The Root of Realizing the Dharma Lies in the Manas

Question: Continuous mental engagement (adhimātra-manaskāra) seems to be something that happens after the Dharma's meaning has penetrated deep into the manas; only the manas can achieve continuous mental engagement, moment after moment without letting go. In fact, isn't merit simply the inevitable product of the manas' acceptance or transformation? As long as the manas has genuinely accepted and taken on the Dharma, the merit of realizing the fruit will naturally arise, and wisdom will arise as well—this is a series of naturally occurring events, and the root of realizing the Dharma still lies in the manas. Is that correct?

Answer: That is correct. Continuous mental engagement—"continuous" means without interruption. Only the manas can take the Dharma's meaning as its object without interruption, throughout the six periods of the day and night, from morning to evening, thought after thought without cease. This requires the mind consciousness to cultivate and steep itself in the Buddha's teachings until the conditioning 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 take the Dharma as its object without interruption.

Using hypnotic methods, one can also bring the manas to accept something, after which the manas undergoes a transformation. Each person's degree of acceptance and realization of the Buddha's teachings by the manas 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.