Differences in Manas Lead to Differences in Vijnana

Why is the consciousness of sages not easily tainted when they come to this fivefold defiled world? Why is the Buddha's consciousness not tainted at all? Whether consciousness is tainted or not primarily depends on the strength of the manas. The manas of sages is free from afflictions; thus, their consciousness, relying on such manas, remains unafflicted and not easily tainted by the environment. The Buddha's consciousness is utterly immune to defilement, like a lotus in muddy water. Ordinary beings, with their manas heavily obscured by ignorance and afflictions, subject their consciousness to severe tainting, causing afflictions to arise easily. Ground-level bodhisattvas are similar, though slightly better. However, whether sage or ordinary being, upon the birth of the five-aggregate body, consciousness is equal for all—a blank paper, pure and flawless. Only afterward is it influenced and driven by the tainting of their own manas, leading to different behavioral expressions. Then, further tainted by the environment, parents, and others, the behavioral expressions of consciousness become even more distinct.

Originally, consciousness is no different among beings. Under the same environmental defilement, why is the consciousness of Buddhas and sages not tainted, while that of ordinary beings is? Is it the difference in the environment or the difference in manas? Let us not discuss the period after the transformation of consciousness into wisdom for now, but rather consider the time of childhood or before studying Buddhism. Why is there such a vast difference in consciousness? Residing in the same dye vat, why is one severely tainted and corrupted, with greed, hatred, and delusion blazing fiercely, while the other remains pure and maintains integrity? There is only one explanation: the difference in manas leads to the difference in consciousness, and that is all.

If manas were inherently free from greed, hatred, and delusion, yet the acquired consciousness could be tainted into exhibiting them, it would be utterly absurd. If this were the case, the Buddha, with manas free from greed, hatred, and delusion, born into the fivefold defiled world, should also have his consciousness tainted into greed, hatred, and delusion. Then what use would cultivation be? Therefore, the presence of greed, hatred, and delusion in consciousness lies entirely in their presence in manas. If manas lacks greed, hatred, and delusion, consciousness absolutely cannot be tainted into exhibiting them. After the transformation of consciousness into wisdom, a bodhisattva dwelling in defiled environments will not have their consciousness tainted by greed, hatred, or delusion. Their bodhisattva stage will not regress; they will not revert to being ground-level bodhisattvas afflicted with greed, hatred, and delusion, nor fall back to the stages before the third or fourth fruition.

The differences among individuals do not stem from a single lifetime. Within one lifetime, differences cannot accumulate to such an extent; they are the result of accumulation over countless lifetimes. Thus, the differences among sentient beings lie in manas. It is the difference in manas that leads to differences in the consciousness, body, speech, and mind; that causes disparities in the wisdom of consciousness; and that results in variances in merit, virtue, and meditative concentration. Due to differences in manas, consciousness exhibits distinctions in every aspect, and the wisdom to perceive issues also vastly differs. The wisdom of manas is extremely important; it belongs to the assets from past lives within the five aggregates and is called the root of wisdom. If manas lacks good wisdom, all our cultivation in past lives would be in vain. The Dharma and worldly knowledge cultivated and tainted in past lives would also be for naught, unable to be carried over to benefit this present life.