Chapter Eight: Manifestations Perfume Seeds, Seeds Perfume Manifestations

1. The manas (mental faculty) has never ceased since beginningless kalpas. The afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, along with their habitual tendencies brought from those beginningless kalpas, persist into the present and will continue into future lives. It dominates our physical, verbal, and mental actions, causing them to manifest greed, hatred, and delusion. Meanwhile, all our present physical, verbal, and mental actions also perfume the manas, increasing its nature of greed, hatred, and delusion, resulting in heavier afflictions in future lives. This is how manifestations perfume seeds. Therefore, we should be cautious about our current physical, verbal, and mental actions, learn to introspect our own minds, prevent unwholesome dharmas from perfuming the manas, and instead use wholesome dharmas to perfume and transform the manas. This is true spiritual practice.

Perfuming (vāsanā) first involves the mind-consciousness being perfumed, which then perfumes the manas, transforming it. This is manifestations perfuming seeds. Another process is the manas perfuming the consciousness, causing physical, verbal, and mental actions to manifest according to the habitual inertia of the manas. This is seeds perfuming manifestations. Both worldly and supramundane dharmas operate this way. We can utilize this principle by diligently perfuming and cultivating the Buddha Dharma, allowing the tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature) to store wholesome karmic seeds. Consequently, wholesome dharmas will manifest in the future, enabling the eventual perfection of the Buddha Path.

Perfuming is also called influence, a subtle and imperceptible force. For example, when a husband and wife live together for a long time, their respective tathāgatagarbhas continuously absorb each other's images, which settle into their consciousness. The consciousness is then perfumed and becomes similar to the other's image. Initially, this is not noticeable, but over time, their appearances become alike. Because appearances arise from the mind; when the mind is perfumed and changed, the appearance also changes. Their modes of verbal expression gradually become similar, dietary habits become the same, and even behavior and demeanor may resemble each other. All of this is imperceptibly perfumed and changed; this is acquired perfuming.

Therefore, to make our own appearance dignified, we can frequently contemplate the Buddha's image. The tathāgatagarbha continuously absorbs the Buddha's image into the mind, which is gradually influenced, and the appearance becomes dignified. Appearances arise from the mind; when the mind changes, the appearance changes. If we consistently associate with virtuous and wise individuals, our speech and conduct will gradually emulate theirs, and our virtue will improve. Mencius's mother chose their neighborhood to ensure Mencius was perfumed by wholesome dharmas, not unwholesome ones. Similarly, when we perfume the Mahayana Dharma, although the principles are profound, once the Dharma seeds settle into the mind, they will eventually blossom and bear fruit, yielding a bountiful harvest. This is the principle of manifestations perfuming seeds.

2. When sentient beings engage in every action, encountering conditions and objects, the mind-consciousness, through rational thought, logically determines that such an action should be reasonable. However, the manas insists on acting according to its inherent habits. The consciousness cannot persuade or control the manas, so the manas proceeds regardless. Afterwards, regret arises; this is the regret of the consciousness. Subsequently, the consciousness analyzes: what were the consequences of that action, what were the gains and losses, what negative impacts did it create? The manas can discern this analysis, then generate the mental factor of deliberation (cetanā), pondering the pros and cons of the matter for itself. After deliberation, it may agree with the consciousness's opinion and viewpoint, then correct itself; or it may disagree and remain stubbornly attached to its own view.

When agreeing with the consciousness's analysis and judgment, the manas feels that such action was wrong, that it acted somewhat impulsively, and that it would be better to calm down before taking action. At this point, regret arises, but it is too late. This regret first belongs to the mind-consciousness, then to the manas. If the manas does not regret, the regret of the consciousness is in vain, and the same mistake will recur. If the manas disagrees with the consciousness's analysis and judgment, the person will feel (with consciousness) that something is amiss, yet (with manas) remain indifferent, finding various reasons and excuses to justify themselves. Of course, it is the consciousness that specifically finds reasons and defends, but it is directed by the manas to do so.

