Chapter Eight   The Mastery of Manas

I. The Mastery of Manas

Manas is the master consciousness. Within the five aggregates and eighteen elements, all matters, great and small, are directed and commanded by manas; nothing can replace manas, not even the sixth consciousness. Although the thinking and judgment of the sixth consciousness can guide the choices of manas, it is ultimately manas that makes the decisive choice. Tathāgatagarbha cannot make choices on behalf of manas, cannot command the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses, and cannot be the master in worldly matters. Because tathāgatagarbha is selfless in nature, it cannot possess the self-centered mental activities like manas does; without the sense of self, it does not act as the master. It also does not perceive worldly phenomena; what it perceives are phenomena of a non-worldly nature. Therefore, it cannot be the master over phenomena of a worldly nature, nor can it command the creation of worldly phenomena.

Spiritual practice is about removing the ignorance of manas, letting it know that the five aggregates and eighteen elements are not the self, knowing that the true master is tathāgatagarbha, and that all phenomena are illusory appearances manifested by tathāgatagarbha, not something possessed by manas itself. Only then can manas gradually sever the attachment to self and phenomena; only when attachments are completely extinguished can one become a Buddha.

II. The Reason Manas is the Master Consciousness

Manas is a spontaneously arising conscious mind, eternally existing, never ceasing except in the state of nirvana without residue. It has existed since time immemorial; there is no phenomenon that can determine the birth of manas, nor is there any that can determine its extinction. Since there is nothing that can dominate the birth and death of manas, and nothing that can dominate its spontaneous functioning, it is the king among the seven consciousnesses, the commander and leader. Apart from this, there is nothing else that can serve as the commander and leader.

The sixth consciousness cannot be the commander and leader because it arises and ceases daily, lacking autonomy. Its arising is conditional: it requires manas, the mental objects (dharmas), contact between manas and the mental objects, and manas deciding to create bodily and verbal karma before the sixth consciousness can arise. Given this, how can the sixth consciousness be the master? If it cannot even control its own birth and death, having no say and no control, how could it have the ability to control manas and other phenomena? How could it be the master?

Especially when the sixth consciousness has not yet arisen, when it is very weak, or when it cannot think, how can it be the master? How can the sixth consciousness decide about sleeping and waking? When one is in deep sleep in the middle of the night and a fire suddenly breaks out at home, or an anomaly occurs, how can the sixth consciousness decide to wake up and escape? If the sixth consciousness itself does not even exist, how can it be the master? When unconscious, there is no sixth consciousness at all; how can it decide to struggle to wake up? In a vegetative state, the sixth consciousness is so weak, almost extinct; how can it decide to turn over? It doesn't even have thought; how can it decide to eat? How can it decide whether to keep living or to die?

Although manas is a non-definitive consciousness (avyākṛta) and cannot autonomously create wholesome or unwholesome karmic actions alone, this is unrelated to whether it possesses mastery. It is like a president who cannot program; he can command programmers to program, he has that authority. He doesn't need to do everything personally; he has subordinates to handle various matters, and he only needs to issue commands. Manas cannot personally create bodily and verbal karmic actions; it commands the six consciousnesses to create them. The six consciousnesses serve manas; if they are useless and cannot accomplish tasks, manas will not decide to let them arise, rendering them useless.

III. The Five Sense Consciousnesses Directly Transmit the Five Sense Objects to Manas

Is the information discerned by the five sense consciousnesses directly transmitted to manas or to the sixth consciousness? It is directly transmitted to manas, not to the sixth consciousness. Because manas is the master consciousness of the five aggregates and six consciousnesses, directly managing the birth, death, and changes of the six consciousnesses. The sixth consciousness is not the master consciousness; it cannot determine the birth, death, and changes of the five aggregates and five sense consciousnesses. Moreover, the sixth consciousness and the five sense consciousnesses are parallel and co-existing conscious minds; the discerned five sense objects and mental objects are parallel and co-existing phenomena, together constituting the six sense objects. Without both the five sense objects and mental objects, the six sense objects cannot be formed. Therefore, the five sense objects discerned by the five sense consciousnesses are directly transmitted to manas, while the mental objects discerned by the sixth consciousness are also transmitted to manas along with the five sense consciousnesses. Only then can manas know the nature of form, sound, taste, etc.; otherwise, it cannot know any kind of sense object.

