Evidence for the Presence of Mindfulness Cetasikas and Klesha Cetasikas in Manas

When a person constantly ponders a certain question in their mind and suddenly becomes aware of their own thoughts, they feel astonished, even experiencing a sense of guilt as if caught red-handed. They quickly shake their head to dismiss the thought, wondering, "How could I have such an idea?"

This example reveals that a person possesses two streams of mental activity. One stream arises autonomously and operates subtly in the background; this is the mental activity of the manas (mind-root). The other stream initially remains unaware of the first but suddenly becomes conscious of it, feeling startled; this is the mental activity of the mind-consciousness. This indicates that the two mental streams are not consistent—the thoughts and perspectives of the mind-consciousness and the manas are not entirely identical. The two minds are not always in a state of mutual understanding, coordination, and unity. It also demonstrates that the mental activity of the manas can arise at any time, operating independently of the mind-consciousness or subject to its control. Upon discovery, if the mind-consciousness deems it inappropriate, it provides feedback to the manas, which then temporarily ceases that thought. Whether it resurfaces later depends on the controlling power of the mind-consciousness and the effectiveness of its persuasive influence.

Ordinary people often lack sufficient concentration and wisdom in their mind-consciousness, making it difficult to perceive the mental activity of the manas. They remain unaware of their own thoughts yet unconsciously act under their influence, thoughtlessly doing certain things or saying certain words, only to regret them upon later realization. For instance, if a thought of murder arises within the manas, and the mind-consciousness suddenly becomes aware of it, a jolt of fear and suspicion may follow. This indicates that the manas harbors hatred, unknown to the mind-consciousness. Once detected, the mind-consciousness might react with disbelief: "Do I have such thoughts?" Subsequently, through communication and mutual influence, if the mental activity of the manas gains dominance and the mind-consciousness decides to comply, they collude, formulating and executing a plan to kill.

The formulation and execution of theft plans follow a similar pattern, with the manas taking the lead and the mind-consciousness obeying and assisting. The unwholesome karmic actions driven by greed, hatred, and delusion arise in this way. If unwholesome thoughts of greed, hatred, or delusion arise in the mind-consciousness while the manas remains pure, these thoughts in the mind-consciousness will not persist for long and may even be forgotten. These are unwholesome thoughts acquired by the mind-consciousness from external environmental influences. If the manas steadfastly maintains its fundamental purity, the thoughts in the mind-consciousness will be like floating clouds, easily dispersed. However, if the mind-consciousness is persistently exposed to polluted environments, allowing unwholesome thoughts to arise continuously and accumulate to a certain degree, the manas may become corrupted through this influence. The result is that both collaborate in creating karmic actions tainted by greed, hatred, and delusion. Therefore, the environment in which a person resides plays a significant role in their development, profoundly influencing their thoughts and perspectives. Choosing to reside in wholesome environments is essential for embracing goodness and avoiding evil.