Where Is the Merit from Past Lives' Fruition Manifested?

When the manas (the seventh consciousness) affirms a certain principle, it is invariably resolute and without hesitation at all times; whatever is derived from the deliberation of the mano-vijñāna (the sixth consciousness) is inevitably doubtful, hesitant, and wavering. It is like riding a bicycle: knowing how to ride and merely thinking one knows how to ride are two entirely different states. The former is without hesitation, while the latter lacks complete certainty and assurance within the mind. Some people harbor doubt within but are unaware of it, mistakenly believing they have no uncertainties. This is due to a coarse mind, weak introspective power, and insufficient meditative concentration. Therefore, without perceiving the truth, one will inevitably deceive oneself.

If only the mano-vijñāna severs the view of self, while the manas does not sever the view of self, and the manas remains unpermeated, it is still the manas of an ordinary person. When consciousness ceases during rebirth into the womb in the next life, and one is reborn as a human, both the mano-vijñāna and the manas will have failed to sever the view of self. The manifestation of the manas will be identical to that of an ordinary person in the previous life, without any difference. In that case, how could the merit of attaining the fruition in the previous life manifest?

In reality, those who genuinely attained the fruition and realized the mind and saw the true nature in their previous life, because their manas was permeated, when reborn as humans, their mental activities will be decisively different from those of ordinary people. The longer the duration of their cultivation in the previous life, the purer their mental activities will be, and the greater the difference from ordinary people. Before studying Buddhism, even their mano-vijñāna did not understand why they were different from others. When scolded as fools by others, their mano-vijñāna still felt distressed. Sometimes, wanting to be like others and keep pace with society, they might attempt to engage in some greed, hatred, and delusion, yet their manas remains unwilling.