After manas receives the information transmitted by the five sense consciousnesses and the sixth consciousness, it contemplates, considers, weighs options, and makes decisions about what to do next. Then the six consciousnesses will re-arise on the sense objects manas wants to deal with, with distinctions of priority and the discernment also having degrees of importance.

IV. Manas Can Discern More Than Just Major Changes in Mental Objects

The discernment of all six sense objects is governed by manas; manas has the final say. Some say manas can only discern whether there are major changes in mental objects, but this is not the case. For example, the breathing sound of someone nearby is very faint, yet one can hear it continuously. This shows that manas can discern any phenomenon, no matter how big or small, changing or unchanging, and can direct the sixth consciousness to discern and differentiate.

Mental objects have five types: form mental objects, sound mental objects, smell mental objects, taste mental objects, and touch mental objects. Manas can discern all five types of mental objects; otherwise, how could it contemplate, decide, and cause which of the first five consciousnesses to arise? For mental objects of the same type, manas can also make general distinctions. For instance, if several people suddenly appear before one, and manas is only interested in one person, it will decide to discern that person, and the sixth consciousness will not discern the others.

Manas can also discern the five sense objects. For example, colors are forms seen by the eye consciousness. If various colored flowers appear, and manas is only interested in purple flowers, then the eye consciousness will only discern and select purple flowers, ignoring flowers of other colors.

V. Manas Must Intend for the Manomaya-kāya and Transformation Bodies to Arise

The manomaya-kāya (mind-made body) and transformation bodies are indeed manifested by tathāgatagarbha through the intention (manasikāra) of manas, all involving the controlling and master function of manas. Each body has its own set of six consciousnesses. However, manas can govern all bodies. When manas has a thought, all bodies withdraw into one body; with another thought, one body transforms into all bodies.

Without cultivating manas, one lacks such meritorious qualities, and the function of manas is restricted. Without eliminating the afflictions of manas, its function and role are limited. When afflictions are completely eradicated, obscurations are removed, and wisdom is developed and manifested, all spiritual powers and abilities will appear.

VI. What "Mind" Refers to in "Manomaya-kāya"

All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas possess the manomaya-kāya. This "mind" (意) refers to the master consciousness, manas. Once the master manas intends or has a thought, tathāgatagarbha responds, manifesting countless transformation bodies, also called manomaya-kāya. Each manomaya-kāya has its own set of five aggregates body and six consciousnesses. Since the manomaya-kāya or transformation body arises from the intention of manas as the master, then these bodies belong to the physical body and five aggregates possessed by this single manas. And one manas corresponds to one tathāgatagarbha; each transformation body has its own set of eight consciousnesses.

Ordinary beings lack samādhi and wisdom; no matter how much manas thinks, intends, or has thoughts, there will be no doppelgangers or transformation bodies because manas lacks the power. Once manas possesses sufficient power, its thoughts immediately become all phenomena; if manas lacks power, no thought achieves anything. Cultivating samādhi strengthens the power of manas; cultivating wisdom strengthens the power of manas. Cultivating nothing leaves manas weak and incapable.

Once spiritual practice sufficiently develops the power of manas, making manas' ability strong, it can dispense with assistants and tools, accomplish all phenomena without the six consciousnesses and the physical body. For example, in the second dhyāna and above, the five sense consciousnesses are not needed. In the fourth dhyāna and above, the physical body's breathing, pulse, and heartbeat are not needed to supply nourishment. In the state of non-perception (asaṃjñā-samāpatti), the sixth consciousness is not needed. In the four formless realms (ārūpyadhātu), the physical body is not needed. Within them, in the sphere of nothingness (ākiṃcanyāyatana), the sixth consciousness is also not needed. In the cessation of perception and feeling (nirodha-samāpatti), only the self (manas) and the eighth consciousness are sufficient. Great Arhats with complete liberation and Eighth Ground Bodhisattvas can know all phenomena with manas alone, without needing the six consciousnesses.

