The Disposition of the Manas

If we can fully and effectively utilize the manas's deliberation (manana) and make it a habit, many highly sophisticated matters can be readily resolved. We practitioners should learn to make a habit of using the manas; then all problems in the cultivation and realization of the Buddha-dharma will not be too difficult. All great achievers know how to use the manas, but even when using it, they do not know they are using it—it is used unconsciously, because they do not know how to summarize and generalize, and they lack the concepts of manas and mind consciousness.

How wonderful it is for those who frequently use the manas: they are deep, meticulous, decisive, resolute, seasoned, profound, simple, pure, appearing foolish yet possessing great wisdom, commanding with composure, unruffled in the face of circumstances, calm and at ease, with far-reaching vision. Those who can only use the mind consciousness are superficial, restless, and agitated. When the mind consciousness stays on the surface, the energy is agitated and floating, lacking concentration; neither mind nor energy can be stilled. Petty women and petty men—whatever is petty remains stuck at the level of the mind consciousness, unable to go deep, unable to use the manas; therefore their vision and breadth of mind are both small.

The breadth of mind of the mind consciousness is far smaller than that of the manas, because the dharmas the mind consciousness takes as object are few, and moreover it remains on the surface. The dharmas the manas takes as object are extremely numerous, extremely broad, and extremely deep—throughout the ten ages of past and present, from birth to death, from inside to outside, pervasively taking all as object, silently embracing all dharmas; moreover, it can make decisions and take charge, being the master of the mind consciousness, widely experienced and knowledgeable. So if we speak of vision and breadth of mind, it still lies in the manas. If one does not cultivate to the level of the manas, how can one have great wisdom?