Guide to the Cultivation and Realization of the Manas: Part One
Chapter 3: The Difference Between Understanding and Realization
1. How to Ensure Genuine Realization Rather Than Mere Understanding
In the early stages of contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) and investigation, the mind consciousness can engage in much deliberation and study of the Dharma principles, gaining a general understanding of their meaning. Once correct knowledge and views are complete, one can begin cultivating śamatha-vipaśyanā and investigating Chan. During contemplative practice and Chan investigation, within meditative concentration the mind consciousness condenses the Dharma principles it has understood into a meaning that is very easy to grasp, and suspends it deeply in the mind, working at it from morning to night, forgetting food and sleep — this is investigation (canjiu).
Let the mind consciousness do less analytical deliberation, and let the manas deliberate and weigh things on its own more — this is the most effective method to ensure genuine realization, and also the method for attaining the greatest wisdom. If the mind consciousness does too much thinking and analysis, once it knows the answer it will no longer want to investigate, and the manas will have no opportunity to investigate either; in that case, enlightenment may never be attained. Therefore, if the answer to seeing the mind is casually inquired about or casually told, once the mind consciousness knows it, the manas can no longer apply effort, and enlightenment becomes impossible. The same applies to the eradication of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa): one must not demand that the master explain it in too much detail. If the mind consciousness already knows everything, the manas cannot think further, and eradicating the view of self becomes very difficult.
Using the mind consciousness to deliberate feels tiring, whereas letting the manas apply itself more does not feel tiring. When meditative concentration is very good, the manas can participate in contemplative practice; without concentration, the manas cannot get involved and cannot deliberate and investigate single-mindedly. The questioning doubt that arises during Chan investigation appears precisely because the manas single-mindedly wants to understand and find the answer. When the Dharma principles are examined by the manas, once they are examined clearly and pass, that is realization.
Those who emphasize the mind consciousness say the manas is a block of wood and mere decoration, of no use. If contemplative practice and investigation truly did not require the manas, then we could announce the answers of realization to the whole world, letting everyone in the world — whether Buddhist or not — all know the answers and all become enlightened and become Buddhas. Is that possible? It is utterly impossible. Each person eats and each person is filled. The Dharma that others attained through arduous Chan investigation — can one simply listen to it, understand it, and copy it down to make it one's own? That is self-deception and deception of others.
2. What Represents a Sentient Being's Identity?
Throughout countless lifetimes of birth-and-death and saṃsāra, what represents our identity? In the process of cultivation from ordinary being to Buddha, what represents our identity?
For example, at the time of becoming a Buddha, what represents the Buddha's identity? When one becomes an eighth-bhūmi, ninth-bhūmi, or saṭṭha-bhūmi bodhisattva awaiting rebirth, what represents the identity of such a great bodhisattva? When one becomes a bodhisattva of the first bhūmi or above, what represents the identity of a bodhisattva of the first bhūmi or above? After seeing the mind and attaining enlightenment, what represents the identity of a bodhisattva who has seen the mind? From attaining the first fruit up to the fourth fruit, what represents the identity of a noble one of the first or second fruit? What represents the identity of a noble one of the third or fourth fruit? After attaining the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, what represents the identity of a pratyekabuddha?
At the stage of an ordinary being, what represents the identity of hell beings? What represents the identity of hungry ghosts? What represents the identity of animals? What represents the identity of asuras? What represents the identity of devas in the different heavens? What represents the identity of different humans?
When a sentient being dies each time, the six consciousnesses cease, the five-aggregate body ceases, and only the manas and the eighth consciousness remain, going together to the next life and giving birth to the five-aggregate body of the next life. It is like this life after life. Therefore, only the manas and the eighth consciousness can represent a sentient being's identity. But every sentient being's eighth consciousness is identical, with the same virtues, without the slightest difference. Therefore, the eighth consciousness cannot represent a sentient being's identity; otherwise, all sentient beings' identities would be the same, with no distinction whatsoever. Hence, only the manas represents a sentient being's identity.
