The Right Understanding of Manas
Chapter Two: The Universally Conceptualizing Nature of the Manas
I. Another essential nature of the manas (意根, mental faculty) is its universally conceptualizing nature (遍计所执性, parikalpita-svabhāva), which is somewhat related to what the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra* describes as the manas silently containing all dharmas (默容一切法). What are all dharmas (一切法)? What does it mean to silently contain all dharmas? All dharmas include all dharmas produced and manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha (如来藏), encompassing everything without the slightest omission. All dharmas are produced by the Tathāgatagarbha. Their scope is extremely vast, including conditioned dharmas (有为法, saṃskṛta-dharma) and unconditioned dharmas (无为法, asaṃskṛta-dharma), material dharmas (色法, rūpa-dharma) and mental dharmas (心法, citta-dharma), defiled dharmas (染污法) and pure dharmas (清净法), the past and the future. It includes all dharmas within the three realms (三界世间), as well as dharmas beyond the world (出世间的法). Both worldly and supramundane dharmas are included. This is what is meant by all dharmas, all produced by the Tathāgatagarbha. In general, it is the One True Dharma Realm (一真法界). Once produced by the Tathāgatagarbha, the manas can cognize all dharmas and then silently contain and accept them.
The manas can universally cognize all dharmas produced by the Tathāgatagarbha. As soon as the Tathāgatagarbha produces a single dharma, the manas can cognize it and discern it. This shows that the manas universally cognizes all dharmas and then universally grasps at all dharmas. The term "universal" (遍) means universality across the six sense faculties (六根), the six sense objects (六尘), the six consciousnesses (六识), the eighteen elements (十八界), the universe and the receptacle world (宇宙器世间), the five aggregates and eighteen elements (五阴十八界), and all dharmas within the three realms and beyond the world, as well as universality across material and mental dharmas, the past and the future.
II. The manas has the nature of universal cognition and silent containment, meaning it universally cognizes and silently contains. Therefore, the manas possesses the universally conceptualizing nature. Since beginningless kalpas ago, the manas has continuously existed following the Tathāgatagarbha. It has never ceased. Unless one is a fourth-stage Arhat (四果罗汉, Srotāpanna) who does not turn towards the Bodhisattva path, the manas will never cease. Even upon attaining Buddhahood and afterwards, the manas has never been severed even once.
While it exists, it must universally conceptualize and grasp at all dharmas, universally reckon, grasp at, and silently contain all dharmas. "Reckon" (计) means calculation, reckoning, grasping, and clinging. This nature does not exist at all stages. The manas of ordinary beings (凡夫) and noble ones (贤人) certainly possess the universally conceptualizing nature. Fourth-stage Arhats have severed the view of self (人我执, ātma-grāha) and no longer grasp at the five aggregates, twelve sense bases, or eighteen elements. However, they still have the view of dharmas (法我执, dharma-grāha) unsevered, so they still have the universally conceptualizing nature towards many dharmas produced by the Tathāgatagarbha. Only after extinguishing the ignorance (无明) of the manas and attaining Buddhahood does the manas no longer possess the universally conceptualizing nature. The manas of Bodhisattvas at the First Ground (初地) and above have not only severed the view of self but also severed one part or multiple parts of the view of dharmas. The manas of a Buddha has severed all grasping at dharmas, without the slightest universally conceptualizing nature. It neither grasps at a self nor grasps at dharmas; the view of self and view of dharmas are completely severed without remainder. However, it still functions universally across all dharmas, silently containing all dharmas, merely without the nature of grasping or reckoning. This is the meaning of "universal" (遍) across all dharmas.
The grasping nature of the manas's universally conceptualizing nature is stage-specific; it is not present at all stages. At the stage of an ordinary being, there is grasping towards all dharmas, grasping both at a self and at dharmas. This universally conceptualizing nature can gradually be extinguished through cultivation. Before the fourth Arhat stage, the manas has the view of self. After the fourth Arhat stage, the view of self is extinguished. After the First Ground Bodhisattva stage, the manas still has the view of dharmas to varying degrees. From the First Ground onwards, it is severed part by part; once completely severed, Buddhahood is attained.
