The Cleverness of the Manas

Whenever we are pleasantly surprised, astonished, terrified, shocked, or racking our brains without paying attention, the mind consciousness is unable to deliberate—there is nothing it can do. Yet the manas moves very quickly within, its deliberative nature is very powerful, and in the end, without relying on the analysis, deliberation, and observation of the mind consciousness, it also comes up with a way to respond, averting a calamity and escaping from danger. We usually say that a certain person is very quick-witted and reacts quickly. Observe whether it is the mind consciousness that is quick-witted and reacts fast, or the manas that is quick-witted and reacts fast, or whether both are quick-witted and react fast? This depends on the specific circumstances. An immediate reaction, without time to deliberate, is the quick-wittedness of the manas; being able to deliberate a little is the quick-wittedness of the mind consciousness. When the mind consciousness is quick-witted, in most cases the manas is also quick-witted. When one is spacing out, the mind consciousness is spacing out, but the manas absolutely never spaces out; the manas never has moments of being dazed and not deliberating. If you space out more often yourself and experience it, you will know this.