The Relationship Between Thought-Free Numinous Awareness and the Manas

"Ling" (spirit) means sensitivity and agility; "being free of thoughts" means temporarily departing from thoughts and mental notions. Such knowing includes that of the mind consciousness as well as that of the manas. For the mind consciousness, being free of thoughts is relatively easy to achieve; for the manas, it is relatively difficult, though not impossible. Why can the mind consciousness be free of thoughts? First, the manas has no desires or notions, does not grasp at sense objects, and has no coarse thoughts or notions; second, the mind consciousness itself has no desire to discern objects, and there is nothing it dwells upon—only then will it not mobilize the mind consciousness to deliberate, to be mindful, to think, or to fabricate. As for those especially subtle thoughts and notions of the manas, they manifest as bodily, verbal, and mental actions without the participation of the mind consciousness, and the mind consciousness is also incapable of discovering or participating in them.

At this time, the manas is in a state of slight tranquility (praśama), that is, a state of meditative concentration (samādhi), a state without desire or seeking. Therefore, when the mind consciousness is in a state free of thoughts, it must be that the manas is tranquil and abiding in meditative concentration—no matter how deep the concentration or how long it lasts. In fact, there are still subtle thoughts at this time; without thoughts, how could there be knowing? It is merely that when one is extremely familiar with objects, one can know them without effortful discrimination; at this time mental activity is extremely slight, and this is called "the numinous knowing free of thoughts." The term "numinous knowing free of thoughts" does not come from the Buddhist sūtras; the sūtras contain no specific description of it. It is a concept proposed by later people according to their own ideas, and it is not very accurate. Discerning and distinguishing this requires very profound cultivation in Yogācāra and keen powers of observation.