Chapter Seventeen: Miscellaneous Discussions on Manas (2)

Fifteen: The Sentient Being Is What Manas Is

Are the transformation bodies of a Bodhisattva ordinary beings or sages? Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva manifests thirty-two response bodies; he manifests whatever form is suitable to deliver beings and expounds the Dharma accordingly. Whether one is an ordinary being or a sage depends on manas. What manas is, that being is. If manas has not realized the Way, that being is an ordinary being. To what degree manas has cultivated and realized, that is the fruition level of that being.

The Buddha manifests countless aggregates bodies (pañcaskandha bodies). Are those aggregates bodies Buddhas or ordinary beings? Are they renunciants or householders? The Buddha’s manas is free from ignorance; it has completely transformed consciousness into wisdom, accomplishing the Buddha fruition. The Buddha’s mind-made body (manomayakāya) is certainly the Buddha, not an ordinary being; certainly a renunciant body, not a householder body. Making offerings to the Buddha’s mind-made body and response body is equivalent to making offerings to the Buddha. Śākyamuni Buddha is the transformation body (nirmāṇakāya). We can only perceive the transformation body; we cannot perceive the Dharma body (dharmakāya) or the reward body (saṃbhogakāya). Therefore, making offerings to any body is equivalent to making offerings to the Buddha.

Sixteen: The Difference Between Manas and the Five Roots

(1) The five roots (indriyas) are merely a condition for the arising of the five consciousnesses. The five roots cannot determine whether the five consciousnesses arise and function, nor how they operate. This is because the five roots are purely material form (rūpa), lacking the mental factors (caittas) of the mind of consciousness. Therefore, they lack autonomy and determinative power, and so forth. Manas, however, is not only the root and condition for the arising of mental consciousness, but it is also consciousness itself, possessing the attributes of consciousness and the mental factors of the conscious mind. Moreover, manas is not an equal consciousness alongside the six consciousnesses; it possesses very special attributes. This uniqueness is primarily reflected in its nature of perpetual and continuous contemplation and deliberation (nitya-vicāraṇa). That is to say, manas constantly, continuously, and often examines and deliberates upon all dharmas. Why does it examine and deliberate upon all dharmas? Because it has the authority, responsibility, and duty to manage all dharmas well.

Mental consciousness (manovijñāna) cannot do this. It must arise in relation to each dharma; only after a dharma has appeared does it arise. Therefore, it cannot manage dharmas. It can only provide suggestions for subsequent dharmas, strategize for manas, and that only for a portion of dharmas, not all dharmas, because mental consciousness cannot correspond to all dharmas; it lacks that authority and capability. Therefore, the scope of mental consciousness is far inferior to that of manas; this is a matter of perspective and limited experience.

(2) The eighteen elements (dhātus) include the six roots, six dusts (objects), and six consciousnesses. The six roots include the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and manas. Among these, the first five roots are composed of the four great elements (mahābhūtas) – earth, water, fire, and wind. The gross physical roots (audārika-rūpa) are on the surface of the body, visible, tangible, and perceptible to the ordinary eye of sentient beings. They can be destroyed and altered, exhibiting birth-and-death phenomena visible to the physical eye. The subtle essential roots (prāṇātmaka-rūpa) of the five senses are located in the hindbrain area and can be seen through surgery; they are also material form that is visible, tangible, and perceptible, subject to destruction and alteration, being impermanent suffering dharmas subject to birth and death. When the five roots are damaged, the functions of the physical body are obstructed and abandoned, resulting in a vegetative state or even death.

Manas, however, is a non-material root, not a material one. Manas is not composed of the four great elements; it is formed from consciousness seeds (vijñāna-bīja). Therefore, it is not material form; it is mental dharmas (citta-dharma), possessing the functions of consciousness. Material form is a dharma arising from causes and conditions (pratītyasamutpanna dharma); it lacks autonomy and is passively produced and manifested by the conjunction of the ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness) and manas. It relies on the propelling force of manas; if manas does not propel it, material form instantly disappears. Manas, however, was not born later; it has coexisted with the ālaya-vijñāna since beginningless kalpas ago, sustained by the consciousness seeds provided by the ālaya-vijñāna, continuing without interruption, independent of other conditions. It is not a dharma arising from causes and conditions. As long as manas has objects to cling to, it will not perish but continue to exist in the world, and the world of the five aggregates will consequently undergo continuous birth and death. Although the five aggregates and five roots are constantly undergoing birth and death, manas itself never perishes. No one can destroy manas, except for Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas upon entering Nirvāṇa.

