilling to leave the body, but the body is shattered beyond recognition. Manas can no longer cling to it and quickly abandons the physical body, entering the intermediate state (bardo).
XI. The Difference in Self-Confidence
From one’s self-confidence, seek the self-confidence of manas. Compare the difference between the self-confidence of consciousness and that of manas. Then, within the self-confidence or lack thereof in manas, observe the self-verifying aspect (svasaṃvitti) of manas. Continuously improve one’s thinking and observation abilities. In the future, self-learning and self-cultivation abilities will be strong, eliminating the need to constantly memorize texts. Memorizing without knowing whether it is correct, and lacking the ability to rely on the Dharma, one is forced to rely on others, hindering progress on the path.
XII. The Reactions of Manas and Consciousness During Spirit Possession
Initially, manas resists, manifesting as discomfort, while consciousness remains unaware. Later, consciousness gradually understands and seeks countermeasures, joining manas in strong resistance until the invader is expelled. Manas knows it is possessed and helpless; it must make consciousness understand to deal with the possessor. Once consciousness awakens, it seeks liberation and expels the possessor. If karmic obstacles are heavy and the grudge with the possessor is deep, they may entangle for a lifetime, even continuing into future lives.
XIII. Cleverness May Lead to Self-Deception
Consciousness is clever and sharp, but manas is burdened with afflictions—this is not a good sign. If consciousness considers itself clever, it will not examine its own mind or reflect, making it unable to discover its inner afflictions or overcome obstacles. Thus, cleverness leads to self-deception.
XIV. Characteristics of Manas as the Sovereign Consciousness
Inner anxieties, irritations, and other emotional states belong to manas. Externally, they manifest as states of consciousness and the five sense-consciousnesses, displayed and vented through the six consciousnesses. Most inner conflicts manifest as conflicts between manas and consciousness. When their cognitions, comprehension, and ideas differ, conflict arises.
What manas has, we have; what manas lacks, we lack. Consciousness is not the sovereign consciousness. What it has or lacks is useless unless it affects manas. If manas lacks the mental factor of desire, it will not intend to do anything, becoming desireless and seeking nothing, and the mind will be pure. No matter what desires consciousness has, it cannot influence manas. If manas is unaffected, nothing will be done. Yet manas is filled with greed and desire, called craving. Eliminating craving characterizes the third fruit of the path (anāgāmin), who will be reborn in the form realm (rūpadhātu) in future lives.
XV. Manas Represents Truth; Consciousness Represents Falsehood
The role of manas is so significant, far surpassing that of consciousness, whether consciousness is present or not. Therefore, to understand a person’s true thoughts, attitudes, and intentions, do not rely on what consciousness says; observe the true thoughts and motives in manas’s mind. Some people speak eloquently, but their actual thoughts are the opposite—such a person is highly hypocritical. In daily interactions, we must be skilled at observing others, understanding their true thoughts, not merely trusting what their surface consciousness displays. Observe their inner manas, for manas is the sovereign consciousness, representing a person’s ideological quality and true cultivation.
XVI. Daze and Stupor Are States of Manas’s Deliberation
Daze, stupor, absent-mindedness, and trance—stupor means being dazed and motionless; “spirit” refers to consciousness. Thus, “stupor of spirit” means consciousness ceases its functions of thinking and analysis. Because consciousness has understood the superficial meaning of phenomena but cannot resolve deeper issues, it must hand the problem to manas to solve, while consciousness merely focuses on the problem. Many significant and profound problems cannot be solved by consciousness and must rely on manas’s inherent experiences and wisdom from past lives. Consciousness first understands the superficial issues and transmits them to manas. Manas grasps the gist and then deliberates on further issues independently.
For example, upon meeting an old classmate or colleague, consciousness recognizes the person and knows who it is but cannot recall the name, making it impossible to address them or greet them. At this point, consciousness can take no further action. Manas must search for the name, continuously deliberating and pondering, while causing the six consciousnesses to be speechless, staring blankly, doing nothing. During stupor, consciousness may have some faint thinking activities to assist manas’s deliberation, but conscious thinking will not be strong; otherwise, active conscious thought would break the stupor.