III. The functions of the mind are the functions of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness (受想行识): recognition, discernment, grasping, sensation, decision-making, and the arising of emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, worry, grief, and suffering towards all dharmas. These functions are all elicited by the consciousness-seeds (识种子) of the Tathāgatagarbha. Once the seven great seeds (七大种子) are projected, the mental activities of the seven consciousnesses and the six sense objects appear like bubbles. Since beginningless kalpas, the manas has been grasping at these bubbles, taking the impermanent characteristic as permanent, the characteristic of suffering, emptiness, and affliction as blissful, the selfless characteristic of the five aggregates as self, the impure characteristics of the six sense objects and six consciousnesses as pure, grasping all functional attributes of the six consciousnesses as self, grasping all these bubbles as self and as belonging to self, grasping the dharmas of suffering, emptiness, and impermanence as self and as belonging to self.
Because of grasping at these dharmas, the manas cannot transcend the three realms and attain liberation. Understanding these principles, we should generate the mind of liberation in this lifetime, diligently understand how these dharmas are all false and unreal, understand the causes and conditions for their arising and cessation, and after confirming their impermanence and selflessness, cease grasping at the illusory, conditioned dharmas that are impermanent and selfless. All feelings, even pleasant feelings, are impermanent and cannot be retained. When a pleasant feeling arises due to an object, and the object ceases, the pleasant feeling also ceases. There is not a single feeling or dharma that can exist permanently and unchangingly without cessation.
The six sense objects are all illusory shadows manifested within the brain. We grasp at these shadows, producing various feelings and perceptions. The shadows are unreal, and the feelings and perceptions produced are likewise unreal. All dharmas are ceaselessly arising and ceasing moment by moment. The past has already passed, the present instantly becomes the past, and the future has not yet arrived. The manas cannot grasp any of the illusory appearances of past, present, or future. In truth, there is no such person, event, or principle in the world, nor is there a world itself. It is like crying and laughing at the reflection in a mirror, generating mental activity and creating various karmic actions, unaware that everything faced is merely an illusory shadow. It is like a foolish dog barking incessantly at its own reflection in a mirror, or like a foolish monkey jumping into a lake trying to catch the reflection of the moon. Sentient beings are this deluded. To transcend this delusion and attain liberation through wisdom, one must recognize the truth and reality, cease grasping at all dharmas, and sever the two graspings: of self and dharmas.
IV. The saying "what one thinks about during the day, one dreams about at night" is caused by the universally conceptualizing nature of the manas. The content contemplated by the consciousness (意识) during the day, all dharmas discerned by the six consciousnesses, sink into the manas. Sometimes the manas is too busy during the day; it has no time to ponder, being occupied with directing and handling various matters, causing the six consciousnesses to manifest discriminative functions. Because there is too much content to discriminate, the manas also cannot ponder everything. After the six consciousnesses cease at night and no longer transmit information about the six sense objects, the manas has free time and begins to ponder the dharmas discerned by the six consciousnesses during the day. While it ponders these dharmas, the Tathāgatagarbha, following its pondering, manifests dreams. Things thought about during the day are dreamed about at night. Sometimes, matters contemplated by the consciousness during the day are also pondered by the manas. The coarse consciousness mind is unaware, and the manas has not yet reached a conclusion through pondering, so it makes no decision. At night, the manas continues to ponder. Even though the consciousness is unaware, the manas still manifests the matters it ponders through dreams at night.
If the manas does not cling or grasp excessively, one will not dream at night, the consciousness will not manifest, and one will sleep dreamlessly throughout the night, recovering from fatigue. For example, because an Arhat has extinguished the ignorance of a single thought (一念无明) in the manas, the manas no longer clings to worldly dharmas. The mind of an Arhat is free from distraction and agitation (掉举), and during the day, there is no dullness or sleepiness. The mind is pure and clear, and at night, there are rarely any dreams. Occasional dreams occur due to some other special circumstances, perhaps the manas of others clinging and entering the Arhat's dream to make requests, such as some spirits needing liberation, etc.