    VII. What Determines the Destination at the Time of Death

When sentient beings go to heaven, to hell, to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, or take rebirth, is it manas taking the eighth consciousness, or the eighth consciousness taking manas? If it is manas taking the eighth consciousness, whose manas would be willing to take the eighth consciousness to hell, to the three evil paths for rebirth?

The matter of rebirth at the time of death is both determined by manas and not determined by manas; both determined by the eighth consciousness and not determined by the eighth consciousness; both determined by karmic force and not determined by karmic force. Ultimately, what determines it? If determined by manas, manas does not wish to go to the three evil paths. If determined by the eighth consciousness, the eighth consciousness does not act as master and does not manage affairs. If determined by karmic force, karmic force as immense as Mount Sumeru would definitely send one to the three evil paths, rendering meritorious practices useless, and even Buddhas and Bodhisattvas would be helpless. If determined by the power of vows, the vow power of many people is insufficient to resist karmic force.

In reality, the destination in the next life is determined by a combination of factors: karmic force plus the mental power and vow power of manas. Karmic force can be fixed or unfixed; cultivating wholesome dharmas can change karmic force; pure vow power can counteract some karmic force; the powerful mental power of manas at the time of death can counteract karmic force. The mental power and vow power of manas can be cultivated through practice and exposure to the Buddha Dharma. Accumulating wholesome karmic seeds can counteract part of the karmic force. As long as wholesome karma outweighs unwholesome karma, or wholesome karma ripens at the time of death, with the mental power of manas strong and blessings manifesting, rebirth in a wholesome realm can be assured. To cultivate the Buddha Dharma and nurture a wholesome mind, one must strictly uphold precepts, ensuring body, speech, and mind do not transgress. Sufficient blessings can prevent the appearance of adverse conditions, allowing wholesome karma to ripen and function.

VIII. The Meaning of "Taking Action Based on Phenomena, Based on Consciousness, Based on Suchness"

"Action" (行, karma) means operation or behavior, referring to the activities of consciousness, especially the conscious activities of the six consciousnesses, including bodhi actions, bodhisattva actions, and spiritual practice. This sentence omits the subject manas, because "taking" (取, upādāna) is primarily the grasping performed by the master consciousness manas; only after this do the actions of the six consciousnesses occur. What kind of actions the six consciousnesses should have depends on what manas grasps. What does manas grasp based on? Based on phenomena, based on the discernment, consideration, and judgment of the six consciousnesses, based on karma, based on bodhicitta, based on vow power, etc.

The final "suchness" (如) generally refers to the true mind's nature. However, the manas of ordinary sentient beings does not know of the existence of the true mind's nature; the manas of Bodhisattvas who have not realized enlightenment does not know which is the true mind's nature, so it will not directly follow the considerations of the true mind. But when the true mind, following karmic seeds, is about to manifest karmic actions, manas will follow the karmic seeds, make choices, and initiate considerations; this is also the action of manas.

In a sentence, once the subject, predicate, and object are identified, one knows what the subject wants to do and what the object is. In these three sentences, the subject is not explicitly stated, but there is the predicate "take" and the object "action" afterward, so one can infer what the subject is. Only the master consciousness can grasp phenomena and grasp actions to choose actions.

The prerequisite for "taking" is "based on phenomena, based on consciousness, based on suchness." Once the connotations of the three words "phenomena," "consciousness," and "suchness" are clarified, one will know what actions manas takes. Whatever phenomena manas grasps, as long as it grasps, there will be action afterward. Therefore, it should be understood that after manas makes a decision, it is the six consciousnesses that carry it out. The actions of the six consciousnesses are the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the five aggregates – whether wholesome or unwholesome actions, great or small actions, selfless actions benefiting others, or selfish actions.

