Reflections on the Boundary Between the Ordinary and the Sage

The manas is the defiled-and-pure basis (āśraya) of the six consciousnesses: if the manas is defiled, the six consciousnesses are necessarily defiled; if the manas is pure, the six consciousnesses are necessarily pure. So then, if the manas has not eliminated the view of self, can the mind consciousness eliminate the view of self? If the manas has not severed the afflictive bond-and-fetters, such as the three fetters, can the mind consciousness sever the three fetters? Since the manas has not severed the three fetters, at the end of life it is drawn by karmic obstructions toward the hells to undergo retribution—at that point, where is the mind consciousness to go? When the manas remains at the stage of an ordinary being's ignorance, can the mind consciousness alone become a noble one who has attained the first fruit? Should such a person be counted as an ordinary being or as a noble one who has realized the fruit? Or should the two be split apart and treated separately? If someone has harmed oneself, and the manas is extremely obstinate in its clinging to self, insisting on carrying out revenge, how should the mind consciousness deal with this matter? When the mind consciousness is clear-headed, understands correct principles, and has already undergone cultivation-influence, it can reason with the manas and counter-influence the manas, thereby suppressing and subduing the manas so that it does not carry out revenge or commit evil karma. But at the time of dying and in the antarā-bhava, the mind consciousness is weak and has no way to draw the manas along or persuade it. In a dream, can the mind consciousness guide and admonish the manas? If one cannot even maintain mastery over oneself in a dream, then at the time of death one will be even less able to maintain mastery over oneself. What does it mean to maintain mastery? It means that the mind consciousness, understanding the principles, subdues and rectifies the manas, keeping the manas's direction well in hand. Clearly, at the time of dying and in the antarā-bhava, the mind consciousness has no way to maintain mastery over the manas; at that point the manas will be drawn along by karmic power, or by the power of aspiration, and no longer by the mind consciousness. So if one's practice stops at the stage of the mind consciousness and refuses to advance a single step further, is that not very dangerous and unreliable?