What does the manas rely on to arouse manasikāra toward dharmas?

The manas's attention (manasikāra) operates in several ways: first, relying on its habitual tendencies, it is accustomed to focusing on dharmas that frequently appear and are familiar, making it easy to direct attention to them. Second, the manas may direct attention without any specific purpose, which is due to the habitual tendency of scattering and clinging. Third, the manas easily generates attention toward dharmas it is interested in. Fourth, the manas easily generates attention toward major and important dharmas. Fifth, the manas generates attention because it craves and loves certain dharmas. Sixth, the manas generates attention due to afflictions such as anger and hatred. Seventh, the manas generates attention toward dharmas it needs for itself. Eighth, the manas easily directs attention to dharmas that suddenly appear, and so on—there are many such cases.

After the manas directs its attention, perhaps the mental factors of contact, feeling, perception, and volition do not arise and operate; perhaps there is no volitional mental factor, and the manas does not decide to do anything; perhaps the perception mental factor does not arise and operate, and the manas does not grasp at the object of cognition; perhaps the feeling mental factor does not arise and operate, and the manas does not wish to feel and is not interested in the object of cognition. At the initial stage, if the preceding mental factor does not arise, there is no need for the subsequent mental factor to arise either.

When an arhat liberated by wisdom (prajñā-vimukta) approaches the end of life, the manas no longer clings to the three realms, no longer directs attention, no longer deliberates on seeing dharmas, does not wish to see dharmas, and does not wish to create. When the five universally present mental factors (pañca-sarvatraga-caitta) no longer manifest, the manas must necessarily cease. Therefore, when the manas does not direct attention toward contact, feeling, perception, and volition, the tathāgatagarbha will not cooperate in producing dharmas. Since the manas has no more desire or thoughts toward the three realms, it will certainly not direct attention toward contact, feeling, perception, and volition. The consciousness mind can no longer operate, and the functions of the five aggregates do not arise—thus the manas ceases. As long as the manas has thoughts and desires, and has the tendency to cling to dharmas of the three realms, the five universally present mental factors will continue to operate without end. The manas cannot cease, the five aggregates and eighteen elements will continue to be born, and sentient beings will undergo birth and death endlessly in the three realms.