Chapter 5: The Communication Method Between Consciousness and Manas

1. How Consciousness and Manas Communicate Information

Only when consciousness contemplates and investigates a problem with a certain degree of meditative concentration (dhyāna) can it fully activate the deliberative function of the manas. Only then does the manas easily resonate with the problem, readily accepting and understanding it. However, the manas finds it difficult to resonate with or comprehend consciousness's inferential cognition (anumāna) and incorrect cognition (mithyā-jñāna), or thoughts that are distant from direct perception (pratyakṣa) and facts. To make the manas affirm a dharma, consciousness is best focused, concentrating its energy to contemplate and clarify the general outline of the dharma's meaning. Then, it condenses this into a single point that settles into the manas. When consciousness, detached from words and language, attends to this point for a prolonged period with minimal artificial effort, it enables the manas to grasp this dharma firmly and engage in deep, continuous deliberation. Even if consciousness ceases to attend to this problem, the manas still holds onto it tightly. This successfully permeates the manas, after which one can expect the manas to ultimately resolve the problem completely.

The thinking mode of the manas differs from that of consciousness, but consciousness can adjust its own thinking mode to facilitate interaction and coordination with the manas. Engaging in Chan meditation (dhyāna) employs this skill, but acquiring it requires long-term training. Once we learn this method and practice applying it skillfully, we will eventually be able to realize all dharmas. To deeply suspend a problem in the mind, consciousness does not deliberately analyze or consider it; instead, it simply carries the problem, attends to it with doubt, remaining unmoving and seemingly calm on the surface. In reality, the depths of the mind are not calm; the manas is working continuously, and consciousness also needs to cooperate by attending to the dharma. Alternatively, consciousness need not be overly focused and can engage in other activities.

Just now, while pacing, I realized a principle through investigation: the mastermind strategizing is still this old antique, the manas. The deep scheming is also this old antique, the manas. Consciousness seems like a little child, only capable of running errands and handling minor tasks; it must still attend to the manas, looking after it from front and back.

Cultivating concentration (śamatha) primarily aims to manifest the wisdom of the manas, reduce its grasping (prapañca), and enable it to realize and affirm [truth]. Learning to ride a bicycle follows the same principle: no matter how clever consciousness is, it only facilitates the manas in mastering the method. Afterwards, the manas directs the body sense faculty (kāyendriya) and the six consciousnesses to cooperate, achieving effortless mastery, sensitivity, and speed, fundamentally requiring little further participation from consciousness. However, consciousness's prior learning and contemplation assist the manas, providing it with data and material for investigation and deliberation, allowing the manas to fully grasp it. Additionally, solving a difficult problem is very similar: the manas is truly marvelous and very clever. As a cognitive mind (vijñāna), it can do many things; it is not a fool.

2. Self-suggestion is when consciousness suggests to the manas, giving it certain encouragement and motivation to make the manas more confident, firmer in will, and more proactive in handling affairs. The method of suggestion is for consciousness to say inwardly: "I (the manas) am powerful, I (the manas) can do this well, I (the manas) am sure, I (the manas) can handle it, I (the manas) am excellent, I (the manas) have confidence, I (the manas)..." When consciousness speaks like this, it thinks it is talking to itself, unaware that it is suggesting to the manas. This is because consciousness cannot distinguish itself from the manas; it perceives the combined operational mode of these two consciousnesses as a single, integrated "I," unaware and ignorant of the subtle dharmas within.

Nevertheless, the manas still receives the suggestion and encouragement, causing the mind to become invigorated and confidence to increase. Thus, the manas believes this suggestion, believing it can certainly succeed, has the ability to realize self-value, and the ability to express itself. The manas becomes relatively confident, its power grows stronger, and it then decisively initiates actions of body, speech, and mind to achieve its goals and fulfill its purposes.

3. Many people have had the experience of conducting an internal dialogue alone. How can one person engage in internal communication? This is communication between two consciousnesses, in the form of question and answer (also called self-questioning and self-answering), or mutual discussion and communication, which can also resolve various psychological problems. Because the functions and experiences of the two consciousnesses differ, they can complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. Consciousness's specialty is its ability for detailed thinking, analysis, reasoning, and judgment, helping the manas to discern meticulously in the six sense objects (ṣaḍ-viṣaya). The manas, however, is experienced and shrewd, possessing powerful deliberative and decisive capabilities. Moreover, it can activate the Tathāgatagarbha to manifest thoughts into reality, turning ideals into actuality. Its weakness is its broad grasping (prapañca), lacking subtle discernment, which consciousness can precisely compensate for.