Although the consciousness is influenced and dominated by the manas when performing every action, it is also influenced by the acquired environment. After being influenced by the environment, it seeks to change its own mental actions—essentially, to change the mental actions of the manas. If the manas is unwilling to heed the opinions and views of the consciousness and is not influenced by it, it refuses to change its inherent habits. When acting, it will proceed as usual, and mental actions will not change. If the manas's own assertions are too strong, its habits too deep, to the point where the consciousness cannot exert much influence, and everything is willfully done by the manas, then this person lacks rationality. The observing wisdom and discerning wisdom of the mind-consciousness cannot function. This person will often act impulsively, unable to control themselves, regretting only afterwards, but by then a major mistake has been made, and regret is too late.

3. All matters, great and small, concerning the five aggregates (skandhas) body are decided by the manas. The ideas and views of the consciousness are merely a reference; the manas may or may not comply. Only by the consciousness gradually perfuming and guiding the manas can the inherent habits of the manas be changed. Our learning of Buddhism also perfumes the manas in this way. The consciousness, through contact with principles of Buddhist practice, feels that it should subdue its own afflictions and not always allow greed, hatred, and delusion to manifest. However, the manas does not yet understand the profound principle of subduing afflictions; perhaps it is not even aware that it has afflictions, and will still prompt the consciousness to manifest afflictions. When the consciousness introspects and realizes that generating afflictions has many faults, it resolves that whenever encountering any situation in the future, it will not get angry or generate hatred, as this would burn down the forest of merit and create karmic actions anew. Yet, every time it encounters disagreeable people or events, the consciousness still gets angry and simply cannot control it.

This is because the karmic power of the manas is great, and moreover, it is the ruling mind. If it has afflictions and decides to get angry, the consciousness cannot help but get angry, even though it regrets it afterwards. When regretting, it thinks, "I won't do this again next time," but next time it still erupts the same way, and it never gains control over hatred until the end of life. This is because the manas has not been effectively subdued, so it prompts the consciousness to get angry and generate hatred whenever conditions arise. The consciousness has also not engaged in patient and meticulous contemplation; it has not perfumed the manas, so the manas does not understand the principle, and mental actions follow afflictions and habits. This is karmic power. Karmic power is the power of karmic seeds and also the power of the manas. When the manas changes, the karmic seeds change, and karmic power changes.

Another example: After learning Buddhism, the consciousness knows that the five aggregates oneself are impermanent, changing, and unreal, and that the six dusts (objects of the senses) are illusory. It constantly says to itself: "Everything is false, why cling?" At the same time, it tells others everything is false and urges them not to cling. Yet, although it says this and calls for letting go, when it comes to acting, nothing is false anymore; it cannot let go of anything and must grasp everything—truly helpless. Because the manas is in charge of all actions; if the manas does not know the five aggregates are illusory, it is useless. Furthermore, the consciousness itself has not truly understood how its own five aggregates body is illusory; it has not engaged in deep and meticulous contemplation, remaining confused itself. Thus, it has no evidence to present to the manas, the manas remains unperfumed, does not understand the principle of illusion, and will still mistake the false for real, still deciding to act according to past karmic inertia.

The manas only recognizes facts and direct perception (pratyakṣa); it needs reason and evidence to understand principles and change karmic power and reverse inertia. How physical, verbal, and mental actions manifest is decided by the manas. If the manas insists on grasping all dharmas, the consciousness cannot control it. The consciousness also does not frequently perfume various principles and has not engaged in deep and meticulous contemplation, so the manas is not perfumed. Therefore, the manas will not change and will still follow karmic power to manifest physical, verbal, and mental karmas.

