Does Manas Relinquish Sensation?

The mind of upekkhā (equanimous feeling) abides nowhere and clings to nothing in any pleasant or unpleasant state. It remains equal and uniform toward all states, neither rejoicing nor detesting, neither grasping nor averting. Such a mind is liberated, tranquil, and non-active. The eighth consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) is precisely like this: abiding nowhere and clinging to nothing, neither angry nor joyful, equal and uniform, utterly unmoved by any state, completely abiding in upekkhā. If the manas (the seventh consciousness) were upekkhā, it would be identical to the tathāgatagarbha in being equal and uniform toward all dharmas, unmoved by any state, neither angry nor joyful, free from greed, hatred, and delusion, tranquil and liberated. In that case, sentient beings would have no need to practice for liberation. Therefore, it is said that manas is not solely upekkhā but also experiences pleasure and pain. Manas can receive the perfuming of wholesome and unwholesome actions and create wholesome and unwholesome karma; hence, it is not upekkhā. The fact that sentient beings have various afflictions of greed and hatred demonstrates that manas is not upekkhā. The eighth consciousness never gives rise to greed or hatred toward any dharma; this is truly the mind of upekkhā.

In the sixty-third volume of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, it is stated that manas possesses all three feelings: "Furthermore, the evolving consciousnesses may at times all function solely in association with pleasurable feeling. Or at times, they may also be associated with painful feeling. Or at times, they may be associated with neither-painful-nor-pleasurable feeling, functioning together. The feeling associated with the ālaya-vijñāna is solely neither-painful-nor-pleasurable at all times." This passage discusses the feelings of the eight consciousnesses: only the ālaya-vijñāna is upekkhā, while the other evolving consciousnesses all possess the three feelings. The "evolving consciousnesses" refer to the seven consciousnesses subject to transmigration. Here, it is stated that the seven evolving consciousnesses are sometimes associated with pleasurable feeling, sometimes with painful feeling, and sometimes with neither-painful-nor-pleasurable feeling.

The higher the level of cultivation, the fewer the emotional disturbances, and the more one corresponds to upekkhā. The seventh factor of enlightenment is upekkhā (equanimity), where the mind is extremely peaceful, without fluctuations, remaining calm in any situation, like still water. Here, there is upekkhā of the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna, the sixth consciousness) and upekkhā of manas. If manas were not upekkhā, the conscious mind could not abide in upekkhā. Even after manas transforms consciousness into wisdom, it is not in upekkhā at all times; there are still moments of emotional disturbance, though less frequent and milder than before. Arhats, having eradicated the view of self and removed the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, experience great tranquility of mind very often, yet they are not in upekkhā at all times; they also experience pleasure and pain. After the conscious mind eradicates afflictions and transforms consciousness into wisdom, upekkhā increases, emotional disturbances decrease, and experiences of pleasure and pain diminish. No matter how severe the suffering, Arhats generally do not feel pain; no matter how pleasant the experience, they do not perceive it as pleasure, due to the absence of craving.

However, the manas of Arhats still experiences pleasure and pain; otherwise, they would not avoid the suffering of the Sahā world, choose the state of Nirvāṇa without residue, or seek to leave suffering and attain happiness. If the manas of Arhats did not perceive the suffering of the world of the five aggregates, they would not extinguish the body and cease cognition (enter Nirvāṇa), disregarding everything to enter Nirvāṇa, extinguish suffering, and attain cool, tranquil bliss. The Four Noble Truths of Suffering, Origin, Cessation, and Path practiced in the Hinayana tradition are first cultivated by the conscious mind, which then perfumes manas, enabling them together to realize the Four Noble Truths. Therefore, manas, like the conscious mind, must know suffering, eradicate its origin, aspire for cessation, and cultivate the path. Ultimately, manas comes to know suffering and eradicate its origin, hoping through the cultivation of the path to extinguish itself. From this, it is evident that manas must necessarily know suffering and experience painful feeling to resolutely eradicate its origin.

Only with profound meditative concentration (dhyāna) and contemplation of the Dharma can one perceive the true reality, giving rise to genuine wisdom. Only then can one truly rely on the Dharma, not on certain authorities or famous figures. Without meditative concentration, one cannot contemplate and reflect; thus, one often relies on people and cannot rely on the Dharma. Merely reciting others' words is relying on people, while relying on the Dharma means relying on the true reality. The true reality must be perceived through contemplation and reflection within meditative concentration; it is absolutely not about reciting famous sayings or quotations like a parrot. Nowadays, the internet is full of parrots, each complacently believing themselves to be immensely learned, knowing so much, possessing vast knowledge—truly having "five cartloads of learning." Yet even a hundred cartloads of learning are irrelevant to birth and death; they cannot liberate one from the cycle of birth and death.