The Function and Role of the Manas Is Inherently Complete.

Question: Can the manas provide seeds of deluded thinking for the mind consciousness? And apart from the mind consciousness, are the functions and roles of the manas reduced?

Answer: The deluded thinking of the mind consciousness is indeed triggered by the manas; the content and direction of the deluded thinking are provided by the manas and are regulated by the manas, reflecting the wishes and intentions of the manas. However, this seed and all seeds are still provided by the tathāgatagarbha. Only the tathāgatagarbha can store the consciousness seeds and dharma seeds used for deluded thinking; the manas cannot store any seeds, because it is not a substantial entity, because it arises, ceases, and changes, and because it cannot be self-existent or autonomous. If the manas could provide seeds, there would be two mind-substances capable of storing seeds, and everything would fall into confusion. In reality, when the manas forms the plan and decision to engage in deluded thinking, the tathāgatagarbha, knowing this, cooperates by outputting the seeds needed for that deluded thinking, including the consciousness seeds of the mind consciousness, and only then can the mind consciousness engage in deluded thinking. The manas only needs to first engage in deluded thinking and grasping, and it will bring about the appearance of deluded thinking; He is the driving force and source of deluded thinking. The ultimate source is still the tathāgatagarbha; in the end, all dharmas flow forth from the tathāgatagarbha.

Apart from the mind consciousness, are the functions and roles of the manas reduced? We should know that the manas has an immense number of functions and roles. With regard to its functions and roles concerning the six sense objects, if the five aggregates and the six consciousnesses are absent, then even if the manas has a thousand wishes and a thousand clever schemes, they can hardly be displayed or exercised, because there is no executor or implementer, because there are no subordinates and no hands or feet. So from this point of view, the manas is a neutral/indeterminate (avyākṛta) consciousness: its wholesome and unwholesome mental actions cannot be realized, wholesome and unwholesome deeds cannot be performed, wholesome and unwholesome seeds cannot be stored, and wholesome and unwholesome retribution cannot come to fruition. Therefore, before beginningless kalpas ago, before there were the material world and bodies of the five aggregates, even though the manas had countless afflictions of ignorance, it had no karmic actions of ignorance and affliction, and together with the tathāgatagarbha it remained in deep, dark obscurity. Thus, apart from the mind consciousness, the manas still has just as many functions and roles; it is only that they cannot be displayed or put into operation.