Since "taking" is the grasping by manas that leads to the subsequent arising of phenomena, we should understand that the arising of all phenomena, the existence of the three realms, the rebirth of the five-aggregate bodies, etc., are all results of manas' grasping. Therefore, the provisional master of the phenomena of the three realms, the master consciousness, must undoubtedly be manas. The importance of manas far exceeds that of the six consciousnesses. If manas does not grasp phenomena and does not need the six consciousnesses to realize its grasping, the six consciousnesses will not arise.

In the twelve links of dependent origination, if there is no grasping (upādāna) by manas, there will be no birth, death, and rebirth. It is evident that manas is the primary cause of birth, death, and rebirth. Why does manas grasp? Because of ignorance. Without the ignorance of manas, all phenomena cease and do not exist. Therefore, so many Buddhists who do not exert effort on manas but only attend to the sixth consciousness; who do not address the master but follow the servant, have mistaken the object. What is the result? Much effort with little gain, wasted effort. To this day, the principles of realization have been explained very clearly and thoroughly, yet there are still those who insist that only the sixth consciousness can sever the view of self and that realizing the mind is sufficient. What kind of intelligence is that? Truly hard to compliment. Practitioners encountering problems must learn to contemplate according to principle; possessing a certain logical thinking ability is one's greatest wealth, benefiting one for life after life without end.

IX. Closing Manas Brings Purity

The key to closing the mind lies with manas. If manas is closed and managed, it will not grasp at miscellaneous objects, the six consciousnesses will not crave feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness, and afflictions and attachments can be severed. The key to spiritual practice is manas; it is the great gate and master switch of all phenomena. Once manas ceases, all phenomena become quiescent, without affairs and without mind; without mind, there are no realms – nirvana is quiescent.

X. The Information Received by Manas is Jointly Transmitted by the Five Consciousnesses and the Sixth Consciousness

Question: When manas wants to discern a certain thing, do the five sense consciousnesses discern simultaneously, and is the information discerned by the five sense consciousnesses directly transmitted to manas? Does manas receive the information transmitted by the five sense consciousnesses and then decide whether to discern deeply and whether to let the sixth consciousness arise?

Answer: The five sense objects and mental objects together constitute the complete sense objects. Discernment of the complete sense objects requires the combined functioning of the five sense consciousnesses and the mental consciousness associated with them (五俱意识, sense-door consciousness); they cannot be separated. Therefore, the information received by manas is jointly transmitted by the five sense consciousnesses and the sixth consciousness.

When sentient beings discern at the same time, the five sense consciousnesses and the sixth consciousness operate simultaneously. For example, manas knows there is a person in front and wants to look at this person carefully. The eye consciousness and mental consciousness arise on the form object of this person's body, discerning the person's appearance. At the same time, the ear consciousness and mental consciousness arise, discerning the person's voice and surrounding sounds. However, at this time, the nose consciousness may also appear, able to smell odors; the body consciousness may also exist, sensing the temperature and one's own body.

The five sense consciousnesses and the mental consciousness associated with them all exist and all discern. However, discernment must have a focus. Because manas has limited attention, energy, and samādhi power, it has a focal point of attention; it does not focus equally on all six sense objects but distinguishes primary and secondary. Primary phenomena receive special, focused discernment; secondary phenomena are lightly passed over. If manas focuses intently on the person in front, the eye consciousness, ear consciousness, and mental consciousness will devote more attention to discerning, while surrounding smells may not be noticed or paid attention to, bodily sensations may be forgotten or felt only slightly.

Why does the discernment of the six consciousnesses show varying degrees of intensity corresponding to the degree of manas' attention? Because the arising of the five sense consciousnesses and the sixth consciousness is determined by manas; the degree of focus in discernment is also determined by manas, not by the sixth consciousness, let alone by the five sense consciousnesses. Whatever phenomena manas focuses on, the six consciousnesses focus on discerning those phenomena. The six consciousnesses are entirely dispatched by manas; attention is allocated by manas. Therefore, the six consciousnesses are involuntary. Although the sixth consciousness may have its own opinions during discernment, manas can adopt or disregard the opinions and suggestions of the sixth consciousness.

