The Question of the Location of the Manas

Question: When faculties and sense objects come into contact, consciousness arises. Since the mind consciousness cannot arise anywhere other than at the supreme faculty (indriya), can we then conclude that the manas is located at the supreme faculty?

Answer: The manas is not entirely located at the supreme faculty either. The manas abides throughout the entire brain. The manas does not depart from the supreme faculty, yet it is also not located solely at the supreme faculty. Beyond the supreme faculty, there are mental sense-objects (dharma-viṣaya), and there must be the manas's discernment of them. Whenever the eighth consciousness manifests dharmas, the manas necessarily relies on the eighth consciousness to cognize and discern them.