Consciousness may think, but manas acts

All dharmas are unobtainable. The Heart Sutra states, "Because there is nothing to attain, the Bodhisattva..." The Diamond Sutra states that the World-Honored One was prophesied by the ancient Buddha Dipaṅkara precisely because his mind attained nothing. Some people then think: since all dharmas are unobtainable, devoid of self and what belongs to self, then there is no need to strive at all. They believe they should even stop thinking and simply abide in non-action. When thinking this way, the mind feels extremely relaxed. However, this state cannot last very long; action inevitably resumes immediately. When encountering conditions, events, or people, there is no trace of non-action at all.

This is because, before realizing the empty nature of all phenomena, the emptiness perceived by the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna) has no power whatsoever. It cannot take charge at all. Things remain exactly as they are, utterly devoid of emptiness. Though the conscious mind wishes to remain still and inactive, it cannot master the five aggregates (skandhas). The manas (root mind), which is in charge, has pursuits and desires to act, and the conscious mind must comply, utterly helpless. Therefore, although the conscious mind understands some principles, the manas remains unenlightened, and thus no substantive problems are resolved. Consequently, even if the conscious mind attains fruition and realizes the mind, it fundamentally changes nothing. Afflictions persist as afflictions, ignorance remains ignorance, and birth and death continue as birth and death. Only by subduing the manas, the one in charge, can all problems be resolved, leading to a complete and earth-shaking transformation.