The Way the Manas Alerts the Mind Consciousness

Answer: If the result and conclusion of the manas's deliberation need to be known and processed by the mind consciousness, the manas will alert the mind consciousness. If the mind consciousness does not need to know, and no measures need to be taken to deal with it, the manas will not alert the mind consciousness and will not deliberately let the mind consciousness know.

The way the manas alerts the mind consciousness is by generating the mental factor of volition (cetanā) and making a decision about how to handle the matter. The result of the manas's deliberation is a kind of mental sense-object (dharma-āyatana). The tathāgatagarbha then discerns the manas's decision, cooperates with the manas, and gives rise to the mind consciousness to understand the manas's thoughts and decision, and to adopt certain measures and methods to fulfill the manas's decision and wish.

For example, suppose there are ghosts or spirits nearby causing interference. The mind consciousness feels uncomfortable and, after thinking it over and over, still does not know what is going on. But the manas knows, and wants to find a way to notify the mind consciousness, so that the mind consciousness can avoid it or deal with it. So the manas generates the mental factor of volition and makes a decision. In the manas's mind there is a meaning of ghosts or spirits that has no language and no image—this is a kind of mental sense-object. The tathāgatagarbha gives rise to the mind consciousness at this mental sense-object, and the mind consciousness will then sense the presence of ghosts or spirits, and will then find ways to deal with the matter—perhaps by reciting sutras and dedicating the merit (pariṇāmanā), perhaps by reciting mantras to drive them away, or perhaps by moving away to avoid them. The process by which the manas alerts the mind consciousness is roughly like this. If the manas can handle the matter itself, or if it is a minor and unimportant matter that does not require the mind consciousness to process, the manas will not make a decision, and the tathāgatagarbha will not give rise to the mind consciousness to discern the manas's thoughts.