The functions of the mental dharma, manas, and the material dharmas, the five roots, differ vastly. The five roots lack the function of discernment; they lack mental factors; they lack defilement and purity. They can be influenced by manas; their function of receiving the five dusts (sense objects) is directed by manas, but they cannot direct the five dusts or the five consciousnesses, much less direct manas. However, they can influence manas's feelings and decision-making.

The functional role of the mental dharma, manas, is extremely powerful. It has a governing and decision-making role over the five-aggregate body; it governs the birth, change, and even destruction of all worldly dharmas. It has the function of mental factors of consciousness; it possesses both defilement and purity; it has discernment, discrimination, judgment, autonomy; it has the nature of seeking benefit and avoiding harm; it possesses selfhood and selflessness; it possesses ignorance and wisdom; it has habits, tendencies, and afflictions (kleśa); it has the nature of pervasive conceptualization (parikalpita-svabhāva). It determines the birth, death, and rebirth of sentient beings; it determines whether sentient beings head towards Nirvāṇa or accomplish Buddhahood. Heaven and earth are governed by manas. The material five roots lack these characteristics; only the mental dharma, manas, possesses them. Therefore, manas is a mental dharma, not a material dharma; it is a non-material root.

The term "root" (indriya) implies the production of consciousness. However, this so-called "production" is not direct generation; rather, it causes the six consciousnesses to arise. It is the most direct condition for the arising of the six consciousnesses. What directly produces the six consciousnesses is the ālaya-vijñāna. The ālaya-vijñāna borrows karmic conditions and the six roots to produce the six consciousnesses. But if manas has no mental engagement with any dharma, the ālaya-vijñāna cannot produce the six consciousnesses. Therefore, the condition provided by the five roots is very passive, while the condition provided by manas is very active and proactive. The driving force for producing the six consciousnesses and all dharmas is extremely powerful, and it also determines whether the five roots are produced or not. Such autonomous, powerful dynamism can only exist in the non-material mental dharma; the material five roots cannot possess it. Therefore, manas is a mental dharma, not a material dharma; it is a non-material root, not a material root.

Seventeen: Manas's Dietary Habits

Since beginningless kalpas, manas has been accustomed to eating, accustomed to eating at fixed times and in fixed quantities, accustomed to delicious flavors. If one wishes to have manas abstain from food or practice grain avoidance (bigu), changing manas's dietary habits, one must gradually reduce food intake; one cannot abruptly cut off eating. One must give manas an adaptation period, allowing it psychological preparation. Only after manas adapts to eating less can one then cease eating entirely. Then it will not resist or oppose. Even if one does not eat for seven days, half a month, or one or two months, the body and mind will not experience problems; one might even feel mentally vigorous.

The habits of manas are too deep, subtle, and difficult to perceive; it is excessively attached to accustomed people, events, and objects. Only by gradually and imperceptibly shifting its habits, lessening its habits, can one change its habits imperceptibly and reduce its attachments. Using the same method, one can also cultivate the Samādhi of Crossing (Bozhou Samādhi), achieving ninety days without sleeping, lying down, or sitting, thereby changing manas's habits of sleeping, lying down, and sitting, constantly diligently reciting the Buddha's name, transforming body and mind to resonate with the Buddha's mind, thereby realizing the mind and attaining enlightenment. When cultivating, start by practicing not sleeping, lying down, or sitting for one day and one night. Then cultivate for three days and three nights without sleeping, lying down, or sitting. After adapting, cultivate for seven days and seven nights, then sequentially for twenty-one days and nights, forty-nine days and nights, and finally, one can endure ninety days without sleeping, lying down, or sitting. Because the mind recites the Buddha's name single-mindedly without distraction, with the Buddha's power blessing, one can persevere until realizing the mind and attaining enlightenment.