Whatever virtues the manas has, that is what sentient being one is. If the virtues are those of a Buddha, one is the World-Honored Buddha — the one representing the Buddha is the Sambhogakāya Buddha (saṃbhoga-kāya-buddha) accomplished by the manas, clearly distinct from the retributive body of sentient beings. If the manas has the virtues of a bodhisattva awaiting rebirth, the being is such a bodhisattva; if the manas has the virtues of an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva, the being is an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva; if the manas has the virtues of a first-bhūmi bodhisattva, having initially transformed consciousness into wisdom, the being is a first-bhūmi bodhisattva.
If the manas has seen the mind and attained realization but has not yet transformed consciousness into wisdom, the being is a bodhisattva of the three stages of worthiness. If the manas has merely attained the fruits without seeing the mind, one is a noble or worthy one of the Small Vehicle. If the manas has attained the fruit of a pratyekabuddha and possesses the virtues of a pratyekabuddha, the being is a pratyekabuddha. If the manas's mental nature is as vicious and wrathful as a hell being's, the being is a hell being; if the manas is extremely stingy and greedy, the being is a hungry ghost; if the manas is extremely foolish and unteachable, the being is an animal; if the manas's virtues are very wrathful and combative but it has merit, the being is an asura; if the manas's virtues contain both good and evil, sometimes good and sometimes evil, the being is a human; if the manas's virtues have more good than evil, the being is a deva of the desire realm; if the manas's virtues are not only good but also possess meditative concentration, the being is a deva of the form realm or the formless realm.
The human body is crucial, determining whether the next life will be higher or lower. If in studying Buddhism and cultivating practice one does not cultivate down to the manas, does not elevate and transform the manas's virtues, then at the time of death, once the six consciousnesses cease, the manas will use its currently manifest virtues to determine the identity of the next life, and together with the tathāgatagarbha will enter the womb corresponding to the manas's virtues — such is the law of cause and effect. Countless people cultivate like a dragonfly skimming the water, stopping at a shallow taste; they do not reach the manas's mind, do not implement the Buddha's Dharma in the manas's mind. Then the manas will carry its ignorance and continue to enter the womb-store of ignorance, giving birth to an ignorant suffering being.
I have earnestly and repeatedly explained the manas and its importance, yet there are still foolish beings who do not accept the manas: they do not let the manas attain the fruits, do not let the manas see the mind. Then in the next life, the manas that has not attained the fruits and has not seen the mind will continue to enter the womb, but its identity will absolutely not be that of one who has attained the fruits or seen the mind. By the time one regrets it, it will already be too late.
3. The Manas Represents the Sentient Being and the Being's Identity
Question: If only the mind consciousness realizes the eighth consciousness, and the manas has not realized it, and the manas is not used for realization, then when this person dies and is reborn in the land of bliss (sukhāvatī), or ascends to the heavens, upon arriving in the land of bliss, the physical body is a deva's body, and the mind consciousness is a newly born deva's consciousness. If the manas has not realized the eighth consciousness, is this person in the land of bliss still a bodhisattva who is enlightened and has seen the mind? What is their fruit-stage? Is it the same as the situation of an ordinary being arriving in the land of bliss? Are they still an ordinary being? Do they receive the same treatment as an ordinary being?
Answer: No matter in what world or in what form a sentient being exists, their identity and fruit-realization are primarily determined by the manas — whatever the manas is, that is what the being is. Because the manas is the master of the sentient being, the consciousness that makes decisions, corresponds to karmic seeds, and continues into future lives, whatever karma the manas creates, that is the retribution it receives. If the manas creates the karma of an ordinary being, it will be an ordinary being in the next life; if the manas eradicates the view of self, it will be a person of the first through fourth fruits in the next life; if the manas sees the mind and sees its nature, it will be an enlightened bodhisattva in the next life, with the fruit-stage determined by the degree of the manas's enlightenment or ignorance.
