Is the discerning wisdom of the manas inferior?

Although sleep is determined by the manas, the manas has no mind that makes the six consciousnesses cease. It has no concept of the six consciousnesses; it is merely that its deliberation mental factor (cetanā) decides not to further discern the six sense objects, and the tathāgatagarbha accords with this. The seeds of consciousness arise ever fewer and ever more slowly, the discernment of the six consciousnesses grows ever fainter, and finally they cease—thus one falls asleep, and body and mind become stable and at ease. The commands issued by the brain and nervous system become fewer and fewer, the body's various metabolic processes diminish, consumption decreases, and the energy within the body becomes ample and full. When the manas feels it can smoothly direct the activities of body and mind without much obstruction, it wants to discern the six sense objects and wants there to be activity of the five aggregates. The tathāgatagarbha accords with this and gives rise to the six consciousnesses, and thus one wakes from sleep.

From this we can see that the manas's discernment of the condition of the physical body is very precise, and its arrangement of the body and the five aggregates is methodical and orderly. If there is rest the next day, it lets the body sleep a while longer, in no hurry for activity of the five aggregates; if there is something to do the next day, it lets the body get up earlier. The mental activities of the manas are extremely complex, sensitive, and flexible; its wisdom is by no means shallow, and it does not rely on the mind consciousness to accomplish these matters—it operates entirely on its own, without needing any assistant. Who says the manas's discerning wisdom is inferior? If it were completely inferior, inferior at all times and in all places, what could the entire five-aggregate body possibly accomplish?