Is Manas Correspondent with Samādhi?

Wisdom encompasses not only the wisdom of consciousness but also the wisdom of the manas. The wisdom of consciousness gives rise to the wisdom of the manas, ultimately grounding it in the manas and storing it as seeds. In future lives, when conditions ripen, these seeds sprout, giving birth to great wisdom. Without meditative concentration (dhyāna), only consciousness possesses wisdom; the manas cannot attain wisdom because it clings to many objects, unable to focus its energy on contemplation and investigation. Consequently, it cannot realize the Dharma, does not understand the selflessness (anātman) of either the Mahayana or Hinayana, and cannot give birth to wisdom.

If the manas lacks wisdom, it cannot eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), the view of doubt (vicikitsā), and adherence to wrong rites and vows (śīla-vrata-parāmarśa). Consequently, it cannot sever the bonds of future births and deaths, nor can it correctly and rationally guide the practice of the six consciousnesses. No matter how wise consciousness becomes, it is of little use. Consciousness may recognize the Tathagatagarbha as real, perceive all dharmas as illusory, and understand the five aggregates (skandhas) as selfless, but if the manas does not comprehend this, it cannot dispel ignorance (avidyā). If beginningless ignorance (anādi-avidyā) still exists, it will continue to impel the six consciousnesses to create karmic actions based on ignorance. Consequently, one cannot attenuate the afflictions (kleśa) of greed, hatred, and delusion, let alone subdue and eradicate them. One cannot attain mental liberation (ceto-vimukti) and wisdom liberation (prajñā-vimukti), nor can one exhaust the fundamental ignorance (ekaksanā-avidyā) and the dust-sand ignorance (bīja-avidyā). One can neither escape the three realms (triloka) nor ultimately attain Buddhahood.

Liberation primarily means liberating the manas from the bonds of birth and death related to the dharmas of the three realms, as well as from attachments to and bonds with all dharmas. When the wisdom of both consciousness and manas is fulfilled in the Hinayana aspect, one becomes a fourth-fruit Arhat (caturtha-phala-arhat) liberated by wisdom (prajñā-vimukta). When the wisdom of both consciousness and manas gradually becomes complete and perfect in the Mahayana aspect, one can transform consciousness into wisdom (vijñāna-pariṇāma-jñāna) and ultimately attain Buddhahood. Therefore, this wisdom must ultimately be grounded in the manas.

Since great wisdom manifests not only in consciousness but also in the manas, and the transformation of consciousness into wisdom involves both the transformation of consciousness and, more importantly, the transformation of the manas, the question arises: which consciousness does meditative concentration (dhyāna) pertain to, and with which consciousness is it associated? Both consciousness and manas possess meditative concentration and are associated with it. First, the manas entrusts the Dharma to consciousness for contemplation. Consciousness is initially scattered but gradually develops concentration. Its contemplative practice (vipaśyanā) draws the attention of the manas, which increasingly focuses on the content contemplated by consciousness. This gives rise to preliminary concentration. Consciousness can then gradually focus single-pointedly on contemplative practice. As the manas's attention strengthens, meditative concentration deepens, consciousness becomes increasingly focused, and contemplation becomes progressively subtler. Based on this deep and subtle contemplation, the manas can understand the principles and thereby realize the Dharma. This is the method of inducing meditative concentration through contemplative practice, thereby enhancing the power of contemplation.

On the other hand, when consciousness cultivates concentration, it prompts the manas to reduce its clinging and focus its thoughts. Subsequently, when the manas resolves to contemplate the meaning of the Dharma, consciousness concentrates its attention on contemplating and observing a single Dharma principle. The content of consciousness's contemplation is transmitted moment by moment to the manas. The manas may or may not have a clear understanding (adhimokṣa) of the transmitted information; thus, wisdom may or may not arise. Whether wisdom arises also depends on whether the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment (bodhipakṣika-dharma) are complete, the state of practice regarding precepts (śīla), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (prajñā), whether afflictions are subdued, whether the mind is pliable, and many other factors.