XI. The Intermediate State Body (Antarābhava) is a Manifestation of Manas' Karma

The intermediate state body (中阴身, antarābhava) also has six consciousnesses, but at this time the functioning power of the six consciousnesses is somewhat weaker, not as strong as in a living person. Because the intermediate state body is a manifestation of karma, it is when karmic force is strongest. Manas corresponds with karmic force, and its mastery is most prominent. At this time, the sixth consciousness cannot regulate manas. Furthermore, the physical body of the intermediate state differs greatly from a human body; the mental consciousness dependent on the intermediate state body has weaker thinking, analytical, and judgment functions, exerting a weaker restraining force on manas. Without the restraining influence of the sixth consciousness, the karmic habits and tendencies of manas manifest completely. If the afflictive habits of manas have not been transformed, if precepts, samādhi, and wisdom have not been cultivated, if it does not correspond with wholesome dharmas, and if the three fetters have not been severed, one will definitely be bound by afflictive fetters and go to the three evil paths for rebirth. All activities in the intermediate state body are primarily governed by the karma of manas. If manas is wholesome, one goes to a wholesome realm for rebirth; if unwholesome, to an evil realm; or rebirth occurs according to the vow power of manas.

At the time of death, the functions of the five sense faculties become increasingly weak. Tathāgatagarbha no longer sustains the five sense faculties; the four great elements decompose, and the six sense objects can no longer be transmitted inward. The conditions for the arising of the sixth consciousness are incomplete, so the sixth consciousness ceases to arise. As the transmission of the six sense objects diminishes, the six consciousnesses become increasingly faint and finally cease. Manas and tathāgatagarbha then depart and enter the intermediate state body.

XII. Manas Has a Dominant and Propelling Effect on the Six Consciousnesses

The essential realm (本质境) is the common appearance (共相分) – the appearance shared by all tathāgatagarbhas, created by the transformation of the seeds of the four great elements; it is the most real within form phenomena. After this, individual tathāgatagarbhas, like a mirror reflecting an image, manifest it through their seeing aspect (见分) into the external appearance (外相分), which manas can then perceive. This image differs greatly from the essential realm. The external appearance of the six sense objects is the "apprehended image based on reality" (带质境). The mirror image manifested by tathāgatagarbha based on the essential realm is the reflected image (镜像). The seven consciousnesses can only ever perceive the result of seed manifestation, not the seeds themselves.

Manas can perceive the six sense objects, not just the mental objects derived from the five sense objects. First, because manas is the master consciousness; for the arising of any phenomenon, manas must first make the master choice before the phenomenon can arise. If manas could not perceive the five sense objects, how could the five sense consciousnesses arise to discern the five sense objects? Who decides to let the five sense consciousnesses arise and discern specific five sense objects? If manas does not decide to discern the five sense objects, tathāgatagarbha cannot cause the eye consciousness to see forms, the ear consciousness to hear sounds, etc.; the eye faculty, ear faculty, etc., also cannot engage with objects. That is to say, the five sense consciousnesses are not master consciousnesses; they cannot decide their own birth and existence. There must be the decision of a master consciousness for the five sense consciousnesses to arise and perceive the specific five sense objects intended by manas. Therefore, manas must perceive the five sense objects to know their characteristics.

Manas has a dominant and propelling effect on the six consciousnesses. If manas does not wish to discern the six sense objects, the six consciousnesses cannot arise. During sleep, internal six sense objects continuously appear in the subtle sense faculty (胜义根), but because manas does not wish to discern, sentient beings cannot wake up. As long as the five sense faculties exist, tathāgatagarbha must rely on them to transmit the external six sense objects, manifesting the internal six sense objects within the subtle sense faculty. It is the same during unconsciousness and during samādhi; otherwise, one could not emerge from samādhi or wake up. First, there are the faculties and objects; afterward, consciousness arises. Where there is consciousness, there are necessarily objects, but where there are objects, there is not necessarily consciousness.

