Is the Observer-Supervisor in Mind Training Manas or Vijñāna?

Someone asked: During my walking, standing, sitting, lying down, and the flow of thoughts, there is an observer, a supervisor, closely watching all these actions. Is this observer, this supervisor, the manas or the consciousness?

The questioner is certainly observing and supervising themselves. Without having cultivated to a certain level, it is impossible to supervise and observe oneself. Such awakening and self-discipline only arise after recognizing one's own afflictions and shortcomings, which creates a desire to change oneself. Only after this intention arises can one observe and supervise one's own speech, actions, and thoughts.

Generally, it is the consciousness that observes and supervises oneself. This "oneself" refers to the five aggregates. These thoughts and physical and verbal actions are primarily initiated and produced by the manas, although consciousness also participates. However, it is not dominated by consciousness; consciousness participates passively. Therefore, consciousness needs to observe and understand its own mental activities and those of the manas. Why can consciousness constantly introspect and monitor itself? It is still because the manas, through cultivation, has attained some awakening, which prompts consciousness to introspect and monitor itself. When the manas has not yet attained enlightenment, it is very unwilling to deeply analyze and understand its own thoughts and mental activities; generally, it tends to conceal itself more often.

When the manas is heavily afflicted and unenlightened, it always prefers to deceive itself and others. Since it seeks self-deception, how could it allow consciousness to introspect, monitor, understand, and analyze itself? Consequently, it certainly does not wish for others to understand and analyze itself either. Such an unenlightened person is extremely defensive of their shortcomings. Those who defend their shortcomings also enjoy self-praise and self-glorification. If others do not praise them, they will praise themselves, elevating themselves to gain self-comfort and satisfaction. Such individuals have fragile hearts, thus needing affirmation from themselves and others to feel secure. As long as a person exhibits defensive behavior towards their shortcomings, they are unwilling to heed others' advice and suggestions. At this point, debating or advising them yields little effect. Only for those willing to correctly recognize and change themselves is advice meaningful and effective; it will not cause resentment or even lead to conflict.