If we wish to change the afflictive habits of the manas through Buddhist practice, we should treat the manas like a child, patiently and meticulously instructing it with thought. Tell the manas: if this matter is done this way, what karmic retribution will be obtained; if done that way, what karmic retribution will be obtained; why different retributions are obtained. If this matter is done this way, what are the benefits; if done that way, what are the drawbacks. After a certain time, the manas finally understands and says: "Oh! So that's how it is! From now on, I should act this way, and not that way." Henceforth, when encountering the same situation, the mental actions of the manas change, and the physical, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses also change. Others who see this will say: "This person is different from before; it's as if they are a different person."

Anyone who truly understands a principle will act according to the correct principle. Although they may not fully achieve it in a short time, they already have the resolve to change themselves, which is praiseworthy and commendable. Therefore, if we wish to learn the Buddha Dharma well, the mind-consciousness must frequently contemplate the correct Dharma principles according to reason. For example, contemplate how the five aggregates and eighteen elements (dhātus) are illusory and devoid of self. The more detailed, profound, and patient the contemplation is, the better. This way, the manas is easily taught successfully. This "child" will henceforth become well-behaved, no longer causing trouble or creating unwholesome karma, no longer willful or clinging, but will subdue afflictions and gradually become pure and non-active. Then our practice becomes effective, and future practice will advance by leaps and bounds, unstoppable.

4. When seeing tea and wanting to drink it, which mind is this desire to drink? One possibility is the consciousness; another is the manas. First, because the consciousness has drunk tea in this life and understands the nutritional benefits of tea, it transmits the idea of drinking tea to the manas. After the manas discerns this, it may agree to drink tea. During the tea tasting, the consciousness transmits the sensations to the manas, which then also knows them. The mind is perfumed and also develops a fondness for drinking tea. The karmic seeds are stored in the tathāgatagarbha. This is manifestations perfuming seeds.

If there is a karmic seed of liking tea from a past life, encountering tea in this life, after the consciousness discerns it and transmits the information to the manas, the manas wants to drink tea. It then prompts the six consciousnesses to brew, pour, and drink the tea. This is seeds perfuming manifestations. If one disliked tea in a past life, and the karmic seed exists in the tathāgatagarbha, encountering tea in this life, even if others urge drinking it, if the manas dislikes tea and has no interest, the tea cannot be drunk. All matters, great and small, are decided by the manas. The opinions and views of the consciousness are merely a reference; the manas may or may not comply.

If the manas is not interested in drinking tea, no amount of persuasion from others is useful; the manas simply will not make the decision, and the consciousness cannot drink the tea. However, if the consciousness is long exposed to a tea-drinking environment, gradually perfumed, and tries drinking a little, it will increasingly like drinking tea. Simultaneously, it will perfume the manas, which will also like drinking tea, and the karmic seeds will change.

5. Differences in the manas lead to differences in the consciousness.

Why is the consciousness of a sage not easily perfumed when coming to this Saha world of five turbidities? Why is the Buddha's consciousness not perfumed at all? Whether the consciousness is perfumed or not depends mainly on the strength of the manas. The manas of a sage has no afflictions; his consciousness, relying on the manas, also has no afflictions and is not easily perfumed by the environment. The Buddha's consciousness is fundamentally untaintable, like a lotus in mud. The manas of ordinary beings is heavy with ignorance and afflictions, heavily perfuming the consciousness, which easily generates afflictions. Bodhisattvas before the first bhūmi (ground) are similar, only slightly better. But whether sage or ordinary being, when the five aggregates body is first born, the consciousness is equal for all, a blank slate, pure and flawless. Afterwards, it is perfumed and driven by its own manas, and behavioral expressions become different. Then, influenced by the environment, parents, and others, the behavioral expressions of the consciousness become even more different.

The same consciousness inherently has no difference. Under the same environmental pollution, why is the consciousness of Buddhas and sages not perfumed, while that of ordinary beings is? Is it the difference in environment or the difference in the manas? Let's not discuss after the transformation of consciousness into wisdom; just consider when they were children or before learning Buddhism. Why is there such a big difference in consciousness? In the same dye vat, why is one severely dyed and corrupted, with blazing greed, hatred, and delusion, while the other can still remain pure and maintain integrity? There is only one explanation: the difference in the manas leads to the difference in the consciousness, nothing more.

