All Discrimination of the Six Sense Objects Is Governed by Manas

The discernment of the six sense objects is all governed by the manas; it is the manas that has the final say. Some people say that the manas can only discern whether there have been major changes in the mental sense objects, but this is not in fact the case. Mental sense objects are of five types: mental objects of material form, mental objects of sound, mental objects of smell, mental objects of taste, and mental objects of touch. The manas can discern all five types of mental sense objects; otherwise, how could the manas deliberate and decide which of the first five consciousnesses should arise? The manas can also make a general distinction among mental sense objects of the same type. For example, if several people suddenly appear before one's eyes, and the manas is only interested in one of them, then it will decide to discern that person, and the mind consciousness will not discern the others.

The manas can also discern the five sense objects. For example, colors are forms seen by the eye consciousness; if flowers of various colors appear before one, and the manas is only interested in the purple flowers, then the eye consciousness will only discern and pick out the purple flowers, paying no attention to flowers of other colors.