The Relationship Between Manas and Vijñāna

The root is the basis and reliance, just as a great tree depends on its roots to grow. A child relies on the father to exist and be sustained, but is directly born from the mother. Visual consciousness arises depending on the eye faculty; the six consciousnesses arise depending on the six faculties; mental consciousness exists depending on the mental faculty. However, the six consciousnesses are directly born from the Tathagatagarbha; the six faculties are merely the fundamental conditions for the birth of the six consciousnesses.

All matters must be traced to their root; only by finding the root and resolving the source can problems be thoroughly solved. To resolve the cycle of birth and death since beginningless kalpas, to resolve ignorance, to resolve the seeds of defiled karma—all require tracing back to the source. We cannot focus only on the branches and leaves; cutting off the branches and leaves will not suffice, for they will grow again. To prevent the branches and leaves from growing, cutting off the root will solve the problem thoroughly. The mental faculty is the root of mental consciousness; the mental faculty determines mental consciousness and directs the course of the six consciousnesses. Only by resolving the issue of the mental faculty can the problems of the six consciousnesses be resolved. Although resolving the issue of the mental faculty requires mental consciousness to lead and assist, ultimately, the resolution must be realized in the mental faculty itself.

Countless people fail to understand the relationship between the mental faculty and mental consciousness, believing mental consciousness to be the ultimate reality and focusing solely on it. Yet, even if the issue of mental consciousness is resolved, if the mental faculty remains unresolved, it will continue to determine the cultivation and actions of mental consciousness—just as weeds will grow back, meaning the problem remains unsolved.

Such a simple matter, repeatedly explained and emphasized, yet the mind remains shrouded in fog. What exactly is obscuring the mind? Have the teachings previously studied truly failed to provide the wisdom for introspection, to reconsider one’s own understanding? On the path to bodhi, why hesitate to take even one step forward?