The Progression of the Arhat

The mental faculty (manas) also possesses an auto-confirming aspect. During observation, consciousness observes first; the mental faculty then makes its own observation based on the consciousness's observation, deliberates further, and thus forms its own understanding, arriving at its own conclusion. All conclusions are primarily determined by the mental faculty. The mental faculty relies on the Eighth Consciousness to perceive all dharmas manifested by the Eighth Consciousness, and then forms its own views and understandings regarding these dharmas. Regarding dharmas that the mental faculty cannot comprehend directly, it must rely on the six consciousnesses to understand them. Based on the content understood by the six consciousnesses, it then engages in further reflection and judgment, forming its own views and understanding.

The mental faculty does not have a clear concept of "self" and "what belongs to self," or even any concrete concept at all. It focuses solely on functional utility, grasping the functional utility of the five aggregates and eighteen dharmatus, including the functional utility of itself, without forming a concept of the mental faculty itself. This differs significantly from consciousness. When the mental faculty ceases to apprehend the self of the five aggregates, it also includes ceasing to apprehend the functional utility of the mental faculty itself. However, at the stage of the first fruition (Srotāpanna), the understanding of non-self is less clear and profound than at the second fruition (Sakṛdāgāmin); the second fruition is less clear and profound than the third (Anāgāmin); and the third is less clear and profound than the fourth (Arhat). Therefore, at the first fruition, one attains the purified Dharma-eye; the tendency to grasp diminishes and lessens, but it is not as slight as at the second and third fruitions. At the fourth fruition, there is simply no grasping tendency at all—one does not grasp the five aggregates and eighteen dharmatus, including the functional utility of the mental faculty itself.