Eighteen: Does Matter Truly Have Weight?

Facing an object countless times heavier than one's own body weight, if one is in an extremely, extremely urgent situation, forgetting the weight of the object, or having no time to consider the weight issue, focusing solely on rescuing the person beneath the object, this person can instantly push that object away. After rescuing the person, upon seeing what one actually pushed was something so heavy, the mind is startled. At this point, trying to push that object again, one cannot move it even a little bit, no matter what. Why is this?

In the urgency of the moment, mental consciousness loses its power of thought; it does not tell manas that the object is extremely heavy. Manas does not consider the weight of the object; it only intends to decide to push the object aside to save the person. As a result, manas achieves its goal. Afterwards, when mental consciousness sees the object, it is surprised, realizes the weight of the object, and informs manas. Once manas knows, it realizes that with its own strength, it is utterly impossible to push aside such a heavy object. Therefore, the ālaya-vijñāna will no longer assist manas.

All dharmas are created by mind alone – created solely by the ālaya-vijñāna, solely by manas, and solely by mental consciousness. As long as mental consciousness and manas wish to create any dharma, the ālaya-vijñāna will provide the raw materials to produce the outcome, provided it accords with karma. Without meditative concentration (dhyāna), mental consciousness scatters its thoughts recklessly and gives misguided commands; if manas obeys, it encounters obstacles. In meditative concentration, the power of mental consciousness is weak and cannot control manas; manas does whatever it wants and can succeed. Those who only know to grasp mental consciousness merely revolve around mental consciousness, not knowing to grasp the master, the main trunk, the key point, the fundamental root. How shallow their wisdom must be. During hypnosis, controlling mental consciousness, preventing it from giving misguided commands, allows one to utilize manas to uncover many secrets. Changing manas is not very difficult; returning to the past, going to the future, are all possible.

Regardless of how heavy matter is, even as large as Mount Sumeru, as heavy as Mount Sumeru, it is still matter composed of the four great elements. The four great elements have no weight; the material dharmas composed of them should also have no weight. Sentient beings are obscured by ignorance, unaware of this principle. Due to the force of karma, they perceive the weight of material dharmas. Those with profound meditative concentration have subdued ignorance; their mental power is opened, and thus they are not constrained by matter or its perceived weight. They can handle matter at will, such as lifting high, pulverizing, combining, passing through, etc. They can also manifest matter at will, manipulate the four great elements, and manipulate material dharmas.

Nineteen: How Bodhisattvas Play in the Human Realm

Bodhisattvas sometimes also comply with sentient beings to act in a play. In reality, the mental conduct of manas is inconsistent with the play; manas is absolutely pure, while the aspect shown to sentient beings may be impure. Why do this? To attract sentient beings, to deliver sentient beings, Bodhisattvas must utilize some methods and means to subdue sentient beings. With a pure purpose and a wholesome result, the methods are beyond reproach. However, if a Bodhisattva's manas is not yet purified and still has afflictions, one cannot adopt unconventional methods, because they would correspond to the afflictions of manas, planting karmic seeds. Bodhisattvas above the Third Fruition (anāgāmin) and on the Bodhisattva grounds (bhūmi) have already eliminated the manifest activity of afflictions in manas; their minds do not correspond to afflictions. Therefore, they can use some skillful means, such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and drinking alcohol. Outwardly, they act like ordinary beings, but in reality, it is to subdue ordinary beings and guide them back to the right path.

For a Bodhisattva to play in the human realm, one must possess the skill to play; the mental conduct must transcend the human realm to avoid being bound by it. Otherwise, one will inevitably sink deeply into the mire of the human realm, unable to extricate oneself. If one cannot even pull oneself out, how can one talk about pulling out and aiding sentient beings? Playing in the human realm does not mean enjoying the human realm. Those who enjoy the human realm certainly cannot play in it. Only by neither accepting nor enjoying it does one have the qualification and ability to play in the human realm; otherwise, it should not be called playing, but rather being trapped in confinement.

