The Cause of the Appearance of All Dharmas Is the Stirring of the Manas

Since it is the mind of the manas stirring and the myriad dharmas manifesting, then what is meant by the mind stirring? The mind stirring means that a thought has arisen, wanting to engage in some activity; the mental factor of intention (cetanā) appears, the tathāgatagarbha knows it, and immediately cooperates to manifest the myriad dharmas—thus the result of the mind stirring appears. All dharmas are the result of the manas's mind stirring, without exception. So does the manas have thoughts? Does it have desire? Does it have determination (adhimokṣa)? If the manas had no mental activity at all, thinking of nothing whatsoever, would that be called the mind stirring? That would be the mind not stirring. If the manas had no desire and no thoughts, and it depended on the stirring of the mind consciousness, could the myriad dharmas then manifest? That would be impossible. Even the mind consciousness itself is the result of the manas's mind stirring, and is itself one of the myriad dharmas. Moreover, before the mind consciousness stirs, the sense objects have already appeared—first there are the objects, then the mind consciousness. Furthermore, even if the mind consciousness stirs, if the manas does not stir, the tathāgatagarbha cannot accord with the mind consciousness to manifest the myriad dharmas; it necessarily accords with the manas to manifest the myriad dharmas. The manifestation of the myriad dharmas arises precisely because of the manas's desire and thoughts.