The Power of Manas

As practice deepens continuously, when meditative concentration and wisdom become increasingly complete, the manas will gradually grow strong. The sign of the manas growing strong is the transformation of consciousness into wisdom — the mental factors (caittas) have transformed. The strength of the manas represents the strength of the mental factors; when the mental factors are strong, the manas becomes strong, capable of overcoming all obstacles, fully endowed with the five universal mental factors, the five object-specific mental factors, and the eleven wholesome mental factors, while the afflictive mental factors have long been completely eradicated — though perhaps some extremely subtle afflictive habits remain, along with some slight attachment to dharmas. When the manas grows strong to a certain point, it will replace the six consciousnesses; without needing the supporting conditions of the six consciousnesses, it can on its own discern the realms of the six sense objects — coarse or subtle, neither poses any problem. At this time, great supernatural powers will manifest.

The Manas Has the Same Function but Different Mental Factors

Question: Is the functional operation of the manas the same between one person and another? Is the functional operation of the manas the same among sentient beings of the six realms? Is the function of the manas the same in ordinary sentient beings and in sages? Is the function of the manas the same in animals and in humans?

Answer: The functional operation of the manas is the same in all sentient beings; it is only the mental factors that differ, the degree of ignorance they contain that differs, and the degree of enlightenment that differs. When they operate, there is a distinction between wholesome functioning and unwholesome functioning. For example, all knives have the function of cutting, but because knives differ in sharpness, the results of what they carve out differ: what a sharp knife carves out is perfect, neat, and valuable, while what a dull knife carves out is uneven and unusable, and it may even destroy things, producing no good effect. The different wisdom of the manas creates different undertakings; different afflictions create different karmic actions, and thus different karmic retributions. A manas with slight ignorance can be used well; a manas with deep and heavy ignorance is used badly, and the results differ greatly. Because the degree of ignorance in the manas differs, and the degree of enlightenment differs accordingly, sentient beings in the world are divided into various ranks — there is the distinction between ordinary beings and sages, and the eons required for sentient beings to become Buddhas differ.

The differences between each person are caused precisely by the differences in the mental factors of the manas. Whether one admits it or not, this is the fact — does a fact care whether you admit it or not? A fact does not care who admits it or not; it will never change. Truth, even if not a single person in the Saha world admits it, remains truth forever; it does not cease to be truth just because others refuse to acknowledge it. The true Buddhadharma — no matter who slanders it, the Buddhadharma is the Buddhadharma, and truth is truth.