The dharmas clung to by the manas manifest through dreams. Sometimes one can dream of people, events, and things from past lives, or even dream of the future. The manas can also cognize karmic seeds and know some future events. Future events can appear in dreams: events of the next day can appear, events of the third day can appear, events of the next year can appear. Events that might happen at any time appear in dreams; this is called foreknowledge (未卜先知).
If the manas clings to dharmas from other worlds, scenes from other worlds will also appear. Therefore, whatever the manas clings to will manifest in dreams. So, who manifests all these dreams? The manas certainly cannot manifest them itself, because it does not contain seeds and lacks the direct function of manifestation. Only the Tathāgatagarbha can follow the manas, project seeds, manifest the dreams, and allow the consciousness to discern them. The sixth consciousness (第六识), in the dream, can go everywhere—heaven and earth, past and future—truly miraculous.
V. The manas is the sovereign consciousness (作主识), possessing the universally conceptualizing nature. Clinging everywhere in heaven and earth, it inevitably drags the six consciousnesses everywhere to cling as well. The six consciousnesses arise dependent on conditions from the Tathāgatagarbha; therefore, they have a dependently arisen nature (依他起性, paratantra-svabhāva). External and internal objects, all consciousnesses, and karmic seeds are all born from the Tathāgatagarbha; all are dependently arisen.
The manas existed from the very beginning, before beginningless kalpas. At that time, the Tathāgatagarbha's mind-essence did not yet contain the karmic seeds created by the five aggregates. Yet, the manas still existed. The reason for its existence is that the manas has ignorance, called beginningless ignorance (无始无明). The ignorance of a single thought (一念无明) is also beginningless and is also called beginningless ignorance. The conditions for the birth and existence of the manas are extremely few: the Tathāgatagarbha, ignorance, and the vow-power of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas suffice. Therefore, the dependently arisen nature of the manas is not obvious or prominent. The most essential characteristic of the manas is its grasping nature. In an ordinary being, there is not a single dharma it does not grasp; this is called the universally conceptualizing nature. Because of this universally conceptualizing nature, the segmental birth-and-death (分段生死) and the inconceivable transformation birth-and-death (变易生死) have no end.
The birth and existence of the six consciousnesses primarily arise due to the universally conceptualizing nature of the manas. The conditions for the birth of the six consciousnesses are more numerous than for the manas; they can only be born when conditions are sufficient. Therefore, the six consciousnesses are said to be dependently arisen. Although the six consciousnesses also have a grasping nature, this grasping nature is still influenced, tainted, and regulated by the manas. Compared to the manas, their grasping nature is very slight and not prominent. Based on their primary characteristic, the six consciousnesses are dependently arisen; they cannot be said to be universally conceptualizing. This is because the six consciousnesses cannot function universally across all dharmas; there are many areas they do not pervade, and thus they cannot grasp so many dharmas. Moreover, the consciousness (意识) lacks sovereignty; it is controlled and directed by the manas, so it does not manifest the universally conceptualizing nature.
VI. Question: The manas is the universally conceptualizing consciousness (遍计所执识). Does this "reckoning" (计) refer to the pondering nature of the manas? Where exactly does this "universal" (遍) extend? Which dharmas are directly discerned by the perceiving aspect (见分) of the manas? Which are discerned relying on the perceiving aspect of the Tathāgatagarbha or the perceiving aspect of the first six consciousnesses?
