Only When Manas Eradicates Doubt and Generates Faith Does Tathāgatagarbha Follow in Accordance

All phenomena do not exist apart from the Tathāgatagarbha and the manas, nor can they be spoken of apart from these. Consciousness merely plays an auxiliary role. Consciousness is like a supporting character, an advisor, while the manas is the protagonist, akin to a commander. All decision-making authority rests with the manas. Acting as the advisor, consciousness must continuously gather intelligence from the six dusts for the manas, analyze the detailed information of the six dusts, and provide the manas with appropriate, timely, and reasonable suggestions.

After receiving the analyzed intelligence and suggestions from consciousness, the manas undertakes its own unique processing, deliberation, and consideration. It then decides whether to handle the six dusts according to consciousness's suggestions, or to determine the next course of action based on its own experience, habits, thoughts, and views. This entire process constitutes the function of the mental factor of deliberation (cetanā) of the manas. If the manas still cannot decide how to proceed, it will again instruct consciousness to gather more intelligence for reference. This is similar to a commander, unable to decide, ordering the advisor to collect more useful intelligence and report in detail so that the commander can make a decision.

From this, it is evident that the most crucial aspect of eliminating doubt is to eliminate the doubt of the manas. If one eliminates the doubt of consciousness but not the doubt of the manas, the manas will still harbor doubt. (However, the doubt of consciousness is sometimes resolved with the help of the manas.) For example, when the head of a household encounters a problem, the entire family must cooperate to resolve it. If his problem remains unresolved, the entire family cannot function normally and orderly.

Eliminating doubt gives rise to faith; eliminating doubt must be done by the manas, and generating faith must also be done by the manas. Initially, it is the faith of consciousness. The faith of consciousness is blind faith, reverent faith, faith based on favoritism—it is unstable faith, not right faith. Right faith, deep faith, is the faith of the manas. This faith is deeply rooted and unwavering. If the manas lacks faith, it cannot actively aspire to cultivate and study the true Dharma. Even if consciousness has the utmost faith, if the manas gives rise to doubt, consciousness has no choice but to follow the manas's thoughts. Consciousness can only act as the advisor to the manas; it cannot represent the commander manas in making decisions. The relationship between the Tathāgatagarbha and the manas is like that of father and son. Whatever the son manas wishes to do, the father Tathāgatagarbha, as long as He possesses the financial resources, material means, and human power, will comply with and satisfy him.