All Dharmas Are Tools of the Manas

How can it be proven that all dharmas are the tools of the manas, that it is the manas which needs all dharmas and resolves all dharmas?

In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the World-Honored One spoke about this question: before heaven and earth came into being, there was only the manas and the eighth consciousness. The manas was in a state of chaos and obscurity; wanting to understand the dharma realm, it reached outward, grasping and seeking. Thereupon, the eighth consciousness, following along, gave birth to the universe of heaven and earth—the material world (the vessel world)—and subsequently gave birth to the five aggregates and the six consciousnesses, so that the eighteen realms became complete. From then on, the manas played about within these dharmas, never able to get out, tightly bound by these dharmas, unable to attain ease and liberation. Finally, when the roots of goodness, merit, and conditions were complete, the mind consciousness led the way in exploring the true reality of the dharmas of the three realms' world, exploring the meaning of life, finding the path to escape birth and death, eradicating all ignorance, returning to true reality, attaining great liberation, returning home to sit in stability—yet being homeless once again. Only then does the world finally know peace; all dharmas return to stillness, everything is well—and there are not even any "things" at all.

The manas pulls the eighth consciousness along to create all the dharmas of the world of the five aggregates, and then uses the five aggregates and the six consciousnesses to seek the ultimate truth and break through the darkness of ignorance—in fact, all of this process is still accomplished by making use of the eighth consciousness. It can be seen that the eighth consciousness is played with by the manas in complete docility; being the mature one with great magnanimity, what harm is there in accompanying the child at play? When the manas-child gradually grows up and becomes sensible, it no longer plays pranks, no longer drags the eighth consciousness into doing bad deeds, no longer indulges in play, no longer stirs up trouble out of nothing, and also learns the eighth consciousness's mature magnanimity, with a mind of vast capacity—thereupon it settles into stillness, and the three realms become quiet and serene. Then, further learning the eighth consciousness's mature magnanimity, it helps all the other children grow and mature, and all worlds will thereby know peace.