The Decisive Role of the Constant Deliberation of the Manas

The character "shen" (constant examination) in the manas's constant examination and deliberation reveals the mental activity of the manas, and also reveals the function that the manas performs. This shows that the manas is not just a decoration with no function at all; He is a lively and active conscious mind that plays a very important and decisive role.

Whatever dharma the manas contacts, He must examine it; whatever dharmas the six consciousnesses discern, the manas must examine them. If the examination is passed, then He will make a decision and proceed to handle it. So what role does the manas play in investigating Chan? What role does He play in eradicating the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi)? What role does He play in seeing the mind and seeing the nature? What role does He play in realizing all dharmas? In all of these, He plays the decisive role.

All dharmas must pass through the manas's checkpoint. If the manas has not judged them as qualified, they cannot be processed. From this we can see the manas's dominant position and His role as the master. When the manas examines, He must activate His own mental activity, constantly weighing, deliberating (manasikāra/manana), and choosing; He does not simply follow the views and opinions of the six consciousnesses, nor does He immediately approve whatever the six consciousnesses discern. Therefore, everything seen by the six consciousnesses must be clearly and distinctly understood by the manas. If the manas does not understand it, the examination is not qualified, it fails to pass the checkpoint, and the manas cannot make a decision. Both the eradication of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and seeing the mind and seeing the nature must pass through the manas's examination and review. If the manas does not agree, the view of self cannot be eradicated, and seeing the mind and seeing the nature cannot occur. When the mind consciousness eradicates the view of self or sees the mind unilaterally, that is merely the mind consciousness's own understanding and belief; if the master, the superior, does not agree, it does not count.

How can the manas be led to arrive at the result and answer by Himself? The mind consciousness should analyze and think less, and let the manas deliberate and weigh things by Himself more—this is the most effective way. Once the mind consciousness knows the answer, it no longer wants to investigate, and the manas then has no opportunity to investigate; in that case, enlightenment can never be realized. Therefore, if the answer to seeing the mind is casually inquired about or casually told to someone, the manas can no longer apply effort, and enlightenment becomes impossible. The same applies to the content of eradicating the view of self: one cannot demand that the master explain it in too much detail. If the mind consciousness already knows everything, the manas can no longer ponder it, and eradicating the view of self becomes very difficult.

The "si" (deliberation) in the manas's constant examination and deliberation means deliberative selection, reflection, and discrimination; "liang" (measuring) means measuring, gauging, discerning, and weighing. The mental activities of the manas's examination, deliberation, and measuring are extremely deep and subtle, difficult to discover and observe, yet His conscious activity is still very powerful, carrying the momentum of a king; His choosing and deciding regarding all dharmas occupies the dominant position and is irreplaceable.