If in the human body the manas has not realized the eighth consciousness, one is an ordinary being, and rebirth in the land of bliss occurs with the identity of an ordinary being; in the land of bliss one remains an ordinary being, dwelling in a lotus flower for varying numbers of kalpas. When the karmic obstructions have been eliminated to a certain degree, the flower opens and one sees the Buddha, hears the Dharma, and awakens to the Way — only then does one become a true bodhisattva. The mind consciousness's understanding while in a human body does not play a fundamental role; if it has permeated the manas, corresponding faint seeds will be stored, and in the next life the manas will be somewhat more receptive to permeation and realization.
4. Is Attaining the Fruits Achieved by the Mind Consciousness Alone?
If merely the mind consciousness attaining the fruits counted as attaining the fruits, then in our groups, if not half then at least a third of the people would have attained the fruits with their mind consciousness. If I guided them in person, three-quarters or four-fifths would attain the fruits with their mind consciousness. Adding the members of the Yogācāra group, at least one to two thousand people would have attained the fruits with their mind consciousness — five to six thousand would not be surprising. If merely the mind consciousness seeing the mind counted as seeing the mind, then I could hold a large assembly, announce how the tathāgatagarbha concretely operates, and everyone's mind consciousness would know it; all who did not deny it would become enlightened bodhisattvas who have seen the mind. Then this world would be nearly as magnificent as in the Buddha's time.
Nowadays quite a few people in the groups can discern the Dharma principles concerning the manas, and their Yogācāra wisdom is not low either. If mind-consciousness attainment of the fruits sufficed, then our groups could now have many bhūmi-attained bodhisattvas possessing the wisdom of the varieties of paths of Yogācāra, and in twenty-some years we could cultivate a thousand or eighteen hundred bhūmi-attained bodhisattvas — not a difficult matter. But is the cultivation and realization of the Buddha's Dharma really like this? Is it really that easy? Can realization be transmitted merely by word of mouth?
Why is the Buddhist community undergoing rectification now? People with wisdom should understand: on the surface it appears to be a worldly affair, but the Buddha long ago knew the current state of the Buddhist community — could the Buddha not take measures? Sentient beings are unaware of the Buddha's support behind the scenes; they only look at surface phenomena and do not know the true reasons behind. Every upheaval in the Buddhist community is in fact caused by great internal problems that invite external turmoil. All the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and Dharma-protecting dragons and devas know this.
5. All Samādhis Are Attained by the Manas
The mind consciousness's understanding is not realization, because the mind consciousness is not the master of the five aggregates; it cannot make decisions regarding any dharmas, including understanding principles and attaining realization, and its views do not count. However, in cultivation, the mind consciousness's understanding comes first, followed later by the manas's realization; the mind consciousness's understanding — that is, correct knowledge and views — is the prerequisite for realization. Realization cannot be separated from understanding; as long as one does not stop at understanding, subsequent realization is only a matter of time.
In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Buddha said to Ānanda: 菩提涅槃。尚在遥远。非汝历劫。辛勤修证。虽复忆持。十方如来。十二部经。清净妙理。如恒河沙。只益戏论。汝虽谈说。因缘自然。决定明了。人间称汝。多闻第一。以此积劫。多闻熏习。不能免离。摩登伽难。 Here the World-Honored One has already clearly stated that the realization of bodhi is not so simple: memorizing and reciting sūtras, all such extensive learning, is conceptual proliferation (prapañca). Therefore I say, all those claims of attaining the fruits, eradicating the view of self, and seeing the mind are merely understanding, merely conceptual proliferation.
If the mind consciousness attaining samādhi and the mind consciousness seeing the mind were enough, then when conditions ripen, we could organize several dharma assemblies of ten thousand people each, explain to the assembly the various operations of the tathāgatagarbha within the five aggregates, and after listening, most people would understand. Then I would ask how many people have understood the operations of the tathāgatagarbha and realized it — everyone raise your hands — and I would congratulate everyone on their enlightenment. In that case, twenty thousand bodhisattva certificates would absolutely not be enough; we would have to print another hundred thousand, and even those might not suffice. Could this work? If the mind consciousness understanding counts as realization, then let me tell you clearly: hasn't your mind consciousness already understood? If understanding counts as realization, then why make everyone keep precepts, cultivate concentration, and investigate Chan, taking so many detours?