Twenty: The Habitual Tendencies of an Arhat's Manas

If Mahākāśyapa dancing upon hearing music is spontaneous, then all sentient beings should dance upon hearing music, even dancing without hearing music. The fact is, dancing upon hearing music is not a phenomenon everyone exhibits; it is not universal. Therefore, dancing is not spontaneous; it is a phenomenon that only appears in those with the afflictive habit of loving song and dance. Those who loved dancing in past lives have deeply ingrained habits; upon hearing music, they dance out of inertia, and mental consciousness cannot control it.

Habitual tendencies are also called inertia. For example, braking: the car has already braked, but it still moves forward for a distance. Also, like when we walk on ice, our feet slip; we have clearly stopped stepping, but we still slide forward for a distance, unable to control it. This is called having severed the manifest afflictions, but the habitual tendencies still manifest; they cannot be stopped and appear unconsciously. The faster the car travels, the greater the inertial force after braking; the heavier the afflictions, the stronger the habitual tendencies.

Although Arhat Mahākāśyapa has eliminated afflictions, he has not yet exhausted the habitual tendencies of afflictions. Having the afflictive habit of loving song and dance in past lives, in this life, upon hearing music, he unconsciously dances. Then, ordinary beings who have not eliminated afflictions, if they have the affliction of loving song and dance, upon hearing music, their afflictions and habitual tendencies will be even stronger. Those with a severe greed for music and dancing will go to the ghost realm to receive retribution after death. Only the manifest activity of habitual tendencies does not require falling into the three evil realms to receive retribution.

Twenty-One: Manas's Deliberation Is Essentially Seeking Benefit and Avoiding Harm

Can manas deliberate on seeking benefit and avoiding harm for all dharmas? The people, events, and objects it has experienced since beginningless kalpas can accumulate into experience and memory, amassed within the mind. Consequently, in later lives and future lives, encountering the same people, events, and objects, it will, based on past experience and memory, make selective responsive behaviors, resulting in seeking benefit and avoiding harm.

We should know that manas has always corresponded with karmic seeds (bīja). Whatever manas experiences leaves seeds, and the mental conduct of manas always corresponds with seeds. When manas takes rebirth as various sentient beings, its mental conduct, choices, etc., correspond to the current sentient being, thinking it *is* this kind of sentient being, not considering that it could be another kind of sentient being, except in special cases.

When manas takes rebirth as a human, its mental conduct and behavior should primarily correspond to being human, but it does not preclude very strong habits from past lives, including habits of being a sage, or habits of being an animal, habits of being a hungry ghost. But it still corresponds most strongly to human habits. When karmic seeds manifest, manas corresponds even more with the karmic seeds. For example, when major unwholesome karma ripens, manas becomes unwholesome; when major wholesome karma ripens, manas becomes wholesome, appearing inconceivable to others.

Therefore, everything manas experiences becomes its own experience and memory. Then, encountering conditions, it releases that experience and memory, influencing its choices, or rather, having an absolute influence. The result is seeking benefit and avoiding harm, and it is very confident, not tolerating interference or obstruction from external factors.

Twenty-Two: What Is the State of "Acting Freely Without Transgressing Boundaries"?

"Boundaries" (矩, jǔ) means rules. Some people can restrain themselves to abide by the rules; others need not restrain themselves; they act freely yet do not cross boundaries or violate rules. When manas is tamed, afflictions are eliminated, and there is no afflictive mind, one does not create afflictive karma. Whatever one does will not exceed the boundaries of rules. The mind not corresponding to afflictions will not create afflictive karma. It is like an ox that, after being tamed, even without supervision, consciously avoids trampling crops; like a monkey that, after being tamed, no longer runs wild everywhere.