Therefore, when the manas cannot make a decision, it should consult consciousness about the ins and outs and details of the matter before making a judgment and choice. When consciousness cannot figure something out and doesn't know what to do, it hands the matter over to the manas for deep deliberation, getting to the root of the matter and digging out its source. When both cannot decide, they must repeatedly deliberate, contemplate, ponder, and scrutinize together. When all attention is focused on this one important matter, consciousness should analyze less, and the manas should deliberate more, like a fish sinking to the bottom of the water, unseen by the waves.

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra describes this situation: "When stillness is deep and unmoving, sand and silt settle by themselves." This means that all scattered and superficial thoughts of consciousness vanish at this moment. Only the manas deliberates deeply, quietly, profoundly, and obscurely, weighing and deciding. Suddenly, a big wave surges, the fish leaps out of the water—the manas understands through deliberation. Slapping the thigh, [one realizes] "So that's it!" There is sudden enlightenment, a sudden opening, the solution emerges, and the matter is resolved. Of course, before the manas deliberates obscurely, consciousness has already transmitted the details of the matter to the manas. The manas knows the general outline of the matter but cannot immediately make a decision or judgment; it must personally investigate and deliberate.

Sometimes, it is consciousness that actively seeks communication, discussion, answers, or solutions to difficult problems. It is consciousness that has the intent to communicate and can express itself in language. Consciousness poses the questions it doesn't understand, presenting them. Who can help solve these problems? Besides the manas, there is no second party. When the manas considers a problem, it must not only grasp less [externally] but also exert its deliberative and decisive nature. The more the manas discerns consciousness's thoughts, the more it can diligently process along the lines of consciousness's thought content, ultimately solving the problem and fulfilling consciousness's request.

4. Question: If the manas does not correspond to words and language, how does the conclusion reached by consciousness's contemplative practice convince the manas? What are the channels and methods of communication between the manas and consciousness? Can direct perception (pratyakṣa) contemplative practice reveal the communication method between the manas and consciousness?

Answer: The statement "the manas does not correspond to words and language" means that the manas cannot express its thoughts and concepts using words and language; it can only transmit them to the six consciousnesses and the five aggregates body (pañca-skandha) in the form of signal impulses. After transmission, the physical body (rūpa-kāya) has autonomous reactions, the six consciousnesses unconsciously contact the six sense objects (ṣaḍ-viṣaya), and consciousness obtains certain thoughts, concepts, or information. The content that consciousness thinks, analyzes, and expresses can be understood by the manas in its own unique way. All of consciousness's cognitive and thinking activities, including verbal and textual content, are transmitted to the manas in the form of information, settling into it. The manas can fully discern and parse this information; it possesses a certain power of decisive understanding (adhimokṣa) regarding the information transmitted by the six consciousnesses. Otherwise, the manas would be unable to make decisions or direct the next course of action.

When consciousness engages in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā) of the Buddha Dharma, the information from the contemplation is simultaneously transmitted to the manas. If the manas doesn't understand the first time or the second time, over time, it can comprehend and be permeated [by the practice], agreeing with the results of consciousness's contemplative practice. This is the result of the manas activating its own unique deliberative and judgmental function. If one possesses meditative concentration (dhyāna), the manas can also deliberate based on the line of thought from consciousness's contemplative thinking—either together with consciousness or alone. The more deeply consciousness permeates [the manas], the more capable the manas becomes of deliberating alone, thereby jointly eliminating the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) with consciousness and jointly realizing the fruition (phala).

When consciousness mutters to itself, it is conveying messages to the manas, discussing and deliberating with it. The calmer the mind, the more the manas can function, and the stronger its deliberative power becomes. Whenever both cannot decide, consciousness engages in internal psychological dialogue, as if someone is listening—of course, it is speaking to the manas, hoping the manas will make the decision. Sometimes, when thinking about a problem in a room, the body may pace back and forth, circle around, deliberate, walk to and fro, tap the head, and appear deep in thought. This is the manas in deep contemplation, considering the matter, certainly not separate from consciousness's thinking and investigation, nor from consciousness's advisory role.

When one encounters a problem alone with no one else to consult, consciousness dialogues, discusses, deliberates, and communicates with the manas. This way, perhaps some countermeasures can be conceived; otherwise, one feels stifled inside. It's difficult to observe precisely who actively seeks deliberation and discussion here. Sometimes consciousness is active; sometimes the manas is active. Regardless of which side is active, it never departs from the manas's role as the master, nor from the manas's deliberation. Especially when lost in deep thought, it is the manas engaged in profound contemplation. When pacing back and forth thinking, there is conscious thought, but even more so, the manas's consideration and deliberation. Within this, if the power of consciousness is great, the power of the manas is small; if consciousness uses less mental effort, the power of the manas is great, and solving problems also has force.

