The Unique Mental Functions of the Mind Base (Manas)

Entering meditative concentration through contemplation, in deep meditative concentration it appears as if there are no thoughts, no mental activity, no deliberation. In reality, although the conscious mind lacks thoughts and deliberation, the mental faculty (manas) continues to engage in mental activity and reflection, never ceasing its deliberation, and thoughts are never interrupted. Therefore, the mental faculty is called the mind that constantly and thoroughly examines and reflects. It is simply that the conscious mind, due to insufficient wisdom, is unable to perceive this. Thus, what the conscious mind does not know, or the phenomena it cannot observe, does not mean they are absent or non-existent.

The mental faculty has its unique functions in the operation of all phenomena. The fact that the conscious mind cannot observe them does not mean the mental faculty is without function or operation. In the practice of Chan contemplation, in meditative concentration, in sleep, or in a coma, all the functions of the mental faculty and the operation of its mental factors, though temporarily unobservable by the conscious mind, must never be denied. In the future, when one possesses the wisdom of Consciousness-Only, one will be able to directly perceive the operations and mental activities of the mental faculty.

From this, it is evident that the wisdom of ordinary beings is vastly different from the wisdom of Consciousness-Only knowledge. Some of us are severely lacking in meditative wisdom. Regarding the mental factors of the mental faculty that we cannot understand or observe, we should not assert whether they exist or not, nor should we affirm or deny them. To remain silent and hold doubt in the mind is the mark of a wise person. For phenomena that one currently lacks the ability to observe and discern, not jumping to conclusions prevents one from easily committing the offense of slander, thus not creating obstacles on the path. This is the choice of a wise person. The Buddha often admonished that bodhisattvas should not fear profound teachings upon hearing them, nor slander them, but should abide patiently in the profound Dharma.

The wondrous functions of the mental faculty are extremely numerous, far beyond our current thinking and imagination. Only by not clinging to our shallow personal views, and not being confined by fixed and limited theories, can we possibly observe more functions of the mental faculty in the future. In fact, the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice is to fully develop and observe all the functions of the mental faculty and the eighth consciousness. Only after realizing them all can one attain Buddhahood. Once the dharmas of the mental faculty and the eighth consciousness are fully explored and realized, there is nothing left to cultivate, and one reaches the state of no further learning in the Mahayana.