How to Find the Manas

When we are in the mode of "I... I... I," when the mind thinks "I... I... I," it is right here that we should look for the so-called "self" of the manas. The "self" here includes the self of the mind consciousness and the self of the manas. If we separate their two natures, we can find the self of the manas. What is hidden here is rather deep, very stubborn, capable of making decisions, and not very receptive to persuasion—this is the self of the manas. This is seeking the manas at the place where it functions, thereby realizing the manas. When you think "I... I... I," you can reflect right here, but this is quite difficult.

Reflect here on which is the self of the manas. When you say "I," the "I" here includes the self that the sixth consciousness (the mind consciousness) believes in, as well as the self that the manas believes in. Only after separating these two can you realize the self of the manas, but this is somewhat difficult. It is better to search for that which is constantly the master making decisions—the one that decides "what I am going to do, how I am going to do it." The mind that acts as the master and makes the decision at that moment is the manas. If you search in this way, it is relatively faster and easier.

Another optimal time for realizing the manas is when a sudden, unexpected event occurs. Observe your own reaction. When a sudden event happens, you react immediately, without, the more clearly this is the manas. Because the mind consciousness simply has no time to react, no time to think; it is entirely the manas that makes decisions and choices based on its own habits and inertial tendencies accumulated over beginningless kalpas. Then it causes the six consciousnesses to immediately produce bodily, verbal, and mental actions—extremely quickly.

For example, when something suddenly flies in from outside and is about to hit you, you are very alert and dodge it in an instant, with no time for thinking. The mind that decides to dodge is the manas. Since beginningless kalpas, He has clung to the body as self, and He has constantly been taking the physical body as His object—the condition of the body and everything related to the body, He knows them all. When an unexpected event occurs, it is He who makes the body dodge immediately, so as not to suffer any harm or danger whatsoever. The one who decides to dodge hastily is the manas.

Or, when you are boiling water at home and the boiling water suddenly scalds your body or hand a little, you immediately fling your hand away—the mind that makes this decision is the manas. Because the mind consciousness has no time to react: when this sudden hot tactile sense-object contacts the body, the mind consciousness has no time to feel it. Perhaps it also feels the heat, but it has no time to think about what is happening. The manas has already decided to dodge immediately and fling the hand away, or has decided how to handle the situation, causing the body to react and respond rapidly. This is the manas's decision. Only after flinging the hand away do you have feelings, and only then does the mind feel a bit of lingering fear, a bit of pain and distress. The reaction at this point is the reaction of the mind consciousness.

Separate the two natures of the manas and the mind consciousness; once separated, the manas becomes easy to find. As for the eight consciousnesses, separate each consciousness, break them down into individual consciousnesses, and observe the operation of each one; then you can know the functional nature of each consciousness. Separate the seven consciousnesses, and after you have found them all, the one that remains is the eighth consciousness. Contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on the eight consciousnesses in this way will lead to realization very quickly, and very directly. The same applies to observing and contemplating the illusory nature of the five aggregates (pañcaskandha): separate the activities of the five aggregates and contemplate them one aggregate at a time; then you will understand the functional nature of each aggregate, be able to observe the arising-ceasing and mutable nature of a particular aggregate, and know that it is impermanent, illusory, and not-self.

Separate the two natures of the manas and the mind consciousness; once separated, the manas becomes easy to find. As for the eight consciousnesses, separate each consciousness, break them down into individual consciousnesses, and observe the operation of each one; then you can know the functional nature of each consciousness. Separate the seven consciousnesses, and after you have found them all, the one that remains is the eighth consciousness. Contemplative practice on the eight consciousnesses in this way will lead to realization very quickly, and very directly. The same applies to observing and contemplating the illusory nature of the five aggregates: separate the activities of the five aggregates and contemplate them one aggregate at a time; then you will understand the functional nature of each aggregate, be able to observe the arising-ceasing and mutable nature of a particular aggregate, and know that it is impermanent, illusory, and not-self.