If one can contemplate single-pointedly and engage in deep, subtle observation, it indicates that both consciousness and the manas can focus their attention; both possess a certain degree of concentration. When meditative concentration arises in the six consciousnesses, the manas must necessarily be concentrated. If the manas lacks concentration, meditative concentration in the six consciousnesses cannot arise, because the presence or absence of thought in the six consciousnesses is determined by the manas. If the manas clings everywhere, desiring to perceive all objects of the six sense fields (ṣaḍ-viṣaya), it will not want to perceive only one object. Under such circumstances, it is impossible for the six consciousnesses to be without thought or to focus on a single object.

If the six consciousnesses study and practice the Buddha Dharma, and if this practice can influence and guide the manas, then the manas will also develop concentration. The concentration of the manas primarily means that the manas can settle on the Dharma, focus diligently on the principle of the selflessness of the five aggregates, focus on the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, or focus on the six perfections (pāramitā) of the Bodhisattva. Only when the manas becomes diligent can the six consciousnesses become diligent. If the manas is lazy, the six consciousnesses cannot be diligent. If the manas possesses all thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, the six consciousnesses will inevitably possess them. The manas is the commander who supervises and controls the six consciousnesses; the six consciousnesses are inevitably directed and deployed by the manas. Therefore, the key to the spiritual path lies entirely with the manas.

Once the manas resolves to settle on the Dharma, the six consciousnesses can settle on the Dharma without scattering. Only then, while settled on the Dharma, can the six consciousnesses engage in directed contemplation. Wherever the manas settles, the six consciousnesses settle there. This is because the six consciousnesses follow the lead of the manas. The directing pointer of the manas constantly, moment by moment, directs the six consciousnesses. If the manas is unsettled, waving its pointer chaotically everywhere, could the six consciousnesses be settled? They absolutely could not. Only if the manas diligently practices the Buddha Dharma can the six consciousnesses be diligent. Therefore, concentration primarily refers to the concentration of the manas, the concentration associated with the manas.

If the manas settles on practicing the Buddha Dharma, constantly mindful of contemplating the emptiness of the five aggregates, then the six consciousnesses can engage in contemplation. If the manas wishes to practice Chan (Zen), considers the Dharma of Tathagatagarbha important, and seeks to realize it, the manas will supervise the six consciousnesses to practice Chan. Only then can the six consciousnesses settle on the practice of Chan and diligently cultivate the Mahayana Dharma. Therefore, if the manas is unsettled, the six consciousnesses have no concentration. In the specific practice of sitting meditation to attain the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis, whose concentration is primarily meant? Naturally, it is also the concentration of the manas. If the manas is not subdued, if it is not settled on seated meditation but still roams grasping at dharmas, clinging to and thinking of other dharmas, with scattered and chaotic thoughts, it is impossible for the six consciousnesses to sit in meditation, cultivate concentration, and extinguish mental thoughts.

Therefore, whether it is the concentration of the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis, or the concentration settled on the Dharma, or the single-pointed focus on the Dharma, it primarily refers to the manas. Only then can the six consciousnesses become settled, quiet the mind, extinguish discernment and thought (vitarka-vicāra), and even cause the mind consciousness to cease. Only when the manas moves can the six consciousnesses move; wherever the manas points, the six consciousnesses will strike. To subdue the six consciousnesses, one must subdue the manas; to subdue the five aggregates, one must first subdue the manas.

Attaining Buddhahood primarily means successfully transforming the manas through cultivation, enabling the manas to realize all dharmas, know all dharmas, exhaust beginningless ignorance and dust-sand ignorance, and fully perfect the precepts, concentration, and wisdom. Then, the sentient being will inevitably become a Buddha. Who does this sentient being refer to? It refers precisely to the manas. Therefore, the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra speaks of the mental activities of sentient beings, and the Tathagatagarbha understands the mental activities of sentient beings, primarily understanding the mental activities of the manas. The sentient being is the manas; the manas is the sentient being. Since the manas takes the five aggregates as self, it is necessary to eradicate the manas's view of self.