All Dharmas Possess the Volitional Function of Manas

Our physical activities are manifested by the manas through the regulation of the brain, with the cooperation of the six consciousnesses. For instance, when we open our eyes in the morning, the eyes do not open automatically; it is the manas that issues the command, regulating the six consciousnesses to open the eyes. When eating, the manas perceives the signal of fullness, decides to stop eating, and orders the six consciousnesses to cease eating. The six consciousnesses then obey the command and stop eating. This also proves that the manas can control the activities of the entire body through the brain, and all bodily activities are those of the six consciousnesses. For example, turning red in the face with a flushed neck, flying into a rage, becoming exasperated, resorting to violence, beaming with joy, or being overjoyed—all these are manifestations arising from the afflictive emotions of the manas and are the result of its manipulation.

On what basis does the manas issue commands? How does it grasp the condition of the physical body so accurately and promptly? All phenomena within the physical body are manifested and sustained by the tathagatagarbha. To what extent one has eaten, the tathagatagarbha instantly and accurately reflects this. Relying on the tathagatagarbha, the manas knows everything. Once the manas knows, it gives rise to a decision-making mind, makes a decision, and then issues a command. Of course, the manas’s knowledge of the six dust realms and the detailed conditions of the body is acquired through the discernment of the six consciousnesses. During states such as coma or sleep, the physical condition is instantly and accurately reflected by the tathagatagarbha, and the manas promptly perceives it. In these states, there is no consciousness at all; it is solely the manas relying on the tathagatagarbha that knows independently.

Another example: when suddenly encountering an acquaintance, the sixth consciousness (mental consciousness) struggles to recall the person’s name but still feels that it knows the name, finding it very familiar, as if it were on the tip of the tongue and could be spoken immediately. This situation merely indicates that the sixth consciousness cannot recall it, but it does not mean that the manas does not recognize the person or the name. After the person leaves, the sixth consciousness suddenly remembers. Why can the sixth consciousness recall it? It is still because the manas provides certain information to the sixth consciousness, enabling it to suddenly remember. In the operation of all phenomena, there is invariably the function of the manas, but not necessarily that of the sixth consciousness. If there are certain functions or effects where we cannot clearly discern whether the manas is involved or the extent of its involvement, we should consider the states without the six consciousnesses and how the manas operates in such cases.