What Does the "Mind" in the Mind-Made Body (manomaya-kāya) Refer To?

All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas possess mind-made bodies (manomaya-kāya); here "mind" refers to the manas. Once the manas stirs intention and thought, the tathāgatagarbha responds and manifests countless transformation bodies, also called mind-made bodies. Each mind-made body has its own set of five aggregates and six consciousnesses. Since the mind-made body arises from the manas stirring intention, the transformation bodies of the mind-made body all belong to the physical body and five aggregates possessed by this single manas. And since one manas corresponds to one tathāgatagarbha, each transformation body has a complete set of eight consciousnesses.

Ordinary beings lack meditative concentration and wisdom; no matter how the manas stirs thoughts, intentions, or ideas, they cannot produce divided or transformation bodies, because the manas lacks the power. Once the manas is endowed with full power, a single thought becomes all dharmas; when the manas lacks power, whatever it thinks of comes to nothing.