Solely Relying on the Power of Mind Consciousness Is Insufficient to Eradicate the View of Self

Someone asked Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva: Although one clearly knows the principle that birth is non-birth, why is one still bound by birth? Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva replied: Because one's power is not yet sufficient.

Which consciousness is the "clearly knowing"? Which consciousness is the one whose "power is not yet sufficient"? The one that clearly knows is the mind consciousness. Although the mind consciousness knows some principles, it is of no use—one is still bound by birth and death, because the mind consciousness cannot be in charge and have the final say. The one whose power is not yet sufficient is the manas. When the thoughts and views of the mind consciousness have not yet reached the manas, and the manas does not accept them, there is no power to change the current situation. The key is whether the manas can cognize this truth, whether it can eradicate delusions and attachments. Only when the manas eradicates delusions and attachments can one escape the prison of birth and death.

From this we know that with some Buddhist principles, such as the principle of eradicating the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and the principle of seeing the mind and seeing one's nature, if they are only superficially known by the mind consciousness, they cannot solve the problem of birth and death. They must penetrate deep into the manas, so that the manas understands the principle; only then can one transform oneself and solve the problem of birth and death. Because in all matters the manas is in charge—the manas has the final say. The manas has power, whereas the mind consciousness does not have much power, because it cannot be the master of the household. If we want to change the problem of birth and death of the household of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha), we must persuade the head of the household; merely persuading one family member is not enough. The manas is the head of the household—all matters of the world of the five aggregates are decided by the manas. When the manas's power becomes sufficient, one first eradicates the view of self, then eradicates the attachment to self, and in future lives one will no longer be bound by birth and death.