The Inconceivable Wisdom of the Mind Base

The presence of volitional activities involving attraction and aversion in the five sensory consciousnesses indicates the existence of the volition (chanda) cetasika within them. The presence of volitional activities involving attraction and aversion in the manas (mental faculty) indicates the existence of the volition cetasika within the manas. The capacity for reception regarding an object, coupled with the arising of wisdom, demonstrates the presence of the adhimokṣa (resolve) cetasika. The ability to recollect the Dharma indicates the presence of the smṛti (mindfulness) cetasika. The ability to stabilize on the Dharma, leading to the arising of discerning wisdom, indicates the presence of the samādhi (concentration) cetasika. The presence of discerning wisdom and the corresponding power of discrimination indicates the presence of the prajñā (wisdom) cetasika.

The prajñā cetasika of the manas is inconceivable. When chanting the Buddha's name to guide concentration practice, if physical strength is insufficient, the manas may suddenly decide to switch to a lower pitch, and the tone changes immediately, without the conscious awareness of the mental consciousness. The manas and the ālayavijñāna (storehouse consciousness) together determine how all dharmas arise, function, and change; often, the six consciousnesses remain unaware of this. Thus, the prajñā of the manas is truly inconceivable, capable of knowing all dharmas at any moment and adapting flexibly, with the ālayavijñāna following its lead without the slightest deviation.

When the physical body requires a certain nutrient, it will particularly enjoy eating that nutritious food and easily absorb it; when the physical body does not need a certain nutrient, it will reject it, dislike eating it, and not absorb it. What exactly these two—the manas and the ālayavijñāna—are up to is truly unimaginable for the mental consciousness.

Therefore, let us consider: is the discerning prajñā of the manas always so inferior? Not necessarily; it depends on the aspect. When discerning the specific details and content of the six sense objects, its prajñā is insufficient, but the mental consciousness can compensate for this deficiency. In other aspects, the prajñā of the manas is quite strong, which is why it is said to be very astute. If the prajñā of the manas were truly inferior, how could it enable the five aggregates body to react instantaneously, handle emergencies, constantly adjust the physical body, and respond to the surrounding living environment? The manas first discerns the condition of the physical body and then directs the six consciousnesses to act.

Since the manas and the ālayavijñāna always collude closely together, then upon realizing the manas and attaining sufficient meditative concentration, one can apprehend the ālayavijñāna at the locus of all the manas's mental activities. This is the profound gateway to enlightenment through consciousness-only (vijñapti-mātratā). Subsequently, one's prajñā will become extremely profound and subtle. Merely by cultivating the first dhyāna, the three barriers of the Chan (Zen) school can be surmounted in one leap, and entry into the first bhūmi (ground) will be imminent. This advancement surpasses a great asaṃkhyeya kalpa (incalculable eon) of cultivation. Bodhisattvas of long cultivation with sharp prajñā should possess this determination, perseverance, and courage: to realize the ultimate truth of the Dharma from the mind-consciousness, realizing the ultimate point where the combined functioning of all eight consciousnesses can be observed, enabling the swift arising of the wisdom of consciousness-only (vijñapti-mātratā-jñāna). Thus, in the future, they will have the capacity to share the Tathāgata's work and become the central pillars upholding the Buddhist Dharma.