Is the observer and supervisor during mind cultivation the manas or the mind consciousness?

Someone asked: In my moving, standing, sitting, and lying down, and in the flow of my mental processes, there is a bystander, a supervisor, who watches all of these actions intently. Is this bystander and supervisor the manas or the mind consciousness?

The questioner himself is certainly observing and supervising himself. Without having cultivated to a certain degree, it is impossible to supervise and observe oneself. Such awakening and self-discipline arise only when one has recognized one's own afflictions and shortcomings and wants to change oneself; only after having this intention can one observe and supervise one's own words, deeds, and mental processes.

Generally speaking, it is the mind consciousness that observes and supervises oneself, and this "self" is the five aggregates (pañcaskandha). These mental processes and bodily and verbal actions are all created under the manas's dominion. Although the mind consciousness also participates, it is not the one in charge; the mind consciousness mostly participates passively. That is why the mind consciousness needs to observe and understand its own mental activities, and to observe and understand the mental activities of the manas. Why can the mind consciousness constantly introspect and supervise itself? It is still because the manas, through cultivation, has awakened, and this prompts the mind consciousness to introspect and supervise itself. When the manas has not yet awakened, it is extremely unwilling to deeply dissect and understand its own mental processes; generally, it tends to conceal itself more often than not.

When the manas has heavy afflictions and has not yet awakened, it always likes to deceive both itself and others. Since it wants to deceive itself, how could He allow the mind consciousness to introspect and supervise Him, to understand and dissect Him? Therefore, He would even less wish for others to understand and dissect Him. Such unawakened people are extremely protective of their own shortcomings. Those who protect their shortcomings also like to praise and boast about themselves; if others do not praise them, then they will praise themselves, exalting themselves so as to gain self-consolation and self-satisfaction. Such people are fragile inside, which is why they need affirmation from themselves and others in order to feel secure. As long as a person engages in protecting their own shortcomings, they will be unwilling to heed others' advice and suggestions. At such times, debating with or advising them will have little effect. Only for those who are willing to correctly recognize and change themselves does advice have meaning and effect; only then will one not be resented by them, or even come into conflict with them.