The Mode of Manas' Alert Consciousness

Question: Through what pathway or means are the results or conclusions of the mental faculty (manas) expressed? The mental faculty lacks a mechanism for linguistic expression. It still needs to be completed through the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna). What is the mechanism of this process? How is this conclusion transmitted?

Answer: If the results and conclusions of the mental faculty's deliberation need to be known and processed by the conscious mind, the mental faculty will alert the conscious mind. If the conscious mind does not need to know, or does not need to take measures to handle it, the mental faculty will not alert the conscious mind and will not specifically inform it.

The way the mental faculty alerts the conscious mind is by generating the mental factor of volition (cetanā), making a decision about how to proceed. The result of the mental faculty's deliberation is a type of mental object (dharma-object). Then, the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature) discerns the decision of the mental faculty, cooperates with it, and gives rise to the conscious mind to cognize the mental faculty's thought and decision, taking certain measures or methods to fulfill the mental faculty's decision and intention.

For example, if there is interference from spirits (ghosts or deities) nearby, the conscious mind feels uncomfortable, thinks it over, but still doesn't know what is happening. However, the mental faculty knows and needs to find a way to inform the conscious mind, so it can avoid or handle the situation. Therefore, the mental faculty generates the mental factor of volition, makes a decision. The mental faculty has a concept of "spirit" without language or form – this is a mental object. At the site of this mental object, the Tathāgatagarbha gives rise to the conscious mind. The conscious mind will then sense the presence of spirits and will think of ways to handle the matter – perhaps reciting scriptures and dedicating the merit, reciting mantras to drive them away, or moving away to avoid them. The process by which the mental faculty alerts the conscious mind to become aware is roughly like this. If the mental faculty can handle the situation itself, or if it's a minor or unimportant matter that doesn't require the conscious mind's involvement, it will not make a decision, and the Tathāgatagarbha will not give rise to the conscious mind to discern the mental faculty's thoughts.