If the manas inherently has no greed, hatred, or delusion, but the acquired consciousness can be perfumed into greed, hatred, and delusion, that would be very strange. If that were the case, the Buddha's manas has no greed, hatred, or delusion, but born in the Saha world of five turbidities, the consciousness should also be dyeable into greed, hatred, and delusion. Then what use would spiritual practice be? Therefore, the reason the consciousness possesses greed, hatred, and delution lies entirely in the manas having greed, hatred, and delusion. If the manas has no greed, hatred, or delusion, the consciousness cannot possibly be perfumed into greed, hatred, and delusion, no matter what. After the manas of a Bodhisattva transforms consciousness into wisdom, even in a defiled environment, their consciousness will not be perfumed by greed, hatred, or delusion. Their Bodhisattva stage will not regress; they will not revert to being a Bodhisattva before the first bhūmi with afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, nor regress to before the third fruit (anāgāmi) or the fourth fruit candidate (pratipannaka).

The differences between individuals do not lie in one life; within one life, differences cannot accumulate to such a great extent. Differences are accumulated over many lives. Therefore, the differences between sentient beings lie in the manas. It is the difference in the manas that leads to differences in the consciousness, physical, verbal, and mental actions; leads to differences in the wisdom of the consciousness; leads to differences in merit (puṇya) and meditative concentration (dhyāna). Due to differences in the manas, differences arise in all aspects of the consciousness, and the wisdom in understanding problems also differs vastly. The wisdom of the manas is very important; it belongs to the assets of past lives' five aggregates and is called the root of wisdom (prajñendriya). If the manas lacks good wisdom, all our past life practice was in vain. The Buddha Dharma and worldly dharmas perfumed and cultivated in past lives were also perfumed in vain and cannot be brought to this life for benefit.

6. The actions of the six consciousnesses are dominated and controlled by the manas. If the afflictive defilement of the manas has not been subdued, all physical, verbal, and mental actions are still dominated by the afflictive habits of the manas. The consciousness wants to control its own physical, verbal, and mental actions but cannot. Therefore, seeing its own unreasonable physical, verbal, and mental actions, it feels shame and self-blame, essentially blaming the manas, but the consciousness does not understand this is the manas's problem, thinking it is its own problem. If it were the consciousness's own problem, once the consciousness realizes it, it could correct it immediately, without difficulty. But for the manas's problem, the consciousness sometimes feels helpless. It can only study the Dharma more, understand principles more, master more skillful means to persuade and perfume the manas. Only then will the afflictive habits of the manas gradually subside somewhat.

Most of what we encounter now is unavoidable and must be endured; it is our own karmic cause and effect, cannot be avoided, cannot be chosen, and needs to be passively accepted. Within our circumstances and encounters, there are also some accidental factors and unexpected events that allow us to actively and passively change karma. When one cultivates to a certain level, one gains the ability to control and change karma; then body and mind become relatively free.

7. When karmic power manifests, it is the manas that is acting, controlling everything, giving the consciousness no chance to argue; the event just happens. But after the event passes, who regrets it?

After the event, the consciousness regrets first. Because the consciousness can observe and analyze its own physical, verbal, and mental actions, knowing right from wrong, it regrets. The content of the consciousness's regret is simultaneously discerned by the manas. If the manas agrees with the consciousness's regret, it regrets its own past physical, verbal, and mental actions. Then, in the future, the manas can correct the physical, verbal, and mental actions. If the manas does not agree with the consciousness's regret, then the manas does not regret and will proceed as usual, not changing its physical, verbal, and mental actions. The regret of the consciousness then fails to have its intended effect, and it still has to follow the habits of the manas.

