The Relationship Between the Manas and the Mind Consciousness

A root is that which is relied upon and depended on, just as a great tree grows by relying on its roots. A child exists by relying on the father, but is directly born from the mother. Eye consciousness arises relying on the eye faculty; the six consciousnesses arise relying on the six faculties; mind consciousness exists relying on the manas. However, the six consciousnesses are directly brought forth by the tathāgatagarbha, and the six faculties are merely the fundamental condition for the arising of the six consciousnesses.

In all matters one must trace things back to their root, find the root, and resolve the source; only then can a problem be thoroughly solved. If we wish to resolve the problem of birth-and-death and saṃsāra from beginningless kalpas, to resolve the problem of ignorance, to resolve the problem of defiled karmic seeds, we must trace things back to their roots and sources; we cannot apply our minds only to the branches and leaves—cutting off the branches and leaves, they will still arise again. If we want the branches and leaves not to grow, cutting off the root will thoroughly solve the problem. The manas is the root of the mind consciousness; the manas determines the mind consciousness and determines the direction of the six consciousnesses. Only by resolving the problem of the manas can the problem of the six consciousnesses be resolved. Although resolving the problem of the manas requires the mind consciousness to act as the forerunner and assistant, in the end it must still be carried out on the manas itself.

Countless people cannot figure out the relationship between the manas and the mind consciousness; they all take the mind consciousness to be the ultimate dharma and busy themselves with the mind consciousness. But even if the problem of the mind consciousness is resolved, if the manas is not resolved, the manas will still determine the cultivation and actions of the mind consciousness—the weeds will grow out again, which is still tantamount to the problem not being solved.

Such a simple matter, explained over and over, emphasized over and over, and yet the mind remains shrouded in fog. What on earth has obscured the mind? As for the dharmas one has been steeped in before, could one really not have the wisdom to introspect and change one's own understanding anew? On the path to bodhi, why refuse to take one more step forward?