Answer: The meaning of "reckon" (计) is calculation, measurement, planning, strategy, idea. The "reckon" of the manas contains the meaning of pondering (思量). This reflects the lively conscious activity of the manas as the manas-consciousness (末那识), reflecting the deep-seated discriminative mental activity of sentient beings. Therefore, it also shows that the manas has wisdom and is associated with the mental factor of wisdom (慧心所). The meaning of "grasp" (执) is stubbornness, grasping, seizing. The grasping nature of the manas is divided into the view of self (人我执) and the view of dharmas (法我执). When both graspings are completely severed, one cultivates to the Buddha stage.
The "universality" (遍) of the manas is universality across all dharmas solely manifested by one's own Tathāgatagarbha. It is universal across the five sense faculties, the six sense objects, the six consciousnesses, the five aggregates, past and future lives, the universe and the receptacle world, and all dharmas. This is the meaning of what the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra* says about the manas silently containing all dharmas.
The discernment of the manas is all done relying on the perceiving aspect of the Tathāgatagarbha. For example, the manas discerns its own and others' past life experiences and future experiences that have not yet occurred, matters of beings in the six realms, others' mental states and thoughts; it can discern all matters of people, events, and principles that the six consciousnesses can only discern when possessing the five supernatural powers. When confronting and discriminating the present six sense objects, the manas mostly relies on the six consciousnesses' discernment of the six sense objects to make its own discernment and ultimately make decisions. Sometimes, the manas can also discern the six sense objects alone without the assistance of the six consciousnesses, such as during sleep, coma, various meditative absorptions, death, etc. The manas alone discerns the six sense objects, then makes judgments and decisions. Afterwards, the six consciousnesses are born to assist the manas in creating bodily, verbal, and mental actions to fulfill the manas's decisions. The part directly discerned by the manas is also discerned relying on the perceiving aspect of the Tathāgatagarbha. Without the Tathāgatagarbha, without relying on its perceiving aspect, the manas cannot have perception alone; it cannot function alone.
VII. The manas is the self-grasping consciousness (我执识). At all times and places, it grasps at the five aggregates and six consciousnesses as self, and it also grasps the functions of the manas as belonging to self. The manas's grasping at the self of the five aggregates can only be severed upon reaching the fourth fruit (四果, Arhatship), ceasing to grasp at the five aggregates as self. Nowadays, one often hears people talk about "giving up grasping." Actually, these people do not understand the stages and progression of cultivation. Someone still far from the first fruit's severance of the view of self (断我见) wants to leap in one step to the severance of grasping at the fourth Arhat stage, and some even loudly proclaim they want to sever the view of dharmas that should be severed by Bodhisattvas on the Grounds (地上菩萨). This is simply a fantasy.
If one does not understand the impermanence and variability of one's own five aggregates, has not severed the basic three fetters (三缚结), yet wants to sever the deeper five higher fetters (五上分结), lacks even basic meditative concentration, and wants to leap suddenly to a very high level of cultivation, it is impossible. Many people shout slogans all their lives, yet at life's end still have to accept the karmic retribution of the three evil realms—truly pitiable. If one does not yet understand the content of realization for the first fruit, cannot attain the first fruit, then one certainly cannot achieve the severance of the manas's self-grasping at the fourth Arhat stage. Cultivation has stages; it is impossible to reach the sky in one step.
The manas is the self-grasping consciousness. Since beginningless kalpas, it has continuously grasped at self, never stopping. Its grasping nature is deeply rooted. Without gradual cultivation through the intermediate stages, it is impossible to suddenly sever grasping. Since the manas has a grasping nature, it cannot remain perfectly still towards all realms. It clings everywhere at all times. If it could be perfectly still, then we could constantly attain concentration and stillness, our minds peaceful and at ease, completely unattached to all dharmas, and our concentration would be very deep. But the facts are not like this, which shows that the manas still has movement and mental stirring towards all dharmas or the vast majority of dharmas, causing the six consciousnesses to have unceasing thoughts and continuous discrimination.
