Why Does Manas Think and Contemplate?

The thoughts of the manas—what causes them to think and remember? It is precisely because the manas has retained certain memories that it thinks of matters deeply cherished, and because it considers certain issues crucial and seeks further resolution that it contemplates them. All dharmas arise through the thoughts of the manas. Only when the manas thinks can the eighth consciousness (alaya-vijnana) cooperate, thereby giving rise to the dharmas contemplated by the manas. If the manas does not think, the eighth consciousness remains uninvolved, the six consciousnesses do not arise, and thus no issues can be resolved. The dharmas contemplated, pondered, and deliberated by the mental consciousness, as well as the dharmas it discerns, are all elicited by the thoughts of the manas. Without the thoughts of the manas, the mental consciousness cannot arise, let alone other mental activities.

At times, after the mental consciousness arises, it may contemplate certain dharmas. However, if these contemplations and thoughts do not permeate the manas, and the manas does not engage in thinking, then the dharmas contemplated by the mental consciousness will not materialize. For example, when reciting Buddhist scriptures, even if the mental consciousness recites them fluently, if the manas does not internalize them, the mental consciousness cannot recall them. Recalling is essentially recollecting; if the manas has not retained the memory, the mental consciousness cannot recall. The recollection of the mental consciousness is guided by the manas. If the manas cannot guide the content of the scriptures, the mental consciousness cannot recite them. If the manas lacks interest in reciting scriptures, the mental consciousness will soon be unable to continue—the mind becomes restless. The manas is far more agile and dynamic than the five sense consciousnesses, and even more so than the mental consciousness itself. It is the driving force behind the manifestation of all phenomena. Therefore, its functions and capacities must far surpass those of the five sense consciousnesses and the mental consciousness to accomplish this.