The Manas Possesses the Mindfulness Mental Factor

If manas does not contemplate a dharmā, how could the mental consciousness contemplate it? When manas comes into contact with the dharmā it contemplates and seeks to cognize it clearly, the tathāgatagarbha accordingly gives rise to the mental consciousness, and the mental consciousness, following the directive of manas, cognizes and contemplates the dharmā that manas contemplates. If manas does not contemplate a dharmā, it does not come into contact with that dharmā, does not seek to cognize or act upon it, and the tathāgatagarbha cannot produce the mental consciousness to engage in further actions; thus, there is no mental consciousness to contemplate the dharmā.

Whatever dharmā manas does not contemplate will not manifest; whatever dharmā the mental consciousness contemplates is the result of manas's contemplation, all being the outcome of manas's arrangement and mobilization. The mental consciousness cannot arise without the contact condition from manas; it cannot arise without the volitional mental factor (cetanā) of manas determining its arising. The mental consciousness cannot autonomously determine its own arising or any of its activities; this is because it is not the controlling consciousness, lacking autonomy, serving as manas's instrument, and following manas's directives.

All five sense consciousnesses possess the mental factor of mindfulness (smṛti), much more so does the highly astute and crucial controlling consciousness—it certainly possesses the mental factor of mindfulness.