Since manas can perceive the bones of a past life, the lotus flower in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and people and things from past lives, it should be said that manas can perceive the six sense objects beyond the subtle sense faculty. If external six sense objects can only be perceived by manas when transformed into internal six sense objects within the subtle sense faculty, then the vast array of phenomena beyond the subtle sense faculty, at so many different levels, would be imperceptible to manas. Then manas would not be the consciousness that silently contains all phenomena; this would contradict the Buddha's holy teachings and also not accord with reality.

When tathāgatagarbha perceives the essential realm, its seeing aspect perceives the essential realm. Afterward, it manifests a similar mirror image for manas to perceive. Manas, relying on the seeing of tathāgatagarbha, has its own seeing nature and can also perceive the external six sense objects. However, this external six sense object appearance is the mirror image illusorily produced by tathāgatagarbha after perceiving the essential realm; what the two perceive differs. If manas wishes to discern the mirror image, it will prompt tathāgatagarbha to produce the six consciousnesses to discern the mirror image. But what the six consciousnesses discern is the mirror image again manifested by tathāgatagarbha within the subtle sense faculty, which differs from the external mirror image of the six sense objects.

XIII. Who Decides the Birth of the Five Sense Consciousnesses?

After the five sense faculties contact the five sense objects, what determines whether the five sense consciousnesses arise? The five sense faculties are fixed. Tathāgatagarbha manifests the five sense objects respectively on the five sense faculties; the five sense faculties naturally contact the five sense objects. However, contact is contact; whether discernment occurs is decided by manas. Since whether the five sense faculties contacting the five sense objects results in the birth of the five sense consciousnesses to discern the five sense objects is decided by manas, then manas must be able to roughly know whether the five sense objects are important or of interest to it. Otherwise, on what basis would manas decide to discern the five sense objects, causing the six consciousnesses to arise and discern?

The Buddha explained in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra that upon reaching a certain level of cultivation, the six sense faculties can interchange and function mutually, and manas can substitute for the other five sense faculties. He gave several examples as proof: Mahākāśyapa perfectly knowing without relying on mental thought; Gavāṃpati knowing taste with a different tongue; Śūnyatā (舜若多神) feeling touch without a body. Mahākāśyapa knew without mental thought means the sixth consciousness did not think or know; he did not use the sixth consciousness to know – that is, he used manas. Manas replaced the sixth consciousness and could also replace the five sense consciousnesses. Thus, manas can also possess the functional roles of the five sense consciousnesses and the functional role of the sixth consciousness, being able to discern the six sense objects specifically and in detail. This means manas can see and feel the specific colors, etc., of the coarse five sense objects; it can replace the sixth consciousness in discerning very subtle mental objects; it can think, analyze, reason, judge, recall, etc.

Like Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva who, without a body, could feel touch objects; manas replaced the body faculty and the body consciousness/mental consciousness. Thus, manas becomes omnipotent; its functions are unrestricted. It can possess all the mental factors (caitasika) of the six consciousnesses. With only manas and the eighth consciousness, the existence of a living being can be maintained; spiritual powers can be greatly displayed, accomplishing anything.

Why could Gavāṃpati know what the taste object was without using the tongue faculty? Generally, the taste object is transmitted via the external tongue nerve in the mouth to the internal tongue faculty within the subtle sense faculty. When the faculty and object contact, and manas decides to discern, the tongue consciousness and mental consciousness arise to discern. If manas does not decide to discern, being occupied with more important matters, the tongue consciousness and mental consciousness do not arise, and one does not know the taste of the food. Without the external tongue faculty, the taste object cannot be transmitted to the internal tongue faculty in the subtle sense faculty, and the tongue consciousness/mental consciousness will not arise.

