Can the Mind Consciousness and the Manas Be Separated?

The manas is the defiled-and-pure basis for the six consciousnesses: when the manas is defiled, the six consciousnesses are necessarily defiled; when the manas is pure, the six consciousnesses are necessarily pure. So then, if the manas has not eliminated the view of self, can the mind consciousness eliminate the view of self? If the manas has not severed its afflictions and entanglements, has not severed the three fetters, can the mind consciousness sever the three fetters? Since the manas has not severed the three fetters, at the time of death it is drawn by karmic obstructions toward the hells to undergo retribution—where is the mind consciousness to go at that point?

When the manas remains at the stage of an ordinary person's ignorance, can the mind consciousness alone become a wise one who has attained the first fruit? Should such a person be counted as an ordinary being or as a wise one who has realized the fruit? Or should it be split into two, cut apart? If someone has harmed himself, and the manas is extremely obstinate in its clinging to self, insisting on carrying out revenge, how should the mind consciousness deal with this matter? When the mind consciousness is clear-headed, understands correct principles, and has already undergone perfuming, it can reason with the manas and counter-perfuse the manas, thereby suppressing and subduing the manas so that it does not carry out revenge and commit evil karma. But at the time of death and in the antarā-bhava, when the power of the mind consciousness is weak, it has no way to draw or persuade the manas.

Can the mind consciousness guide and admonish the manas in a dream? If one cannot even maintain mastery over oneself in a dream, then at the time of death one will be even less able to maintain mastery over oneself. What is meant by mastery? It is the mind consciousness understanding principles and subduing the manas, rectifying the manas, and keeping a firm grasp on the manas's direction. Clearly, at the time of death and in the antarā-bhava, the mind consciousness has no way to maintain mastery over the manas; at that point the manas will be drawn along by karmic force, or drawn along by the force of vows, and not drawn along by the mind consciousness. So if one's practice remains stuck at the stage of the mind consciousness and refuses to advance a single step further, is that not dangerous and unreliable?