The Difference Between Mind-Consciousness Anger and Manas Anger

Question: When anger arises, does the manas become angry simultaneously with the mind consciousness, or does only the mind consciousness become angry? What is the manas doing at that time? Why is it that even after the mind consciousness has thought through, with right view, the matter that triggered the anger, the mind still feels depressed and pained? Is the manas still dwelling on that matter? Or did the manas not participate at all? When it comes to the principles of a matter, the mind consciousness figures them out very quickly, and once the manas also figures them out, the mind suddenly breaks through and feels comfortable. But this depressed feeling dissipates very slowly—is it because the manas, unlike the mind consciousness, cannot grasp principles so quickly?

Answer: All the mental activities and actions of the mind consciousness—out of what are they produced? So think: out of what is the mind consciousness born? It is born by the tathāgatagarbha after the manas contacts the mental sense-objects. What are the mental sense-objects? They are the content worth being angry about that the manas contacts. When the manas contacts mental sense-objects worth being angry about and wants to erupt, once the deliberation (manasikāra) mental factor makes its decision, the tathāgatagarbha will give birth to the mind consciousness to satisfy the manas's intention, and thus the mind consciousness arises with anger and erupts. When the manas wants to act, it inevitably has the mind consciousness help Him act, because the manas has no helper and cannot act in certain dharmas, so it needs the mind consciousness to help itself act. Only then can the mind consciousness be born. The mind consciousness is the manas's spokesperson and tool, expressing the manas's inner voice on His behalf.

Then how is the dharma of the mind consciousness getting angry produced? It is because the manas has become angry and wants to vent it, wants to express its angry attitude, and the tathāgatagarbha cooperates by giving birth to the mind consciousness, using the mind consciousness to express the manas's rage. After the mind consciousness is born, it gives rise to the mental activity of rage.

When the manas gives rise to anger, it is genuine anger; when only the mind consciousness is angry, it is feigned anger. Genuine anger in the manas has various manifestations, for example, a flushed face and thickened neck in facial expression, harsh speech in verbal action, or being puffed up with rage or even coming to blows in bodily posture—all of these are produced jointly by the mind consciousness and the body consciousness, produced in compliance with the manas's mental activity, fully expressing the manas's mental activity. As for the mind consciousness being angry on its own: when the mind consciousness is discerning the sense realm, it feels the realm is somewhat unsatisfactory, but the manas considers it no big deal and the mind is very calm. This kind of anger has no force and will not lead to any serious actions—it is just going through the motions.

However, after the anger, the reactions of the two differ, because their capacity for awakening differs. The mind consciousness may immediately introspect, introspecting on these actions and deeds. The mind consciousness may feel that getting angry is wrong, and upon reflection it can quickly figure out why it is wrong. Although the mind consciousness has figured it out, the manas has not yet understood, so in His mind He is still angry just the same, fuming with rage. The mind consciousness says: "Don't be angry, don't be angry; it was our own fault to begin with." Even when the mind consciousness says this, the manas still does not understand and remains angry just the same. Sometimes the manas simply cannot control its urge to lash out and hit someone, and the mind consciousness says: "Don't hit people; hitting people is bad." But the manas does not listen, and so while saying "don't hit people," He raises a hand and strikes. Therefore, even when the mind consciousness understands the principles and has rationality, it may not necessarily be able to control the manas—He insists on erupting—and the mind consciousness has no choice but to help and cooperate with Him, having no alternative but to obey the command of the manas, its master.

Our psychological activities are divided into the level of the mind consciousness and the level of the manas. The level of the mind consciousness is passive and must obey the manas's will. If the mind consciousness is to act as the master, it must influence the manas, successfully permeating and transforming Him, and only then will the manas take charge and make decisions in accordance with the mind consciousness's ideas. If the mind consciousness's permeation is unsuccessful, the manas will still erupt according to His own mental activity. Then no matter how the mind consciousness persuades, it is useless—tell Him not to be angry, and He is still very angry over there; tell Him not to do this, and He insists on doing it—there is nothing to be done. The mind consciousness, having no alternative, goes along and does it anyway. Saying one thing and doing another is precisely the manas refusing to heed the mind consciousness's opinion, stubbornly going His own way, unable to act according to what the mind consciousness says—the mental activities are inconsistent.