The Verification of All Dharmas Lies in the Manas

All sentient beings regard the functions and operations of the five aggregates as the self, particularly mistaking the sensations of the consciousness aggregate—the six consciousnesses—as the self and what belongs to the self. They cling to their own sensations, thereby creating various wholesome and unwholesome karmic actions, even resorting to unwholesome deeds without hesitation. Consequently, due to these karmic actions, they sink into the cycle of birth and death, suffering retribution. Where do the sensations of the six consciousnesses come from? They arise after the contact between sense faculties and sense objects. Subsequently, the manas (mental faculty) takes these sensations as the self and clings to them, creating karmic actions driven by ignorance and craving. To liberate oneself from birth and death, one must contemplate the illusory nature, suffering nature, emptiness, and non-self nature of the sensations of the six consciousnesses. Knowing that sensations are illusory and unreal, one ceases to focus on them. As the mind gradually empties, one can sever the view of self and no longer cling to sensations. Then, afflictions such as greed, hatred, and delusion will fade and cease, and one will no longer create unwholesome karmic actions arising from ignorance. To contemplate sensations as empty is a matter of utmost importance. The five aggregates are non-self, and sensations are also non-self—this is a crucial concept.

The sensations of the six consciousnesses are relatively easy to observe, but the sensations of the underlying manas are extremely important and pivotal. Because the manas experiences sensations, it gives rise to afflictions such as greed, hatred, and delusion. By clinging to sensations, it prompts the six consciousnesses to create karmic actions. The manas regards all dharmas as the self and as belonging to the self, taking consciousness as its function. Therefore, severing the view of self means severing the manas’s view of self, and realization also entails the manas realizing the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature). Thus, the realization of all dharmas rests entirely with the manas, not with consciousness. Through truthful and principled contemplation, the more one contemplates, the more one realizes that the most fundamental practice and realization lie with the manas. The manas is the key to Buddhahood and the master of the cycle of birth and death. When the manas is successfully transformed through cultivation, one attains liberation and accomplishes the Buddha Way.

When the manas, through investigation and deliberation, realizes the Dharma, it overturns its previous irrational mental formations. The mental volition changes; it no longer clings to the five aggregates, and one attains preliminary liberation. This is the crux of practice. Why is it that after studying much theory, some people come to feel that the five aggregates are not the self, that they are empty and illusory, yet they still create defiled karmic actions for the sake of the five-aggregate body, without changing their mental volition in the slightest? Because those feelings of understanding belong merely to consciousness; they do not count at all. Without the manas’s experiential realization, it will continue to recognize the five aggregates as before, following its own afflictions to create karma. Therefore, all such feelings are unreliable. Only when any dharma is realized by the manas does it count.

The manas also constantly regards the various virtues of the Tathagatagarbha as its own, taking all dharmas produced by the Tathagatagarbha as the self and what belongs to the self. It does not know that all dharmas are manifested by the Tathagatagarbha, nor does it know that even itself is manifested by the Tathagatagarbha. This is why it creates karmic actions arising from ignorance. The practice of the Buddha Dharma is to enable consciousness to know theoretically that these dharmas are non-self and to know the true nature of the Tathagatagarbha. Then, one must influence the manas, enabling it to deliberate and realize the Tathagatagarbha within all dharmas, realizing that no dharma is the self or belongs to the self.

All dharmas are manifested by the Tathagatagarbha; they do not belong to the manas but are the functional expressions of the Tathagatagarbha. Only after the manas realizes this truth will the mind become empty, enabling it to cease clinging to the self of the five aggregates. This not only severs the attachment to self but also severs the attachment to dharmas. When attachment to dharmas is completely severed, one ultimately attains Buddhahood. Therefore, the key to practice lies entirely with the manas. Ignorance belongs to the manas; eliminating ignorance means eliminating the ignorance of the manas. Eliminating afflictions means eliminating the afflictions of the manas. Attaining liberation means enabling the manas to attain liberation. When the manas no longer clings to any dharma, there is no bondage—this is liberation. Who attains Buddhahood? Since the six consciousnesses cease and perish with each life, they cannot attain Buddhahood. It is the manas that attains Buddhahood. The Tathagatagarbha also does not attain Buddhahood. But in the ultimate truth, even the manas does not attain Buddhahood. On the day of attaining Buddhahood, one realizes there is no Buddha to attain; only then can one ultimately attain Buddhahood.