When the Manas Is Constantly Deliberating, Are There Any Thoughts?

Only when the manas has dharmas it is mindful of does it deliberate and examine; first there is mindfulness, then deliberation and examination, and without mindfulness there is no deliberation. If the manas's mind is empty and does not recollect or think of anything, there is no mental activity, no need to examine or deliberate about anything, and at that time the manas is pure. But when the manas has not been subdued, its grasping tendency is rather heavy, and the thoughts in the mind are very numerous, so the mind will constantly, endlessly deliberate, ponder, examine, judge, and weigh things. If it cannot figure things out during the day, it continues examining and deliberating at night; in severe cases, one wakes up in the middle of the night and cannot fall asleep. This is why it is said that sentient beings' manas has the nature of constant deliberation and examination (恒审思量). For those arhats whose manas has been subdued, there are almost no thoughts in their minds; they do not think much about anything, and the manas only occasionally deliberates, but not constantly, so it is not called "constant." Therefore, as long as the manas deliberates on dharmas, there are thoughts; the dharmas being deliberated upon are the thoughts, the objects of the manas's mindfulness.