Which Mind is the Remorseful and Self-Reproaching Mind?

When waking up in the morning, one part of the mind wants to get up, while another part does not. In the end, one fails to rise, causing important matters to be delayed. Subsequently, one feels anger, vexation, and self-reproach. Who exactly is feeling vexed? Who is reproaching themselves? Who is angry?

Consciousness possesses rationality, whereas the manas (mental faculty) lacks rationality and is more prone to clinging—clinging to lingering sensations and feelings. After waking up in the morning, consciousness, being rational, believes one should get up, prepare early, and go out to attend to matters. However, the manas, clinging to the lingering comfort, appears lazy and indecisive about rising, clinging to the pleasant sensation. Eventually, the rationality of consciousness grows stronger, continuously prompting the manas that it is time to get up. Finally, the manas understands that it must rise and prepare, that it can cling no longer, and thus reluctantly decides to get up and dress. This decision is carried out by the tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature), and the six consciousnesses cooperate to rise. From this example, it can be seen that the manas experiences sensation; it is not necessarily neutral feeling.

Because rising late caused a delay, the initial anger, vexation, and self-reproach must come from consciousness, for consciousness possesses strong cognitive ability and knows what was delayed and how important it was. After consciousness feels remorse and self-reproach, the manas also becomes aware of its own fault and may also feel regret and self-reproach. If the manas does not regret or reproach itself, but consciousness alone feels remorse, then the manas will not change, and next time it will make the same mistake, lingering in bed and refusing to rise.

Many people, after making mistakes, confess and reproach themselves but later repeat the error. This is because consciousness confesses and reproaches itself, but the manas does not repent. Consequently, the mistake is repeated again and again, showing no learning from the experience. To err, correct, and then err again is the work of consciousness; to no longer easily make mistakes thereafter is the manas learning its lesson. If the flesh changes but the bone remains, it indicates a superficial change in consciousness, while the manas remains unchanged and refuses to acknowledge the error.

Consciousness may understand a principle and wish to act accordingly, but it cannot make the final decision. It must persuade the manas to agree with its idea or force the manas to agree. If the manas agrees, it makes the decision, and thus the action is accomplished. If the manas reluctantly agrees but remains unwilling at heart, it may not be able to accomplish the same thing next time. If the manas does not comprehend the principle and is frequently forced by consciousness, it will harbor resentment. This resentment will eventually erupt; if it does not erupt, the mind will be plagued by depression. When consciousness fails to persuade the manas, once supervision is relaxed, the manas's inherent habits will resurface. Therefore, the falseness of consciousness cannot last; there will always come a time when it is exposed.