XVII. The Division of Labor Between Manas and Consciousness
Armchair strategy is the work of consciousness; actual combat is the work of manas. Learning theory and understanding principles are the work of consciousness; practical operation is the work of manas. Studying chess strategies is the work of consciousness; competing on the chessboard is the work of manas. Learning musical scores is the work of consciousness; performing on stage is the work of manas. Studying painting and art is the work of consciousness; creating paintings is the work of manas. Studying finance is the work of consciousness; engaging in financial work is the work of manas. Learning culinary theory is the work of consciousness; becoming a chef and cooking is the work of manas. Learning driving techniques is the work of consciousness; driving on the road is the work of manas.
Studying mathematics, physics, and chemistry is the work of consciousness; practical application in work is the work of manas. Studying medical theory is the work of consciousness; treating illnesses and saving lives is the work of manas. Studying agricultural techniques is the work of consciousness; farming in the fields is the work of manas. Studying architectural design is the work of consciousness; designing blueprints and constructing buildings is the work of manas. Studying politics is the work of consciousness; becoming a leader and statesman is the work of manas. Studying the Buddha Dharma is the work of consciousness; realizing enlightenment and becoming a Buddha is the work of manas. How consciousness and manas divide labor, cooperate, and perform their respective duties is a matter of precepts, concentration, and wisdom (śīla, samādhi, prajñā) and also a considerable field of study.
XVIII. The Difference Between the Cessation of the Six Consciousnesses in Nirvana and in the Attainments of Non-Perception and Cessation
In nirvana, not only do the six consciousnesses cease, but manas also ceases primarily. In the non-perception attainment (asamjñā-samāpatti), although the six consciousnesses cease, manas remains, and the five universal mental factors (contact, attention, feeling, perception, and volition) are still operating, belonging to a state with mind. In the cessation attainment (nirodha-samāpatti), the six consciousnesses cease, manas remains, but the feeling and perception functions of manas’s five universal mental factors cease, belonging to a semi-minded state. When completely mindless, it is nirvana.
The cessation of the six consciousnesses can be temporary or permanent. In the non-perception and cessation attainments, the six consciousnesses cease temporarily because manas temporarily does not cling to objects. However, manas has not abandoned the world of the five aggregates, so it will cause the six consciousnesses to arise and emerge from the attainment. During sleep, the six consciousnesses cease because manas requires the body to rest; this is temporary. Since manas’s mind does not cease, it will cause the six consciousnesses to arise and wake up again.
During unconsciousness, the body is impaired, and the subtle sense bases cannot receive the six sense objects normally, preventing the six consciousnesses from continuing to discriminate. Yet manas still desires the functions of the six consciousnesses and the body. When the bodily obstruction disappears, manas will prompt the six consciousnesses to arise. At death, the four great elements (earth, water, fire, wind) separate, and the six sense objects cannot reach the subtle sense bases, making it impossible to sustain the functions of the six consciousnesses. Manas, helpless, leaves the five-aggregate body and generates an intermediate state body to continue using the six consciousnesses’ functions. This is manas’s passive action.
The state of nirvana arises because manas has no mental activities whatsoever, making it impossible for the six consciousnesses to continue operating. The six consciousnesses cease, and manas itself ceases. This is manas’s active action.
The six consciousnesses are like winds of objects, capable of stirring the waves of the seventh consciousness in the ocean of the ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness). The objects discriminated by consciousness are transmitted to manas, which becomes influenced, giving rise to thoughts and causing the mind-ocean to become turbulent and unsettled. Thus, when consciousness ceases discrimination, manas becomes pure and gradually approaches nirvana.
The same principle applies to sentient beings reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Consciousness, long deprived of defiled objects similar to those in the Sahā world, becomes pure and no longer influences manas with unwholesome dharmas. When consciousness is pure, manas becomes pure. When manas is pure and resonates with the Pure Land, it will emerge from the lotus to see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and realize non-arising (anutpāda).
