The Wisdom and Thought of Manas

The mind root itself has no form of language or sound; it does not think using language or words, nor does it produce sound when engaging in mental activity. Therefore, the thoughts and operations of the mind root are subtle and difficult to observe, making them hard to grasp. When concentration is insufficient and the mind is not meticulous, it becomes challenging to perceive them. Consequently, misunderstandings about the mind root are inevitable.

Consciousness sometimes possesses wisdom and sometimes lacks it; the mind root likewise sometimes possesses wisdom and sometimes lacks it. When consciousness functions with wisdom effectively, it can assist the mind root in discernment and decision-making. However, if the mind root itself possesses wisdom, it does not require the assistance of consciousness's wisdom, or at least does not need consciousness to assist in thinking and analysis—merely aiding in discernment is sufficient. As long as the mind root discerns the coarse and subtle aspects of phenomena, it will immediately know how to handle and respond to them. This is the case when the mind root itself possesses wisdom. When the mind root lacks wisdom, however, consciousness must not only assist in discernment but also aid in thinking, analysis, reasoning, and judgment. The mind root then deliberates based on consciousness's judgment to form its own decision, though this decision may not necessarily align with consciousness's judgment and could potentially surprise consciousness.

When consciousness introspects its own mind, it is the self-witnessing portion. If what consciousness observes is the mental activity of the mind root, it is the self-verifying portion. However, when consciousness lacks wisdom, it may not necessarily distinguish whether it is observing its own mental activity or that of the mind root, and thus may regard it all as its own mental activity. Therefore, many people say, "This is clearly the function of consciousness—how can it be attributed to the mind root?" In reality, it is because their own consciousness lacks the wisdom to clearly discern the differences and boundaries between consciousness and the mind root, lacking the knowledge of the path. Distinguishing the functions of consciousness and the mind root is indeed extremely difficult.