The Discriminative Wisdom of Manas

Now, we must establish a premise: that the inferior discernment of the manas (the thinking mind, the seventh consciousness) is discussed in the context of the six dusts (objects of the senses), and it manifests when the manas alone faces the six dusts. However, the scope of the manas's discernment is extremely broad, and its mode of discernment is quite distinctive. The subtle aspects of the six dusts are discerned by the six consciousnesses (the five sensory consciousnesses plus the mental consciousness), so naturally, the manas does not need this function. But the manas can rely on the six consciousnesses to discern the six dusts; that is to say, all the discernment results of the six consciousnesses must be brought back to the manas here, to be processed by the manas. If there is even one dharma (phenomenon) unknown to the manas, the corresponding discernment function of the six consciousnesses would be rendered useless, because the six consciousnesses cannot make decisions. The discernment of the six dusts is also for the manas to discern; it serves the manas and is directed and approved by the manas. The six consciousnesses are merely tools for the manas to discern the six dusts. Whatever the six consciousnesses discern, the manas can discern it. Ultimately, the objective aspect (nimitta, perceived object) of the six consciousnesses is the objective aspect of the manas; the difference lies in that one is direct, and the other is indirect.