The manas is the sovereign consciousness; there is nothing above it directing it. However, all mental activities of the manas require the cooperation of the Tathāgatagarbha. Moreover, the Tathāgatagarbha does not cooperate without cause; it must cooperate with the mental activities of the manas based on conditions and karmic seeds; there are certain conditions and prerequisites. That is to say, the sovereign nature of the manas also cannot overcome karmic power. In many major matters, it still must follow karmic conditions; it cannot be sovereign.
Especially when facing rebirth in the three evil realms at death, it can only obey the arrangement of fate, heed the call of conditions, and inevitably wander in the intermediate state (中阴身) hoping for the best destination. But the final destination often does not meet its wishes; it can only follow the arrangement of fate. Worldly people, while alive, always want the manas to command everything, dominate everything, yet they cannot ultimately control their own fate. This is the result of not diligently cultivating, not severing the view of self, and not severing self-grasping.
VIII. The manas clings to all dharmas. The meaning of "clinging" (攀缘) is to pull oneself up by relying on external things—pulling, relying, attaching, climbing, comparing, adhering; colloquially, it means forcibly establishing a connection. From this concept, the clinging nature of the manas towards all dharmas becomes clear. It forcibly establishes connections with some dharmas, adheres to some dharmas, relies on some dharmas, unwilling to relinquish them, unwilling to let go. In the mind, it grasps the appearances of these dharmas, carries them, remembers them, thinks of them, and cannot let go. The clinging nature of the manas can be defined as: the continuous arising of mental attention (作意) and even the mental factor of volition (思心所) towards mental objects (法尘), which is the clinging nature of the manas—that is, thinking of, longing for, and grasping.
If we say the manas "clings," everyone can accept it because the texts all say this, so people accept it directly without thinking, to the point it becomes a habit of language and thought, without knowing the precise meaning of "clinging." If one were to use a more appropriate, easier-to-understand word to explain the meaning of the manas clinging, replacing the word "clinging," some might strongly oppose it due to ignorance. Not knowing what clinging means, how can one rely on the Dharma? Not understanding the pondering nature of the manas, how can one rely on the Dharma? Not knowing the essence of the habitual functioning of the manas, how can one rely on the Dharma? Not knowing on what basis the manas makes decisions, how can one rely on the Dharma? What functions does the volition mental factor (思心所) of the manas have? How does it function? How powerful is it? If one knows nothing when asked, how can one rely on the Dharma?
Using "think of" or "long for" (惦念) to replace the word "clinging" is entirely appropriate. Some have this experience: whenever approaching sleep, as long as they contemplate the meaning of the Dharma, such as contemplating the non-veridical perception (非量境) of the manas and how to use the power of consciousness to change it into veridical perception (现量境)—which is useful for realizing the fruits—they end up dreaming incessantly every night, revolving around the meaning of the Dharma. This shows that thinking of/longing for is equivalent to clinging. Without the mental activity of longing, there would be no act of clinging.
Why does the manas still generate mental attention and the volition mental factor towards events that have already passed? What mental activity is this? For events that have passed, the manas still generates the five omnipresent mental factors (五遍行心所法): attention, contact, feeling, perception, and volition, resulting in dreams where the consciousness continues to contemplate in the dream. What function is this? Isn't it thinking of/longing for? Isn't it recollection? How is the continuity between past and present events achieved? Even though events have ceased, the manas still generates attention, contact, feeling, perception, and volition—this is thinking of, longing for, adhering, forcibly establishing connections; the mind cannot let go.
The manas's thinking of/longing for is different from the consciousness's memory or recollection. The consciousness's memory and recollection mean the consciousness can clearly, systematically, comprehensively, and meticulously recall experienced events, whereas the manas cannot. The manas can only adhere, only think about, only think of and long for; it cannot recall specific details and plots; it cannot produce clear images, words, or language.
However, the consciousness's memory and recollection are also the result of the manas continuously clinging, continuously thinking of and longing for. If the manas no longer thinks about experienced events, those events will not appear in the form of mental objects as mere images (独影境法尘), and the consciousness will not be born to discern this mere image realm; then there would be no occurrence of recollection or memory. Memory and recollection differ from thinking of/longing for. Thinking of/longing for is relatively coarse and corresponds to the manas. Memory and recollection are finer, with details, and correspond to the consciousness. Therefore, the manas gives a coarse prompting, and the consciousness must discern and recollect in detail.