8. Seeds perfume manifestations. The perfuming received by the manas since beginningless kalpas is brought into this life and can perfume the physical, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses, causing them to act according to the ignorant habits of the manas, corresponding to the habits of the manas. For example, a highly cultivated person is born in this life; from childhood, their mind is kind, their nature pure, joyful in giving and helping others. No matter how severe the evil conduct of the surrounding people, they themselves do not follow suit in committing evil deeds but still act according to their own (manas's) pure, undefiled habits. Another example is an adherent of a non-Buddhist path who, perfumed by the nihilistic emptiness of that path in a past life, comes to practice within Buddhism in this life. No matter how much they are taught the emptiness principle of the Mahayana tathāgatagarbha, their mind (manas) remains unperfumed, still corresponding to the non-Buddhist emptiness, unwilling to change.

Fixed-nature Śrāvakas, due to their narrow-mindedness in past lives, only sought personal liberation from suffering and happiness, escape from the three realms to attain liberation, disregarding the suffering of sentient beings' life and death. The World-Honored One used the supreme Mahayana Dharma to perfume them for decades, yet they still did not delight in the Mahayana, refused to change their narrow minds, did not turn their minds towards the Mahayana, still pursued the Nirvāṇa without residue, extinguishing all dharmas, even attaining parinirvāṇa before the Buddha. This is because the manas of the Arhats was perfumed by the Hinayana for too long; the seeds are deeply rooted and very difficult to change.

Therefore, if a person has little merit and unfavorable conditions, when learning Buddhism, they may only believe in Hinayana Dharma, non-Buddhist paths, or even eternally unenlightening deviant dharmas. After perfuming and cultivating, the seeds are stored in the tathāgatagarbha. In future lives, even if they encounter the correct Dharma again, it is difficult to be perfumed; they will still practice according to the previous improper methods. It is like a blank paper already heavily smeared; no matter how much it is scrubbed, it cannot be cleaned, and a good painting can no longer be drawn. It is inferior to a blank paper, which is easy to draw on. Therefore, from the very beginning of our practice, we must choose the Dharma to be cultivated well, not take the wrong path, not learn the wrong Dharma, avoiding incorrect Dharma seeds being stored in the tathāgatagarbha, causing ourselves to linger in birth and death for many lives.

9. When the manas has not eradicated afflictions and habits, its rationality is poor, appearing naive, childish, and emotional. The consciousness has both rationality and emotion; its emotional and emotional coloring is also related to the habits of the manas. Because the consciousness can clearly discern mental objects (dharmas), engage in rational thinking and analysis, and make correct choices, this rationality can perfume the manas, thereby changing the habits of the manas. The consciousness has feelings of pleasure and pain, therefore it carries emotional coloring and can generate emotions, such as liking and disliking, hatred, etc. For example, when encountering a relative from a past life, karmic seeds manifest. The manas corresponds to the karmic seeds, has the habit of greed, and prompts the consciousness to unconsciously display joy and attachment. But the mind does not know why this is so, because it is not someone recognized by the consciousness through thinking and analysis; after all, they are unfamiliar. It is an emotion manipulated by the manas; the consciousness does not know the reason.

10. The consciousness of each life is newly born. Without cultivating spiritual powers, it cannot correspond to experiences from past lives. The consciousness has no habits from past lives, only habits from the present life. At the end of life, the habits perish with the consciousness. The manas has habits from past lives' five aggregates, afflictive habits from countless kalpas of five aggregates, corresponding to habit seeds. When habits of the consciousness's physical, verbal, and mental actions appear, they often manifest the habits of the manas, the result of being perfumed and dominated by the manas.

