Analyzing the Master-Determining Nature of the Manas through the Three Objects of Consciousness-Only

Question: Are the object bearing essence, the object of [its own] nature, and the Image-Only Object all transmitted and transformed from the essential object? The manifestation of the three kinds of objects should not have a sequential order, right? The seventh consciousness can cognize dharmas that the sixth consciousness cannot cognize—does this indicate that the object bearing essence is relatively closer to the essential object? But some mental sense-objects are based on the objects of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch; the object of form should be more substantial than the mental sense-object? Then is the object of [its own] nature closer to the essence than the object bearing essence? If all objects are transmitted and transformed from the essence, do all objects belong to material form?

Answer: The Image-Only Object is not transmitted from the essential object. One may say that the Image-Only Object does not carry any essence from the essential object; otherwise it would be called the true object bearing essence or the false object bearing essence. The mental consciousness accompanying the five sense consciousnesses can correspond to the part that is the object bearing essence, which generally belongs to the false object bearing essence. The Image-Only Object is the part corresponding to the solitary mental consciousness; it has nothing to do with the essence, and is a realm-appearance manifested separately by the tathāgatagarbha.

The false object bearing essence and the Image-Only Object can appear simultaneously; the mental consciousness accompanying the five sense consciousnesses and the solitary mental consciousness can appear simultaneously. When they appear simultaneously, each respectively discerns its own corresponding realm-appearance. At this time, one may be said to have "zoned out" or to be absent-minded—the mind consciousness is not fully on the false object bearing essence, and has diverted attention, sending out the solitary mental consciousness to correspond to the Image-Only Object. This solitary mental consciousness that diverts attention is also produced according to the intent of the manas; if the manas does not divide its attention, the mind consciousness will not divert its attention. For example, while listening to a person across from you speaking, the mental consciousness accompanying the five sense consciousnesses listens, while at the same time the solitary mental consciousness thinks of another person, another scene, or contemplates a question. Listening to the other person speak is decided by the manas; thinking of another person and so forth is directed by the manas. If the manas diverts its attention to other dharmas, the mind consciousness will inevitably divert its attention to process other dharmas.

The manifestation of the object of [its own] nature and the object bearing essence does have a sequential order, but the order is almost unobservable; a person without meditative concentration feels that all dharmas are seen simultaneously. The appearance of the Image-Only Object can occur anytime and anywhere—before, after, or simultaneously with the object of [its own] nature and the object bearing essence. The Image-Only Object is generally a realm of deluded thoughts and scattered notions. Sentient beings' minds are all scattered and disordered; the mind is constantly crowded with miscellaneous thoughts. The Image-Only Object never ceases, with deluded thoughts flying about. The seventh consciousness corresponds to the true object bearing essence, and the sixth consciousness corresponds to the false object bearing essence. The false is more illusory and unreal than the true, so the true object bearing essence corresponding to the seventh consciousness is closer to the essential object. From the perspective of the time of transformation, the true object bearing essence appears first, and is transformed all the way to the supreme faculty, whereupon the false object bearing essence appears for the mind consciousness to discern. But by this time it is already several kṣaṇas later than the true object bearing essence. As for dharmas, the manas has long since discerned them, and only then does the mind consciousness arise and discern. Therefore, at times the mind consciousness has no reaction at all, and the matter has already been dealt with; only upon looking back does one realize what happened.

The five sense-object realms of form are objects of [their own] nature; they are somewhat coarser than the mental sense-object bearing essence, easier to recognize and perceive, with more prominent realm-appearances. The mental sense-object is more subtle, harder to distinguish, and with insufficient wisdom one easily makes mistakes. Therefore, cleverness and wisdom are manifested in the discernment and judgment of the mental sense-object. Generally speaking, cleverness refers to the characteristic possessed by the mind consciousness, while wisdom refers to the characteristic possessed by the manas. Cleverness is relatively superficial, flexible, and changeable; wisdom is relatively deep, steady, and hidden. Cleverness is fickle and unreliable; wisdom is stable and enduring, and only thus reliable. Therefore the mind consciousness is unreliable, while the manas is enduring and reliable.

The essential object, the object of [its own] nature, and the object bearing essence all contain the components of the four great elements and are all material form. The essential object is the most real and complete, containing all the information of the dharma, including the five sense-objects and the mental sense-object. The object of [its own] nature contains only the information of the five sense-objects. The object bearing essence within the supreme faculty contains only the information of the mental sense-object, while the object bearing essence outside the supreme faculty also contains all the information of the dharma, including the five sense-objects and the mental sense-object. Therefore, what the manas first discerns is relatively complete information, and it can independently discern and make decisions. The mind consciousness, however, can only discern the mental sense-object within the supreme faculty, and must discern simultaneously with the five sense consciousnesses. In this way, the information of the five sense-objects discerned by the five sense consciousnesses, together with the information of the mental sense-object discerned by the mental consciousness accompanying the five sense consciousnesses—these two kinds of information combined—are transmitted to the manas. What the manas discerns is always the complete information of the dharma.

This reflects the characteristics and authority of the master consciousness. If the manas only discerned a portion of the information, how could it deliberate correctly, in accordance with reason, and swiftly, and then make a decision and issue instructions? Therefore, if the manas cannot realize the Buddha-dharma, then what is it that the mind consciousness has realized? Is it reliable? Is it complete? Is it in accordance with reason? Is it meaningful? The mind consciousness is like a half-blind person who can only see a portion of the dharmas; only when combined with the dharmas seen by the five sense consciousnesses is the dharma complete. How could the mind consciousness be the master? If the mind consciousness were the master, would not the five aggregates fall into great chaos?