If the mind consciousness's comprehension counted as realization, then as long as one person in a world attained it, they could tell everyone, one telling ten and ten telling a hundred — wouldn't everyone in the whole world then have attained it? What need would there be to cultivate concentration or investigate? Why would the Buddha have his disciples cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom? Without keeping precepts, as long as one's mind consciousness is clever, one could realize the Buddha's Dharma and thereby end birth and death? What about the seven factors of enlightenment, the eightfold noble path, the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment — none of these would need to be cultivated. The Buddha was truly making an unnecessary fuss, so long-winded in tormenting sentient beings. How simple the Buddha's Dharma is — why make it so complicated?
If the mind consciousness's understanding counted as enlightenment, then we could sit down, recall a dream, and contemplate how the real world is just like a dream, and thereby attain the contemplation of things being like a dream, completing the tenth dedication bhūmi and being about to enter the bhūmis. Then sitting down again, contemplating how all dharmas are like images in a mirror, reflecting on them as reflections in a mirror, thinking that indeed everything is like reflections in a mirror — then one would attain the contemplation of images in a mirror, complete the first bhūmi's full mind, and become a second-bhūmi bodhisattva. Wouldn't studying Buddhism be so easy and pleasant this way?
Why is realizing the Buddha's Dharma and becoming a Buddha not so easy, requiring three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas? It is precisely because the manas is dull, its ignorance deep and heavy, making it hard for it to understand the Dharma principles. If realization did not involve the manas's realization, and cultivation were truly so easy, then becoming a Buddha would not require the long span of three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas at all — the whole path would be completed very quickly.
6. Reciting Yet Not Reciting Is the Recollection-of-the-Buddha Samādhi
True recollection-of-the-Buddha samādhi (buddhānusmṛti-samādhi) is accomplished by the manas, after the mind consciousness has fully permeated it; it is the state of realizing the fundamental mind. At this time there is both concentration and wisdom. Throughout the entire practice, the mind consciousness guides the manas, from recollecting the images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas to recollecting the true suchness of the real Buddhas and bodhisattvas; finally the manas accomplishes samādhi — the mind consciousness does not recite while the manas recites — profound meditative concentration appears, and afterward wisdom is born, thereby realizing the true mind and self-nature.
Reciting without reciting means the mind consciousness does not recite while the manas recites; when the manas recites automatically, the mind consciousness cannot control it. Understanding this principle, one should understand how to apply effort in practice, how to investigate Chan, how to contemplate and practice vipaśyanā, and one will know the principle and process of realizing and awakening to the Way.
Reciting yet not reciting: although in the end it is entirely the manas reciting the Buddha's name, the manas does not recite as the mind consciousness does — on the surface, He cannot recite. In fact, the one who truly can recite the Buddha's name is also the one who does not recite, without mouth and without mind. What is that thing? Investigate!
7. The Recollection-of-the-Buddha Samādhi Is Accomplished by the Manas
True recollection-of-the-Buddha samādhi is accomplished when the mind consciousness fully permeates and leads the manas to recite the Buddha's name, and the manas accomplishes the samādhi state in which every thought is the Buddha. It is the state of realizing the fundamental mind, the Buddha, where concentration and wisdom are perfectly fused — having both concentration and wisdom. Throughout the entire practice, the mind consciousness guides the manas, from recollecting the images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas to recollecting the true suchness of the real Buddhas and bodhisattvas; finally the manas accomplishes the samādhi of true suchness — the mind consciousness does not recite while the manas recites — profound meditative concentration appears, and afterward wisdom is born, thereby realizing the self-nature of true suchness.
