How to Observe and Subdue the Imputed Nature of the Manas

The imputed nature (parikalpita-svabhāva) of the manas means that it universally deliberates upon and grasps at all dharmas, ceaselessly cognizing all dharmas without interruption, relying on the eighth consciousness to cognize all the dharmas manifested by the eighth consciousness. Moment after moment it remains in a state of knowing, unwilling to let go of dharmas, clinging incessantly to every dharma it contacts. Past dharmas, present dharmas, and future dharmas all stick in the mind without cease; thoughts continue unbroken—not a single dharma goes unthought of, not a single dharma goes unclung to, not a single dharma goes unattached to. This is the imputed nature (parikalpita-svabhāva) of the manas. Because the manas has this characteristic, the mind becomes tangled like hemp and scattered like a monkey, with thought after thought never stopping. Thus He has no meditative concentration (samādhi) and cannot concentrate, expending an enormous amount of time and energy on meaningless dharmas, so that wisdom cannot advance.

If you have a way to observe these thoughts of the manas, you will realize what dharmas the manas is cognizing and grasping, and you will then have a way to counteract and subdue the imputed nature (parikalpita-svabhāva) of the manas, thereby being able to concentrate the mind and enhance the power of meditative concentration and the power of wisdom (prajñā-bala). How does one observe the imputed grasping and thoughts of the manas? First, observe the states and mental thoughts that appear in dreams: observe whether these states and thoughts are orderly or chaotic and unfocused. If you can observe the key point that the states point to and what the manas's thoughts are thinking, you can know what the manas grasps at and attends to, as well as the problems existing in the mind.

Second, at the moment of just waking up, observe what your thoughts are and what your emotions are like. These thoughts belong to the manas, not to the mind consciousness, because the mind consciousness has just arisen and has not yet had time to produce any thoughts or emotions. Third, in meditation, observe the thoughts that come and go. In meditation, the mind consciousness has already settled down and has no thoughts, yet there are still some mental thoughts in the mind that do not settle; they flicker bright and dim, light and heavy, appearing continuously—arising and ceasing, ceasing and arising. These thoughts all belong to the manas. In all circumstances, the thoughts in the mind are scattered and do not settle, and most of them are unimportant and meaningless. From this, one can understand and observe the imputed nature (parikalpita-svabhāva) of the manas. Because of this imputed nature, for countless eons we have expended and wasted an enormous amount of energy without obtaining the wholesome results we should have obtained. Such constant cognizing everywhere truly is not worth the loss.

How can one restrain and reduce the imputed nature (parikalpita-svabhāva) of the manas? One must avoid contact with meaningless and useless people, affairs, things, and principles, reduce contact with various states, and as much as possible block out the rotten people and rotten affairs of the world and the entangling people and affairs. If one can know one less dharma, then know one less dharma; if one can not know, then do not know. Those people and affairs have no meaning whatsoever; they merely waste time and energy and leave impure thoughts in the mind. The mind should constantly adhere to one meaningful dharma, focusing on this dharma without wavering, without interruption, and without admixture. Taking this dharma as the main thread, over time, with deepening practice, the scattered thoughts in the mind will diminish, the scattered mind can be subdued, and when the mind is concentrated and energy is focused and abundant, wisdom will grow.