Twenty-Three: The Physical Body Affects the Mental Factors of Consciousness

When the body's energy channels are blocked, qi is obstructed, and a person will want to release this qi. The method of release is also called venting anger or letting out qi, using oneself, others, or objects as punching bags. For example, slapping a table or throwing things is a way to vent qi until the obstructed qi is completely released, the anger subsides, and the mind becomes calm. If the qi cannot be released and remains blocked in the body, qi stagnation occurs, and the body will become ill. Cultivated individuals unwilling to vent their anger suppress it in their hearts. Doing so long-term leads to liver depression and qi stagnation, or the formation of tumors and cancer. Severe qi blockage results in strong anger; the vented anger is intense, the outburst is forceful, and the duration is long. Mild qi blockage results in slight anger; the venting is minor, the duration short, and the anger dissipates quickly. Anger is very harmful to the body. No one wishes to be angry; everyone prefers to be joyful. Therefore, no one's manas greedily clings to the flavor of anger or enjoys the feeling of being angry.

Twenty-Four: Manas's Regulation of Life Activities

All changes, movements, and activities of the physical body belong to the scope of the volitional formation aggregate (saṃskāra-skandha). They are directly regulated by manas, with the participation of body consciousness and mental consciousness, but not necessarily involving the analytical thinking and directing function of mental consciousness. Manas grasps these activities as self and what belongs to self; this is the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi). External bodily activities necessarily involve mental consciousness and body consciousness. For example, when walking on a familiar path segment, without mental consciousness thinking and directing, manas can lead mental consciousness and body consciousness to complete the walk. If the path segment is unfamiliar, manas must rely on the analytical thinking and guidance of mental consciousness to lead mental consciousness and body consciousness to complete the walk.

However, the autonomous activities of the body's tissues, such as internal organ activities – heartbeat, pulse, gastrointestinal peristalsis, cellular metabolism, nail and hair growth, changes in tissue structure, growth and changes in muscles and bones, etc. – are not regulated by mental consciousness or manas. They change according to karmic seeds and karmic conditions; this is the sustaining activity performed by the ālaya-vijñāna upon the living being based on karmic seeds and conditions.

Twenty-Five: The Influence and Control of the Eight Consciousnesses on the Physical Body

The physical body can exhibit slight movement even without body consciousness. For example, the head of some beings is cut off, yet the body can still writhe. This is because when manas grasps the body, although it cannot regulate the central nervous system of the brain, the spinal nervous system still exists. Manas then controls the spinal nervous system to make the body writhe. At this time, body consciousness and mental consciousness may not necessarily participate. Another example: after falling asleep, even in deep sleep, the body exhibits slight movements; this also belongs to nervous system activity. Talking in one's sleep and blinking eyelids are also unconscious activities; mental consciousness and body consciousness do not arise.

Internal bodily activities, such as: heartbeat, pulse, respiration, nervous system activity, gastrointestinal peristalsis, digestion, absorption, cellular metabolism, etc., are generally autonomously regulated and sustained by the ālaya-vijñāna. The seven consciousnesses often cannot exert force. Internal organ activities do not require body consciousness; they occur even while asleep, otherwise the person would die. Many bodily activities are not governed by body consciousness or mental consciousness, nor can they be governed by manas. Human birth, aging, sickness, and death are not controllable by manas; mental consciousness cannot control them even less. They are all performed by the ālaya-vijñāna according to karmic seeds. Observing any function within the body, if it does not obey our command and control, then it is sustained solely by the ālaya-vijñāna. Blood pressure and body temperature are like this; we cannot make them whatever we wish, except for those with meditative concentration and psychic powers, or those with strong mental power.

However, the emotional and mental activities of the seven consciousnesses can influence and change the operation of the internal organs of the physical body. Manas can influence and change the ālaya-vijñāna's sustaining function over the physical body. The activities of the six consciousnesses are directed by manas and can also influence the ālaya-vijñāna. The influence and regulation of the seven consciousnesses on the internal organs differ greatly from the ālaya-vijñāna's mode of sustaining, controlling, and regulating. The ālaya-vijñāna also listens to the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, and also listens to the five consciousnesses. Therefore, our cultivation is useful; otherwise, everything would be fixed and unchanging, and cultivation would be useless. Frequently sitting in meditation, everything within the physical body can change. Cultivation primarily focuses effort on the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. When the sixth and seventh consciousnesses are well-cultivated, earth-shaking changes occur, culminating in Buddhahood.

