An Analysis of the Mastery of the Manas from the Perspective of the Three Objects in Consciousness-Only

Question: Are the imagined realm (带质境), the real realm (性境), and the subjectively imagined realm (独影境) all transmitted and transformed from the essential realm (本质境)? The manifestation of the three realms should not have a sequential order, right? The seventh consciousness can cognize dharmas that the six consciousnesses cannot cognize—does this indicate that the imagined realm is relatively closer to the essential realm? But some mental sense-objects (dharma dust) are based on the objects of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch; the object of form should be more substantial than the object of dharma? Then is the real realm closer to the essential realm than the imagined realm? If all realms are transmitted and transformed from the essential realm, do all realms belong to material form?

Answer: The subjectively imagined realm is not transmitted from the essential realm. One can say that the subjectively imagined realm does not carry any substance from the essential realm; otherwise it would be called the true imagined realm or the false imagined realm. The part that the consciousness accompanied by the five senses (pañca-sahagata-mano-vijñāna) corresponds to is generally the false imagined realm. The subjectively imagined realm is the part corresponding to the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta), which has nothing to do with the substance; it is a realm-appearance separately manifested by the tathāgatagarbha.

The false imagined realm and the subjectively imagined realm can appear simultaneously, and the consciousness accompanied by the five senses and the solitary consciousness can appear simultaneously. When they appear simultaneously, each respectively discerns its own corresponding realm-appearance. At this time, one can be said to be "spacing out" or "absent-minded"—the mind consciousness is not entirely on the false imagined realm, and diverts attention to the solitary consciousness to correspond with the subjectively imagined realm. This diverted solitary consciousness is also produced according to the intent of the manas; if the manas does not divide its attention, the mind consciousness will not divert its attention. For example, while listening to a person talking across from you, the consciousness accompanied by the five senses listens on one hand, while the solitary consciousness on the other hand thinks of another person, another scene, or contemplates a question. Listening to the other person speak is decided by the manas; thinking of another person and so forth is directed by the manas. If the manas diverts its attention to focus on other dharmas, the mind consciousness will inevitably divert its attention to process other dharmas.

The manifestation of the real realm and the imagined realm does have a sequential order, but the order is almost unobservable; a person without meditative concentration (samādhi) feels that all dharmas are seen simultaneously. The subjectively imagined realm can appear anytime and anywhere—before, after, or simultaneously with the real realm and the imagined realm. The subjectively imagined realm is generally a realm of deluded thoughts and scattered notions. Sentient beings' minds are all scattered and disordered, their minds constantly teeming with stray thoughts; the subjectively imagined realm never ceases, with delusions flying about. The seventh consciousness corresponds to the true imagined realm, and the sixth consciousness corresponds to the false imagined realm. The false is more illusory and unreal than the true, so the true imagined realm corresponding to the seventh consciousness is closer to the essential realm. From the perspective of the time of transformation, the true imagined realm appears first, and only after transforming all the way to the supreme faculty (indriya) does the false imagined realm appear for the mind consciousness to discern. But by then it is already several kṣaṇas later than the true imagined realm; as for dharmas, the manas has long since discerned them, and only then does the mind consciousness arise and discern them. Therefore, sometimes the mind consciousness has no reaction at all, and the matter is already handled; only upon looking back does one realize what happened.

The five sense-object realms of form-dust are real realms, somewhat coarser than the mental-object imagined realm, easier to recognize and perceive, with more prominent realm-appearances; the mental object is more subtle and less easy to distinguish, and with insufficient wisdom one easily makes mistakes. Therefore, cleverness and wisdom are manifested in the discernment and judgment of mental objects. Generally speaking, cleverness refers to the characteristic possessed by the mind consciousness, while wisdom refers to the characteristic possessed by the manas. Cleverness is relatively superficial, flexible; wisdom is relatively deep, steady, and hidden. Cleverness is changeable and unreliable; wisdom is stable and enduring, and only thus reliable. Therefore, the mind consciousness is unreliable, while the manas is enduring and reliable.

The essential realm, the real realm, and the imagined realm all contain the components of the four great elements and are all material form. The essential realm is the most real and complete, containing all the information of the dharmas, including the five sense-objects and the mental object; the real realm only contains the information of the five sense-objects; the imagined realm within the supreme faculty only contains the information of the mental object; while the imagined realm outside the supreme faculty also contains all the information of the dharmas, including the five sense-objects and the mental object. Therefore, what the manas first discerns is relatively complete information, and it can independently discern and make decisions; whereas the mind consciousness can only discern the mental object within the supreme faculty, and must discern simultaneously with the five consciousnesses. In this way, the five-sense-object information discerned by the five consciousnesses, together with the mental-object information discerned by the consciousness accompanied by the five senses—these two kinds of information combined—are transmitted to the manas. What the manas discerns is always the complete information of the dharmas.

This reflects the characteristics and authority of the master consciousness. If the manas only discerned a portion of the information, how could it deliberate (manasikāra) correctly, reasonably, and swiftly, and then make a decision and issue instructions? So it is said: if the manas cannot realize the Buddha-dharma, then what is it that the mind consciousness has realized? Is it reliable? Is it complete? Is it reasonable? Is it meaningful? The mind consciousness is like a half-blind person who can only see a portion of the dharmas; only when combined with the dharmas seen by the five consciousnesses are the dharmas complete. How could the mind consciousness be the master? If the mind consciousness were the master, would not the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) be thrown into great chaos?