The Pattern of the Manas

If one can fully and effectively utilize the deliberation (manasikāra) of the manas and develop it into a habit, many highly sophisticated and complex matters can be readily resolved. We dharma practitioners should learn to habitually use the manas; then all problems in the cultivation and realization of the Buddha-dharma will no longer be too difficult. All great achievers make use of the manas, yet even while using it, they are unaware that they are using it—it is used unconsciously, because they do not know how to summarize and generalize, and they have no concept of the manas and the mind consciousness.

How wonderful it is for those who frequently use the manas: they are deep, meticulous, decisive, resolute, seasoned, profound, simple, pure, appearing foolish yet possessing great wisdom, commanding with composure, unflustered in the face of circumstances, calm and at ease, and far-sighted. Those who can only use the mind consciousness, however, are superficial, restless, and agitated. When the mind consciousness stays on the surface, one's energy is agitated and floating—there is no meditative concentration (samādhi), and neither mind nor energy can be settled. Petty women and petty men—whenever there is pettiness, it means one remains stuck at the level of the mind consciousness, unable to go deep, unable to use the manas; hence one's vision and scope are both small.

The scope of the mind consciousness is far smaller than that of the manas, because the dharmas that the mind consciousness takes as its object are few, and moreover it remains on the surface. The dharmas that the manas takes as its objects are extremely numerous, extremely vast, and extremely deep—spanning the past and future of ten lifetimes, from birth to death, from within to without, pervasively and imputedly cognizing all objects, silently embracing all dharmas; moreover, it can make decisions and take charge, being the master of the mind consciousness, with broad experience and extensive knowledge. Therefore, if we speak of vision and scope, they still lie in the manas. If one does not cultivate to the level of the manas, how can one have great wisdom?