Twenty-Six: The Power of Mental Consciousness's Habitual Influence

Just after listening to a song, the melody still echoes in the mind. This is manas remembering and mental consciousness recalling the song. If learning Buddhism could be this fast and easy, how wonderful it would be. Worldly dharmas are influenced so quickly, yet Buddhist dharmas are influenced so slowly. This is because worldly dharmas have been influenced for immeasurable kalpas, for a duration we cannot calculate. Buddhist dharmas have only been influenced for a short time; compared to worldly dharmas, the time is too brief.

Is the practice of sun contemplation (ādityānupaśyanā) difficult and subtle? Obviously not, yet one cannot seem to accomplish it. This is because one has never contemplated it before; the mind is not interested, nor is one familiar with the specific method of contemplation, hence it feels difficult. Worldly dharmas, however, are very interesting because they are very familiar; even if one tries to prevent them from arising, one cannot suppress them. Cultivation is turning the unfamiliar into the familiar, and the familiar into the unfamiliar. The unfamiliar is the Buddhadharma; the familiar is the worldly dharmas. The key is knowing how to transform and having the determination to transform.

Twenty-Seven: The Seven Consciousnesses Are Also Without Attainment

The seven consciousnesses seem to attain something, seeming to obtain the worldly objects of the five desires and six dusts. In reality, they attain nothing. Due to ignorance, they forcefully believe they have attained something, yet they have actually attained nothing and cannot attain anything. They toil and scheme in vain, exhausting their ingenuity, resulting in a lifetime, lifetimes upon lifetimes, of futile effort. These contents need to be contemplated quietly in meditative concentration, contemplated and verified over a long period, to realize that one indeed attains nothing. Learning Buddhism and cultivating is precisely to eliminate one's ignorance, recognize that one is without attainment, and then cease seeking anything further, cease wishing to attain anything, thereby attaining liberation and Buddhahood.

Knowing that ultimately there is nothing to attain, the seven consciousnesses will have a mind empty and non-active (aśaikṣa). Yet, while being non-active, one must still act to benefit oneself and others. When acting, the mind is empty, meaning without seeking, without considering personal gain, without personal purpose or motive, without considering personal gains, losses, interests, success, or failure. In this way, although one does many things, it is as if nothing was done. One does not feel one has merit, does not become arrogant due to merit, does not feel self-satisfied, does not engage in exchange of interests with others or groups. Not being selfish is much easier than not being attached. First achieve not being selfish or self-interested; only then can one achieve non-attachment. Not considering personal gain allows one to gradually achieve non-attainment and non-seeking.

Twenty-Eight: How to Make Manas Uphold Precepts

"Leakage" (āsrava) means having the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion. "Non-leakage" (anāsrava) means lacking the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion. The six consciousnesses all have the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion; manas also has these afflictions. If the greed, hatred, and delusion of manas are not severed, it will instruct the six consciousnesses to create karmas of greed, hatred, and delusion; thus, the six consciousnesses cannot be non-leaking. Therefore, non-leakage primarily refers to the non-leakage of manas. From this, we see how important, extremely important, changing manas is.

How to make manas uphold precepts? Mental consciousness must study the Buddhadharma, understand the function of precepts, know the benefits of upholding precepts, then continuously analyze and contemplate the various merits of receiving and upholding precepts, contemplate the bitter fruits of not receiving and not upholding precepts, thereby influencing manas and making it understand this principle. Once manas understands, it will actively receive and uphold precepts; that is upholding precepts with the mind, not merely the false verbal upholding of precepts by mental consciousness. When manas has not been successfully influenced, it does not wish to receive precepts nor uphold them. Sometimes it passively receives precepts due to the instigation of mental consciousness but will absolutely not uphold them.

When manas does not understand cause and effect, it will definitely not automatically and consciously uphold precepts. Mental consciousness must then force manas; this is called suppressing manas; manas is not willing. This is how it is when first receiving precepts. Later, when manas understands the principle, it will automatically uphold precepts without transgressing.