The Difference between Mind Consciousness and the Mental Activities of the Manas

The psychological states of sentient beings are divided into the level of the mind consciousness and the level of the manas—two levels, one shallow and one deep. The mind consciousness itself is passive; if it wants to act as the master, it must influence the manas, and only after the cultivation-permeation has succeeded will the manas comply with the mind consciousness's ideas and make corresponding decisions. If the mind consciousness fails to successfully permeate the manas, the manas will act as master according to its own past habits, and the mind consciousness's thoughts and suggestions will have no effect.

From what are all the mental actions and fabrications of the mind consciousness produced? Why does the mind consciousness arise? Because after the manas contacts the mental sense-objects (dharmas) and needs to make detailed analysis and judgment, the tathāgatagarbha cooperates and gives birth to the mind consciousness. When the manas wants to act, it necessarily causes the mind consciousness to arise to help it act, because the manas itself cannot act in certain dharmas, and at such times it needs the mind consciousness to act on its behalf.

For example, take the matter of getting angry to examine the difference between the mental actions of the mind consciousness and the manas: what produces the behavior manifested when the mind consciousness is angry? It is produced because the manas is angry. The manas wants to vent or express its anger, so it borrows the mind consciousness or the six consciousnesses to express the indignation in its heart, and at that time the six consciousnesses display bodily and verbal actions of rage. When angry, there are many manifestations, such as ferocious facial expressions, harsh speech, clenching and swinging fists, pointing fingers at the other person, and so on—all of these are fabricated jointly by the mind consciousness and the body consciousness, all fabricated in compliance with the mental actions of the manas, expressing the mental actions of the manas.

However, after the karmic action of anger has been committed, the reactions of the two are clearly different. The mind consciousness is relatively rational and can immediately introspect on whether these behaviors were good or bad, feeling that the behavior just now was indeed wrong; why it was wrong can be figured out with just a moment's thought. Although the mind consciousness has figured it out, the manas has not yet come to understand, and the heart is still angry just the same, fuming with rage. At this point the mind consciousness persuades: "Forget it, don't be angry anymore; it was our own fault to begin with." But the manas still does not understand and continues to be angry just the same.

When the manas is especially furious, the mind consciousness simply cannot control it. For example, when the manas is so angry that it wants to hit someone, the mind consciousness on one side feels that hitting people is wrong, yet the body on the other side uncontrollably goes to hit them. The mind consciousness cannot control the manas, and He will act according to His own habits, and there is nothing one can do about it. The six consciousnesses can only serve as accomplices, performing these actions on behalf of the manas—this is the behavior manifested when the mind consciousness, unable to persuade the manas, complies with the manas's mental actions.