The meditative concentration therein combines stillness and movement, with neither aspect neglected. Initially, cultivating in seated stillness is easier, as the mind settles quickly. Once skill is developed in stillness, the mind also easily becomes stable during activity, relatively focused and single-minded, because stillness nourishes movement. When one can single-mindedly recite the Buddha's name amid the combination of stillness and movement, and meditative power has been cultivated with some prajñā wisdom complete, one can investigate who is reciting the Buddha's name. That requires a turning point: adding wisdom's contemplative observation within meditative concentration, also called contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā). The thought shifts from Buddha-recollection to a doubting thought, doubting deeply, with no other thoughts. One day, the questioning doubt will break open, and one will investigate out who is reciting the Buddha's name.
Many people are unwilling or unable to apply effort so painstakingly; a few individuals try to be clever and take shortcuts, pondering and analyzing in their minds, letting emotional thoughts and intellectual understanding arise, and finally may figure out and say: "Isn't the one reciting the Buddha's name just that thing?" But no matter how one figures it, that thing is everywhere, present in all dharmas — the Buddha has already openly declared it. You say the one reciting is "it," but in fact reciting the Buddha's name is still the combined operation of the eight consciousnesses, both true and false present — how could it be just that thing?
Some people reason that in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down it is just that thing — "I've investigated it out, I'm enlightened." But in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, without which consciousness could you walk, stand, sit, and lie down? Taking the dharma of the combined operation of the eight consciousnesses as the dharma of the eighth consciousness operating alone is clearly the view of an ordinary being, not the Chan school's seeing the mind and realization. The so-called enlightenment of today — almost everyone's enlightenment is like this, nearly one hundred percent are like this — that is the "wu" of misunderstanding (誤), merely deceiving oneself. After deceiving oneself, afflictions will blaze ever more fiercely, arrogance will become ever more prominent, and greed, hatred, and delusion will manifest without restraint, because two selves have emerged — the result is inevitably so.
But one who truly awakens has eradicated the view of self, lowers the head, has physical and mental tranquility, lighter afflictions, increased concentration and wisdom, and a mind empty and non-active. Therefore, to truly awaken and be responsible to oneself, one must put in genuine effort, truly investigate earnestly, not opportunistically, and not love showing off.
8. The Difference Between Understanding and Realization
The truth understood by the mind consciousness and the truth realized by the manas through contemplative practice in meditative concentration are as different as heaven and earth. The former, though able to talk at great length, produce piles of writings, and gather crowds of disciples, has no merit or beneficial effect, no practical value; it cannot break ignorance, cannot resolve birth and death, cannot remove the bonds of afflictions. The latter may not talk at great length, may not teach the Dharma or write articles, may not have a single disciple, but the mind is liberated, the end of birth and death can be expected; their influence and permeating power are immense, their field is extremely strong, their power to gather and transform beings is strong, their word carries the weight of nine tripods, and without intention they deliver sentient beings and gather them in — only without knowing it. Sentient beings, imperceptibly, can sense the power and virtue, and are unknowingly transformed.
When encountering information, encountering truth, if the six consciousnesses do not understand it and do not know what it means, how can the truth and information be effectively and completely transmitted to the manas? Without meditative concentration, how can the six consciousnesses hand the truth and information over to the manas? Without meditative concentration, how can the manas absorb and digest these truths and information? If the manas cannot absorb and digest them, how can ignorance be eliminated and the mind turned into light? If the manas is not enlightened, how can grasping be relinquished and liberation attained?
9. The Difference Between Research and Investigation
Research is a manifestation of lacking meditative power or having insufficient meditative power. When meditative power is insufficient, the manas cannot exert force to participate, so only the mind consciousness alone deliberates, analyzes, infers, and judges; therefore one can only float on the surface, unable to go deep into the Dharma principles to explore their deeper meanings. The results obtained are relatively superficial, generalities without essence. Without meditative power, the mind is scattered, thinking is diffuse, lacking force, like a dragonfly skimming the water, unable to focus single-mindedly and go deep to clarify the ins and outs of the Dharma. The result is without genuine realization, and cannot provide concrete methods and steps for realization.