However, even though the taste object cannot be transmitted to the subtle sense faculty, after tathāgatagarbha contacts the essential realm of the taste object in the food and drink, it manifests a taste object identical to the essential realm like a mirror reflecting an image. At this time, manas, along with tathāgatagarbha, can perceive this external taste object, right up until tathāgatagarbha transmits the external taste object to the external tongue faculty. Manas can contact the external taste object and roughly perceive it.

This is the manas of an ordinary person, without any cultivation or realization; it can only do this. But if it is an Arhat or a Ground-level Bodhisattva with great wisdom and profound samādhi, manas can discern the five sense objects and mental objects relatively subtly because the five sense objects are connected to mental objects; manas can contact and discern all external six sense objects. Therefore, the manas of great practitioners can know the state of the six sense objects, the same as the discernment of the six consciousnesses, even more subtle and ultimate than the discernment of an ordinary person's sixth consciousness. Similarly, Śūnyatā feeling touch without a body is the same; manas replaced the body faculty in contacting touch objects and discerning them, replacing the body consciousness and mental consciousness.

All dharmas are interconnected. When we thoroughly comprehend the Buddha Dharma, all doctrinal meanings are integrated, not things unrelated to each other. It is only when one has not yet comprehended the Buddha Dharma that one's cognition has obstacles; it is one's own mind limiting one's own mind; it is afflictive obstructions that limit one's own mind. It is not that the doctrinal meanings limit one; doctrinal meanings have no mind to limit people's understanding of principle.

XIV. The Arising of Any Phenomenon Requires Manas as a Condition

In the process of tathāgatagarbha transmitting the five sense objects, manas perceives them first. Following tathāgatagarbha, manas gets the first advantage ("near the water tower gets the moon first"). Afterward, tathāgatagarbha transmits the five sense objects to the external five sense faculties. If the five sense objects plus mental objects are very important and urgent, manas immediately decides to make a corresponding response; the six consciousnesses will quickly arise to obey manas' instructions and respond; only afterward does the sixth consciousness understand what happened. If manas did not perceive the six sense objects/five sense objects first, how could it take very rapid emergency measures when encountering major dangers? When making a stress response, the sixth consciousness doesn't even know what's happening. It is evident that manas is not simple; we cannot underestimate it. Manas perceives all twelve sense bases and eighteen elements. The arising of any phenomenon requires manas as a condition; tathāgatagarbha cannot directly give rise to any phenomenon without manas as a condition, except manas itself. The six faculties, including the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties – these five faculties cannot arise without the condition of manas. The six sense objects, including form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects – without the condition of manas, tathāgatagarbha cannot manifest the six sense objects.

How did the body faculty and other five faculties initially arise? Manas and tathāgatagarbha together enter the womb and reside in the womb. Tathāgatagarbha, based on karmic seeds, outputs the seeds of the four great elements, gradually forming the five faculties. After the five-aggregate body is born, manas, relying on tathāgatagarbha, is fully aware of all conditions of the five faculties. If the situation is special and somewhat serious, beyond manas' ability to handle, it will decide to produce the six consciousnesses to discern and handle matters on its behalf. If it's unimportant and ordinary, it will not produce the six consciousnesses; manas itself knows and that's sufficient. Similarly for the six sense objects of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects – manas, following tathāgatagarbha, can contact them all. If it wishes to discern and handle them, it will decide to produce the six consciousnesses. If detailed discernment and handling are not needed, the six consciousnesses do not arise and remain unaware of the objects. However, manas has the habit of grasping; even if the sixth consciousness does not wish to discern many phenomena, manas still makes the six consciousnesses discern them, regardless of usefulness.

Unexpected situations in daily life occur outside the awareness of the sixth consciousness; karmic force comes too quickly, leaving no time for the six consciousnesses to arise to discern and handle them, so one has to passively endure. Manas knowing something alone is useless; it cannot handle it alone; it must rely on the six consciousnesses to handle it.

