The Non-Arising of a Single Thought Is Accomplished by the Manas

Some people say that recollection is entirely a function of the mind consciousness, and that the manas has nothing to do with it. The mind consciousness can indeed recollect, but the mind consciousness is a dharma arising from causes and conditions; only with causes and conditions will the mind consciousness arise, and if the causes and conditions are not complete, the mind consciousness cannot arise. What causes and conditions prompt the mind consciousness to arise and recollect? Why can the mind consciousness recollect? It is, of course, because the manas recalls past events, the subjectively imagined realm appears, the faculty and sense objects make contact, and the manas wishes to do something; only when the eighth consciousness accords with the mental activities of the manas will the mind consciousness arise and engage in recollection; otherwise, the mind consciousness cannot arise. Therefore, whether the mind consciousness can recollect depends on whether the manas attends to past events and whether it wants to understand something. If the manas does not dwell on past events and has no mental activities, the mind consciousness will not arise, let alone recollect or deliberate, nor will various emotions appear.

If the manas has no mental activities and does not want to create any dharmas, the mind consciousness can remain in a state of not giving rise to a single thought; if the manas has mental activities and wants to create some dharma, the mind consciousness will inevitably create in accordance with the manas's intentions, and cannot remain in a state of not giving rise to a single thought. Therefore, the samādhi of the mind consciousness being free of a single thought is entirely determined by the manas and controlled by the manas; if the manas clings to and attends to other dharmas, the mind consciousness has no way to settle into concentration.

When the mind consciousness is free of a single thought, the manas can likewise be free of a single thought, or even if it gives rise to thoughts, they will not necessarily affect the mind consciousness; without any thought of wanting to create something, the mind consciousness can still remain free of a single thought.