True Wisdom Is the Wisdom of the Manas

From the phenomenon of blurting out an answer the moment a problem is encountered, one can observe the functioning of the manas and the roles the manas plays—that is, the mental factors (caittas) of the manas. What mental factors does the manas have, and what psychological activity causes one to blurt out an answer? If someone, upon being asked a question, answers immediately without thinking, it shows that they understand the problem very well and are very familiar with it, having engaged with it frequently before, so there is no need to deliberate, ponder, or reflect on it at present. This "self" here is the manas. A person with quick reactions has a manas that possesses experience and wisdom regarding such matters, and does not need the help of the mind consciousness to analyze.

Conversely, if the manas is unfamiliar with something, or has never experienced it, and lacks the wisdom to discern it, then when encountering matters and problems, it needs the help of the mind consciousness to deliberate and analyze, and then the manas makes its own decision based on that. This process is slow; one cannot answer and resolve the matter immediately, because in between there is a process of deliberation by the mind consciousness, and the manas draws its conclusion based on the results of the mind consciousness's deliberation. This shows that the manas lacks sufficient wisdom and cannot independently deliberate and make judgments and decisions.

As for wisdom, if it is obtained through present deliberation and analysis by the mind consciousness, or obtained by the mind consciousness scouting for information, it can hardly be called wisdom at all.