5. The communication method between consciousness and the manas generally uses self-questioning and self-answering. Self-questioning and self-answering—who exactly is asking and who is answering? For example, if I ask a question now and you answer, the final result requires my agreement; I must summarize and conclude before the matter is settled. So, when one person engages in self-questioning and self-answering, who is asking and who is answering? Sometimes consciousness asks, and the manas answers. The question is posed in words and language; the answer comes without words or language. When consciousness understands, it says: "Oh! So that's it." Sometimes the manas asks—an ineffable sense of doubt arises—and consciousness assists with thinking and analysis, providing data. The manas then deliberates and decides based on this, and the solution emerges. Regardless of who asks or answers, ultimately, it is the manas that approves and agrees; the manas makes the final decision and choice, and only then is the problem resolved.

Investigating the critical phrase (huatou), Chan meditation (dhyāna), and investigation (vicāra) all follow the same principle as self-questioning and self-answering; they are all relationships of close cooperation between the two consciousnesses. When consciousness exists, these two consciousnesses have never been separated for even an instant. What consciousness thinks is always directed by the manas; it has never been free from the manas's control and cooperation. There has never been a situation where consciousness thinks alone without the manas participating. If the manas does not participate, consciousness ceases and does not exist; consciousness cannot operate separately from the manas. Yet, when consciousness does not exist or think, the manas can still work alone; it never rests, constantly engaging in conceptual proliferation (vikalpa), deliberating everywhere and acting as the master at all times. Even during sleep, coma, and around the time of death, the manas never gets a moment of leisure.

Therefore, if these two consciousnesses do not have a close cooperative relationship, it is impossible to break through [doubt] and attain enlightenment (kenshō). Without the participation of consciousness, there is no data or detailed information, evidence is insufficient. If the manas does not participate in deliberation, the result is a question without an answer—there is no solution, no result. The unresolved problem remains stored in the manas's mind, waiting for the manas to slowly resolve it, which could be at any uncertain time.

In Chan meditation, one must arouse a sense of doubt (yíqíng), then investigate. Having doubt is asking; resolving doubt is answering. This also resembles self-questioning and self-answering. Doubt is the question; the answer is the result; Chan investigation is searching for the result. Investigation is consciousness and the manas consulting and exploring together. When doubt is resolved, both the manas and consciousness must know the answer and result, jointly resolving the doubt. It is impossible to resolve doubt apart from the manas. Breaking through [to realization] is the result of their joint effort; consciousness cannot solely enjoy the fruit—that would be unfair. In fact, no achievement should be solely enjoyed or borne by consciousness; the manas must certainly share in it.

6. States of deep contemplation, dazing (fālèng), and absent-mindedness (lèngshén) are also similar to self-questioning and self-answering, employing the same skill. There is also "tuiqiao" (推敲, meaning to deliberate/ponder)—pushing and knocking—which is also a state of seeking an answer. After dazing, practice "tuiqiao" again, repeatedly deliberating, observing what skill this is and what results it yields. When a problem arises, that is "tui" (推, push); what does "qiao" (敲, knock) mean? It means pondering, deliberating, considering, probing deeply. In fact, everyone knows how to practice Chan meditation; everyone has practiced it—they just don't know how to summarize the experience or apply it to the Buddha Dharma. Holding a pen, propping the chin, frowning tightly, gaze focused—what is that? It is the manas investigating, appearing quite concentrated.

Some people, before acting, first use intuition to perceive, and then know how to proceed. It seems like jumping thinking, but it is actually the intuitive function of the manas, not using consciousness's thinking, analysis, or research. When the mind is relatively calm, the manas's perceptive power is great, its intuition is strong, and it can consider the root and essence of matters, not following consciousness's step-by-step thinking mode. The deep thinking of the manas is not the superficial thinking of consciousness. When this thinking is not observed or understood by consciousness, it is called jumping thinking.

Also, some people, whenever they think about a problem, use the position of the "third eye" (divine eye, ājñā-cakṣus) to "illuminate" it, seeming to quickly understand the problem under consideration. This is a state of concentrated spirit, thinking within concentration (samādhi), enabling problems to be solved quickly. Others, when thinking about problems, squint their eyes, or stare fixedly at one spot, or focus nowhere in particular. These are all states of the manas concentrating its spirit. Of course, consciousness is even more focused, but its thinking nature seems non-existent, while the manas's mental activity is very evident. This way, problems are solved most quickly, directly, and ultimately.