Whose Mental Formation Is Manifested by Consciousness Instigated by Manas?

When the manifestation of consciousness is autonomous and voluntary, its mental activities belong to the mental activities of the manas that controls it. Similarly, when mental activities manifested by the manas are instigated by a powerful consciousness, they still do not belong to the manas but to the consciousness. Although the manas acts as the master in this case, it is coerced rather than acting autonomously. For example, if parents instigate a young child to steal, the child, being too young to have independent judgment and unable to disobey, is compelled to comply. Thus, the act of stealing reflects the parents' greedy nature, and the stolen items belong to and are controlled by the parents. Similarly, if a master orders a dog to take a neighbor's belongings, it is the master who possesses the intent to steal, not the dog. The dog lacks autonomy and must obey its master. The stolen items belong to the master, not the dog. However, if the dog steals something alone without the master's instigation, the item belongs to the dog, indicating that the dog itself possesses the intent to steal.

For instance, when a person uses a knife to chop firewood, it is the person who chops the wood, not the knife. Although the knife physically performs the chopping, it has no intention to chop; the firewood belongs to the owner, not the knife. Similarly, if a driver hits someone with a car, it is the driver who hits the person, not the car. The driver must compensate for the loss; the car cannot. Another example: if a master orders a servant to fetch water or craft gold objects, promising payment only upon task completion, the water fetched and the gold objects crafted belong entirely to the master. These tasks are performed by the servant on behalf of the master, and thus the master bears responsibility.

The servant sustains the master, so the master must naturally provide compensation. Similarly, the manas sustains consciousness, so it must naturally impart certain concepts to consciousness. Ultimately, however, merits and faults fall upon the master and the manas. The causes and effects spanning the five aggregates across lifetimes must still be borne by the manas. Consciousness drifts away without consequence, while all results are handled and shouldered by the manas. Whether ascending to heaven or descending into the earth, it is the manas that leads the ālayavijñāna. Attaining Buddhahood or becoming a patriarch is achieved by the manas leading the ālayavijñāna, along with the five aggregates and six consciousnesses—the entire "family," great and small—toward that accomplishment.