If Manas Is Disconnected from the Pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna of Vijñāna, Does It Become Inactive?

To discern the answer to this question, let us examine concrete instances where consciousness is absent. Consider states without consciousness, such as dreamless sleep and dreaming sleep. What is the manas (the mental faculty) doing at such times? Does it become idle, failing to contact sense objects and failing to discern phenomena? Clearly not. For at all times, the tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature) gives rise to and manifests all dharmas. The manas inherently possesses the characteristic of silently containing all dharmas. It invariably relies on the tathagatagarbha to contact the dharmas secondarily manifested by the tathagatagarbha. It mistakes the dharmas perceived by the tathagatagarbha as its own perceptions, and it takes these dharmas as its own possessions, thereby giving rise to various mental formations and thoughts, ultimately causing the dream state to appear. All thoughts and conceptions within the dream belong to the manas; all mental formations are those of the manas. Consciousness (vijnana) only plays a supportive role to the manas. Therefore, the true measure of a person's spiritual cultivation lies in their conduct within dreams.

During unconscious states like coma, consciousness is absent, yet the manas does not resign itself to remaining unconscious. When it detects even a slight improvement in the body's condition, it struggles to regain consciousness. This demonstrates that during unconsciousness, when consciousness is absent, the manas still engages in mental activities; mental factors (caitasika) are still operating. It constantly monitors the condition of the body faculty, is able to discern the state of the body faculty, recognizes that unconsciousness is undesirable, and seeks ways to regain awareness. Some individuals, while unconscious, may even attempt to seek help from loved ones, transmitting information about their location and situation. Therefore, the manas can represent an independent being, possessing various mental formations and mental factors, with rich inner activities. It is merely that when it needs to act, it requires the cooperation of consciousness and the five sense consciousnesses to accomplish its tasks.