The Mental Power of Manas Equals Karma

The wisdom power and mindfulness power of the manas (mental faculty) are inherently inseparable from the power of concentration (samadhi); these three are absolutely indivisible. At the moment of death, during the bardo (intermediate state), and after rebirth, everything relies on the wisdom power of the manas. If the wisdom power of the manas is strong, the mindfulness power will also be strong. At the time of death, rebirth is determined by the mindfulness power of the manas, which decides the fate of the next life. The mindfulness power of the manas is equivalent to karmic force. If the wholesome aspirations of the manas are strong, right mindfulness will be strong, indicating that through cultivation, the power of unwholesome karma has been transformed, and wholesome karma outweighs unwholesome karma. If the unwholesome thoughts of the manas are strong, unwholesome karma will be strong, signifying that the individual’s cultivation is ineffective; at the time of death and rebirth, they will be drawn by the prevailing force. If the manas has not realized the Dharma, at the time of death and rebirth, one is not a sage but remains an ordinary being, subject to the fate of ordinary beings, drifting through birth and death according to their karma. If the wisdom of the manas is not strengthened, and one does not rely on the wisdom of the manas, all cultivation efforts throughout one’s life will prove futile.

For example, recollecting the Buddha and reciting the Buddha’s name is right mindfulness. At the time of death, if consciousness is weak and one cannot recall or lacks the strength to recite the Buddha’s name, and if the recitation has not permeated the manas—meaning the manas has not developed the habit of recitation—then the manas will not know to recite the Buddha’s name. In this case, one will not resonate with the Buddha and cannot invoke the Buddha’s reception and guidance. Consequently, one drifts according to karma, wandering through the cycle of birth and death. The result is that a lifetime of reciting the Buddha’s name only leaves behind a few seeds, with no effect at the time of death. Those who focus solely on consciousness without delving deeply into cultivation will reap such karmic retribution.