The Wisdom of the Mind Consciousness and the Wisdom of the Manas

The wisdom of the manas is of two kinds. One is the wisdom unique to the manas, distinct from that of the mind consciousness, which has arisen from immeasurable eons of being permeated by countless dharmas. It is innate, requiring no later permeation or learning, and it far surpasses the wisdom of the mind consciousness—it is vastly more powerful, and the mind consciousness simply cannot compare with it. Therefore, without relying on the mind consciousness's deliberative activities of thinking, analyzing, investigating, comparing, and imagining regarding sense objects, the manas can, on its own, swiftly and imperceptibly, in an inconceivable manner, weigh and judge the sense objects both within and beyond the six dusts, and promptly make decisions—allowing no time for the mind consciousness to think or investigate, and brooking no explanation or resistance from the mind consciousness.

The other kind of wisdom of the manas is the discerning wisdom regarding the specific contents of sense objects. This wisdom is much weaker and inferior to that of the mind consciousness; therefore, it must rely on the mind consciousness's minute and detailed discernment before it can make judgments and decisions. The manas alone cannot accomplish such discrimination. Because the objects cognized by the manas are extremely broad and extensive, it cannot invest all or most of its attention to focus on detailed discernment; it can only discern the general appearance of sense objects and make simple weighings and judgments, and cannot be minute and detailed. At such times, if it relies on the mind consciousness's discernment, then... without it, there would be no way to make decisions. What is generally meant by the statement that the manas's discerning wisdom is inferior mainly refers to this.

These two kinds of wisdom must be strictly distinguished and must not be blurred or confused; otherwise, one cannot correctly and accurately understand the nature, functions, and roles of the manas, and cannot advance one's own wisdom and progress on the Path. If the wisdom of the manas were inferior in all dharmas and at all times, then at critical junctures, at life-and-death moments of crisis, in the face of major matters of right and wrong, and when evidence is insufficient, where would sentient beings turn? Would they not be invariably unable to make a decisive choice, unable to escape calamity, unable to turn misfortune into blessing, and would they inevitably die young and prematurely, unable to pass away peacefully of natural causes?