The Way the Manas Alerts the Mind Consciousness

Question: Through what pathway or means is the result or conclusion of the manas's deliberation expressed? The manas has no mechanism for expression through language and words. The process of expression must still be completed through the mind consciousness—what is the mechanism of this process? How is this conclusion transmitted?

Answer: If the result and conclusion of the manas's deliberation need to be known and handled by the mind consciousness, the manas will alert the mind consciousness; if they do not need to be known by the mind consciousness, and no measures need to be taken by the mind consciousness to handle them, the manas will not alert the mind consciousness and will not deliberately make the mind consciousness aware of them.

The way the manas alerts the mind consciousness is by giving rise to the volition mental factor (cetanā) and making a decision about how to handle something. The result of the manas's deliberation is a kind of mental sense-object (dharma-viṣaya). Then the tathāgatagarbha discerns the manas's decision, cooperates with the manas, and gives birth to the mind consciousness to understand the manas's thoughts and decisions, adopting certain measures and methods to fulfill the manas's decision and wishes.

For example, when ghosts or spirits nearby cause interference, the mind consciousness feels uncomfortable and, after thinking it over and over, still does not know what is going on. But the manas knows, and it wants to find a way to notify the mind consciousness, so that the mind consciousness can avoid it or handle it. So the manas gives rise to the volition mental factor and makes a decision. In the manas's mind there is a meaning of ghosts and spirits that has no language or imagery—it is a kind of mental sense-object (dharma-viṣaya). The tathāgatagarbha gives birth to the mind consciousness at this mental sense-object, and the mind consciousness will then feel that there are ghosts or spirits, and will then find ways to handle the matter—either by reciting sutras and dedicating the merit, or by reciting mantras to drive them away, or by moving away to avoid them. The process by which the manas alerts the mind consciousness to know is roughly like this. If the manas can handle something by itself, or if the matter is minor and unimportant and does not require the mind consciousness to handle it, the manas will not make a decision, and the tathāgatagarbha will not give birth to the mind consciousness to discern the manas's thoughts.