A Discussion on Whether the Manas Is Neutral (Avyākṛta)

Everyone, look at this: why does this mother dog educate and manage her children? Why does she surpass many human parents and teachers? What is meant by rules carved into the bones? What is carved into the bones is innate, brought from past lives, and is what the manas possesses. Such habits are wholesome habits. This mother dog was a human in a past life and was once a parent; as a parent, she understood social rules and etiquette, and therefore dutifully educated her own children, to the point that this behavior was carved into her bones and became a habit, carried through life after life. No matter which realm she transmigrates into, she strictly abides by the rules, is well-mannered, and knows how to educate, teaching her children through words and example. The mother dog's manas habits are entirely wholesome and wise, not merely neutral (avyākṛta).

With such wholesome habits, if she transmigrates again into the human world, she will become a very responsible parent and teacher. To have such parents and teachers is a great fortune and blessing. Therefore, everyone should try to form wholesome karmic connections with wholesome people, and try to form wholesome karmic connections with those of great wisdom; in the future, one will fully enjoy their grace, bathe in the light of wisdom, improve one's overall qualities, and increase the likelihood of attaining a human body. How fortunate that would be! 

Ru She: The manas is indeed not merely neutral. Ordinary beings have very many thoughts at the bottom of their hearts every day—some wholesome, some unwholesome, and some neither wholesome nor unwholesome. In fact, by examining one's own manas habits, this can be discerned.

Ru Zhao: Yes, Master. My kitten at home is only a little over two months old. When she was young, the mother cat taught her very well. From the moment she arrived at our home, she would find a place to relieve herself by herself, would use her paws to dig a hole, then bury it after finishing, and before coming out she would pat her paws clean, and then clean her own body. But many cats have not developed good habits from a young age because their mother cats did not teach them well, and they relieve themselves everywhere. From this very simple matter, one can know that even the manas of animals is not neutral.

Suzhou: Whether the manas is neutral or non-neutral cannot be explained clearly by logic, just like explaining colors to a blind person using logic. So ordinary beings without the capacity for direct realization can only run aground—let us refrain from commenting for now! But can a bodhisattva with the capacity for direct realization overturn the unreliable logic of ordinary beings? If even they cannot, then these are truly two different worlds! 

Ru Zhao: The afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion of sentient beings are so heavy—how could they not be directly realized? One's own afflictions and attachments are also plainly evident. If the manas were neutral, one would not kill living beings and eat meat, seize resources, or burn, kill, and pillage. If one's own manas were neutral, one would not chase fame and profit, but would only do what is meaningful to oneself. These things are not observable only by bodhisattvas who have attained the bhūmis; anyone with the power of observation can observe them. Otherwise, one is either foolish or simply refuses to admit having afflictions, forcibly crowning oneself with a tall hat.

Assessment: Regarding the matter of observing the manas, if one has not learned the correct, deep, and detailed dharma of the manas, it is truly very difficult for ordinary people to observe the characteristics and habits of the manas, and also very hard to understand. They cannot even distinguish the difference between the mind consciousness and the manas, conflating the two together without distinction, so misunderstanding is inevitable. Moreover, if one has learned incorrect dharma meanings about the manas, it becomes even harder to understand and observe the true characteristics and habits of the manas.

Suzhou: These phenomena—is it the mind consciousness observing the manas, or the mind consciousness observing the mind consciousness? I now observe that I am fond of debating. Having heard the Buddha-dharma, this is the manas instructing the mind consciousness; at the source it is the manas, so I conclude that my manas is fond of debating. Is this judgment based on knowledge the same thing as what is observed?

Assessment: When the mind consciousness draws conclusions based on present observation of its own words, deeds, thoughts, and mental activity, this is called direct perception (valid direct cognition). If one has wisdom, one will arrive at correct conclusions; if one's wisdom is insufficient, one will arrive at erroneous conclusions. For the same currently existing phenomenon, people of different wisdom will use different bases for judgment and reach different conclusions. These phenomena clearly arise from the habits of the manas. Although they are created by the six consciousnesses, one whose mind consciousness knows how to observe will observe from the surface to the source and root, rather than merely observing shallow surface phenomena. The wisdom of the mind consciousness comes, first, from external learning, and second, is bestowed by the manas, being influenced by the manas.