The Distinction Between Manas and the Five Indriyas

The five sense faculties are merely a condition for the arising of the five consciousnesses; they cannot determine whether the five consciousnesses arise and function, nor how they operate. This is because the five sense faculties are purely material dharmas (rūpa), lacking the mental factors (caittas) of the knowing mind; thus, they possess neither autonomy nor determinative power.

In contrast, the mental faculty (manas) is not only the root and condition for the arising of mental consciousness, but it is also itself a knowing mind, possessing the attributes of a knowing mind and its associated mental factors. Moreover, the mental faculty is not an equal counterpart to the six consciousnesses; it possesses extremely unique attributes. This uniqueness is primarily manifested in its nature of constant examination and deliberation (nitya-vicāra). That is to say, the mental faculty persistently, continuously, and constantly examines all dharmas and deliberates upon all dharmas. The reason it examines and deliberates upon all dharmas is because it has the authority, responsibility, and obligation to manage all dharmas.

Mental consciousness, however, cannot do this. It must arise in relation to each specific dharma; only after a dharma has already appeared does mental consciousness arise. Therefore, it cannot be said to manage dharmas. It can only provide suggestions regarding subsequent dharmas, offering counsel and strategies to the mental faculty, and even then, only concerning a portion of dharmas, not all dharmas. This is because mental consciousness cannot correspond to all dharmas; it lacks the necessary authority and capability. Consequently, the scope and capacity of mental consciousness are far inferior to those of the mental faculty. This is a matter of limited perspective and insufficient insight.