The Principles and Process of Manas Discernment

When a multitude of colors appear, if manas selects purple, it causes the six consciousnesses to continuously focus on appreciating it, while a pink flower is seen but never given a second glance. Since manas makes such a choice, it demonstrates that manas discerns the distinctions among various colors. Thus, manas is capable of contacting all six dusts and possesses a certain power of decisive understanding towards them, enabling the six consciousnesses to concentrate on appreciation. This indicates that manas is also constantly in contact. Therefore, manas also possesses concentration. If manas lacked concentration and wandered to other dust objects, the six consciousnesses would immediately vanish from the original dust object.

Within a large array of flowers, searching for the violet one particularly favored demonstrates that manas possesses desire, the mental factor of craving. If manas did not wish to see the violet, it would not cause the six consciousnesses to arise to seek it. Where manas does not reach, the six consciousnesses do not appear.