Why Has the Manas Existed Since Beginningless Kalpas?

Since beginningless eons, there have been two dharmas not born from causes and conditions: one is the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha, which exists inherently and is not produced by any dharma. The other is the seventh consciousness, the manas, which has also coexisted with the eighth consciousness since the very beginning and is not a dharma born later, nor is it produced by the eighth consciousness through any condition. Nevertheless, the manas remains a dharma of arising and ceasing, an unreal dharma. It requires the eighth consciousness to continuously emit seeds of consciousness to sustain its existence and to be ceaselessly upheld by the eighth consciousness to remain.

Why is it that the manas, having existed since beginningless eons and not born from causes and conditions, still belongs to the dharmas of arising, ceasing, and change? Because since beginningless eons, the manas has inherently possessed ignorance, particularly the afflictions of momentary ignorance—greed, hatred, and delusion. Unaware of its own illusory nature, the view of self and the clinging to self cannot be eradicated. Thus, it coexists with the eighth consciousness without vanishing. Once the manas exhausts all momentary ignorance, the clinging to self will be completely severed, and it will inevitably cease to exist. Only the eighth consciousness will remain alone, formless, shapeless, without clamor or commotion, in the stillness of nirvana.