The Different Nature of Manas's Grasping of the Internal and External Four Great Elements

The manas of ordinary beings possesses the imputed nature (parikalpita-svabhāva), and it may develop grasping toward all dharmas it encounters; the only differences lie in the degree and urgency of the grasping and in the manner of grasping. What the manas grasps at most strongly is the physical body and the functions of the six consciousnesses, because these dharmas are vivid and alive, the manas is very close to them and cannot be apart from them even for a moment, and it relies on these dharmas to manifest itself. The manas grasps at the physical body composed of the inner four great elements as "me" and "mine"; the physical body influences the manas most strongly and most directly—it can be said they are intimately bound together—and it represents the life characteristics of the manas-self, while also being under its direct control. Therefore, the manas grasps at the physical body most of all.

However, the manas also grasps at material form composed of the outer four great elements and at the material universe, the vessel-world (bhājana-loka), regarding these dharmas as its own possessions and believing that it can enjoy these material forms. For the manas, these dharmas are not so intimately bound that they cannot be separated even for a moment; they are merely what the life of the physical body requires, are difficult to control directly, and stand in a more distant relationship to the manas. Grasping at the outer four great elements is also for the sake of the inner four great elements; in essence, it is still grasping at the inner four great elements. Therefore, the manas's grasping at the outer four great elements is lighter than its grasping at the physical body. If a person has very severe grasping at material form as well, this shows that the person's greedy and grasping nature is too heavy and liberation will be difficult.