The deliberative activity of investigation, however, is carried out with a certain degree of meditative power; the thinking is deep, subtle, focused, and penetrating. First the mind consciousness applies itself, then the manas participates, and finally the manas's mental activity dominates, with the manas's function being the greatest. Such application of mind is very forceful, reaching directly into the depths of the Dharma principles, even clarifying the details, overcoming the questioning doubt; the result is deep faith without doubt, cutting off the mental bonds. The results of investigation are impeccable in others' eyes, and can also give others a point of entry for practice, guiding their thinking, achieving the purpose of benefiting self and others.
Since ancient times, those engaged in research have mostly been literary scholars, because literati have shallow concentration and heavy emotionality, love to play with the surface of words, and only taste the Buddha's Dharma superficially; they cannot enter the deep pool to seize its treasures, but can only scoop some clear water at the pool's edge. Even if they wish to enter the deep pool, their meditative power is insufficient, and their thinking cannot be as forceful as an awl's point, unable to go deep into the Dharma to obtain its profound meaning. Therefore, the Buddhist thought of figures like Li Bai, Bai Juyi, and Su Dongpo of the Tang and Song dynasties could not influence or drive the development of Buddhism; and down to the literati of the Republican era and before, such as Hu Shi and Feng Zikai, their Chan writings are voluminous and flowing, yet what they say is merely superficial, never touching the inside of Chan. Reading their works even once is too much; a few sentences reveal where they fall short. They offer not the slightest reference for the broad mass of students, let alone influence Buddhism.
Those fond of research have shallow concentration and many words, rich writing but impoverished thought; though their works pile up to their height, there is much chaff and little nourishment. Investigators have deep concentration and few words, deep and penetrating thought, with much essence. For example, Patriarch Bodhidharma, Layman Fu, Baozhi Gong, and the Chan masters of the Tang and Song dynasties — though their writings are limited, a single word of theirs carries the weight of nine tripods; one sentence offers endless aftertaste, leading people to investigate for decades. Their words match their conduct, their conduct manifests their words; word and deed are forever consistent, the same inside and out, embodying the demeanor of one of the Way. The writings and recorded sayings of Chan masters not only reflect the course and insights of the masters' practice, but also contain their character as human beings and their bodhisattva demeanor — all are the fruits of genuine practice and genuine realization, treasures of Buddhism, bringing boundless benefit to the masses.
Therefore, to save oneself, save sentient beings, and drive the development of Buddhism, one can only go deep in meditative concentration to investigate and genuinely realize, produce the fruits of realization, benefit self and others — only then can the development of Buddhism be advanced.
10. The Difference Between Understanding-Awakening and Realization-Awakening
Understanding-awakening knows that it is so but not why it is so; realization-awakening knows both that it is so and why it is so. The trouble with understanding-awakening is that having already known that it is so, one thinks one has arrived home and finds it hard to want to know why it is so; even if one wants to know why, due to insufficient meditative concentration plus arrogance, one can no longer know why it is so, and transforming understanding-awakening into realization-awakening is very difficult. Moreover, what ordinary people call understanding-awakening merely refers to having understood some Buddhist theories — it does not even count as knowing that it is so, not knowing what the Buddha's Dharma ultimately points to; they are still far from understanding-awakening.
11. If the Manas Does Not Make the Final Determination, the Effort Is Abandoned Halfway
Taking the operation of the eye consciousness's volition (cetanā) mental factor as an example: successful seeing of form lies in the manas's final decision. "Volition" (cetanā) means choosing, deciding, determining — representing a power of deliberative choice. Once a consciousness has determined a dharma, it must then act. Volition also means conditioning, action, behavior, deed, operation, and so on. All eight consciousnesses have the operation of the volition mental factor, all have the power of deliberative choice; after discerning, each must make a choice and decision, and after deciding, must carry it out. This is the meaning of the volition mental factor.
