The Relationship Between the Mind Consciousness and the Manas

Question: Is the thought of the mind consciousness the content that the manas' thought focuses on? If so, one can trace back from the thoughts of the mind consciousness to infer the dharma that the manas is presently engaging with according to conditions. By controlling the present thoughts of the mind consciousness, one would thereby indirectly control the object of the manas, and in this way, as the manas gradually becomes habituated, meditative concentration (samādhi) will arise. 

Answer: The dharmas that the mind consciousness and the manas take as objects should be the same. What the mind consciousness discerns must be the dharma that the manas is grasping at; otherwise, there would be no need to give rise to the mind consciousness. The mind consciousness arises precisely to serve the manas, that is, to obey the manas. However, after the mind consciousness arises and discerns the dharma, through thinking and analysis it develops its own views, and may then defy the manas, failing to accord with the manas' intentions. If the mind consciousness possesses correct views and knowledge, it can gradually turn the manas around; but this also depends on the degree to which the manas can accept it. If the mind consciousness is too aggressive, it may well enrage the manas, and then it will be unable to lead the manas onto the Path. Therefore, if the mind consciousness is clever and astute, it will skillfully guide the manas; if the mind consciousness is dull, it will have no effect—perhaps it will even backfire, or perhaps it will be led around by the manas. A Buddhist practitioner's mind consciousness should hold this attitude toward the manas: "You lead me running around wildly, but I will not follow; you lead me into greed, anger, and delusion, but I will not follow." Gradually, the manas will have no alternative and will stop taking the lead, and will instead be led by the mind consciousness.