Manas Has the Mental Factor of Mindfulness

If the manas does not recollect a dharma, how could the mind consciousness recollect it? When the manas contacts the dharma it recollects and wishes to discern it clearly, the tathāgatagarbha, in accordance with this, gives rise to the mind consciousness; the mind consciousness, following the manas's instructions, then discerns and recollects the dharma that the manas recollects. If the manas does not recollect a dharma, it does not contact that dharma, and has no wish to discern or act; the tathāgatagarbha then cannot give rise to the mind consciousness for any further activity, and there is no mind consciousness to recollect the dharma.

Whatever dharma the manas does not recollect will not appear; whatever dharmas the mind consciousness recollects are all the result of the manas's recollection, all the result of the manas's arrangement and mobilization. Without the conditioning contact of the manas, the mind consciousness cannot arise; without the deliberation (manasikāra) and decision of the manas, it cannot arise. The mind consciousness cannot independently determine its own arising and all its activities, because it is not the consciousness that serves as the master, because of its lack of self-mastery (avaśatā); it is the tool of the manas, obeying the manas's command.

The five consciousnesses all possess the mental factor of recollection (smṛti); how much more so this astute and all-important master consciousness, which all the more possesses the mental factor of recollection.