The Relationship Between the Manas and the Mind Consciousness in Cultivation and Realization

Resident Teacher: Regarding the use of the sixth consciousness (manovijñāna), it is best to stop at just the right point. The right mindfulness generated by the sixth consciousness does indeed have a perfuming effect on the manas, but this effect is ultimately limited; severing the ignorance of the manas ultimately depends on the manas's own observation and awakening. Prolonged use of the sixth consciousness—even when it gives rise to right knowledge and right view—will still increase the manas's laziness, dependence, and rigidity. The sixth consciousness is like a guide dog, and the manas is the blind person. If the blind person always relies on the guide dog, then even when walking on the correct path, the blind person is still blind after all; once the guide dog is gone, the blind person will inevitably fall into the abyss.

Therefore, when the sixth consciousness's perfuming of the manas has reached the point where the manas has an interest in or a question about a certain dharma principle (for example, "the five aggregates are not the self"), then one should let the manas investigate this topic. At this point, the sixth consciousness can be set aside for the time being—that is to say, the guide dog can take a rest. The blind person must find a way to open his own eyes, and this requires the power of meditative concentration (samādhi). Once the manas, within samādhi, has investigated the matter through and confirmed it beyond doubt, it is as if the blind person suddenly opened his eyes and recovered his sight. If so, would the blind person still need the guide dog? Is this not precisely what the great masters of the Chan school meant by "relinquishing consciousness (the guide dog) and using the faculties (the eyes that have recovered their sight)"?

The problem now is that many people always like to use the sixth consciousness to study the theoretical knowledge of the Buddha-dharma, that is, to continually train that guide dog's ability to find the way, while the eyes of the manas—the blind person—remain blind all along. Therefore, after the sixth consciousness has learned some theoretical knowledge of the Buddha-dharma, one should not go on to study ever more broadly; one should stop at just the right point. At this time, the sixth consciousness should instead guide the manas to investigate. This is the true practical cultivation and realization. From a certain perspective, whoever has currently studied more theoretical knowledge of the Buddha-dharma and can speak more eloquently—this only means that person's guide dog is smarter. As for the blind person himself, he can only become blinder and blinder, and increasingly dependent on the guide dog's help.

Comment: This large passage has essentially explained, clearly and thoroughly, the relationship between the manas and the mind consciousness in the study and cultivation of the Buddha-dharma, and has also made clear the fundamental issue of Buddhist cultivation and realization. Comparing the manas to a blind person and the mind consciousness to a guide dog is an apt analogy, making the relationship between the two unmistakably clear. Thus, the root and the focus of cultivation both lie in the manas; the mind consciousness plays an assisting role. To assist its master in cultivating and realizing spontaneously and self-consciously is the mind consciousness's duty. Only by becoming independent and self-reliant with the assistance of the mind consciousness can the manas achieve success and fulfillment.