The Mystery of the Barrier of Oblivion and the Attainment of Enlightenment through Spiritual Practice

Question: Since the view of self is eradicated through the manas, why does the obscuration of rebirth transition still exist? Shouldn't individuals in future lives directly embody selflessness without needing to eradicate the view of self again?

Answer: The obscuration of rebirth transition means that the consciousness is newly born, distinct from the consciousness of the previous life, separated by a new five-aggregate body; thus, it becomes obscured and unaware of the affairs of the previous life's five aggregates. However, the manas continues uninterrupted through successive lifetimes without this separation; therefore, it remains unobscured and can know the people, events, and phenomena of past lives, sometimes even foreseeing those of future lives. Yet, what sentient beings generally perceive relies on the six consciousnesses. Whatever the manas knows must be expressed through the six consciousnesses to become functional.

The manas does not correspond to language and words; thus, it cannot express what it knows or perceives. The six consciousnesses, however, correspond to language and words and can think, analyze, reason, and judge. Therefore, many functions of the manas must rely on the six consciousnesses to be realized. Consequently, whatever the manas knows, the consciousness may not necessarily know. Even if the manas comprehends the Pure Land or all the events of its past lives, the consciousness may remain unaware.

Thus, when encountering significant matters, the manas has no choice but to alert the consciousness in various ways, enabling the consciousness to gain some awareness and consider how to handle or resolve the situation. For example, when ghosts or spirits surround the body, the consciousness remains unaware, but the manas knows. The manas can then cause the body root to react—perhaps making the scalp tingle or inducing general discomfort. The consciousness then senses that something might be happening and may even speculate about what it could be.

When encountering the form of a Buddha or Bodhisattva for the first time or initially in this life, because the manas has believed in, recited, and studied the Buddha through countless lifetimes, it holds a special emotional connection with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This is called having deep roots of goodness. Thus, one may weep involuntarily or even sob uncontrollably, while the consciousness remains unaware of the reason. Meeting relatives from past lives evokes a similar response: the consciousness does not recognize them, but the manas does, resulting in feelings of intimacy and excitement. Yet the consciousness does not understand why it feels so moved or why this special affection arises.

Therefore, if the manas eradicates the view of self in this life, its manifestation in the next life will differ from that of ordinary people. However, the consciousness is new and subject to the obscuration of rebirth transition. It does not know that the view of self was already eradicated in a past life, nor does it recognize the selflessness of the five aggregates. Thus, upon encountering the Buddha Dharma, it must still contemplate the selflessness of the five aggregates. But because the manas has already realized selflessness and knows the five aggregates are without self, the consciousness does not need excessive contemplation or observation. Very quickly, the consciousness realizes the selflessness of the five aggregates, far more rapidly than when first attaining the fruit of enlightenment. Those who have attained the third or fourth fruition may even realize enlightenment upon hearing just a single phrase, without needing deliberate contemplation or observation. This is because they bypass the laborious process of meticulously using the consciousness to contemplate and influence the manas, making their attainment of fruition exceptionally swift.