Among these, the eye consciousness's discernment of form cannot be separated from the mind consciousness's discernment, so the operation of the eye consciousness's volition mental factor cannot be separated from the operation of the mind consciousness's volition mental factor. For example, the manas wants to apply ointment and decides to look for the ointment bottle. This task is accomplished jointly by the eye consciousness and mind consciousness; singly, neither can see form or search for material form. After the manas makes the decision, the eye consciousness and mind consciousness arise and go to the table to look for the ointment bottle. There are several items on the table; the manas decides to check them one by one, so the eye consciousness and mind consciousness discern each item in turn. Finally, the eye consciousness fixes on the ointment bottle's color, and the mind consciousness fixes on the ointment bottle's shape; the combined information shows it is the ointment bottle — of course, the concept of "ointment bottle" is supplied by the mind consciousness. When the two consciousnesses work together, the mind consciousness's workload is always greater, its mental activities more numerous, the dharmas it discriminates more numerous.
When the eye consciousness and mind consciousness fix on the ointment bottle, it is as if attention (manaskāra) is directed at the ointment bottle, contacting it, receiving it, discerning it, discriminating it as the ointment bottle, and finally determining that it is the ointment bottle being sought. Herein, determining is the function of the volition mental factor, including the eye consciousness determining the bottle's color and the mind consciousness determining the bottle's shape, label, and contents. For the determination of all material form, the mind consciousness's determination is primary and the eye consciousness's is auxiliary. After determination, the information is transmitted to the manas; the manas reviews and deliberates, and also determines that it is the ointment bottle it needs, and so decides to take it — this is another act of deliberative choice. At this point, the eye consciousness, mind consciousness, and body consciousness operate in combination, including the manas, and also including such-and-such consciousness; action and deed are produced, and the ointment bottle is taken. This process takes only about twenty seconds, but describing it takes several minutes.
In the process of discerning material form, if the eye consciousness does not determine, the mind consciousness cannot determine, the manas even less so, and the such-and-such consciousness can only watch from the sidelines, determining nothing. Even if the eye consciousness determines, the mind consciousness may not determine, and the manas cannot yet determine. Only after the mind consciousness determines, and the manas further deliberates and reviews, may it finally determine — or perhaps still not determine. Then the eye consciousness and mind consciousness will be made to discern and confirm again, even repeatedly, providing more information to the manas before the manas can determine and make its choice.
Some people always want to cultivate only up to the mind consciousness and be done with it, omitting that final crucial step — how could anything be accomplished that way? What use would it have? If attaining the fruits does not let the manas attain them, what use is the conclusion the mind consciousness reaches? If seeing the mind does not let the manas see it, what use is the mind consciousness's seeing? If the boss does not give the final approval, what use is what the employees say? Practice abandoned halfway is almost entirely wasted effort. Yet there are people who like to abandon things halfway, not wanting the final result.
12. Only When the Manas Eradicates the View of Self and the View of What Belongs to Self Does It Have Use
Eradicating the view of self includes eradicating the view of what belongs to self (ātmiya-dṛṣṭi). The key is whether the manas accepts that the five aggregates are not self; the mind consciousness's belief is useless and is not true eradication of the view of self. It must be that in the depths of the mind one completely no longer regards the five aggregates as self or belonging to self, no longer regards the six sense-objects as one's possessions — only that counts. In contemplative deliberation and practice, the mind consciousness must engage in deep and subtle contemplation to guide the manas, letting the manas understand the principle; once the manas understands, it will change its own views and concepts, and thereby the whole body and mind undergo a great transformation. From then on, the manas gradually ceases to grasp the functions of the six consciousnesses — feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness — as self and what belongs to self, and ceases to grasp the aggregate of form as self and what belongs to self. After realizing the Great Vehicle Dharma, one will gradually return these functions of the five aggregates and eighteen realms to the eighth consciousness, the true master; only then can the various checkpoints of the Great Vehicle be passed one by one, with wisdom growing ever deeper and sharper, and body and mind becoming ever more liberated.