The perception mental factor (想心所) of the manas is its function of discernment and grasping. Events that have passed can all be cognized by the manas, can all be clung to, can all be pulled into dreams. This shows the manas has not forgotten these events; encountering conditions, they can manifest, even manifest in dreams. This is what is commonly said: "What one thinks about during the day, one dreams about at night." What is the difference between the volition mental factor (思心所) and the perception mental factor (想心所) of the manas? The volition mental factor is pondering and decision-making, sovereignty and determination. It is the decisive mental activity made after the discernment and analysis of the perception mental factor; it is more wisdom-oriented than the perception mental factor.
The manas not only clings to and thinks of/longs for events from past lives, events from kalpas long past, but also thinks of/longs for events that are about to happen in the future. For example, someone thinking of/longing for the election issue the next day stays awake all night, thinking about how to arrange matters for the next day, to the point of being unable to sleep. Being unable to sleep is because the manas prevents the six consciousnesses from ceasing, especially preventing the consciousness from ceasing, making the consciousness think this and that, leading to excessive worry, the body tossing and turning unable to sleep peacefully. This is the result of the manas severely clinging, grasping, and thinking of/longing for.
Sometimes one often dreams of people and events from elementary school mixed with present-day people. This is all produced by the manas thinking of/longing for, clinging, and adhering. In truth, one knows one's mind is unforgettable and grasping towards those people and events. Although the consciousness may not think about them now, after dreaming about them, the feeling is as if it just happened. The manas has actually never let go; it has been grasping and thinking of/longing for all along. Thinking of/longing for can be said to be relatively mild clinging, for example, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas thinking of/longing for how sentient beings can attain liberation. Whereas clinging can be said to have a kind of blind grasping nature, like some star chasers—that is called clinging.
The grasping and clinging of the manas are its universally conceptualizing nature; it is the continuous operating state of the manas's mental attention and volition mental factor. "Reckon" (计) is the functional activity of the manas's grasping nature; it is the operation of the perception mental factor and also the operation of the volition mental factor, being somewhat stronger. Thinking of/longing for is milder and coarser, possibly not involving specific details. Actually, clinging can also not involve specific details and be relatively coarse. The manas has active clinging; the consciousness has passive clinging. Surface emotions are states of the conscious mind; they are feelings born from the manas clinging to a certain dharma, causing the consciousness to arise. There are also deeper emotions directly initiated by the manas; they are the mental activities of the manas. Things that feel inexplicable are when the consciousness does not know, but the manas knows yet cannot express it in language, words, or thought. If one knows why one has a certain emotion and the reasoning is relatively clear, it is discerned and thought through by the consciousness. If one does not know why one has that emotion, it is stirred up by the manas.
Some people can wake up at whatever time they intend without using an alarm clock. How does the manas accurately know the time? This is what the world calls the biological clock phenomenon. The biological clock refers to the manas. If the manas knows it must get up very early the next day to catch a train or plane, and it usually wakes up at 5 AM, then the next day it wakes up at 3 or 4 AM. Sometimes, if it thinks of/longs for it excessively in the middle of the night, it wakes up to check the time. This shows the manas has not forgotten the matter of getting up early the next day; it has been thinking of/longing for it all along. What exactly is the nature of the manas's consciousness? How deep and vast is it? What dharmas can it recognize? These require us to continuously observe and explore more deeply and subtly.