The consciousness does not correspond to karmic seeds. When the manifestation of the consciousness corresponds to karmic seeds, it is also the habit of the manas; it is the manas ruling and leading it out. The consciousness is perfumed on one hand by the present objects of the six dusts, and on the other hand by the habits of the manas since beginningless kalpas. If the consciousness has concentration (samādhi) power and wisdom, when the afflictive habits of the manas manifest, it can rationally contemplate, analyze the pros and cons, then control the afflictive habits of the manas to change it. Once the decision of the manas changes, the rationality of the consciousness has perfumed the manas. When the manas truly changes, the karmic seeds change, and henceforth the manas no longer manifests this kind of afflictive habit. Thus, the manifestation of the consciousness has perfumed the seeds. When the manas initially formed the habit of smoking, it was also the result of being perfumed by the consciousness. Now, to eliminate the habit of smoking, it also relies on the perfuming and transformation by the consciousness. Success and failure both lie with the same agent.

11. Knowing clearly that gambling and playing games are bad, yet still going to gamble and play. "Knowing clearly" is the consciousness knowing perfectly well; "deliberately committing" is the consciousness having to do it because the manas's habit and inertia for gambling are very strong; it must coerce the consciousness to gamble. The consciousness knows it should not gamble but has no choice but to obey. Therefore, some principles, if we only keep them superficially on the mind-consciousness, are useless. If this inner mind, the manas, does not accept or understand, mental actions will not change.

We usually should not just engage in empty talk and play with words; we should also deeply contemplate the profound principles within. The process of contemplation is the process of making the manas understand the principles. Once the manas understands the principles, mental actions change, and practice succeeds. Many people can talk the talk (empty talk), but when it comes to actual practice, how many can do it? Empty talk is the consciousness; the one actually in charge is the manas. Whatever the manas decides to do, the six consciousnesses must do. Therefore, when encountering matters, use your brain more to contemplate. After thinking clearly, then take action; only then might the decision of the manas not be wrong.

12. Seeds Perfume Manifestations

When an infant is just born, the consciousness is brand new, not yet perfumed by the acquired environment. Yet it prefers a warm, dry environment; this manifests the manas's innate habits. The manas relies on the body faculty, discerns the condition of tangible objects (touch), knows that warm, dry tangible objects are comfortable, while cool, cold, damp tangible objects are uncomfortable. It causes the consciousness to manifest corresponding reactions: in a comfortable environment, it sleeps peacefully; in an uncomfortable environment, it cries and fusses, not sleeping. These habits of the manas were formed over many lives. Its reactions and decisions regarding the environment are instantly known by the tathāgatagarbha, which then cooperates to produce the six consciousnesses to manifest the emotions of the manas. Therefore, the physical actions of the six consciousnesses are dominated by the manas.

The manifestations of the six consciousnesses are the embodiment of the manas's thoughts and mental actions; seeds from past lives become manifestations. All karmic seeds of sentient beings are stored by the tathāgatagarbha and output by it. After present physical, verbal, and mental actions are performed, they are transmitted to the manas, then stored by the tathāgatagarbha. All mental actions of the manas are also stored as karmic seeds by the tathāgatagarbha. When the seeds mature in the future, the tathāgatagarbha outputs them again; naturally, what is stored is what is output; seeds become manifestations.

13. The Mental Struggle Between Consciousness and Manas

Rational and awakened people often experience situations where the consciousness and the manas struggle and contend with each other, especially after learning Buddhism. The consciousness learns some Buddhist views and truths of worldly dharmas, gains some awakening, and is unwilling to continue obeying the afflictive habits of the manas. It feels some aversion towards the manas's afflictive habits and wants to resist and oppose them, especially after upholding precepts and cultivating patience (kṣānti). Conflicts and confrontations between the two occur even more; this is the contest between the rationality of the consciousness and the unwholesome habits of the manas.

The consciousness, understanding some principles of conduct and practice, gains rationality and has its own new ideas and views. But the manas is still within its own afflictive habits from past kalpas, not freed, still clinging to afflictive habits. Because the thoughts and views of the two are inconsistent, conflicts arise when acting; there is an internal stalemate. If the consciousness is persuasive, it can temporarily gain the upper hand, and the manas will decide according to the consciousness's ideas. If the consciousness wants to permanently dominate, it must thoroughly persuade and subdue the manas. The manas must truly understand and agree with the consciousness's thoughts and concepts, completely transforming itself. Otherwise, when the consciousness relaxes control and ideological education, the manas will still decide according to habitual inertia, and the six consciousnesses have no choice but to execute it.

