The Uninterrupted Mental Engagement of the Manas and Buddhist Cultivation and Realization

Question: Uninterrupted mental engagement (adhimātramanaskāra) seems to be something that happens after the Dharma principles have penetrated deep into the manas—only the manas can carry out uninterrupted mental engagement, moment after moment without letting go. In fact, isn't merit simply the inevitable product of the manas's acceptance or transformation? As long as the manas genuinely accepts and takes on the Dharma, the merit of realizing the fruit naturally arises, and wisdom arises as well. This is a series of naturally occurring events; the root of realizing the Dharma still lies in the manas. Is that correct?

Answer: That is correct. Uninterrupted mental engagement—"uninterrupted" means without cessation. Only the manas can adhere to Dharma principles without interruption, throughout the six periods of the day and night, from morning to evening, thought after thought without pause. This requires the mind consciousness to repeatedly cultivate and study the Buddha's teachings until the imprinting successfully permeates the manas. When the manas regards the Buddha's teachings as important, it will hold the Dharma in mind moment after moment, its thoughts never departing from the Dharma, and one day it will certainly realize the Dharma. If the manas does not hold the Buddha's teachings in mind, the mind consciousness's thoughts about the Dharma will inevitably be cut off, and it cannot adhere to the Dharma without interruption.

Using hypnotic methods can also bring the manas to accept something, after which the manas undergoes a transformation. The degree to which each person's manas accepts and realizes the Buddha's teachings differs, so the impressions received differ, the transformations differ, and the wisdom differs as well. Therefore, fundamental wisdom still refers to what the manas brings about.