XV. The Sixth Consciousness Corresponds to the Three Karmas and Follows Manas

Question: Manas in the unenlightened state (未转依位) is always associated with defiled dharmas, and since manas is a continuously operating consciousness, the eighth consciousness is implicated by manas, forever only associated with defiled seeds. As soon as the sixth consciousness manifests, it becomes associated with defiled seeds. Therefore, as long as manas has not transformed into the undefiled state, the sixth consciousness cannot transform into the undefiled state, right?

Answer: If manas has not eradicated afflictions, transformed consciousness into wisdom, and become associated with undefiled dharmas, then the sixth consciousness cannot eradicate afflictions and become associated with undefiled dharmas. This proves that manas is the master consciousness; the six consciousnesses manifest based on manas. Manas contains all afflictions, not just some. If manas does not sever afflictions, the sixth consciousness cannot sever afflictions; if manas does not eradicate ignorance, the sixth consciousness cannot eradicate ignorance; it can only suppress and subdue. Therefore, practicing only on the sixth consciousness is incomplete; it can still be destroyed, still follow manas, especially in future lives.

Although manas is associated with defiled dharmas, it also has wholesome mental factors and is associated with wholesome dharmas. It also controls the six consciousnesses to create wholesome karma and stores wholesome karmic seeds; the eighth consciousness thus also contains wholesome karmic seeds, not just unwholesome and defiled karmic seeds. Then, after the sixth consciousness and five sense consciousnesses manifest, they will also, following manas, create wholesome karma and become associated with wholesome karmic seeds, not just associated with unwholesome and defiled karmic seeds. Manas and the sixth consciousness are associated with all three types of karma – sometimes wholesome, sometimes unwholesome, sometimes neutral.

XVI. Relying Upon a Dharma Characteristic is Decided by Manas

Relying upon a dharma characteristic is decided by manas. Only after deciding does it lead the five aggregates and six consciousnesses to begin relying upon it. Why does manas make this decision? Because it has seen this dharma characteristic, recognized it, knows it is solid and reliable, that relying upon it will be beneficial, and only then decides to rely upon it.

Therefore, if manas does not sever the view of self and does not realize the true mind, how can it know that tathāgatagarbha is truly a place worthy of reliance? How can it decide to even slightly rely upon tathāgatagarbha to create the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the five-aggregate body? Therefore, if only the sixth consciousness attains the fruit and realizes the mind, it cannot subdue body and mind; afflictions will still grow increasingly strong because one feels one has gained something, adding another self; where there is self, there are necessarily afflictions. Only when manas simultaneously attains the fruit and realizes the mind can body and mind abide in samādhi, subduing afflictions, making them increasingly subtle, and finally eradicating them.

XVII. Relying Upon True Suchness Nature is Governed by Manas

"Relying upon" (依止) means dependence. It's like relying under a large tree, knowing the tree is sturdy, can block wind and rain, shield from the sun's heat, allow the body to rest, and simultaneously knowing the tree's location, enabling one to walk towards the tree and sit or lie against it. It's also like relying on a mountain to live, knowing the mountain contains various wild delicacies to eat, trees to build houses, firewood to cook, and also knowing the mountain's terrain, elevation, etc., enabling one to go to the mountain and establish a home.

The operation of any matter is governed by manas; manas is the overall commander and regulator. Of course, relying upon true suchness (真如, tathatā) is also like this, without exception. Therefore, before relying upon true suchness, manas must understand the characteristic and nature of true suchness, know the location of true suchness, and only then can it follow the nature of true suchness, adjust its own body and mind, direct mental activities towards true suchness, eliminate various defilements, and gradually turn towards purity and non-action. In this case, manas must realize the true suchness nature before one can speak of relying upon, depending on, or directing oneself towards it. Without realizing true suchness, one cannot direct oneself towards true suchness, like a blind man not seeing the sun. Therefore, the sixth consciousness attaining the fruit or realizing the mind is still no different from a blind man; it cannot direct itself towards the unconditioned (无为), nor can the mind become empty.