IX. What does it mean for bodily, verbal, and mental actions to be intense? It means the mental activity is heavy; the grasping of the manas is heavy; it considers a certain matter extremely important, hence the intense action. After bodily, verbal, and mental karmic actions are stored as seeds in the Tathāgatagarbha, if the manas clings heavily, wanting to manifest the seeds to experience them again, the seeds easily mature and manifest, making the conscious memory seem relatively firm. Actually, this is caused by the clinging and grasping nature of the manas. For example, if one lends ten thousand yuan to someone else, and this sum is very important to oneself, the manas refuses to let go. The mind continuously clings and thinks of/longs for it. Although the consciousness is not thinking about it, on the surface it seems temporarily set aside, as if forgotten. Yet, at some unknown time, the consciousness can suddenly—with or without reason—remember this matter. This is information provided to the consciousness by the manas; it is the result of the manas constantly thinking of/longing for it. Otherwise, the consciousness could not actively recall this matter. If one lends one yuan to someone else, the sum is too small, unimportant to oneself, the consciousness feels it doesn't matter, the manas does not take it to heart, does not cling much or think of/long for this matter, and the consciousness does not recall it.
After an event passes and becomes a karmic seed, whether it is important to the manas is key. If it is important, it grasps more, then continuously cognizes this dharma, thinks of/longs for this dharma, and can prompt the consciousness to recall this event. For unimportant matters, the manas does not think of/long for them and cannot prompt the consciousness to recall them.
X. Extinguishing the Universally Conceptualizing Nature of the Manas Accomplishes the Buddha Way
Birth and death exist because of the universally conceptualizing nature of the manas. Among them, the view of self (人我执) of the manas can induce segmental birth-and-death, leading to the continuous cycling of one lifetime after another, accompanied by coarse and subtle suffering of birth and death. The view of dharmas (法我执) of the manas induces inconceivable transformation birth-and-death, causing subtle and long-lasting birth-and-death phenomena to not cease forever, still accompanied by subtle ignorance, karmic obstruction, and suffering. Given this, severing the view of self by the manas can end segmental birth-and-death, equivalent to a fourth-stage Arhat severing grasping at the five aggregates and eighteen elements. Severing the view of dharmas by the manas can extinguish inconceivable transformation birth-and-death, ultimately attaining Buddhahood.
Why is this so? Because all dharmas are grasped and clung to by the manas. Grasping creates bondage; seizing leads to entanglement, and thus ignorance brings birth and death. Because the manas grasps the functions of the five aggregates as self, grasps the eighteen elements as self and belonging to self, grasps the world of the three realms, coveting and unwilling to let go, it is thus bound by the five aggregates, bound by the eighteen elements, bound by the world of the three realms, unable to transcend the suffering of the three realms. Only by enabling the manas to sever the view of self regarding the five aggregates and eighteen elements can it sever grasping at the five aggregates and eighteen elements, thereby severing covetous attachment to the world of the three realms, release the bondage, and temporarily attain liberation.
Due to the ignorance of the manas, not knowing the true reality of the Dharma Realm, not realizing the Tathāgatagarbha, and not knowing the seed functions of the Tathāgatagarbha, it covetingly grasps all dharmas manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha as self and belonging to self, clinging and unwilling to let go. Thus, there is bondage by dharmas, inconceivable transformation birth-and-death is not removed, and great liberation is not attained. Only by enabling the manas to gradually recognize the true facts, realize that all dharmas are the functional activities of the Tathāgatagarbha, all belong to the Tathāgatagarbha, without the slightest belonging to self, can the manas give up hope, sever all attachment to dharmas, extinguish all ignorance, release all bonds, attain ultimate liberation, and restore the original face.
Therefore, studying Buddhism and cultivating is precisely to exhaustively break the ignorance of the manas, realize the selflessness of all dharmas, release the covetous grasping of the manas, transform and exhaust the universally conceptualizing nature of the manas. Only then can the shackles of birth and death be completely removed, attaining freedom in birth and death, freedom in dharmas, becoming the Great Dharma King, the Honored One of the Three Realms.
