The Premonition of Manas

Question: Every time before I go on a business trip, I inexplicably feel a sense of loss in my mind, with slight tightness in my chest. And sure enough, once I arrive there, the conditions for eating, drinking, and sanitation are poor. So before a business trip, I now check my own mind first—if there is an inexplicable sense of loss, then basically the place I am going to will have poor food and lodging. Can this clumsy method also be used to observe the manas?

Answer: As long as you understand the functions and characteristics of the manas, you can also come to know the manas to some extent, knowing its general habits and dispositions, its afflictions, and its purity. The manas is too particular about enjoyment and likes comfort, so it is unwilling to come into contact with environments where conditions are relatively poor and harsh. Therefore, before a change of environment, it always gives rise to attention (manaskāra) so that the mind consciousness becomes aware of it, with the purpose of letting the mind consciousness figure out a way to resolve this problem.

If the manas is unhappy, the body will show abnormalities; if the manas is happy, the body will also show abnormalities, because the body is controlled by the manas, which expresses the manas's thoughts and emotions.