The Relationship Between Manas and Mind Consciousness

The root is that which is relied upon and depended on, just as a great tree grows by relying on its roots. A child comes into existence depending on the father, but is directly born from the mother. The eye consciousness arises depending on the eye faculty; the six consciousnesses arise depending on the six faculties; the mind consciousness exists depending on the manas. However, the six consciousnesses are directly produced by the tathāgatagarbha, and the six faculties are merely the root condition for the arising of the six consciousnesses.

In all matters, one must trace things back to their root, find the root, and resolve the source; only then can a problem be thoroughly solved. If we wish to resolve the problem of birth-and-death and saṃsāra from beginningless kalpas, resolve the problem of ignorance, and resolve the problem of defiled karmic seeds, we must trace things back to their root and source; we cannot apply effort only at the branches and leaves—cutting off the branches and leaves, they will still grow forth again. If we want the branches and leaves not to grow, cutting off the root can thoroughly solve the problem. The manas is the root of the mind consciousness; the manas determines the mind consciousness and determines the direction of the six consciousnesses. Only by resolving the problem of the manas can the problem of the six consciousnesses be resolved. Although resolving the problem of the manas requires the mind consciousness to act as the forerunner and auxiliary, in the end it must still be implemented in the manas.

Countless people cannot figure out the relationship between the manas and the mind consciousness; they all believe the mind consciousness is the ultimate dharma and all make efforts on the mind consciousness. But even if the problem of the mind consciousness is solved, if the manas is not resolved, the manas will still determine the cultivation and actions of the mind consciousness—the weeds will grow out again, and it is as if the problem has not been solved at all.

Such a simple matter, explained over and over again, emphasized over and over again, and yet the mind remains as if shrouded in fog. What on earth has obscured and obstructed the mind? Regarding the dharmas one has been immersed in before, does one truly lack the wisdom to introspect and change one's own understanding anew? Why are you unwilling to take one more step forward on the path to bodhi?