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

Chang Zhu: Regarding the use of the sixth consciousness (manovijñāna), it is best to stop at just the right point. Although the right mindfulness generated by the sixth consciousness does have a perfuming effect on the manas, this effect is ultimately limited; severing the manas's ignorance 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 increase the manas's laziness, dependence, and stubbornness. 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, 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 interest in or doubts about a certain dharma principle (for example, that the five aggregates are not the self), 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, in samādhi, investigates it through and confirms it without 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 "abandoning the 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 guide the manas to investigate — this is the true practical cultivation and realization. From a certain perspective, as for whoever has studied more theoretical knowledge of the Buddha-dharma and can speak more eloquently and fluently, this is merely a matter of whose guide dog is smarter; but for the blind person himself, it can only mean becoming ever blinder and ever more dependent on the guide dog's help.

Assessment: This large passage explains, quite clearly and thoroughly, the relationship between the manas and the mind consciousness in the study and cultivation of the Buddha-dharma, and it also makes 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 focal point of cultivation lie in the manas; the mind consciousness plays an assisting role — helping its master cultivate and realize spontaneously and on his own initiative is the mind consciousness's duty. Only by becoming independent with the assistance of the mind consciousness can the manas achieve ultimate success.