XI. The Manas's Different Grasping Towards Internal and External Four Great Elements
The manas of ordinary beings has a universally conceptualizing nature; it can generate grasping towards all dharmas encountered, only the degree of grasping varies in severity and urgency, and the manner of grasping differs. What the manas grasps most is the physical body and the functions of the six consciousnesses, because these dharmas are vivid and lifelike, the manas is very close to these dharmas, cannot be separated from them for an instant, and relies on these dharmas to manifest itself. The manas grasps the physical body composed of the internal four great elements (内四大) as self and belonging to self. The physical body has the greatest and most direct impact on the manas; one could say they are vitally connected. It represents the life characteristics of the manas-self and can be directly controlled, so the manas grasps the physical body most intensely.
However, the manas also grasps material dharmas composed of the external four great elements (外四大) and the universe and receptacle world, taking these dharmas as its own possessions, believing it can enjoy these material dharmas. For the manas, these dharmas are not vitally connected or inseparable for an instant; they are merely needed for the life of the physical body. They are difficult to control directly and are much more distant in relation to the manas. Grasping the external four great elements is ultimately for the sake of the internal four great elements; essentially, it is still grasping the internal four great elements. Therefore, the manas's grasping of the external four great elements is milder than its grasping of the physical body. If a person also has very serious grasping of material dharmas, it shows this person's covetous grasping nature is too heavy, making liberation difficult.
XII. The Innate View of Self and View of Dharmas of the Manas
The term "innate" (俱生) means brought along with the birth of the five aggregates, appearing together with the five aggregates, brought over from past lives, not newly learned or newly appeared, not acquired through later conditioning. The innate view of self (俱生的人我执) refers to the view of self that appears together with the five aggregates; it is the grasping habit brought over from past lives to the present life. The innate view of dharmas (俱生的法我执) refers to the view of dharmas that appears together with the five aggregates; it is the grasping habit brought over from past lives to the present life.
The seventh consciousness is a continuous consciousness; it has never been severed since beginningless kalpas. When each new set of five aggregates is born, the seventh consciousness does not need to be newly born; it is still the one continued from the past life. Therefore, its habitual tendencies, inertia, and disposition remain the same as in the past life, unchanged; all its cognitions are the same as in the past life, unchanged. What does the seventh consciousness cognize? The seventh consciousness cognizes the five aggregates, knowing the five aggregates are self; it cognizes the eighteen elements, knowing the eighteen elements are self and belong to self; the seventh consciousness relies on the eighth consciousness to cognize all dharmas, knowing all dharmas are self and belong to self. Because the seventh consciousness has such cognitions, and does not know these dharmas are not self, are merely illusory dharmas manifested by the eighth consciousness, it therefore has covetous grasping towards the five aggregates and eighteen element dharmas, and covetous grasping towards all dharmas manifested by the eighth consciousness.
The seventh consciousness manas grasped the five aggregates and eighteen elements as self in past lives; when newly born in this life, even in the mother's womb, it still grasps the five aggregates and eighteen elements as self. The manas grasped all dharmas as self in past lives; when newly born in this life, it still grasps them as self. Therefore, it is said that the view of self and view of dharmas of the manas are innate with the birth of the five aggregates; they do not need to be learned or conditioned now; nor do they rely on any dharma other than the eighth consciousness to possess these graspings. That is to say, they exist independently without relying on the six consciousnesses or the living environment, and they can manifest moment by moment.
XIII. The universally conceptualizing nature of the manas does not grasp all dharmas, nor can it grasp all dharmas simultaneously, because mental energy is insufficient, so it makes some choices at any given moment. Some dharmas the manas is indifferent to; some dharmas it dislikes and avoids (though this also constitutes grasping); some dharmas it is very fond of; some dharmas it habitually clings to and discerns. Although the manas can universally cognize all dharmas, it cannot cognize them all simultaneously at any one moment; it still has priorities, focuses, and makes choices. Especially regarding dharmas it wants the six consciousnesses to handle, it makes even more selections. Otherwise, the six consciousnesses cannot discern everything and would become fatigued and collapse; the manas understands this point.
