How to Discern Whether the Manas Is Engaged in Contemplation

Master, I have a question: when I feel the doubt sensation has arisen, and my mind has condensed the question into a single point—such as "Who is dragging the corpse?"—and handed it over to manas, but I don’t know whether manas is contemplating it or not, what should I do? For example, when I see people walking on the street, consciousness can’t help but wonder: how can an empty shell walk like that? Could this cognitive activity of consciousness distract manas’s focus, preventing it from fully observing and investigating? Yet, if I don’t let consciousness think, it feels as though there’s nothing in the mind—empty and unsettled—and I have no idea what manas is contemplating at that moment. What should I do?

Answer: The fact that you constantly feel this huatou (critical phrase) in your mind means manas is contemplating and investigating it. Your mental attention remains fixed on the huatou—without obvious thinking, analysis, or deliberation—yet you cannot shake it off. This is manas engaging in investigation. Even if consciousness produces simple thoughts, manas still harbors the doubt sensation, silently pondering the huatou. Of course, the thoughts of consciousness will affect manas—sometimes there’s just no avoiding it!