When a beginner in Buddhism, whose manas has not been perfumed and does not understand the benefits of learning Buddhism, encounters adverse conditions, they do not want to learn Buddhism. But the mind-consciousness has already tasted the various benefits of learning Buddhism, so it likes to learn and practice Buddhism. Thus, conflict arises between the two, reaching a stalemate. The consciousness becomes hesitant and unsure what to do about learning Buddhism. The one who wants to learn Buddhism must be the mind-consciousness, because the mind-consciousness already understands the principle. The manas does not yet understand this principle, so encountering a little difficulty, the manas wants to retreat and decides not to learn.

The one who does not want to learn is the subconscious, intuitive manas. It hints to the mind-consciousness not to learn. But because the mind-consciousness understands the principle, it may disregard the hint of the manas, or it may hesitate somewhat, thinking more. Therefore, these two minds often struggle. The so-called struggle means the consciousness has one idea, the manas has another idea; the two ideas do not match. What the manas decides to do, the consciousness is unwilling to do; what the consciousness wants to do, the manas does not decide to do. Because the manas is accustomed to ease and laziness, it feels that anything without benefit is not worth doing; it also does not correspond to the mental factor of diligence (vīrya).

The mind-consciousness, having learned the Dharma, knows that heedlessness is bad, that liking ease leads to birth and death, that one should not covet comfort and freedom, and that diligent learning of Buddhism can lead to liberation. Therefore, the two consciousnesses have inconsistent opinions; they engage in mental struggle, pondering back and forth internally. Of course, the one pondering back and forth, unable to decide, is the manas. There may also be the continuous thinking function of the consciousness, thereby influencing the continuous deliberation of the manas, preventing a final decision. The manas and consciousness operate together. The thinking of the consciousness is relatively obvious and easy to observe; the deliberative nature of the manas is very difficult to observe. Therefore, the manas is called the subconscious mind, buried very deep. The final outcome depends on which of the two has the upper hand in strength. If the mind-consciousness has been deeply perfumed and can withstand the inertial force of the manas, arguing on the basis of reason, through thinking activities, it can persuade the manas, which then decides to persist in learning Buddhism.

If the habits of the manas gain the upper hand, the mind-consciousness has no choice but to follow the habits of the manas. After all, the manas is in charge. If the consciousness fails to persuade the manas, it must obey the manas's command: "If you don't want to learn, then don't," and thus becomes lax. All actions and creations of the consciousness and six consciousnesses are certainly commanded and directed by the manas. Therefore, our mind-consciousness should study the Buddha Dharma more, understand principles more, using this to guide and persuade the manas. Through the thinking of the mind-consciousness, the manas understands that learning Buddhism has such benefits, that it is better to learn Buddhism. Then, no matter what adverse conditions are encountered, the manas will also decide to persist in learning Buddhism without retreating.

After learning for a certain time, the manas understands the principles, and habits will gradually change. The more principles the manas understands, the more it can realize (证得). The so-called realization means the manas knows the principle is indeed so; only then is it called realization. If the manas does not know, and it is only the knowing of the mind-consciousness, that is very superficial, not decisive, and cannot be called realization.

Even if the consciousness knows many principles, it is not very effective, because it must be submitted to the manas for approval; the manas must pass it before it can be implemented. After the consciousness understands the principle, it submits the report; the manas examines it, confirms it is indeed this principle, gives the nod, and then we can sever the view of self and realize the mind (明心). Therefore, in the final analysis, spiritual practice is about cultivating the manas. Initially, it is about cultivating the mind-consciousness. Once the principles understood by the mind-consciousness are implemented in the manas, any Dharma can be realized.