The Dominating Nature of Manas

If the manas wants to drink water, the six consciousnesses will come forth to boil water, pour water, and brew tea, and then it is drunk into the mouth; if the manas does not want to drink water, the six consciousnesses will not come forth to do all these things. The mind consciousness is never as important as the manas and can never be the master, because the mind consciousness is a dharma that is generated—the manas determines whether it arises or not. It occupies a subordinate position, serving the manas, and moreover it must serve the manas well. If it does not serve well, the manas will feel uncomfortable and may even throw a tantrum. When the manas truly throws a tantrum, the mind consciousness sometimes feels utterly baffled. The mind consciousness is more rational than the manas, while the manas is more prone to emotionalism than the mind consciousness. If the manas wants to hear a certain sound, the mind consciousness must obey the manas's command and come forth to discriminate that sound. If the manas wants the six consciousnesses to appear, the six consciousnesses appear immediately; if the manas does not want the six consciousnesses to appear, the six consciousnesses will not appear; if the manas wants the six consciousnesses to act in a certain way, the six consciousnesses must act in that way.

If, in studying Buddhism and cultivating realization, one does not apply effort on the manas but only on the mind consciousness, then breaking ignorance on the mind consciousness is useless—once the effort is spent, the mind consciousness ceases. If attaining the fruits is done only on the mind consciousness, then once attained it ceases, leaving the manas still covered by ignorance, and we will continue to transmigrate through birth and death. Because the problem of birth and death lies in the manas, and the key to the twelve links of dependent origination lies in the manas, cultivating the mind consciousness is ultimately for the purpose of influencing and changing the manas. The mind consciousness is like a mouthpiece, a counselor, and an assistant, helping the manas make decisions and devise strategies, ultimately reversing the manas's ignorance and transforming the manas. Once the manas is transformed, the mind consciousness no longer needs to perfume the manas, and the two will then act in harmony to create wholesome dharmas.

The mind consciousness occupies a subordinate position; the manas may use it or not use it. When the manas does not use it, the mind consciousness is nothing at all. From ancient times to the present, so many people have revolved solely on the mind consciousness and have never found the gateway. We always want to attain enlightenment, but without cultivating all the way to the manas, enlightenment cannot occur. However excellent the Buddha-dharma is, it must be accepted by the manas. Once the manas accepts it, it will exercise some restraint and will selectively let the six consciousnesses create karmic actions, no longer wanting to create meaningless things. If the manas feels that everything is meaningless, the six consciousnesses will not only create less but will also cease to arise, and finally the manas itself will cease and enter nirvāṇa.