The Manas Simultaneously Discerns the Entirety of Dharmas

The integral dharma is the combination of the five sense objects and the mental sense object; lacking either one, the dharma cannot be formed.

Since the manas is the consciousness that takes charge, determining the arising, ceasing, and variation of the six consciousnesses, the manas can discern the five sense objects, not merely the mental sense object, and can make a rough discernment of the combined state composed of the five sense objects and the mental sense object. This is why the manas can prompt all six consciousnesses to arise and jointly discern any kind of sense-object state. In discerning the combined state of the six sense objects, the manas' discernment may also have points of emphasis. For example, in discerning a fresh flower, it may focus on discerning the colors rather than the shape and length. At this time, under the direction of the manas, the eye consciousness will seek out the colors that the manas likes, and the mind consciousness will follow along, seeking the mental sense objects related to those colors.

What the manas first contacts and discerns is the complete sense-object state, not the sense-object state with the five sense objects and the mental sense object separated. Therefore, do not say that the manas only discerns the mental sense object and does not discern the five sense objects. If that were so, on what basis would the five consciousnesses arise to discern the five sense objects? And by whom would they be guided and directed?

What the manas discerns is the integral sense-object state, including the five sense objects and the mental sense objects upon them; it does not discern the five sense objects alone, or the mental sense object alone. Therefore, when the six consciousnesses arise, the five consciousnesses and the mind consciousness must arise simultaneously to jointly discern the sense-object state; they cannot be separated. The manas discerns only roughly and cannot be detailed; the five consciousnesses can discern in detail, and the mind consciousness can discern in even greater detail.

Apart from being unable to discern the initially appearing objective state (the direct substance of sense objects), the manas can discern all the states of the six sense objects, both inside and outside the supreme faculties. The six consciousnesses can only discern the states of the six sense objects within the supreme faculties. For a person with supernatural powers, the states discerned by the mind consciousness are relatively vast, and even sense-object states outside the supreme faculties can be discerned.