The Solitary Activity of the Manas Also Belongs to Karmic Formations and Retribution

When a practitioner of the Pure Land method cultivates effectively in the Sahā world, the manas and the tathāgatagarbha manifest a lotus platform in the land of bliss (sukhāvatī); this is a karmic seed. When the karmic seed matures, after death one is born transformationally within a lotus flower in the land of bliss — this is the retribution of the practice. During cultivation, karmic seeds are stored; when the seeds mature, one receives wholesome retribution in the land of bliss. The manas, apart from the mind consciousness, brings about the appearance of the lotus platform in the land of bliss; this too should be counted as karmic activity, and also as the fruit of cultivation. But whether this fruit can ultimately be obtained still depends on causes and conditions, on whether the seeds can mature; if one's cultivation regresses, the immature seeds wither, the lotus platform in the land of bliss disappears, and one cannot attain rebirth there at the time of death.

After a night's sleep, upon waking in the morning, the mind consciousness feels that it has figured something out and understood a principle. Throughout that night the mind consciousness did not appear; it was entirely the manas engaging in its own solitary mental activity, and as a result it worked something out; when the mind consciousness arose, it then clearly understood the matter. This also counts as karmic activity, also stores seeds, and also has retributive results. If the manas spends the whole night in recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti), reciting mantras, or engaged in Chan investigation throughout the night, then even without the mind consciousness appearing it is still cultivation — and moreover the best cultivation, the most successful cultivation; it counts as karmic activity, stores seeds, and has retributive results. However, the manas's solitary mental activity and investigative activity are the result of having previously cultivated together with the mind consciousness and been influenced by it through perfuming; therefore the manas's solitary karmic activity is also a fruit.

If the manas discusses the Buddha-dharma with someone in the middle of the night, wisdom can also grow. If in the middle of the night it goes to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva to request the Dharma, and Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva patiently answers, then upon waking, the mind consciousness understands and receives the sweet dew of the Buddha-dharma. If one falls seriously ill, and the manas goes in the middle of the night to seek medicine from an immortal or a bodhisattva, then after taking it, one wakes up the next day and the illness is cured. This counts as karmic activity, and also as retributive results.