How to Engage Manas in Problem-Solving Without Affecting Sleep

If one wishes to assign a task to the manas before sleep without affecting rest, directing the manas to contemplate a problem during sleep, then the manas must be thoroughly familiar with this problem. It must understand the content of the problem, requiring no further assistance from the conscious mind (vijñāna) to analyze it, nor needing the conscious mind to transmit any additional information. Furthermore, the problem should not be urgent, requiring an immediate solution or answer. Under these conditions, the manas will confidently allow the six consciousnesses to cease.

After assigning the task and presenting the problem for contemplation, one should refrain from doing or thinking about anything else. Go directly to sleep, ensuring the manas is solely focused on this matter, free from being overshadowed or influenced by other thoughts. If the manas needs to engage the conscious mind to assist in contemplation, it is likely because the problem is not yet sufficiently familiar, and the manas cannot find the approach or direction for a solution, thus requiring the conscious mind to help analyze and provide reference information. If the manas is very familiar with the problem and possesses a method for solving it, even if the conscious mind attempts to assist in analysis, the manas will not utilize it, finding it a nuisance.