How to Maximize the Function of the Manas?

Blind people have exceptionally keen faculties of hearing, deaf-mute people have exceptionally keen faculties of sight; those with poor language ability often have strong hands-on skills—those who can talk often cannot do; animals have poor deliberative capacity but exceptionally keen intuition. Why is all this so?

People with extraordinary brains and people with special talents share a common characteristic. For example, painters, musicians, all kinds of artists, as well as scientists—anyone who can become a master of some kind shares this common trait: they themselves have some defect or defects, differing from worldly people; whether a physiological defect or a psychological defect, they are somewhat at a loss in worldly life, out of harmony with worldly people, and their conduct often goes against convention and common sense. Why is this?

One master switch controls seven faucets: close one faucet, and the water flow of the other six increases; close two faucets, and the flow of the other five increases further; close three faucets, and the flow of the other four increases again; close six faucets, leaving one faucet, and the flow is the greatest, its force ferocious.

The six faculties follow the same principle: close the eye faculty, and the functions of the other five faculties increase; then close the ear faculty, and the functions of the other four faculties increase; then close the tongue faculty and the nose faculty, and the functions of the body faculty and the manas increase; finally close the body faculty, and the function of the manas is the greatest. If the manas is closed as well, then there is nirvāṇa—no more water flow.